Joe Vavra

Joseph Alan Vavra (b. November 16, 1959 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin) is a Major League Baseball hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins.

Playing career

Vavra graduated in 1978 from Chippewa Falls High School where he was a captain and MVP baseball player his senior season. He played collegiate baseball for the University of Wisconsin-Stout from 1978 to 1982. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Technology.

Vavra was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1982 amateur player draft out of college. He played five years in the Dodger farm system making it to the AAA level in 1986. He never played in the major leagues.

Coaching career

Beginning in 1987, Vavra coached in the Dodger's minor league system. While at Yakima, Washington in Class A, he was named Manager of the Year for 1994 and 1996 for the Northwest League after winning the Division title in 1994 and the League championship in 1996. Vavra coached for ten years in the minors before moving to the Dodgers major league staff. He served in special assignments and as a roving coach before becoming the permanent bunting and baserunning coach in 2000.

After a brief stint as the head coach of UW-Stout baseball, Vavra joined the Twins staff in 2002. On October 27,2005, Vavra was named the Twins' hitting coach.

Vavra attended the 2008 MLB Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium to pitch for Justin Morneau. Morneau beat Josh Hamilton to win the Home Run Derby.

Personal

Vavra and his wife Lesa have three sons: Tanner, Treysen and Terrin.

External links

* [http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=min&coachorstaffid=492705]