The most outstanding player during the Calgary Vipers second season is returning to the team for 2007. Drew Miller, from Medicine Hat, Alberta, played in all 96 games for the Vipers last summer.

The Iron Man left fielder hit .297, collected 100 hits, led the team with 63 runs scored and tied for second on the team with 43 runs batted in. The 27 year old left handed hitter also swatted three home runs and was the most consistent Vipers player in 2006. Miller’s signing means that all four award winning players from the 2006 team will be returning. He joins Carlos Duncan, Aaron McEachran and Evan Greusel as the nucleus for the 2007 squad.

Busch Rounds Out Staff

Vipers Field Manager Mike Busch has just returned from a 3 day Free Agent camp in the Dominican Republic and has announced that his coaching staff for the 2007 season is now complete.

The Vipers new Pitching Coach and Director of Player Procurement is former major leaguer Pat Daneker. Born and raised in Williamsport, PA, home of little league baseball Pat was drafted by the Boston Red Sox right out of high school. He decided against turning pro and went to the University of Virginia instead. In 1997 he was taken in the 5th round by the Chicago White Sox. Pat played in the White Sox system at every level including the big leagues (1999) where he posted a 4.20 ERA. He also played four seasons of Triple-A ball for the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays. Daneker finished his 10 year pro career with the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League where he was named Pitcher of the Year during the 2005 season.

Morgan Burkhart joins the Vipers as the new Bench Coach. The eleven year pro played for the Boston Red Sox during the 2000 and 2001 seasons as both a first baseman and designated hitter. He also suited up for the Kansas City Royals in the 2003 season. Burkhart smashed 252 home runs during his career which included six seasons in Triple-A ball. The 30-year old native of St. Louis also knocked in 772 runs during his pro career.

Rounding out the 2007 staff is Third Base Coach Brad Doss who is returning for his third season with the Vipers. Doss spent four years as head coach at Dakota State University before heading to China in 2004 as a guest coach. The Calgarian has also coached in France and England.

Northern League Rookie of the Year in 2006, Manabu Kuramochi, will be joining team mascot Slider and the Vipers Pitching Cage this Friday afternoon at the Dover Community Centre, then again on Sunday, February 11 at the Chestermere Winter Festival and on Monday, February 19 at the Family Fun Day at the Olympic Oval.

The Vipers open their training camp on Thursday, May 3. They will host their annual Free Agent Tryout Camp, Open House and Job Fair on Saturday, May 5. The team will then head out on the road for pre-season games in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Fargo and Schaumburg before opening the regular season in Joliet. The Vipers home opener is Friday, May 25 against the Joliet JackHammers.