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Found 9 results

  1. Huesers Returns to East Texas, Brings a Top Bat from New York The Pump Jacks return a top-five hitter in the person of Connor Huesers, who will be joined by LIU-Brooklyn’s Bobby Webb, one of the most dangerous hitters in the Northeast Conference Kilgore, TX (April 15, 2014) – The East Texas Pump Jacks have added two new players to the 2014 roster. One is a familiar face who was among the team’s top hitters a season ago, and the other is so hot this spring, he’d be welcome in any lineup. The Pump Jacks announced Wednesday the team has signed outfielder Conner Huesers and third baseman Bobby Webb. Huesers returns for his second summer in East Texas, this time by way of California State University, Chico, and Webb comes to the Jacks from Long Island University-Brooklyn. Despite the frigid temperatures in New York this spring, Webb has been on fire. He is hitting .381 on the season, good for second on the team and third in the Northeast Conference. The junior transfer has keyed the league’s top offense with a .508 slugging percentage (fourth in the conference) and .406 on-base percentage (ninth). Webb is tied for the conference lead with 10 doubles, he’s second with 32 RBI, and he ranks among the leaders in runs (22) and hits (45). Webb is no free-swinging slugger, either. He has struck out just seven times in 128 plate appearances, making him the second-hardest player to strike out in the Northeast Conference. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Webb is coming off quite a weekend against Mount St. Mary’s. He batted .550 (11-for-20) and launched his first home run of the season to lead the Blackbirds to the series win. His 11 RBI and eight runs scored keyed an offense that ran up 53 runs in four games against Mount St. Mary’s. A native of Long Beach, Calif., Webb spent his first two collegiate seasons at Golden West Community College, where he hit a combined .261. Webb led the team with 21 RBI as a freshman, then ranked among the team leaders in doubles, triples, homers, and RBI as a sophomore. Webb prepped at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, where he batted .350 as a senior to earn a spot on the all-league team and the 2011 Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team. While Webb will be looking to make a name for himself in the TCL this summer, Huesers has already established his hitting prowess in East Texas. Last summer, he batted .324 after arriving in late June from Lower Columbia College. In 31 games, he finished fourth on the team in hitting and scored 23 runs while driving in 14. Huesers hasn’t cooled off since transferring to D-II powerhouse Chico State. The junior is fourth on the team with a .309 batting average despite missing valuable time in the fall. He is tied for the team lead in doubles and homers and ranks second on the Wildcats in slugging percentage. A standout at Lower Columbia last spring, Huesers batted .301 and led the Red Devils with five home runs. He also finished second on the team with nine doubles, 26 RBI, and a .458 slugging percentage to earn NWAACC West Region all-star honors. Huesers opened his college career at Wenatchee Valley Community College, where he was a second-team all-star in 2012. He led the Knights with a .417 average, adding nine stolen bases and 21 RBI. The Lake Stevens, Wash., native will be playing in his third straight season of summer collegiate ball. After his freshman year, Huesers batted .235 in 11 games with the West Coast League’s Wenatchee Apple Sox. Huesers was named one of the top-20 prep players in the state of Washington after batting .400 in 2011, his senior season at Archbishop Murphy High School in Everett, Wash. Huesers will be joined in the East Texas outfield this summer by former Pump Jacks teammate Matthew Dickey, the TCL record holder for most steals in a season. Two-way players Andrew Grifol (Texas-Permian Basin) and Anthony Gonsolin (Saint Mary’s College) will bolster the lineup and also contribute on the mound. Panola College hurlers Marshall Kasowski and Robbie Petty will help anchor the pitching staff. The team is expected to announce several more players next week as it builds the roster for this summer. The Pump Jacks and new head coach John Foster kick off the season in Dallas on Thursday, May 29, against the Texas Marshalls. The club returns to East Texas for its home opener on Tuesday, June 3, when the Acadiana Cane Cutters visit historic Driller Park. The complete Pump Jacks schedule can be found here. Host Families: The Pump Jacks are seeking host families for the 2014 season. Hosting a player gets you closer to the team than ever, but it’s so much more. When a Pump Jacks player lives with you for the summer, he becomes a part of your family, forging a relationship that becomes much bigger than the game. Plus, everyone in your household receives free season tickets! If you’re interested in learning more about the host family program, please contact the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET or [email protected], or click here. Season tickets for 2014 are on sale now! Grandstand season tickets start at just $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Step up to Upper Box seats for $150 each, or enjoy the luxury of in-your-seat wait service in our Lower Box Seats for only $199 per seat. Season tickets offer a discount of at least 25% off the price of tickets at the gate, and all season ticket holders enjoy the benefit of a Pump Jacks Concierge. For more information on Pump Jacks season tickets, click here. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  2. Pump Jacks Add a Pair of Two-Way Stars Andrew Grifol and Anthony Gonsolin are their schools’ most dangerous hitters. They both happen to be shutdown pitchers, too. Kilgore, TX (April 8, 2014) – When a summer collegiate team signs a school’s leading hitter or its top pitcher, it’s notable. But when the hitter and pitcher happen to be the same recruit, that’s newsworthy. The East Texas Pump Jacks announced two such acquisitions Tuesday, signing dual threats Anthony Gonsolin from Saint Mary’s College and Andrew Grifol from the University of Texas-Permian Basin. Gonsolin is leading the Gaels with a .347 batting average and his 2.20 ERA is second on the Saint Mary’s staff. Grifol is similarly situated, pacing the Falcons with a .351 average and sitting second on UTPB with a 1.96 ERA. To put their performance in context, compare the newest Pump Jacks to the All-American “utility” players selected by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The NCBWA chose Drew Reynolds (from East Carolina), Ashton Perritt (Liberty), and Clinton Freeman (East Tennessee State) the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team preseason All-American utility players. The All-American trio is hitting .316 thus far this season with a .460 slugging percentage while posting a 3.07 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .256 average. Gonsolin and Grifol top the All-Americans in every category, though. The two newest Pump Jacks have combined to hit .349 and slug .498 with a 2.06 ERA and .236 opponents’ batting average. Last summer, Pump Jacks fans saw firsthand just what kind of impact a two-way player can have on a team. Ty Marlow did not allow an earned run in eight appearances out of the bullpen and tied for the team lead in home runs. Marlow was named to his second TCL All-Star Game, leading the East squad to victory and winning All-Star Game MVP honors at Historic Driller Park. Grifol is splitting time between first base and the rotation in his junior year and first season at UTPB. At the plate, he leads the team in hitting, runs (24), hits (40), and doubles (12), and the lefty tops the pitching staff in innings (41.1), strikeouts (33), starts (eight), and complete games (three). His bat is so strong that even when he pitches, Grifol eschews the designated hitter and bats second or third in the Falcons batting order. The 6-foot, 185-pound Grifol ranks among the Heartland Conference top-ten in batting average (ninth), slugging (eighth), doubles (fifth), and ERA (seventh). A Miami native, Grifol came to Texas by way of two Florida junior colleges. He spent the 2012 season at Broward College, where he batted .257 with three home runs and led the Seahawks with 14 doubles and 28 walks. In 2011, he starred for Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., batting .313 with five homers, 38 RBI, and 33 runs scored. Grifol pitched sparingly in both seasons, tossing only 6.2 innings with a 2.70 ERA. Grifol was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 49th round in 2011, following his freshman year at Santa Fe. The draft was a family affair for Grifol, whose older brother, Pedro, was at the time the Seattle director of player development. The elder Grifol is currently the major league hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals. The 22-year-old Grifol was a preseason 2010 all-Florida Region honorable mention as a senior at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where his older brother is a member of the Hall of Fame. Gonsolin has played several outfield positions in addition to both starting and relieving for Saint Mary’s, and he has excelled in every role. The sophomore tops Gaels hitters in average, at-bats (121), runs (24), hits (42), RBI (16), triples (five), and extra-base hits (12). He’s made three starts on the mound and come out of the bullpen three times, posting a win and two losses to go with his 2.20 ERA. He’s held opposing hitters to a .260 average and struck out 21 in 28.2 innings pitched. Playing against the likes of Cal State Fullerton and Kansas State as well as conference rivals such as San Diego and Pepperdine, Gonsolin has shined. He is tied atop the West Coast Conference with his five triples, and he ranks among the league’s top-15 in batting average, runs, hits, and slugging percentage (.488). Additionally, his 2.20 ERA would rank among the league leaders if he had a few more innings pitched. Last year as a freshman, Gonsolin batted .245 in 23 games for Saint Mary’s. In limited action on the mound, he struck out four in 6.1 innings. The 6-foot-2, 179-pound right-hander has a little more insight into the Pump Jacks than the average newcomer. Former Jacks head coach Nate Leaser is a member of the Gaels’ coaching staff and helped steer Gonsolin to East Texas. Gonsolin prepped at Vacaville High School in northern California, where he was named all-league and the South MVP in the Optimist Sacramento Area All-Star Game. He batted .370 with seven triples and 12 steals as a senior for the Bulldogs, adding a 2.60 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. Both Gonsolin and Grifol bring summer collegiate experience to East Texas as well. Gonsolin played for the Anchorage Bucs of the Alaska Baseball League last summer, ranking among the circuit’s top 40 professional prospects. He led the Bucs and finished fifth in the league in saves, posting a 2.61 ERA with 13 strikeouts and only seven hits in 10.1 innings pitched to earn a spot on the All-ABL second team. Grifol took a turn in the Northwoods League in 2012, batting .444 in a handful of games for the Duluth Huskies. Gonsolin and Grifol join a Pump Jacks roster that includes Stephen F. Austin outfielder Matthew Dickey, the co-TCL Freshman of the Year last season, and Panola College pitchers Marshall Kasowski and Robbie Petty. The Pump Jacks’ home opener is Tuesday, June 3, when East Texas hosts the Acadiana Cane Cutters at Driller Park. The Jacks open the season on the road on Thursday, May 29, when they travel to Dallas to take on the Texas Marshals. The complete Pump Jacks schedule can be found here. Host Families: The Pump Jacks are seeking host families for the 2014 season. Hosting a player gets you closer to the team than ever, but it’s so much more. When a Pump Jacks player lives with you for the summer, he becomes a part of your family, forging a relationship that becomes much bigger than the game. Plus, everyone in your household receives free season tickets! If you’re interested in learning more about the host family program, please contact the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET or [email protected], or click here. Season tickets for 2014 are on sale now! Grandstand season tickets start at just $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Step up to Upper Box seats for $150 each, or enjoy the luxury of in-your-seat wait service in our Lower Box Seats for only $199 per seat. Season tickets offer a discount of at least 25% off the price of tickets at the gate, and all season ticket holders enjoy the benefit of a Pump Jacks Concierge. For more information on Pump Jacks season tickets, click here. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  3. Minor League Season Opens with 17 Jacks Alumni in Action Brett Nicholas tops the list with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, five others kick off the season in Double-A, and three former Pump Jacks are teammates in Wilmington Kilgore, TX (April 3, 2014) – Minor league baseball schedules kick off today, putting East Texas Pump Jacks alumni back in action. No fewer than 17 former Pump Jacks are on minor league rosters across the country, including at least five of them at baseball’s upper levels. Headlining the list is Brett Nicholas, who begins the 2014 season just one level removed from the majors with the Triple-A Round Rock Express. Nicholas has been busy in the last 12 months, earning an all-star nod in two different leagues last year before being named a Texas Rangers organizational all-star. Last season he led the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in all three Triple Crown categories – batting average, home runs, and RBI. Nicholas secured an invite to the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, where he was named All-Star Game MVP after crushing two home runs in the contest. Nicholas will be in for a change this season, though it’s not one he’s unprepared for. The 2009 All-TCL catcher spent last season at first base, but he is expected to see some time back behind the plate in Round Rock. Lee Orr and Miguel Pena, the top two pro prospects in the Texas Collegiate League in 2010, will both begin the season in Double-A. Pena, seen in spring training taking instruction from former Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez and taking selfies with World Series MVP David Ortiz, will kick off the season with the Portland Sea Dogs in the Eastern League. Pena, who has an ERA of 3.54 since the Boston Red Sox drafted him in the sixth round in 2011, will be a member of Portland’s starting rotation. Orr, the TCL Player of the Year in 2011, is a member of the San Antonio Missions, the San Diego Padres’ affiliate in the Texas League. Orr opened last season on a tear, earning California League Player of the Week in late April with the Lake Elsinore Storm, warranting a late-season promotion to San Antonio. Also in the Texas League is the well-travelled David Rollins, who will be a member of the starting rotation for the Corpus Christi Hooks. Rollins finished last season in Corpus Christi after getting an emergency call-up to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 2009 All-TCL lefty was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011, then he was traded to the Houston Astros in 2012. Two teammates on the inaugural Pump Jacks will be opponents in the Double-A Eastern League. Scott Copeland makes his Double-A debut as member of the starting rotation for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Copeland was drafted by Baltimore in 2010 and spent two years in the Orioles system before signing with the Blue Jays in 2012. Copeland will likely see Matt Curry when the Fisher Cats face the Altoona Curve, the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate in the Eastern League. Curry is expected to return to Altoona after missing much of last season due to wrist surgery. The team that will probably garner the most attention from Pump Jacks fans is the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The Class-A Carolina League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals boasts three former Jacks, including 2013 first round pick Hunter Dozier. Dozier, ranked one of the Royals’ top ten prospects and frequently named among the top prospects in the minor leagues, helped lead the Idaho Falls Chukars to a Pioneer League title last season. The highest-drafted player in the history of the TCL, Dozier will continue his transition to third base after spending his collegiate career at shortstop. Dozier will be joined in Wilmington by John Walter and Beau Maggi. Walter has excelled in the bullpen since signing in 2012, recording a 1.96 ERA while racking up 17 saves in two seasons. Maggi and Walter have followed each other every step in pro ball after they were drafted five round apart in 2012. The pair were teammates with the Burlington Royals in 2012 and in both Idaho Falls and Lexington last year, before arriving in Wilmington together this season. Also in the Carolina League is Kyle Martin, who will open the season with the Salem Red Sox. Martin was a ninth round pick by Boston last year and he went 4-2 with a 1.25 ERA and three saves across two levels in his first pro season. Three former Pump Jacks are headed to the Class-A California League, all of them settling in the South Division about an hour away from each other. Daniel Minor, a ninth round pick by the Astros in 2012, is headed to the Lancaster JetHawks after going 8-3 with a 3.71 ERA last season. Matt Shelton will return to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes after going 5-2 with a 2.45 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate last year. Stephen Tromblee has been assigned to the Inland Empire 66ers, the Los Angeles Angels partner in the Cal League. Tromblee will begin the season on the disabled list as he recovers from elbow surgery last summer. Another Angels farmhand, Kirby Pellant, is headed to the Burlington Bees in the Class-A Midwest League. Pellant batted .310 and led the Angels’ entry in the Arizona Summer League in steals and runs scored after Los Angeles draft him in the 26th round last year. Matt Juengel earned a promotion to the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Miami Marlins affiliate in the Class-A Florida State League. The 2009 TCL Freshman of the Year batted .270 with 63 RBI last season. Two more former Pump Jacks will open the season in the Class-A South Atlantic League. Blake Brown, a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2012, is headed back to the Rome Braves after spending half of last year with the club. Jaron Long, signed last year by the New York Yankees as a free agent, is a member of the Charleston River Dogs after going 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his first pro season. Host Families: The Pump Jacks are seeking host families for the 2014 season. Hosting a player gets you closer to the team than ever, but it’s so much more. When a Pump Jacks player lives with you for the summer, he becomes a part of your family, forging a relationship that becomes much bigger than the game. Plus, everyone in your household receives free season tickets! If you’re interested in learning more about the host family program, please contact the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET or [email protected], or click here. Season tickets for 2014 are on sale now! Grandstand season tickets start at just $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Step up to Upper Box seats for $150 each, or enjoy the luxury of in-your-seat wait service in our Lower Box Seats for only $199 per seat. Season tickets offer a discount of at least 25% off the price of tickets at the gate, and all season ticket holders enjoy the benefit of a Pump Jacks Concierge. For more information on Pump Jacks season tickets, click here. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  4. Pump Jacks to Introduce Pharrell-Inspired Player Hats As the team prepares for its seventh season, it takes design cues from the Grammy-winning artist Kilgore, TX (April 1, 2014) – Heading into their seventh season, the East Texas Pump Jacks were in search of something different. The organization wasn’t seeking a complete overhaul, just a little tweak to its look when the team takes the field. After considering all the traditional options – such as changing logos or new uniforms – the Pump Jacks found inspiration in the most unlikely of places: musical artist and producer, Pharrell Williams. Pump Jacks players will take the field wearing an adopted version of Williams’ oversized Buffalo hat made famous at the 2014 Grammy Awards. The hat made nearly as many headlines as Williams himself, who was awarded four Grammys while wearing the stylish headgear. “Pharrell made a fashion statement, and we heard it loud and clear,” said Pump Jacks general manager Mike Lieberman. “Athletes and artists both have been known to set trends, so there’s no reason the Pump Jacks can’t follow Pharrell’s lead. “Yes, Pharrell’s hat was compared to that of the Canadian Mounties or U.S. Park Rangers, but that’s just a testament to its unique attraction,” Lieberman added. Although the hat’s style has been made famous lately in the music and fashion industry, the team said nothing like it has been seen on a baseball field. In fact, the baseball caps worn by players have changed little in the last century. Pump Jacks fans may have to adapt to the new style, but otherwise the look of the hat will resemble the team’s caps from its first six years. The forest green cap will still sport the Jacks’ “Boomer the Donkey” hat logo, while the burgundy version will sport the matching “Derrick the Dinosaur” mark. Running with a hat that sits so high on the head was thought to be a disadvantage at first. However, it’s believed that such a large hat could offer some protection from head injuries, offsetting any aerodynamic handicap. “I’m anxious to see Matthew Dickey run in our new hat,” Lieberman said about the 2013 TCL Co-Freshman of the Year. Dickey set a league record last season with 40 stolen bases, and he will anchor the Pump Jacks outfield this summer. “I don’t think anything can slow him down, and it will help him when he slides head first, because his hat will get there a split second sooner now.” League personnel have not been consulted on the Pump Jacks’ Pharrell hat, but the team doesn’t expect any complications. East Texas will continue to work with the Zephyr, the official cap supplier of the Texas Collegiate League. For the last several months, the team has been in search of a change to its overall look and feel. Officials made it clear the team was willing to break with convention and consider non-baseball ideas. For instance, the Jacks evaluated sheer uniform tops inspired by much of Kim Kardashian’s wardrobe. “Our suppliers couldn’t come up with a Kardashian-style jersey that was resistant to grass stains, so we had to go back to the drawing board,” said Lieberman. Official player caps will be available in the team store once the season begins. A price has not yet been set, but it is expected to be less than the $44,100 the Arby’s restaurant chain spent at auction to buy the hat Pharrell wore to the Grammy Awards. Looking to the future, the Pump Jacks aren’t planning any other changes to the team’s uniform or logo, but they’re not ruling them out, either. “Subtle, moderate changes are how we prefer to go about things,” said Lieberman while looking at a design of the new hat. “After all, look at the Miami Marlins. A few years ago, they changed their logo and their uniforms entirely, and they have finished in last place every season since. You can’t just go off the deep end.” Doing things a little differently is becoming a habit for the Pump Jacks. In 2011, East Texas extended a contract to disgruntled Texas Rangers star Michael Young. A year earlier, the club offered the position of on-field emcee to television host Conan O’Brien, who had been bounced from his position on the “Tonight Show.” O’Brien ultimately chose to have his own show on TBS instead of joining the Jacks. “All we want to do is have a little fun, so say what you want about our new hats, but you can’t tell me they’re not fun,” said Lieberman. The new lids make their Historic Driller Park debut at the team’s home opener on Tuesday, June 3, against the Woodlands Strykers. The Jacks and their high-top hats open the season on the road on May 29 against the Texas Marshals. The complete Pump Jacks schedule can be found here, and season ticket information is available here. Yesterday, the Pump Jacks announced Panola College pitchers Marshall Kasowski and Robbie Petty had signed with the team, joining Dickey on the 2014 roster. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation about the new hats with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter. (Now that you’ve reached the conclusion of the press release, please take a moment to review the first letter of every paragraph in this press release. We even bolded the letters for you. Thanks for sharing in the fun today!)
  5. Stolen Base King Dickey Returns to Pump Jacks Kilgore native Matthew Dickey broke the TCL single-season stolen base record and shared the 2013 TCL Freshman of the Year award The East Texas Pump Jacks began assembling their 2014 roster with a familiar name. A very successful, familiar name. The Pump Jacks announced Wednesday that 2013 All-TCL outfielder Matthew Dickey will return to the team for the 2014 season. Dickey was a priority for new head coach John Foster from the very beginning. “Obviously, Matthew was a standout player last summer,” said general manager Mike Lieberman. “When Coach Foster found out Matthew was interested in coming back, he jumped at the chance to re-sign him.” The Kilgore native became a Jacks fan favorite – and a bane to TCL opponents – when he broke the TCL single-season stolen base record. Dickey swiped 40 bases last summer, clinching the record with one game to go in the regular season. Dickey wasn’t a one-trick pony, though. He finished fourth in the league with a .322 batting average and seventh with 55 hits. Dickey also led the Pump Jacks in runs scored (32) and he was second on the team with 22 walks. The performance not only earned Dickey a spot on the All-TCL team, but also a share of the 2013 TCL Freshman of the Year award. The honor extended the Pump Jacks streak to five straight years with the league’s top freshman. Dickey joined past East Texas stars Kyle Kubat, Hunter Dozier, Zac Fisher, and Matt Juengel as winners of the award. Dozier was drafted in the first round last year by the Kansas City Royals, while Fisher and Juengel are also playing professionally. Kubat will anchor the Nebraska pitching staff this spring and is a top draft prospect. Dickey stole the record last season with an incredible late-season run. On July 20, he stood at 20 stolen bases, just halfway to the league mark. He proceeded to record a stolen base in 11 consecutive games, 20 steals in all, to nab the record. The sophomore is expected to start for Stephen F. Austin this spring after appearing in 45 games last season, starting 20 of them. Dickey was the only true freshman in the Lumberjack outfield last year, when he led SFA freshmen in nearly every offensive category. He batted .215, tied for the team lead in triples and finished third in stolen bases. This spring, Dickey will be joined by 2013 Pump Jacks teammate Garrett McMullen, who transferred to SFA from North Central Texas College. Dickey is no stranger to Historic Driller Park, having starred as a member of the Kilgore High School Bulldogs. He was named district Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and district Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore. Dickey was named an honorable mention on the all-state team as both a junior and senior, and he racked up all-East Texas honors his final two seasons with the Bulldogs. His senior year at Kilgore, Dickey batted .394 with eight doubles, three triples and a home run. He also drove in 17 runs and stole 15 bases. He posted a .460 average in his junior season, when he drove in 35 runs, scored 37, and added 13 stolen bases. He registered a .414 average as a sophomore. Dickey is Coach Foster’s first recruit for the Pump Jacks this summer, but the new skipper is well on his way to filling out the roster. The former Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher has been in contact with coaches from across the country, taking the uncommon step in summer collegiate ball of scouting many players in person. Coach Foster and the Jacks expect to announce more additions to the roster soon, perhaps by next week. Foster and the Pump Jacks will kick off the 2014 season on Thursday, May 29, when they travel to Dallas to take on the Texas Marshals. The Jacks will return to East Texas for their home opener at Historic Driller Park on Tuesday, June 3, when they battle the Woodlands Strykers. Click here for the complete 2014 Pump Jacks schedule. Season tickets for 2014 are on sale now! Lower Box seats are just $199 and include in-your-seat wait service, and Upper Box seats are $150 each. General admission grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Season tickets offer a discount of at least 25% off the price of tickets at the gate, and all season ticket holders enjoy the benefit of a Pump Jacks Concierge. Season ticket holders who pay for their tickets in full by February 24 will also receive a free, limited edition T-shirt for every seat they buy. For more information on Pump Jacks season tickets, click here. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  6. Pump Jacks Name Former Major Leaguer John Foster Head Coach Foster pitched for the Braves and Brewers before winning an NECBL title and coaching in the Cape Cod League With several former players knocking on the door to the big leagues, the East Texas Pump Jacks tapped a former major leaguer as the team’s new head coach. John Foster, who pitched in the big leagues for the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers, has been named the new skipper for the Pump Jacks, the team announced Tuesday. Foster brings to East Texas a resume that includes three seasons in the major leagues during a ten-year professional playing career, followed by coaching stints in several high-profile summer collegiate leagues. But the decision to make him the fifth head coach in Pump Jacks history went deeper than that, according to team officials. “John’s success is a result of his drive and his dedication,” said general manager Mike Lieberman. “His work ethic complements the blue collar roots that run deep in East Texas. “We’re looking forward to John sharing his experience and his passion for the game with our Pump Jacks players this summer. A big league name with major league experience and a summer collegiate championship coaching our future pros… It’ll make for an exciting season!” Foster toiled his way from humble beginnings to pitch alongside legends like 2014 Hall of Fame inductees Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. He fought through two devastating injuries to make 90 major league appearances, posting a career 7-2 record with a 4.90 ERA. The left-hander’s most productive big league season was 2005, when he went 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 62 appearances for the division-champion Braves. In eight minor league seasons, Foster went 26-16 with a 3.21 ERA in 216 relief appearances. A big league career wasn’t expected of Foster when Atlanta selected him in the 25th round of the 1999 draft. Making his debut that summer with the Danville Braves in the Appalachian League, he went 4-1 with a 1.38 against the likes of future big leaguers Josh Hamilton and Carl Crawford. He progressed steadily through the Atlanta system as a lefty specialist. Foster posted a 1.85 ERA for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 2000, and he went 8-7 with seven saves for the Greenville Braves in 2001. Foster got his first taste of big league ball the following season. On April 24, 2002, he made his major league debut when Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox called on him to pitch the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not only did he pitch a scoreless inning – and struck out former World Series hero Craig Counsell – but the Braves came back to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Foster earned his first big league win in his debut, saved by none other than future Hall of Famer John Smoltz. The Braves shipped Foster to Milwaukee in the off-season, and he went 2-0 in 23 games for the Brewers in 2003. The Chicago Cubs picked him up that off-season, but before he ever got the chance to pitch for the Cubs, a devastating shoulder injury sidetracked his career. In April 2004, Foster’s shoulder was torn to shreds, with significant damage to his labrum and rotator cuff. Dr. James Andrews performed the reconstructive surgery, suggesting it would take at least 18 months to return to the mound, if he pitched again at all. Undeterred, Foster was throwing again in six months and by spring training in 2005, he was healthy enough to sign with the Braves. Not only was Foster healthy, but he became Atlanta’s chief lefty option out of the bullpen. He picked up his first major league save on April 26, 2005, this time closing the game for Smoltz as they teamed up to defeat Pedro Martinez. Atlanta went on to win the National League East title for the 11th consecutive season, and Foster finished third on the team with 62 appearances. The Braves were eliminated from the playoffs by the Houston Astros in the Division Series, but Foster came out of the pen twice in four postseason games. The injury bug struck again when Foster underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2006 season. He came back to sign a free agent contract with the Kansas City Royals, making 25 appearances in their minor league system over the next two seasons. He hung up his spikes at the end of spring training in 2009. That was hardly the end of Foster’s baseball career, though. A member of the NAIA national champion Lewis-Clark State squad in 1999, Foster returned to campus every off-season from 2000 to 2009 to help Hall of Fame coach Ed Cheff prepare the Warriors for the season. Six of those ten squads went on to win the NAIA World Series, and Foster was bitten by the coaching bug. Almost immediately after retiring as a player, Foster was named pitching coach for the Newport Gulls in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The Gulls posted the league’s best record at 31-10, then went 6-2 in the playoffs to capture the NECBL title. Foster’s pitching staff led the league with a gaudy 2.27 ERA, helping the Gulls finish the season as the No. 3 team in the country. The following summer, he served as pitching coach for the Wareham Gatemen of the venerable Cape Cod League. Wareham produced three of the top four pro prospects in 2010, two of which were pitchers on Foster’s staff. In fact, Foster coached 12 hurlers that summer who were drafted, including two future first round selections. Foster served as head coach at Division III Lehman College for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. He is currently the player development coach at Monroe College in New York City, a position he took in 2012. In just his second season with the Mustangs, Monroe College last year posted 28 wins, the second-most in school history. A native of Stockton, Calif., Foster began his collegiate career at San Joaquin Delta College in his hometown. He was offered the chance to play for University of the Pacific in Stockton, but opted instead for Lewis-Clark. Foster earned seven wins for the Warriors, including two in the 1999 NAIA World Series, and was named the team’s most outstanding player before he was drafted. The 35-year-old Foster takes over a Pump Jacks squad that saw all three of its coaches nab Division I coaching jobs last year. Former head coach Mark Kertenian is now an assistant at the University of Nevada, while Nate Leaser, who took over for Kertenian in mid-season last summer, took a position at Saint Mary’s College in California. Pitching coach Nic Mishler returned to his home state of Indiana when he landed a spot on the staff at Valparaiso University. Foster is hard at work assembling his roster for an organization that is just one year removed from a league title and two nationally-ranked seasons. The Pump Jacks expect to begin announcing players as early as next week. Foster will open his first season with the Pump Jacks on May 29 when he and the Jacks travel to Dallas to take on the Texas Marshals. He’ll make his Historic Driller Park debut on Tuesday, June 3, when East Texas kicks off its home schedule against the Woodlands Strykers. Click here for the complete 2014 Pump Jacks schedule. Season tickets for 2014 are on sale now! Lower Box seats are just $199 and include in-your-seat wait service, and Upper Box seats are $150 each. General admission grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Season tickets offer a discount of at least 25% off the price of tickets at the gate, and all season ticket holders enjoy the benefit of a Pump Jacks Concierge. For more information on Pump Jacks season tickets, click here. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  7. Pump Jacks Seventh Season to Open May 29 The Jacks home slate will kick off on Tuesday, June 3, against the Woodlands Strykers Let the countdown begin! While Texas Rangers fans are eagerly waiting for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training (on February 16, by the way), East Texas Pump Jacks fans now have a date to circle on their calendars: May 29. That’s when the Pump Jacks’ seventh season will kick off, the team announced Thursday along with the entire 2014 schedule. “The fun and excitement of Pump Jacks baseball is back!” said Pump Jacks general manager Mike Lieberman. “Fireworks, promotions, giveaways, and some of the best collegiate ballplayers from around the country will return to Historic Driller Park and East Texas this summer.” The team hinted at a “big league” announcement coming next week, possibly to name a new head coach. Last year’s Pump Jacks coaches – Mark Kertenian, Nate Leaser, and Nic Mishler – all earned new Division I jobs within two month of each other and therefore are unable to return to East Texas. The new head coach will open the 2014 season on the road with a two-game set in Dallas against the Texas Marshals on May 29 and 30. The road trip will continue in Lafayette, La., with a pair of games against the Acadiana Cane Cutters. The Pump Jacks kick off their home slate on Tuesday, June 3, when they welcome the Woodlands Strykers to Driller Park for a two-game series. The historic facility will host all 30 of the Pump Jacks home games in 2014, as it has for the franchise’s first six seasons. The Brazos Valley Bombers visit East Texas on June 7 and 8 in a matchup of the last two Texas Collegiate League champions. The Pump Jacks won the 2012 title in dramatic fashion against the Victoria Generals, and the Bombers captured their first championship last summer, also against the Generals. Less than a week after the TCL Championship Series, Brazos Valley was named the 2013 summer collegiate national champion in the final rankings published by Perfect Game. For the fourth straight season, the Pump Jacks schedule is 60 games, evenly split between 30 games at Driller Park and 30 games on the road. The campaign is split into two halves, with the first half coming to a close on July 2. Team records will then reset to 0-0 on July 3 to open the second half of the season. East Texas has fared well in the TCL’s split-season format, which was first adopted for the 2010 season. The Jacks have never had a losing record in a half, winning four division titles in the process. The 2014 TCL All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 8, one week before its major league counterpart. The league expects to announce the site shortly. The Pump Jacks hosted the last year’s rendition of the league’s midsummer classic. With six teams in the TCL again this season, the schedule retains the same basic format as last summer. Every week, the Pump Jacks will play three, two-game series, with Monday serving as a league-wide off-day. The Jacks will also play a pair of doubleheaders this summer, on June 25 and August 5, in Dallas against the Marshals. The regular season will conclude on August 8, followed by the playoffs. The complete schedule can be found by clicking here. The Pump Jacks are expected to announce information about season tickets on Friday, including a special promotion for loyal fans who purchase their tickets early. The team added it could announce the new head coach early next week, suggesting that it will have “major league” implications on the Pump Jacks this summer. To follow all the news as the Jacks prepare for the 2014 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  8. Jacks Sign Trio, Including Two Draft Picks, from No. 6 Oregon State The defending champion Pump Jacks have signed three players from the Pac-12-leading Beavers Kilgore, TX (April 23, 2013) – The TCL champion East Texas Pump Jacks opened this year’s recruiting at a nationally-ranked school that knows something about defending a championship. In the process, the Pump Jacks picked up a pair of players who have already been drafted by major league organizations. The Pump Jacks announced Tuesday the team has signed three players from Oregon State University: catcher Nate Esposito, designated hitter Beau Day, and left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodriguez. Esposito and Rodriguez are both sophomores, while Day is a junior. Both Esposito and Rodriguez were drafted coming out of high school in 2011. Rodriguez was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round, just six spots ahead of former Pump Jack Alex Fuselier. Esposito was tabbed by the Oakland Athletic in the 46th round. The Beavers are currently ranked No. 6 in the nation and they’re in first place in the Pac-12. Oregon State captured the NCAA championship in 2006 and successfully defended its title the following season. The most heralded of the three might be Rodriguez, who actually hasn’t seen action yet this spring and is expected to take a redshirt. As a true freshman last spring, he pitched in eight games out of the bullpen, posting a 5.14 ERA. He struck out four and allowed five hits in seven innings. Despite seeing limiting playing time as a freshman, Rodriguez can easily be regarded as a summer collegiate league veteran. He spent last summer with the Corvallis Knights in the West Coast League, whom he helped to the league championship series and a top-25 national ranking. The previous season, before even throwing a pitch in college, he was a member of the rotation for the San Luis Obispo Blues. The Blues captured the 2011 California Collegiate League title and finished the season ranked No. 13 in the country. Rodriguez was a significant contributor to the success of both teams. In Corvallis, he went 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 10 games, seven of them starts. He struck out 24 in 29 innings and allowed just 23 hits. The prior season, as a graduating high school senior, he went 2-0 with a 3.90 ERA in six starts with one relief appearance. He struck out a whopping 36 hitters in 30 innings and allowed 26 hits. His performance made an impression on scouts, and he was named to the league’s No. 9 pro prospect. Rodriguez gained prominence at the Iolani School in Honolulu, near his home in Kapolei. Prior to his senior season, Perfect Game named him the top high school draft prospect in the state of Hawaii and among the top 200 in the country. He was named a Perfect Game Underclass All-American in his junior year, and selected to the Rawlings All-Region team in his senior campaign. He also participated in the prestigious Area Code Games in 2010. His prep career was equally impressive by the numbers. He went 4-3 as a senior with a 2.65 ERA, striking out 56 hitters in less than 40 innings. Rodriguez posted a 4-0 record and 1.25 ERA his junior year, striking out 20 in 22.1 innings. He tossed a no-hitter as a sophomore on his way to a 2-3, 3.54 ERA season with 39 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched. Perfect Game slated Rodriguez to be drafted between the fourth and tenth rounds based on his talent, but with his strong commitment to Oregon State, he slipped to the Braves in the 20th round. Nevertheless, he was the first player from the state of Hawaii to be drafted in 2011. Day has been a contributor of late for the Beavers, improving his average to .360 on the season. In 16 games, five of them starts, he’s slugged .480 and has an on-base percentage of .484. Day made quite an impression in the Beavers’ April 12-14 series against Pac-12 foe Utah. He was inserted into the starting lineup for the Saturday contest to boost an Oregon State offense that scored just one run the night before. He responded by tying an OSU season-high with four hits in four at-bats, driving in two and scoring a run to lead the Beavers to an 8-3 victory. Oregon State completed the sweep on Sunday when Day drove in two more and scored once while going 2-for-3 with a walk. The six-foot, 230-pound Day transferred from Western Nevada College, where he batted .286 and earned all-conference honors in 2011. He helped the Wildcats to a 46-14 record with a team-leading 47 RBI, good for third in the conference. Day also finished second on the team both in triples (five) and home runs (seven). He played his freshman campaign at Clackamas Community College, where he batted .263. A native of Gresham, Ore., Day starred at Centennial High School, where he was named to the all-state team as a senior in 2009. He was also selected all-district three straight years. The veteran brings experience and success in summer collegiate ball. He played for the Lobos in the West Coast League Portland in 2010, where he batted .355 with four homers and 15 RBI in 16 games. He finished second in the league in home runs and sixth in both batting and RBI. The catcher of the future for Oregon State, Esposito has seen action in 18 games this spring, 12 as a starter. He has scored four runs and driven in three more while batting .156 in 32 at-bats. In 2012, Esposito batted .232 with 10 RBI in 21 games as a freshman. He spent last summer with the Corvallis Knights of the West Coast League, where he batted .232 with 10 RBI in 21 games. He batted .333 in the playoffs as the Knights reached the championship series. Esposito first turned heads at Granite Bay High School in northern California. He was nationally-ranked by Perfect Game in the Class of 2011, and he participated in the same Area Code Games tournament in 2010 as Rodriguez. He batted .329 as a senior and .383 as a junior, adding 49 RBI over those two seasons. Though he was already committed to play at Oregon State, Oakland took a flyer on him in the 46th round after high school. Esposito turned down the Athletics to fulfill his longtime dream of playing for the Beavers. Esposito draws his baseball acumen from his father, the longtime head coach at Granite Bay. Host Families: The Pump Jacks are seeking host families for the 2013 season. Hosting a player is a great experience that forges a lifelong bond with a young man, a relationship that transcends the game of baseball. Host families also receive free season tickets – including the All-Star Game – for every member of their household. If you’re interested in finding out more about the host family program, please contact the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET or [email protected], or click here. Season tickets for the Jacks are on sale now: Season ticket prices remain the same this year – that’s right, no price increase even with a championship and the All-Star Game! Lower Box seats, which include in-your-seat wait service, are just $199 each, and Upper Box seats are $150. Grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Season tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or in person at the Jacks’ office in downtown Kilgore. Click here for more information on Pump Jacks season tickets. The Pump Jacks open the defense of their title on Thursday, May 30, on the road against the Marshals. They open their 2013 home schedule on Tuesday, June 4, against Acadiana, then conclude their opening homestand with a championship rematch against the Generals. The complete 2013 schedule can be found here. To follow all the news and developments as the Jacks prepare for the 2013 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
  9. Pump Jacks Name Mark Kertenian New Head Coach The defending champions hire a former Division I coach with his own summer collegiate title as the third skipper in team history Kilgore, TX (January 15, 2013) – The East Texas Pump Jacks are the defending Texas Collegiate League champions. Former head coach Ben Taylor led the Jacks to a record 40-win season in 2011 and set the TCL career record for coaching victories in 2012, achieving national rankings both years. Mark Kertenian knows he has big shoes to fill “That’s one of the reasons I took the position, because that standard is there,” said Kertenian, who was announced today as the Pump Jacks’ new head coach. Kertenian takes over an East Texas team that captured its first TCL title during its fifth anniversary season in 2012. The Jacks reached #7 in Perfect Game’s summer collegiate national rankings and finished the season at #11, both TCL records. The daunting task of taking over a defending champion that has built such a reputation was the attraction to Kertenian. “Coaching the Pump Jacks is the most exciting opportunity I’ve had to date as a coach,” said Kertenian. The 33-year-old comes to East Texas with quite a resume of his own. Kertenian is entering his 12th season as a college coach and his third as an assistant at Glendale College in southern California. The Vaqueros have won conference titles both years he’s been with the program, ending an eight-year stretch without a league championship. Kertenian began his coaching career at Division I Cal State Northridge, where he spent nine seasons from 2002 to 2010. He helped the Matadors to a 40-win season and a Big West Conference title in 2002, finishing the season ranked #15 in the country. Northridge topped perennial conference contender Long Beach State and a Cal State Fullerton squad that one year later would advance to the College World Series. Kertenian helped guide the Matadors through some of the toughest competition in the country. In every season from 2003 to 2008, Cal State Northridge endured schedules that ranked among the 25 toughest slates in Division I baseball. Named the recruiting coordinator at Northridge in 2008, Kertenian thrived in his new role. His first recruiting class was ranked in the top-40 by Collegiate Baseball News, a feat he duplicated in 2009. The Burbank, Calif., native also made his first move into summer collegiate ball a successful one. He was selected to help recruit players for the Hawaii Baseball League’s inaugural season in 2005, and he served as head coach of the Oahu Paddlers for two years. Kertenian and the Paddlers captured the league title in 2005, then finished runner-up the following summer. An accomplished instructor, Kertenian founded the Matadors baseball camps at Cal State Northridge, and he continues to tutor one-on-one with some of California’s top prospects. He worked closely with a pair of 2012 draftees, including Arizona Diamondbacks’ second round pick Joe Munoz. Of course, East Texas fans will better recognize another of his former pupils: 2012 Pump Jacks outfielder Taylor Murphy. Mentoring draft picks and future pros is nothing new to Kertenian. He has coached five future big leaguers, including former Texas Rangers pitcher Kameron Loe. No fewer than 45 of his former players have been drafted by major league teams, and a total of 84 players have gone on to play professional baseball. Interestingly, Kertenian’s link to the TCL goes back almost a decade. While he was coaching at Northridge in 2004, he sent four players to Texas for the league’s inaugural season. Two of those players were named TCL all-stars, and all four of them were later drafted. Kertenian takes over for Taylor, who after last season sought a new challenge when he accepted a position with the Mat-Su Miners in the Alaska Baseball League. Taylor coached in three-straight TCL All-Star Games and routinely assembled a roster with the league’s top prospects. He was named the TCL Coach of the Year in 2011, duplicating the achievement of Stan Phelps, who was named the league’s top manager in the Pump Jacks’ 2008 inaugural season. “We knew finding a new coach this time around would be a challenge,” said general manager Mike Lieberman. “As a nationally-ranked program and the TCL champions, we wanted more than just any coach. Our fans deserve that. “After an exhaustive nationwide search, it was easy to see that Mark was the man for the job.” Kertenian’s playing career included serving as team captain at Pasadena City College and then again at Los Angeles City College. He concluded at Point Loma Nazarene University, where he saw time both on the mound and in the field. A 2003 graduate of Cal State Northridge, Kertenian earned a Master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University the following year. He is currently an instructor in kinesiology, health, and physical education at Glendale, and he has previously taught at colleges throughout southern California. Kertenian and the Pump Jacks open the defense of their title on May 30 on the road against the Texas Marshals. They open their 2013 home schedule on June 4 against the Acadiana Cane Cutters, then conclude their opening homestand with a championship rematch against the Victoria Generals. The complete 2013 schedule can be found here. Season tickets for the Jacks are on sale now. Season ticket prices remain the same this year – that’s right, no price increase even with a championship! Lower Box seats, which include in-your-seat wait service, are just $199 each, and Upper Box seats are $150. Grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Fans who purchase their season tickets and pay in full by February 8 will receive a free limited edition championship T-shirt, one that won’t be available to any other fans! Season tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or in person at the Jacks’ office in downtown Kilgore. Click here for more information on Pump Jacks season tickets. To follow all the news and developments as the Jacks prepare for the 2013 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
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