Lakewood BlueClaws News

Williamsport manager moves up to Lakewood; Legg returns as hitting coach

LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Dusty Wathan, who managed the Phillies New York-Penn League affiliate in Williamsport last year, was named BlueClaws manager in 2009. He will become the seventh manager in team history. Greg Legg returns as hitting coach and Bob Milacki joins the organization and will be Lakewood’s pitching coach.

After finishing his playing career in 2007, Wathan moved right into the managerial ranks, and led Williamsport to a 38-37 record last season. The-

team featured several 2008 Phillies draft picks, and several of those players could be BlueClaws in 2009.

Wathan is a former catcher who played in the farm systems of six different organizations over 14 years, including spending the 2006 and 2007 seasons with the Phillies. He said that since he just finished his playing career, he relates well to today’s young players.

“They always want to know what it’s like in between the lines,” Wathan said. “I know that pretty well, since the game hasn’t changed much in the last year. I think they understand that.”

He made his Major League debut in 2002 with the Royals, and went 3-5 with an RBI in three games. His two years with the Phillies were spent in Triple-A, with Scranton Wilkes-Barre in 2006 and Ottawa in 2007.

“Everyone I’ve talked to that’s spent any time in Lakewood has said the fans are tremendous and come out in droves,” said Wathan. “I’m really looking forward to the season.”

Greg Legg, the first manager in BlueClaws history, returns for his second consecutive season as the team’s hitting coach, and third overall with Lakewood. He managed the BlueClaws in 2001, part of 11 straight years he served as a manager in the Phillies system. He has been a player, coach, or manager with the organization since being drafted in 1982.

Bob Milacki joins the organization as Lakewood’s pitching coach after spending the last eight seasons in the Pirates organization, the last four as the pitching coach for Lynchburg, the team’s Carolina League (Hi-A) affiliate. Milacki appeared in 143 major league games, going 39-47 with a 4.38 ERA, from 1988-1996 with four different organizations before getting into coaching.

Steve Roadcap, who managed the BlueClaws in 2007 and 2008, and holds the team record for wins by a manager, will lead the Double-A Reading Phillies in 2009. It will be his 18^th season as a minor league manager, and first in Double-A.

The Lakewood BlueClaws, a single-A affiliate of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, welcomed 425,166 fans to FirstEnergy Park during the 2008 season which upped their eight-season total to 3,595,378.  They have led the South Atlantic League in average or overall attendance in each of their eight seasons. 

For more information call 732-901-7000 or visit the BlueClaws website at www.BlueClaws.com.

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