Crestwood, IL The Windy City ThunderBolts have hired Brendan Sagara as the teams pitching coach for the 2007 season. It will be Sagaras fourth season in the Frontier League as a pitching coach and third season coaching with ThunderBolts manager Andy Haines.
Brendans track record speaks for itself in regards to the success he has had as a coach. He also has a wealth of experience within the Frontier League which was critical for me in hiring a pitching coach, said Haines.
The ThunderBolts will be the third Frontier League team Sagara has worked for as pitching coach. The Hawaii native was with the Springfield-Ozark Ducks in 2004 and was a part of back-to-back West Division titles with the Dubois County Dragons in 2001-02. Haines joined Sagara on the coaching staff of the 2002 Dragons.
Sagara was also the pitching coach for the 2005 Northern League champion Gary SouthShore RailCats. Haines was in Gary as the hitting coach that year. Sagaras staff set 16 franchise records and finished second in the league with a 3.88 team ERA.
During the 2006 season, Sagara was an Associate Scout for the New York Mets and will continue in that capacity next season.
As a player, Sagara was a reliever for the West Division champion Evansville Otters in 1999 and also played in the Central League. He set school records for wins and winning percentage as a senior at NCAA Division I Hawaii-Hilo and was named the schools Male Athlete of the Year in 1995-96.
I am very pleased and excited to be reunited with my good friend Andy Haines. Having played and coached in the Frontier League, I am a big fan of what this league stands for and I look forward to my time in Windy City as we do our best to put together a championship contender, said Sagara.
For information about 2007 season tickets, group outings, skybox suites, and marketing opportunities, please call 708-489-2255. For the latest team news, please visit www.WCThunderBolts.com. The Windy City ThunderBolts are a member of the 12-team Frontier League, an independent league with teams in the Midwest.