Generals Return Coaching Staff for the 2019 Season
January 14, 2019 – The Victoria Generals announced today that head coach Michael Oros will return for his fifth season as the Generals look to defend the Texas Collegiate Championship in 2019. Also returning will be assistant coach Jake McMurtry and new to the staff is former Victoria Generals catcher Christian Caudle. This will be the Generals 11th season in the Texas Collegiate League.
“I am excited to have these guys returning as we continue to build on the success we had in 2018, along with the addition of Christian,” commented Mike Yokum, Generals Vice President and General Manager. “We finished the season off with the Championship and having these guys back is important as we look to defend the title in 2019."
Oros, as a player, joined the Generals in the Summer of 2009 out of San Jacinto Junior College where he saw limited action as a freshman. The Generals allowed Oros to develop that first summer with 30 innings of work, compiling a 3-0 record, 1.53 ERA allowing only 5 earned runs with 26 strikeouts. His second season with the Generals, Oros was moved to a starter making 8 starts, tossed 53.1 innings, 2.19 ERA allowing 15 runs, a team leading 49 strikeouts while compiling a 4-1 record. Oros transferred to Sam Houston State University his junior season where he tossed 40.2 innings in relief. His final season as a General, Oros made 12 starts, 69.1 innings pitched with 48 strikeouts while compiling a 3-3 record. Oros is the Generals franchise record holder in wins (10), starts (24), innings pitched (152.0) and strikeouts (123). Oros finished up his collegiate career at Sam Houston as their number one pitcher compiling an 8-1 record with a 2.52 ERA in 78.2 innings of work his senior season.
Oros would go on to play professional baseball for two seasons with the White Sands Pupfish of the Pecos League and the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League. Oros was the Freedom team leader in innings pitched with 87 innings as well as strikeouts with 80. Oros led the Frontier League in ERA with a 2.16 ERA while also being selected as a Frontier League All-Star. This will be Oros' 5th season as head coach and his 9th season with the Generals organization.
Oros and his coaching staff lead the Generals to a 32-19 record in 2018. The Generals hosted the Texarkana Twins in the first round of the playoffs and defeated them 5-3 to advance to the Championship series. The Generals would travel to Acadiana and would fall in game one to the Cane Cutters before coming home and winning the final two games of the series to win their second TCL Championship in team history. Oros has a record of 129-88 overall as the Generals head coach in four season and is the all-time wins leader in franchise history.
"We had an amazing ending to our season and it is great to have another opportunity to lead the Generals as we look to defend the title," commented Oros. "Our goal every season is to win it all and to achieve that motivates me even more as we have put the 2019 team together. We have a solid mix of returners as well as some new faces on our roster and I like our chances for 2019. "
Jake McMurtry, a native of Troy, TX, played his college ball at Sam Houston State University and was a former General on the 2009 and 2012 teams. Both McMurtry and Oros were original members of the 2009 inaugural season for the Generals that went on to win the regular season title. McMurtry would suffer an arm injury that would keep him out of the 2011 season but would return in 2012 for his final season with the Generals. This will be McMurtry's second season as assistant coach for the Generals.
Christian Caudle, a native of the Houston area, will join the coaching staff as the Generals take the field this Summer. Caudle just wrapped up his collegiate career at Texas A&M - Kingsville and is currently a graduate assistant there for the Javelinas baseball team. Caudle was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 37th round of the 2018 MLB draft this past summer. Caudle played for the Generals for three seasons (2015-2017) hitting .295 in 91 games.
The Victoria Generals will play 56 games in 2019 with 28 of the games being played here in Victoria at Riverside Stadium. Season ticket packages are available at the Victoria Generals Team Shop located at 1301 E. Airline in the Town and Country Shopping Center. The 2019 schedule can be found on the Generals website at www.victoriagenerals.com. Follow the Generals on Facebook and Twitter for further updates on the upcoming season.
