Congrats, Wak ~ 1st time All-Star!!!

.

AP

Maddon selects Don!

Joe Maddon has known Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu for more than 25 years. Maddon just met Royals manager Trey Hillman last season. Both will be at Maddon's side when he manages the American League All-Star team at the 80th All-Star Game on June 14 in St. Louis.

Maddon, who earned the honor of managing the American League side after leading the Rays to the World Series in 2008, selected Seattle's Wakamatsu and Kansas City's Hillman as coaches for Midsummer Classic. Maddon's Tampa Bay staff, including third-base coach Tom Foley, hitting coach Steve Henderson, first-base coach George Hendrick, pitching coach Jim Hickey, bench coach Dave Martinez and
bullpen coach Bobby Ramos, will accompany Maddon to St. Louis as well.
Maddon said he met Wakamatsu in the early 80s, when Wakamatsu was playing at
Arizona State. "He was a catcher there and Jim Brock was the manager at that
time. Actually, I was a young scout and a Minor League manager myself. Coach
Brock invited me out to work with his catchers and one happens to be Wak,"
Maddon said. "I just thought it would be a great opportunity for him, being his
first year in Seattle, to come to the All-Star Game. It should be, in some ways,
beneficial to him and to that franchise." Wakamatsu said Maddon offered
him the job when the Rays visited Seattle earlier this season. "I've known Joe for 25 years, and was honored he'd ask me, especially a first-year manager," Wakamatsu said. "It's quite an opportunity. I'll bring my family with me and have them share it with me."

Wakamatsu' players were also excited to hear that their first-year skipper was headed to St. Louis. "[Ken] Griffey [Jr.] said the greatest thing about me getting picked is we probably won't have a workout [during the All-Star break]," Wakamatsu said.