Dave Huppert

Manager

Dave Huppert, whose 1,551 career wins have been eclipsed by just two other active Minor League managers, will return for his third stint as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs’ manager in 2010, the Phillies announced today. Under Huppert’s watch, the IronPigs showed vast improvement in their second season – finishing just two games under .500 at 71-73 while placing third in the International League’s six-team Northern Division. A season removed from a league-worst 55-89 campaign, the IronPigs remained in postseason contention until the season’s final month in 2009. Following the conclusion of the campaign, Huppert spent September with the Phillies as a supplemental coach prior to guiding the Yaquis de Obregon of the Mexican Winter League (currently still underway). The impending 2010 season – beginning on April 8 – will be Huppert’s 23rd as a minor league manager and his fifth consecutive year piloting a Phillies’ minor league affiliate. Prior to being named IronPigs inaugural skipper, he led the 2007 Clearwater Threshers (Advanced-A) to an 83-57 record and the club’s first Florida State League title since 1993. That followed his first season in the system when he guided the Lakewood BlueClaws to a South Atlantic League championship (Low-A). In all, the 51-year-old has posted a combined managerial record of 1,551-1,376 (.530) and trails just Marc Bombard (1,772) and Tom Kotchman (1,584) amongst active managers in career Minor League victories. The South Gate, Calif., native has posted many accolades as a manager -- recording winning records 14 occasions, earning playoff berths 11 times and capturing three league titles. Since commencing his managerial career with the Helena Gold Sox in 1986 at the age of 29, he has managed in the farm systems of Milwaukee (1986-91), Chicago-AL (1993-1998), Florida (1999-2001), Montreal (2002-2004) and Philadelphia (2006-present). In his playing career, Huppert reached the Major Leagues as a catcher with the Baltimore Orioles in 1983 and again with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1985. He appeared in a combined 15 games and collected one hit – a single off Hall-of-Famer Phil Niekro. Originally signed by Baltimore in 1977, Huppert gained national notoriety by catching 31 of 33 innings in the longest professional baseball game ever played -- an International League contest featuring Rochester and Pawtucket at McCoy Stadium in 1981.