Pico Gets Promoted, Carlson Back with BayBears

MOBILE, Ala. - Prior to tonight's ballgame between the BayBears and Huntsville Stars, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced that pitching coach Jeff Pico would be promoted to be the Diamondbacks Minor League Pitching Coordinator, replacing Mel Stottlemyre, Jr. who was sent to Phoenix to be the D-backs pitching coach.

Pico was in the middle of his second season with the BayBears where the current pitching staff leads the Southern League with a 3.29 ERA. This is Pico's seventh year with the D-backs' organization. He joined Arizona in 2003 as the pitching coach for Short-Season Yakima.

Yakima is also getting a new pitching coach as Dan Carlson will return to the BayBears to replace Pico. Carlson was the BayBears' pitching coach in 2007 after spending the previous two seasons with the D-backs' Double-A Affiliate in Tennessee.

Carlson is in his ninth season as a pitching coach in the D-backs' organization. He has also been with Missoula and South Bend. Gil Heredia, who was a minor league pitching consultant for Arizona, will replace Carlson at Yakima.

The Mobile BayBears have produced nearly 100 players to the major leagues. They're in action tonight against the Stars at 7:05 with Barry Enright (1-3, 3.93) getting the start. For Hank Aaron Stadium ticket information, please call (251) 479-BEAR or log on to www.mobilebaybears.com.