Gulls Coaching Staff to Return in 2008
Newport, RI – The Newport Gulls, a member of the
New England Collegiate Baseball League, is pleased to announce
the return of their Head Coach Mike Coombs and Assistant Coaches
Scott Virgulak and Rey Fuentes for the 2008 season.
“This is the first year we return our complete staff from the
previous year which I feel is a tremendous boast of confidence
to our whole organization,” said Chuck Paiva, General Manager.
Coach Coombs returns for his fourth season at the helm of the
Newport Gulls since taking over the team as the field manager in
2005. Coach Coombs guided the 2005 club to the New England
Collegiate Baseball League Championship by winning the Fay
Vincent Sr. Cup. In 2006 the Newport Gulls broke the league
record for wins in the regular season with 32. Coombs was
awarded the NECBL 2006 Coach of the Year Award for his
outstanding season as the field manager and was named the
manager of the Southern Division in the 2006 All-Star Game
played in Keene, NH. Coach Coombs returned for his third
campaign in 2007 and guided his club to the NECBL league
championship series but lost to the Vermont Mountaineers. In
three seasons with the Gulls, Coombs has an incredible combined
win-loss record of 94-49 and has made it to the league
championship series two out of three years.
Coach Virgulak returns as Coombs top assistant and will continue
his role as the Pitching Coach and Third Base Coach. Coach
Virgulak’s 2006 pitching staff almost won the Triple Crown of
pitching leading the NECBL in wins, ERA and finished second in
strikeouts. Virgulak’s 2007 staff also won the NECBL Pitching
ERA title and missed out on another Triple Crown effort by one
win and second in strikeouts. Virgulak, a native of Rhode Island
also served as the field manager for the North Adams Steeple
Cats in 2005. He is currently an Assistant Coach at Rhode Island
College.
Coach Fuentes returns for his second season in 2008 in his same
capacity as the hitting coach, works with position players and
is the first base coach. Fuentes played his collegiate career
and his currently a coach at his alma mater, Barry University in
Miami, Florida. Fuentes brings a lot of energy, experience and
is passionate about the game.
Chris Patsos, VP of Baseball Operations agrees with Paiva,
“having your complete staff return can only be a plus
particularly with their past success. Our players will really
benefit from their experience.”
The Gulls begin the season on June 6, 2008 against the
Pittsfield Dukes at Cardines Field in Newport, RI. For more
information, please go to
www.newportgulls.com.
Go Back
