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Upshaw To Pilot Aeros For 2001
Former Blue Jay and Indian lead the Atlantic League's Bridgeport Bluefish to a winning record on his last watch as skipper.

Vince Kadlubek

Akron - 12/19/00 - The Cleveland Indians and Akron Aeros today named Willie Upshaw as the Manager of the 2001 Akron Aeros. Serving on Upshaw's staff will be Pitching Coach Terry Clark, Coach Mike Sarbaugh and Athletic Trainer Nick Paparesta.

Upshaw, 43, has spent the past three seasons as the Manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League.  Under his leadership, the Bluefish qualified for post-season play in each of the last three seasons.  In 1999, he led the Bluefish to a league-best 78-42 record en route to their first Atlantic League championship.

He began his coaching career in 1991 as a hitting instructor in the Toronto Blue Jays system, a position he held through the 1992 season.  After leaving for a two year stint in Texas with the Rangers Upshaw returned to the Blue Jays in 1995, again as a Hitting Instructor.  Following the '95 season, he was named Toronto's Batting Coach on Manager Cito Gaston's Major League staff, a position he held through the 1997 campaign.

Willie played 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, nine with Toronto (1978, 1980-87) and one with Cleveland (1988).  He holds a career batting average of .262 (1103-4203) with 596 R, 199 2B, 45 3B, 123 HR, 528 RBI and 88 SB in 1264 games.  

Clark, 40, comes to the Aeros after spending the 2000 season as the Pitching Coach of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League.  Clark has more than 20 years of professional baseball experience, including six seasons at the Major League level.

In his big league career, Clark was 10-23 with one save and a 5.54 ERA (233.0 IP, 299 H, 143 ER, 89 BB, 109 SO).  Like Upshaw, Clark spent his final Major League season as an Indian.  In 1997, he made four starts for the World Series-bound Tribe, going 0-3 with a 6.15 ERA.

Sarbaugh, 33, returns to the Rubber City for his second season as an Aeros coach.  His coaching career began in 1995 with Class A Kinston of the Carolina League.  He spent the 1996 and 1997 seasons coaching with the Columbus Red Stixx of the South Atlantic League. Sarbaugh returned to Kinston to coach them for the 1998 and 1999 campaigns.  His playing career spans five seasons, mostly in the Indians farm system.  He progressed through the Tribe's minor league ranks, reaching Triple A Charlotte in 1994 before retiring.

Paparesta, 27, is also returning to Akron for his third season as the Aeros Athletic Trainer.  He spent the 1994-98 seasons with the Watertown Indians of the New York-Penn League.