Maine Sports Media

SEA DOGS COACHING STAFF SET TO RETURN IN 2009
Arnie Beyeler Returns For His Third Season as Sea Dogs Manager

Portland, Maine- The Boston Red Sox have announced the coaching staff for the 2009 Portland Sea Dogs. Arnie Beyeler will return to manage the Sea Dogs for a third season. Beyeler will once again be joined by pitching coach Mike Cather, back for his third season with the Sea Dogs, and hitting coach Dave Joppie returns for his second season with the team. Jon Jochim will serve as the team’s Athletic Trainer in 2009. Mike Hazen, Boston’s Director of Player Development, made the announcement.

The 2009 season will be Beyeler’s ninth season as a minor league manager and third with the Portland Sea Dogs. Beyeler, 44, joins Carlos Tosca as the only managers in the Sea Dogs 15-year history to manage the team for three seasons. In 2008, Beyeler led the team to a 74-66 record and the team’s fourth consecutive playoff appearance. In two seasons as the Sea Dogs’ Skipper, Beyeler has recorded a 145-138 record and led the team into post-season play each year. Beyeler recorded his 500th managerial win on August 21, 2008 against the Altoona Curve. He is the ninth manager in franchise history.

Prior to joining the Sea Dogs in 2007, Beyeler served as the hitting coach in 2006 for the San Diego Padres Double-A affiliate; Mobile BayBears. In the fall of 2006 he served as a coach under former Sea Dogs manager Todd Claus with the West Oahu CaneFires in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League. He previously spent three years managing in the Texas Rangers organization, where he led the Stockton Ports to the California League playoffs in 2003 and 2004.

The 2009 season will mark Beyeler’s sixth season in the Red Sox organization. Previously Beyeler managed Boston’s New York-Penn League team, the Lowell Spinners, in 2000 and 2001 and skippered the South Atlantic League Augusta Green Jackets in 2002. While in the Red Sox organization he managed current Red Sox players Manny Delcarmen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Justin Masterson, and Kevin Youkilis. Prior to his time with the Red Sox, Beyeler spent three years coaching in the Yankees organization including two seasons with the Eastern League Norwich Navigators (1998, 1999). From 1992-1996, he served as an area scout for the Detroit Tigers.

As a player, he was a middle infielder in the Tigers system from 1986 to 1991 reaching as high as Triple-A Toledo in 1991. In 584 minor league games over six seasons, he batted .254 with 69 stolen bases. His best season came in 1987 where he hit .285 in 127 games at Single-A Fayetteville.

Beyeler is a graduate of Wichita State with a degree in communications. He earned all-conference and all-region honors during his stint with the Shockers. He also has a degree from Lamar (CO) Community College. Beyeler resides in Ponte Verda Beach, Florida.

Mike Cather, 38, returns for his third season as the pitching coach for the Portland Sea Dogs and fourth in the Red Sox organization. Last season under Cather, the Sea Dogs pitching staff posted a 4.29 ERA and finished the season allowing the second fewest home runs (92) in the Eastern League and recording the third highest strikeout total (1,061). Cather spent the 2006 season as the pitching coach for the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks. While in the Red Sox organization, he has worked with Red Sox pitchers Michael Bowden, Clay Buchholz, and Justin Masterson. Prior to joining the Red Sox in 2006, he was a private instructor for youth, high school, college, and professional pitchers from 2001-2005. Cather appeared in 75 Major League games over three seasons with the Atlanta Braves posting a 5-6 record with a 3.42 ERA. He was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 41st round of the June 1993 amateur draft.

Dave Joppie, 43, returns for his second season as the Sea Dogs’ Hitting Coach. Last season the Sea Dogs ranked first in the Eastern League in walks (577), third in runs scored (704) and fifth in hitting (.267). Prior to joining the Sea Dogs in 2008, he spent two seasons as the Red Sox Class High A hitting coach, serving as the Lancaster JetHawks hitting coach in 2007 and with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2006. In 2007 with the JetHawks, Joppie led the team to a California League best .296 team average. The team also led the league in home runs (217) and hits (1,081). Previously Joppie managed the Florida Marlins Single-A team in Kane County in 2004 and 2005. In 2004 he led the Kane County Cougars to an 83-56 record and Western Division Championship. He was selected as the Midwest League Manager of the Year and Baseball America’s Class Low A Manager of the Year. Joppie has 14 seasons of professional baseball coaching experience, the 2009 season will be his fourth in the Red Sox organization. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native is an NCAA Division II, III, and NAIA basketball official.

Jon Jochim joins the team as the Athletic Trainer in 2009. The 2009 season will be Jochim’s seventh with the Red Sox organization. He spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the Athletic Trainer for the Single-A Lancaster JetHawks. In 2007, he was honored as the California League Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. Jochim served as the Sea Dogs’ interim trainer at the end of the 2007 season and was with the team when the Sea Dogs won the Eastern League Championship. Jochim has also served as the Athletic Trainer for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox (2006) and the Short-Season Single-A Lowell Spinners (2004-2005). He began his career with the Red Sox in 2005 serving as an athletic training intern with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Prior to joining the Red Sox, he was a trainer for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Beyeler will be attending the Portland Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner and Silent Auction on Friday, January 9th at the Wyndam Hotel in South Portland, Maine. Former Sea Dog and current Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson highlights the event. The dinner and auction benefit the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Tickets are available for $50.00 by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com.

The Portland Sea Dogs open the 2009 season on April 9th at 6:00 PM against the Connecticut Defenders (Giants) at Hadlock Field. The 2009 season in the Sea Dogs’ 16th season in Portland and the Sea Dogs are looking to make their fifth straight playoff appearance. “The Drive for Five” is sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. Tickets for the 2009 season are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or on-line at www.seadogs.com.

-Courtesy Portland Sea Dogs