GOLD SOX MANAGER BRAD PEEK TO TAKE LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Jack Johnson To Manage Team During 2007 Season

Brad Peek will take a leave of absence as field manager of the Gold Sox for the 2007 season due to his brother’s illness.

Peek will remain with the team as Director of Player Personnel and hopes to return as manager for the 2008 season.

Long time Gold Sox coach Jack Johnson will take over the helm as manager for the Gold Sox for the 2007 season.

Hitting Coach Chris Terry has been named Associate Manager and will assist Johnson in running the on field management of the club.

Peek, who has managed the Gold Sox for the last four years works for his family’s cattle auction business Shasta Livestock in Cottonwood, California, along with his brother, sister and father.

Peek said that he made the decision to take the leave of absence to focus on his brother and to take over some of his brother’s duties as President of Shasta Livestock. 

Peek wants his brother to concentrate on his recovery from a recent bout with cancer. “My number one priority is doing hatever I can to help my brother beat this thing, said Peek.

Brad Peek is the field manager and player personnel director of the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox.  He has served in those capacities since 2003.

During Peek’s term as manager, one-third of the players on his ballclubs, on average, have signed with Major League Baseball organizations.

Peek is a 1987 graduate of St. Mary’s College of California. He holds a master’s degree from California State University at Chico and is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society for academic achievement.

Brad Peek has an extensive college baseball coaching background, beginning at St. Mary’s College and California State University at Chico. He coached and served on the faculty at Butte Community College, Shasta Community College and Cosumnes River Community College. He was head baseball coach at both Shasta and Cosumnes River.

Peek is an active member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and is a frequent lecturer at baseball camps and clinics. He has served as an associate scout for both the Chicago Cubs and California Angels. In the off-season, Peek works in his family’s business, Shasta Livestock.

Commenting on Brad Peek’s tenure as Gold Sox field manager, legendary Major League general manager and Baseball Hall of Fame nominee Buzzie Bavasi, 91, father of Gold Sox managing partners Bob and Peter Bavasi, said, “I follow the Gold Sox on KUBA radio and in the Appeal-Democrat so I have a good idea of the fine job Brad has done with the ballclub.”

Buzzie Bavasi continued, “Managing young ballplayers, especially a group of talented youngsters who haven’t played together, is a difficult assignment. It takes a manager with special baseball insight and the ability to communicate well and quickly, to keep his players motivated and executing all season long. Brad does all that very well.”

Buzzie Bavasi concluded, “He reminds me of a young Walter Alston.”