Miners name new skipper

Each year, Alaska Baseball League coaches have the responsibility of building a team capable ofreaching the National Baseball Congress World Series. Matt Tramel now has an opportunity to build a Mat-Su Miner team capable of returning to the World Series championship game.

The Miners capped of the 2004 summer by reaching the World Series title game for the third time in the organization's history.

Tramel has been named head coach of the Miners. He replaces Mike Buchmiller, who will not return after managing the club for one season.

Tramel recently completed his first season as head coach of the Bethany College baseball program, in Lindsberg, Kan. The skipper was formerly an assistant head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and head assistant and interim head coach at Iowa Western Community College.

A member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, Tramel has a resume« which boasts coaching experience on levels ranging from American Legion to junior college and universities.

Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher said having a college coach as the head of the Miner coaching staff is important to the success and future of the Mat-Su organization.

"Being a college coach, Matt is in constant contact with other college coaches," Christopher said.

Having a college coach as the Miners' primary recruiter, Christopher said, will be a great aid to the recruiting process.

Christopher said he also favors the experience of a college coach.

"Mike is not a coach in college and that showed at times," Christopher said. "Mike did an excellent job. He was very professional. He came up here wanting to win."

Christopher said there was also question whether or not Buchmiller could be available for the next season. Currently an elementary school teacher, Buchmiller is looking to get into coaching in the college ranks.

"I didn't want to take the chance of having him call in March and say he couldn't come up," Christopher said.

Tramel was one of five finalists for the Mat-Su coaching vacancy when Buchmiller was named the Miner skipper. Tramel said he later met Christopher at a coaching convention in San Antonio, Texas and kept tabs on the Mat-Su organization.

"I kept in touch and it ended up working out," Tramel said.

Tramel said he has always been intrigued with the high profile ABL and after talking to Christopher he was attracted to the position as the Miners' head coach.

Christopher also announced one member of the 2004 coach staff, Jimmy Smith, will return to the Valley next summer.

"Everyone loved Jimmy and everyone respected him," Christopher said. "He's very hard working, very conscientious and very professional."

Mat-Su's pitching coach, Jack Krawcyzk will also not return. Krawcyzk was recently named the pitching coach at Division I Arizona State University.

Tramel said he is currently in search of a pitching coach for his staff and an announcement could be made in the coming weeks.