PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes

April 9, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Game 1 | April 9, 2009, 7:05 pm | AutoZone Park | Memphis, TN

KTOK AM 1000, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers

TONIGHT: The Oklahoma City RedHawks open their 144-game Pacific Coast League schedule with the first of a four-game series at Memphis. This is season No. 12 for the RedHawks under the current PCL alignment. Last year, the RedHawks won the American Conference South Division title by 7.5 games and defeated Iowa three games to one in the conference finals before falling to PCL and Bricktown Showdown Champion Sacramento three games to one in the finals.

NEW NAME: As a bow to taxpayers who funded the construction of AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in 1990s, the RedHawks added "City" to the franchise name in the off season after 11 seasons as the Oklahoma RedHawks. The former brick red and black color scheme has been replaced by navy blue and red. Previous local professional clubs also carried the "Oklahoma City" banner, including the Triple-A 89ers from their inception in 1962 until 1997.

ALL ABOUT OPENERS: The RedHawks are 6-5 in season openers since opening AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in 1998. This is the sixth time in RedHawks' history they've opened on the road, the last being April 5, 2007, at AutoZone Park in Memphis, when the RedHawks won 5-4 on a ninth-inning, two-run double by Victor Diaz. The RedHawks are 3-2 when opening on the road. In addition to the 2007 victory at Memphis, the other season openers on the road: a 1-0 loss at Memphis in 2005; a 6-4 win in Omaha in 2004; a 5-3 tally in Colorado Springs in 2002 (Mike Lamb, 4-for-4, 2 RBIs); and a snow-shortened, 6-2 loss in six innings at Colorado Springs in 1998 (Mike Coolbaugh, 2-for-3, HR, 5 RBIs for the Sky Sox). This is the fifth consecutive year the RedHawks have opened against Memphis. Last season, Ryan Roberts delivered a two-out single in the 10th inning to give Oklahoma a 4-3 win. Oklahoma City is 3-1 in season openers against the Redbirds, with the last three games going to the RedHawks in their last at bat.

FAMILIAR SKIPPER: Oklahoma City's most successful Triple-A manager, Bobby Jones, is back for his ninth season in Oklahoma City, third of his current stint. Jones, 59, is the franchise's winningest manager with 568 wins for the 89ers/RedHawks over three stints (1993-94, 2002-05 and 2007-present). In his 22nd consecutive season as a manager, coach, or instructor with Texas, Jones is also the Rangers' all-time leading minor league skipper with 1,285 victories at various levels. Jones received the 2008 Mike Coolbaugh Award, presented to an individual who has shown an outstanding baseball work ethic, knowledge of the game and skill in mentoring young players on the field.

SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR COACHES: Former major leaguers Scott Coolbaugh and Terry Clark have been promoted from Double-A Frisco to serve as OKC's coach and pitching coach, respectively. Coolbaugh, 42, will handle hitting and position player coaching duties. Entering his third season in the system, Scott Coolbaugh was the Frisco RoughRiders' hitting coach the previous two years. Clark, 48, spent the previous three seasons as the RoughRiders' 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). Both Coolbaugh (1989-90) and Clark (1998) played in Oklahoma City at various stages of their careers.

ROSTER GLIMPSE: The RedHawks open the season with a starting rotation featuring the Rangers' top two prospects, RHP Neftali Feliz and LHP Derek Holland. Former RedHawk Esteban German, a mid-season all-star for the 2005 Hawks, was signed by Texas on Wednesday after seeing time in spring with Kansas City and the Chicago Cubs. Six RedHawks on this year's opening roster started 2008 with the team (Boggs, Duran, Arias, Benjamin, E. Ramirez and Mathis) while 7 more saw time at some point with the 2008 club (Harrison, M. Ramirez, Frostad, Gordon, Gabbard, Ballard and Mendoza).

ON THE AIR: KTOK AM 1000 is the RedHawks' new flagship radio station in 2009, airing nearly 100 games. Day games will primarily air on sister station Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM. Between the two outlets all 144 games will be broadcast live. Affiliates from around Oklahoma will once again offer fans outside the OKC metro area the chance to listen to the RedHawks.

Date Opponent Oklahoma Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Friday April 10 @ Memphis RH Neftali Feliz RH Mitchell Boggs KTOK AM 1000

Saturday April 11 @ Memphis RH Elizardo Ramirez RH Adam Ottavino KTOK AM 1000

Sunday April 12 @ Memphis LH Derek Holland RH Blake Hawksworth KTOK AM 1000

Monday April 13 @ Nashville RH Luis Mendoza RH Tim Dillard FOX AM 1340

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 9, 2009


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