Seth VanHoven
Marketing Assistant
517-485-4500, ext 233

The Chicago Cubs announced Tuesday that Julio Garcia will return for a fourth consecutive season as the manager of the Lugnuts in 2004. Joining Garcia for their fourth season in Lansing are pitching coach Mike Anderson and hitting coach Mike Micucci. Chuck Baughman will replace Jason Palmateer as the team's athletic trainer.

Julio Garcia, 43, will be entering his 17th season in professional baseball and fourth in the Cubs organization. In his three seasons with the Lugnuts, Garcia has piloted Lansing to a 208-206 overall mark and has led the Lugnuts into the Midwest League playoffs in each of his three years, culminating with last season's Midwest League Championship. Garcia's 208 victories are the most of any manager in franchise history. Previously, Garcia served as a coach or manager at the minor league level with the Devil Rays(1997-2000), Orioles(1995-96) and Pirates(1988-94) organizations. He was named Manager of the Year with Class A Frederick in 1996 and saw brief major league action in 1988 with the Texas Rangers as their bullpen catcher.

Mike Anderson, 37, will return for his fourth season as pitching coach of the Lugnuts. Under the guidance of Anderson in 2003, the Lugnuts pitching staff finished with a 3.18 team ERA, which ranked second-best in the league behind Fort Wayne (3.02 team ERA). Anderson's staff set new franchise marks for strikeouts in a season (1018) and shutouts (15) during the 2003 season. Anderson has been a coach in the Cubs system the previous four seasons after concluding his playing career in South Korea in 1999. He pitched from 1988-97 in the Cincinnati, Cubs, Texas and Los Angeles organizations, briefly seeing major league action with the Reds in 1993.

Mike Micucci, 30, will return for his fourth season as the Lugnuts' hitting coach. Under Micucci's instruction in 2003, Lugnut hitters combined for a .253 team average that placed them 7th of out 14 teams in the Midwest League. Miccuci has been a coach in the Cubs system since ending his playing career in the Cubs organization following the 1999 season. He advanced as high as "AA" West Tennessee in 1998 and 1999 after being drafted in the 51st round out of Montclair (NJ) State University in 1994.

For more information on the Lugnuts coaching staff or to request an interview, please contact Seth VanHoven at 517-485-4500, ext. 233.