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Sioux City, IA - The Sioux City Explorers announced today that they have finalized their coaching staff for the 2014 season and former X’s pitcher and pitching coach, Bobby Post will return to the dugout and once again serve as the X’s pitching coach this season. Brent Metheny has also been named to new X’s field manager Steve Montgomery’s coaching staff and will serve as the X’s hitting coach for the 2014 campaign. The X’s open their league allotted 12 day spring training on Saturday, May 3^rd in preparation for the 2014 regular season when they travel to Sioux Falls, SD on May 15th to take on the Canaries for two games before returning to Lewis & Clark Park for the 2014 home opener on Saturday, May 17^th.

Bobby Post will begin his second stint as the Pitching Coach for the Sioux City Explorers in 2014. Post was the pitching coach for the Explorers in 2009 and 2010 under manager Les Lancaster.  “I am extremely happy to be back working with the Explorers and Steve Montgomery, the new manager for the X’s.  Having played for Sioux City and lived in this area for a numbers of years, I am excited for Explorers baseball in 2014 and look forward to a good year”, commented Bobby Post.

Bobby is a native of Victorville, California and played at Cerritos Junior College (CA) and finished his college career at the University of Nevada-Reno where he was 18-5 for two seasons with the Wolf Pack.

After his college career, Post spent seven years in professional baseball with an overall record of 52-16 with 20 saves.  His pro playing career carried him to Taiwan with stops in Sioux Falls and Sioux City in the Northern League.  After his playing days were over, Post was a pitching coach at Barstow (CA) Community College for three years and recently has been the pitching coach at Briar Cliff University for the past six seasons.

After his two years as the pitching coach for the Explorers, Post spent the 2011 season with the Calgary Vipers in the North American League as the pitching coach. During his time at Calgary, Post had three pitchers in the top 10 for wins and earned run average in the North American League.

Bobby, who makes his home in Sgt. Bluff, Iowa with his wife (Jennifer) and three daughters Alyssa, Emily and Jayden continues to work with many collegiate and professional players on mechanics and bio mechanics.

“I am pleased to have Bobby join our coaching staff this season as he will be a big asset to our pitching staff with his previous experience playing and coaching in Independent ball.  He has done a great job assisting in our recruiting this off-season and he will continue to be involved as we enter the season”, stated field manager, Steve Montgomery.

Brent Metheny enters his 12^th year of professional baseball 2014 and first as the X’s hitting coach.  The last two seasons Metheny has been the field manager of the Frontier Greys and the Road Warriors in the Frontier League.  After his college playing days at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Metheny began his pro career in the Seattle Mariners organization playing with the Mariners Rookie League team in Peoria, AZ and at Class A Wisconsin in the Midwest League.  In 2004 and 2005, Brent played for the Mid-Missouri Mavericks in the Frontier League and in 2006 played in the Chicago White Sox organization with the Kannapolis (NC) Intimidators in the South Atlantic League.

For three seasons from 2007-2009, Metheny was in the Northern League at Winnipeg, now a member of the American Association.   An outfielder-infielder in his 11 years as a pro player, Metheny had a career batting average of .303.

His playing career ended with Calgary in 2010 and Edmonton in 2011 in the North American League.

“I am looking forward to working with the Explorers as I feel the American Association is one of the best independent leagues in baseball.  I am confident I can work with the hitters and not only make them better hitters, but hopefully give them an opportunity to earn a call up with an affiliated team,” said Metheny

A native of Moorefield, West Virginia, Metheny teaches in the off season, referees basketball and umpires baseball at the high school level.

“Brent will be a great addition to our organization with his vast experience as a player and most recently as a field manager”, stated X’s field manager, Steve Montgomery.

In other news, after acquiring his rights in a trade with the Laredo Lemurs back in February for exchange for LHP Edgar Osuna, the X’s have signed RHP Alex Caldera to a 2014 contract and the X’s now have 25 players under contract (15 pitchers and 10 position players).

2014 Spring Training Schedule

May 3rd – Day one of Spring Training – Team Practice - 10:00 AM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 4th – Team Practice – 10:00 AM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 5th – Exhibition Game versus Sioux Falls Canaries @ Yankton, SD – 6:05 PM

May 6th –  Team Practice – 12:00 PM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 7th – Exhibition Game versus Lincoln Saltdogs @ Hinton, IA – 6:30 PM

May 8th - Team Practice – 12:00 PM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 9th – Exhibition Game versus Sioux Falls Canaries @ Huron, SD – 7:05 PM

May 10th – Team Practice – 12:00 PM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 11th – Team Practice – 10:00 AM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 12th – Team Practice – 10:00 AM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 13th – Exhibition Game versus Lincoln Saltdogs @ Lincoln, NE – 6:05 PM

May 14th – Team Practice – 7:05 PM – Lewis & Clark Park

May 15th –2014 Regular Season Opener in Sioux Falls, SD

May 16th – Game two of 2014 Regular season in Sioux Falls, SD

May 17th – 2014 HOME OPENER versus Sioux Falls Canaries at 7:05 PM with a post game fireworks show to follow the game and its Magnet Schedule giveaway night presented by Wells Fargo Bank.

*Spring training practice times and location subject to change based on weather

2014 SEASON TICKETS AND INDIVIDUAL TICKETS FOR ALL 50 HOME GAMES ARE ON SALE NOW, RESERVE YOUR 9 INNINGS OF VACATION BY STOPPING DOWN TO THE LEWIS & CLARK PARK BOX OFFICE OR BY CALLING 712-277-WINS (9467).