Dave Clark, a familiar face in the baseball community, is making a return to the big leagues with the Houston Astros. The 61-year-old, who spent seven seasons as a coach for the Detroit Tigers, has been appointed as the first base coach on Astros manager Joe Espada’s staff, as reported by MLB.com.
Clark’s connection with the Astros goes beyond his coaching career. Having ended his playing career with the Astros in 1998, he subsequently managed the Astros’ Double-A affiliate from 2006 to 2008. In 2009, Clark served as the interim manager for the big-league club and was part of the big-league coaching staff until 2013.
This move marks a homecoming for Clark, and it positions him in a key role as the first base coach under the leadership of Joe Espada. The Astros’ coaching staff has undergone restructuring, with Espada’s promotion to the top managerial position following Dusty Baker’s retirement. Omar Lopez, the former first base coach under Baker, will now serve as Espada’s bench coach, while Clark steps into Lopez’s former role.
Clark’s coaching journey includes being named to Brad Ausmus’ inaugural coaching staff with the Tigers in 2014. He continued to contribute to the Tigers’ coaching staff for three seasons under Ron Gardenhire, initially as the third base coach and later as the first base coach. However, Clark was not retained when A.J. Hinch took over as the new manager.
A native of Mississippi, Clark had a notable playing career as an outfielder, being a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 1983. Over the course of 13 seasons in the big leagues, Clark made a significant impact, and now he returns to the Astros, bringing his wealth of experience and expertise to the first base coaching role.
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