Augusta, GA - The GreenJackets coaching staff will have a new skipper at the helm in 2008, but a familiar face when the season starts in April. Andy Skeels has been tabbed by the San Francisco Giants to run their Single-A team in Augusta. Also returning to Augusta is Pitching Coach Ross Grimsley. New to the coaching staff for Augusta in 2008 will be Hitting Coach Lipso Nava and trainer Eric Ortega.

"We are real excited about the staff this year," GreenJackets General Manager Nick Brown said. "Andy and Ross are two guys we are more than happy to welcome back because of their professionalism and track record for success over the years in Augusta."

Skeels is returning to Augusta for a third straight year after spending the last two years as the Hitting Coach under former manager Roberto Kelly. With 16 teams in the South Atlantic League, Skeels guided Augusta batters to the seventh best batting average in the SAL in 2007 (.264) and the third best in 2006 (.271) as the hitting coach.

"I'm very excited to be back in Augusta and really looking forward to the season." Skeels said. "We have a lot of young players that the fans are really going to enjoy watching. Hopefully we can continue to do a lot of the same things we have been doing over the past few years."

Skeels is entering his third season in the Giants organization but is no stranger to managing. Before joining the Giants organization, the California native spent three seasons in the Montreal Expos organization with two seasons as a manager. Drafted in the 7th round of the 1987 draft by the Padres, Skeels played 12 seasons in the minors with the Padres, Yankees and Dodgers (1987-1999).

~ greenjacketsbaseball.com ~