LITTLE ROCK — The first day back at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock after a six-game road trip brought changes for the Arkansas Travelers.
Before Wednesday night’s 3-2 loss to Corpus Christi, the Los Angeles Angels assigned Nathan Haynes as the Travelers’ hitting coach, transferred right-hander Eddie McKiernan - the Travs’ scheduled starter Wednesday - to Class AAA Salt Lake and promoted reliever Ryan Chaffee from low Class A Inland Empire to Arkansas.
Haynes replaces Francisco Matos, who took over as Salt Lake’s hitting coach last week. Los Angeles fired Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher and replaced him with Jim Eppard from Salt Lake on May 15.
Matt Oye started on the mound instead for Arkansas on Wednesday, allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 5 innings, earning a no-decision in the Travs’ loss to the Hooks in front of an announced crowd of 3,957.
The Angels placed starting pitcher Jered Weaver on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back injury and called up former Trav Garrett Richards on Tuesday. McKiernan was transferred to Salt Lake on Wednesday, which forced Micucci to start Oye, who was 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 16 appearances before Wednesday.
Arkansas Manager Mike Micucci said he wasn’t sure whether Oye will make another start for the Travs.
“I’m sure he’ll go through a starter’s mode for the next couple of days unless somebody comes up,” Micucci said. “Right now, we’ll plan on him staying in there. We haven’t heard anything.”
Casey Haerther and Roberto Lopez had RBI singles for the Travs in the third inning, but that was it for Arkansas, which outhit Corpus Christi 10-5 but finished 2 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
Jon Singleton homered off Travs reliever Andrew Taylor to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh, and Andy Simunic scored on Jonathan Villar’s sacrifice fly in the eighth for the go-ahead run.
Haynes, a first-round selection (No. 32) of the Oakland Athletics in 1997, arrived in Little Rock on Tuesday - an off-day for the Travs - and began his tenure with the club Wednesday.
“It’s been an adjustment,” Haynes said of his situation. “But that’s what this game is about: Adjustments. It’s another one I have to make. Hopefully I can help these guys out a little bit.”
This is Haynes’ third stint with the Travs. He was a part of the 2001 Texas League championship team and on the final team at Little Rock’s Ray Winder Field in 2006.
“I had some good times here,” said Haynes, a former outfielder who has 12 years in minor league baseball. “Last night, I drove by and took a picture of it [Ray Winder]. ... I have good memories of Little Rock.”
Haynes had been with the Angels’ rookie league team inTempe, Ariz., before getting the promotion to Arkansas.
The Travs entered Wednesday batting a Texas Leagueworst .233, but Haynes said he’ll watch the players the first couple of days before working his approach on them.
“This game is going to get tough,” Haynes said. “There’s going to be tough times. Try not to ride the roller coaster of emotions. Keep grinding and working hard. The hard work will pay off.”
Sports, Pages 23 on 05/31/2012