- Joe Vavra
Joseph Alan Vavra (b.
November 16 ,1959 in Chippewa Falls,Wisconsin ) is aMajor League Baseball hitting coach for theMinnesota Twins .Playing career
Vavra graduated in
1978 fromChippewa Falls High School where he was a captain and MVP baseball player his senior season. He played collegiate baseball for theUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout from 1978 to1982 . 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 in1986 . 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 and1996 for theNorthwest 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 in2000 .After a brief stint as the head coach of UW-Stout baseball, Vavra joined the Twins staff in
2002 . OnOctober 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 beatJosh 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]
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