Herald gets Butler baseball job
BUTLER TWP — Butler BlueSox manager Cody Herald was approved as Butler High School's varsity baseball coach Monday night at the district's board meeting.
The vote was 8-0, with one board member absent.
Herald, 24, is a 2011 Butler graduate. He succeeds Todd Erdos, who resigned after six seasons.
Erdos guided the Golden Tornado to four WPIAL playoff appearances, including a berth in the semifinals in 2011, Herald's senior year.
A Seton Hill University graduate, Herald served as an assistant coach on Erdos' staff the past two seasons.
“I saw him (Erdos) around town one day and he asked me if I'd be interested in helping him,” Herald said in explaining how he joined the Tornado staff. “I was more than willing to do so. I've always had a lot of respect for Coach Erdos, going back to when I played for him.”
With no head coaching experience, Herald accepted the managerial post with the BlueSox last summer and guided the team to a 40-25 record. He led the BlueSox to the franchise's first appearance in the Prospect League championship series.
“This (Butler High School job) almost seems like a natural fit for Cody,” Butler athletic director Bill Mylan said. “He certainly knows baseball and how to work with kids.
“The success he had with the BlueSox and the coaching experience he's gained with us the past couple of years made this an easy decision.”
Herald had hopes of extending his own playing career with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League a couple of years ago. He was released by that team, hoped to catch on with a Frontier League franchise in Erie, but that never materialized.
Now he's the head coach and manager of two teams in his hometown. He also serves as a coach in the boys basketball system at Butler and will coach the junior varsity this winter.
“It's been a fun year for me,” Herald said. “You never know what's going to happen in life. You only get one chance to be a kid and I wish I was still playing (baseball), but I feel fortunate God has led me on this path to stay involved with the game I love.”
Erdos was 49-29 in his final three years at Butler.
“This baseball program is right there, we're right on the edge,” Herald said. “We just need that extra push to get us to the top and I'm hoping I can help provide that.
“My goal is to put Butler baseball on the map. You always hear about North Allegheny and Pine-Richland. We're one of the bigger schools ... Why don't people hear about us?”
Herald has coached freshman basketball at Butler the past two years before taking on the JV job for the upcoming season.
“He knows our kids. The way he coaches and played sports here, he can be an example for our kids,” Mylan said.
Butler varsity boys basketball coach Matt Clement agreed.
“The three don't overlap and there's about a .2 percent chance the high school and BlueSox seasons will overlap,” Clement said. “I'm excited for Cody and I'm excited for the school and our kids.
“He has the time and the ability ... and we need good role models in this community.”
Herald admitted that youth baseball in this area “has faded a little bit,” but remains hopeful a lot more kids come out for the high school program.
“We had 40 kids, maybe more, try out last year,” he said. “I'd love to see 100 kids try out. Regardless of the talent level, kids who want to play high school baseball are passionate about the game.
“That's the kind of kid I want to work with.”
