Retired Major League Pitcher Becomes Lehman's New Head Baseball Coach

November 17, 2009

Lehman's new head baseball coach, John Foster (left), with Director of Athletics Dr. Martin Zwiren.

Former Major League Baseball relief pitcher John Foster is joining the Lehman College Athletic Department as its new baseball coach. Foster pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves before retiring in 2009 with a 7-2 record, 4.90 ERA, and 54 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched.

"John Foster has a wealth of baseball playing experience," said Dr. Martin L. Zwiren, Lehman director of athletics. "To have a person of John's caliber join our baseball program and lead our team is fantastic not only for Lehman but for our players."

Originally from Stockton, Calif., Foster was drafted by the Braves in the twenty-fifth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. He began his big league career with the Braves in 2002. As a pitcher for the Brewers, Foster appeared in twenty-three games during the 2003 season, posting a 2-0 mark with a 4.71 ERA. That season, he struck out sixteen batters in twenty-one innings.

Foster's most impressive major league stint was his second go-around with the Braves during the 2005 season when he appeared in sixty-two games and posted a 4-2 record and a 4.15 ERA. In 34 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed just twenty-seven hits and struck out thirty-two batters, while holding batters to a .213 average.

Kurt Kemp, the Braves's director of player development, had this to say about the announcement: "I was thrilled to learn that John had been named the head baseball coach at Lehman College. Since the end of his playing career, John has turned his attention to pursuing a coaching career in baseball, and I know that he will put everything he has into make Lehman the best program it can possibly be."

In 1999, Foster led Lewis-Clark State College to its tenth N.A.I.A. National Championship since 1984, picking up the win in relief for the national title.

"All of my life, I have played baseball and have spent my time learning the game from others," explains Foster. "I have learned so much and have applied so much during my baseball career, and now I'll have an opportunity to coach a team and help the progression of a program. I'm looking forward to using the knowledge I gained in professional baseball as a coach."