Tacoma Rainiers Unveil Field Staff For 2018

TACOMA, Wash. -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and Director of Player Development Andy McKay today announced that the Tacoma Rainiers would return the entirety of their primary field staff for the upcoming 2018 Pacific Coast League season.
Manager Pat Listach returns for his fourth season in charge of the club, while being assisted by third-year pitching coach Lance Painter and hitting coach Dave Berg, who enters his second season in Tacoma.

Listach, 50, led the Rainiers to a Pacific Northern Division crown in 2016, and boasts a career record of 325-301 (.519) while in the PCL with Iowa and Tacoma. Since Listach joined the Rainiers in 2015, the club has posted a sparkling 123-92 (.572) record at home in Cheney Stadium, the best home record in the league over that stretch. Under his guidance seven Tacoma players have been selected or elected to represent the PCL in the Triple-A All-Star Game, three of which earned starting roles.
Over the course of a six-year Major League career, Listach accumulated 250 runs, over 140 RBI, and 116 stolen bases while also being honored as the 1992 American League Rookie of the Year after hitting .290 with 54 steals. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round of the 1988 draft out of Arizona State University.
Painter, 50, returns for his third season as the Rainiers pitching coach, and his 13th season serving in the Mariners organization. During the 2017 campaign Painter's pitching staff logged a league-best 13 shutouts, the most recorded by Tacoma in a single season since 2005. With his help, seven Rainiers pitchers went on to make their Major League debuts last year, including top prospects Andrew Moore and Max Povse.
The Bedford, UK native enjoyed a 10-year Major League career with the Colorado Rockies (1993-96), St. Louis Cardinals (1997-99, 2003), Toronto Blue Jays (2000-01), and Milwaukee Brewers (2001), during which he logged a total of 450 innings in 314 appearances. He was originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the 25th round of the 1990 draft out of the University of Wisconsin.
Berg, 47, comes back for his second go-around in a Rainiers uniform after leading one of the most controlled offenses in the PCL last season. During the 2017 campaign, Tacoma batters struck out just 1,033 times and drew 517 walks, the fourth and third best marks on the circuit, respectively.
After being selected by the Florida Marlins in the 38th round of the 1993 draft, Berg would go on to play seven seasons in the Major Leagues with Florida (1998-2001) and the Toronto Blue Jays (2002-04). At the time of his Major League debut on April 2, 1998 he was the lowest-ever Marlins draft pick to make the Majors.
The Rainiers open the 2018 campaign, the 59th season in club history, on Thursday, April 5 at 7:05 p.m. PT against the Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco).
All season ticket options, group outings, and suite packages for the club's 2018 season are available now and can be purchased by calling the Tacoma Rainiers front office today at (253) 752-7707. The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers leading up to the 2018 season can be found by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand) and liking the team on Facebook.