PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

Bobby Jones Returns As RedHawks Manager In 2010

Published on December 3, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City's winningest Triple-A manager, Bobby Jones, will return as the RedHawks' skipper in 2010, the Texas Rangers announced Thursday.

Coach Scott Coolbaugh, pitching coach Terry Clark and trainer Jason Roberts will all return for their second seasons in Oklahoma City, while Ric Mabie will serve his fourth local season as strength/conditioning coach.

Jones, 60, is the franchise's winningest manager with 637 wins for the 89ers/RedHawks over three stints (1993-94, 2002-05 and 2007-present). The upcoming season will be Jones' 10th as an Oklahoma City manager. Approaching his 23rd consecutive season as a manager, coach, or instructor with Texas, Jones is also the Rangers' all-time leading minor league skipper with 1,354 victories at various levels.

Under Jones' guidance, the RedHawks won division titles in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008.

"We are very fortunate to have Bobby Jones returning again to the RedHawks," said John Allgood, the RedHawks' Executive Director. "Bobby is one of the most respected managers in professional baseball and a big supporter of Oklahoma City."

Former Oklahoma City 89er Scott Coolbaugh, 43, will handle hitting and position player coaching duties. Approaching his fourth season in the system, Scott Coolbaugh spent the 2007-08 seasons as the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders' hitting coach before joining the RedHawks last season.

Coolbaugh previously managed in the Arizona Diamondbacks' system at the Double-A level in 2003 and 2004 with El Paso of the Texas League, in addition to two seasons in the Class A California League at High Desert and Lancaster. He also served as the hitting coach at El Paso in 1999 and 2002.

Coolbaugh played third base for the 89ers for parts of the 1989-90 seasons before appearing in 167 games over four seasons with Texas, San Diego and St. Louis. He was selected by Texas in the third round of the 1987 amateur draft after an All-American career at the University of Texas.

Also back for his second year locally is pitching coach Terry Clark, 49, a member of the first RedHawks' team in 1998. Clark spent three seasons (2006-08) as Frisco's pitching coach, helping guide them to the Texas League's best record in 2008 at 84-56.

Prior to joining Frisco, Clark spent five seasons as a coach in the Cleveland organization at Triple-A Buffalo (2003-04), Double-A Akron (2001-02) and Class A Mahoning Valley (2000).

Clark pitched professionally for 20 years and spent parts of six seasons in the major leagues, including the 1997 season with the Rangers (1-4, 5.87). He led the 1998 RedHawks in wins with a 12-5 record and 3.38 ERA, topping the club with 24 starts and 165.1 innings pitched.

He was originally selected by St. Louis in the 23rd round of the 1979 draft. During his professional career, he played for 10 different organizations (St. Louis, California, Houston, Cleveland, San Diego, Atlanta, Baltimore, Kansas City, Texas and Oakland). After breaking into the majors in 1988 with California, he appeared in 91 career games at the big league level and posted a 10-23 record with one save and a 5.54 ERA.

Trainer Jason Roberts, a native of Canberra, Australia, is set for his fourth year in the Texas organization and second at Triple-A. Roberts previously spent five seasons (2002-06) in the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization at Class A Vero Beach, Columbus (Ga.) and Rookie-level Gulf Coast. A 2001 graduate of Middle Tennessee State with a bachelor's degree in athletic training, Roberts played two seasons with the Blue Raider baseball team as a left-handed pitcher and was a member of Australia's Junior Olympic team in 1994.

Ric Mabie will return for this fourth season as strength/conditioning coach and seventh in the Rangers' organization. Mabie, who earned an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University during his previous career in the commercial airline industry, began his baseball career with the Rookie-level Arizona Rangers in 2004.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from December 3, 2009


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.

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