 He moved to the double A Jackson Mets in 1983 before moving to the Columbia Mets of the South Atlantic League from 1984 to 1987.In 1986, he was named SAL Pitching Coach of the Year when his staff went 90–42 with a 3.38 ERA.In 1988, he served as pitching coach for the St. Lucie Mets under Clint Hurdle in Hurdle's first season as a professional manager.