Drillers' Runnells promoted to lead Sky Sox

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Colorado Springs Sky Sox have announced their coaching staff for the 2006 campaign and the entire staff has significant ties to Colorado. Joining the Sky Sox will be new manager Tom Runnells, a native of Greeley, CO, and new pitching coach Chuck Kniffin, a resident of Florissant, CO.

Colorado Springs residents Alan Cockrell and Jeremy Moeller have both been offered contracts and are expected to return as the Sky Sox hitting coach and athletic trainer. Runnells replaces Marv Foley who has been promoted to roving catching instructor with the Rockies and Kniffin replaces Bob McClure who was recently named the new pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Runnells begins his third season with the Rockies organization and first with the Sky Sox after managing Double-A Tulsa for the past two seasons. Runnells, 50, guided the Drillers to a 75-65 record in 2005 and led the team to a second straight trip to the Texas League playoffs.

He has 18 years of experience as a manager and coach including two years of Major League managerial experience with the Montreal Expos in 1991-92. With the Expos, he managed 149 games over parts of those two seasons and compiled a 68-81 record. After retiring as a player in 1986, Runnells managed in the Reds system for two seasons (1987-88) before managing and coaching in the Expos (1989-1992) and Detroit Tigers (1993-2003) organizations. He managed the Southern League Champion Chattanooga Lookouts in 1988 and the American Association Champion Indianapolis Indians in 1989.

As a player, Runnells played 10 seasons including a stint with the Cincinnati Reds (1985-86). The former infielder played in 40 Major League games with the Reds and posted a .174 average with a couple of doubles in limited play.

Kniffin, 55, begins his first year in the Rockies organization after spending last season as the pitching coach for Triple-A Syracuse in the Toronto Blue Jays system. The Florissant, CO resident has 17 years of coaching experience including three seasons (2002-04) as the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching coach. With the Diamondbacks, his pitchers compiled a 233-253 record and led the team to a playoff appearance in 2002 behind the arms of Randy Johnson (24-5) and Curt Schilling (23-7).

Cockrell, 42, returns for his eighth season with the Rockies organization and his fourth with the Sky Sox. As a player, he played in five different season with the Sky Sox and is the all-time team leader in games played (494), RBI (286), hits (478), doubles (91) and walks (183). The Colorado Springs resident is also the only man to play for both of the Sky Sox PCL Championship teams (1992 & '95).

Moeller, a Colorado Springs native, returns for his second season as the Sky Sox trainer. A graduate of Rampart High School and Colorado State University, this will be Jeremy's eighth season in the Rockies organization.