Yankees Announce Full Coaching Staff

Hawkins returns as hitting coach, Daneker named pitching coach

By: Robert Pimpsner

  *    Pat McMahon Profile

  *    Pat Daneker Profile

  *    Ty Hawkins Profile

  *    Victor Valencia Profile

February 29, 2008 – The Staten Island Yankees now have their full coaching staff for the 2008 season.  The Baby Bombers announced today that Ty Hawkins will return to Staten Island to resume his role as hitting coach and will be joined by Ex-Major Leaguer Pat Daneker will take over as Pitching Coach and Victor Valencia will also join the team as a coach.  As previously reported by Baby-Bombers.com in September Pat McMahon will be the new Yankees Skipper.

                Valencia rejoins the Yankees organization in 2008 serving as a coach for the Staten Island Yankees.  He spent time in the Yankees minor leagues from 1995 to 2000 and made it as high as Triple-A.  In 2001 he was with the Reds Double-A affiliate in Chattanooga, 2002 he saw time with the Rangers Florida State League Affiliate and in 2003 he spent time in the Indians organization splitting the season between Double-A and Triple-A.  In 2004 he was a non-roster invite to spring training before being sent to AA.  His last playing year was 2006 when he was a member of the independent Newark Bears of the International League.

                Daneker joins the Yankees organization after spending the 2007 season as the Pitching Coach and Director of Player Procurement for the Calagry Vipers.  He was a starting pitcher for ten years in the minors, appearing in over 200 games.  He made his Major League debut in 1999 with the Chicago White Sox where he posted a 4.20 Era.  He finished his 10-year career with the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League in 2005.

                Ty Hawkins will be making his return to the Baby Bombers in 2008.  The New Jersey native helped coach the Yankees to a NY-Penn League title in 2006 with a combined .267 batting average.  He nudged that up a bit in 2008 when he coached Staten Island to a combined .268 average, good for second in the league.  Hawkins served as a hitting coach with the Tampa Yankees, Battle Creek Yankees, Greensboro Bats, Gulf Coast Yankees, and the Trenton Thunder.  The 2008 season will be his tenth in the Yankees organization.

                As previously reported by Baby-Bombers.com in September of 2007, Pat McMahon will be taking over as the teams manager.  McMahon joins the New York Yankees as the Special Assistant for Player Development and Scouting.  Part of his job would include evaluating the Yankees prospects, working with players in the Yankees training facility in the Dominican Republic as well as assisting in the draft process.  This puts the former Gator in a perfect position to lead the Baby Bombers, as most of the team will come from the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

                McMahon compiled a 555-287-1 record in 14 seasons as a college head coach with Florida, Old Dominion and Mississippi State.  In his last 6 seasons, he led the Florida Gators 202-113-1 and an incredible 141-51 at Alfred A McKethan Stadium at Perry Field.

                McMahon and his staff begin their season on June 17 at Keyspan Park, facing off against the cross-town Brooklyn Cyclones.  The team then comes home on June 18 for the 2008 Home Opener against the same Cyclones.