In preparation for the 2010 season, the Florida League has already begun to finalize staffing and team arrangements for the upcoming summer. The league will once again have five teams for the 2010 season.

However, one of the teams has changed locations. The Mavericks, formerly of Clermont, will be moving to Orlando and will play at the Orel Hersheiser Field at The First Academy in Orlando. The Florida League is particularly excited about this move, as The First Academy is a well-known high school that provides a fantastic playing facility for the players and the city of Orlando opens up even more room for fan support.

Another important announcement regarding the upcoming season is that former Major League All-Star and Manager Davey Johnson will be coaching the Sanford River Rats this summer. Johnson was the manager for the DeLand Suns last season and will look forward to new challenges with the River Rats.
All of the teams and the head coaches are set for 2010 and information on each team is provided below:

2010 Florida League Teams

DeLand Suns
Home location: Melching Field at Conrad Park (Stetson University)
Head Coach: Rick Hall

Rick Hall began his playing career at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he was a two-sport athlete in baseball and basketball. After two years, he transferred to Stetson to continue his career where he posted a 5-0 record, a 1.90 ERA and was ninth in the nation in strikeouts as a junior. Unfortunately, an injury ended his career early in his senior season. After serving at Stetson as a Graduate Assistant for one year, Hall was hired full-time as the pitching coach. He spent 18 years at Stetson before becoming the head coach of Daytona Beach Community College in 1997. Hall built the program from the ground up and went 26-26 in his first season. The following season Hall led his team to a record of 45-13, finishing third in the State Championship with a top 25 ranking. Hall is very excited to help pass on his knowledge of baseball to amazing young college talent, and he is looking forward to a great 2010 season.

Leesburg Lightning
Home location: Pat Thomas Stadium
Head Coach: Frank Viola (former MLB Cy Young Award Winner and World Series MVP)
Frank Viola is entering his third season with the Lightning. Viola grew up in East Meadow, New York and attended St. John's University before being selected in the 2nd round of the 1981 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins. Viola proved to be a dominate left-handed pitcher for the Twins, earning 112 of his 176 career wins during his 8 year stint with the team. Viola became a staple of the Twins organization, earning himself the nickname "Sweet Music," as one writer likened his pitching to the music played in the Metro Dome. In 1987, Frank Viola led the Twins to a World Series Championship and won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award by winning two games in the series, including the decisive game seven. Viola's most impressive achievement came in his last full season with the Twins in 1988 when he won a career-high 24 games and was honored with the Cy Young Award.

Orlando Mavericks
Home location: Orel Hersheiser Field, The First Academy
Head Coach: Scott Makarewicz

Scott Makarewicz attended Michigan State University and was a 6th round draft pick by the Houston Astros in 1989. He played 10 seasons as a catcher in professional baseball in the minor league systems of Houston, Detroit and Florida. His most productive season came in 1996 with the Jacksonville Suns, where he led the team to a Southern League Championship, hitting .314, with 14 homeruns and 49 RBIs in 83 games. Immediately after retiring, Scott was hired as a catching and hitting coach in Houston for two years and then later Detroit for four years. Makarewicz has managed in the Florida League before, guiding the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs to the 2006 FCSL Championship.

Sanford River Rats
Home location: Sanford Memorial Stadium
Head Coach: Davey Johnson (Former MLB All-Star and Manager of the Year)

This will be Davey Johnson’s second year as a coach in the FCSL. A well respected baseball name, Johnson is well-known for his Major League Baseball career, both as a player and a manager.
In his MLB playing career, Johnson played for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Chicago Cubs. He played 13 seasons and was a 4 time all-star and a 3 time gold-glove winner. In 1973, he tied Rogers Hornsby’s MLB record for most home runs by a second baseman, with 42 (He actually hit 43 home runs that year but one was as a pinch hitter).
As a manager, Johnson experienced a great deal of success. He began managing the New York Mets in 1984 and became the first National League manager to win at least 90 games in each of his first 5 seasons. In 1986, Johnson’s Mets beat the Boston Red Sox for the MLB World Series title. By 1993, Johnson was managing the Cincinnati Reds and almost immediately revived the franchise, winning the division title by 1995. He then became the manager for the Baltimore Orioles in 1996 and led them to the American League East division title by 1997, earning him Manager of the Year honors. Johnson finished his MLB managerial career in 1999 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has since gone on to manage Team USA in the 2008 Olympics in China as well as in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Winter Park Diamond Dawgs
Home location: Alfond Stadium at Harper-Shepherd Field (Rollins College)
Head Coach: Clint Chrysler

Chrysler, who attended Stetson University, played three seasons for the Hatters. He had a career batting average of .309 and in his junior season, he hit .344 with 13 doubles, two triples, one home run and 32 RBI. Chrysler was also a standout on the mound, posting a 14-10 record and a 3.80 ERA in college. He also earned the Cape Cod League’s Reliever of the Year Award in 1996. Chrysler left school after his junior season when he was drafted in the 17th round by the Seattle Mariners. He played professionally for nine seasons, reaching as high as the Triple-A level with the Pirates organization.

Former All-Star and Major League Manager of the Year Davey Johnson, in his second year with the Florida League, will be managing the Sanford River Rats for the summer of 2010. Johnson managed the DeLand Suns in 2009 and had a highly successful first season with the Florida League. The Suns got off to a hot start, beginning the season 14-0. Although the amazing run didn’t continue throughout the entire season, the Suns easily finished the regular season in first place, finishing with a 24-11 record, before losing in the second round of the playoffs. Johnson, who has remarked that he loves the opportunity to teach younger players about the game, will surely bring excitement to the city of Sanford this summer.

The Florida Collegiate Summer League has officially posted internships that will be offered for the 2010 summer season. Internships are offered to college students nationwide in several different study areas. To read more and see positions that are offered, please click the link below.

On December 12, 2009, Ralphie the River Rat and The Diamond Dawg participated in the Reindeer Run 5k which benefited the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida. Enjoy the video below!