When I moved over to the RedHawks beat last summer, Matt Patterson, who had the beat, offered a great bit of wisdom. Matt said that the best part of the beat wasn’t the occasional big-time player or ex-player you’d get to meet but the day-to-day relationships that come from being in the press box. He was dead on.

None of those relationships meant more than getting to know Bob Hersom better. I’d known Bob and occasionally shared pleasantries before and after meetings but it wasn’t until I began covering the RedHawks that I really got to know who he was.

Bob Hersom, The Oklahoman’s longtime 89ers and RedHawks writer who had also spent plenty of time covering OU football and the Blazers over the years, died earlier this week of nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. He was 64.

I asked a few of the others who’d regularly shared the press box with Bob to share their memories:

John Allgood, longtime 89ers and RedHawks and current Barons executive:

I had the pleasure of working with Bob since 1995. As a young PR and Marketing executive, Bob was instrumental in showing me the ropes of the daily grind of being a beat writer. But that relationship changed into one of a dear friendship over the seasons we worked together.

From the three years we worked together at the ballpark at the fairgrounds to moving into the Bricktown Ballpark, Bob and I had the chance to share unique experiences. Working in what was known as the press box at All Sports Stadium, (it really was a mobile home trailer), was actually quite fun. The window air conditioner kept us somewhat cool during the hot summers and the refrigerator that stocked our favorite beverages kept us cool too. The home clubhouse was down the right field line at the old ballpark and Bob had the “pleasure” of walking down through the stands after the game, onto the field and to the clubhouse. In order to make it on time, he would sometimes leave to go to the stands in the 9^th inning. Then the 89ers would tie it up, we would go to extra innings and he would have to walk back up to the press box. It was always amusing to me because he walk in, plop down, take a deep breath and start laughing. I didn’t have to say a word, he just knew I got enjoyment of him walking back up to the press box.

When we moved into the new ballpark, Bob took as much pride as we all did in having such a great stadium in Oklahoma City. He took such great pride and affection for Oklahoma City professional baseball moving into an elite level. We were able to experience many great baseball memories during his time at the Bricktown Ballpark. The opening of the stadium, the 1999 PCL championship series that ended in a controversial ending in Vancouver, the Rick Ankiel pitching appearance and the various division championship teams. Bob covered the RedHawks with affection, but with professional journalistic integrity. As Jim Byers told me today, Bob never let any distractions get in the way of writing the best story he could write for that game or feature on the franchise.

Although baseball was the backdrop of our conversations, topics ranged across the board. Bob had a great interest in reading and music. He read many books on sports history and biographies and loved to recommend books to me. Bob also had a great sense of humor when discussing his interests. I’ll never forget that I told him I just finished the book The Reader and told him the plot. He never let me forget that I ruined the book and the movie for him. Out of the blue he would ask me how The Reader ended. We also talked about music, our likes and dislikes, from the many different eras. I was always impressed that he knew music from my generation and would tell me the latest CDs that he purchased.  I found it fun in kidding him about the Beatles. I would ask him if he listened to Ringo Starr and the rest of those guys today. He always would shake his head, give a big sigh, and mock disgust, drop his pen, and then start laughing.

As the years progressed, I had the honor to get to know Bob’s family. Bob took great pride in his wife, his son and daughter. Bob has been a wonderful husband and father. He was also very interested in not only my family, but also all the personal lives of the RedHawks staff.  He was part of our family and will be very much missed.

I will remember Bob as man with a huge heart, a great sense of humor, a husband and father, a good friend, a sports enthusiast, an Iowan, and a proud citizen of Oklahoma City. Oh yes, he was a great writer too.

Jim Byers, radio voice of the Barons and former voice of the RedHawks and Blazers:

When I think of Bob I think of words. Also the state of Iowa, but we’ll get back to that. For decades he crafted words into stories about all sorts of results and accomplishments on the field. We talked about words a lot, dissected what they mean, discussed which commonly used phrases are the most trite or redundant. That wasn’t all we talked about, but it was my favorite topic with him.

For much of the time we worked alongside each other our conversations took place before or after games, since we usually operated out of different parts of the press box. But we always communicated, even when walls or cities separated us. Some of our communication came in the form of shocked or disbelieving looks through our adjoining press box window at unexpected happenings on the baseball field. His job required listening to a lot of road radio broadcasts and it was always a treat to get an e-mail, sometimes mid-game, about my use of a certain word. That would lead to a later discussion about how and why it was chosen in that moment. Press box regulars tend to develop their own shorthand language, complete with inside-joke nicknames. We had plenty of those at The Brick and Bob got a special kick out of sharing them.

His life’s work went onto the page rather than over the air, but he could still tell stories. While he didn’t travel to many RedHawks or Blazers games, for a few years he rode with Josh Evans and me to cover hockey games in Tulsa. I don’t remember details of the talks we had on those rides, or even most of the subjects, but I’ll miss those times. It was a relatively rare chance to have uninterrupted conversation in a business of deadlines and onrushing technology.

About Iowa. He was from there and proud of it. He settled in Oklahoma for his final 30 years, but he was ardent about the inherent goodness of Iowa. Say something offhand about a ballpark in Cedar Rapids or the night life in Ames and you would hear a quick rebuttal from Bob. His defense of his home state rubbed off. I’ve been to and through Iowa many times. It’s fine. It seems like a good place to raise a family, much like here. But I think more positively of it because of Bob. He chose those words well.

Ryan McGhee, RedHawks PR, datacaster and official scorer and current communications manager for Cox Center and Oklahoma City Arena:

Bob Hersom always called his decision to accept a 17-year-old me into the press box at Bricktown Ballpark the worst decision of his life. Whether he was kidding or only half kidding depended on how annoyed he was with me at the time (and I gave Bob plenty of reasons to be annoyed with me).

It may have been Bob’s worst decision, but it was one that had a profound impact on my life. He and the rest of the RedHawks clan took in an aspiring high school sportswriter as one of their own in June 2001 and because of this I was able to meet people who would affect my life both personally and professionally.

At the top of that list of people was Bob.

Behind Bob’s famously gruff exterior was a man who would become my friend and help me learn how to conduct myself in a professional manner and keep my priorities in line. He cared deeply for those closest to him, especially his family, and was always proud to tell us about the latest in their lives or regale us with tales of their Griswold-esque vacations.

But at the same time, Bob was keenly interested in what was going on in your life beyond the ballpark. We rarely saw each other during the winter, but always kept in touch through phone calls, emails and eventually Facebook when he finally broke down and signed up.

Most of the time we ended up talking about something other than baseball or football because he wanted to know how I was doing in school, how I was doing at my job or how my personal life was.

The rest of the time was spent calling me and leaving the entire Derek and the Dominos version of “Layla” on my voice mail. Bob hated the song so much he was offended that I liked it. To punish me for having such horrible taste in music, he always called me whenever he was driving and the song came on so that I would be forced to suffer with him.

Seriously, EVERY time he heard the song. I’d be asleep, wake up, see that he’d called late and rush to listen to the voice mail thinking something was wrong. Instead I’d hear Clapton and Allman’s famous opening riffs or Jim Gordon’s piano. He’d gotten me again.

I was as close to Bob and the rest of the people at Bricktown Ballpark as I am with my family. These people helped raise me, helped me learn and eventually helped me figure out what on earth I was going to do with my life.

Ten years after meeting Bob I’m a grown man with a real job and about to start a family. I can only hope that I’m half the man Bob was and am able to carry myself with class and dignity while not compromising my principles.

This is a very difficult time, but I take solace in the fact I told Bob what he meant to me and how much of an impact he had on me. I’ll miss his friendship, his side-splitting humor and all the life lessons he never got around to giving me.

Thankfully he was in my life as long as he was. I wouldn’t be where I am right now without him and his horrible mistake.

Matt Patterson, Oklahoman writer and former RedHawks beat writer:

My friendship with Bob Hersom was a bit of an upset. I read him as an OU football-crazed kid growing up in Tulsa. In college, as a sportswriter at the OU Daily I saw him frequently in the press box at football games but I never had the guts to approach him.

Years later, after joining the staff at The Oklahoman, I found myself sitting next to Bob at the state wrestling tournament after he was assigned to work with me. What followed were two days of blackout humor. Bob didn’t always agree with how the tournament operated  and he was no wall flower when it came to offering his opinions in the form of rants that were always unintentionally hilarious.

But what amazed me was the way the man went about his work. Despite not having covered high school wrestling that season, it took him all of 10 minutes to size up what the storylines were. On championship night, he had banged out two well-written, error-free stories before I had typed my first sentence.

Bob’s trademark was his baseball coverage. He had been the beat writer for Oklahoma City’s Triple-A 89ers and RedHawks since they were playing at what he called “One Sport Stadium” at the fairgrounds.

After nearly 30 years on the beat, Bob was re-assigned before the 2008 RedHawks season began and I was given the hopeless task of trying to fill his Paul Bunyan-sized shoes. I was as surprised as he was at the shift, but life at a newspaper can sometimes change on a dime.

It would have been easy for Bob to let me fend for myself. Only Bob didn’t do that. I had a million questions and he answered them all. I needed phone numbers and he handed them over. I asked for story ideas and he graciously provided them. He made the transition as easy as possible for me because that was best for the organization he loved and The Oklahoman’s readers. When people talk about what a pro Bob was, that’s the kind of thing they’re talking about.

The following season Bob was retired from The Oklahoman but back at the ballpark as the official scorer and writer for the RedHawks website. Hands down that was the most enjoyable summer of my sports writing life. He was the press box’s Sergeant-at-Arms. If someone said something Bob thought was funny, he’d write it down and post it on the bulletin board. Everyone wanted to be on that board.

The jokes were endless. But so were the conversations. Bob read more books than anyone I know. He loved movies and music. He told stories about his days hanging out with Barry Switzer and about a confrontation he once had with country singer Glen Campbell, of all people. He knew how to spin a yarn.

But above all Bob’s devotion to his family was his greatest quality. Bob passed on a lot of wisdom and knowledge to me over the five years that I knew him, but nothing was as inspiring and meaningful as the example he set through the love of his wife Cathy, son Robbie and daughter Katie.

That example is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life along with the memories of what was an unlikely but rewarding friendship.

—

Ryan Aber: Everyday in the press box (and on the field and in the clubhouse/dressing room) was something to be looked forward to because Bob was there. Before and after the game, I’d learn plenty about how things were done by watching him work and talking baseball with him. During the games, there was plenty of baseball or hockey talk (including about our shared love of the Cubs) but also plenty of non-sports conversation. I remember well when Bob told me about his daughter’s engagement (which happened in Chicago) and how much he looked forward to her wedding. I hate that he wasn’t able to make it to her wedding earlier this month and that he won’t meet his grandchild. He would’ve made a terrific grandfather.

We’ll miss you Bob.

Locust Grove right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser, an OU signee, was the first state player to be selected in Tuesday’s second day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Houser went in the second round, No. 69 overall, to the Houston Astros.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Houser said. “I’m not sure what will happen now. My advisor has a number in mind but I’m not even sure exactly what it is.”

Houser was the fourth state high pitcher taken, following the selections of Owasso’s Dylan Bundy, Broken Arrow’s Archie Bradley and Deer Creek’s Michael Fulmer on the draft’s first day.

“It’s pretty awesome (to be a part of this class),” Houser said. “Especially since me, Archie and Dylan used to play on the same team.”

Bundy, Bradley and Houser played together for a few years before reaching high school.

Houser was 9-1 with a 0.76 ERA in 62 innings pitched for the Class 4A state champions. He struck out 125.

At the plate, Houser hit .487 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs.

Just before he left the bullpen to head to the dugout in the middle of the tenth, RedHawks outfielder Drew Locke was stopped by relief pitcher Jose Valdez.

“Hit a home run,” Valdez said in Spanish.

Locke had to ask Valdez for a translation but came through minutes later, delivering a two-out, walk-off home run toward that same bullpen as the RedHawks won 4-3 in front of 2,951 at RedHawks Field at Bricktown.

“All you can do pinch hitting is try to do that,” Locke said. “I was just sitting on that pitch and got it.”

Locke was forced to the bullpen to catch for the relievers after backup catcher Robinson Cancel had to be pressed into action when starter Carlos Corporan broke his hand midway through the game.

Corporan is expected to be out 4-6 weeks after being hit with a bat on his throwing hand.

The RedHawks have won a season-high three in a row headed into Thursday’s series finale.

The team’s surge has been keyed by a different approach at the plate.

After struggling at the plate in their recent series in New Orleans, the RedHawks had a team meeting before the series against the Sounds to discuss a different approach.

RedHawks manager Tony DeFrancesco and hitting coach Keith Bodie are asking the hitters to take a more disciplined and patient approach.

It’s paying off so far.

After drawing seven walks in the three games ending Saturday, the RedHawks have now drawn 31 in their last four.

It goes beyond the walks.

“It gets us deeper into counts and forces pitchers to throw more pitches and hopefully get them out quicker,” DeFrancesco said. “It’s working for us right now.”

Nobody’s illustrating that shift more than outfielder Collin DeLome right now.

After going 4 for 5 in Wednesday’s win, DeLome is 6 for 9 at the plate in the last two games and drew three walks in the first game of the series Monday.

The change at the plate has taken DeLome out of his comfort zone but it’s paying off.

“I’m a first-ball, fastball hitter,” DeLome said. “But I’m changing that up and just looking for the pitch exactly where I want it and if it’s not there, I’m letting it go. I’m trying to be more disciplined at the plate with less than two strikes.”

The RedHawks trailed 3-2 entering the eighth but kept the game got singles by Koby Clemens and DeLome to start the inning and Tommy Manzella tied it with a fielder’s choice.

The RedHawks got a solid performance from their starting pitcher once again as Jordan Lyles allowed two runs in six innings, striking out nine.

The bullpen through four innings, allowing just three hits and one unearned win as Sergio Escalona picked up the win.

“We’re more relaxed now,” DeFrancesco said. “We’re settling in and doing the things we need to do to win.”

At OneOK Field in Tulsa for the RedHawks’ exhibition game against the Drillers.

Douglas Arguello, who pitched the Double-A Corpus Christi last season and will be in the RedHawks rotation, will start and is expected to pitch about 6 innings today. Gustavo Chacin and Jose Valdez are also expected to throw.

Here’s the RedHawks lineup:

J.B. Shuck, CF
Anderson Hernandez, 2B
Brian Bogusevic, LF
Brian  Dopirak, DH
Drew Locke, RF
Tommy Manzanella, SS
Koby Clemens, 1B
Carlos Corporan, C
Oswaldo Navarro, 3B

And the Drillers:

Tim Wheeler, CF
Hector Gomez, SS
Ben Paulsen, 1B
Darin Holcomb, 3B
Wilin Rosario, C
Scott Beerer, LF
Thomas Field, 2B
Mike Daniel, RF
Cory Riordan, P

Warming up to start the third, Houston starter J.A. Happ felt a twinge in his right side.

Happ pitched through the inning, retiring the side in order before leaving the game before the fourth.

Happ suffered a strained right oblique that throws into question whether he’ll be able to start Sunday in Philadelphia.

“I’m sort of delirious with frustration right now,” Happ said.

Happ went 6-4 with a 3.40 ERA last season,, splitting time between Philadelphia and Houston.

The 28-year-old suffered an intercostal strain in 2009 which kept him out three weeks.

“I don’t plan on doing that again,” Happ said. “My goal is still to start Sunday but my body, it’ll tell me.”

Happ said he held back in the third after feeling the initial pull before it tightened up between innings.

“I was being tentative,” Happ said. “It’s on my right side so it’s kind of where your strength is. I wasn’t pushing it too hard there. I got through that inning. I just think it’s a good thing I came out at that point without doing more damage to it.”

Happ, who was acquired in the deal last year that sent Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia, said the chilly weather wasn’t too blame.

“I don’t think that was a factor,” he said.

Here’s the lineups for tonight’s game between the RedHawks and the Houston Astros:

Astros
Michael Bourn LF
Angel Sanchez SS
Hunter Pence RF
Carlos Lee CF
Brett Wallace 1B
Bill Hall 2B
Joe Inglett DH
Chris Johnson 3B
Humberto Quintero C

J.A. Happ P

REDHAWKS
Jose Vallejo 2B
Jonathan Gaston DH
Brian Bogusevic RF
Brian Dopirak 1B
Drew Locke lF
Robinson Cancel C
David Flores 3B
Collin Delome CF
Wladimir Sutil SS

Cesar Carrillo P

Astros manager Brad Mills said he expected his starting position players to play 5-6 innings in preparation for opening day.

Jordan Lyles stayed behind in Florida to get some more work in but RedHawks manager Tony DeFrancesco said (not surprisingly) that Lyles would be the team’s starter on April 7 in Memphis when the RedHawks begin the regular season.

Astros catcher J.R. Towles will not play tonight after missing the last few games with tightness in his back. But Mills said Towles was feeling better and the hops is that he’ll be able to play tomorrow night in Houston when the Astros play the Red Sox in their final exhibition game. Towles is taking batting practice with the team.

Astros pitching coach Brad Arnsberg played three seasons in Oklahoma City and was a RedHawks coach for one season in the 90s. “It’s great to be back,” Arnsberg said. “I love not only this city but the state. I loved the old ballpark too. I had a lot of great memories over there.”

It’s cold and rain remains a possibility for tonight but I’ve arrived at Bricktown Ballpark, RedHawks Field, RedHawks Field at Bricktown or whatever it’s being called now.

Here’s a look at the most noticeable differences from last year:

Video Board

Right-field upper deck

Jordan Lyles couldn’t have done much more in Spring Training to earn a spot in the big leagues with Houston.

In five appearances for the Astros, Lyles threw 13 2/3 innings, with a 1.98 ERA, allowing 11 hits and walking two while striking out 9.

But being just 20 years old and having struggled in his six-game stint at Triple-A Round Rock last season, the Astros chose to give the fifth spot to Nelson Figueroa and give Lyles some more time to develop with the RedHawks.

Figueroa has a 3.86 ERA over 14 innings this spring. But the 36-year-old has plenty of experience in the majors.

It isn’t likely going to be a long stint for Lyles in Oklahoma City, though. Sending him down not only gives Lyles a chance to prove himself during the regular season against Triple-A competition but helps Houston control Lyles’ rights for an additional season. That’s a precious commodity for a team with a renewed emphasis on building from within. As Houston works to restore what was a depleted minor-league stock, it’s no surprise that they’d gives Lyles some time in Triple-A, especially since Figueroa has had a solid spring.

“I think I opened some eyes this spring,” Lyles told MLB.com’s Bryan McTaggart. “I know they haven’t seen me before, but now they have. Whenever they need a guy to go out there on the mound for them during the season, maybe I’m first in line.”

Last season, Lyles was a combined 7-12 with a 3.57 ERA between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock. He was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA after moving up to Round Rock. He earned Astros’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors.

Now, Lyles gives the RedHawks their first big-time prospect of the Astros era. Houston is the team’s Triple-A affiliate after a nearly 30-year affiliation between Texas and Oklahoma City ended after last season.

Lyles is the consensus top prospect in Houston’s system and ranked No. 31 on MLB.com’s Top 50 prospects list.

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 2011 schedule
Times TBA
April 7  at Memphis
April 8  at Memphis
April 9  at Memphis
April 10  at Memphis
April 11  at Nashville
April 12  at Nashville
April 13  at Nashville
April 14  at Nashville
April 15  Albuquerque
April 16  Albuquerque
April 18  Albuquerque
April 19  Round Rock
April 20  Round Rock
April 21  Round Rock
April 22  Round Rock
April 23  at Round Rock
April 24  at Round Rock
April 25  at Round Rock
April 26  at Round Rock
April 28  at New Orleans
April 29  at New Orleans
April 30  at New Orleans
May 1  at New Orleans
May 2  Nashville
May 3  Nashville
May 4  Nashville
May 5  Nashville
May 6  at Omaha
May 7  at Omaha
May 8  at Omaha
May 9  at Omaha
May 10  Tacoma
May 11  Tacoma
May 12  Tacoma
May 13  Tacoma
May 14  Salt Lake
May 15  Salt Lake
May 16  Salt Lake
May 17  Salt Lake
May 19  at Sacramento
May 20  at Sacramento
May 21  at Sacramento
May 22  at Sacramento
May 23  at Fresno
May 24  at Fresno
May 25  at Fresno
May 26  at Fresno
May 27  at Nashville
May 28  at Nashville
May 29  at Nashville
May 30  at Nashville
May 31  Round Rock
June 1  Round Rock
June 2  Round Rock
June 3  Round Rock
June 4  Memphis
June 5  Memphis
June 6  Memphis
June 7  Memphis
June 9  at Omaha
June 10  at Omaha
June 11  at Omaha
June 12  at Omaha
June 13  Albuquerque
June 14  Albuquerque (DH)
June 15  Albuquerque
June 16  Albuquerque
June 17  New Orleans
June 18  New Orleans
June 19  New Orleans
June 20 New Orleans
June 21  at Albuquerque
June 22  at Albuquerque
June 23  at Albuquerque
June 24  at Albuquerque
June 25  at Round Rock
June 26  at Round Rock
June 27  at Round Rock
June 28  at Round Rock
June 30  at Memphis
July 1  at Memphis
July 2  at Memphis
July 3  at Memphis
July 4  Iowa
July 5  Iowa
July 6  Iowa
July 7  Omaha
July 8  Omaha
July 9  Omaha
July 10  Omaha
July 14  at Iowa
July 15  at Iowa
July 16  at Iowa
July 17  at Iowa
July 18  at Albuquerque
July 19  at Albuquerque
July 20  at Albuquerque
July 21  at Albuquerque
July 22  Memphis
July 23  Memphis
July 24  Memphis
July 25  Memphis
July 26  Nashville
July 27  Nashville
July 28  Nashville
July 29  Nashville
July 30  Omaha
July 31  Omaha
Aug. 1  Omaha
Aug. 2  Omaha
Aug. 3  at Las Vegas
Aug. 4  at Las Vegas
Aug. 5  at Las Vegas
Aug. 6  at Las Vegas
Aug. 7  at North County
Aug. 8  at North County
Aug. 9  at North County
Aug. 10  at North County
Aug. 12  Colorado Springs
Aug. 13  Colorado Springs
Aug. 14  Colorado Springs
Aug. 15  Colorado Springs
Aug. 16  Reno
Aug. 17  Reno
Aug. 18  Reno
Aug. 19  Reno
Aug. 20  at Iowa
Aug. 21  at Iowa
Aug. 22  at Iowa
Aug. 23  at Iowa
Aug. 24  Iowa
Aug. 25  Iowa
Aug. 26  Iowa
Aug. 27  Iowa
Aug. 28  Iowa
Aug. 29  at New Orleans
Aug. 30  at New Orleans
Aug. 31  at New Orleans
Sept. 1  at New Orleans
Sept. 2  New Orleans
Sept. 3  New Orleans
Sept. 4  New Orleans
Sept. 5  New Orleans

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