Manager Frank Kremblas

QUICK FACTS ON THE TRIBE MANAGER:
Full Name: Francis Michael Kremblas Jr.
Born: 10/25/66
Birthplace: Carroll, Ohio
Resides: Columbus, Ohio
College: Eastern Kentucky University
Minor League instructor: 12th year
Pirates organization: 1st year
Triple-A level: 5th year

IN INDIANAPOLIS (1993-96):
Played in Indianapolis from 1993-96 when the Indians were a Cincinnati Reds affiliate ... Became the 58th manager in Indians history when he was named to the post in December 2008.

BEFORE INDY (1998-2008):
Managed Nashville (Tenn.) from 2005-2008, leading the Triple-A Sounds to three straight division titles (2005-07), a Pacific Coast League title (2005) and 299 victories in just four seasons ... His 299 wins rank third in Sounds history trailing 383 for Rick Renick (1993-97) and 320 for former Indians skipper Trent Jewett ... Given PCL Manager of the Year Award in 2007 ... Compiled a 210-207 record in three seasons (2002-04) with Double-A Huntsville (Ala.), where he won a division title and a Southern League Manager of the Year Award in 2003 ... Guided High-A High Desert (Calif.) to the second round of the California League playoffs in 2001 ... Took over as manager for High-A Mudville (Calif.) halfway through the 2000 season ... Led Low-A Cape Fear (N.C.) to the South Atlantic League Championship Series in 1999 ... Began his managerial career in 1998 with Gulf Coast League Expos.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Spent eight seasons in the Cincinnati Reds farm system, playing for GCL Reds (Fla.), Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Chattanooga (Tenn.) and Indianapolis ... Registered a .233 batting average with 20 home runs and 201 RBI in 621 career games as a Minor League catcher and infielder ... Recorded a .227 batting average with nine home runs and 68 RBI in 201 games with the Tribe.

PERSONAL:
A 1986 graduate of Canal Winchester High School in Ohio ... Inducted into his high school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 ... Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 23rd round of the June 1989 draft ... Attended Eastern Kentucky University where he was All-Ohio Valley Conference in 1987 and 1988 ... Brother, Mike, played catcher in the Blue Jays, Brewers and A's farm systems ... Managed his brother at Huntsville in 2003 ... Father, Frank Kremblas, Sr., was a three-year-letter winner on the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1956 to 1958 and quarterbacked the team to a share of the 1957 National Championship.

KREMBLAS' MANAGERIAL RECORD
YEAR	CLUB	LEAGUE (CLASS)	W	L	PCT	FINISH	POSTSEASON
1998	Welland	GCL Expos (R)	33	27	.550	6th	None
1999	Cape Fear	South Atlantic (A)	75	65	.536	5th	Lost SAL Champ. Series
2000	Mudville	California (Hi-A)	35	35	.500	7th	None
2001	High Desert	California (Hi-A)	71	69	.507	5th (t)	Lost in 2nd Round
2002	Huntsville	Southern (AA)	70	69	.504	5th/3rd	None
2003	Huntsville	Southern (AA)	75	63	.543	1st/2nd	Lost SL Champ. Series
2004	Huntsville	Southern (AA)	65	75	.464	4th/3rd	None
2005	Nashville	Pacific Coast (AAA)	75	69	.521	6th	Won PCL Title
2006	Nashville	Pacific Coast (AAA)	76	68	.528	4th (t)	Lost in 1st Round
2007	Nashville	Pacific Coast (AAA)	89	55	.618	1st	Lost in 1st Round
2008	Nashville	Pacific Coast (AAA)	59	81	.444	16th	None
Totals			723	676	.517

 

Pitching Coach Ray Searage

QUICK FACTS ON THE TRIBE PITCHING COACH:
Full Name: Ray Searage
Born: 5/1/55
Birthplace: Deer Park, N.Y.
Resides: St. Petersburg, Fla.
College: West Liberty State College (W.Va.)
Minor League instructor: 16th year
Pirates organization: 7th year
Triple-A level: 2nd year

BEFORE INDY (1994-2007):
Served as pitching coach for three St. Louis Cardinals affiliates from 1994-97 ... Worked with Low-A Madison (Wis.) in 1994, Low-A Peoria (Ill.) in 1995-96 and High-A Prince William (Va.) in 1997 ... Spent the 1998 season as pitching coach for Short-Season Hudson Valley (N.Y.) ... Spent the 1999 and 2000 campaigns as pitching coach for Tampa Bay's Double-A affiliate in Orlando, Fla. ... Served as Minor League pitching coordinator for the Florida Marlins in 2001 and 2002 ... Moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 2003 ... Worked with Short-Season Williamsport (Pa.) in 2003-04, Low-A Hickory (N.C.) in 2005 and Double-A Altoona (Pa.) in 2006-07 ... Has tutored 10 of 24 pitchers on the Pirates' 40-man roster, including big leaguers Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Maholm and Matt Capps.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Enjoyed seven big league seasons with the Mets (1981), Brewers (1984-86), White Sox (1986-87) and Dodgers (1989-90) ... Compiled an 11-13 record, 11 saves and 3.50 ERA in 254 Major League relief appearances ... Originally taken by St. Louis in the 22nd round of the 1976 First-Year Player Draft.

PERSONAL:
Attended Suffolk Community College (N.Y.) for one year and West Liberty State College (W.Va.) for two ... He and his wife, Vicki, have three sons, Ray (28), Ryan (26) and Robbie (20) ... Ray and Ryan both played professional baseball.

 

Hitting Coach Jeff Branson

QUICK FACTS ON THE TRIBE HITTING COACH:
Full Name: Jeffrey Glenn Branson
Born: 1/26/67
Birthplace: Waynesboro, Mississippi
Resides: Union, Ky.
College: University of West Alabama
Minor League instructor: 7th year
Pirates organization: 7th year
Triple-A level: 1st year

IN INDIANAPOLIS (1997-98):
Played in 139 games for Indianapolis during the 1997 and 1999 seasons.

BEFORE INDY (2003-08):
Served as hitting coach in 2003 then Manager in 2004, for the Williamsport (Pa.) Crosscutters, the Pirates' former Short Season affiliate (1999-2006) ... Managed Low-A Hickory (N.C.) in 2005 and 2006 ... Spent last two seasons (2007-08) managing High-A Lynchburg (Va.).

PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
Originally drafted by Cincinnati in the second round of the 1988 draft ... Spent 12 season playing in the Reds Organization (1989-97), three with Cleveland (1997-99) and the last three with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2000-02) ... Made his Major League debut with the Reds in 1992 and last appeared in the big leagues with the Dodgers in 2001 ... Played nine Major League seasons and compiled a .246 batting average (383-1555), 34 home runs and 156 RBI in 694 games ... Made post-season appearance with both Cincinnati (1995) and Cleveland (1997) ... Was a member of the gold medal-winning 1988 United States Olympic baseball team in Seoul, South Korea.

PERSONAL:
Wife's name is Chastity ... Has three children, son Shelton (11), son Landon (2), and daughter Maclai (8) ... A 1985 graduate of Southern Choctaw High School in Silas, AL ... Attended the University of West Alabama where he was named to the Converse Division II All-American Team as a junior.

Major League Playing Career
1992    Cincinnati
1993    Cincinnati
1994    Cincinnati
1995    Cincinnati
1996    Cincinnati
1997    Cincinnati/Cleveland
1998    Cleveland
2000    LA Dodgers
2001    LA Dodgers

Branson's Major League Career Statistics
AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB
.246	694	1555	173	383	72	11	34	156	122	312	9

 

Trainer Jose Ministral

QUICK FACTS ON THE TRIBE TRAINER:
Full Name: Jose Ministral
Born: 2/19/74
Birthplace: Summit, N.J.
Resides: Bradenton, Fla.
College: Springfield (Mass.) College
Minor League trainer: 12th year
Pirates organization: 12th year
Triple-A level: 6th year

IN INDIANAPOLIS (2005, 2007-2008):
Worked with a team that advanced to the International League's Governors' Cup Finals after posting a 78-66 regular-season mark.

OTHER EXPERIENCE (1998-2004, 06):
Spent the 2006 season as trainer of Pittsburgh's Gulf Coast League affiliate in Bradenton, Fla. ... Spent the 2003 and 2004 campaigns as trainer of the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in Nashville (Tenn.) ... Worked with High-A Lynchburg (Va.) in 2002, the GCL Bucs in 2001 and Short-Season Williamsport (Pa.) in 2000 ... Served as an assistant trainer in Lynchburg and Bradenton during the 1999 season ... Began his association with the Bucs in 1998 as an Instructional League intern ... Worked at the East Pennsylvania Sports Medicine Clinic as a part-time trainer in 1997.

PERSONAL:
Is certified as a performance enhancement specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine ... He and his wife, Kristin, have two daughters, Caeli (18) and Gillyan (5).

 

Strength & Conditioning Coach Mubarak Malik

QUICK FACTS ON THE TRIBE STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH:
Full Name: Mubarak Malik
Born: 6/25/82
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pa.
Resides: Philadelphia, Pa.
College: West Chester (Pa.) University
Minor League trainer: 5th year
Pirates organization: 5th year
Triple-A level: 4th year

IN INDIANAPOLIS (2006-08):
Worked with the 2006 team that posted a 76-66 regular-season record en route to a share of the International League's West Division crown.

BEFORE INDY (2004-05):
Spent 2005 with Pittsburgh's Low-A affiliate in Hickory, N.C. ... Worked with the Villanova football team (2004) and St. John's men's basketball squad (2004-05) before joining the Pirates.

PERSONAL:
Is certified as a performance enhancement specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine ... Currently pursuing a master's degree in human movement science from the Arizona School of Health Sciences ... Graduated from West Chester (Pa.) University in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in exercise & sports science ... Played varsity basketball for the D-II Golden Rams in 2000-01 and 01-02.