By KEN LIPSHEZ
New Britain Journal Register

NEW BRITAIN - Veteran major league pitching coach Bobby Cuellar was named
by the parent Minnesota Twins Tuesday to replace Riccardo Ingram as
manager of the New Britain Rock Cats.

Cuellar, 55, has logged nine seasons as a big-league coach with the
Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the
Mariners pitching coach in 1995-96 and Expos' pitching coach for 3 1/2
seasons (1997-July, 2000).

He has worked with three Cy Young Award winners: Randy Johnson in Seattle,
Pedro Martinez in Montreal and Johan Santana with the Twins. He served as
former Pirates manager Jim Tracy's pitching coach the last two seasons
until Tracy was fired early this month.

Cuellar previously served the Twins as Triple-A pitching coach in Edmonton
(2002) and Rochester (2003-05) before joining Tracy's staff in Pittsburgh.

"He's going to bring a lot to the plate," Twins minor league director Jim
Rantz said. "It will be a little bit of different role because he been in
the big leagues as a bench coach and a minor league pitching coach with
us. He's done it all."

Rantz went after his man when Tracy's staff was dissolved.

"When Pittsburgh let their staff go, his name appeared on the wire," Rantz
said.

"I contacted him about the possibility. I know he's done it, and I know
what kind of a teacher and a person he is. We were very pleased to have
him at Triple A and it was an opportunity to bring a good man back and put
him in a role that make us stronger at Double A and Triple A."

Ingram, 133-150 in his two-year stint with New Britain, will join the
Triple-A Rochester Red Wings as hitting coach under another former Rock
Cats manager, Stan Cliburn, which Rantz said is part of an effort to
emphasize offense at the Twins' highest minor league levels.

"I don't look at it as a demotion," Rantz said. "I look at it as a
transition in his career in the area of his expertise. We have a need at
higher levels to get better offensively and bear down at Triple A and
Double A."

"(Ingram) was surprised, but he will be closer to the major leagues."

Steve Mintz will be the new Rock Cats pitching coach, replacing Gary
Lucas, who heads to Class A Beloit (Midwest League) to be closer to his
family in Wisconsin. Floyd Rayford, 50, will return to New Britain for a
fourth season as hitting coach.

Mintz, 39, spent the last two seasons with the Twins' low Class A Midwest
League team in Beloit.

Mintz pitched in 14 big league games with the Giants in 1995 and three
with the Angels in 1999.

Cuellar's only managerial experience came in the Midwest League with
Wausau, a Mariners affiliate, where he went 130-149 in 1986 and 1987.

Cuellar, a native of Alice, Texas, helped pitch the University of Texas to
four Southwest Conference championships and three College World Series
appearances from 1971-74.

He was the 29th-round choice of the Texas Rangers in the 1974 draft. He
led the Class A Carolina League in saves in 1975 and was second in the
Double-A Texas League in 1976. His only major league experience came at
the end of the 1977 season.

In four games, Cuellar was 0-0 with a 1.29 ERA, allowing a run in seven
innings.

In another move to bolster offense at the top of the organization, former
Rochester hitting coach Rich Miller will rove between Triple A and Double
A to work with outfielders, and on baserunning and bunting.

"We have a Hall-of-Famer (Paul Molitor) doing it but just for four or five
days," Rantz said. "We needed somebody to back up and follow Paul's
program."

Bobby Cuellar at a Glance

Born: Aug. 20, 1952

RHP

1970 Graduated from William Adams HS in Alice Tx.; All-State as senior
1971-74 Attended University of Texas; pitched for 4 seasons, helped lead
Longhorns to 4 league crowns and 3 College World Series appearances
1974 Selected by Texas Rangers in 29th round of June draft
1975 Led Carolina League in saves (17) with Lynchburg
1976 Second in Texas League in saves (15) with San Antonio
1977 Only big league appearances (4 games: 0-0, 1.29 ERA, 7 IP, 1 ER);
debuted 9/9 at Seattle, last game 9/20
Oct. 3, 1978 Player to be named by Texas in trade to Cleveland for OF
Johnny Grubb
1979-81 Pitched in Indians minor league system
1982 Pitched in Mexican League (Nuevo Laredo); 6th in saves
1983-94 Managed, coached in Seattle Mariners minor league system
1986-87 Managed Wausau (Midwest League) - 73-66 first year, 57-83 second
year
1995-96 M's pitching coach ('95 AL West champs; Randy Johnson wins Cy
Young Award)
1997-July 20, 2000 Expos pitching coach (Pedro Martinez wins Cy Young
Award in '97; Ugueth Urbina is Fireman of the Year in '99 with 41 saves)
2001 Bullpen coach for Rangers
2002-05 Triple-A pitching coach for Twins (worked with Johan Santana,
Francisco Liriano)
Nov., 2005 Named to staff of new Pirates manager Jim Tracy
2006-07 Pirates bullpen coach

10/23/2007