ST. LUCIE METS ANNOUNCE 2014 COACHING STAFF AND SCHEDULE

ST. LUCIE METS ANNOUNCE 2014

COACHING STAFF AND SCHEDULE

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. - The St. Lucie Mets have announced their coaching staff and released their schedule for the 2014 Florida State League season. Ryan Ellis returns as St. Lucie Mets Manager and is joined for the third consecutive season by pitching coach Phil Regan and hitting coach
Joel Fuentes.

As the St. Lucie Mets enter their 26th season, the team will play 140 scheduled games with 70 contests at home. The Mets will host the Palm Beach Cardinals in the season opener on Thursday, April 3rd, 2014 at 6:30pm featuring Dollar Thursday; all soda, beers and hot dogs will be $1. The team will conclude the 2014 campaign on August 31st.

Ellis begins his third season as the team's manager. In 2013, Ellis guided the Mets to a record of 71-60, just falling short of the second half South Division Playoffs. The Mets finished the season with the second best overall record in the Florida State League Southern Division.

Ellis was named Florida State League Manager of the Year in 2012 as the Mets finished with the most wins in team history at 83-52. In 2011, he was named South Atlantic League Manager of the Year and guided the Savannah Sand Gnats to the first half division title while reaching the Championship Series. Ellis was recognized by Baseball America as the Best Manager Prospect for the South Atlantic League. Prior to his first managerial role, Ellis was the hitting coach for the Sand Gnats in 2009 and 2010.

Veteran pitching coach Phil Regan enters his sixth season with the St. Lucie Mets. Regan was the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians in 1999 and served in the same role for the Chicago Cubs in 1997 and 1998. He also was the pitching coach for Team USA during the 2000 Olympics. Regan managed the Baltimore Orioles to a 71-73 record during the strike-shortened 1995 season.

Joel Fuentes will begin his first season as hitting coach for the Mets. Fuentes returns from Savannah, after serving two years as the Sand Gnats hitting coach and in the same role with Brooklyn Cyclones in 2009-2010. In 2008 and 2011, Fuentes coached in St. Lucie. He will enter his eighth season with New York Mets organization.

Dane Inderrieden is named the new strength and conditioning coach. He begins his third season with the New York Mets organization after one season with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2012 and one season with the Florida Gulf Coast League in 2013 in the same position.

Matt Hunter begins the 2014 season as the St. Lucie Mets athletic trainer. He will return from the Binghamton Mets after serving in the same role from 2011-2013. Hunter is beginning his tenth season with the New York Mets organization.

For more information on the St. Lucie Mets 2014 Florida State League season, visit stluciemets.com.

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