
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 29, 1994                   TAG: 9411290106
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ROCKIES TAP MINORS FOR SALEM FIELD STAFF

Half the field staff at the Colorado Rockies' fast-track Class A team at Central Valley of the California League has been transplanted to the organization's new outpost at Salem.

Manager Bill Hayes and trainer Bill Borowski will both be drawing their paychecks with the new Salem Avalanche, the Rockies announced Monday.

Also joining those two will be pitching coach Billy Champion, who was assigned to the Rockies team at Class A Bend (Ore.) of the Northwest League the past year, and bench coach Tony Torchia.

Hayes managed Central Valley to a 65-71 record this past season, his first in the Colorado organization. Prior to that, he had worked for six seasons in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system.

Hayes, who could not be reached for comment, started his managerial career at Geneva of the New York-Penn League. He toiled three seasons at Geneva before taking over at Peoria of the Midwest League.

Next was a stop at Winston-Salem for the 1992 season, the last year the Spirits were affiliated with the Cubs. The Cincinnati Reds moved into Winston-Salem prior to the 1993 season.

Hayes also played five games for the Cubs as a catcher in the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

Torchia managed for the Rockies at Asheville of the South Atlantic League during the 1994 campaign. Torchia has been in pro ball 32 years, 13 of that as a minor league manager. His teams have won five league championships.

Champion, a former big league pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies and Milawaukee Brewers, is in his third year in the Rockies chain. He was assigned to Bend and Class AA New Haven.

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB