The Melville Millionaires have signed a new coach.

The Western Major Baseball League franchise has retained the services of Michael Crabtree who is currently coaching at Hill Junior College at Hillsboro, Texas and, according to team governor Jeff Bouvier, the Millionaires brass feels like they got the right man for the job.

“I’ve had several conversations with him and he seems like a very positive young man,” says Bouvier as the local WMBL team works on rebuilding its coaching staff after suspensions to team manager Garnet Keller and coach Mike Green for the use of an ineligible player basically gutted the team of its on-field leadership.

“He’s very enthusiastic about bringing players in and feels we’re on the right track in regards to where the team is heading as far as recruiting is concerned.”

Crabtree played for two years at Houston Baptist University (HBU). While at HBU, he earned numerous honors such as Conference Player of the Year, All-American First Baseman, National Gold Glove First Baseman, and National Champion of Character Award. He finished off his career by leading his team to their first World Series appearance where they finished in third place.

His first two years of college were spent at the junior college level as his freshman year was at Frank Phillips and his sophomore year was at Weatherford, both in Texas. In those two years of junior college, he earned All-Conference honors as a first baseman.

Crabtree went to Canyon High School in Canyon, Texas, where he was a three-year varsity starter. There he earned honors such as Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame Baseball Player of the Year in 2003 and All-State First Baseman honors his junior and senior years.

Bouvier likes what he sees in Crabtree as far as being a quality coach as well as a quality person and feels he’ll be a solid addition to the Millionaires.

“What really stands out for us is that he won the National Champions of Character Award which is based on integrity, respect, responsibilities, sportsmanship and leadership and these are the types of qualities we’re looking for,” Bouvier adds.

As for some of the players who might don the white and blue of the Millionaires for the upcoming season, Bouvier says the team is in the process of feeling out some potential players.

“We’re in the process of sending some contracts out to some of the guys who played last season and hopefully we’ll have some of them returned in the next few weeks.”

The Millionaires are also currently working on getting their Farm and Leisure Lotto off the ground for another season as well as doing some work in more baseball related fields, making for a busy time for Bouvier and the rest of the Millionaires staff but if all goes well with the lottery and the new coach, the team will be able to pick up where it left off last season--as contenders.

“Hopefully in the next while we’ll have a slew of guys signed as well as some of the players Michael (Crabtree) might bring in. As far as the lottery goes, we are starting a bit of a new regime and it would be great to have the community behind us.”