Terry Kennedy, Coaching Staff Returning in 2012
Terry Kennedy to Manage Tucson Padres in 2012
Hitting Coach, Pitching Coach and Athletic Trainer Also Returning
The San Diego Padres have announced four-time Major League All-Star Terry Kennedy will return as Manager of the Tucson Padres in 2012. It will be Kennedy's third season as the manager of the Padres Triple-A affiliate, including the 2010 campaign with the Portland Beavers. Kennedy has managed ten seasons in the minor leagues and has posted a career record of 649-630. As a player, he was a Major League All-Star four times (1981, 1983, 1985, 1987) and played in two World Series (1984, 1989).
"I am extremely happy to be coming back to Tucson," said Kennedy. "We will have a good group of players from Double-A. I think this wave of San Diego Padres homegrown talent will give the fans in Tucson a high level of excitement."
The Padres Double-A affiliate in San Antonio won the Texas League Championship last season and was recently named Team of the Year in the annual awards announced by Minor League Baseball.
Tucson Padres Hitting Coach Bob Skube will also return to the T-Pads. The 2012 season will be his second as a Triple-A Hitting Instructor and his sixth overall in the Padres organization. Before joining the Padres, Skube worked as a Hitting Coach and Manager in the Texas Rangers system. As a player, Skube spent parts of two seasons in the Major Leagues with Milwaukee and played with four Hall of Famers while with the Brewers.
Pitching Coach Steve Webber is coming back for his second season guiding Tucson Padres pitchers. The 2012 season will be his 17th as a coach in professional baseball and his ninth in the Padres organization. Webber won the 2008 Jack Krol Award for contributions to Padres player development after his Double-A San Antonio staff led the Texas League in ERA and strikeouts.
Athletic Trainer Wade Yamasaki will return to Tucson for his second season. It will be his 13th season as an Athletic Trainer in the Padres organization. The Tucson Padres will also have a Strength and Conditioning Coach who will be announced at a later date.
"I am thrilled about our coaching staff coming back next season," said Tucson Padres Vice President and General Manager Mike Feder. "Terry, Bob, Steve and Wade have all had success on the field and in the dugout. Also, they have shown commitment to the Tucson community. We should have a promising team in 2012 and we are excited about the continuity on the coaching staff."
The Tucson Padres begin their second season Thursday, April 5 at Kino Stadium against the Fresno Grizzlies.