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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Southpaw Rowdy Hardy returning to Naturals

July 13, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


The Naturals parent club, the Kansas City Royals, announced that southpaw Rowdy Hardy, who spent all of the 2008 season in the Naturals' rotation, will rejoin the Naturals.

Hardy, the 26-year old Bethel Springs, TN resident, was 6-11 with a 4.97 ERA last season in 28 games (27 starts). An undrafted free-agent signee in May 2006, Hardy began a conversion to a relief role and to a new sidearm delivery slot last fall in the Arizona Fall League.

After remaining in Arizona and participating in Extended Spring Training while focusing on working to refine his delivery, Hardy joined Advanced Class-A Wilmington in mid-May. Hardy stepped into the Blue Rocks bullpen and made six appearances, posting a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings before moving into the starting rotation to fill the void created with current Naturals' starter Everett Teaford's promotion to Double-A. He made six starts, posting a 3-1 record and an 0.97 ERA. As a starter, Hardy allowed 36 hits in 37 innings and was tagged for just four earned runs. Using his new sidearm delivery as well as his traditional three-quarter slot angle release, Hardy fanned 26 batters and issued just three walks while tossing six or seven innings in five of his six starts.

Hardy is penciled to make his first Naturals start of 2009 Thursday night as the Naturals begin a four-game series against the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field.

In other transaction news, late Saturday the Naturals placed outfielder Jordan Parraz (hamstring) on the disabled list, retroactive to July 9th. A 24-year old from Henderson, NV, Parraz was enjoying a breakout season with the Naturals, posting a .358 average with seven homers and 42 RBI in 64 games. His blistering month of June helped him earn honors as the Topps' Texas League Player of the Month for June. Parraz last appeared in game action June 22nd at Tulsa, and will head to the Royals' spring training complex in Surprise, AZ to complete his rehab.

With those moves, the Naturals roster remains at 22 players (plus two players on major league rehab assignments). The Texas League roster limit is 24.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.

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Texas League Stories from July 13, 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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