Green to skipper Osprey in 2012
One season ago, Andy Green was slated to become the first former Osprey player to return and coach the Osprey, serving as the club's hitting coach, but prior to Green making the trip from Arizona to Montana, his assignment changed and he made his managerial debut instead with the Rookie Arizona League D-backs. In 2012, Green will manage the Osprey's quest for their third Pioneer League Championship in franchise history.
Former major leaguer Gil Heredia will return for his third season as the O's pitching coach and athletic trainer Scott Barringer and strength and conditioning coach Andrew Slorp will be in their second year with the Osprey. Recently retired major league catcher J.R. House will make his coaching debut as the team's hitting coach.
Green played for the 2000 Osprey, hitting .229 with 16 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 11 tries. He played parts of four Major League seasons with the D-backs and New York Mets. In 140 Major League games, Green hit .200 in 230 at-bats.
He played in 80 total games in 2010, between Triple-A Buffalo and Advanced-A St. Lucie, hitting .241 with six homers and 27 RBIs. In his minor-league career, Green hit .295 with 67 home runs and 418 RBIs. Green's best season came in 2005 with Triple-A Tucson, when he hit .343 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs, and received a promotion to the D-backs before the end of the season.
Heredia spent ten seasons in the major leagues, primarily as a reliever until late in his career. Heredia pitched in San Francisco, Montreal, Texas and Oakland and was 57-51 in 267 appearances, including 128 starts. Heredia pitched just over 950 major league innings in his career, was a starter for Oakland his last four seasons in the big leagues.
Heredia's best season was in 2000 with the A's where he posted a 15-11 record in 32 starts, completed two games and posted a 4.11 ERA, good enough to rank seventh in the American League. He also finished in the top 25 in the league in batting average against, games started, innings pitched and wins that season, and helped the A's win the American League West Division title.
Growing up, House was a multiple-sport-star originally from the same hometown as former Osprey pitcher, J.R Bradley, Nitro, W. Va. House played quarterback for one season at West Virginia before pursuing his career as a catcher in professional baseball. He earned co-MVP honors in the South Atlantic League in 1999 with major league all-star Josh Hamilton. House caught in the major leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2003-04), the Houston Astros (2006), the Baltimore Orioles (2007) and again the Astros in (2008) House retired from the Independent Long Island Ducks in 2011.
Barringer, the reigning Pioneer League Trainer of the Year, who has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association since 2006, will be in his second season with the Osprey. Barringer received his Master's degree in Athletic Training while serving as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at East Carolina University. Barringer received his bachelor's degree from East Stroudsburg University, where he served as a student athletic trainer and gained clinical experience at the high school, Division I and Division II levels. Barringer also had the opportunity to serve as an intern during the summer of 2010 with the Diamondbacks.
Slorp will enter his second season with the Osprey as the Strength & Conditioning Coach. Slorp received his bachelor's degree from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in 2007, where he also played baseball for three seasons. Slorp was a draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2002 MLB Draft.
Several former Osprey field staff members are among the D-backs minor league staff, including the reigning Pioneer League Manager of the Year Hector De La Cruz, who will manage the D-Backs Rookie Arizona League Team. Former Osprey and Diamondbacks pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, Jr., will be the D-backs' minor league pitching coordinator.
Former Osprey manager Audo Vicente will serve as the manager in short-season Yakima, while alumni manager Tony Perezchica will serve as the infield coordinator. Former Osprey hitting coach Jason Hardtke will manage Advanced-A Visalia of the California League for the second consecutive year.
Alumni trainer Joe Metz will be in Double-A Mobile as will alumni strength and conditioning coach Vaughn Robinson. Former strength and conditioning coach Mike Schofield will be in Single-A South Bend.
The Osprey will open the 2012 season in mid-June, with season tickets available now at the MSO Hub Box Office located at 140 North Higgins in Downtown Missoula and by phone (406) 543-3300.