7/06/2007

Alumni in the News

Geoff Baker catches up with the new Seattle first base coach. Former Rattler manager Gary Thurman.
New first-base coach back in the big leagues

Thurman's rapid promotion was somewhat of a shock, especially to him. He'd been working as a minor-league baserunning and outfield instructor when told he was being considered for the vacant first-base coach job and should call general manager Bill Bavasi.

He did and Bavasi soon called back offering him a job.

"I hadn't the slightest idea," Thurman said. "And that was, I guess, a surprise. No, I didn't expect it. I didn't know it was going to happen."

Mariners bench coach Mike Goff, who had known and worked with Thurman for several years, said his playing experience will be a big plus.

"He had experience playing up here, as a fourth outfielder most of the time," Goff said. "He had to study the game and be ready to play all three outfield positions."


Meanwhile, the Victorville Daily Press has a story on Michael Saunders (WI '06)
Bright path ahead

The grind of another road trip was interrupted for Mike Saunders by a phone call from his agent. The Mavericks outfielder was sitting on the team bus in Lancaster, oblivious of the announcement of All-Star Futures Game selections earlier in the day.

“The first thing he said to me was ‘Congratulations,’ ” said Saunders, who is rated as the 24th-best Seattle Mariners prospect by Baseball America. “I had no idea what he was talking about. I thought he was congratulating me on having a good first half. ... I was caught off-guard, real happy about it and excited.”


That game is Sunday at 3:00pm CDT from San Francisco. It will be televised on ESPN 2.

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