The Baltimore Orioles announced today that Leo Gomez will manage the Aberdeen IronBirds (Class-A Short-Season affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) in 2011. This will be Gomez's second summer in Aberdeen, where he was a coach for the club last season.
Gomez takes over for Gary Kendall, who skippered the team through the previous three seasons. Kendall has been named the manager of the Bowie Baysox (Double-A affiliate of the Orioles).
This will be Gomez's third season as a minor league coach for the O's. Before coming to Aberdeen, Gomez spent 2009 coaching the Gulf Coast League Orioles. Gomez played a combined seven years in the major leagues, playing for the Orioles from 1990 to 1995 and the Chicago Cubs in 1996. In 1997, Gomez played his first of six seasons in Japan. He hit .293 with 153 home runs in his Japanese career.
Gomez is joined on the coaching staff by some familiar faces. Scott McGregor returns to Aberdeen as pitching coach for the fourth straight year. An Orioles legend, McGregor is best known for pitching a shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth and deciding game of the 1983 World Series. Cesar Devarez will serve once again as field coach. Devarez is returning for his seventh season as a coach for the IronBirds.
The one new face on the coaching staff is Moe Hill. This is Hill's ninth season in the Orioles organization, but first in Aberdeen. He spent the previous five seasons as a field coach for the Baysox.
Trek Schuler (third season) and Marcell Valentine (third season) return as athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach, respectively.
The IronBirds will open the 2011 campaign at Ripken Stadium against the Hudson Valley Renegades (Class-A Short-Season affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) on June 17. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
The Aberdeen IronBirds sold out season tickets for the 10th straight season. Group packages and single-game tickets, however, are still available for the 2011 season. For ticket information, contact the box office, 410-297-9292, or visit http://www.IronBirdsbaseball.com.