A’s Fill Head Trainer Spot

The A’s have hired Tampa Bay Ray’s Assistant Trainer Nick Paparesta to fill the Head Trainer position that was not extended to Steven Sayles last month.   Sayles had a very rough road during the 2010 season with 23 players on the DL and in total, used the list 65 times throughout his three-year stint with the team.

Paparesta will bring his experience of working with the Rays for 5 seasons, spending 3 of those years in the minors as a Trainer and Rehabilitation Coordinator.

The Fort Myers, Florida native attended college at Baldwin-Wallace in Berea, Ohio and has several certifications with the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) as well as the National Strength and Conditioning Association. (NSCA).  Prior to his job with the Rays, Paparesta was with the Indian organization for 11 seasons and worked four years before that with the New York Triple-A team, The Buffalos.

Paparesta will be joining forces with Assistant Trainer Walt Horn, who has a vast amount of experience with the team.  Horn will be making his 34^th appearance with the organization and his fourth as an Assistant Trainer.  He also has many more years of prior experience within the A’s minor league system as well.   With the positions now intact, this dynamic duo will have to first address how they are going to keep their players on the field and off the DL.