June 13, 2012
Mike Sarbaugh, manager of the two-time defending Triple-A Baseball National Champion Columbus Clippers, and Marty Brown, former Buffalo manager and currently in his second year as skipper of the Las Vegas 51s, have been named managers of their respective league's All-Star teams for the 2012 Triple-A All-Star Game. This marks just the second time that both All-Star managers are making a return trip to the event (2003, Marc Bombard and Rick Sweet). The 25th annual Triple-A All-Star Game will take place at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, New York, home of the International League's Buffalo Bisons, on Wednesday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
This July, Mike Sarbaugh will become the first-ever manager to serve in that role at consecutive Triple-A All-Star Games. Last season, on his way to International League Manager of the Year honors, Sarbaugh piloted the IL All-Stars to a 3-0 victory at the event. The win guaranteed "home" advantage for the International League champion at the 2011 Triple-A National Championship Game, which his Clippers ultimately won for the second straight season. Sarbaugh entered his third campaign in Columbus with a 167-121 record.
Serving as coaches on Sarbaugh's All-Star staff will be Arnie Beyeler of the Pawtucket Red Sox and Ryne Sandberg of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Beyeler is attempting to lead his club to a North Division title for the second time in as many seasons with the PawSox. Also in his second year in the IL, IronPigs skipper Ryne Sandberg gets an All-Star nod after he took his team to the Governors' Cup finals in 2011. The Baseball Hall of Famer gave the franchise its first ever winning season after coming over from Iowa of the Pacific Coast League, where he was the 2010 Manager of the Year.
Marty Brown will return to Coca-Cola Field, where from 2003 to 2005 he served as manager of the Bisons. He led the Herd to its most recent Governors' Cup title in 2004 and was honored as IL Manager of the Year. He managed the IL All-Stars in 2005, his last year at the Triple-A level prior to 2011. After five seasons managing in Japan, Brown returned to the U.S. last year and led the 51s to a 71-73 record.
Blaise Ilsley, pitching coach of the Memphis Redbirds, and Russ Morman, hitting coach of the Fresno Grizzlies, fill out the Pacific Coast League All-Star coaching staff. Ilsley has been in the Cardinals organization over a decade, including five years with the Redbirds. His staffs have won three League ERA titles. Morman is in his second season on the Grizzlies staff. Morman's ties to the International League include his days as an All-Star player for Charlotte and as a hitting coach for Pawtucket in 2009. Both Ilsley and Morman played for the Bisons when Buffalo was a member of the American Association.
The athletic trainer for the IL All-Star squad is Joe Golia, who is in his eighth season in the Mets organization and second in Buffalo. For the Pacific Coast League, Heath Townsend will serve as the athletic trainer. Townsend is in his seventh season with the Colorado Spring Sky Sox and 13th overall in the Rockies organization.
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