RedHawks 2011 schedule
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
The RedHawks’ 2011 schedule will begin on the road, will once again feature a July 4 home game and will include one scheduled doubleheader.
Game times will be announced later.
After opening with an eight-game road trip, the RedHawks will open the home portion of their schedule April 15 against Albuquerque.
It won’t take long before the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate makes their first visiting appearance in nearly 30 years in the city.
Round Rock will play a pair of series at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, the first coming April 19-22 and the second May 31-June 3.
The last two seasons, the RedHawks’ scheduled Fourth of July games have been rained out. They’ll get another chance next year with Iowa starting a series here on that night.
The schedule also features the RedHawks’ first trip to North County, the expected home of the team formerly known as the Portland Beavers.
The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate is expected to share a park with the Class-A Lake Elsinore Storm.
See the complete schedule after the jump
RedHawks pregame notes: Sept. 9
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Not in Memphis for tonight’s playoff opener but some notes before tonight’s 7:05 Game 1 against the Redbirds at AutoZone Park.
RedHawks (RH Guillermo Moscoso, 7-7, 5.18) at Memphis (RH Brandon Dickson, 11-8, 3.23)
-The best-of-five series opens tonight, with Game 2 back in Memphis on Thursday. The series shifts back to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Friday and games 4 and 5 (if necessary) on Saturday and Sunday.
-Tacoma and Sacramento open the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific Conference Series tonight in Sacramento.
-Memphis won the season series 9-7, winning 8 of the last nine games between the teams.
-The Redbirds won the division on the second tiebreaker, divisional record, after tying Iowa on record and on head-to-head record.
-The RedHawks finished the regular season on a 4-11 slide.
-The RedHawks qualified for the playoffs for the sixth time in 13 seasons since moving to AT&T Bricktown Ballpark and changing their name to the RedHawks. Bobby Jones has managed all but one of those (Greg Biagini took the RedHawks to the playoffs in 1999). Jones-led teams have made the playoffs in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008 and this year.
-Guillermo Moscoso was 1-0 with a 2.00 in a pair of starts against Memphis this season. He pitched 9 innings, walking four and striking out eight. He didn’t get a decision in a 7-0 win at Memphis on April 16, then earned a win in a 12-4 win over the Redbirds on April 26.
-Mark Prior will be available out of the bullpen in the series after making his RedHawks debut Sunday.
“It felt good,” Prior said after his one-inning performance. “I wasn’t as crisp as I was the last couple times I pitched for Orange County but I haven’t thrown in a week. I’m looking forward to throwing again.”
-The RedHawks tied for the lead on April 14 and never fell behind, holding at least a share of the division lead for the final 146 days of the season. Their biggest lead was 5.5 games.
-Hernan Iribarren was among the PCL leaders in hitting after Aug. 5, batting .378 in the season’s final month. His average rose from .240 to .275 during the apan.
ROTATION
Thursday: RedHawks (RH Brandon McCarthy, 4-2, 3.36) at Memphis (RH P.J. Walters, 8-5, 3.81), KTOK-AM 1000
Friday: Memphis (RH Lance Lynn, 13-10, 4.77) at RedHawks (RH Doug Mathis, 5-7, 5.66), KKY-FM 96.1
Saturday: Memphis (LH Evan MacLane, 8-7, 4.45) at RedHawks (LH Michael Ballard, 6-8, 5.09), KTOK-AM 1000
Sunday: Memphis (TBA) at RedHawks (TBA), Fox Sports AM 1340
Former RedHawk Ryan Roberts made a clubhouse a home
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
The RedHawks clubhouse is a comfortable enough place for the players to hang out. There’s a couple of televisions hanging up on either side of the room, plenty of seating including a couple comfortable chairs and couches and a well-stocked supply of food.
The home team’s clubhouse in Reno apparently was accommodating as well.
When former RedHawks utility man Ryan Roberts didn’t make the Diamondbacks out of spring training, he broke the lease on the place he’d already secured in Arizona. After he got sent back to Triple-A Reno after a short stint with the DBacks, Roberts’ wife decided to stay behind in Phoenix and make occasional visits.
So instead of getting a second place in Reno or springing for a hotel every time the Aces were in town, Roberts made a habit of hanging out in the clubhouse until everyone had gone home, then crashing there, the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro wrote in a blog post: Ryan Roberts’ low-rent housing in Reno
Roberts played for the RedHawks in 2008, hitting .300 with 10 home runs and 66 RBIs. He was recently called back up by Arizona.
International League Playoff Capsules
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Game 1 (at Columbus/Louisville): Wednesday
Game 2 (at Columbus/Louisville): Thursday
Game 3 (at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Durham): Friday
Game 4 (at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Durham): Saturday (if necessary)
Game 5 (at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Durham): Sunday (if necessary)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) at Columbus (Indians)
Season series: Split, 4-4 (Split 2-2)
Oklahoma connections:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre:
Edwar Gonzalez: The Venezuelan played collegiately at Seminole State. He received his first call-up to Triple-A on Sept. 1.
Leaders (among qualifiers still with team)
SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES
HITTING
HRs: Jesus Montero, 21
RBIs: Montero, 75
Avg.: Montero, .289
OPS: Montero, .870
SBs: Reid Gorecki, 12
PITCHING
Wins: Romulo Sanchez, 10*
ERA: Jason Hursh, 3.90
SOs: Sanchez, 96
Saves: Zack Segovia, 4
*Sanchez is on the disabled list but could return for the playoffs.
Columbus Clippers
HITTING
HRs: Jared Goedert, 20
RBIs: Wes Hodges, 60
Avg.: Jose Constanza, .319
OPS: Constanza, .766
SBs: Constanza, 34
PITCHING
Wins: Yohan Pino, 10
ERA: Zach McAllister, 5.29
SOs: Pino, 114
Saves: Vinnie Pestano, 14
Durham (Tampa) at Louisville (Reds)
Season series: Scranton won 5-3 (4-0 at home)
Oklahoma connections:
Durham
Xavier Hernandez: The Bulls’ pitching coach played for both Oklahoma and Tulsa in 1998 in the Rangers organization. He pitched in five games for the RedHawks that year, with a 1.35 ERA in 6 2/3 innings.
Chris Richard: The former Oklahoma State standout also played for the RedHawks in 2005, hitting .301 with 14 home runs.
Brian Shouse: Pitched in 20 games over three seasons (2003-04, 2006) for the RedHawks, going 0-2.
Louisville:
Ted Power: The Bats’ pitching coach is a Guthrie native.
Leaders (among qualifiers still with team)
Durham Bulls
HITTING
HRs: Chris Richard, 20
RBIs: Richard, 79
Avg.: Elliot Johnson, .319
OPS: Richard, .925
SBs: Johnson, 30
PITCHING
Wins: Richard de los Santos, 14
ERA: De los Santos, 3.52
SOs: Aneury Rodriguez, 94
Saves: Winston Abreu, 23
LOUISVILLE BATS
HITTING
HRs: Todd Frazier, 17
RBIs: Zack Cozart, 67
Avg.: Frazier, .258
OPS: Frazier, .781
SBs: Cozart, 30
PITCHING
Wins: Chad Reineke, 9
ERA: Ben Jukich, 3.90
SOs: Jukich, 103
Saves: Daniel Ray Herrera, 5
Pacific Coast League Playoff Preview Capsules
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Game 1 (at Memphis/Sacramento): Wednesday
Game 2 (at Memphis/Sacramento): Thursday
Game 3 (at Oklahoma City/Tacoma): Friday
Game 4 (at Oklahoma City/Tacoma): Saturday (if necessary)
Game 5 (at Oklahoma City/Tacoma): Sunday (if necessary)
RedHawks (Rangers) at Memphis (Cardinals)
Season series: Memphis won 9-7 (5-3 at Memphis)
Leaders (among qualifiers, still with team)
Oklahoma RedHawks
HITTING
HRs: Chris Davis, 14
RBIs: Davis, 80
Avg.: Davis, .327
OPS: Davis, .903
SBs: Petit, 12
PITCHING
Wins: Guillermo Moscoso, 7
ERA: Moscoso, 5.18
SOs: Moscoso, 107
Saves: Tanner Scheppers, 4
Memphis Redbirds
HITTING
HRs: Mark Hamilton, 18
RBIs: Allen Craig, 81
Avg.: Ruben Gotay, .285
OPS: Gotay, .845
SBs: Tyler Greene, 12
PITCHING
Wins: Lance Lynn, 13
ERA: Brandon Dickson, 3.23
SOs: Lynn, 141
Saves: Josh Kinney, 17
Tacoma (Mariners) at Sacramento (A’s)
Season series: Split, 8-8 (Split 4-4)
Note: Tacoma’s home playoff games in the series will be played at Seattle’s Safeco Field. If Tacoma advances, all games in the PCL Championship Series will be played at either Oklahoma City or Memphis.
Oklahoma connections:
Tacoma:
Blake Beavan: Committed to OU before being drafted by the Rangers and signing. Reported to the RedHawks earlier this season but was traded to Seattle in the Cliff Lee deal before making an appearance.
Tug Hulett: Played for the RedHawks in 2007, hitting .275 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs.
Justin Smoak: Hit .300 in 15 games with the RedHawks early in the season before getting called up by the Rangers. Like Beavan, Smoak was dealt to the Mariners in the Cliff Lee trade.
Sacramento:
Corey Brown: The outfielder was a first-round pick by the A’s out of Oklahoma State in 2007.
Brett Tomko: Tomko threw a no-hitter for Tacoma on July 3, 2001 at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.
Corey Wimberly: Player two seasons (2007-08) for Tulsa as part of the Rockies organization.
Leaders (among qualifiers, still with team)
Tacoma Rainiers
HITTING
HRs: Greg Halman, 33
RBIs: Halman, 80
Avg.: Matt Mangini, .313
OPS: Mangini, .873
SBs: Halman, 15
PITCHING
Wins: Andrew Baldwin, 9
ERA: Baldwin, 4.90
SOs: Baldwin, 87
Saves: Levale Speigner 10
Sacramento River Cats
HITTING
HRs: Chris Carter, 31
RBIs: Carter, 94
Avg.: Eric Sogard, .300
OPS: Carter, .894
SBs: Corey Wimberley, 56
PITCHING
Wins: Clay Mortensen, 13*
ERA: Mortensen, 4.25*
SOs: Mortensen, 112*
Saves: Michael Benacka, 5
*Mortensen is on the inactive list but is expected to play in the Pacific Conference playoffs.
Best of RedHawks photos
Some good stuff from Oklahoman photographers, including some celebration shots:
http://newsok.com/best-of-oklahoma-city-redhawks-monday-sept.-6-2010/multimedia/photos/gallery/601215
