Former Major Leaguer Bosio to join Lawrence baseball staff

APPLETON, Wis. -- Former Major League Baseball player Chris Bosio is the new pitching coach for the Lawrence University baseball team, Director of Athletics Robert Beeman announced Friday.

Bosio, who played 11 seasons in the American League with the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners, said he is looking forward to the opportunity.

"With the family ties at Lawrence, it makes it a very good fit for my family," Bosio said. "It will be a challenge. I'm all about challenges, always have been. This is a new step, a new direction, and I'm excited about the opportunity to work next to (head coach) Korey (Krueger)."

Bosio takes over a pitching staff that put together a 5.32 earned run average in 2006, as the Vikings finished with a 14-20 record. Lawrence pitchers gave up 301 hits in 262.1 innings and struck out 132 while walking 123. The Vikings do return three pitchers who have earned All-Midwest Conference honors during their careers. Alex Fritsch was an all-conference selection as a freshman in 2006, and both Josh Richie and Chris Clouthier, who will be seniors next season, were named to the all-league team in 2005.

"Since Chris has come to the Fox Valley, he has been a friend to the Lawrence baseball program, and it makes great sense to have a person of his experience and his baseball knowledge join our staff," said Krueger, who has coached the Vikings for nine seasons. "The players are ecstatic about him being a part of our program."

Bosio brings an impressive pitching history to the Vikings, compiling a 94-93 career record with a 3.96 ERA in the big leagues. He struck out 1,059 and walked only 481 during his career. Bosio had five seasons in which he won 10 or more games, including going 16-6 with the Brewers in 1992. After that season, his seventh in Milwaukee, he left for Seattle via free agency.

Bosio had one of the finest moments of his career during his first season with the Mariners. He tossed a no-hitter on April 22, 1993, in a 7-0 win over the Boston Red Sox. He walked the first two batters and then retired the next 27.

Since retiring after the 1996 season, Bosio has been involved in coaching. He spent the 2003 season as the pitching coach with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and had logged three seasons as a pitching coach in the Mariners organization before that.

A native of Carmichael, Calif., Bosio went to Cordova Senior High School, which also produced current Brewers star Geoff Jenkins, and played for legendary coach Guy Anderson. Bosio lives in the Fox Cities with his wife, Suzanne, and their two children.

"I'm looking forward to supporting the baseball program, as well as the other activities at Lawrence," Bosio said.

Lawrence begins preparations for the 2007 season next February, and the Vikings will travel to North Carolina to play a series of games in March before returning home to Wisconsin.