FanPost

April Roughriding

Part 3...

Team Overview

Frisco is currently 19-7, in first by 3.5 games.  They lead the TX league in AVG (.292), OBP (.362) by a smidgen, but lead the league in SLG (.485) by 45 points.   League OPS is almost exactly where it was last year, at .746, over 100 points under Frisco's mark.  The best news is probably that several players are contributing to this, not just a couple stars.

In pitching the news is not so good.  Last in WHIP (1.50), striking out just 6.5 per 9 while walking over 4, 2nd in walks allowed. ERA is close to league average at 4.50 and the defense is close to avg. as well.  If control improves they'll start winning 12-5 instead of 12-10.

As always in these posts, I am merely looking up stats and opinions, not inventing some new paradigm.  I'm really hoping some of you will offer insights, scouting/game reports, etc.  I hope to get to Frisco a couple times soon when work dies down for the summer.

Hitters

  • Max Ramirez  C  .347/.444/.643.  If this guy can stay behind the plate he will be very valuable.  For a right handed hitter, he's crushing righties, and did last year, too.  I've seen some reports here in minor league threads that his defense doesn't look too bad.  Now that Teagarden is in OKC he'll be able to work on defense every day.  It will be interesting to see if that affects his bat.  This guy has hit everywhere he's been, I hope that's true in Arlington about 14-15 months from now. 
  • Chris Davis  1B  .304/.350/.554.  Just turned 22 in March.  Slow lately, only 2 extra base hits in his last 10 games, both HRs.  I would still like to see improvement in the K/BB ratio...See you in September, Mr. Davis.
  • Elvis Andrus  SS  .260/.302/.310.  The numbers don't wow, but remember that at 19 (according to Scott Lucas) Andrus is the youngest player in the league -- by 17 months.  He'd be younger than most in Clinton.  He'll be fine, but I'd like to see all of those numbers trend upward in the next few months.  Really struggling against righties, as he did last year in Myrtle Beach.
  • Craig Gentry  OF  .280/.327/.387.  I only include Gentry because despite a rather uninspiring 2007 he was promoted to Frisco.  Do they see something that's not showing up in the numbers?  Is he a defensive whiz?  Just needed someone to play OF?  Anyone?
  • Ben Harrison  OF  .343/.415/.571 (only 9 games so far).  I wish he'd stay healthy.  He's already 26 and probably not getting more than a cup of coffee in the big leagues but it would be nice to see what he can do if he can stay on the field.
  • Steve Murphy  OF  .337/.378/.551.  Murphy seems streaky to me, and I remember a torrid stretch last year, but 2007 overall was a down year offensively for him.  Was he injured?  My lack of sleep lately is killing my brain cells...  Important year for him, I think.  Just turned 24, needs to show he's for real by sustaining this pace.
  • John Mayberry  OF  .268/.322/.512.  Mayberry continues to show power without discipline.  Only 4 walks while with Frisco, he already has 2 in OKC, where he's off to a hot start.  When Boggs returns OKC will have something of a logjam so he might return to Frisco.  Another guy who needs to shit or get off the pot this year.

Pitchers

  • Matt Harrison  1-1, 5.19.  Like Poveda, On the 7-day DL with arm fatigue.  He's been better than the ERA suggests, with a FIP ERA of 3.55 that is consistent with past seasons and a BABIP nearly 80 points higher than any other stint.  I'd really like to see this guy pan out because I think he might do ok in Arlington.
  • John Bannister  2-2, 5.09 overall; 1-0, 10.13 in Frisco.  After not pitching at all in 2007, the 24-yr. old returned with 3 solid starts in Bakersfield before moving up to Frisco when Harrison went on the DL.  Has had a very rough welcome there, walking 10 in 8 innings and allowing a .406 AVG against.  He has kept the ball in the yard, though, allowing only 2 2B and no other extra base hits.  Hopefully he'll settle down soon.
  • Brennan Garr  0-0 12.46.  Garr had a ton of strikeouts in 2006-2007 in Spokane, Clinton and Bakersfield, 99 K's in 81.1 IP total, and setting down over 30% last year.  So far in Frisco his K rate has dropped to just over 13% (2007-08) and his walk rate has skyrocketed to nearly a quarter of batters faced.  His once stellar ground ball rates have also dropped.  He looked like a potential late inning guy until AA, maybe he'll figure it out with more time there (just 11 appearances so far).
  • Warner Madrigal  0-0, 1.98, 9 SV.  God, I love that the attentive Rangers swooped in and thieved this guy from the Angels.  Madrigal has 103 strikeouts in 85.3 IP since converting from the OF in 2006.  Slight chance we see him in Arlington this year.
  • Michael Schlact  and Michael Ballard.  I'm not sold on these guys, but Jamey, Hindman, and others occasionally tout them.  Bear following, but I'm hungry and don't feel like digging right now.