Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (5/1)

There have been a few early-season disappointments among the Rangers top prospects. Mostly it’s been the pitchers in Bakersfield, which is quite possibly the worst place in the world for a pitcher to try and put up numbers. RHP Michael Main has struggled mightily. RHP Blake Beavan hasn’t gotten on track like he will eventually. LHP Tim Murphy’s ERA is pretty bloated right now.

But for every one heralded prospect who has struggled so far, there are two major breakouts in progress and none is more stunning than the one being staged by the guy you are looking at right now.

I think it’s official.

A star is born. Or at least another legitimate top prospect.

Triple-A: @ Oklahoma City 8, New Orleans 3 (10 Innings)

LF Brandon Boggs (.250 / .400 / .300) filled up the box score, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base, scoring twice and recording an outfield assist by nailing a runner attempting to stretch a double.

Each of the fist three hitters in the Oklahoma City lineup — CF Julio Borbon (.298 / .366 / .345), SS Joaquin Arias and 3B Esteban German — drove in two runs and stole one base. German delivered the game winning RBI with a single that plated 2B German Duran in the home half of the tenth.

LHP Mike Ballard (3.78 ERA) went five-plus. He made it through the five without allowing a run, but then began the sixth by surrendering a single, a walk and a three-run jack before getting the hook. RHP Brian Corey dealt two perfect frames of relief and RHP Warner Madrigal (2.25 ERA) somehow made it out of the ninth without allowing a run even though he gave up two hits and a walk.

Double-A: Frisco 10 @ San Antonio 2

After five, the RoughRiders trailed 2-1, having gotten only a second-inning solo shot from (who else?) C Manny Pina (.481 / .518 / .731) who ended up going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles to go with his third homer of the year.

That’s 13 games for Pina and he’s hit in every one of them. He’s had multiple hits in eight games. In 56 plate appearances, he’s struck out eight times and has eight hits for extra-bases.

And then the opened up a can on the Missions, pouring on nine runs over the final four frames. 1B Justin Smoak (.351 / .467 / .568) went 3-for-3 with his fourth homer of the year and a pair of walks. I figured Smoak would bypass Bakersfield this year and report directly to Frisco since going to the Cal League to put up circus numbers would have been a waste of developmental time, but I didn’t figure he’d find Texas League pitching this easy. It’s strikes me as equally unlikely that the Rangers would possibly consider optioning Chris Davis to Oklahoma and bring Smoak straight up to Arlington, but at this rate, anything is possible for the 2008 first rounder.

RHP Guillermo Moscoso (1-1; 5.50 ERA) was the beneficiary of the late-inning offensive free-for-all staged by Frisco, hanging in just long enough to be credited with the win. Through five, Moscoso surrendered two runs on three hits and three walks, fanning two. LHP A.J. Murray — whose valiant return to Arlington is blocked only by that thin thread of what remains of Eddie Guardado’s career — delivered another perfect inning of relief, lowering his ERA to 0.87. The Texas League is hitting .147 against the Pirate and if you need somebody to come in and get you a double play ball, he’s your guy. His G/F ratio is 2.00.

Advanced-A: Modesto 6 @ Bakersfield 5

LHP Tim Murphy (7.23 ERA) continued to adjust to the pitching hell that is the Cal League, holding the Nuts to three runs on seven hits and three walks, fanning eight in five innings of work. Hardly a dazzling effort, but that’s two straight respectable outings after three horror shows to start the year.

RF Joey Butler (.229 / .250 / .329) belted a three-run bomb for his only hit in four trips and 1B Mitch Moreland (.325 / .382 / .575) doubled in a 2-for-4 outing.

Class-A: Lakewood 6 @ Hickory 4

After banging out a pair of doubles in four trips, Hickory RF Mike Bianucci (.347 / .407 / .611) has the 16-team Sally League’s fourth highest OPS (1.019). Bianucci, the Rangers 2008 8th rounder out of Auburn, also delivered his 17th RBI of the year, which is the league’s fourth highest total.

LHP Richard Bleier (2-1; 1.14 ERA) suffered the loss as Lakewood got to him for five runs, only two of which were earned, on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work.

After getting some instruction on his stroke from Rangers Farm Director Scott Servais, who was in town for the day, 3B Matt West (.254 / .338 / .343) went 4-for-4 with three RBI’s. West entered the game hitting .206 / .301 / .302 with four RBI’s.