Glynn returns as Wings manager in 2014
The Minnesota Twins made it official Wednesday announcing that Gene Glynn, who last year guided the Red Wings to their first playoff berth since 2006, will return for his third season as manager of the Rochester Red Wings in 2014. Glynn will again be joined on the bench by hitting coach Tim Doherty and pitching coach Marty Mason, who each return for their second season in Rochester.
Under Glynn's watch in 2013, the Red Wings overcame a 2-11 start and 140 player transactions to claim the International League's Wild Card spot on the season's final day. Though the Wings would fall in five games to Pawtucket in the first round of the Governors' Cup playoffs, Rochester's 77-win regular season was tied for the third-most victories since the club moved to Frontier Field in 1997.
After a 72-72 mark in 2012, Glynn, 57, has posted a 149-139 record over his first two seasons in the Flower City. Prior to his arrival in Rochester in 2012, the Wings had gone just 102-186 over the previous two seasons.
Glynn, who captured his 300th career managerial win last season in a June 22 win over Louisville, will embark on his eighth season as a minor league manager in 2014 with a career mark of 339-330. The Waseca, MN native has also managed Jamestown (1986-87), Spokane (1990-91) and Bend (1992) - all short-season Single-A clubs.
Along with his managerial experience, Glynn has served as a pro scout for the Tampa Bay Rays for five seasons (2007-11) and spent 13 seasons as a coach in the Major Leagues for four different organizations.
In his first season as a hitting coach at the Triple-A level, Doherty saw the Wings offense score 669 runs (4.6 R/G) last season, second-most in the IL and over 100 more than the team scored in 2012. Rochester's .258 team average ranked tied for fourth in the league while they paced the IL drawing 561 base on balls.
Prior to joining the Red Wings staff last season, Doherty, 47, served as an assistant hitting coach under Dave Magadan for the Boston Red Sox in 2012. From 2003-2011, Doherty coached with the Kansas City T-Bones of the American Association serving as the hitting coach from 2003-09 and manager from 2010-11.
Mason, 55, returns for a second season to lead a pitching staff that finished with the highest ERA (4.21) of any team in the IL in 2013. However, Red Wings hurlers did lead the league with 12 complete games and 46 saves on the season.
The Central City, Kentucky native spent 11 seasons as Tony LaRussa's bullpen coach in St. Louis from 2000-10 before moving onto the Cubs organizations where he was the pitching coach for Double-A Tennessee in 2011 and Single-A Daytona in 2012.
Also returning to the Wings for a second season are head athletic trainer Larry Bennese and strength and conditioning coach Jon Cioffi.
The Red Wings open the 2014 season on Thursday, April 3 against the Buffalo Bisons at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, NY. The Wings 18th season at Frontier Field commences two days later on Saturday, April 5 vs. Buffalo. For season ticket or group information, call (585) 454-1001 or visit RedWingsBaseball.com.