Although it is the first year for all players in the league, as it is the first season for the league, not all players are considered rookies. Most players in the league have spent previous seasons in other regional leagues that are considered to be the same level as this one. An example is Tim Lincecum who was signed by the Peppers from another regional league out west. Because of this time in a league on an equivalent level with this league, Lincecum is not a rookie. To be considered a rookie for this and all future seasons a player must be in his first season at this level of baseball. A rookie would be someone who had only previously played at the lower levels of baseball. Someone who would fit this description is Chris Coghlan of the Rockport Clippers. This is his first season at this level in any league.


It was somewhat of a surprise when Hatrack Hines announced that he was going to open the season with Coghlan hitting in the two hole for the Clippers. This was a team that had managed to lure several big names to their club and the new league. So a few eyebrows raised at the news of the unproven rookie hitting so high in the order. When the Clippers had initially signed Coghlan it was planned that he would be a 4th outfielder this year as he continued to develop. Alfredo Amezaga was going to play outfield this year while the young Coghlan bided his time. Plans tend to change. Plans change when veterans can't find their stroke anymore and a young lion is breathing down their neck. So was the case during Spring Training. Plain and simple, Amezaga was just not hitting. It was obvious to Hatrack that it was more than just rust. At the same time Coghlan had shown him something. Coghlan was busting the ball all over the ballpark. Hatrack thought the kid had something special. He thought the kid was ready now. He was confident the kid could handle hitting in the two hole in front of some big names. 


Although Hatrack thought the kid was ready, even he was a little surprised by Coghlan's start. After the 13th game of the season, a game in which the Redwood City Peppers had man handled the Clippers at home, people no longer questioned the wisdom of hitting the kid in the two hole. Coghlan had collected another hit and his average stood at .322. Another hit that added another game to the hit streak that now covered all 13 games of the Rockport Clippers brief existence. Although the streak would end the next day when he would go 0-3 with a walk against Matt Cain,  Coghlan had announced his presence to the league.


5/4/2009, RDW09-RKP09
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2009 Peppers           0  3  1  0  5  2  0  0  4    15 14  0     8  1
2009 Clippers          0  0  0  2  0  0  0  1  0     3  8  4     7  1
 
Peppers              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Clippers             AB  R  H BI   AVG
Drew,J            rf  6  2  2  2  .346    Suzuki,I          rf  5  0  2  0  .306
Jones,Ad          cf  4  1  1  0  .120    Coghlan           lf  2  2  1  0  .322
Ramirez,Ha        ss  6  1  1  3  .264    McCann            c   4  0  1  0  .365
Reynolds          3b  5  3  2  2  .244    Fielder           1b  3  1  1  2  .360
Berkman           1b  6  2  2  4  .333    Lowell            3b  4  0  1  1  .291
Uggla             2b  4  1  2  0  .238    Hamilton          cf  4  0  1  0  .326
 Carroll,B        lf  0  1  0  0  .000    Furcal            ss  4  0  1  0  .295
Anderson,G        lf  3  0  0  0  .163    Keppinger         dh  4  0  0  0  .217
 Smith,Ja         2b  1  1  1  0  .500    Matsui,K          2b  4  0  0  0  .184
Ross,C            dh  4  1  1  1  .317                         34  3  8  3
Rodriguez,I       c   4  2  2  3  .205
                     43 15 14 15
 
Peppers                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Lincecum         W 2-1           8.0  7  3  3  3 10 131  75  4.33
Arias,A                          1.0  1  0  0  0  1  15   9  5.68
                                 9.0  8  3  3  3 11 146  84 
 
Clippers                         INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Vazquez,J        L 1-2           4.1  8  9  7  0  3  60  46  4.44
Saito                            2.1  2  2  2  1  2  42  23  8.59
Grabow                           1.1  1  0  0  2  0  22  12  0.00
Bennett                          0.2  3  4  4  4  2  46  22 13.50
O'Flaherty                       0.1  0  0  0  0  0   4   3  1.17
                                 9.0 14 15 13  7  7 174 106 
 
RDW: Carroll,B inserted at lf in the 8th
     Smith,Ja inserted at 2b in the 8th
 
E-Coghlan, Fielder, Hamilton, Furcal. 2B-Uggla, Ross,C, Suzuki,I, Hamilton. 
3B-Coghlan. HR-Drew,J(2), Reynolds 2(6), Berkman(5), Fielder(5). 
SB-Suzuki,I(8 ). K-Drew,J 2, Ramirez,Ha, Berkman 2, Uggla, Ross,C, Suzuki,I, 
Coghlan, McCann, Lowell, Hamilton 2, Furcal, Keppinger 3, Matsui,K. 
BB-Jones,Ad 2, Reynolds, Anderson,G, Ross,C, Rodriguez,I, Carroll,B, 
Coghlan 2, Fielder. 
GWRBI: Reynolds
Temperature: 73, Sky: clear, Wind: in from right at 8 MPH.

Last Edited By: croz 01/26/10 10:14 AM. Edited 1 times.