RedHawks Game Notes - April 5, 2012
April 5, 2012 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Baseball Club News Release
Memphis Redbirds (0-0) vs. Oklahoma City RedHawks (0-0)
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros
Game #1 of 144/Home #1 of 72 (0-0)
Pitching Probables: MEM-RH Brandon Dickson vs. OKC-RH Paul Clemens
Thursday, April 5, 2012 | Oklahoma City, Okla.| 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - J.P. Shadrick & Alex Freedman
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
Friday, April 6 vs. Memphis (STL): OKC-RH Aneury Rodriguez vs. MEM-RH Brian Broderick - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio
Saturday, April 7 vs. Memphis (STL): OKC-LH Dallas Keuchel vs. MEM-RH Joe Kelly - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio
Sunday, April 8 vs. Memphis (STL): OKC-RH Jordan Lyles vs. MEM-RH Shelby Miller - 2:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio
Monday, August 9 vs. Nashville (MIL): OKC-TBA vs. NAS-TBA - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio
Tuesday, August 10 vs. Nashville (MIL): OKC-RH Paul Clemens vs. NAS-TBA - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio
Let's Get It Started!-- The RedHawks open the regular season tonight at 7:05 against the Memphis Redbirds...Oklahoma City begins its 51st season of Triple-A baseball, and 15th season of baseball in Bricktown...Memphis and Oklahoma City opened the 2011 season as well, with the RedHawks taking a 7-6 win at AutoZone Park...Last season, the RedHawks finished 68-75, 4th in the American Southern Division...Memphis took 2nd in the American Northern Division with a 77-66 mark...The RedHawks begin their second consecutive season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...The Oklahoma City 89ers were the original Triple-A affiliate for the Houston Colt 45s/Astros, from 1962 through 1972...Memphis enters its 15th year of affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Last Season-- The RedHawks finished with an 18-12 record in the month of August in 2011, finishing with a 68-75 overall record in their first season of affiliation with the Houston Astros...A total of 67 different players, including rehabilitation assignments, saw action with Oklahoma City during the 2011 season.
Tonight's Probable Pitchers-- Paul Clemens gets the nod as Opening Night starter for the RedHawks...Clemens finished 2011 by receiving a late promotion to Oklahoma City and made one start for the RedHawks, suffering a loss to New Orleans on Sept. 2...Came to Astros as part of four-player package sent from Atlanta in exchange for Michael Bourn...Named 2011 Southern League All-Star with Double-A Mississippi...He is currently considered the #5 prospect in the Astros system by Baseball America...Brandon Dickson starts his third season with Memphis tonight...Last season, Dickson went 8-9 with a 3.95 ERA, leading the squad in IP (157.1) and strikeouts (124) while tying for the team lead in starts (25)...in three starts against the RedHawks, Dickson went 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA...once an undrafted free agent, Dickson made four appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals last season (0-0, 3.24).
Trading Up-- Nine members of the RedHawks current roster came to the Houston system via trade. Pitchers Juan Abreu and Paul Clemens came from Atlanta in exchange for Michael Bourn last season. Infielder Jimmy Paredes was a Yankees farmhand until he was sent to the Astros in exchange for Lance Berkman in 2010. Pitchers Jonnathan Aristil (COL), Enerio Del Rosario (CIN), Henry Sosa (SF), Mickey Storey (OAK), and infielders Angel Sanchez (BOS) and Brett Wallace (TOR) also came to be Astros via trade.
Lots of Familiar Faces...Lots of New Faces-- Of the 25 active players on the Opening Day roster, 14 spent time with the RedHawks in 2011. Although 10 pitchers return for another stint, only four position players donned a RedHawks uniform last season. Of the nine players who will make their RedHawks debuts, seven of which are new to the Astros organization entirely. Scott Moore and Brad Snyder each faced the RedHawks with PCL foe Iowa last season. Diory Hernandez (ATL), Fernando Martinez (NYM), Landon Powell (OAK), and Justin Ruggiano (TB) are newcomers after parting with their respective long-time organizations. Mike Hessman returns to the U.S. after spending last season playing for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan.
The Men in Charge-- Manager Tony DeFrancesco returns for his second year as RedHawks skipper after leading the team to a 68-75 mark last season...DeFrancesco holds a career 1,168-1,028 managerial record over 17 seasons, including seven seasons with the Sacramento River Cats (OAK) of the PCL...Burt Hooton also returns for his second season as pitching coach, and eighth consecutive season coaching in the Astros system...Last year Hooton guided the RedHawks to the 5th-best ERA in the PCL (4.63)...New to the staff this year is hitting coach Leon Roberts...Most recently Roberts served as the minor league hitting coordinator for the Atlanta Braves
Against the Redbirds-- The RedHawks struggled against the Redbrids last season, going 5-11...The offense was kept in check by the Memphis pitching staff, as the RedHawks hit just .236 and scored 54 runs (3.4 rpg) with 5 HR...The two teams are scheduled to meet 16 times again in 2012, meeting next week in Memphis for the Redbirds' home opener...Memphis' next visit to Oklahoma City is June 30-July 3.
INTEGRIS Home Run For Life-- In the third inning this evening, the RedHawks will honor Nichole Hudon with the INTERGRIS Health Home Run For Life. A dietician and mother of two, Nichole led a busy life, but always had trouble staying awake through any type of activity. Nichole noticed this was starting to become a problem for others as well, as she would nod off while driving. After several misdiagnoses by various doctors, Dr. Jonathan Schwartz and the INTEGRIS Sleep Disorders specialists were able to pinpoint Nichole's condition as narcolepsy. Now on a regular sleep schedule and new medication thanks to Dr. Schwartz, Nichole has seen dramatic improvement in her daytime alertness and quality of life.
RedHawks Radio-- For the second consecutive season, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Clear Channel Radio of Oklahoma City will broadcast all 144 RedHawks games on AM 1340 The Game...Each game will be carried live and all broadcasts will start 30 minutes before the first pitch with "RedHawks On-Deck"... Game audio will also be available through the station website stream at 1340thegame.com and on mobile devices through the free Clear Channel iheartradio app.... "The Voice of the RedHawks" J.P. Shadrick returns for his second season and will be joined in the booth this year by Alex Freedman.
• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 5, 2012
- RedHawks Fall in Season Opener, 4-3 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- 'Topes Fall to Storm Chasers 8-4 in Season Opener - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Lasater's Grand Slam Lifts Zephyrs Past Sounds in Season Opener - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Drop Season Opener, 6-2 - Nashville Sounds
- Round Rock Express Drop Season Opener at Iowa 5-3 - Round Rock Express
- Iowa Cubs Set Opening Day Roster - Iowa Cubs
- RedHawks Stadium Re-Named "Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark" - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs) - Round Rock Express
- 2012 Albuquerque Isotopes Opening Day Roster Set - Albuquerque Isotopes
- RedHawks Game Notes - April 5, 2012 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Sky Sox Announce Opening Day Roster - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- PCL Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class - Albuquerque Isotopes
- PCL Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class - PCL1
- RedHawks Open 2012 Season Tonight - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
