Grasshopper Manager Promotions

(Miami, FL) The Florida Marlins have announced their 2007 coaching staff, which includes two former members of the Greensboro Grasshoppers field staff.

Steve Foster and Bo Porter have been named to the staff under first-year manager Fredi Gonzalez and will serve as bullpen coach and third base/outfield coach, respectively.

Foster, 40, joins the Marlins as bullpen coach for 2007, his third season in the Marlins organization and his first as a Major League coach. He spent the 2005-06 seasons as the pitching coach with Greensboro and this past season helped guide the five First-Round Draft Picks that made up the Hoppers starting rotation. Prior to joining the Marlins organization, Foster worked as a scout with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for three seasons (1996, 1999, 2000). In addition, Foster had stints with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1997-98 as the head coach and the University of Michigan in 2001-02 as pitching coach. A 12th round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in the 1988 June Draft, Foster made 59 ML appearances with the Reds from 1991-93, going 3-3 with a 2.41 ERA.

Porter, 34, joins Florida as the club’s third base and outfield coach and will also serve as the club’s base-running instructor. This season will be his first as a Major League coach, his third in the Marlins organization. Last year, Porter managed the single-A Jamestown Jammers and served as the organization’s outfield coordinator. In 2005, he worked as the Grasshoppers hitting coach. Prior to 2005, Porter had a 10-year playing career, including parts of three seasons in the Majors. Porter appeared in 89 games in the Majors with Chicago (NL), Oakland and Texas, hitting .214 with five doubles, two triples, two home runs and eight RBI. He played 1,064 games in the minors after being selected by the Cubs in the 40th round of the 1993 June Draft.

Both coaches were part of the inaugural field staff for the Hoppers in 2005 and worked together under Manager Brandon Hyde.

The Grasshoppers are recent recipients of the South Atlantic League’s Club Merit Award and General Manager of the Year for the second straight season. The Hoppers continue to grow attendance, as First Horizon Park welcomed 427,890 fans during the 2006 season. Season tickets are now on sale for the 2007 season. For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.BALL or visit www.gsohoppers.com.