Nesselrodt steps down, names Chalot coach

Waynesboro Generals Director of Baseball Operations Lawrence Nesselrodt has found a familiar face to replace him in the Kate Collins dugout this season.

On Thursday, Nesselrodt appointed Andy Chalot as the Generals’ new head coach. Chalot coached the Covington Lumberjacks to the Valley League finals in 2008, upsetting Nesselrodt and the Generals in the process. Chalot is also Nesselrodt’s assistant coach at West Virginia Tech. Nesselrodt became the head coach at W.Va. Tech this season.

“It was with a heavy heart, that I’m not going to be able to return,” Nesselrodt said. “The overriding factor is the amount of responsibly at West Virginia Tech.”

On Wednesday, Generals co-owners Jerry Carter and John Leonard made Nesselrodt the director of baseball operations, giving him authority over the on-the-field decisions, including replacing himself as coach. Carter said in the meeting Wednesday that Nesselrodt could choose to stay as the head coach if he wanted to.

“In my mind Nesselrodt is choice No. 1 and Andy is choice No. 1A,” Carter said minutes after Chalot’s appointment was official.

Lennord said that Chalot’s experience in the Valley League would benefit the team.

“Having the experience in the Valley League can’t be a bad thing,” Lennord said.

Chalot said that his coaching style is similar to Nesselrodt’s.

“I think we are pretty similar, that is one of the reasons I wanted to come work with him,” Chalot said. “I know last year we stole a lot of bases [at Covington]. I don’t anticipate having the kind of speed I had in Covington.”

Carter and Nesselrodt said that assistant coaches John Cullen and Derek McDaniel would both be back with the Generals and one more assistant could be added before the season begins in June.

“I won three Coach of the Year awards, and I shared them with those guys,” Nesselrodt said.

Nesselrodt described his tenure as the Generals’ coach as “the best baseball time” in his life.

Nesselrodt has also completed much of this season’s recruiting for the Generals already, and in his new role will continue searching for top prospects to join the team this summer.

“Again, the good Lord couldn’t have blessed a better scenario far as leaving but not leaving,” Nesselrodt said.

“He can take credit for all that,” Chalot said. “He’s got the entire team in there. I like being a pitching guy, he always had one of the best pitching staffs and that’s one of the reasons I was interested. It makes your job a little easier when the program is established.”

Carter and Leonard both said that they thought that the Generals’ success would continue under Chalot’s command.

“I know the average [fan] is going to be bummed we didn’t get Ness, but we just got another version of him,” Carter said.

“His experience with Covington and the way he has driven that team to succeed means we have a good coach on our hands,” Leonard said.