Monday, July 19, 2010

7/19: Rangers Farm Report

Blake Beavan struggled in his first start in the Seattle system on Saturday.  Still in AA, Beavan walked only one in four innings but burned through 83 pitches and allowed five runs.  Michael Main takes the mound tonight. 

Stars of the Day
AAA: Michael Kirkman / The Offense
AA: Michael Schlact
High-A: Robbie Ross, Trevor Hurley / David Paisano, Miguel Velazquez
Low-A: Jake Brigham / Travis Adair, Jared Bolden
Short-A: Jurickson Profar, Jared Hoying, Michael Olt
Rookie: Denny Peralta, Alexander Claudio / Jhonny Gomez

AAA: at Oklahoma City 17, Iowa 6
Record: 51-41, +3.5

Having already taken a 6-1 lead through three innings, OKC sent 13 men to the plate and scored eight in the 4th.  Craig Gentry (.323/.396/.455) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both had four of OKC’s 20 hits.  Saltalamacchia, in fact, would have hit for the cycle if not for his home run being ruled foul after an umpire’s conference.  Corner outfielders Brandon Boggs (.281/.405/.458) and Hernan Iribarren went 3-5 with a double and walk. 

In the face of several lengthy waits while his offense scored at will, Michael Kirkman (3.25 ERA) lasted seven innings and allowed three runs on six hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.  Kirkman is tied with Thomas Diamond for the league lead in strikeouts with 92 and is 8th in ERA.  Cody Eppley gave up three runs in the 9th to see his ERA in OKC balloon to 6.75. 

Infielder Matt Camp pitched the 7th and 8th for the I-Cubs.  As best as I can tell, he hasn’t taken the mound since high school.  He ran his fastball up to 88 and allowed just one run on two hits and two walks.  He even struck out a couple.  Not bad. 

The teams head to Des Moines for five games in four days.

AA: at Frisco 1, Corpus Christi 2
Record: 53-38 overall

Post-surgery Michael Schlact threw well once again, limiting the Hooks to a hit and walk while fanning four in six innings.  Corpus Christi tallied runs off reliever Ben Snyder in the 7th and 8th.  With OKC hoarding the available supply of offense, Frisco managed only five baserunners.  Engel Beltre (.352/.403/.481) hit an RBI single and gunned down a runner at the plate. 

High-A: at Bakersfield 7, Visalia 4
Record: 44-50 overall

Robbie Ross showed his 2009 form by generating plenty of grounders and strikeouts.  Ross fanned eight and (similarly to Joe Wieland the day before) allowed only four of 20 balls in play to reach the outfield by air.  In seven innings, Ross (2.38 ERA) yielded four runs (just one earned) on six hits and a walk.  Errors by 1B Jonathan Greene and catcher Jose Felix plus Ross’s own wild pitch resulted in the unearned runs.  Trevor Hurley (1.35 ERA) earned a two-inning save, his first in Bakersfield.

Leadoff hitter David Paisano (.289/.347/.372) singled twice and walked, and RF Miguel Velazquez (.288/.325/.411) went 3-4 with a double.  Felix drove in three of a couple of singles and a sac fly.

Low-A: Hickory 6, at Lexington 1
Record: 53-41 overall

Jake Brigham utterly refudiated the Legends in throwing a rare low-A complete game.  Brigham isn’t striking out many batters in the Sally League (7 in 27 innings) but has reestablished his control.  He walked one, struck out four, and gave up three hits. 

Travis Adair ran his hit streak to 11 games with two doubles.  He’s batting .380/.415/.520 during that span.  Jared Bolden hit a two-run homer.  Jonathan Roof is batting .308 but has committed three errors in three games. 

Short-A: Spokane 12, at Boise 11
Record: 17-12, +1.5

Once down 9-3, the Hawks put the tying run on third in the 9th before finally succumbing.  Four errors and six stolen bases allowed certainly didn’t help their cause.  Jurickson Profar (.282/.319/.391) connected on three singles and stole two of those bases.  Not that he hit any yesterday, but Profar’s nine doubles are fourth-most in the league.

3B Michael Olt doubled twice, and Jared Hoying went 2-5 with a three-run homer, his second.  1B Andrew Clark (.326/.432/.402) was 3-4 with a walk.  Jake Skole (.245/.317/.302) singled, walked, and stole his first base. 

Starter Chad Bell (3.86 ERA) allowed eight hits and three runs in 5.2 innings but didn’t walk anyone and usually kept the ball on the ground.  He struck out three.  Brett Weibley took one on the chin (2 IP, 6 R).

Spokane is 16-5 since its 1-7 start and leads Boise by 1.5 games with nine to play in the new split-season format. 

Rookie: Rangers 0, Giants 3
Record: 11-11, -1.0

Denny Peralta (6.94 ERA) struck out seven in five innings, walked none, and gave up a couple of runs on five hits.  Jhonny Gomez’s double and single were the offensive highlights.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Omar Beltre
AA: Tanner Roark
High-A: Wilfredo Boscan
Low-A: Matt Thompson
Short-A: Miguel de los Santos
Rookie: Shawn Blackwell (really this time)

Scott Lucas

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