09/03/2010 04:06
During the off-season, he throws to major league stars Ian Kinsler, Dustin Pedroia, and Andre Ethier.
This summer, he’ll bring that experience and more to East Texas.
The East Texas Pump Jacks announced Tuesday that Robbie McClellan will join head coach Ben Taylor’s staff as pitching coach for the 2010 season. McClellan is currently in his third season as pitching coach for Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Chandler-Gilbert plays in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference, making the Coyotes a spring foe of Taylor’s Scottsdale Community College Artichokes.
This summer, though, they’ll be on the same team.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Robbie this summer,” said Taylor. “His experience in both the college and pros is going to be valuable to our pitching staff this summer.
“With his background and energy, Robbie is sure to be a positive influence on the Pump Jacks,” added Taylor.
McClellan’s staff at Chandler-Gilbert is certainly benefitting from his tutelage. In his third season as pitching coach, the Coyotes have a scintillating 2.11 team ERA, good for second-best in the conference. Chandler-Gilbert is tied for second place in one of the most competitive junior college conferences in the country, sporting 8-2 conference record and a 14-5 mark overall.
The 29-year-old McClellan is no stranger to coaching summer collegiate ball, either. He served as pitching coach for the Brewster Whitecaps in the prestigious Cape Cod League in 2008. That Whitecaps roster featured 13 players drafted the following June, including seven members of McClellan’s pitching staff.
He has also coached for the Traverse City Beach Bums in the independent Frontier League.
McClellan made a name for himself with a stellar collegiate career that earned him a 12th-round selection by the Kansas City Royals in 2003. The right-hander was an All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and the Arizona State Newcomer of the Year as a junior in 2002, when he finished fourth in the conference in strikeouts. He followed that up with an unbeaten 7-0 record as a senior. The Sun Devils reached the NCAA playoffs both seasons, hosting a regional in 2002 and advancing to a Super Regional in 2003.
The most memorable thing about those Arizona State squads, however, may have been McClellan’s teammates. Pedroia went on to win both the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in his first three big league seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Kinsler became an All-Star with the Texas Rangers, while Ethier has established himself as a slugger with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The three stars, along with other Sun Devils alumni, gather in Arizona for training every off-season, where McClellan welcomes them by throwing batting practice.
Before he joined Arizona State, McClellan spent two record-breaking seasons at Seward County (Kan.) Community College. He combined to go 16-4 with a 3.23 ERA and 152 strikeouts for the Saints. He left as the school’s career leader in wins and strikeouts, and also set the single-season record for saves.
In both 2000 and 2001, McClellan played summer collegiate ball for the Liberal (Kan.) Bee Jays of the Jayhawk League. He helped lead the Bee Jays to the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series championship in 2000, when they set a new NBC record for team ERA. Liberal returned to the NBC in 2001, when McClellan was named an NBC All-American.
After being drafted by the Royals in 2003, McClellan struck out 112 batters in 110 innings in two minor league seasons. He was preparing to open the 2005 season at the Double-A level when an arm injury derailed his career.
After missing the entire season, McClellan made a comeback with Traverse City in 2006. He went 12-10 with a 3.65 ERA over the next two seasons before making the transition to coaching.
McClellan takes over from 2009 Pump Jacks pitching coach David Therneau. Therneau, now in his third season as an assistant at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Fla., opted to focus his attention on his duties with the Eagles.
McClellan, Taylor, and the Pump Jacks will open the 2010 season on June 2 in Victoria to face the Generals.
The 2010 home schedule will open on June 4, when the Pump Jacks welcome the expansion Texas Tomcats. East Texas will play a 56-game season this summer with 28 home games, both record highs. The full schedule can be found by clicking here.
Season tickets for the 2010 season are on sale now. Despite the longer schedule, season ticket prices have not changed since the Pump Jacks arrived in East Texas in 2008. Prices start at $105 – and $85 for children and seniors – saving fans as much as 25%. Season ticket information and an order form can be found here.
To follow all the Pump Jacks off-season news, including player announcements, promotions, and preparations for the upcoming season, log on to the team’s official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com.
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