ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, Wade Boggs resigned Thursday as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' hitting coach.
Boggs, 43, was named to the position prior to the 2001 season after spending one year in Tampa Bay's front office as special assistant to the general manager. He retired as a player in 1999.
"I'm at a point right now in my life where my family needs me to be around much more than baseball allows me to be," Boggs said. "But I am going to leave the door open to return to the game sometime down the road."
A Tampa , Boggs spent the final two years of his 18-year career with the Devil Rays and collected his 3,000th hit in a Tampa Bay uniform. He ranks 22nd on the all-time hits list with 3,010.
"Speaking on behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Wade for everything he has done for us as a player, member of the front office and as a major league coach," Tampa Bay general manager Chuck LaMar said.
The Devil Rays also named Tim Foley third base coach and Jackie Brown pitching coach.
