Traverse City hires manager

The Traverse City Beach Bums announced that Gregg Langbehn has been hired to manage the team in 2009.

Langbehn has a similar background to former Wild Things manager John Massarelli. He spent the last 10 years as a coach in the Houston Astros system and was manager of the Lexington Legends of the Class A South Atlantic League last season. Lexington is the Astros' low-Class A affiliate. Massarelli had managed the Astros' high-Class A affiliate in Salem, Va., before coming to the Wild Things in 2004.

Langbehn replaces former Wild Things shortstop Jon Cahill, who managed the Beach Bums to a 96-96 record in their first two seasons in the Frontier League.

"I think we may have outdone ourselves," said beach Bums owner John Weurfel. "Sometimes you can sign someone way out of your league, and it doesn't work. But I was like, 'If I want somebody, I'm going for it.'

"He's been around. To stick with one organization 10 years tells you there's something there."

Langbehn was one of eight candidates to make the final cut. He interviewed for the vacancy in mid-October.

Photo from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.