The Bowie Baysox and the Baltimore Orioles have announced the Baysox coaching staff for the 2017 season. Baltimore native Gary Kendall returns for his seventh season as manager and he will be joined by a pair of familiar faces in Pitching Coach Kennie Steenstra and Hitting Coach Butch Davis.
Kendall, the longest-tenured and winningest manager in franchise history, returns for a seventh season with the team. As he begins his 18th season in the Orioles organization, Kendall holds a 431-420 record in six seasons with Bowie and led the club to its first and only Eastern League Championship during the 2015 season. Prior to joining the Baysox, Kendall spent three seasons managing the Short Season Aberdeen IronBirds. After two years serving as Field Coach for Idaho Falls (Pioneer League), Kendall returned to the Orioles as the Field Coach for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles (2000-2001) and the IronBirds (2002-2003) before making his managerial debut with Bluefield in 2004. After that season he spent three years as the manager for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds (2005-2007). Kendall graduated from Sparrows Point High School in Baltimore and played at the Community College of Baltimore and Atlantic Christian College.
Steenstra returns for a second stint with the Baysox after spending the past four seasons as Frederick Keys Pitching Coach. Now in his 13th season with the Orioles organization, he previously served as Baysox Pitching Coach from 2010-12. The Missouri native was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of the 1992 First Year Player Draft and made his major league debut in Chicago on May 21, 1998. He pitched 11 years professionally, spending seven years in the Cubs organization before playing for the Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondback organizations. In 2002, he pitched in six games for the Orioles class Triple-A affiliate in Rochester.
Davis returns for his fourth stint as Baysox Hitting Coach after spending the previous two seasons as Minnesota Twins First Base Coach. He has also served as Baysox Hitting Coach in 2000, from 2003-05 and from 2013-14 and he joins Kendall as the only other coach to be with the team during seven different seasons. The North Carolina native also spent seven seasons as the Orioles’ roving outfield and bunting instructor. Prior to his time coaching the Baysox, Davis spent two seasons as a coach with the Rochester Red Wings (2001-02) and was the manager at Delmarva (1999) and the Gulf Coast (1997-98). Upon joining the Orioles organization as a coach in 1995, Davis spent his first two seasons as a coach in Rochester. Originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 10th round of the 1980 draft, Davis spent 13 seasons in the Minor Leagues and played parts of eight seasons at the Major League level.
Rounding out the Baysox coaching staff is Athletic Trainer Pat Wesley and Strength Coach Pat Armstrong. Wesley is in his third season with the Baysox after spending the previous seven seasons in the same position with the Frederick Keys. In his 14th full season as an athletic trainer in the Orioles organization, Wesley also previously worked with the Bluefield Orioles (2004-2005), Aberdeen IronBirds (2006) and Delmarva Shorebirds (2007-08). Armstrong is back for his sixth season with the Baysox after previously serving in the same role with the Delmarva Shorebirds (2011) and Bluefield Orioles (2010).
The 2017 Bowie Baysox season is presented by Money One Federal Credit Union. The Baysox 2017 home opener will be Thursday, April 13 against the Harrisburg Senators at 6:35 p.m. Don’t miss out as the team prepares to celebrate its 25th Season. Ticket plans are available at www.baysoxshop.com.
