USD Baseball 2000

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2000 Torero Baseball USD Coaching Staff

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#8

Chris Cannizzaro Assistant Coach

2nd Season

Chris Cannizzaro, who en ters hi s second season with the Toreros, brings a wealth of major league experience to USO head coach Rich Hill 's staff. No stranger to baseball in the city of San Diego, Cannizzaro spent 13 years in the majors - including two stints with the San Di ego Padres, where he became the first All-Star in Padre baseball hi story in the 1969 campaign. A durabl e defensive catcher, Cannizzaro played in 740 major league games while playing for the St. Loui s Cardinals ( 1960-6 1), New York Mets ( 1962-65 ), Pittsburgh ( 1968), San Diego ( 1969-71 ; 1974), Chicago Cubs ( 197 1) and the Los Angeles Dodgers ( 1972-73). Cannizzaro holds a share of the Major League record for most unass isted double plays by a catcher (2). Once hi s pl ay ing career ended, Cannizzaro shifted his focus to coaching and spent three seasons (1976-78 ) with the At lanta Braves organization before coaching in the California Angels organization from 1979-82 in the Class A Cal State League.

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Cannizzaro has two sons - Chris Jr. and Ken, and a daughter, Kimberlee. Chri s Jr. was a two-time All -America selection at San Diego State where he was a teammate of USO head coach Rich Hill for one season. Cannizzaro also has three stepdaughters - Marcia, Tricia and Jennifer. Aside from his lifelong pass ion for the game of baseball , Cannizzaro also enjoys golf and spending time with his four grandchildren - Brittney ( 12), Morgan (8), Zac hary (7) and Cassidy (4). Cannizzaro and his wife, Janice, reside in San Diego. #40 Sean Kenny Assistant Coach 2nd Season Eastern Michigan, 1997

Sean Kenny begin s his second year at the Un iversity of San Diego on head coach Rich Hil l's staff where he works with the pitching staff. Kenny pitched for three years at Eastern Michigan University, where he com– pleted a Bachelor 's degree in Engli sh Literature with a minor in coaching in 1997 . Ke nny was drafted by the Mets and pl ayed for three seasons in the New York system. No stranger to baseball in the West Coast Conference, Kenny began hi s coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary 's College, where he worked with the Gae ls pitching staff in 1996-97. In 1997-98 he served as pitching coach at Laney Community College. Kenny is currently comp leting hi s Master 's degree in Physical Education at Saint Mary 's College. Kenny 's younger brother, Seth, also pitched for Eastern Michi gan and currently plays in the Oakland A's minor league sys tem.

# 3 7 Mitch Cha rl e s Assistant Coach

1st Season Cal Poly, 1996

Mitch Charl es enters hi s first season as assistant coach on Rich Hill 's staff. He comes to USO from Chapman Unive rsity where he was an assistant the past two seasons working with outfi e lders, catche rs and hitters. Last season's club finished 39-5 and ranked second in the nation for NCAA Division Ill. Pri or to Chapman he worked o ne year at Golden West JC , coaching catchers and hitters. A 1996 graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, Mitch earned hi s B.A. deg ree in Political Science. He played two seasons of baseba ll for Ca l Poly, where he was a two-time AII– CCAA se lec ti on at catcher. Pri or to Cal Po ly he pl ayed two seasons at Go lden Wes t JC where he was named the team's Playe r of the Yea r and was a two- time All-Conference pi ck. He prepped at Katell a Hi g h School in Anaheim where he graduated in 1992 . Charles, who signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Padres in 1996, is sing le and resides in Escondido.