March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Gary Kendall to return for 8th season with Bowie Baysox

Gary Kendall, Baysox General Manager

The Baltimore Orioles announced the 2018 Minor League Coaching Staff assignments for each of their affiliates on Friday morning. Baltimore native Gary Kendall returns for his eighth season as Baysox manager and is joined by returning pitching coach Kennie Steenstra as well as hitting coach Keith Bodie who returns for a second stint in Bowie.

Fresh off of a playoff appearance a year ago, Kendall is the longest tenured and winningest manager in franchise history. He has led the Baysox to three playoff berths in his seven seasons including the club’s lone Eastern League Championship in 2015 and has compiled a 503-488 (.508) mark during his tenure. 2018 will mark Kendall’s 19th year in the Orioles organization and on April 14 at Harrisburg, he will manage his 1,000th game in a Baysox uniform. Prior to coming to Bowie, Kendall spent one season as the manager of the Bluefield Orioles (Rk.) in 2004 before serving as the skipper for three seasons apiece with Low-A Delmarva (2005-07) and Short Season Aberdeen (2008-10). The Maryland native graduated from Sparrows Point High School in Baltimore and played at the Community College of Baltimore and Atlantic Christian College.

Steenstra returns for his second year in his second stint with the Baysox after previously serving as the pitching coach from 2010-12. In 2017, Steenstra worked with a pitching staff that featured a trio of Eastern League All-Stars in RHP Lucas Long, LHP Tanner Scott and RHP Yefry Ramirez, who was acquired in a midseason trade with the Yankees organization. The Missouri native served as the Frederick (A+) pitching coach from 2013-16 and enters his 14th year in the Orioles organization. Steenstra was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of the 1992 MLB First Year Player Draft and made his major league debut with Chicago (NL) on May 21, 1998.  He pitched for 11 years professionally, spending seven years in the Cubs organization before spending time in six different organizations over the remainder of his career. In 2002, Steenstra pitched in six games for the Orioles’ then-Triple A affiliate in Rochester.

Bodie returns for his second stint as Baysox hitting coach after serving as the manager of the Frederick Keys for the previous two seasons. In 2017, Bodie led the Keys to a Carolina League playoff berth after posting a 37-33 mark in the second half. He previously served as the Baysox hitting coach during the 2015 Eastern League championship season. Bodie holds 30 plus years of coaching experience including 20 years as a manager. From 2012-14, Bodie was the skipper of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks in the Houston Astros organization and led the team to a franchise record 83 wins in the 2013 campaign. The Brooklyn native was also a member of the coaching staff for Team USA in the MLB All-Star Futures Game that year. His all-time managerial record is 1,359-1,251 (.521) over his 20 seasons. In his playing days, Bodie spent parts of 10 seasons in the minors with the Mets (1974-1979) and the Astros (1980-82, 1985) after being selected by the Mets in the third round of the 1974 MLB Draft.

Athletic Trainer Brian Guzman and Strength & Conditioning Coach Pat Armstrong round out the coaching staff for the 2018 Baysox. Guzman enters his first year as the Baysox Athletic Trainer after spending the previous three seasons in the same role in Frederick. The 32-year-old joined the Orioles organization prior to the 2014 campaign, which he spent with the DSL Orioles (Rk.) in the Dominican Summer League as an Athletic Training intern. Armstrong returns for his seventh season as the Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Baysox and his ninth season in the Orioles organization after occupying the role in Delmarva (2011) and Bluefield (2010).

The Bowie Baysox 2018 season is presented by Money One Federal Credit Union. Season ticket packages are on sale now at baysoxshop.com. The team’s 2018 home opener will be Thursday, April 5 against the Harrisburg Senators at 6:35 p.m. To keep up with Baysox news during the offseason, visit baysox.com and be sure to follow the Baysox on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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