Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/23)

Triple-A: @Omaha 5, Oklahoma City 4

RHP Brandon McCarthy had by far the longest outing of his rehab stint by lasting seven innings, although he allowed seven hits, three walks and four runs. LHP A.J. Murray (2-2; 3.30) gave up four hits and a walk in 1.2 innings, and he allowed the winning run to score with two outs in the bottom of the 9th.

3B Chris Davis (.342/.433/.544) singled four times in five trips and drove in two runs. 1B Justin Smoak (.235/.353/.347) was 1-3 with a single and two walks, and SS Joaquin Arias (.276/.301/.354) singled three times from the leadoff spot.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/22)

Neftali Feliz was the K machine in the Rangers’ farm system at the onset of the year, having racked up 250 strikeouts in 198.2 career minor league innings. While Feliz could still be called a “prospect” for the moment — his 17 strikeouts in 11.2 major league innings might beg to differ — if you look around, you’ll still find quite a few strikeout artists among the deep pool of young pitching talent the Rangers boast.

Robbie Ross has posted a K/9 ratio of 10.16 with 67 strikeouts in 59.1 innings at Spokane this year. Hickory’s Yoon-Hee Nam has 96 punchouts in 80 innings, good for a ratio of 10.8, while Jose Monegro’s 42 Ks in 27.2 innings has him at 13.66 K/9 in the Arizona League. Then, of course, there’s the completely ridiculous Miguel De Los Santos of the Dominican Summer League, who has 68 strikeouts (and only seven hits allowed) in 31 innings. His ratio is a stupid 19.74.

And now it looks as though 2009 3rd rounder Robbie Erlin could eventually end up joining the club after a pair relief appearances and a very impressive, albeit tiny, sample size. Through two innings, Erlin has fanned six for a K/9 of 27.00. So far, so good.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/21)

Triple-A: Colorado Springs 6 @ Oklahoma City 3

RHP Luis Mendoza (6-5; 4.44) followed up his no-hitter with a 12-hitter. He also walked a batter and allowed six runs in 4.1 innings of work. RHP Jailen Peguero (0-0; 3.86), just signed a week ago after being released by the Angels earlier this year, had his first scoreless outing as a RedHawk, walking two and fanning three in 1.2 innings. RHP Pedro Strop (1-1; 9.28) pitched a shutout inning in his second appearance since being called up from double-A, and RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 1.75) was perfect in the 9th.

3B Royce Huffman (.289/.377/.408) drove in a pair of runs on a single and a sac fly, but struck out in his other two at bats. 1B Chris Davis (.327/.421/.540) also struck out twice, but his double was the only RedHawk hit that went for extra bases. DH Justin Smoak (.239/.354/.356) was 1-2 with a single. He also walked and was hit by a pitch. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/20)

Triple-A: Colorado Springs 13 @ Oklahoma City 3

RHP Kris Benson (3-3; 5.91) took the loss on a six hit, five walk, nine run performance in three innings of work. RHP Josh Rupe (3-7; 7.13) also struggled, allowing three runs in three innings of relief. But LHP A.J. Murray (2-1; 3.22) finally shut the Sky Sox down over the final third of the game, allowing three hits and an unearned run.

1B Chris Davis (.329/.425/.541) singled twice and walked in five trips. He came in to score on a Brandon Boggs (.267/.384/.400) homer, who finished 1-3 with a walk. DH Justin Smoak (.236/.346/.354) singled once in four plate appearances, but RF Nelson Cruz stayed hitless in his rehab assignment, going 0-5 with three strikeouts.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/19)

Triple-A: Colorado Springs 6 @ Oklahoma City 0

This one was ugly. Real ugly.

RHP Brian Corey(6-6; 5.14) allowed four runs on ten hits and a walk in 5.2 innings of work.

The offense fell victim to a combined no-hitter from four Colorado Springs pitchers and managed just three base runners all game. The RedHawk offensive players of the game: DH Chris Davis (.324/.420/.542), who drew two of Oklahoma City’s three walks, and Greg Golson (.270/.314/.360), who went 0-3 but was the only member of the starting lineup to avoid striking out. Yikes. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (8/18)

Triple-A: @Oklahoma City 2, Salt Lake 1  F/10

It was the second straight solid rehab start for RHP Brandon McCarthy, who went 4.2 innings and gave up four hits, a walk, a run, and stuck out five. The lone run to his name came in the 1st inning on a solo shot by Salt Lake RF Terry Evans, who now has 25 homers and 26 stolen bases.

Four relievers combined efforts to shut the Bees down the rest of the way, with RHP Josh Rupe (3-7; 7.06) and RHP Willie Eyre (0-0; 2.45) each tossed 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, and RHP Brian Gordon ( 7-2; 3.26) got the win with a scoreless 10th.

The RedHawks only managed four hits all game, but they walked nine times as a team. Two of the hits came from 2B Jose Vallejo (.233/.318/.349) in the nine spot, who also had an RBI. 1B Justin Smoak (.240/.353/.364) was 0-3 with a pair of strikeouts, but he also walked twice. A rehabbing Nelson Cruz was 0-2 with a walk. Chris Davis was not in the lineup. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/17)

Triple-A: @Oklahoma City 7, Salt Lake 6

RHP Elizardo Ramirez (7-10; 4.86) struggled initially, allowing three runs on five hits in his first two innings of work. But he settled in and held the Bees scoreless over three more innings, giving up just three hits and a walk the rest of the way.

The RedHawks entered the bottom of the 8th trailing 6-1, but managed a six-run rally to give them the lead. LF Casey Benjamin (.233/.336/.343) had two-run bomb in the inning, one of his two hits on the night. 1B Justin Smoak (.245/.352/.371) stayed hot with two singles and a walk in five trips to the plate. Smoak, who led the 8th off with a ground out, came back up with the bases loaded and two out, singling home the tying and go-ahead runs for the last of his three RBI on the night. He’s now hit in six straight games.

3B Chris Davis (.326/.416/.546) also had a pair of singles. RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 1.79) earned his 17th save, allowing only a two-out single in the ninth.  C Max Ramirez (.236/.311/.329) was hitless but walked twice in his first game game back after rehabbing in the Arizona League.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/16)

Saturday was a good day to be a Texas Ranger, even if you haven’t quite made it the show yet. The Rangers beat up on the Red Sox in Arlington, and they went 5-1 on the farm.

Triple-A: Oklahoma City 4 @ Salt Lake 3

Both teams put up all of their runs in one inning, but the RedHawks struck first in the bottom of the 4th. Oklahoma City managed five of their six hits in the inning and posted a four spot courtesy of a pair of two-out RBI hits from DH Royce Huffman (.294/.382/.417) and LF Casey Benjamin (.218/.333/.328). 1B Justin Smoak (.238/.345/.367) walked and singled in four trips to extend his hitting streak to five games. 3B Chris Davis walked but was held hitless and struck out.

RHP Guillermo Moscoso (5-3; 2.17) had a passable start, going 5.2 innings and surrendering four hits, four walks and three runs. He got the win, but it was just the second time in 10 appearances at triple-A that he’s allowed more than two runs.

RHP Willie Eyre (0-0; 2.67) loaded the bases with one out in the 8th, but got a ground ball that turned into an inning-ending double play to maintain the lead. RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 1.87) pitched a relatively calm 9th to earn his 16th save. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/15)

Luis Mendoza threw one inning in Arlington this year, way back on May 2. He entered in the 6th inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox with the Rangers ahead 9-1. After retiring the first two batters he faced, Mendoza allowed a single, a hit batter, a walk, and an AJ Pierzynski grand slam. The 36.00 ERA he left the game with stands today, as he was optioned to Oklahoma City four days after his outing and hasn’t been called back up. For his career, Mendoza owns a 7.73 ERA at the ML level. His numbers this season at triple-A have been solid but unspectacular, and at 25-years-old, he’s nearing an age where he might be starting to outgrow the term “prospect.”

But none of that mattered last night. Mendoza’s final line against the Salt Lake Bees: nine innings, six walks, zero runs, zero hits. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/14)

Triple-A: OFF

Double-A: Frisco 8 @ Tulsa 6 in 10 innings

It got ugly again for LHP Kasey Kiker (7-6; 3.81), who allowed six runs on five hits and four walks in five innings. The RoughRiders used four relievers to pitch a shutout the rest of the way. RHP Pedro Strop (5-5; 4.53) got the win after fanning three Drillers in 1.2 innings.

1B Chad Tracy and 3B Adam Fox provided the offense for Frisco with four homers and seven of the team’s eight RBI between them. Fox (.282/.334/.516) put the Riders on the board with a solo shot in the 2nd, but Frisco didn’t score again until Tracy (.269/.320/.470) belted a 3-run homer in the 8th. Fox followed with his second blast to tie it at six, and Tracy put Frisco ahead for good with a 2-run shot in the 10th.

Ian Kinsler was 0-5 with a strikeout. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/13)

Triple-A: Oklahoma City 4 @ Fresno 3

Brandon McCarthy’s second rehab start went much better than his first, as he pitched three scoreless innings and allowed four base runners. RHP Kris Benson (3-2; 4.85) didn’t allow a run through his first five innings of relief, but couldn’t close out the ninth inning, allowing a walk and a triple before getting yanked. He finished the night with a line of 5.1IP/4H/2R/1BB/3K. RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 1.87) struggled to get the save, giving up three hits and a run before recording the final two outs.

1B Justin Smoak (.220/.325/.340) doubled and walked in five trips, and DH Chris Davis (.321/.409/.542) homered and walked twice, raising his walk total to 19 in 131 at bats. SS Joaquin Arias, C Kevin Richardson, and 2B Jose Vallejo all singled twice.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/12)

So said our own MJH on August 3rd:

I’ve noticed that they don’t like to subject their top pitching prospects to Bakersfield for very long, if at all. My guess is that Martin will spend no more than 4-6 weeks there at some point and may skip it altogether. So there’s really no rush to get him to the Cal League. I’d bet he’ll be in Frisco no later than mid-to-late May, 2010.

Guess who’s tentatively slated to start against the Tulsa Drillers tonight?

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/9)

Triple-A: Oklahoma City 2 @ Fresno 1

SS Joaquin Arias led off the game with a single and RF Dustin Majewski followed with a two-run bomb…and that’s all the RedHawks would get, or need.

RHP Guillermo Moscoso (4-3; 1.89) allowed one run on six hits and a walk, punching out three in 6.1 innnings and LHP Pirate Murray (3.10 ERA), Willie Eyre (2.52) and RHP Warner Madrigal (1.69) blanked the Grizzlies the rest of the way.

3B Chris Davis (.320 / .397 / .508) gave OKC it’s only multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 with a pair of whiffs.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/9)

Check your yard for one of these things.

There’s no telling how many of them are out there.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/8)

Last year, Mitch Moreland led the Midwest League in batting average, OPS, slugging percentage, extra-base hits and RBIs. By virtually every objective measure, Moreland was the best hitter in the Midwest League…and he wasn’t ranked as one of the league’s top-20 prospects according to Baseball America.

When Moreland was at Mississippi State, he was one of the SEC’s best power hitters but he lasted until the 17th round of the 2007 draft. Many scouts believed that his swing was full of holes and would be exposed in wood bat competition. Even the Rangers seemed suspicious of his bat, inviting him to fall instructs…to pitch.

Professional pitchers are still looking for the holes.

With Class-A Clinton last year, Moreland struck out just 67 times in 466 at-bats while drawing 60 walks. This year, he has 66 strikeouts and 42 walks in 451 at-bats between Bakersfield and Frisco and if there ever were big holes in his swing or if his stroke was ever long and loopy, that’s all gone now. With Frisco this year, Moreland has proven to be short to the ball with a level stroke and he’s clearly stamped himself as a legitimate power prospect.

(more…)