BLUE JAYS COMPLETE COACHING STAFF FOR 2011

By Eddie Michels on November 8, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE courtesy of the Toronto Blue Jays

TORONTO, ONTARIO

Monday, November 8, 2010

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS announce the following additions to the coaching staff of manager JOHN FARRELL for the 2011 season. Joining BRIAN BUTTERFIELD, Third Base Coach, & BRUCE WALTON, Pitching Coach, will be DON WAKAMATSU, Bench Coach, DWAYNE MURPHY, Hitting Coach, TORY LOVULLO, First Base Coach & PAT HENTGEN, Bullpen Coach.

WAKAMATSU, 47, assumes the role of Bench Coach after serving most recently as the Seattle Mariners manager in 2009-10. The Hood River, Oregon native brings an extensive coaching background to the Blue Jays, having managed for six seasons in both the minor and major leagues, including Bench Coaching duties in Texas and Oakland. An 11^th round pick by Cincinnati in 1985, WAKAMATSU reached the major leagues with the White Sox in 1991, playing 18 games, over the course of his 12 years as a professional catcher.

MURPHY, 55, returns to the role of Hitting Coach, marking his 2^nd in the position and 3^rd as a Blue Jays coach. The six–time Gold Glove Award winner was the Organizations Roving Minor League Hitting Instructor prior to his appointment in Toronto in 2008. Under his direction the 2010 Blue Jays led the major leagues with a franchise record 257 home runs, 46 more than runner-up Boston.

LOVULLO, 46, joins the Blue Jays after completing his 9^th season as a minor league manager, most recently with Pawtucket, the Red Sox AAA affiliate. The University of California alumnus, spent parts of eight seasons in the major leagues as a player in a 13 year career from 1987-99, before spending eight seasons managing in the Cleveland Indians system.

HENTGEN, 41, makes his coaching debut after a stellar 14 year playing career that included 10 seasons in a Blue Jays uniform. In 1996 the right-hander posted a 20-10 record with a 3.22 ERA to capture the first Cy Young Award in Blue Jays history. HENTGEN will assume the role of Bullpen Coach for 2011, after spending the last seven seasons as the Blue Jays Club Ambassador and Special Assistant to the President and CEO.