Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/26)

Triple-A: @Omaha 1, Oklahoma City 0

RHP Luis Mendoza (6-6; 4.17) tossed his second complete game in three starts, lasting eight innings and allowing a run on six hits and two walks.

But the offense only mustered four singles and three walks and failed to score a run in support of Mendoza. LF Royce Huffman (.294/.379/.414) was the only RedHawk to reach base twice, with a single and a walk. 1B Justin Smoak (.240/.359/.350) singled once in four plate appearances, and the recently reacquired 3B Travis Metcalf (.375/.375/1.125) singled and stole second.

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Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/25)

One time Ranger 3B Travis Metcalf was designated for assignment by Texas on April 5, despite mashing six home runs in just 56 major league at bats last season. Metcalf was claimed by the Royals, who play about 100 miles from his hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, and spent this season with their triple-A affiliate in Omaha. He struggled, posting a line of .219/.285/.345 in 388 at bats, and the Royals released him just a few days after his 27th birthday.

Texas swooped in, signing Metcalf to a minor league deal and sending him to the triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks. And Metcalf headed right back to Omaha to play against his former club in the final game of a four-game set between the RedHawks and the Royals last night.

Metcalf’s OPS was .630 this year for the Royals. And for the RedHawks? After one game, it’s 2.500 thanks to a 2-4, two homer performance against his former mates.

Welcome back, Mr. Metcalf. (more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/24)

Triple-A:

Game 1 – @Omaha 8, Oklahoma City 3

RHP Bryan Corey (6-7; 5.64) was roughed up for eight runs on ten hits and a walk in 4.2 innings. LHP Mike Hinckley (1-1; 3.15) closed out the seven inning game with 1.1 scoreless innings from the pen.

1B Justin Smoak (.247/.370/.362) went 2-3 with a double. CF Brandon Boggs (.274/.387/.399) also had a 2-3 night, and C Max Ramirez (.237/.313/.339) drove in a pair of runs withs a 2nd inning double. He also walked.

Game 2 – Oklahoma City 4 @ Omaha 2

The pitching was great through six innings for the RedHawks, with RHP Elizardo Ramirez (8-10; 4.67) tossing five innings of five hit, shutout baseball. RHP Pedro Strop (1-1; 7.82) followed with a perfect sixth inning, but RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 2.09) gave up a two-run homer before recording three straight groundouts to end the game.

1B Justin Smoak continued his slow progression through triple-A with a single and three walks in four plate appearances. C Kevin Richardson (.225/.291/.428) and 2B Adam Fox (.217/.217/.261) each went 1-3 with an RBI double from the bottom of the RedHawks’ order. DH Chris Davis (.327/.418/.521) combined an 0-3 game one with an 0-4 game two for an 0-7, three strikeout performance on what could be his final day in Oklahoma City. (more…)

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.

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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.

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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…)

Matt Purke’s Father Discusses Rangers Negotiations

Lawrence Purke says the club knew it would take between $7.2-7.5 million to sign his son and that the Rangers simply never got that far. No indication whether Rangers simply underestimated the Purkes resolve or anything else of a more nefarious origin.

About Last Night: This and That from Texas Rangers 5-4 Loss to Minnesota Twins

The poster boy for the Rangers laissez-faire approach to pitch counts is RHP Kevin Millwood, who is third in the AL in pitches thrown per game. Now the question becomes:  Do the Rangers need to reel him back in a little?

On Wednesday, when the game-time temperature was a steamy 98 degrees, Millwood threw 113 pitches in 5.2 innings, eventually losing a 4-1 lead in the sixth after laboring through a 34-pitch fifth inning. He appeared to be worn down early in the sixth, but it wasn’t until the game was tied that he was pulled.

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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.

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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…)

Weekend In Review

It was a big weekend at InsideCorner, mostly because Evan dished the dirt on the five worst Rangers teammates he’s covered. But there was also something about a playoff chase and a big series against Boston that created quite a buzz.

The Rangers managed to win their series by taking two of three from the Red Sox despite having to put their biggest power threat on the DL. And just when the news that Ian Kinsler would no longer be out — or in the leadoff spot — after a hamstring injury had hampered him, the disabled list claimed another Ranger, as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia will miss at least two weeks with shoulder problems.

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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.

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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…)