Cubs Announce 2012 Field Staff
Bialas (pronounced bee-AL-us) will be the 30th manager in Iowa's 44th season of Triple-A baseball dating back to 1969. He becomes the club's 22nd manager going into our 32nd year as the top affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Bialas returns to the dugout after spending the last 10 seasons as Chicago's field coordinator. He also spent the second half of the 2002 season as the Cubs' third base coach under interim manager Bruce Kimm. The 2012 season will be his 18th in the Cubs' organization and his 40th in professional baseball.
Bialas has 13 seasons of minor league managerial experience. His last stint was two seasons with double-A West Tenn in 2000-01. He led the Diamond Jaxx to an 80-58 record and the Southern League title in 2000, earning league Manager of the Year honors. Prior to managing in West Tenn, he spent five seasons as the Cubs' major league bullpen coach. He also held that position with the San Diego Padres during the 1993-94 seasons. Bialas managed 11 seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization from 1982-92. He had stops with single-A Springfield (IL) in 1982-83, double-A Arkansas in 1984 and '90, high-A St. Petersburg in 1985-89 and '91-92, and finished the final 76 games of the '86 season with triple-A Louisville. He has a career record of 912-881 and has led his team to six league championship series. He also earned Florida State League Manager of the Year honors with St. Petersburg in 1987. Bialas had an 11-year playing career, all in the Cardinals' organization. He was a fourth round pick in the 1972 draft. The former outfielder batted .274 in 1,019 games from 1972-82.
Keller enters his ninth season in the Cubs' organization. He was the organization's minor league hitting coordinator from 2004-10 and last year served as a special assistant on the major league staff. Prior to joining the Cubs, Keller was a staff assistant and bullpen catcher for the Cleveland Indians from 2001-03 and their minor league hitting coordinator from 1999-2000. Keller has been a minor league manager in the Cincinnati (1987-89), Cleveland (1990-94), and Chicago White Sox (1996) organizations. He was named the Carolina League Manager of the Year with Kinston in 1993. He was also a minor league coach with Cincinnati (1985-86) and Cleveland (1997-98). Keller was drafted by the Reds in the 28th round of the 1982 draft and played three seasons before starting his coaching career.
Mason enters his fifth year with the Cubs' organization and his 21st year in pro coaching. Prior to joining the Cubs, Mason was the Kansas City Royals minor league pitching coordinator in 2007 and their roving pitching coach in 2004-06. He also held that position from 2000-01, with a two-year stint as the Triple-A pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in between. From 1991-99, Mason was a coach in the Royals' system with stops in Appleton (1991-92), Memphis ('93-94), Springfield ('95), Lansing ('96-97), and Wichita ('98-99). Mason pitched eight seasons in the big leagues with Texas (1982-87), the Cubs ('87), and Minnesota ('88). He compiled a 29-39 record with a 4.53 ERA in 140 games, including 90 starts.
The upcoming season will be Frangella's first with Iowa and his ninth in the Cubs' organization. He has spent the last four seasons at double-A Tennesse and also had stints at single-A Peoria and short-season Boise. Frangella earned a Bachelors of Science degree from Illinois State University and has a Masters Degree from California University of Pennsylvania.
Last year's manager, Bill Dancy, remains with the Cubs, but moves into the role of infield coordinator. Former Iowa players Casey Kopitzke, Mark Johnson, and Jason Dubois return to their same coaching positions as last year. Kopitzke (2001, '04, '06 with Iowa) will manage in Peoria. Johnson (2005, '09-10) will manage in Boise. Dubois (2004-05, '08-10) will be a hitting coach at short-season Mesa in the Arizona Rookie League.
The Iowa Cubs open the 2012 season at home on Thursday, April 5 against the Round Rock Express at 6:35. For a full schedule of games and information on season ticket plans, fans can visit iowacubs.com.