Forbes returning as Altoona manager
Forbes, 44, returns to guide Altoona after leading the team to a 64-77 record in 2011. Under Forbes' direction, the 2011 club produced Eastern League Rookie of the Year Starling Marte as well as Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year Kyle McPherson. In addition to the standout campaigns of Marte and McPherson, Forbes also oversaw the development of LHP Jeff Locke, RHP Jared Hughes, LHP Aaron Thompson and C Eric Fryer, all of whom made their Major League debuts last season with Pittsburgh.
A native of Pittsburg, Kan., Forbes owns a career managerial record of 533-584 and has led two teams to the playoffs, with the 2009 Lynchburg Hillcats taking home the Carolina League Championship (Mills Cup). In three seasons as a manager in the Pirates' farm system, Forbes has guided two different teams to playoff appearances.
Returning to Altoona with Forbes will be Long, who served as the Curve's hitting coach from 2009-10 before performing the same duties with Bradenton in 2011. Under Long's instruction, Bradenton led the Florida State League in batting in 2011, posting a team mark of .278 (10 points better than the second-place squad). They led the league in walks and had the fifth-fewest number of strikeouts in the 12-team Florida State League.
This will be Long's third season in a Curve uniform and his fourth overall in the Pittsburgh organization after spending two seasons as the hitting coach for the Burlington Bees (the Kansas City Royals' affiliate in the Midwest League). Prior to his time with the Kansas City organization, Long spent six seasons (2001-06) as a coach in the White Sox farm system. All told, 2012 will mark Long's 12th season as a Minor League coach. He was originally drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 1991 Draft and went on to play for 10 pro seasons. Long made his debut with the Royals in 1997.
Johnson joins Altoona for the first time in his coaching career after spending the past three seasons as the pitching coach for the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League. Last season, Johnson's pitching squad in West Virginia posted a team ERA of 3.98, which was seventh-best in the 12-team South Atlantic League. His staff also featured 2010 Pirates first-round pick Jameson Taillon, who went 2-3 with a 3.98 ERA in 23 starts during his first pro season.
The 2012 campaign marks Johnson's fifth season with the Pirates organization, and it will be his first assignment at Double-A. A former New York Yankee, Johnson was drafted by New York in the sixth round of the 1988 Draft out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He made his Major League debut for the Yankees on June 5, 1991 and earned his first big league win in his third start against Toronto on June 19, 1991. He spent a total of three seasons in the Major Leagues, all with New York, and posted an 8-16 record with a 6.52 ERA.
Zalno, a two-time New York-Penn League Athletic Trainer of the Year, returns to Altoona for his second straight season after serving in the same capacity in 2011. A native of Clearfield, Pa., Zalno won the NYPL Athletic Trainer of the Year award in 2009 and again in 2010. The Duquesne graduate spent four seasons with State College before coming to Altoona in 2011.
Zalno has been a member of the Pirates' training staff since 2003, when he served as the Gulf Coast League athletic trainer for two seasons before moving to Williamsport in 2005. He also worked in Hickory for the 2006 season before beginning his four-year tenure at State College in 2007. He holds a bachelor's degree from Duquesne in athletic training and a master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky University.
Pittsburgh also announced the rest of its Minor League coaching assignments, which are populated with former Curve coaches and players. Former Curve pitching coach Dean Treanor (2009) will once again manage the Triple-A Indianapolis club, while Tom Filer and Bryan Housand, who served as the pitching coach and athletic trainer, respectively, during Altoona's championship run in 2010, will return to their posts on Treanor's staff with the Indians.
Jeff Livesey, Altoona's hitting coach from 1999-2000, will retain his role as Minor League hitting coordinator after holding the same post in 2011. Kory DeHaan, an outfielder on the 1999 Altoona Curve club who made his Major League debut with San Diego in 2000, will serve as the hitting coach for Class A Advanced Bradenton.