The Staten Island Yankees announced their 2012 coaching staff on Thursday, naming Justin Pope as the manager for the upcoming season.
Pope made his coaching debut in 2010, serving as pitching coach for the Staten Island Yankees, where he guided a staff that issued the fewest walks in the New York-Penn League (204).
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to manage in such a beautiful ballpark in front of the great fans of Staten Island,” Pope said. “I’m very happy to be back and I look forward to putting a team of very good players on the field.”
Carlos Chantres, who hasn’t been seen in a Staten Island Yankees uniform since 2006, returns to the Island as pitching coach in 2012. In the summer of ’06, Chantres’ staff led the Baby Bombers to a league best 45 wins, and the fourth New York-Penn League Championship in team history.
Ty Hawkins returns for his seventh consecutive season as the hitting coach in Staten Island. Hawkins has led the Staten Island Yankees to the second best batting average in the NYPL in four of the last five seasons, and a NYPL-most 52HR in 2009. He guided the 2006 Staten Island offense to a league-best .267 average and 365R en route to the club’s second consecutive New York-Penn League Championship.
Also joining the staff will be coach Danilo Valiente, who returns for his second consecutive season with the Baby Bombers. Last season, he helped lead Staten Island to their sixth NYPL Championship.