Joel Skinner, Tommy Watkins, Toby Gardenhire to manage in Twins system

The Twins finalized their minor league coaching staffs Wednesday by naming Joel Skinner manager of the team's Class AAA team in Rochester, N.Y.

Skinner, who was interim manager of the Cleveland Indians for part of 2002 when Charlie Manuel left the team, is a former major league catcher. He replaced Mike Quade, who will be a minor league outfield coordinator for the Twins.

Stu Cliburn will remain Rochester's pitching coach for his 27th season in the organization, and Chad Allen is back for his third season as hitting coach. Mike McCarthy will be the bullpen coach.

Skinner, 56, has a 860-777 record in 12 minor league seasons. He was not in baseball last season, but spent the previous five seasons managing in the White Sox organization, including at Class AAA Charlotte. Skinner was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America and The Sporting News while leading Class AAA Buffalo to the International League Governors' Cup Finals in 2000.

He has been a major league coach for Cleveland and Oakland. Skinner played 564 major league games for the White Sox, Yankees and Indians. His father, Bob, managed the Phillies (1968-69) and Padres (1977).

Tommy Watkins takes over as manager in Class AA Chattanooga, replacing Jake Mauer. Ivan Arteaga will be the pitching coach for the third season, and Javier Valentin begins his second season at hitting coach for the Lookouts. Watkins managed at Class A Cedar Rapids last season.

Toby Gardenhire, son of Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire, is the new manager at Cedar Rapids. He was a hitting coach in the Gulf Coast League last season. Cibney Bello and Justin Willard will be the Kernels' pitching coaches and Brian Dinkelman is the hitting coach.

Ray Smith will enter his 25th season as manager for the rookie level Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins. He has 13 first-place finishes at Elizabethton. Luis Ramirez (pitching coach) and Jeff Reed (hitting coach) return, and Takashi Miyoshi will join as a bench coach.

Dan Ramsay will manage the rookie level Gulf Coast League Twins after nine seasons as baseball coach at Whitworth University. Virgil Vasquez will be the pitching coach, and Luis Rodriguez and Matt Borgschulte will be the hitting coaches.

Robbie Robinson will manage the Dominican Summer League Twins' team, with Carlos Hernandez as pitching coach and Asdrubal Estrada and Leury Bonilla as hitting coaches.

The Twins also announced Edgar Varela will be minor league field coordinator after being assistant hitting coordinator for the Pirates organization; Duke pitching coach Pete Maki will be minor league pitching coordinator; J.P. Martinez will return as assistant pitching coordinator; Sam Perlozzo will return as infield and baserunning coordinator; and Rick Eckstein will be hitting coordinator.

Also, Tanner Swanson comes from Santa Clara University to be catching coordinator; Bob McClure, pitching coach for the Phillies for four seasons, will be senior adviser to player development, a position also held by Joel Lepel; and Chad Jackson will be minor league medical coordinator.