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Sacramento River Cats

DeFrancesco, Entire River Cats Coaching Staff To Return For 2010

January 6, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


West Sacramento, Calif. - The Sacramento River Cats and Oakland Athletics announced today that Manager Tony DeFrancesco and the entire 2009 River Cats Field Staff will return to Sacramento for the 2010 season. DeFrancesco will enter his 6th season as River Cats Manager, once again joined by Pitching Coach Rick Rodriguez, Hitting Coach Brian McArn and Athletic Trainer Brad LaRosa.

DeFrancesco's six-season stretch in Sacramento has been amongst the most successful six-year stretch in Minor League Baseball history. During that time, DeFrancesco's River Cats teams have won five division titles, three Pacific Coast League crowns and one Triple-A Championship. With DeFrancesco at the helm, the River Cats have compiled a 499-364 record with his first win of the 2010 season marking his 500th in a Sacramento uniform. The 46-year-old DeFrancesco has spent 15 seasons managing in the A's minor league system and one season (2008) with the A's Major League coaching staff. In 2003, he was named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year and also earned honors as The Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year after guiding the River Cats to a 92-52 regular season mark, still the best record in franchise history.

DeFrancesco's 15-year minor league managerial record, which includes stops with the A's Arizona Rookie League team (1994), Short-A Southern Oregon (1995-96), Single-A Visalia (1997-98), Double-A Midland (1999-2002) and Sacramento, stands at 1021-888.

A former catcher, DeFrancesco was a ninth-round selection of the Boston Red Sox in the 1984 June Draft and spent eight seasons in the minor leagues with the Boston and Cincinnati organizations. A graduate of Suffern (NY) High School, DeFrancesco played three seasons at Seton Hall University.

Rick Rodriguez

Rodriguez, 49, will serve his 10th season as Sacramento's pitching coach in 2010. After three years with the River Cats from 2000-02, he managed the Modesto A's in 2003 before returning to the Cats in 2004. Prior to his first stint with the Cats, he was pitching coach for Modesto in 1999. Last year, Rodriguez's staff had an ERA of 4.30, 6th best in the PCL.

Rodriguez, who resides in Folsom, pitched parts of four seasons at the major league level. In his big league career, he compiled a 3-4 record and a 5.72 ERA in 31 games. He played in the majors with Oakland (1986-87), Cleveland (1988) and San Francisco (1990).

Brian McArn

McArn, a 40-year old Elk Grove resident and graduate of Davis High school, is the 3rd hitting coach in the club's history. Last season, his 5th with the Cats, Sacramento hitters batted.273 and led the PCL in fewest runners left on base. Joe Sparks (2004) and Roy White (2000-03) are the other two Hitting Coaches in team history.

This season will mark McArn's 13th as a hitting coach in the A's organization, his 14th as a coach in professional baseball. Prior to joining the Cats, he served as Hitting Coach for Midland, after six seasons with Modesto (Single-A) and one with the Vermont Expos (Single-A) of the New York-Penn League.

McArn was selected by the A's in the 26th round of the 1991 Amateur Draft and spent two years as a player in the A's organization before injuries ended his career. After retiring, McArn coached at American River Junior College in Sacramento for five seasons.

Brad LaRosa

LaRosa, 33, enters his 3rd season with the River Cats and in the A's organization. Prior to joining the River Cats, LaRosa spent three seasons as a Minor League Athletic Trainer in the St Louis Cardinals organization.

In addition to his athletic training duties, LaRosa, a 2000 graduate of Southern Illinois University who earned a graduate degree in 2003, assists with team travel responsibilities.

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The River Cats begin their 2010 home schedule on Friday, April 16th when they host the Reno Aces (Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks) at Raley Field at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for this game are currently available only through purchase of River Cats Full Season Tickets, Mini-Plans and group packages. 2010 River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans and group outings can be purchased at the Raley Field Ticket Office and by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). Season-long ticket packages start at just $162! For more information about the 2010 River Cats season, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.

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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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