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Express announce 2013 field staff

Jones returns to manage as Holman, Coolbaugh join staff
January 3, 2013
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Bobby Jones will return for his 24th season as a manager in the Texas Rangers farm system in 2013, the parent club of the Round Rock Express announced Thursday. Jones will be in his 12th season as manager of the Rangers Triple-A affiliate and third season with the Express.

Round Rock's field staff will see the return of infield coach Spike Owen, athletic trainer Jason Roberts and strength coach Ric Mabie. Hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh returns to the Express after a year-and-a-half stint with the Rangers. New to the staff is pitching coach Brad Holman.

Jones, the 2011 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, managed his 3,000th career game during the 2012 season and enters the 2013 campaign with 1,583 career managerial wins. He is the most-tenured coach in the Rangers organization, which drafted him in 1967 as the Washington Senators. Jones, who guided the Express to the 2011 PCL American Southern Division title, has enjoyed two stints on the Rangers coaching staff, most recently in 2006.

Coolbaugh began the 2011 season with Round Rock before being promoted to Arlington in June. The brother of former Express player Mike Coolbaugh, he previously served as manager at High Desert (2000), Lancaster (2001) and El Paso (2003-2004). Coolbaugh joined the Rangers organization as hitting coach for Double-A Frisco in 2007 and was promoted to the Triple-A position in 2009.

A Rangers third-round pick out of the University of Texas in 1987, Coolbaugh made his Major League debut Sept. 2, 1989, with the Rangers. He played two seasons with Texas before moving to the Padres in 1991; he also played for the Cardinals in 1994.

Holman will be in his fifth season as a pitching coach in the Rangers organization, having spent the last two seasons with Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach. Holman's staff led the Carolina League in ERA each of the last two seasons, and led the league with 1,111 strikeouts last year. He previously coached in the Pittsburgh (2008) and Seattle (2002-2007) organizations.

A right-handed pitcher professionally, Holman made 19 relief appearances for the Mariners in 1993, his lone Major League season. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 35th round in 1990 out of Auburn University.

Like Coolbaugh, Owen is no stranger to Central Texas, having starred at the University of Texas in the early 1980s and served as a member of the Express coaching staff from 2002 to 2006. He was the sixth overall selection in the 1982 Draft by the Seattle Mariners and spent 13 seasons in the Majors with the Mariners, Red Sox, Expos, Yankees and Angels. He has served as the Express third-base coach each of the past two seasons.

Round Rock begins the 2013 season with an eight-game homestand that includes a pair of four-game series against Omaha (April 4-7) and Iowa (April 8-11). To reserve your ticket plans, including full season, 20-game and flex plans, please call (512) 255-2255 or visit us at www.RoundRockExpress.com online.

Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and a member of the Pacific Coast League.