NEW YORK YANKEES ANNOUNCE 2009 COACHING STAFF

MICK KELLEHER NAMED FIRST BASE COACH

The New York Yankees announced today Joe Girardi’s coaching staff for the 2009 season. Mick Kelleher was named the Yankees’ first base coach, Rob Thomson will take over as third base coach and Tony Pena will assume the role of bench coach. Dave Eiland (pitching coach), Kevin Long (hitting coach) and Mike Harkey (bullpen coach) will return in the roles they served in 2008.

Kelleher, 61, will enter his first year as the Yankees’ first base coach having spent the previous three seasons as the organization’s roving infield instructor. This will be his third stint as a Major League coach, serving three years as Detroit’s first base coach from 2003-05 and as Jim Leyland’s first base coach and infield instructor with Pittsburgh in 1986.

Prior to his three seasons in Detroit, Kelleher was the Yankees’ roving defensive coordinator from 1996-2002 as well as a Major League scout in 1998. His other minor league coaching duties were with the San Diego Padres (1984-85), Chicago Cubs (1987-92) and Milwaukee Brewers (1994-95) organizations. A third round draft pick by St. Louis in 1969, Kelleher played 11 seasons at the Major League level with the Cardinals (1972-73, ’75), Houston Astros (1974), Chicago Cubs (1976-80), Detroit Tigers (1981-82) and California Angels (1982). He finished his career with a .974 lifetime fielding percentage, appearing in games at second base, third base and shortstop. He won two Rawlings Silver Glove Awards (1972, ’75) in the minors as the National Association’s best shortstop.

Pena, 51, will return for his fourth season on the Yankees coaching staff and first as bench coach. Pena spent the last three seasons (2006-08) as the Yankees’ first base coach, having previously served as Manager with the Kansas City Royals from 2002-05. In his first full season as manager in 2003, he led the Royals to an 83-79 record (after a 62-100 record in 2002), winning the American League “Manager of the Year” Award. He began his coaching career in 1998, spending one season as the Chicago White Sox’ coordinator of Dominican operations. Pena then joined the Houston Astros organization, where he managed Triple-A New Orleans (1999-2001) and briefly served as their Major League bench coach (2002) before taking the Royals’ managerial job.

Thomson, 45, will enter his 20th season in the Yankees organization and his first as third base coach after serving as the club’s bench coach in 2008. He began his Yankees coaching career in 1990, spending eight seasons coaching and managing in the Yankees’ minor league system (1990-97) before becoming field coordinator from 1998-99, director of player development from 2000-02 and vice president of minor league development in 2003. He joined the Major League staff in 2004 as a special assignment instructor, spending three seasons in that role (2004-06) before serving as the Major League field coordinator in 2007.

Eiland, 42, will enter his second season as Yankees pitching coach and seventh year coaching in the Yankees organization. Long, 41, will return for his third season as Yankees hitting coach. Harkey, 42, will begin his second season as Yankees bullpen coach.