Kansas City, MO – The Kansas City Royals have announced the coaching staff for the 2008 Wilmington Blue Rocks. Darryl Kennedy assumes the managerial role vacated by John Mizerock, who was appointed to the Royals major league coaching staff for the 2008 campaign. Rounding out the triumvirate will be a pair of returnees: former major leaguers Steve Luebber as pitching coach and Nelson Liriano as hitting coach.

Kennedy comes to the Riverfront after spending last season as the manager of the rookie-level Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League. He led the B-Royals to a 38-30 record and a second-place finish in the East Division. The 2007 season was Kennedy’s first with the Royals. Previously, the 38-year-old managed Frisco (AA-Texas) in the Texas Rangers organization in 2005 and 2006. Luebber was Kennedy’s pitching coach with Frisco in 2005. Kennedy, who caught for seven seasons in the minors with the Rangers and Giants from 1991-1997, has compiled a 521-432 (.547) managerial record with the Gulf Coast Rangers, Charlotte, Spokane, Frisco and Burlington.

His resume includes six playoff appearances, four league championships and three Manager of the Year honors. A 37th-round pick by the Rangers in 1991 out of the University of North Florida, Kennedy was a college All-American as a senior. He resides in Surprise, AZ with his wife, Beth. The couple has a son, Cade, and a daughter, Emma.

Liriano returns to his familiar role as hitting coach for the Blue Crew after working in that same position in 2007. He played 11 seasons at the major league level, including time with Toronto (1987-90); Minnesota (1990); Kansas City (1991); Colorado (1993-94); Pittsburgh (1995-96); Los Angeles Dodgers (1997); and Colorado (1998). He played in Japan and Mexico in 1999 before retiring.

The 43-year-old coached a Blue Rocks team that finished fourth in the Carolina League in team batting average (.262). Three of Wilmington’s players finished among the top 11 in individual batting average on the season. Twice a Blue Rock earned Batter-of-the-Week honors, and outfielder Brian McFall became the first Wilmington player to earn a Player-of-the-Month award since 2003.

Liriano managed in the Colorado Rockies system for the Dominican Summer League from 2000-01. He joined the Royals in 2002, serving as the Wichita (AA-Texas) hitting coach for the next four seasons. In 2006, he served in the same position for the Arizona Royals (R-Arizona). Liriano resides in Puerto Plata, D.R. with his wife, Milvia, and their children, Cindy, Jessie, Minelia and Minali.

Luebber will again serve as the pitching coach for the Blue Rocks. Luebber, a Clinton, MO native, will enter his 41st season in the game. Luebber joined the Royals in 2006 after five years as the Double-A pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, where he worked with Kennedy in 2005. Under Luebber, the Blue Rocks led the Carolina League in team ERA (3.43) and saves (42) while four Wilmington starters ranked among the top six in individual ERA. Among those four was southpaw Rowdy Hardy, who was named the Carolina League’s Pitcher of the Year and earned the starting nod in the All-Star game. Hardy won a Wilmington franchise record 15 games. Luebber has been serving as the pitching coach of the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League for the last few months.

Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 1967 amateur draft, Luebber made his big-league debut on June 27, 1971, starting the backend of a doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched professionally for 17 seasons and posted a 6-10 record and a 4.62 ERA over 66 major league appearances for the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. The 58-year-old lives in Joplin, MO. He attended Missouri Southern College and has two daughters, Lindsey and Carly, and a son, Wyatt.