Ex-Padres skipper named to manage Indians
The Spokane Indians and Texas Rangers announced Monday that former San Diego Padres manager Greg Riddoch will manage the Indians during the 2005 Northwest League baseball season.
Riddoch, who has been a roving defensive coordinator for the Rangers, will join the Indians on the bench for his first managerial job since piloting the Padres for three seasons in the early 1990s. He has 38 years of professional baseball experience.
Prior to joining the Rangers organization in 2002, Riddoch worked in the front offices of the Milwaukee Brewers, Padres and Cincinnati Reds, including serving as director of player development for the Brewers and Reds. Riddoch’s professional baseball career began in 1967 when he was a third-round draft pick of the Reds after leading the NCAA in home runs for Colorado State College, now known as the University of Northern Colorado.
“Everyone in Spokane should be extremely excited to hear the news that Greg will be our manager in 2005,” said Indians chairman and principal owner Bobby Brett. “Having a manager of Greg’s caliber is a treat that the great fans here in Spokane deserve and we are pleased that the Texas Rangers have named Greg our manager.”
Riddoch is no stranger to the Northwest League, managing the Seattle Rainiers in 1974 and the Eugene Emeralds from 1975-76 and 1978-81. In 1975, Riddoch made his debut with the Emeralds, guiding them to a 54-25 record and a Northwest League championship. After leaving Eugene following the 1976 season, Riddoch returned to the NWL in 1978 and led the Emeralds to the Southern Division championship. In 1980, Riddoch led the Emeralds to another NWL pennant. Coincidentally, the Emeralds have not won a league championship since Riddoch left there in 1981. In six years with the Emeralds, Riddoch compiled a 227-204 record and ranks No. 2 all-time in wins in Emeralds franchise history.
In 1990, Riddoch reached the pinnacle of the baseball coaching profession when he was named manager of the Padres. After taking over for Jack McKeon midway through the ‘90 season, Riddoch returned to the Padres bench in 1991 and guided the team to an 84-78 record and a third place in the six-team National League West. The Padres’ 84 wins in 1991 were the third most in the franchise’s 23-year history.
Riddoch and staff – hitting and pitching coaches are still be be announced –will get their first taste of NWL action June 21 as the Indians open the 2005 season in Eugene. The Indians’ 2005 home opener is June 26 against the Everett AquaSox.
College football
Whitworth will have a national ranking to protect when the Pirates (6-1 overall, 2-1 Northwest Conference) visit Willamette (6-2, 3-0) on Saturday.
The Pirates edged their way into the D3football.com poll for the first time this season at No. 25 on Monday. Earlier in the season, Whitworth was among schools also receiving votes in the poll.
Whitworth was fourth and Willamette ninth in the coaches’ NCAA Division III West Region rankings last week and both received votes in the AFCA national poll. This week’s rankings come out today.
Linfield, which handed Whitworth it’s loss, is No. 2 in both the D3 and AFCA coaches polls and No. 1 in the West Region.
College volleyball
Eastern Washington senior Deanna Albers was named Big Sky Conference player of the week for her performance against Idaho State and Weber State last weekend.
Albers had 29 kills with a .333 hitting percentage as the Eagles won both – 3-0 against ISU, 3-1 over Weber – to run their record to 16-6 overall and 9-1 atop the Big Sky.
She had 12 kills and 17 digs against Idaho State and 17 kills and 20 digs against Weber.