Red Raider Baseball Blog

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012 – 9:57 AM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

Texas Tech baseball signee LHP Chris Sadberry (Grayson County College) was recently tabbed the No. 97 prospect nationally among junior college players by Perfect Game.

Sadberry, a Holliday, Texas, native and sophomore at Grayson, was one of the signees the Tech baseball program announced as part of their recruiting class on Nov. 21.

Sadberry played his freshman season at Louisiana Tech in 2012 where he went 3-1 with a 5.71 ERA in 13 appearances (9 starts) with 34.2 innings pitched, 43 hits allowed, 22 earned runs and 28 strikeouts. He was also enrolled at La Tech in 2011 when he received a medical redshirt.

Sadberry was a 2010 graduate of Holliday High School – the same high school that produced current big leaguer and former Red Raider RHP Zach Stewart.

Sadberry was a three-time all-district selection as a prep and earned all-state honors as a junior and senior. He was also an all-state selection as a linebacker on the football field.

Coach Tim Tadlock on Sadberry:

“Chris is a guy that has the ability to step in and pitch right away. He has been up to as high as 93 MPH on the radar gun and will usually pitch in the 87-89 range with good secondary stuff.”

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 – 4:47 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

The Texas Tech baseball season gets underway in a little over two months. It seems like a long time from now, but considering all that has happened since the start of the Tim Tadlock era, Opening Day will be here before we know it!

JUNE 7, 2012

- Tim Tadlock became the ninth head baseball coach in Texas Tech history.

JUNE 20, 2012

- Tadlock names the first assistant coach to his staff while hiring Howard College assistant coach J-Bob Thomas as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

JUNE 26, 2012

- Tadlock nails down the Red Raiders pitching coach with the addition of Ray Hayward. Hayward came to Tech after time as the Midwest Scouting Supervisor with the Miami Marlins and pitching coach at Oklahoma.

JULY 17, 2012

- A former player for Tadlock at Grayson County College and Oklahoma, Joe Hughes, joins Tadlock’s first staff as the director of baseball operations.

JULY 25, 2012

- Tadlock completed his coaching staff with another familiar face, Russell Raley, who worked side-by-side with Tadlock as the volunteer coach with the Sooners following his OU and professional playing career.  Raley was named the program’s volunteer assistant coach.

AUGUST 27, 2012

- The Texas Tech baseball team reported to campus with the start of the fall semester and the start of class on campus. The first official team meeting was held at the Red Raiders team clubhouse.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

- During the early portion of the fall season a former Red Raider and Lubbock native, A.J. Ramos, became the 23rd Texas Tech player to reach the big leagues as he made his MLB debut as a relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins. Ramos had a memorable debut striking out the side against the Milwaukee Brewers at Marlins Park in Miami.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

- The Red Raiders took the field for the first time as a team under Tadlock as the start of fall practices got underway at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

“We are excited, today marks the first day for us to get our entire team out on the field together as a group,” Tadlock said. “I think every day of the fall season is important. We are going to go out there and try to get better each and every day.”

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

- Just days after opening the fall team practice schedule, Texas Tech held its first scrimmage on a Friday of the first week of practice.

OCTOBER 3, 2012

- Tadlock and the Red Raiders announced their 2013 schedule, which includes 30 home games and several high-profile non-conference matchups throughout the season. Tech’s challenging non-conference slate includes games against Central Florida, Florida International, Arizona, New Mexico State, UT Arlington, Dallas Baptist, New Mexico, Rice, Arizona State and Lubbock Christian to name a few.

OCTOBER 6, 2012

- The Tech baseball team was active in the Lubbock community during the fall while spending a Saturday morning at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. Now in its 18th year, the Race for the Cure is the primary fundraiser for breast cancer awareness and research.

OCTOBER 22, 2012

- The Red Raiders held their first Red & Black Series Game while the Black Team won the opener with a 3-0 shutout over the Red Team.

OCTOBER 30, 2012

- The fall season came to a close for the Texas Tech baseball program with the Black Team winning the annual Red & Black Series with an 8-3 victory in the third and final game. Junior right-handed pitcher Trey Masek won his second game of the series in the series clinching win.

NOVEMBER 21, 2012

- The Red Raiders announced their 2013-14 recruiting class with the addition of several high school and junior college standouts. Tech’s class at the time of its announcement was ranked No. 24 in the country by Perfect Game.

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

- Tadlock and the Red Raiders coaching staff interacted with Tech baseball fans and supports at a “Meet the Coaches” event that was set up by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, which is also located in Lubbock.

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 – 12:17 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

TV/BROADCAST ROSTER  |  2013 ROSTER (w/Proununciations)

A common question heading into the 2013 Texas Tech baseball season is: “Who are these new players?”

We are just 71 days away from Opening Day, but now is your chance to get an up close look at each of the Red Raiders. With our TV/Radio Broadcast Roster where you can see a head shot picture of each of the Red Raiders.

You can also go to the Texas Tech roster page and read information about all of the new players and listen to the “Name Engine’s” name pronunciations.

We are getting closer by the day to 2013 Opening Day against Northern Illinois on Friday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

Guns Up!

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2012 – 9:57 AM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

Catching Up with Barrett Barnes (Video)  |  Barnes Tech Bio  |  Barnes MILB Bio

Barrett Barnes came to Texas Tech in the fall of 2009 as a shortstop from Sugar Land, Texas. He was hoping to see significant playing time as a freshman at any position that he could help the Red Raiders.

Three short years later, he became the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, one of the top hitters all-time at Tech and was drafted 45th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates to become the third highest drafted player in school history.

Barnes made the most of his opportunities at Texas Tech and now he made his way back to Lubbock during the off-season and talked with Brandon Rawe (@Brandon_Rawe) of Texas Tech TV to discuss coming back to Tech, the start of his professional career, playing at Tech and the position that put himself in and now that playing baseball is a job for him.

Barnes, along with eight other Red Raiders were selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft – that number ranked second in the nation and set a new school record.

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012 – 3:37 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

Former Texas Tech (1996) and St. Louis Cardinals (2001) 2B Stubby Clapp has been added to the Team Canada baseball coaching staff for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Clapp was a one-year standout for the Red Raiders in 1996 while helping Tech to a 49-15 overall record and to the NCAA Regional in Lubbock. He was then selected in the 36th round (No. 1,058 overall) in the 1996 MLB Draft by the Cardinals.

He joins the Team Canada coaching staff that includes manager Ernie Whitt, hitting coach/first base coach Larry Walker, third base coach Tim Leiper, pitching coach Denis Boucher and pitching/bullpen coach Paul Quantrill.

Clapp, who played 18 years of professional baseball, first coached for Canada in the 2011 IBAF World Cup in Panama. Team Canada won the bronze at the tournament.

Clapp was an ABCA All-Region pick as a Red Raider in 1996 while batting .372 (80-for-215) with 97 runs, 28 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, 51 RBI and 66 walks with 21-of-23 stolen bases.

He is one of four players in school history to hit three triples in a game (vs. Houston, April 26, 1996). He led Tech in doubles and triples in his one season as a Red Raider. His monster season in 1996 has him placed in five Texas Tech single-season record books.

In addition, his 28 doubles mark the most ever by a Tech second baseman in school history (single-season).

 Guns Up!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 – 9:57 AM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

Texas Tech Players in Major League Baseball

Three former Texas Tech baseball players have made headlines over the past couple weeks with promotions, trades and new positions within Major League Baseball organizations.

Former Tech All-American catcher Josh Bard (1997-99) who played the 2012 season in Triple-A with the Dodgers organization (Albuquerque Isotopes) has been named a special assistant within the Dodgers organization. Bard played the most seasons in the big leagues among all former Red Raiders (2001-2011) while playing his last big league season with the Mariners in 2011.

Bard’s MLB career includes 10 years with the Indians (2002-05), Red Sox (2006), Padres (2006-08), Nationals (2009) and Mariners (2010-11). He played in 586 career games batting .254 (452-for-1,778) with 162 runs, 109 doubles, three triples, 39 RBI and 220 RBI.

Former Red Raider RHP Nathan Karns (2008-09) wrapped up his best season as a pro in 2012 and recently was added to the Washington Nationals 40-man roster while the organization avoided him being taken in the Rule 5 Draft next month.

Karns was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Year and dominated in the South Atlantic League and the Carolina League with an 11-4 record, 2.17 ERA, 24 appearances (18 starts) with two complete games, 116.0 innings, 148 strikeouts and 47 walks allowed. He led all Washington minor league pitchers in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponent batting average.

And just yesterday former Texas Tech RHP Zach Stewart, a 2008 third-round pick out of Tech, was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Stewart, who landed with the Red Sox last season in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, will join his fourth big league organization in the spring after making his MLB debut in 2011 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Stewart pitched one season for Tech in 2008 before being selected by the Reds in the MLB Draft.

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2012 – 11:47 AM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

GAME 1 PHOTO GALLERY  |  GAME 3 PHOTO GALLERY

Today we are going to take a look back at some of the top images from the Texas Tech Red & Black Series. A huge thank you goes to our team photographers Norvelle Kennedy and Michael Strong. Both do a tremendous job with our images and take countless hours to provide our athletics department with some of the best photographs in all of sports.

Here is a look at the Top 20 images from the 2012 Red & Black Series:

Jake Barrios was one of the top players for the Red Team. He finished the series hitting .364 (4-for-11).

Jake Barrios was also solid with the glove playing two games at shortstop and Game 3 at third base.

Devon Conley was a tough out, but here he is thrown out at first base as first baseman Blake Bass stays with the short hop to make the out.

Brett Bell was the table setter for the Red Team batting leadoff in all three games. Bell batted .273 while reaching base safely five times.

Devon Conley slides into third base safely on a single to left field by Tim Proudfoot.

Devon Conley – who batted .417 in the series – had two triples and two RBI

Heath Herrington was the only pitcher to make three appearances in the series and he collected the save in Game 2.

Trey Masek was the top pitcher in the series going 2-0 with 10 strikeouts and one walk.

Jerad McCrummen made two scoreless appearances and recorded two strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

Reid Meyer tallied a perfect 0.00 ERA in two outings with 2.2 innings of work.

Brennan Moore tallied 14 hit-by-pitch as a junior (ranks 4th all-time in school history) and led all players in the series with two hit-by-pitch.

Tim Proudfoot applies the tag on attempted base stealer Wade Stramp as catcher Mason Randolph threw out four base runners in the series.

Tim Proudfoot also made several impressive plays at shortstop for the Black Team. He did not commit an error in the series.

Todd Ritchie played left field for the Red Team and finished the series with three base hits.

Conner Smith may have hit the hardest ball in the series – a double off the left-field wall to lead off the fifth inning in Game 1.

Tim Tadlock will begin his first season as head coach of the Red Raiders in 2013.

Corey Taylor made two starts (Game 1 & Game 3) for the Red Team while tallying 7.2 innings pitched with two strikeouts.

Johnathon Tripp posted a pair of strikeouts in two relief outings during the series with a 2.25 ERA in four innings pitched.

Andre Wheeler struck out six batters in 4.1 innings of work with a 2.20 ERA in two outings for the Red Team.

Guns Up!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 – 2:27 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

The fall season ended yesterday for the Texas Tech baseball team so now it is time to turn our attention towards the spring season. But before that time of the year rolls around let’s take a look at how the Red Raiders are doing on the recruiting trail for the Class of 2013.

Perfect Game, one of the premier college baseball media outlets in the country, ranked Texas Tech No. 19 in the nation in its latest rankings. That ranking also places the Red Raiders at the top of all Big 12 programs.

Rankings go off commitments while signing day is just a few weeks away in the middle of November.

First-year head coach Tim Tadlock, pitching coach Ray Hayward and recruiting coordinator J-Bob Thomas are turning heads when it comes to recruiting at the national level and in just four short months are receiving commitments from some of the top amateur players in the country.

It will be exciting to see the initial signees when the early signing period rolls around, but for now, here is a look at Perfect Game’s national ranking for each Big 12 program as of today.

Perfect Game Recruiting Rankings – Class of 2013 (Top 100 programs):

19. Texas Tech

20. Texas

23. Oklahoma

28. TCU

34. Oklahoma State

62. Baylor

76. Kansas

NR. Kansas State

NR. West Virginia

Guns Up!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012 – 1:27 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

TADLOCK INTERVIEW  |  MOORE INTERVIEW  |  BARNES INTERVIEW

Well, today marks Game 3 of the annual Texas Tech Baseball Red & Black Fall Series and it also marks the final day of the fall season. The bad news is the fall season ends today, the good news is we are a day closer to February 15, which is Opening Day for the 2013 season.

While the Black and Red teams battle it out in the deciding game of the three-game series, we give you the chance to listen to some recent radio interviews done by first-year head coach Tim Tadlock, senior outfielder Brennan Moore and also former Red Raider Barrett Barnes.

Tadlock and Barnes joined Double T 1043’s “Bottom Line” on Monday as Casey Cowan and Jamie Lent were live on location at Rip Griffin Park for Game 2 of the Red & Black Series. Tadlock gave his assessment of the first game of the series while also catching everyone up on his first fall season as head coach.

Barnes stopped by for a few minutes while visiting Lubbock and Texas Tech during his first professional off-season. Just a year ago, Barnes was getting his junior season underway – one that ended with him being the third highest draft pick in Texas Tech history as the 45th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also joined Lent and Cowan on the Bottom Line from the ballpark yesterday.

Earlier this morning, senior outfielder Brennan Moore visited with Chuck Heinz and Aaron Dickens on the “Morning Drive” on Double T 104.3 FM. Moore is one of just three seniors on the roster this season. He is in his second season at Tech after transferring from Grayson Country College following the 2010-2011 school year.

Guns Up!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012 – 11:37 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

BARRETT BARNES TEXAS TECH BIO  |  MINOR LEAGUE BIO

This time of the year is great for a number of reasons when it comes to Texas Tech baseball. First, the baseball team is competing in their annual fall season’s Red & Black Series, and the second is getting the chance to catch up with former players who are back in town following their professional baseball season.

We at Texas Tech have already had the chance to visit with former Red Raider right-handed pitchers Bobby Doran (Astros – Double-A) and A.J. Ramos (Marlins – Big Leagues) and catcher Bo Altobelli (Twins – Rookie) who was just completing his Tech career this past spring.

Barrett Barnes, the Pittsburgh Pirates 2012 Supplemental First-Round Pick, made his way back to Lubbock this weekend and today sat down with TexasTech.com’s Brandon Rawe (Twitter: @Brandon_Rawe) for an in-depth interview on his first year in professional baseball, what he has been up to since the end of the season and what he appreciates most from his time as a Red Raider.

Be looking for the video feature on Barnes this coming week.  

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012 – 4:57 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

TREY MASEK INTERVIEW ON DOUBLE T 1043’S “BOTTOM LINE”

The Texas Tech baseball fall season is nearing an end with the annual Red & Black Series upon us. The Black Team captured the Game 1 victory behind six strikeouts from junior right-handed pitcher Trey Masek this past Monday evening.

Before Game 1, Masek sat down with Double T 104.3 FM’s Bottom Line with Casey Cowan and Jamie Lent while at the ballpark for their afternoon sports talk radio show.

Fans, don’t forget, the Red & Black Series continues this coming Monday (Oct. 29 – 6:30 p.m.) and Tuesday (Oct. 30 – 3 p.m.) at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Admission is free.

Guns Up!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012 – 11:47 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

BARRETT BARNES PRO BIO  |  JAMODRICK McGRUDER PRO BIO

Baseball America recently graded out each organization’s 2012 Major League Baseball Draft – one that saw a Texas Tech school record nine players selected. Tech’s nine players drafted ranked second in the country only behind Arizona State’s 10 players.

Baseball America selected one or two players from each organization on the following categories:

POSITION PLAYERS

- Best Pure Hitter, Best Power Hitter, Fastest Runner, Best Defensive Player

PITCHERS

- Best Fastball, Best Secondary Pitch

ODDS AND ENDS

- Best Pro Debut, Best Athlete, Most Intriguing Background, Closest to the Majors, Best Late-Round Pick, The One Who Got Away (drafted and didn’t sign professionally)

Barrett Barnes, who was the 45th pick in the supplemental first round – and a three-year All-Big 12 pick at Tech – was named the following for the Pirates:

- Best Power Hitter

- Fastest Runner

- Best Athlete

- Most Intriguing Background

- Closest to the Majors

Jamodrick McGruder, a ninth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners – and a 2012 All-American at Tech – was tabbed the “Fastest Runner” among all of the Mariners’ 2012 MLB Draft picks.

Another former Red Raider, RHP Duke von Schamann, was tabbed as “Most Intriguing Background” with his father, Uwe, having been a professional kicker in the NFL. Barnes was given this label for the Pirates since his uncle, Anthony Young, was a right-handed pitcher in the big leagues from 1991-97 with the Mets, Cubs and Astros.

Guns Up!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 – 3:07 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

Have you ever been sitting at the ballpark and watched a pitcher throw a pitch that makes almost everyone wonder, “How hard was that pitch?” Well, you aren’t the only one and now if you are watching the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Rip Griffin Park, you will no longer have to wonder that question.

Texas Tech has recently installed a brand new LED display on the right-hand side of the scoreboard/video structure that will register the miles per hour on every pitch. The bright-red numbers are very large so fans in a seat, luxury suite or stadium club can see the result of the pitch. The display is located to the right of the video board and just above and right of the scoreboard.

This picture (above) was taken yesterday at the Red Raiders scrimmage following a Trey Masek 90-MPH pitch in the bottom of the first inning.

The MPH display is not the norm in college baseball while Tech is one of just a few programs in the Big 12 Conference that will have this feature available to its fans.

The best gameday atmosphere in the Big 12 just got even better!

There are a lot of things to be excited about with the upcoming season, but why wait? The start of the annual Red & Black Series is set to begin on Monday, Oct. 22 with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Rip Griffin Park.

Admission is free, so head out to the ballpark and enjoy some baseball as there are only 120 more days until Opening Day – February 15, 2013.

Guns Up!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2012 – 5:27 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

BOBBY DORAN INTERVIEW  |  A.J. RAMOS INTERVIEW  |  Ramos Photo Gallery

The last two weekends two former Red Raiders stopped in to visit with the Texas Tech Football Pregame Show before two big games against Oklahoma (Oct. 6) and West Virginia (Oct. 13).

Former Red Raiders Bobby Doran (2010) and A.J. Ramos (2006-09) each visited about their current careers – professional baseball – while also talking a little Texas Tech football.

Doran just completed his second minor league season and made it up to Double-A with the Houston Astros minor league affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks. Doran led all Astros affiliate pitchers with 14 wins this past year.

Ramos made headlines during the first week of September while being called up to the big leagues with the Miami Marlins. He made 11 appearances with the Marlins while also earning Double-A All-Star honors during 2012.

It was great to have two outstanding Red Raiders back on campus and to hear them talk about their times at Tech along with their current careers in minor league and major league baseball.

Guns Up!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012 – 4:57 PM

Scott Lacefield (Twitter: @ScottLacefield)

AJ RAMOS – Miami Marlins Bio

Fresh off his first season in the big leagues, former Texas Tech RHP and Lubbock native A.J. Ramos stopped by the Texas Tech Football Pregame Show this past Saturday before the Red Raiders upset over then-No. 4 West Virginia at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.

The Estacado High School grad visited with the Voice of Red Raider Baseball Robert Giovannetti about getting called up to the big leagues, his memories of Tech baseball and about his journey to the big leagues from his final season at Tech in 2009.

Ramos pitched at Tech from 2006-2009 and was then selected in the 21st round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Marlins.

Earning all-star recognition during each minor league season, Ramos made it to Double-A for the start of the 2012 season where he dominated before his September call-up to “The Show.”

Ramos ended up pitching in 11 contests during the final month with the Marlins while posting a 3.86 ERA with four games finished and 9.1 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts.

It was great to visit with AJ and what a tremendous ambassador of Texas Tech University and the city of Lubbock. A proud Red Raider with a very bright future ahead of him.

Guns Up!