Stu Cole & Rene Lachemann Promoted to Rockies
Cole, 46, will be a member of the Colorado Rockies organization for the 18th-consecutive season in 2013, his first on the Major League field staff. Cole has spent the last 12 seasons as a manager in the Rockies organization working his way from Short-Season-A Tri-City in 2001 to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Manager from 2009-12. In his 12 seasons as a Minor League Manager, Cole owned a 794-830 (.489) record and led his team to postseason play four times. This will be Cole's first career Major League coaching position.
As a player, the former infielder played nine seasons of pro baseball, his last three with the Sky Sox (1993-95) where he was a member of Colorado Springs' last PCL Championship team in '95. With the Sox, Cole hit .286 (234-for-817) with 13 home runs, 59 doubles, 121 runs scored and 97 RBIs in 277 games.
A native of Los Angeles, CA, Lachemann's professional baseball career spans 47 years and includes managerial stints with the Mariners (1981-83), Brewers (1984) and Marlins (1993-96). Before joining the Sky Sox in 2008, the 67 year-old served three years as a coach for the Oakland A's. A former catcher, Lachemann was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1964 before making his Major League debut in 1965. Over three seasons with Kansas City and 118 games, he hit .210 with nine homers and 33 RBI. Rene's two brothers, Marcel and Bill, also have Major League coaching experience. With five seasons under his belt, Lachemann is the Sky Sox' longest tenured hitting coach surpassing Alan Cockrell (2003-06) and Tony Torchia (1996-99).
"We couldn't be prouder of Stu and Lach," said Sky Sox President & General Manager Tony Ensor. "Both men have worked tirelessly and have been fully dedicated to the development of Sky Sox players. They have also been a significant part of the Sky Sox family and community over the years and as much as they will be missed we know that they will go on to much success in the future and we wish them the best of luck."