Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Friday, August 24, 2007
Goodell to start managerial search immediately
La Crosse Loggers general manager Chris Goodell said he hasn’t zeroed in on a candidate to replace Rick Boyer. He does expect to have the job filled well before the leaves start changing color.
Boyer resigned Thursday after two seasons as Loggers manager. The franchise is searching for its fourth manager is six years.
“We’ll start immediately,” Goodell said. “We don’t have a definite date but ... because of the recruiting process, which heats up when players go back to school, we want (the manager) to be part of that process.”
Goodell said his job description for a manager is basically the same as it has been since 2002. The difference this time is the emphasis on recruiting.
“We want to go out and find somebody who can bring the recruiting ties and to help us on a national level,” Goodell said. “And also someone who is a strong in-game manager. We feel we’ve done an awful lot of things well in five years but we haven’t won as many games as we’d like and we want to address that.”
Goodell said he will start the search using several avenues.
“We’ll definitely talk to our main contacts in the league and we’ll take a look at the league database of people who have submitted their names,” Goodell said. “We’ll do that before we go into the wide open.”
Loggers second baseman Justin Toole, expected to be one of the team’s leaders in 2008, said he’d like to work with a knowledgeable coach who can keep players motivated for 68 games.”
“It definitely helps to have a guy that is hungry to win and will get after you,” Toole said. “The thing that coach Boyer did is, he’s a great motivator and kept us positive when we were struggling. Having someone you can relate to is a big thing, because you’re there for 2½ months and you’re bound to have some slumps.”
Boyer said he recommended assistant coach Scott Gillitzer, Prairie du Chien, Wis., native who played five seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as his replacement.
Gillitzer was recently accepted to graduate school at Winona State University and said he hasn’t decided on his plans for next season. He is considering taking summer classes.
“I’m not sure at this point about next year because I don’t know how much time I will have,” Gillitzer said. “My mind isn’t totally made up. I told Chris and (Director of Baseball Operations) Ben (Kapanke) I’d keep my options open but I know they have to go ahead and get started on next year.”
Viterbo baseball coach Chad Miller was named Northwoods League Manager of the Year in 2005 after leading Thunder Bay to the league championship.
“There has been no discussion of me being involved with the La Crosse Loggers next season,” said Miller, who was an assistant coach for the Loggers in 2004. “I would say that if they approached me, I would have to think seriously about it. I would consider it, no question, but it’s up to them.”
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