March 22, 2009
Arnerich Not Returning in 09
The St. Cloud River Bats announced today that Tony Arnerich will not return as the field manager in 2009.
Arnerich spent the last three seasons as the field manager for the club and currently holds the all-time record for wins (109) with the franchise. He is the only person in Northwoods League history to win a league championship as a player (2000) and as a coach (2007). Last season, Arnerich and the Bats missed the playoffs for only the third time in team history, but posted the best-overall record in five seasons (37-30).
"Tony is Mr. River Bat and surely will be missed," said Vice President Ryan Voz. "He is a legend around the organization as a player and as a coach."
Arnerich is a member of the Northwoods League All-Decade Team and won league MVP honors in 2001. No other River Bat will ever wear Arnerich’s No. 3 as the team retired his jersey following his playing career.
Arnerich is currently a coach with the University of California-Berkeley and is unable to return as he has taken on a new role with the Cal Bears summer camps.
Replacing Arnerich with the Bats will be Marcus Clapp, an assistant coach at Scottsdale Community College. Clapp is in his third year as the pitching coach with the Fighting Artichokes and is looking forward to joining the club in late May.
Clapp began his coaching career while earning his Masters degree in Health and Exercise Science as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Louisiana Tech University. He then moved to the University of Nebraska-Kearney to become the pitching coach where he developed numerous pitchers including the New York Yankees Joba Chamberlain.
Along with being the field manager for the River Bats, Clapp will also manage the pitching staff in 2009. Assisting Clapp will be McCook Community College head coach Jon Olsen and Southern Arkansas coach Dallas Black.
Clapp and the Bats front office will continue to put together this year's River Bats team as they prepare for the 2009 season to open on May 28 in Brainerd against the Lunkers.
