GARY, Ind. — Gary SouthShore RailCats left-hander Tony Cogan saved a franchise-record 25 games in 2007 and followed it up with a club-record 2.08 ERA as a starter last season.  Cogan will get a chance for an encore in 2009, today agreeing to terms on a contract that will keep him in Northwest Indiana this summer.

Cogan, 32, was the ace of the RailCats rotation in 2008, allowing only 57 hits in 78.0 innings despite missing nearly two months of the season with an oblique injury.  Cogan’s 2.08 ERA encompassed 13 starts and ranked the southpaw second in the Northern League behind only Winnipeg reliever Brian Beuning.  Remarkably, the Northern League hit just .201 off Cogan all season as the Highland Park, Ill. native surrendered only 18 earned runs in his 13 starts.

Cogan’s season included a number of memorable outings – a personal-best 10 strikeout effort June 1 against Fargo-Moorhead and a seven-inning, two-hit masterpiece August 9 against Kansas City included – but none was better than his mastery of Winnipeg in Game Three of the Northern League Semifinals.  With the best-of-five series tied at one game apiece and the next two games set in Canada, Cogan twirled a complete game in a 5-2 ‘Cats win, allowing only seven Goldeyes to reach base and turning the tide in the series.  The RailCats went on to win Game Four the next night to advance to their fourth straight League Championship Series.

The RailCats won their second league title in 2007 and Cogan was a key part of that team as well, leading the Northern League with 25 saves and posting a 2.77 ERA, earning a spot in the Northern League All-Star Game.  In Cogan’s two years in Gary, he has a 2.34 combined ERA and is holding opposing batters to a meager .217 average.

Cogan enjoyed a rapid rise to the Major Leagues early in his professional career, landing on the Kansas City Royals opening day roster in 2001 despite having only two career appearances above Single-A.  Cogan pitched in 39 games out of the Royals bullpen that year before injuries derailed his in 2002.  Cogan was out of baseball for the next two years before signing with the Sioux Falls Canaries – formerly of the Northern League – where he pitched from 2005-06.

Selected in the 12th round of the Major League Entry Draft by the Royals in 1999, Cogan pitched collegiately at Stanford where he was a teammate of RailCats shortstop Jay Pecci.  Cogan is fifth on the Cardinal’s all-time saves list and set a program record in 1997 when he pitched in 37 games.  As a senior, Cogan won the program’s Most Inspirational Player award, one year after Pecci claimed the same honor.

Cogan is the 16th player to sign a contract for the 2009 season, joining fellow pitchers Aaron Cook, Zach Groh, Brian Halford and Garret Holleran; infielders Pecci, Paul Bartolucci, Jeff Beachum, Brandon Morgan, Eric McNamee, Isaac Omura and Mike Rohde; catchers Anthony Esquer and Brett Wallace; and outfielders Cristian Guerrero and Rob Marconi.  The RailCats expect to have at least 28 players in camp when Spring Training begins May 1.

Cogan and the RailCats open the 2009 season at home Monday, May 18 at 7 p.m. against the Joliet JackHammers.  Season tickets, group outings, mini-plans and flex tickets are now on sale by calling the RailCats at 219.882.2255.  Don’t miss your chance to experience the RailCats Tradition of Excellence in 2009 at U. S. Steel Yard.