PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes

Published on April 3, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Memphis Redbirds (0-0) at Oklahoma RedHawks (0-0)

Game 1 | April 3, 2008 | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, OK

Radio: Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM, RedHawks Radio Network | Jim Byers & Adam Marco

TODAY'S MATCHUP

RH Mike Parisi (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Eric Hurley (0-0, 0.00) Parisi- (2007 with MEM) 8-13, 4.91 ERA, 192 H, 100 R, 65 BB, & 111 K in 28 starts

Hurley- (2007 with OKL) 4-7, 4.91 ERA, 65 H, 45 R, 28 BB, & 59 K in 13 starts

OPENING DAY: The Redhawks open the 2008 campaign this evening, beginning the 10th Anniversary season of Oklahoma baseball at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. The team is 5-5 in openers in the 10 seasons since becoming the RedHawks in 1998. Oklahoma drew 529,690 fans to AT&T Bricktown Ballpark last season, second most in club history.

2007 RECAP: Oklahoma finished the 2007 season 71-72, good enough for third place in the American Conference's South Division, the first time since joining the PCL in 1998 that they didn't finish in second or higher. The team went on a tear in mid-August, winning nine of eleven to take a half-game lead over New Orleans at the top of the division on August 25th, but then lost eight of its final ten games of the season to fall to third.

IN THE DUGOUT: Bobby Jones returns as manager for the second straight season in his third stint at the helm of Oklahoma baseball. He is the winningest manager in Oklahoma City Triple-A history with a 492-512 mark. Jones also holds the most managerial wins (1,209) in Rangers' system history. He skippered the RedHawks to three division titles (2002, 2004-05) in four seasons with Oklahoma from 2002-2005 before becoming the Texas Rangers' first base/outfield coach in 2006. Pitching coach Andy Hawkins is back for his third season with the RedHawks, while Randy Whisler returns for his second year as the position and hitting coach.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The RedHawks open the season with 11 active pitchers, twelve active position players, and one player on the disabled list. Six RedHawks are members of the Texas Rangers' 40-man roster, and 14 have spent time in the major leagues, either in the Rangers' organization or elsewhere. The RedHawks have one of Baseball America's Top 10 Texas prospects on their roster, starting pitcher Eric Hurley (3). Oklahoma also features six players who were not with the Rangers organization in 2007: Jason Ellison, Kevin Mench, Sidney Ponson, Elizardo Ramirez, Ryan Roberts, and Chris Shelton. Eight players on the 2008 Opening Day roster started 2007 as RedHawks as well.

AT HOME FOR THE OPENERS: This evening marks the sixth time in RedHawks' history they've opened at home, the last being April 6, 2006 vs. Memphis. That year the RedHawks beat Memphis 5-4 in 13 innings on Drew Meyer's RBI single off Alan Benes. The RedHawks are 2-3 when opening the season at home, including a 4-1 loss to Vancouver in 1999, a 3-2 victory over the Albuquerque Dukes in 2000, a 9-2 loss to Salt Lake in 2002, and a 9-7 loss to Colorado Springs in 2003.

Familiar OPENING OPPONENTS: This is the fourth year in a row the RedHawks have opened against Memphis. In 2007, the RedHawks came from behind with two runs in the ninth inning on a two-out, two-run double by Victor Diaz at AutoZone Park in Memphis to beat the Redbirds 5-4 on Opening Day.

Memphis AT A GLANCE: The Redbirds finished the 2007 season with a 56-88 mark and in fourth place in the American Conference's North Division. The '08 Redbirds feature seven players on the St. Louis 40-man roster, as well as three of Baseball America's Top 10 Cardinal prospects on their roster (OF Colby Rasmus (1), RHP Chris Perez (2), and RHP Mitchell Boggs (8)).

DOT-DOT-DOT: The RedHawks took 10 of 16 from the Memphis Redbirds last year. Each series was marked by a three-game winning streak from one of the clubs, with the Redhawks pulling the feat three times... Oklahoma has 52 wins in 79 attempts versus Memphis at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.

ON THE AIR: Every game this season can be heard on the RedHawks Radio Network, led by broadcaster Jim Byers for the ninth season, and joined by Adam Marco during each homestand. Fox Sports Radio AM 1340 in Oklahoma City will serve as the flagship station in 2008. The network affiliates this season are KSIW 1450 AM in Woodward, KXCA 1380 AM in Lawton, KPNS 1350 AM in Duncan, KTJS 1420 AM in Hobart, KGFF 1450 AM in Shawnee, and KWSH 1260 AM in Wewoka. Each game will also be broadcast on the internet through the audio link at www.oklahomaredhawks.com.

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