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

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coaching career 3 Personal 4 External links

[edit] 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 this was due to two injuries, the first happened in his last triple A game when a runner was stealing and Vavra picked the throw from the catcher only to have the runners cleat shatter his thumb leaving him to have pins put in. The second and final set back was in the following years spring training when Vavra found out he had desert fever (Coccidioidomycosis), a disease that eats at your lungs, he finished the year and had to stop playing. Vavra has now been in Major League Baseball for over 20 years and now the hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins.

[edit] 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.

The Twins also are year in and year out since Vavra has been there had one of the best team and individual hitting stats in the league.

[edit] Personal

Vavra and his wife Lesa have three sons: Tanner, Treysen and Terrin. His son Tanner plays for MATC Madison Baseball team.

[edit] External links

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v • d • e Minnesota Twins current roster 40-man roster 1 Trevor Plouffe | 2 Denard Span | 5 Michael Cuddyer | 7 Joe Mauer | 8 Nick Punto | 11 Jason Pridie | 15 Glen Perkins | 16 Jason Kubel | 19 Justin Huber | 20 Matt Tolbert | 21 Delmon Young | 23 Brendan Harris | 25 Alexi Casilla | 28 Jesse Crain | 30 Scott Baker | 33 Justin Morneau | 36 Joe Nathan | 44 Bob Keppel | 47 Francisco Liriano | 49 Jeff Manship | 50 José Mijares | 51 Anthony Swarzak | 52 Brian Duensing | 53 Nick Blackburn | 54 Matt Guerrier | 57 Luke Hughes | 58 José Morales | 60 Jon Rauch | 71 Drew Butera | 74 Deibinson Romero | 76 Wilson Ramos | 77 Steven Tolleson | -- J. J. Hardy Inactive roster Disabled list 17 Pat Neshek | 26 Boof Bonser | 59 Kevin Slowey Coaching Staff Manager 35 Ron Gardenhire | Bench Coach 9 Steve Liddle | 1st Base Coach 13 Jerry White | 3rd Base Coach 45 Scott Ullger | Hitting Coach 46 Joe Vavra | Pitching Coach 40 Rick Anderson | Bullpen Coach 43 Rick Stelmaszek | Coach 75 Nate Dammann