Welcome to "Chatter from the Pressbox", the website dedicated to the Pressbox of the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.

Today's Matchups Around the Ranger's System

Today's (5/20) Match-Ups Around the Ranger's System

Round Rock: Martin Perez (3-3 5.27) vs. Fresno Grizzlies: Andrew Kown (3-1 2.61) @ 1:00 PM CT

Myrtle Beach: Kyle Hendricks (1-4 2.91) @ Wilmington Blue Rocks: Sugar Ray Marimon (3-0 2.65) @ 12:30 PM CT

Hickory : Santo Perez (2-2 6.19) @ Asheville Tourists: Daniel Winkler (4-2 6.06) @ 1:05 PM CT



Monday, April 30, 2012

Game 24: Corpus Christi Hooks (Erick Abreu) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Jake Brigham)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (14-9 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (12-11 2 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 5-5
Homestand: 5-2
2012 Series Record: 5-1-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 3-4
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 115-107
Record on April 30 since 2003: 6-3
Starting Pitchers: Jake Brigham (1-1 4.01 ERA) vs. Erick Abreu (2-0 5.50 ERA)

'Riders Crush Hooks: The 'Riders scored at least two runs in four different innings on Sunday evening and responded with a 10-3 victory after losing 10-1 the night before. The 'Riders have now taken two of the first three in the four game set and look to try to take a sixth series in the first seven this season.


Loux Gets #5: Barret Loux tied Trevor Bauer for the most victories in minor league baseball on Sunday with his fifth victory of the season in five starts. Loux gave up six hits, one walk, and two runs over six innings. He also struck out eight batters and hit a batter. Loux made 97 pitches in the start, 57 of which went for strikes.

Season High Hit Total: The 'Riders got offense, offense, and more offense in the blowout win. Five different hitters had three hits. Frisco also got five extra base hits, three of which were home runs. The offense was 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Olt Gets 3/4ths of the Way There: Mike Olt wasn't able to get another at bat, but he finished the game a triple short of the cycle. Olt went 3 for 5 with a double, home run, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. He's hitting .263 over his last 10 games with a .957 OPS. He has hit 6 extra base hits over his last ten games. For the season, Olt has 4 doubles, a triple, and a team leading 6 home runs.

Strausborger Hits His First: Ryan Strausborger continues to show that he's more than just an afterthought in a talented Frisco lineup. Strausborger went 3 for 5 with his first home run of the season, a double, 3 RBI, and 2 runs. He is now hitting .291 on the season thanks to five multi hit games in his last six games. Strausborger is batting .302 with an .815 OPS at Dr. Pepper Ballpark this season.


Hawpe Scores Four Times: Brad Hawpe continues to roll at the plate, though that should not be much of a surprise for the former Major League All-Star. Hawpe went 3 for 4 with a walk, home run, 2 RBI, and 4 runs. He is batting .353 with a .500 on base percentage over his last 10 games, including a .432 average against right handed pitching for the season overall.

The Under Age Players: With Jonathan Singleton and Oscar Taveras among the Texas League leaders in OPS and Jurickson Profar surging, it got me to research more into the amount of 20 year olds or younger that have had success in the Texas League. Using a .750 OPS as the base line, over the past 20 years there have been 20 players 20 years old or younger that have had an OPS above that. The number includes the trio of players this year. Both Taveras and Singleton have an OPS above 1.000, which is quite amazing given their ages. For players like Taveras and Profar it's especially impressive that they have had the kind of success they have, while skipping high-A altogether. Notable names that have ranked on there are in recent seasons Mike Trout (2011), Eric Hosmer (2010), and Colby Rasmus (2007). The only other year with three players was 1998 with Adrian Beltre, Ruben Mateo, and Peter Bergeron.


Legend of Erick Abreu: If there is one pitcher that comes to mind that Frisco continues to see, it is tonight's starter for Corpus Christi, Erick Abreu. The right hander has been in the Texas League since 2009. Tonight marks his 25th career appearance against the 'Riders, including his 9th start. He has a 2.42 ERA and 0.88 WHIP against Frisco, with a 4-2 record. Abreu has struggled this year in his 2 appearances against Frisco, as he has given up 8 runs (5 earned) over 2 1/3 innings.


Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP C.J. Wilson (Los Angeles Angels) vs. Minnesota Twins
RHP Joe Wieland (San Diego Padres) vs. Milwaukee Brewers


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 6

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 106

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 880




As always...
 
A special thanks to any blog followers from Burnt Corn, AL!
 
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter 
Follow the Extra Bases Live Blog throughout the Game at: http://www.milb.com/multimedia/page.jsp?ymd=20100305&content_id=8685092&vkey=multimedia_t540&fext=.jsp&sid=t540
And Check Out the Riders Insider Blog for more Frisco RoughRiders info: http://ridersinsider.mlblogs.com/


- Michael Damman

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Game 22: Corpus Christi Hooks (Ross Seaton) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Carlos Pimentel)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (13-8 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (11-10 2 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W2
Last 10: 5-5
Homestand: 4-1
2012 Series Record: 5-1-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 2-3
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 114-106
Record on April 28 since 2003: 5-3
Starting Pitchers: Carlos Pimentel (2-0 0.00 ERA) vs. Ross Seaton (0-2 5.40 ERA)

'Riders Crush Hooks in Victory: Frisco scored two runs in the first inning and never let up from there on out. With one run in the fourth inning, six runs in the fifth inning, and three more runs in the sixth inning, the 'Riders took a commanding 12-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning and defeated the Hooks by that score.

Grimm Dominant: Fresh off a subpar start in his last outing against the Corpus Christi Hooks, Justin Grimm returned to his previous form as he gave up four hits, one walk, and struck out nine over six strong innings. Grimm made 98 pitches, 65 of which went for strikes, and induced 7 ground outs to 2 fly outs. On the season, Grimm is now 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA. He has given up 20 hits and 6 walks over 28 1/3 innings pitched and struck out 27 batters.

Straus With 3 Hits: Ryan Strausborger increased his batting average to .286 with a 3 for 4 game, including 3 RBI, 3 runs, and a walk. It was Ryan Strausborger's fourth straight multi hit game. He has a .351 on base percentage this season and has scored 12 runs in 18 games.

Rodriguez Continues To Hit: After hitting the game winning hit on Thursday, Guilder Rodriguez went 3 for 5 with a RBI and a run scored. Rodriguez is now hitting .333 for the season with a .375 on base percentage. It was his third multi hit game in the last 10 games and second 3 hit game in the last 10 games. Rodriguez is batting .500 (4 for 8) this season against left handed pitching.

Proar Extends XBH Streak: Jurickson Profar did not have as many hits as the night before, but it was his triple in the first inning that helped set the tone for the game. The triple also extended his extra base hit streak to seven games. Profar finished 1 for 4 with the triple, walk, and 2 runs scored. His batting average is up to .241 now and his slugging percentage sits at .494. He has eight extra base hits over the last ten games and is batting .302 with a 1.039 OPS in Dr. Pepper Ballpark.

Home Runs in Bunches: Speaking of power, Chris McGuiness hit his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning. It marked his second game in a row with a home run and his fifth home run in the last ten games. He had three games in a row with a home run from April 16th-19th and now has two games in a row with a home run the last two nights. Four of his five home runs have come at home. McGuiness finished 1 for 5 with a home run, 3 RBI, and 2 runs.

Walk Sombrero's: Brad Hawpe and Mike Olt each walked three times in the game. Mike Olt finished 0 for 2 with the 3 walks and 2 runs. Brad Hawpe went 1 for 2 with 3 walks, and a run scored.

Special Guests In Attendance: There are few things tougher than a bus ride in minor league baseball. The one thing that might be tougher would be a car ride around the country traveling to minor league baseball games. However, Matt Lawell and Carolyn Lawell are attempting to do that this season. Tonight they will be at Dr. Pepper Ballpark for Frisco's game against the Corpus Christi Hooks. You can follow their journey at http://aminorleagueseason.com/ and follow them on twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/AMinorLgSeason

Former 'Riders on the Mound

RHP Guillermo Moscoso (Colorado Rockies) vs. New York Mets
RHP Neil Ramirez (Round Rock) @ Oklahoma City Redhawks
RHP Tanner Roark (Syracuse Chiefs) vs. Charlotte Knights


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 5

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 98

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 809



As always...
 
A special thanks to any blog followers from Effingham, IL!
 
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter 
Follow the Extra Bases Live Blog throughout the Game at: http://www.milb.com/multimedia/page.jsp?ymd=20100305&content_id=8685092&vkey=multimedia_t540&fext=.jsp&sid=t540
And Check Out the Riders Insider Blog for more Frisco RoughRiders info: http://ridersinsider.mlblogs.com/


- Michael Damman

Friday, April 27, 2012

Game 21: Corpus Christi Hooks (Jarred Cosart) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Justin Grimm)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (12-8 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (11-9 1 game back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 5-5
Homestand: 3-1
2012 Series Record: 5-1-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 1-3
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 113-106
Record on April 27 since 2003: 3-5
Starting Pitchers: Justin Grimm (3-1 2.01 ERA) vs. Jarred Cosart (1-0 0.00 ERA)

'Riders Take Series with Extra Inning Marathon: The Frisco RoughRiders wrapped up their 5th series win in the first six series with a 6-5 victory over the San Antonio Missions in 13 innings. In a game where Frisco led twice and San Antonio had a runner at third in five of the final six innings, it was Frisco who finally came out on top. The 'Riders now open a four game set with the second place Corpus Christi Hooks, who are the only team to defeat Frisco in a series this season.

Tim Murphy Sharp: Tim Murphy came into Thursday's game without a win and without any real sharp starts. On Thursday, although he did not get the win, he was very sharp. Murphy went five scoreless innings, the longest he has gone in a start, and allowed one hit, one walk, and hit one batter, while striking out four batters. Murphy threw 74 pitches, 49 of them for strikes, and induced 1 groundout to 6 flyouts. It was his best start since missing 2010 with Tommy John Surgery.

Guilder Rodriguez Sends Everyone Home: Not exactly known for his power, Guilder Rodriguez entered the game with one career homerun in 3,045 career plate appearances. So when Guilder Rodriguez crushed a ball on a 3-2 count down the left field line, saying it got the dugout going crazy would be an understatement. Unfortunately for Guilder, the ball hooked foul and was just one of four fouls after he had reached 2 strikes on him early. Guilder worked the count full in what ended up being a 10 pitch at bat. On the 10th pitch, Rodriguez drove a single to center field to score Chris McGuiness from second base in the 13th inning. The single by a player who didn't even start the game, gave Frisco the win in the 13th inning, one night after they had lost in 11 innings.

Profar With Big Game: Jurickson Profar keeps adjusting at the plate and the 19 year old, who's talent has been there all year, is starting to show what he can do when he's on a roll. Jurickson extended his hitting streak to 8 games with a 2 for 5 game, including a walk and 2 doubles. Both doubles were hard hit line drives. It was Profar's sixth straight game with an extra base hit. He also made a terrific game saving play in the 9th inning, robbing Cody Decker of a potential game winning hit. With the bases loaded, Decker hit a hard groundball up the middle. Profar dove for the ball and from the edge of the centerfield grass flipped from the glove to Guilder Rodriguez, who was covering second base.

Prince's Big Game: Virtually no player was as important as Jared Prince in Thursday's game. The right fielder from Washington, went 3 for 4 with a double, RBI, hit by pitch, a key sacrifice bunt in the 13th inning, and a potential game saving diving catch in the 10th inning.

Beltre Does Damage Early: Engel Beltre, who was batting 3rd in the game on Thursday, had 2 RBI singles in the first three innings of the game, including one on an infield single to the pitcher. Beltre also stole second and third on back to back pitches in the game. The steal of third base was on a huge jump off the pitcher and he got into third base without a throw. Beltre finished 2 for 6 in the game. He now has 13 RBI for the season, which leads the team.

McGuiness Slams #4: Chris McGuiness went 2 for 5 in the game with a walk, RBI, and 2 runs scored. The big hit came on an opposite field homerun against Robbie Erlin to lead off the 6th inning. The blast made the game a 1 run game after Frisco had just given up the lead in the top of the inning. McGuiness scored the game winning run in the 13th inning when he singled to leadoff the inning, was sacrificed over to second base and scored on the single by Guilder Rodriguez.

Erlin Not So Dominant: In his second start back in Frisco since the trade at the deadline last July, Erlin was not as dominant as his first start back in Frisco last August. Erlin went 6 innings and struck out 9 batters in his last start. Last night, however, he went 5 innings and gave up 9 hits and 4 runs (3 earned), while striking out 6 batters.  He didn't receive a decision, although he left the game with his team leading. Erlin still searches for his first win of 2012 like Tim Murphy after last night's start.



Former 'Riders on the Mound

RHP Blake Beavan (Seattle Mariners) @ Toronto Blue Jays
LHP Matt Harrison (Texas Rangers) vs. Tampa Bay Rays
LHP John Danks (Chicago White Sox) vs. Boston Red Sox
LHP Martin Perez (Round Rock Express) @ Oklahoma City Redhawks
RHP Jesse Chavez (Las Vegas 51s) vs. Tacoma Rainiers


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 5

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 96

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 772



As always...
A special thanks to any blog followers from Oakland, CA!
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter 
Follow the Extra Bases Live Blog throughout the Game at: http://www.milb.com/multimedia/page.jsp?ymd=20100305&content_id=8685092&vkey=multimedia_t540&fext=.jsp&sid=t540
And Check Out the Riders Insider Blog for more Frisco RoughRiders info: http://ridersinsider.mlblogs.com/


- Michael Damman

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Game 20: San Antonio Missions (Robbie Erlin) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Tim Murphy)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (11-8 First Place in the Texas League South)... San Antonio Missions (7-12 4 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: L1
Last 10: 5-5
Homestand: 2-1
2012 Series Record: 4-1-0  
2012 Record against San Antonio: 2-1
All-Time Record against San Antonio: 125-126
Record on April 25 since 2003: 4-3
Starting Pitchers: Tim Murphy (0-2 9.90 ERA) vs. Robbie Erlin (0-0 1.69 ERA)

'Riders Tie in Ninth, Lose in Eleven Innings: Frisco scored 3 runs in the first inning and led 4-3 through the first four innings. San Antonio tied the game in the 5th inning, however, and took a lead in the top of the 9th on an Ali Solis homerun. Frisco tied it in the bottom of the 9th, however, with a 2 out, 2 strike RBI double by Brad Hawpe. After a Ryan Strausborger flyout in to deep centerfield, the game went to extra innings. San Antonio scored a run in the 11th on a RBI single by Jeudy Valdez and Frisco could not start a rally in the bottom of the 11th. The extra innings loss ended Frisco's 3 game home, extra innings winning streak.


Brigham Goes Seven: Jake Brigham wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. He gave up 7 hits, 3 walks, and 4 runs over 7 innings and struck out 6 batters. He sat low 90s with his fastball and hit as high as 95 on the radar gun. On the season he is 1-1 with a 4.07 ERA. He has given up 23 hits and 9 walks over 24 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.

Profar On the Rise: Jurickson Profar went 2 for 5 on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 7 games. He hit a triple, drove in a run, scored a run, took a walk, and stole 2 bases. He has 5 extra base hits over his last 5 games and 6 over his last 10. He also is 4 for 4 in stolen base attempts. Both of his triples have come from the right handed side, while his 3 doubles and 3 homeruns have come from the left handed side. In his 9 games in Dr. Pepper Ballpark, Profar is batting .294/.368/.618/.986.

Speed: The Frisco RoughRiders took advantage of a slow combination of pitcher and catcher, to steal five bases in the first three innings. Profar had two, while Engel Beltre, Leury Garcia, and Ryan Strausborger each added one as well. For Leury Garcia, it was his first stolen base attempt of the season. All four of the players are the fastest on the team.

Triples Pace: With another triple by Profar on Wednesday, the Frisco RoughRiders are now on pace for 103 triples on the season. Their previous team high is 45 by the 2004 club. Frisco already has 14 triples this season. The record for most triples by a team in the Texas League is 110 by the Houston Buffaloes in 1924.


Garcia RBI: Leury Garcia went 2 for 5 to raise his season average to a team best .318 and also extended his hitting streak to 9 games. He also drove in a run for a second straight game after having 0 in the first 15 games.

Extra Bases Chat: Last night was the first night that we have used the Extra Bases chat this season. We will be using that all season long like we used it last season. Join in on the fun for tonight and the rest of the season! The chat will begin 15-20 minutes before first pitch every game. To join, click here.



Former 'Riders on the Mound

RHP Luis Mendoza (Kansas City Royals) @ Cleveland Indians
RHP Edinson Volquez (San Diego Padres) vs. Washington Nationals
LHP Michael Kirkman (Round Rock Express) @ Oklahoma City Redhawks
LHP Robbie Erlin (San Antonio Missions) @ Frisco RoughRiders
RHP Kyle Hendricks (Myrtle Beach Pelicans) vs. Frederick Keys


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 5

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 96

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 744



As always...
A special thanks to any blog followers from Oakland, CA!
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter 
Follow the Extra Bases Live Blog throughout the Game at: http://www.milb.com/multimedia/page.jsp?ymd=20100305&content_id=8685092&vkey=multimedia_t540&fext=.jsp&sid=t540
And Check Out the Riders Insider Blog for more Frisco RoughRiders info: http://ridersinsider.mlblogs.com/


- Michael Damman

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Game 19: San Antonio Missions (Hayden Beard) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Jake Brigham)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (11-7 First Place in the Texas League South)... San Antonio Missions (6-12 5 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W2
Last 10: 6-4
Homestand: 2-0
2012 Series Record: 4-1-0  
2012 Record against San Antonio: 2-0
All-Time Record against San Antonio: 125-125
Record on April 25 since 2003: 4-6
Starting Pitchers: Jake Brigham (1-1 3.57 ERA) vs. Hayden Beard (0-2 7.43 ERA)

'Riders Take Lead Early, Hang On: Frisco scored 3 runs in the first inning and two runs in the third inning and defeated the San Antonio Missions 7-2 on Tuesday night. Frisco have taken the first two games against the Missions 

Loux Gets "W": Barret Loux once again kept the opposing offense in check, as he gave up 6 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run over 6 innings with 5 strikeouts. Loux gave up an early run in the 2nd inning and then faced very little danger over the final four innings. Loux earned his fourth win of the season, which tied him with six other pitchers, including Trevor Bauer and Jordan Lyles, for the most in minor league baseball. Barret's ERA rose from 1.15 to 1.25 in the start.

Offense Productive: Every player in Frisco's lineup reached base at least once on Tuesday and eight of the nine hitters had at least one hit. The only player without a hit was Brad Hawpe, who went 0 for 3 with a walk and three strikeouts. The offense recorded four extra base hits, including two more triples for the season.

Profar-Olt Combination: Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt continued their extra base hit parade. Profar went 1 for 5 with a triple and 2 runs scored. He reached base on a three base error on a dropped flyball in centerfield. Profar's triple came in the 1st inning, and was followed up by a homerun for Mike Olt. Olt finished the game 1 for 3 with the homerun, 2 RBI, 2 runs, and a walk. His homerun off Andrew Werner was his second homerun this season off of left handed pitchers. Olt currently leads the team with homeruns overall with 5. Over their last 10 games, Olt and Profar have combined for 12 extra base hits.

Garcia Extends Hit Streak: Leury Garcia used a RBI single in the 3rd inning to extend his hitting streak to 8 games. He finished the game 1 for 4.

Curse of the Junior PA: Frisco has had 8 home games this season and so far, the first batter after the "Junior PA", which takes place before the bottom of the 2nd inning, is 0 for 8. There have been four strikeouts, three groundouts, and a flyout.



Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP C.J. Wilson (Los Angeles Angels) @ Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Scott Feldman (Texas Rangers) vs. New York Yankees
RHP Joe Wieland (San Diego Padres) vs. Washington Nationals
RHP Doug Mathis (Pawtucket Red Sox) vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 5

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 88

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 710


As always...
 
A special thanks to any blog followers from Canberra, Australia!
 
 
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Game 18: San Antonio Missions (Andrew Werner) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Barret Loux)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (10-7 First Place in the Texas League South)... San Antonio Missions (6-11 4 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 6-4
Homestand: 1-0
2012 Series Record: 4-1-0  
2012 Record against San Antonio: 1-0
All-Time Record against San Antonio: 124-125
Record on April 24 since 2003: 5-4
Starting Pitchers: Barret Loux (3-0 1.15 ERA) vs. Andrew Werner (0-2 5.51 ERA)

'Riders Take First in Four Game Set: Frisco got 1 run in the 3rd and 1 run in the 4th and survived a solo home run and error in the 9th inning with 2 outs to defeat the San Antonio Missions 2-1. Dating back to last season, Frisco has taken 4 of the last 5 regular season games from the Missions. 

Pimentel Continues Surge: Few pitchers have shown as much improvement early on as Carlos Pimentel. Last season, Carlos struggled at times for the 'Riders en route to a 7-9 4.74 ERA season for Frisco. This season, however, Pimentel began the season in the bullpen and after 10 1/3 innings of dominant pitching, he has moved back into the rotation to replace Miguel De Los Santos, who was placed on the DL. In the start, Pimentel went 5 shutout innings, while allowing just 2 hits. He struck out 4 batters and did not issue a walk. Pimentel has pitched 15 1/3 innings this season now and has given up 5 hits, 5 walks, and struck out 20 batters. Right handed hitters are hitting .097 (3 for 31) against Pimentel this season now with a .281 OPS.

He Likes Home: Leury Garcia continued his home demolition early on in the season on Monday. Garcia went 1 for 2 with a triple, walk, and run scored. At home, Garcia is now batting .360 with a .560 slugging percentage through 7 games. He has hit a double and 2 triples in the 7 games in Dr. Pepper Ballpark. On the road, Garcia is hitting .281 with a .375 slugging percentage. He has 1 double and 1 triple in 10 games there. 

Extra Base Hits: Garcia wasn't the only hitter that hit an extra base hit on Monday. Frisco had 4 hits as a team in the game, but three of them went for extra bases. Engel Beltre went 1 for 4 with a double and Jurickson Profar went 1 for 4 with a double. Chris McGuiness had the lone other hit.

Hurley To Relief: Reliever Trevor Hurley, who struggled with command his last time through Frisco, pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief. He struck out 2 and walked 1, while not allowing a base hit.

Yan Gets Save: Johan Yan earned his fifth save of the season, despite giving up a solo homerun in the 9th inning to Nathan Freiman, which cut the lead to 2-1. After an error by Jurickson Profar allowed the potential tying run to reach first base, Yan got Jason Hagerty to ground out to Leury Garcia to end the game. Yan's 5th save is the most in the Texas League. 

Among the Best Starts: The 'Riders 10-7 record this season is tied for the second best record in 'Riders history through the first 17 games. It ties the 2007 season and trails only the 2008 season, which had a 13-4 start. In 2007, the 'Riders finished 85-55 and were named the best Double-A team that season.

Loux Goes for Magic #4: With a win today, Barret Loux would tie Trevor Bauer (Mobile Bay Bears), Scott Diamond (Rochester Red Wings), Eric Hacker (Fresno Grizzlies), and Wil Savage (Albuquerque Isotopes) for the most wins in minor league baseball.


Former 'Riders on the Mound

RHP Tommy Hunter (Baltimore Orioles) vs. Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Omar Poveda (Jacksonville Suns) @ Mobile BayBears


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 4

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 85

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 671


As always...
A special thanks to any blog followers from Panama City Beach, FL!
Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Monday, April 23, 2012

Game 17: San Antonio Missions (Keyvius Sampson) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Miguel De Los Santos)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (9-7 Tied for First Place in the Texas League South)... San Antonio Missions (6-10 3 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: L3
Last 10: 5-5
Road Trip: 1-3
2012 Series Record: 4-1-0  
2012 Record against San Antonio: 0-0
All-Time Record against San Antonio: 123-125
Record on April 23 since 2004: 1-5
Starting Pitchers: Miguel De Los Santos (0-2 6.08 ERA) vs. Keyvius Sampson (1-0 3.07 ERA)

'Riders Drop First Series of 2012: Frisco gave up 1 run in the 4th and 4 runs in the 5th and lost 5-3 to the Corpus Christi Hooks. Frisco lost 3 of 4 to Corpus Christi and is now tied for first place with the Midland Rockhounds in the Texas League South.

Grimm Takes First Loss: Not used to losing at the AA level, Justin Grimm took his first loss of 2012 and first loss in AA. Grimm gave up 9 hits, 1 walk, and 5 runs (4 earned) over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out 1 batter as well. Grimm's ERA rose from 0.50 to 2.01 with the start. He is now 10-4 in 29 career minor league starts.

Top of the Order to You: The 'Riders top of the order produced well in terms of extra base hits in the game.Engel Beltre went 1 for 4 with his 4th triple of the season and also scored a run. Shortstop Jurickson Profar went 1 for 3 with a double, run, and sac fly (RBI). Mike Olt finished off the "combined cycle" between the three with a single and homerun as part of a 2 for 4 day. Olt drove in 2 runs and scored one of his own. Olt's homerun tied him with Beltre for the team lead with four on the season. 


Outfield Assists: Engel Beltre and Ryan Strausborger each had an outfield assist in the game. For Beltre, it was his 3rd on the short season and for Strausborger, it was his 7th already. The outfield assist was Beltre's second of the series with Corpus Christi and doubled up Kody Hinze at first base. Strausborger's assist nabbed Andrew Simunic trying to stretch a single into a double.

Young Effective: Corey Young put up more zeros on the scoreboard as he pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Young has appeared in 5 games this season and hasn't allowed a run in 4 of those appearances. Through 8 2/3 innings, Young has given up 8 hits, 1 walk, and has recorded 5 strikeouts. Left handed hitters are batting .182 against the southpaw reliever.

Jarred Cosart Shines: In his second start for the Hooks, top prospect Jarred Cosart (rated as the 50th best prospect by Baseball America) pitched 5 shutout innings. Cosart gave up 4 hits and struck out 5, while not allowing a walk. Through 9 1/3 innings this season, Cosart has given up 8 hits, 3 walks, and struck out 9. He has not allowed a run yet. The 21 year old right hander from League City, TX, was acquired by the Houston Astros in the Hunter Pence deal at the trade deadline last season.

Flores Gets Second Appearance vs. Former Team: A quality reliever for the 'Riders last season and a press box favorite, Adalberto Flores got his second appearance against Frisco on Sunday. The second time around was not as good as the first though, as Flores gave up 4 hits and 3 runs over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out 2 batters and gave up the homerun to Mike Olt. Last season for the RoughRiders, Flores appeared in 41 games. He gave up 72 hits and 38 walks over 81 1/3 innings. Flores struck out 80 batters and posted a 3.32 ERA with an opponent's average of .236.


Separated At Birth?: I usually don't do this, but when I was looking up the pitcher that is going against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans today for the Frederick Keys, I had to do a bit of a double take. I may be the only one that finds them similar, but doesn't Kyle Simon's face in this picture ( http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=605473 ) look like former 'Rider and current Texas Ranger, Derek Holland? He's bigger than Holland and you can tell that, but still.


'Former Riders on the Mound

LHP Derek Holland (Texas Rangers) vs. New York Yankees
RHP Eric Hurley (Salt Lake Bees) @ Tuscon Padres


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 3

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 83

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 651


As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Campechuela, Granma, Cuba!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Game 16: Frisco RoughRiders (Justin Grimm) @ Corpus Christi Hooks (Jarred Cosart)

Time: 1:05 PM CT
Location: Whataburger Field (Corpus Christi, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (9-6 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (7-8 2 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: L2
Last 10: 6-4
Road Trip: 1-2
2012 Series Record: 4-0-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 1-2
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 113-105
Record on April 22 since 2004: 5-2
Starting Pitchers: Justin Grimm (3-0 0.50 ERA) vs. Jarred Cosart (0-0 0.00 ERA)

'Riders Get In Trouble Early, Lose Second Straight: the RoughRiders pitching didn't pitch like they have and the 'Riders gave up a run in five of the first six innings, including 4 runs in the 3rd and 6th. Frisco looks to split the series today with a win, or drop their first series of the season with a loss. They are 3-1 on the final games of each series so far this season.

Murphy Struggles: Still on the mend from Tommy John Surgery, Tim Murphy has struggled in each of his first three starts. On Saturday, Murphy gave up 4 hits, walked 3, and gave up 5 runs over 2 1/3 innings with 2 strikeouts. Overall on the season now, Murphy has given up 15 hits, 5 walks, hit 3 batters, and given up 11 earned runs in 10 innings. He also has 5 strikeouts as well.

'Riders Offense Not Quiet, Not "Clutch": Frisco did not lack baserunners throughout the game. Like the big league club on Saturday, Frisco had plenty of hits. Unlike the big league club, however, the 'Riders couldn't get them home. Frisco slugged out a season high 14 hits, including 5 players with 2 or more hits in the game. They went just 3 for 12 with runners in scoring position, however, and left 9 men on base. The team also struck out 11 times and did not walk in the game.

Beltre Continues Surge: Engel Beltre hasn't stopped yet in making progression as a hitter. Beltre led off the game with a homerun and added a single later in the game. He finished 2 for 5, although he did strikeout 2 times as well. Beltre leads the team in homeruns, RBI, steals, and is 2nd on the team in OPS behind Brad Hawpe. There are the downsides, though, in that Beltre's strikeout percentage is still at the same level it was in 2011 and his walk rate has not gone up that much (6.7%, up from 5.8%). His BABIP is slightly higher, but not unsustainable (.316). His ISO of .328, however, is higher than Beltre's ISO in the previous three seasons combined.

Leury On Fire: Since starting 3 for 17 through the first four games for Frisco, Leury Garcia is hitting .368 with an .816 OPS over his last 10 games, including 4 multi hit games. Garcia added a 2 for 4 game on Saturday to bring his average to .309 for the season. The switch handed hitter leads the team in batting average and is tied with Engel Beltre for the team lead in hits. Overall on the season, Garcia has a .740 OPS right now.

Guilder Adds 3 Hits: Guilder Rodriguez went 3 for 4 for the 'Riders with a RBI and a stolen base. The three hits brings him to 248 as a RoughRider, putting him 2 short of the 250 mark. He's now at 120 runs and 83 RBI as a 'Rider as well.

Top Pitching Performances Added: Like last year, I will track the top pitching performances in the Texas Ranger's minor league system, quantified by game score. It's not a stat I am in love with, but it's a nice way to show the best and worst starts by one stat. After yesterday's game, there have now been 62 starts in the Ranger's system, which means that the top 30 best and 30 worst starts could be filled completely. So far, the best comes from Myrtle Beach right hander Cody Buckel and the worst comes from Round Rock right hander Mark Hamburger, who has since been moved back to the bullpen.


Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP John Danks (Chicago White Sox) @ Seattle Mariners
RHP Neil Ramirez (Round Rock Express) @ New Orleans Zephyrs
RHP Guillermo Moscoso (Colorado Springs Sky Sox) @ Las Vegas 51s
RHP Jesse Chavez (Las Vegas 51s) vs. Colorado Springs Sky Sox
RHP Tanner Roark (Syracuse Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bisons


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 3

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 81

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 628


As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Houston, TX!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Game 15: Frisco RoughRiders (Tim Murphy) @ Corpus Christi Hooks (Jake Buchanan)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Whataburger Field (Corpus Christi, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (9-5 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (6-8 3 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: L1
Last 10: 6-4
Road Trip: 1-1
2012 Series Record: 4-0-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 1-1
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 113-104
Record on April 21 since 2004: 4-4
Starting Pitchers: Tim Murphy (0-1 7.04 ERA) vs. Jake Buchanan (0-0 3.97 ERA)

RoughRiders Shutout For First Time in 2012: Frisco entered Friday as the only team in the Texas League that had not been shutout this season. They ended the night as the last victim of the shutout. The Corpus Christi Hooks got stellar pitching and defeated the 'Riders 6-0.

Brigham Struggles: Jake Brigham stayed in the game longer than he had in his previous two starts this season. However, he also struggled more than he had in his previous two starts. Brigham brought a 1.64 ERA into his start, but left with a loss and a 3.57 ERA. In 6 2/3 innings, Brigham gave up 8 hits, 2 walks, and 5 runs. He did strikeout 5 batters and induced 9 groundouts to 3 flyouts. With 2 more homeruns, Jake has also given up 4 homeruns in 17 2/3 innings this season.

All About Third Base: Engel Beltre went 1 for 4 in the game, but his one hit was a triple to right centerfield to leadoff the game. More importantly, it was a triple off of a southpaw. Beltre has struggled in his time in the minor leagues against left handed pitching. This season, so far, he is batting .250 with a .786 OPS. The sample size is small, so we will wait until later in the season to draw conclusions over whether this may be a real break through or not. Beltre also had an outfield assist, as he threw out Hooks second baseman Jose Martinez trying to go 1st to 3rd on a single.

A 'Rider Killer: Brandon Barnes continued his assault on Frisco RoughRiders pitching. Over the last two seasons, Barnes is hitting .311 with a .991 OPS against 'Riders pitching. With 2 more homeruns on Friday, he brought his total to 4 homeruns and 7 total extra base hits in 12 games. He has 8 RBI and has scored 10 runs. Overall this season, Barnes is hitting .385 with 3 homeruns and 11 RBI in 13 games.


Struggles with RISP: The 'Riders are batting .194 with RISP (7 for 36) over their last 4 games, including 4 for 20 over the last two games against the Hooks. On Friday they were 0 for 10 with RISP.

A First in 2012: Just like the game was the first time that the 'Riders have been shutout in 2012, it was also the first time that they haven't scored on the opposing starting pitcher. They were the only remaining team in the Texas League to say that. Overall, opposing starting pitchers have a 4.03 ERA when they face the 'Riders, which is third worst in the Texas League behind the Tulsa Drillers (5.34) and Corpus Christi Hooks (4.73). 

Former 'Riders on the Mound: 

LHP Matt Harrison (Texas Rangers) @ Detroit Tigers- Game 1
RHP Neftali Feliz (Texas Rangers) @ Detroit Tigers- Game 2
RHP Blake Beavan (Seattle Mariners) vs. Chicago White Sox
RHP Luis Mendoza (Kansas City Royals) vs. Toronto Blue Jays
LHP Martin Perez (Round Rock Express) @ New Orleans Zephyrs
RHP Tanner Roark (Syracuse Chiefs) vs. Buffalo Bisons
LHP Robbie Erlin (San Antonio Missions) vs. Midland Rockhounds


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 3

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 75

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 601


As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Marietta, GA!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Friday, April 20, 2012

Game 14: Frisco RoughRiders (Jake Brigham) @ Corpus Christi Hooks (Brett Oberholtzer)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Whataburger Field (Corpus Christi, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (9-4 First Place in the Texas League South)... Corpus Christi Hooks (5-8 4 games back in the Texas League South)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 7-3
Road Trip: 1-0
2012 Series Record: 4-0-0  
2012 Record against Corpus Christi: 1-0
All-Time Record against Corpus Christi: 113-103
Record on April 20 since 2003: 4-3
Starting Pitchers: Jake Brigham (1-0 1.64 ERA) vs. Brett Oberholtzer (0-0 9.35 ERA)

'Riders Take First Division Game of 2012: After beginning the season with twelve games against teams in the Texas League North division, Frisco defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks 10-0 for their first win against a division opponent. The 'Riders scored 3 runs in the 1st inning, added another in the 3rd, 4 more in the 6th, and 2 in the 8th.

Loux Dominant: For the second time in three starts, Barret Loux pitched at least 5 innings without giving up a run. The 6 foot 5 right hander gave up 1 hit and walked 2 while striking out 8 batters in the start. Loux's ERA is now down to 1.15 and he moved his record to 3-0, tying Justin Grimm for the team lead in wins. Loux needed 81 pitches in the start, of which 51 went for strikes.

Not Quite McGuiness Book of World Records, but...: For a third consecutive game, Frisco's first baseman Chris McGuiness hit a homerun. It also was his third homerun for the season. Overall for the game, McGuiness went 2 for 5 with 4 RBI, including a double. For the season, he is hitting .231 with 7 RBI and an .821 OPS. He has a .910 OPS against right handed pitchers.

Olt's Breakout: Third baseman Mike Olt reached base a season best four times on Thursday as he went 2 for 3 with a homerun, RBI, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Olt has struggled a bit so far with a .239 average, but still boasts an .827 OPS thanks to a .500 slugging percentage. Almost half of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases (5). There is also some hope in that Mike Olt is batting .273/.368/.485/.853 off of right handed pitchers, but he's hitting just .154 against left handed pitching. Last season, Olt batted .297/.416/.637/1.053 against southpaws and .248/.369/.423/.792 against right handed pitching.

Leury Garcia Takes Team Lead: With a steady stream of offensive production, Leury Garcia has taken over the team lead in batting average with a .292 average after a 2 for 4 game Thursday night. It was Garcia's 3rd multi hit game, but he also has consistently hit so far for the 'Riders. Garcia has at least one hit in 10 of his 12 games and has reached base in 11 of the 12 games. Currently Garcia is hitting .292/.306/.417/.723. He has yet to steal a base, or even attempt a steal, however, despite having outstanding speed.

Producing When It Counts: I'm not a big believer in the term "clutch", but sometimes it seems as if Jose Felix makes you want to believe it. Jose Felix added a 2 for 4 game on Thursday and brought his average up to .200. He has 6 hits for the season now in 30 at bats. Along with the 2 hits, though, Felix had 2 more RBI to bring his season total to 7. Yes, he has more RBI right now than hits. Part of that is that 5 of his 6 hits have come with RISP. Felix is 5 for 9 (.556) in such situations. He's also batting .417 (5 for 12) with runners on, compared to .056 (1 for 18) when nobody is on base. Small sample size obviously comes into play here, but it's fun to look at right now.

Taking Relief to Heart: By April 20th of last season, Carlos Pimentel was 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA through 2 starts. He had given up 14 hits and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts over 6 innings. By his fourth appearance/start, Pimentel was 0-3 with a 6.11 ERA and had given up 23 hits and 7 walks with 15 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings.

Fast forward a season and a new role, and Carlos Pimentel is currently 1-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA. He has given up 3 hits and 5 walks with 16 strikeouts over 10 1/3 innings as a reliever for the 'Riders. This includes his 3 inning appearance last night where he gave up 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out 3 batters. Right handed batters are hitting a measly 1 for 20 against Pimentel. He has thrown 65% of his pitches for strikes to right handed batters, compared to just 52% against left handed hitters (who are batting .154 with a .313 OBP (.466 OPS) against him.

Beltre Reaches 10 RBI/5 SB: A year ago, it took Engel Beltre until June 21st to reach the 10 RBI mark and July 7th to reach 5 stolen bases. On Thursday Beltre used a 1 for 4, 1 RBI, and stolen base game to reach both marks. Beltre is currently batting .286 with a .917 OPS.



Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP Matt Harrison (Texas Rangers) @ Detroit Tigers
RHP Edinson Volquez (San Diego Padres) vs. Philadelphia Phillies
LHP Michael Kirkman (Round Rock Express) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
RHP Doug Mathis (Pawtucket Red Sox) vs. Durham Bulls


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 68

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 569


As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from New London, CT!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Game 12: Arkansas Travelers (John Hellweg) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Miguel De Los Santos)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (8-3 First Place in the Texas League South)... Arkansas Travelers (3-8 4 games back in the Texas League North)
Streak: W4
Last 10: 7-3
Homestand: 4-1
2012 Series Record: 3-0-0  
2012 Record against Arkansas: 4-1
All-Time Record against Arkansas: 91-46
Record on April 17 since 2003: 5-4
Starting Pitchers: Miguel De Los Santos (0-2 5.79 ERA) vs. John Hellweg (0-1 2.70 ERA)

'Riders Hold On, Take First Two in Series: Frisco jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the 4th inning and held on to win 2-1, despite a 9th inning rally by Arkansas. The 'Riders have won four in a row and are now two games up on the Midland Rockhounds in the Texas League South. Frisco has also won four series in a row and are going for their first sweep this season.

Grimm Dominant: It's not supposed to be this easy, but Justin Grimm is making the jump to AA look seamless. On Monday night, Justin Grimm allowed 2 baserunners, one hit and one walk, over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Grimm struck out 5 in the game and 8 groundouts to 4 flyouts as well. Justin was sitting 91-93 throughout the game with his fastball and touched 94 on occasion. He flashed a very sharp curveball in the start as well as a good changeup. At one point in the start Grimm had retired 16 batters in a row.

McGuiness Goes Deep: Chris McGuiness gave Frisco a 2-0 lead in the 4th inning when he hit a solo homerun into the 'Riders Pool Zone. It was his first homerun as a Frisco RoughRider. McGuiness finished 1 for 3 at the plate with a walk as well.

Beltre Turnaround: No it's not a typo, Engel Beltre did draw a career best three walks in the game yesterday. For a player that came into the season with a lot of question marks, Engel Beltre has much better at the plate and on the field this year than he did last year. It's still early, but so far Beltre has looked better. Beltre also stole two bases in the game to bring his season total to four steals. Last season, it took Beltre until July 7th to get his 4th steal of the season.

Boscan the Reliever: Wilfredo Boscan pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief on Monday. Over his last two appearances he has thrown 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with 5 strikeouts. On the season he has given up 6 hits and 1 walk in 8 1/3 innings with 9 strikeouts.

Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP John Danks (Chicago White Sox) vs. Baltimore Orioles
RHP Neil Ramirez (Round Rock Express) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
RHP Guillermo Moscoso (Colorado Springs Sky Sox) vs. Tuscon Padres


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 2

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 53

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 460

As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from St. Charles, MO!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Monday, April 16, 2012

Game 11: Arkansas Travelers (A.J. Schugel) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Justin Grimm)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (7-3 First Place in the Texas League South)... Arkansas Travelers (3-7 4 games back in the Texas League North)
Streak: W3
Last 10: 7-3
Homestand: 3-1
2012 Series Record: 3-0-0  
2012 Record against Arkansas: 3-1
All-Time Record against Arkansas: 90-46
Record on April 16 since 2003: 3-5
Starting Pitchers: Justin Grimm (2-0 0.77 ERA) vs. A.J. Schugel (0-1 3.60 ERA) 

'Riders Win 3rd Straight: For most of Sunday Frisco trailed the Arkansas Travelers, but in baseball there is never a time limit. When the 'Riders rallied for 3 runs in the 8th inning, they took the lead and finished off their third straight win and gave Traveler's reliever Daniel Tillman his 3rd loss of the season. 

Murphy's Start: Tim Murphy struggled a bit on Sunday as he gave up 6 hits and a walk over 4 innings. The southpaw, who missed 2011 with Tommy John Surgery, struck out 2 batters and gave up 3 runs in the 4 innings, including a homerun to Traveler's leadoff hitter Matt Long. Murphy faced trouble in three of his four innings, but was able to limit some of the damage.

Profar Heating Up: After struggling to 2 for his first 26, the Ranger's top prospect, Jurickson Profar, has had back to back multi hit games. Profar had 3 hits on Saturday and followed that up with a 2 for 4 showing with another homerun from the left handed side on Sunday.Profar is now batting .206 on the season. It may not seem high, but just a couple of games ago the 19 year old was batting .077. His OPS is also up to .778 for the season.


Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!: Guilder Rodriguez put together another nice game in a 'Riders uniform. For a player that has been with Frisco for four seasons now, it's nothing new. Guilder went 2 for 2 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt. One of his two hits was a bases loaded infield single off the pitcher in the 8th inning, which ended up scoring the go ahead and game winning run. Rodriguez played first base in the game for the 'Riders. In his four years with Frisco, the only two non-pitcher positions that Guilder has not played are third base and catcher.

The Other Infielder: Overshadowed by Jurickson Profar, speedy infielder Leury Garcia went 3 for 4 on Sunday. The switch handed hitting second baseman had two infield singles and a line drive single to centerfield. It was Garcia's second multi hit game this season for the 'Riders.

Don't Test Him: In case some of the players in the Texas League weren't in the Carolina League last season, they should be learning quickly to not test Ryan Strausborger. After having 11 outfield assists for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans last season, Strausborger already has 6 for Frisco, including 4 when he has played left field. On Sunday, Strausborger had two of those six and Jared Prince added another one for good measure. In total, the 'Riders had three outfield assists, including two at home plate. That was the difference between a 'Rider victory and a 'Rider loss.

Should We Expect Differently?: Johan Yan pitched the final inning on Sunday for his fourth save of the season. The total tied him with seven other pitchers for the most in minor league baseball. Of those seven, only one other pitcher has a better WHIP this season (Pat Lehman's 0.40 to Yan's 0.53). Opponents are batting .105 against Yan so far this season. In 24 appearances for Frisco dating back to last season, Yan is 0-0 with 6 saves. He has given up only 20 hits in 32 1/3 innings with 22 strikeouts to 10 walks. In case you weren't wondering, Frisco has all of the confidence in the world in him.


Former 'Riders on the Mound

LHP Robbie Erlin (San Antonio Missions) @ NW Arkansas Naturals
RHP Jesse Chavez (Las Vegas 51s) @ Colorado Springs Sky Sox
LHP Martin Perez (Round Rock Express) vs. Iowa Cubs
RHP Tanner Roark (Syracuse Chiefs) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox
RHP Jared Hyatt (Lehigh Valley IronPigs) @ Buffalo Bisons


Minor League Baseball Titanium Sombrero Count: 1 (Denny Almonte, Jackson Generals)

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 1

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 49

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 415


As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Tomball, TX!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Friday, April 13, 2012

Game 8: Springfield Cardinals (Trevor Rosenthal) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Barret Loux)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (4-3 Tied for First Place in the Texas League South)... Springfield Cardinals (4-3 Tied for First Place in the Texas League North)
Streak: L1
Last 10: 4-3
Homestand: 0-1
2012 Series Record: 2-0-0  
2012 Record against Springfield: 2-2
All-Time Record against Springfield: 48-43
Record on April 13 since 2003: 1-6
Starting Pitchers: Barret Loux (1-0 0.00 ERA) vs. Trevor Rosenthal (0-1 2.25 ERA)

'Riders Fall to Springfield: Frisco gave up runs in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings and fell to the Springfield Cardinals 5-1 on their home opener. Frisco had some chances, but two double plays hit into killed any potential rally late in the game.

De Los Santos start: Problems with inconsistency have plagued Miguel De Los Santos through his time with Frisco. At times he can seem dominant and at other times it seems like he can't find the strikezone at all. Thursday was one of the latter, while his start before was more of the former. De Los Santos threw 58.3% of his pitches for strikes and got a swing and miss (when the batter swung) rate of 18.2%. In his start before, he had thrown 67.5% of his pitches for strikes and got a swing and miss rate of 44.1%. It was his second time pitching against Springfield and they swung at pitches 5% less of the time than they had in their start before. Overall, his final line was: 4 1/3 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs (all earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

The Speed Demon: Leury Garcia went 2 for 3 at the plate in his Dr. Pepper Ballpark regular season debut and hit a triple and scored the lone run as well for Frisco. Garcia has two triples now in the first seven games giving him a projected total of 40 triples. It's highly unlikely that he will keep that pace up, but it does show one thing... Garcia can fly. The infielder is batting .250 on the year so far and isn't likely to continue his .458 slugging percentage, but he is an interesting player to watch.

Top Prospecgt Struggles Continue: It's far too early to get worried, but Jurickson Profar is struggling at the plate on the early goings. Profar went 0 for 3 with a walk and a sombrero (3 strikeouts) at the plate on Thursday. He has been a slow starter before and AA was a jump for him, so it's not surprising to see him struggling on the early goings. Profar has swung at 40.7% of the pitches thrown at him so far, which is the lowest on the team of the players with 20 or more PA. Guilder Rodriguez, who has 17 plate appearances, is the only one lower than Profar on the roster regardless of plate appearances. Profar also has only swung and missed at 9.8% of the pitches. Only Chris McGuiness and Jared Prince have a lower percentage of the regular starters.

A First for Olt: Mike Olt had one hit on Thursday, but it was a first for him in full season ball. In the 6th inning, Olt hit a wind aided flyball that ended up landing at the wall. By the time the ball was in, Olt was standing at third base and had driven in Leury Garcia for the only run of the game. Olt's triple was his first in full season pro ball. He hit one for the Spokane Indians (short season-A ball) in 2009.

Boasting Boscan: Wilfredo Boscan had one of his best outings in a while and arguably his best with the RoughRiders. Boscan gave up 2 hits and struck out 4 over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Boscan did not issue a walk either. Through two outings this season, Boscan has thrown 68.3% of his pitches for strikes, achieved a 31.4% swing and miss rate, and has thrown first pitch strikes to 62.5% of the batters that he has faced. His 3.417 pitches per plate appearance are the best in Frisco's bullpen.

How Do You Keep Kolten Off Base?: Springfield Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong has gotten off to an impressively hot start. The 2011 first round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals has gotten on base at least twice in 6 of Springfield's first seven games this season, including all six that he actually started in. Wong, a Hawaii native, is batting .440 with a .517 OBP for the season. He has 4 extra base hits and 4 walks so far.

Former 'Riders on the Mound

RHP Tommy Hunter (Baltimore Orioles) @ Toronto Blue Jays
LHP Matt Harrison (Texas Rangers) @ Minnesota Twins

Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 1

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 38

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 323

As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Lee's Summit, MO!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Game 7: Springfield Cardinals (John Gast) @ Frisco RoughRiders (Miguel De Los Santos)

Time: 7:05 PM CT
Location: Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco, TX)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (4-2 First Place in the Texas League South)... Springfield Cardinals (3-3 1 game back in the Texas League North)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 4-2
Homestand: 0-0
2012 Series Record: 2-0-0  
2012 Record against Springfield: 2-1
All-Time Record against Springfield: 48-42
Record on April 12 since 2003: 4-5
Starting Pitchers: Miguel De Los Santos (0-1 3.60 ERA) vs. John Gast (1-0 1.29 ERA)

'Riders Cruise to Second Straight Series Win: Yesterday was an off day for Frisco, but the day before that the Frisco RoughRiders took their second straight road series win by scoring 4 runs in the 5th, a run in the 8th, and 3 more in the 9th. Frisco got dominant pitching once again and defeated the Arkansas Travelers 8-1.

Grimm Tough Once Again: He did not strikeout ten batters in the game this time, but Justin Grimm held the Travelers to just 4 hits, 2 walks, and a run over 6 1/3 innings and recorded 2 strikeouts. He moved to 2-0 on the season through 2 starts for Frisco and has allowed less than a baserunner an inning thus far for the 'Riders.

Beltre's Explosion: Through the first three games of the season, it looked as if Engel Beltre was going to be the same Engel Beltre from 2011. He was 2 for 12 with a couple of singles and five strikeouts. Over the last three games since then, however, Beltre has gone 5 for 12 with 3 home runs, a triple, and has 13 total bases. He also has seen 64 pitches over that span as well. Over his last four games, Beltre has seen a total of 91 pitches in 19 plate appearances. Last year over 482 plate appearances with the RoughRiders, Beltre averaged 3.25 pitches per plate appearance, totaling 1,565 total pitches seen.

Wednesday's game was part of this explosion as Beltre went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI in the game, including 4 on a grand slam. The RBI were one short of tying Frisco's single game record of 7, which was last achieved by Tommy Mendonca, last year on July 22nd.

Keeping it in the Ballpark: Through six games this year, Frisco's starting pitchers have not given up a home run to a player. In 31 1/3 innings, Frisco starters have given up 24 hits, 6 earned runs, 10 walks, and struck out 27 batters. In fact, in the Ranger's minor league system, the Round Rock Express are the only team to have had a starting pitcher give up a home run. The four full season teams have combined for just 3 homeruns given up by the starting pitchers. The reason for why this could be is the tendency for starting pitchers in the system to keep the ball on the ground. The full season starters have combined for nearly a 2:1 groundout to flyout ratio with 122 groundouts to 63 flyouts.

Opening Day: Frisco comes home tonight for the first time in 2012 and looks to even up their Opening Day record. Coming into tonight, Frisco is 4-5 on Opening Day. Last season the 'Riders defeated Springfield 6-2 on Opening Day. The starting pitcher for Frisco was Wilfredo Boscan, who is now in the bullpen for the team this season.

De Los Santos Gets the Ball: This year's Opening Day starter will be Miguel De Los Santos. The southpaw will make his 3rd start in Frisco for his career. Last year he made 6 starts for the club, but only two came at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. He was 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA in those two starts. In his first start for Frisco this season, De Los Santos took the loss, but was effective for 5 innings. He gave up 4 hits, 2 runs, and struck out 8 batters.

Even more promising, Miguel showed better ability to throw strikes as he threw first pitch strikes to 76% of the batters he faced and threw 68% of his pitches for strikes.

Former 'Riders on the Mound Today

LHP Derek Holland (Texas Rangers) vs. Seattle Mariners
RHP Neil Ramirez (Round Rock Express) @ Omaha Storm Chasers
RHP Eric Hurley (Salt Lake Bees) @ Reno Aces


Minor League Baseball Platinum Sombrero Count: 1

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 34

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 275

As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Fair Grove, MO!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter


- By Michael Damman

Monday, April 9, 2012

Game 5: Frisco RoughRiders (Tim Murphy) @ Arkansas Travelers (Greg Smith)

Time: 7:10 PM CT
Location: Dickey-Stephens Park (Little Rock, AR)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (3-1 First Place in the Texas League South)... Arkansas Travelers (1-3 2 games back in the Texas League North)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 3-1
Road Trip: 3-1
2012 Series Record: 0-0-0  
2012 Record against Arkansas: 1-0
All-Time Record against Springfield: 88-45
Record on April 9 since 2003: 2-6
Starting Pitchers: Tim Murphy (0-0 0.00 ERA) vs. Greg Smith (0-0 0.00 ERA)

Riders Win in Extra Innings: Frisco won their second consecutive series opener on Sunday evening as they overcame a blown lead late in the game to win 3-2 in 11 innings. Frisco took a 2-0 lead into the 7th inning, but the Arkansas Travelers tied the game with 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning. Frisco scored a run in the 11th inning and Johan Yan closed the door in the bottom of the 11th for the 3-2 win.

Brigham Goes Six Strong: For the third time in four starts, Frisco got at least 5 scoreless innings out of their starting pitcher. Jake Brigham had his first start with at least 6 shutout innings since May 17th of last season. Brigham got ahead of 12 batters out of the 21 that he faced and gave up just 5 base runners in the game. However, Brigham induced one double play and struck out four batters to help get out of the trouble that he did face. He was also able to get eight groundball outs in the start.

Profar Gets First AA Hit: Top prospect Jurickson Profar hasn't had an easy time in the Texas League so far, but he was able to have a break through on Easter Sunday. Profar went 1 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run. The home run was his first AA hit and broke an 0 for 13 slump to open the season. 

A Hot Start for Hawpe: Former Colorado Rockie's star Brad Hawpe is currently on Frisco's roster and over the last two games, the former MLB All-Star has hit like a former MLB All-Star should be hitting in AA. After going 3 for 4 with a double, homerun, and 2 RBI game against the Springfield Cardinals on Saturday, Hawpe added another double in four at bats against the Travelers. His last time in the Texas League was 2003, which happened to be the first year that Tulsa was a Colorado Rockie's affiliate. The year before that, Tulsa was a Texas Ranger's affiliate before Texas moved their AA team to Frisco.

Working the Count: Engel Beltre averaged just 3.25 pitches per plate appearance last season. In the first two games this season, Beltre saw just 23 pitches in his 7 plate appearances. In the two games since, Beltre has seen 55 pitches in 10 plate appearances. The "asterisk" in this is that Beltre also has gone back to the dugout in 5 of the 10 plate appearances with a strikeout. He did take his first walk of the season on Sunday, however, and added a triple to lead off the second inning.

Felix Steals Second!: For some players stealing four bases in a game is a special feat and for other players just stealing a single base in a game is a special feat. For Jose Felix, he would fit in the latter. On Sunday, though, Felix stole his first base of the 2012 season and only his second since joining Frisco in 2010. In other words, he just doubled his AA career stolen base total in one game. Felix also finished the game 2 for 5 with 2 RBI. It was the 23 year old catcher's ninth career multi-RBI game as a Frisco RoughRider.

Pimentel Gets the "W": Carlos Pimentel pitched two innings of solid relief and earned his first win of 2012 as a reliever. In the two innings, Pimentel struck out four batters, gave up a hit, and walked two batters. So far in two appearances, he has struck out seven batters, walked four, and given up two hits over 3 1/3 innings pitched. Pimentel has faced eight right handed batters so far, and six of those eight have struck out. The other two that did not strike out, reached base via a walk. The former starter, however, still struggles against left handed batters, who batted .273 with a .368 OBP% and .418 SLG% against him last season.

Another Ya(w)n Performance: Dating back to last season, Johan Yan has given up an earned run in just 1 out of his 21 appearances. He earned his second save of the season in as many opportunities and appearances with a three up and three down 11th inning. The 23 year old reliever has held right handed hitters to just a .151 (8 for 51) batting average against him as a RoughRider.

Former Riders on the Mound
 
LHP C.J. Wilson (Los Angeles Angels) @ Minnesota Twins
RHP Luis Mendoza (Kansas City Royals) @ Oakland Athletics
RHP Doug Mathis (Pawtucket Red Sox) vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs
LHP Robbie Erlin (San Antonio Missions) vs. Northwest Arkansas Naturals
RHP Omar Poveda (Jacksonville Suns) vs. Huntsville Stars
LHP Michael Ballard (Harrisburg Senators) @ New Britain Rock Cats

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 24


Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 136




Around the Ranger's System

Yesterday's Record:
1-3


Round Rock (AAA) gave up 4 runs in the final two innings to lose 6-5 to the Iowa Cubs on the road. Former Tulsa Driller Greg Reynolds started for Round Rock and gave up 6 hits and 2 runs over 6 innings with 3 strikeouts. He did not walk a batter either. Michael Kirkman gave up 3 runs in 1/3 of an inning of relief, while Derek Hankins took the loss after giving up a run in an inning of relief as well. Yangervis Solarte powered the Express with a 2 for 5 game including 2 doubles, 3 RBI, and a run scored. Julio Borbon also went 2 for 5 and added a double, RBI, and a run scored. Leonys Martin reached base twice with a 1 for 4 game including a walk. Mike Bianucci added a 1 for 3 day with his 6th RBI on the early parts of the season. 


Myrtle Beach (A+) committed 3 errors for the game and gave up 3 runs in the 5th inning to lose 3-2 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Nick Tepesch started for Myrtle Beach and took the loss despite giving up 4 hits and 3 unearned runs over 4 2/3 innings. Tepesch also struck 3 batters out in the game. Zach Osborne, Wilmer Font, and Jimmy Keyes combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Yefry Castillo led the Pelicans with a 2 for 3 game at the plate including 2 doubles and a RBI. Vincent DiFazio also went 1 for 3 with a double in the game and walked in his fourth plate appearance. Jared Hoying and Edwin Garcia each chipped in a hit of their own in 4 at bats. Jake Skole walked 3 times at the plate and scored one of the two runs in the game.


Hickory (A) got outlasted in an offensive shootout as they lost 12-11 to the Kannapolis Intimidators. Both teams combined for 31 hits in the game, including ten extra base hits. Hickory's Zach Cone was the only starter for either team without a hit. Santo Perez made the start for Hickory and gave up 4 hits, 1 walk, and 5 runs over 3 innings. Chris Hanna gave up 7 hits and 3 runs over 3 2/3 innings. Jose Mavare took the loss after giving up 6 hits, 2 walks, and 4 runs (3 earned) over 2 innings of relief. Hanser Alberto led the Crawdads with 3 hits in the game in 5 at bats, including a double, RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Drew Robinson went 2 for 4 with a triple, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored, and a walk. Jorge Alfaro also scored 3 runs as he also went 2 for 4 with a walk and a RBI at the plate. Kevin Torres added 2 hits, a RBI, and a walk in the game as well.  Leading off for the game, Chris Grayson went 2 for 5 with a triple, 2 RBI, a walk, and a run scored. Rougned Odor, Jeremy Williams, and Kellin Deglan each had a hit of their own.


Minor League Performance of the Day

To have a hitless outing at any level in the minor leagues that is more than an inning or two is impressive. To do that in the California League for 6 innings is down right phenomenal. On Sunday, San Jose Giants starting pitcher and Houston, TX native Justin Schumer took the ball and did not give the ball up until after he had pitched nearly six perfect innings against the Modesto Nuts. Schumer faced one over the minimum for those six innings, thanks to a hit batter in the second inning, and left the game for the bullpen to preserve a 5-0 lead at the time. Ultimately, San Jose won 8-0 in the game and Schumer got his first victory of 2012. Schumer struck out 3 batters in the game as well. The 23 year old right handed pitcher was signed by the San Francisco Giants as a non-drafted free agent in July 2010. Last season, he went 6-5 with a 4.66 ERA in 26 appearances (14 starts) between class low-A Augusta and Double-A Richmond.

As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from Pasadena, MD!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter


- By Michael Damman

Friday, April 6, 2012

Game 2: Frisco RoughRiders (Miguel De Los Santos) @ Springfield Cardinals (John Gast)

Time: 7:08 PM CT
Location: Hammons Field (Springfield, MO)
Team Records: Frisco RoughRiders (1-0 Tied for First Place in the Texas League South)... Springfield Cardinals (0-1 1 game back in the Texas League North)
Streak: W1
Last 10: 1-0
Road Trip: 1-0
2012 Series Record: 0-0-0  
2012 Record against Springfield: 1-0
All-Time Record against Springfield: 47-41
Record on April 6 since 2003: 2-0
Starting Pitchers: Miguel De Los Santos (0-0 0.00 ERA) vs. John Gast (0-0 0.00 ERA)

Frisco Spoils Opening Night in Springfield: Frisco won their season opening game for a third straight season and for the seventh time in the last eight years. Pitching dominated the game as Frisco needed just one run for the 1-0 victory. The 'Riders scored a run on a Jose Felix sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning.

Not a Grimm Beginning: If opening night was any sign of things to come for Frisco starter Justin Grimm, then Frisco fans are in for quite a ride. Justin Grimm was about as dominant as you can be, striking out ten batters and allowing just three base runners over 5 1/3 shutout innings. Grimm also had the rare four strikeout inning in the 2nd inning when Adam Melker reached base on a passed ball by Jose Felix. Grimm gave up 2 hits, 1 walk, and got 3 groundballs to 3 flyballs. He made 74 pitches and 51 of those went for strikes. He got ahead in the count to 11 of the 19 batters he faced and was able to get an impressive 16 swinging strikes. His 10 strikeouts were tied with Austin Wood (Cedar Rapids) and Nicholas Struck  (Tennessee) for the most in minor league baseball on opening night.

Inning By Inning Count

1: 8 Pitches- 6 Strikes- 3 Called- 2 Swinging- 2 Balls- 2 BPIP- 1 Swinging K- 1 Hit
2: 20 Pitches- 15 Strikes- 5 Called- 6 Swinging- 4 Fouls- 5 Balls- 3 Swinging K- 1 Looking K
3: 14 Pitches- 11 Strikes- 3 Called- 4 Swinging- 3 Fouls- 3 Balls- 1 BPIP- 1 Swinging K- 1 Looking K
4: 10 Pitches- 6 Strikes- 2 Swinging- 2 Fouls- 4 Balls- 2 BPIP- 1 Swinging K
5: 14 Pitches- 9 Strikes- 2 Called- 2 Swinging- 2 Fouls- 5 Balls- 3 BPIP- 1 Swinging K- 1 Hit
6: 8 Pitches- 4 Strikes- 1 Called- 1 Swinging- 2 Fouls- 4 Balls- 1 Looking K- 1 BB

Strausborger's Solid Debut: Among the more interesting new players on Frisco's roster is 24 year old outfielder Ryan Strausborger, who hit .270 with 31 steals and a .763 OPS for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans last year. In his Double-A debut on Thursday night for Frisco, Strausborger did a little bit of everything. He led the 'Riders with 2 hits in 4 at bats at the plate. Strausborger also added a steal in the 3rd inning and threw out Jose Garcia at second trying to stretch a single into a double. He had 11 outfield assists in 2011 and added his first in 2012 in the first game.

Strikeouts Galore: In the pitching dominated game, strikeouts seemed easy to come by, especially early on. Of the first thirteen batters to come to the plate in the game between the two teams, ten of them finished their at bat with a strikeout. Both starting pitchers had five through the first two innings. Every batter in the Springfield Cardinal's starting lineup had at least one strikeout and even Greg Garcia joined in the action with a strikeout on a pinch hit at bat. Frisco had three players, Leury Garcia, Mike Olt, and Chris McGuiness, who struck out two times in the game. Overall, there were 25 strikeouts between the two teams combined. Frisco pitchers recorded 16 strikeouts in the game.

Scoreless Relief: It wasn't always pretty, but Frisco's relievers got the job done for the final 3 2/3 innings they had to pitch. Carlos Pimentel, Joe Ortiz, and Johan Yan gave up 2 hits and 2 walks over the 3 2/3 innings, and struck out 6 batters as well. They did not allow a run though and preserved the victory. Johan Yan earned his first save of the season with a 1 1/3 inning appearance.

Could Speed Resurface?: In the ten years that Frisco has existed, the 'Riders have ranked in the top 3 in the Texas League in stolen bases just one time. That year came in 2008 when Frisco had 185 steals for the season. Of the 185 steals, 54 of them came from current Rangers starting shortstop Elvis Andrus. Five other players had double digit stolen base totals, including Julio Borbon and Craig Gentry. This season, Frisco has three players in Jurickson Profar, Leury Garcia, and Ryan Strausborger that had offer the ability to steal some bases. Profar had 23 for Hickory last season, while Leury Garcia and Ryan Strausborger had 30 and 31 steals for Myrtle Beach last season.


Former 'Riders on the Mound:
RHP Tanner Roark (Syracuse Chiefs) vs. Rochester Red Wings
LHP Martin Perez (Round Rock Express) @ Iowa Cubs
RHP Guillermo Moscoso (Colorado Springs Sky Sox) @ Reno Aces
RHP Jesse Chavez (Las Vegas 51s) vs. Sacramento River Cats

Minor League Baseball Golden Sombrero Count: 8

Minor League Baseball Sombrero Count: 21


Around the Ranger's System

Yesterday's Record: 1-1

Round Rock (AAA) lost 5-3 to the Iowa Cubs on the road. Former 'Rider Mark Hamburger made the start for Round Rock. Hamburger struggled early, but settled down and finished with a final line of: 5 IP 8 H 3 R 1 BB 1 K. Derek Hankins took the loss after giving up 2 runs in 2 innings of relief. He gave up 2 hits, walked 2, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch, and recorded a strikeout. Ben Snyder pitched a perfect inning of relief as well with 2 strikeouts. The Express managed just three hits in the game as well. Last year's homerun leader for Frisco, Mike Bianucci, homered in his first AAA at bat. It was his only hit of the game, but gave Round Rock a 2-0 lead at the time. Last year for Frisco, Bianucci also homered in his first AA at bat. Julio Borbon also homered in the sixth inning to tie the game at the time. Leonys Martin and Joey Butler each went 0 for 3 with a walk in their first game of 2012.

Myrtle Beach (A+) did not have a game. Their home opener is today at 6:05 PM CT.

Hickory (A) had their game rained out. They will have a doubleheader on Saturday.


Minor League Performance of the Day

On most days Justin Grimm's performance would have been a legitimate contender, but on Thursday there was one performance that stood out above all others. Lehigh Valley IronPigs starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd pitched 6 perfect innings in the IronPigs' 3-0 victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in Lehigh Valley's home opener. The 24 year old starter struck out 8 batters in the 6 innings pitched and induced 7 groundballs to 3 flyball outs. Cloyd, an 18th round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 draft, went 9-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 2011 and is off to a flying start in 2012. It's been his command that has separated the righty from many other pitchers. Last season, he walked just 1.4 batters per 9 innings with a strikeout rate of 8.5 batters per 9. Over 5 minor league seasons and 471 2/3 innings, Cloyd has a walk rate of 2.0 batters per 9 innings. He will certainly be an interesting pitcher to keep an eye on, if Thursday is anywhere near a sign of things to come.

As always...

A special thanks to any blog followers from New Haven, CT!


Station to Listen to the Game on: 1630 AM (KKGM)
Follow Us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/pressboxchatter


- By Michael Damman