Curve At Erie Game Notes
Published on April 8, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
Altoona Curve (0-0) at Erie SeaWolves (0-0)
Wednesday, April 8 - 6:35 p.m. First Pitch
Jerry Uht Park- Erie, PA
Game #1 / Road Game #1
RADIO: ESPN Radio, 1430-WVAM (Altoona), The Edge, 850-AM (Johnstown), WHUN-AM, 1150 (Huntingdon), Fox Sports Radio, 970 (Pittsburgh, starting at 7:00 p.m.)
LHP Tony Watson (NR) vs. RHP Jonah Nickerson (NR)
TODAY'S GAME AT A GLANCE: The Altoona Curve are scheduled to open their 2009 season against the Erie SeaWolves tonight at Jerry Uht Park. The Curve being their 11th season of play in the Eastern League and their 11th season as the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Altoona finished in fifth place in the Southern Division, finishing 19.0 games back of first place with an overall record 65-77...The Erie SeaWolves boasted a 2008 mark of 68-74, finishing 3.0 games better than Altoona (16.0 games back of first place overall). Tom Brookens returns for his second season as manager of the Tigers' Double-A farm team.
TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS: Altoona's Tony Watson (NR) will take the hill in his Double-A debut against Erie right-hander Jonah Nickerson (NR)...Watson is just in his third professional season, splitting the '07 season with the State College Spikes and Hickory Crawdads. Watson spent all of 2008 with the Lynchburg Hillcats (Advanced-A), where he boasted an 8-12 record, and a solid 3.56 ERA...Nickerson, 24, also makes his Double-A debut tonight. A career 23-11 record in 57 starts, Nickerson is coming off a 12-4 season with the Lakeland Flying Tigers where he sported a 3.99 ERA in 27 games (26 starts).
CURVE/ERIE SERIES: Tonight is the first of 25 meetings between Altoona and Erie. With the unbalanced schedule in the E.L., Erie will be the Curve's most common opponent in 2009. In 2008, Altoona sported an 11-7 record against the SeaWolves to run the all-time mark against their Southern Division rival to 96-98.
WALLY'S BACK: Tonight marks the Altoona managerial debut for Matt Walbeck as the fifth skipper in franchise history. He succeeds Marty Brown (1999-2000) Dale Sveum (2001-03) Tony Beasley (2004-05) and Tim Leiper (2006-08). Walbeck also returns to Jerry Uht Park in Erie after a four-year stint managing in the Tigers chain (2004-07), with his last stop coming in Erie...As the bench boss for the SeaWolves in 2007, Walbeck led Erie to the E.L. South title and captured awards as the E.L. Manager of the Year, and was also honored by Baseball America as their Manager of the Year for all classifications. From 2004-06, Walbeck managed the West Michigan Whitecaps (A) to three-straight winning seasons including two Midwest League championships.
Tonight also marks the debut for pitching coach Dean Treanor and hitting coach Ryan Long who both joined the Pirates organization this past offseason. Returning from last season are athletic trainer Thomas Pribyl (fourth season) and strength and conditioning coordinator Brandon McDaniel (second season).
LID LIFTERS: The Altoona Curve have an all-time Opening Day record of 4-6 and will try to break secure their first win on Opening Day away from Blair County Ballpark. The Curve are 0-5 all-time in openers on the road...Last year, the Curve lost to Reading at home on April 3, 8-3.
THE 2009 ALTOONA CURVE: The Altoona Curve will field one of the most prospect-laden teams in their franchises history on Wednesday. Five of the top 15 prospects in the Pirates system (#3 - Jose Tabata, #4-Brad Lincoln, #7-Jeff Sues, #11-Jamie Romak, #14-Brian Friday) are on the Curve opening day roster. Additionally, Altoona returns 18 of 24 players from last year's squad including their 2008 MVP, Jonel Pacheco and their Pitcher of the Year -- Juan Mateo.
MAN BEHIND THE VOICE: Tonight also marks the debut for new play-by-play voice Ron Potesta on the team's new flagship, WVAM-AM.
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