Altoona Curve fires Manager

On Wednesday night the Pirates told Double-A Altoona Manager Matt Walbeck that he would not return for next season.

Walbeck, the Eastern League’s Manager of the Year, led the Curve to the Championships where they defeated the Yankees Double-A Team Trenton Thunder.

The Pirates have not announced the reason behind the decision to release Walbeck from his duties, but Kyle Stark (Director of Player Development) said that it was best to allow him to peruse other opportunities.

“We appreciate Matt’s efforts and wish him the best in his future endeavors but felt that it was best that we allow him to pursue other opportunities,” General Manager Neal Huntington said.

Walbeck told the Altoona Mirror that the Pirates did not give him an explanation for the move.

“No, not really,” Walbeck said. “Just that it wasn’t going to be a good fit. There were some things about how I have some aspirations and am highly driven and words like that, but, apparently, it wasn’t going to work out.”

“I am surprised,” Walbeck said by phone. “After having gone through a pretty solid year … to have made improvements and helped develop players get to Pittsburgh, certainly I’m surprised. Of course. I did everything, I felt like, to help the club and the organization and was good for the community.”