Keefe, staff will return to Rockers
Jan. 24—HIGH POINT — Jamie Keefe and his staff will return to lead the High Point Rockers this upcoming baseball season, the team announced Wednesday.
Keefe has managed the team since it began in 2019. Alongside him will be pitching coach Frank Viola, bench coach Albert Gonzalez — who return from last season — and hitting coach George Greer.
"We feel we have the best manager in the league," Rockers President Pete Fisch said in a release. "Jamie and his staff have excelled in putting together clubs that are in contention for the league championship each season. It is a tribute to High Point and the community that we have kept this outstanding group together since our inception."
Keefe will be in his 22nd season as a professional manager, a career in which he has won 1,059 games and reached the playoffs in 12 seasons. He will manage in his 2,000th professional game early this season.
"I feel like the luckiest guy in baseball to have the coaching staff that the Rockers have," Keefe said. "Between Frank, Bert and George, there are well over 100 years of experience in college, minor league, Major League and independent baseball. It gives me a great sense of comfort to have really smart people around me. But it makes it even more special that I can call them my friends."
Viola, World Series MVP in 1987 and American League Cy Young Award winner in 1988, mentored High Point's pitchers to a league-best ERA (4.34) last season. The team has sold contracts for 15 pitchers to affiliated organizations.
Gonzalez has been on Keefe's staff for the past eight years, including their time together with the Rockland Boulders. He has served as a collegiate head coach and assistant while managing professionally in the Frontier League.
Greer won over 1,100 games coaching college baseball — including 608 at Wake Forest from 1988 through 2004. He won three ACC titles at Wake and was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2002. He coached in the minor leagues before joining the St. Louis Cardinals staff as hitting coach in 2018 and 2019.
The Rockers have totaled 287 wins — including 154 at home — in four seasons, both of which are the best in the Atlantic League. They won both halves of the South Division last season and reached the playoffs for the third time.
GAME TIMES FOR UPCOMING SEASON
The Rockers have set game times for this upcoming season.
Home games scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday will begin at 6:35 p.m. Sunday games will start at 4:05 p.m. These are the same times as the 2023 season.
The Rockers will host two day games this season — Wednesday, May 15, against Lexington at 11:05 a.m. for Education Day and Wednesday, July 10, against Lexington at 12:05 p.m. for Camp Day.
