Dan Rohn Named Manager of the Las Vegas 51s for 2010 Season
The 51s coaching staff was also announced as Chad Mottola will serve as hitting coach and Dave LaRoche will return as pitching coach. Last season, Mottola served as the Minor League Roving Hitting Coach for the Blue Jays. Voon Chong was named Athletic Trainer of the 51s. He served as the Athletic Trainer for Double-A New Hampshire for the past six seasons (2004-09).
Rohn is a three-time PCL Manager of the Year (2001, 2004 & 2005) with Tacoma and guided Triple-A Fresno over the past three seasons (2007-09). He has coached or managed in professional baseball over the past 20 years.
Rohn, 53, has compiled a 15-year managerial record of 1,021-1,014 (.502), eight of those seasons in the Pacific Coast League. He compiled his 1,000th victory against Salt Lake on July 21, 2009.
"We're really excited to bring him aboard," Toronto's Director of Minor League Operations Charlie Wilson, said. "He's going to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Blue Jays organization. He's had good success in the PCL and he's just a very solid baseball man."
The Michigan native began his managerial career in 1991 with the Twins of the Gulf Coast League and served in the Minnesota organization from 1990-97 and also served as a coach with Triple-A Salt Lake in 1994 and Double-A Memphis in '97. Rohn's first season in the PCL was in 2001 with Tacoma. Before he joined the San Francisco Giants organization for three seasons (2007-09), he worked with the Seattle Mariners organization, working nine years for the club from 1998-2006. He served with the Major League club as Administrative Coach in 2006, after managing at Double-A Orlando (1998), Double-A New Haven (1999-2000) and the Rainiers for five seasons (2001-05).
He led Tacoma to a division title and a PCL Championship Series in 2005 (lost to Nashville). He managed PCL All-Stars in the 2002 Triple-A All-Star Gamer and led the Rainiers to the best record in the PCL in 2001 (85-59, .590) and a first-round playoff series win over Sacramento. Tacoma was named PCL co-champions with New Orleans. Rohn guided Eastern League champion New Haven to a 82-60 record (.577) in 2000, placing second in the division and team compiled a 6-2 record in two series' and defeated Reading for the championship. He began his initial coaching experience in 1990 as coach at Triple-A Portland.
Rohn began his professional career in 1977 and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the fourth round. He played professionally with the Cubs, Cleveland, Oakland and Texas organizations, with 54 games at the Major League level with Chicago and Cleveland (1983, '84, '86). He batted .250 (18-for-72) with one home run, 11 RBI and recorded his first Major League hit with a triple off Houston's Mike Scott at Wrigley Field.
He graduated from Alpena High School in Michigan where he played baseball, basketball and football and earned Third Team All-America honors at Central Michigan University.
Rohn resides in Traverse City, Michigan with his wife, Mindy.
DAN ROHN'S MANAGERIAL RECORD
1991, Twins (R), Gulf Coast,27-33,.450
1992, Ft. Myers (A), Florida State, 46-85, .351
1995, Fort Wayne (A), Midwest, 75-65, .536
1996, Fort Wayne (A), Midwest, 69-67, .507
1998, Orlando (AA), Southern, 67-71,.486
1999, New Haven (AA), Eastern, 65-77, .458
2000, New Haven (AA), Eastern, 82-60, .577
2001, Tacoma (AAA)*, Pacific Coast, 85-59, .590
2002, Tacoma (AAA), Pacific Coast, 65-76, .461
2003, Tacoma (AAA), Pacific Coast, 66-78, .458
2004, Tacoma (AAA)*, Pacific Coast, 79-63, .556
2005, Tacoma (AAA)*, Pacific Coast, 80-64, .555
2007, Fresno (AAA), Pacific Coast, 77-67, .535
2008, Fresno (AAA), Pacific Coast, 67-76, .469
2009, Fresno (AAA), Pacific Coast, 71-73, .493
TOTALS (15 years), 1,021-1,014, .502
*PCL Manager of the Year
Las Vegas Franchise All-Time Managers List:
1983, Harry Dunlop (83-60, .580)
1984-85, Bob Cluck (136-144, .486)
1986, Larry Bowa (80-62, .563, PCL Champions)
1987, Jack Krol (69-73, .486)
1988-89, Steve Smith (148-135, .523, '88 PCL Champions)
1990, Pat Kelly (58-86, .403)
1991-92, Jim Riggleman (139-145, .489)
1993-94, Russ Nixon (114-172, .399)
1995, Tim Flannery (61-83, .424)
1996-98, 2005-06, Jerry Royster (323-387, .455)
1999, Mike Ramsey (67-75, .472)
2000, Duane Espy (30-20, .600)
2000, Tony Franklin (43-50, .462)
2001, Rick Sofield (68-76, .472)
2002, Brad Mills (85-59, .590, PCL Manager of the Year)
2003, John Shoemaker (76-66, .535)
2004, Terry Kennedy (67-76, .469)
2007-08, Lorenzo Bundy (141-146, .491)
2009, Mike Basso (71-73, .493)
Mottola enters his first season as the hitting instructor for the 51s. In 2009, he served as the Roving Minor League Hitting Coach for the Blue Jays. He served two seasons (2007-08) as the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. In 2007, he joined the ranks of coaching assisting with the Blue Jays Extended Spring Training program.
He played 16 seasons in professional baseball from 1992-2007. He made his Major League debut with Cincinnati on April 23, 1996 against New York and recorded his first Major League hit against Montreal off Jeff Fassero on April 24.
Mottola played in the Cincinnati (1992-98), Texas (1998), Chicago White Sox (1999), Toronto (2000, 2002, 2005-07), Florida (2001), Tampa Bay (2003), Boston (2003) and Baltimore (2004) organizations.
He appeared in 59 career Major League games and appeared in 1,801 career minor league games. He was originally selected by Baltimore in the 10th round of the 1989 June draft but did not sign. He was then selected by Cincinnati in the first round (5th overall) of the 1992 draft.
LaRoche begins his second season as the pitching coach for the 51s. The Las Vegas pitching staffing, in 2009, set a franchise record with 11 shutouts. He spent four seasons (2005-08) as the pitching coach for the Blue Jays' Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire. He joined the Blue Jays organization in 2005 and began his coaching career in the New York Yankees organization with Albany (Eastern League) in 1984. He was the pitching coach with Fort Lauderdale (1986) and Columbus (1986), Syracuse (International League, 1987), Kingsport (1988), Co-Pitching Coach (Chicago White Sox, 1989-91), bullpen coach (New York Mets, 1992-93), pitching coach with Pittsfield (1994-95), Gulf Coast League Royals (2002) and Omaha Royals of the Pacific Coast League (2003-04). He is the father of Adam (Atlanta Braves) and Andy LaRoche (Pittsburgh Pirates). Andy was a member of the Las Vegas 51s from 2006-08.
The former left-handed pitcher enjoyed a 14-year Major League career with California (1970-71, 1977-80), Minnesota (1972), Chicago Cubs (1974), Cleveland Indians (1975-77) and New York Yankees (1981-83). He appeared in 260 career games and posted a 65-58 record with a 3.53 ERA in 1,049 innings pitched.
Chong has been in the Blue Jays organization as Athletic Trainer for eight seasons (2002-09). He was the athletic trainer at Double-A New Hampshire for six seasons (2004-09) and was named the 2007 Eastern League Athletic Trainer of the Year. He serves as Assistant Minor League Athletic Trainer and Rehab Coordinator for the Blue Jays. He attended Simon Fraser University in Canada and earned his degree in Kinesiology.
The 51s open their 28th season in the Silver State on Thursday, April 8 against the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, at 7:05 p.m. at Cashman Field.
Season tickets and mini-plan packages (10, 20, 33-game plans) are available by calling the 51s office at (702) 798-7825 or log on to the team's website at www.LV51.com.