Mariners name Roy Howell manager of AAA Tacoma

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development Chris Gwynn announced today that Roy Howell will manage the Mariners Triple-A affiliate the Tacoma Rainiers in 2014. Howell replaces Rich Donnelly, who was promoted last week to the Mariners Major League staff as third base coach.
 
"Roy is a very accomplished baseball guy, both as a player and as a coach," Gwynn said. "He is well respected in our organization for the work he has done the past two years. His expertise in hitting and his familiarity with many of the players we will have at Tacoma make him a great fit for us at that level."
 
Howell, who was entering the season as the hitting coach for Double-A Jackson, will take over at the helm of the Seattle's affiliate in the Pacific Coast League, the Tacoma Rainiers. Howell spent the previous two seasons as the hitting coach for Single-A High Desert. In two seasons with High Desert, Howell led the Mavericks to a California League-best .289 (2876x9950) average, while the team ranked 3rd in the minor leagues with 827 runs scored in 2013. In 2012, the Mavericks set franchise-highs in nearly every offensive category, including average, hits, RBI and runs scored.
 
Howell began his coaching career with San Diego in 2000 and spent six seasons coaching at various levels in the Padres minor league system. He managed the San Luis Rattlers in the California Collegiate League from 2007-10 and spent the 2011 season as the manager for the Road Warriors travel team in the Atlantic League.
 
Howell spent parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Texas Rangers (1974-77), Milwaukee Brewers (1977-80) and the Toronto Blue Jays (1981-84), batting .261 with 80 home runs and 454 RBI in 1,112 games. He was an American League All-Star and Toronto's team MVP in 1978. He also was a member of the Brewers squad in the 1982 World Series.
 
A decision on the new coach in Jackson has not yet been made.