The Staff
All Directors are now available for instruction on a year round basis !!
Directors
Defense, Hitting, and Teams: Garth Iorg
Toronto Blue Jays / 9 Year Major League Player, 14 Year Minor League & Major League Manager and Coach
GARTH IORG
Garth
Iorg began his professional baseball career with the New York Yankees at the age
of seventeen. During his professional baseball development, Garth played college
basketball on scholarship while continuing his education. Garth was traded to
the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978, where he began his Major League career. Nine
years of Major League experience followed including a team high .313 batting
average for the 1985 American League East Champion Toronto Blue Jays. Garth has
managed at every level of the minor leagues with the Blue Jays organization,
ranging from the High Class A Dunedin Blue Jays to the Syracuse Skychiefs of the
AAA International League. Garth’s local roots extend through the AA Knoxville
Smokies where he promoted more players to the big leagues than any other manager
in Southern League history. Garth was the roving infield instructor for the Blue
Jays organization in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Garth has worked with
such players as Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green, Cesar Izturis, Eric Hinske, Eli
Iorg, and many more in the areas of hitting and fielding. In 2003 and 2004,
Garth worked in developing the infield for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on a special
invitation from manager Lou Pinella. Garth is currently working in conjunction
with the Sosnick Cobb Sports Agency and has links to Dontrell Willis and many
other top professional prospects. Garth currently represents three first round
draft picks from the 2005 draft as well. Garth is also the southeast coordinator
of Perfect Game USA. Perfect Game USA is the top amateur scouting service in the
country and has seen many of its alumni attain major league status.
Toronto Blue Jays / 9 Year Major League Player, 14 Year Minor League & Major League Manager and Coach
Pitching: Atlee Hammaker
14 Years Major League Service / N.L. All Star
Atlee was the #1 draft pick for the Kansas City Royals in 1979. Traded to San Francisco in 1982, he (1) was the Major League Control Artist Champ with the fewest walks per innings pitched (1982, 1983), (2) had the best major league strikeout to walk ratio (1983), (3) allowed the least number of base runners per nine innings pitched in the Major Leagues (1983), (4) was the National League Earned Average Champ (1983), and (5) was the starting pitcher for the National League in the 1983 All Star Game. A veteran of 2 N.L. Playoffs (1987, 1989), an A.L. Playoff (1981), a National League Championship and a World Series (1989), he played for San Diego (1991), and finished his career with the Chicago White Sox (1992-1995).
General Manager, Program Coordinator, Instructor: Jerrod Payne
JERROD PAYNE
Jerrod
Payne has been the general manger of The Yard since 2003. Jerrod was a high
baseball standout in Ocala, Florida where he was runner up for Mr. Florida
Baseball in 1996. Jerrod went on to play two years at Central Florida Community
College where he helped his team win the first two conference titles in school
history and make the trek to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction,
Colorado in 1997 and 1998. Jerrod earned an invitation to play on the National
Junior College All-Star team in 1998 where he represented his country by going
2-1 on the mound in a five game series against the Japanese National Team.
Jerrod accepted a full scholarship from the University of North Florida in 1999
where he played for two years. Once again, Jerrod helped his team win two
conference titles at UNF and make a trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in
2000. As a senior in 2000, Jerrod set school records in saves and appearances
and became one of the top relief pitchers in all of college baseball. He was
elected the NCAA All American First Team in 2000 and was drafted in the tenth
round of the major league players draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Jerrod spent
three seasons with the Blue Jays where he played at every minor league level and
in 2002 merited a short invitation to Major League camp. Jerrod signed a free
agent contract in 2003 with the Minnesota Twins, but elected to leave the game
for his family. Jerrod played for the Tennessee Smokies in 2001 and 2002. After
leaving baseball, Jerrod elected to stay in east Tennessee and continue his
education at the University of Tennessee. Jerrod obtained his degree in exercise
science and kinesiology from UT. Currently, Jerrod has ties to the Perfect Game
USA and has helped Garth Iorg with the appointment of several players to
colleges around the country.
Baseball Instructors
Eli Iorg - hitting, fielding / former Univ. of Tenn. player, and current Houston Astros player
Softball Instructors
Harry Backhurst
