Joe Vavra

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Joe Vavra

Minnesota Twins – No. 46
Coach
Born: (1959-11-16) November 16, 1959 Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Bats: Left	Throws: Right

Joseph Alan Vavra (born November 16, 1959 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin) is a Major League Baseball hitting coach, recently serving in the role for the Minnesota Twins.

Playing career

Vavra graduated in 1978 from Chippewa Falls High School where he was a captain and MVP baseball player his senior season. He played collegiate baseball for the University of Wisconsin–Stout from 1978 to 1982. 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 in 1986. He never played in the major leagues due to two injuries. The first happened in his last triple A game when a runner's cleat shattered his thumb when Vavra attempted to tag the runner. The second and final setback was when Vavra fell ill with Desert Fever (Coccidioidomycosis), a disease that eats at the lungs. Vavra finished the year and had to stop playing. Vavra has now been in Major League Baseball for over 20 years and is an assistant coach for the Minnesota Twins.

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 and 1996 for the Northwest 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 in 2000.

After a brief stint as the head coach of UW–Stout baseball, Vavra joined the Twins staff in 2002. On October 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 beat Josh Hamilton to win the Home Run Derby.

During Vavra's tenure in Minnesota, the Twins have consistently ranked among the best in the league for both individual and team hitting stats. In 2012, it was announced that Vavra would be reassigned from the Twins hitting coach to the Twins 3rd base coach and infield instruction coach in 2013.

Personal

Vavra and his wife Lesa have three sons: Tanner, Treysen and Terrin. His son Tanner has played at Valparaiso University and Treysen plays for the Eastern Illinois University baseball team. Tanner was drafted in 30th round of 2013 Major League Baseball Draft by the Twins.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)
Bio at mlb.com

v t e Minnesota Twins current roster

Active roster	1 Alex Presley 2 Brian Dozier 5 Eduardo Escobar 7 Joe Mauer 8 Kurt Suzuki 12 Chris Herrmann 15 Glen Perkins 16 Josh Willingham 21 Samuel Deduno 24 Trevor Plouffe 25 Pedro Florimón 26 Eric Fryer 27 Chris Parmelee 30 Kevin Correia 31 Oswaldo Arcia 32 Aaron Hicks 37 Mike Pelfrey 38 Logan Darnell 39 Danny Santana 43 Josmil Pinto 44 Kyle Gibson 45 Phil Hughes 47 Ricky Nolasco 49 Vance Worley 50 Casey Fien 51 Anthony Swarzak 52 Brian Duensing 53 Kris Johnson 55 Chris Colabello 56 Caleb Thielbar 57 Ryan Pressly 58 Scott Diamond 59 Michael Tonkin 60 Edgar Ibarra 61 Jared Burton 65 Trevor May 67 Max Kepler 68 Kennys Vargas 78 Jorge Polanco

Coaching staff	Manager 35 Ron Gardenhire Bench Coach 36 Terry Steinbach First Base Coach 41 Scott Ullger Third Base Coach 46 Joe Vavra Hitting Coach 23 Tom Brunansky Pitching Coach 40 Rick Anderson Bullpen Coach 18 Bobby Cuellar Bullpen Catcher 75 Nate Dammann

Persondata
Name	Vavra, Joe
Alternative names
Short description	American baseball player and coach
Date of birth	November 16, 1959
Place of birth	Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Date of death
Place of death

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