Gabella returns to manage Bees
Steve Luebber will join the staff as pitching coach and Mark Stubblefield returns for his fourth season as athletic trainer. Tom Burgmeier, who had been the Bees pitching coach for the last three seasons, will move up to Triple-A Omaha this year.
Gabella becomes the second manager in the Bees' 45 seasons in the Midwest League to skipper the team for three consecutive seasons. His predecessor, Joe Szekely (2001-03) was the first.
Gabella ranks ninth on the managerial win list with a record of 121-159 over the last two seasons. If the team can accumulate at least 67 wins this year, Gabella will pass Szekely for the top spot on that list. The Bees finished 65-75 last year, posting a nine-win improvement from 2004. Gabella returned to managing in '04 after spending seven years as an area scout for the Cleveland Indians.
Gabella had previous managerial and coaching experience with both the Indians and Montreal Expos organizations and is the only man able to say he has managed in all three Burlingtons (Iowa, Vermont, North Carolina) in Minor League baseball. Jim, his wife, Cindy, and their son, Cody, moved to Burlington this past offseason.
Anderson continues his run as the longest tenured coach in Bees' history as he returns for 2006. He started with the Bees in 2002 after spending 2001 as the hitting coach for the Royals' team in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He joined the Royals after three seasons as an assistant coach at Hofstra University. Patrick's wife, Larissa, is currently the associate head softball coach at Hofstra.
Luebber joins the Royals organization after spending the last five seasons as the Double-A pitching coach in the Texas Rangers' organization. He was also with the Rangers from 1995-97 as roving pitching instructor. Prior to rejoining the Rangers, Luebber coached for three years with the Florida Marlins organization. His coaching career began as a player-coach from 1981-83. He spent seven seasons with the San Diego Padres and four with the Baltimore Orioles before joining the Rangers the first time.
Luebber pitched professionally for 17 seasons, including 66 games in the Major Leagues with the Minnesota Twins (1971-72, '76), the Toronto Blue Jays (1979) and Baltimore (1981). He was 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA in his Major League time.
Stubblefield returns for his fourth season with the Bees and his fifth overall with the Royals after spending the 2001 season with Spokane in the Northwest League. He has a bachelor of science degree in athletic training from Indiana State University and a masters of science in athletic training from California University of Pennsylvania.