Kings Hire New Pitching Coach
March 20, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Kalamazoo Kings News Release
KALAMAZOO - The Kalamazoo Kings have hired John Sexton as pitching coach for the 2009 season. Sexton will take over for the retiring Joe Thomas.
A native of Lowell, MA, John attended the University of Massachusetts-Lowell where he helped pitch his team to four conference titles and a spot in the 2001 Division II World Series. After college, John began coaching football at Central Catholic High School in Lawerence, MA. He then switched to coaching baseball for two years at his alma mater.
After great success, John was then hired as pitching coach for the Traverse City Beach Bums in the Frontier League in 2007. In 2008, John's staff led the Frontier League's best pitching staff, which finished first in E.R.A., hits allowed, shutouts, and walks allowed. Sexton will take over a Kings staff that finished third in the league last year.
Says Sexton, "I'm very excited to work with Fran Riordan, the most consistent winner in the Frontier League. It will be a great experience to learn and work with him and (General Manager) Joe Rosenhagen."
Rosenhagen adds, "We are all very excited to have John join our staff. Not only is he a great guy and will be a great fit for this organization, he also has a proven track record here in the Frontier League. We are bringing back eight pitchers from last year's team and they are all excited to meet and work with John."
Joe Thomas, who has since retired to spend more time with his family, was the pitching coach for the Kings the past three seasons. Thomas was named the Frontier League's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2008.
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