BASEBALL
Widger named new Naturals manager
Chris Widger has been tabbed as the new manager of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Kansas City Royals announced on Friday.
Widger, 50, was named the 2021 Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America after leading Quad Cities to the High-A Central championship last season.
Widger follows Scott Thorman, who led the Naturals to the Class AA Central title last season. Thorman was selected as the new manager of the Class AAA Omaha Storm Chasers. The former Major League catcher began his managerial career with Rookie-level Burlington and led the team to the deciding game of the Appalachian League championship series after serving as bench coach in High-A Wilmington from 2016-18.
The third-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners played parts of 12 seasons in the Major Leagues for six different teams and was part of the 2005 Chicago White Sox team that won the World Series.
He will be joined on the staff at Springdale by pitching coach Derrick Lewis and hitting coach Abraham Nunez, who served in those same roles last season. Christian Colon will re-join the Royals organization as Northwest Arkansas' assistant hitting coach, after a 12-year playing career. Mike Jirschele, who is in his 31st season with the Royals, will join Northwest Arkansas as the bench coach, after serving in the same role last season on Widger's staff in the Quad Cities.
-- Paul Boyd