Tommy Phelps
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swb railriders field staff MANAGER JAY BELL BATS: RIGHT THROWS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6'0" WEIGHT: 190 LBS BORN: DECEMBER 11, 1965 DID YOU KNOW?: BELL REPLACED BOBBY RESIDES: PHOENIX, AZ MITCHELL, WHO LED THE RAILRIDERS YEARS WITH NYY: 3 TO GAME 5 OF THE GOVERNOR'S CUP CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS LONE SEASON AT THE HELM A SEASON AGO. It was announced January 24, 2019 that Jay Bell will manage the RailRiders for the 2019 season. He played over 2,000 games during an 18-year Major League career and has spent the last two years managing in the Yankees organization with Double-A Trenton and High-A Tampa. "I'm certainly excited about this opportunity," Bell said. "I truly enjoy the New York Yankees approach to player development. The organization's code revolves around respect, hard work and creating a winning atmosphere. We will strive to help players achieve their goals with an eye on making an impact in the Majors." Bell, 53, was initially selected in the first round of the 1984 June Amateur Draft by the Minnesota Twins and was traded to the Cleveland Indians a year later. He made his Major League debut in 1986 and spent three years with the Indians before becoming a fixture at shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After a year with Kansas City, Bell moved on to anchor the Arizona Diamondbacks infield seasons, including winning the 2001 World Series. Bell scored the winning run in Game 7 as the Diamondbacks edged the Yankees. After the 2003 season, Bell retired and joined the Diamondbacks field staff. He also served on staffs for the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds staffs and within the Diamondbacks Minor League system. New York hired Bell in 2017 to manage their High-A team in Tampa, and he led the club to an 85-50 record. The Yankees promoted Bell to Trenton in 2018 and he paced the Thunder to 79 wins. Bell took his teams to the playoffs in each of those seasons. "When it comes down to it, not one thing I can teach is an original thought," Bell added when asked about his approach. "It's all plagiarized. I have a tremendous respect for Hall-of-Famer Alan Trammell. I learned from him and he learned from the generation prior, who learned from the players before that. It's all part of what we learn and we will use that to help build Major League-caliber players." 12 | 2019 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Media Guide | Triple-A, New York Yankees | www.swbrailriders.com | swb railriders field staff PITCHING COACH TOMMY PHELPS BATS: LEFT THROWS: LEFT HEIGHT: 6'3" WEIGHT: 200 LBS BORN: MARCH 4, 1974 DID YOU KNOW? PHELPS PITCHED IN THE RESIDES: VALRICO, FL INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR BOTH TOLEDO (2001) AND COLUMBUS (2006) Phelps enters 2019 for his 12th season as a coach in the Yankees organization and his fourth with the RailRiders. Under his tutelage in 2016, the RailRiders set franchise marks for ERA (2.98) and shutouts (24), and in 2017 he guided the staff to re-breaking the strikeout record that had been previously set in 2016. He served as Pitching Coach for High-A Tampa in 2015, mentoring a staff that lead the FSL in strikeouts (1,074). Prior to that, he spent six seasons as Pitching Coach at Double-A Trenton (2009-14) and served as the Yankees' MiLB Rehabilitation Coach in 2008. Born in Seoul, South Korea, he graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Fla., in 1992 and was originally selected by the Expos in eighth round of the 1992 First-Year Player Draft. Phelps pitched in the Expos (1993-99), Tigers (2000-01), Marlins (2002-04), Brewers (2005) and Yankees (2006) organizations over 14 seasons. He appeared in 75 combined Major League games (11 starts) with the Marlins and Brewers, posting a 4-5 record with one save and a 4.34 ERA. Phelps made 19 appeareances (4 starts) for the 2004 World Champion Florida Marlins, posting a 4.76 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 34.0 IP. The left-hander pitched in 313 career MiLB games (182 starts), going 77-68 with five saves and a 4.12 ERA. HITTING COACH PHIL PLANTIER BATS: LEFT THROWS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6'0" WEIGHT: 200 LBS BORN: JANUARY 27, 1969 DID YOU KNOW? AS A 24-YEAR OLD IN 1993, RESIDES: SAN DIEGO, CA PLANTIER HIT 34 HR TO LEAD THE PADRES ON A ROSTER FEATURING GARY SHEFFIELD (509 HR) AND FRED MCGRIFF (493 HR) Plantier joined the Yankees organization prior to the 2018 season and spends his second season with the RailRiders in 2019. The former MLB outfielder was initially drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 11th round of the 1987 Draft and made his big league debut in 1990 at age 21. He played portions of eight seasons in the majors, spending time with the Red Sox, Padres, Astros, A's and Cardinals. His best season came in 1993 with the Padres when he played 138 games, batting .240 with 20 doubles, 34 HR and 100 RBI. Since retiring, he has spent time as both a manager, hitting coach and hitting coordinator in the Seattle Mariners farm system and managed Lake Elsinore in 2011. From 2012 through 2014, Plantier was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. | 2019 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Media Guide | Triple-A, New York Yankees | www.swbrailriders.com | 13 swb railriders field staff BULLPEN COACH DOUG DAV IS BATS: RIGHT THROWS: RIGHT HEIGHT: 6'2" WEIGHT: 200 LBS BORN: MAY 22, 1974 DID YOU KNOW? DAVIS ATTENDED NORTH RESIDES: BLOOMSBURG, PA CAROLINA STATE WHERE HE PLAYED BASEBALL FOR THE WOLFPACK FROM 1982-1984. Davis enters 2019 for his third season with the Yankees organization- and second as Bullpen Coach- after serving as the Defensive Coach in 2017 when Tyson Blaser was the SWB Bullpen Coach. The Bloomsburg native- and Central Columbia High School graduate- Davis was selected in the ninth round of the 1984 First-Year Player Draft out of NC State and played professionally for 12 years. Overall, Davis has been in coaching since 1995 serving as a minor league manager for eight seasons. As Manager at different stop he has posted a 515-484 record including championships with Pittsfield in the NY-Penn League in 1997 and Columbia in the South Atlantic League in 1998. From 2007-2016 he was on staff in the Toronto Blue Jays systemm and before that he spent two seasons in the big leagues as the Marlins' bench coach from 2003-04, winning the World Series against the Yankees in 2003 with SWB Pitching Coach Tommy Phelps on the roster. The former catcher played professionally for 11 seasons between 1984 and 1994 in the minor league systems of California, Kansas City and Texas. He made it to the big leagues on two separate occasions, scoring one run in six games with the Angels in 1988 and he collected a hit in his only MLB at-bat with the Rangers in 1992. DEFENSIVE COACH JULIO BORBÓN BATS: LEFT THROWS: LEFT HEIGHT: 6'0" WEIGHT: 195 LBS BORN: FEBRUARY 20, 1986 DID YOU KNOW? IN BORBON'S ONE FULL BIRTHPLACE: STARKVILLE, MS SEASON IN THE MLB (2010) HE APPEARED IN 137 GAMES AND BATTED .276 WITH 3 HR, 42 RBI, 60 R AND 15 SB FOR THE TEXAS RANGERS. Julio Borbón announced that he joined the New York Yankees organization as a coach March 1, 2019 at the same time he announced his retirement from playing baseball. Borbón, 33, spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues after being taken in the Supplemental Round in 2007 by the Texas Rangers (No. 35 overall). He last played professionally last season, capping a 12-year career that saw him play for the Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles. Before going pro, Borbón attended the University of Tennessee where he helped the Volunteers reach the College World Series in 2015 and was teammates with major leaguers Chase Headley and Luke Hochevar. Entering the 2007 Draft out of the University of Tennessee, Borbón was ranked the No. 19 overall prospect by Baseball America. Borbón signed a four-year major league contract worth $1.3 million, with a $800,000 signing bonus. Less than two years later Borbón made his major league debut with the Rangers June 29, 2009. 14 | 2019 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Media Guide | Triple-A, New York Yankees | www.swbrailriders.com | swb railriders field staff ATHLETIC TRAINER DARREN LONDON BORN: DECEMBER 26, 1966 DID YOU KNOW: LONDON GRADUATED FROM RESIDES: GROVE CITY, OHIO THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE - ORONO WITH A B.S. IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND A MINOR IN COACHING. London enters 2019 for his 31st consecutive season in the Yankees organization and 27th with SWB. He was honored in 2006 and 2012 as the International League Athletic Trainer of the Year as selected by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS). London began his career in 1989 with Single-A Prince William, where he worked for two season before being named trainer for Single-A Fort Lauderdale in 1991 and moving to Double-A Albany in ‘92. STRENGTH & CONDITIONING BRAD HYDE BORN: MAY 26, 1985 DID YOU KNOW: HYDE GRADUATED RESIDES: BENTONVILLE, AR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT FAYETTEVILLE (2009). Hyde enters 2019 for his fourth season as SWB’s Strength & Conditioning Coach. He spent time with minor league teams under the Cincinnati Reds' and San Francisco Giants' umbrellas before serving as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Reds in 2013. From 2014-15 he had the same role in the Bronx as the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning for the New York Yankees.