GRAND RAPIDS, Mich -- Davenport baseball coach Kevin Tidey has announced the hiring of Brent Gates as the team's hitting coach.
Gates played 7 years in the major leagues with the Athletics, Mariners and Twins, he managed the Whitecaps for a season in 2001, was very successful as a high school baseball coach at Grand Rapids Christian and Byron Center and also spent a few years as a scout with the Rays.
"It's an opportunity to go in at a level where they are extremely dedicated to the game not just on the field" Gates said. "As coach you are looking to help them become young men, good fathers, good husbands and it is just another way to do that."
Gates and Tidey played baseball together as kids and attended Grandville High School together as well.
"The whole time my philosophy has been you are only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with" Tidey said. "I think we have done a really good job of that surrounding ourselves with great coaches and great players. He's got a lot of relationships at the next level and that can only help us go forward in the future."
DU was 33-19 this past spring finishing 2nd to Northwood in the GLIAC standings and falling to the Timberwolves in the conference tournament finals as well.
