The Boise Spuds announced today that they’ve filled their vacant manager position after Paul Wilson’s contract was not renewed. Three consecutive losing seasons under Wilson’s leadership made it apparent that a change was needed.The new man for the job is Kang Der, who is already a familiar face in the BBA from his stint as manager of the San Fernando Bears from 2043-47. He has a reputation as an easy-going, players’ manager, with a strong focus on defense and fundamentals.
The Spuds will be counting on Der to establish a winning culture in a clubhouse that hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2045. He has a history of being able to turn a losing franchise around quickly: his first year at the helm with San Fernando in 2043, the team improved from 76 wins to 91 wins and a playoff berth.
Der’s first order of business was to appoint his staff, which he did today by introducing Justin Alexander Jr. as the Spuds’ new pitching coach. Alexander Jr. has never coached at the big-league level before, but showed very promising results in his work with the Duluth Freeze last season, Twin Cities’ Triple-A affiliate. He knows how to handle young pitchers, and Boise expects to have many of their homegrown arms rising through the ranks in the coming years.
If Boise wants to end its playoff drought, this new leadership is the first step. All eyes will now be on the front office to bring in the right players to complete the puzzle.
