Red Sox Bench Coach Spends Winter in CA

RED SOX NEWS FROM THE WEST

Brad Mills, bench coach for the Red Sox grew up in the San Joaquin Valley (CA) town of Exeter, and played college ball for College of the Sequoias in nearby Visalia, where he calls home during the offseason.

"This is home," said Mills, who took time out of his busy schedule to talk to the players at the Tulare Western baseball camp on Wednesday. "My children and their families are here. I have a lot of special relationships with people around here."

Mills, who will turn 52 on Jan. 19, was born in Exeter. He graduated from Exeter High School and proceeded to play baseball at College of the Sequoias. He then moved on to the University of Arizona before being drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 17th round of the 1979 amateur draft.

Mills played four seasons in the major leagues with the Expos from 1980-1983, but a knee injury ended his career prematurely.

The complete story by Damian Marquez of The Visalia Times-Delta can be read here.