Devil Rays Fire Durham Staff
After a season that featured three of the Durham Bulls top prospects ending up in trouble, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays fired the entire Bulls coaching staff.
Manager John Tamargo, hitting coach Richie Hebner, pitching coach Joe Coleman and trainer Tom Tinsdale were all let go after a season in which outfielder Delmon Young was suspended for 50 games for throwing a bat that struck an umpire; shortstop/third baseman B.J. Upton was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, and outfielder Elijah Dukes was suspended multiple times, and was quoted in USA Today complaining of taking showers in sewer water in Durham.
On the field, the Bulls finished 64-78, the team's worst record in 10 years as a Triple-A franchise.
"I wasn't totally surprised," Tamargo told the Durham Herald-Sun. "I knew they were going to do something. I'm going to miss the Bulls' organization and the fans in Durham. The situation (with the players) was not good. Durham is a great place to manage. I just wish I had another chance."
Tamargo was in his first year as Durham Bulls manager after replacing Bill Evers, who joined the Devil Rays major league coaching staff. Hebner had worked with the Bulls for four years, while Coleman had been in Durham for seven seasons.
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PrintAfter a season that featured three of the Durham Bulls top prospects ending up in trouble, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays fired the entire Bulls coaching staff.
Manager John Tamargo, hitting coach Richie Hebner, pitching coach Joe Coleman and trainer Tom Tinsdale were all let go after a season in which outfielder Delmon Young was suspended for 50 games for throwing a bat that struck an umpire; shortstop/third baseman B.J. Upton was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, and outfielder Elijah Dukes was suspended multiple times, and was quoted in USA Today complaining of taking showers in sewer water in Durham.
On the field, the Bulls finished 64-78, the team's worst record in 10 years as a Triple-A franchise.
"I wasn't totally surprised," Tamargo told the Durham Herald-Sun. "I knew they were going to do something. I'm going to miss the Bulls' organization and the fans in Durham. The situation (with the players) was not good. Durham is a great place to manage. I just wish I had another chance."
Tamargo was in his first year as Durham Bulls manager after replacing Bill Evers, who joined the Devil Rays major league coaching staff. Hebner had worked with the Bulls for four years, while Coleman had been in Durham for seven seasons.
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