Sarbaugh named Clippers manager

The Cleveland Indians have named Mike Sarbaugh as the Clippers manager for the 2010 season. He is the 20^th manager in franchise history.

Sarbaugh, 42, spent the previous two seasons with Double-A Akron. In 2009, he guided the Aeros to an 89-53 finish and the Eastern League Championship. He was selected as Baseball America’s “Best Managerial Prospect” in the Eastern League. This will be his 21^st consecutive season in the Indians organization as a player, coach or manager.

Sarbaugh began his managerial career in 2004 by winning the New-York Penn League Championship with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Mike moved up to serve as the skipper for Lake County in 2005 and then Kinston in 2006 and 2007 prior to his promotion to Akron in 2008. In addition to winning the championship with Mahoning Valley in 2004, he also won the Carolina League title with Kinston in 2006 and was selected as the Carolina League “Manager of the Year” in 2007. Sarbaugh carries a career managerial record of 455-321 (.586) over six seasons.

A resident of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, with his wife Nicole, their sons Michael and Matthew, and daughter Marin, Mike graduated from Lamar University with a degree in Kinesiology. He was an All-Conference shortstop at Lamar and played six seasons in the minor leagues, five in the Cleveland organization (1990-1994). Prior becoming a manager, Sarbaugh spent five seasons as a coach with the Kinston Indians and Columbus (Ga.) RedStixx (1995-99) and four seasons as an Akron Aeros coach (2000-03).

Mike Sarbaugh’s Career Managerial Record

Year    Team (Classification; League)        Record                Notes

2009    Akron (Double-A; Eastern)                  89-53   1^st    * won league championship

2008    Akron (Double-A; Eastern)                  80-62   2^nd   * playoff appearance

2007    Kinston (Advanced-A; Carolina)          87-52   1^st    * playoff appearance

2006    Kinston (Advanced-A; Carolina)          85-54   1^st    * won league championship

2005    Lake County (Low-A; South Atlantic)  72-66  2^nd

2004    Mahoning Valley (Short-A; NY/Penn)  42-34   1^st    * won league championship

                                                                      455-321 (.586)