Louisville, Billings staffs will return in 2009

November 13, 2008

The Louisville Bats, Class AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, will keep its coaching staff in tact another season.

Rick Sweet will return as manager, along with pitching coach Ted Power and hitting coach Adrian Garrett.

The Bats won a franchise-record 88 games in 2008, going 88-56 to earn a berth in the International League playoffs. Sweet was named IL Manager of the Year and became Louisville’s all-time winningest manager (303-272).

* Also returning is the staff for the Reds’ rookie Pioneer League affiliate, the Billings Mustangs: Julio Garcia, the league’s manager of the year; Tom Browning, pitching coach; and Tony Jaramillo, hitting coach. Billings went 42-32 in 2008, winning North Division titles in both halves of the season.

* With Joey Votto runner-up to Cubs catcher Geovany Soto in Rookie of the Year voting, and Jay Bruce fifth, the Reds put two players in the top five for the first time since 1970. That year, Bernie Carbo finished second in the voting, while Wayne Simpson tied for fourth.

* Tickets for the 2009 World Baseball Classic go on sale Monday. A schedule and ticket information are available at www.WorldBaseballClassic.com.

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Posted by Mark Maloney