Minors 5/3 - 5/4
by coolaid on May 3, 2010 7:28 PM CDT
Email
Print5/4
HIC-6:00- Wieland
BAK-9:00- Pimentel
FRS-7:00- Beavan
OKC-6:30- Holland
5/3
HIC-6:00- Ramirez
BAK- Off
FRS-7:00- Perez
OKC-6:30- Hunter
My boy getting some love....
Kevin_Goldstein Just talked to scout about a bunch of different guys he saw in April, most surprisingly good review: #Rangers RHP Matt Thompson.
Filling some space...
MIGHTY MIGUEL: Outfielder Miguel Velazquez continues to wreck havoc with his bat, hitting .407 on the trip through the first seven games of the current road trip with three home runs and eight RBI.
.
"In Savannah, he was just fantastic," [Hickory Mgr. Bill] Richardson said. "He got some home runs at critical times. Sometimes it’s a little easier to hit home runs when there’s not much on the line, but each one of them were game-changers."
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Um.
Namirez – 6/5/1/1/0/9
Velazquez – 2/3, HR, 2RBI
Velazquez
Interesting prospect. A legit five-tool player (although his speed is only average; future fringe-average) with some actualized skills. He’s obviously too advanced for Low A, but there is nothing wrong with letting a player destroy a level, especially when they are playing developmental catch-up.
He isn’t without flaws, though. His swing mechanics aren’t the prettiest and he struggles against breaking balls from RHP. He is both advanced and raw, if that makes sense.
I assume he makes it to Bakersfield by early summer, but I doubt that level will tell us much about his trajectory. The real test for Velazquez will come in AA, where his flaws will require adjustment or risk being exposed by better pitching.
Velazquez now ranks 3rd in the SAL with a 971 OPS
He’s behind two guys who are two years older than him. 14 extra base hits and 9 walks against 16 strikeouts. Another month or so in the SAL followed by a 900+ OPS in the Cal League should be enough to get him on BA’s Top 100 after the season.
Holy fucking ass shit on a cracker of some sort...
He’s really only had two good performances this year, but they’ve both been really, REALLY good.
He’s still shitty, though.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
squeezed much
Does anyone feel like Perez gets a ridiculously small strike zone every time out? I can only follow on gameday, but it seems like an awful lot of low strikes are called as balls. Anyone just looking at the box score would worry about his control, but watching the gameday leaves me with no worries about his control.
I should have said....
“He’s showing questionable control and below average command.”
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions
Cody Eppley
We never talk about this guy here, but he was mentioned by both Jason Cole and Scott Lucas in the last couple days. He got an honorable mention for pitcher of the month from Cole, and then Lucas highlighted him a bit in this morning’s minors recap. His overall stats over the last 2+ seasons:
103 IP 120K 12BB only 25 XBH and a very sexy ground ball rate at each level. He had a FIP of 2.66 in Rookie ball, 2.40 last year in Hickory, and now 1.99 so far in Bakersfield.
He’s 24, so he’s verging on old for his level, but that’s quite a track record. 2008, 43rd round draft choice.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Yes...
Today (Thursday) was a little different for me because Scott Servais asked me to go watch a guy throw that’s changing from overhand to sidearm. His name is Cody Eppley. He wanted me to come down there and watch him throw and talk to him about it. He’s watched some of my tape. He pitched the whole year at sidearm last year and is trying to refine his game. It’s cool to see. For somebody that watches a lot of tape of sidearmers pitch, it’s neat to know that somebody else is watching me. He’s a great kid, very intelligent, very receptive and has a great idea. I told him he was further along than I was. I’ve been pitching sidearm since 2002 and he’s close behind me in terms of the thought process in pitching sidearm because it’s different. He’s got a lot of potential. He could be taking my job in a few years. Maybe I’m teaching him too well.
Yeah, he seems like a good candidate
for O’Day’s kind of role in a couple of years. Pretty cool for such a late round guy to work out like that if it happens.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
i need to start...
getting back with following our farm teams. I use to be really big time on doing this.
My name's Vista... can i crash at your place tonight?
Just another
1.1ip 0h 2k night for Phillips
We need to not always make hard work out of sex- Rick Carlisle.
I'm telling you...
I think he needs serious consideration for a loogy spot in the Rangers ’pen.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
I was thinking...
more along the lines of just for this season.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Actually it does...
you see, I was talking about how he could get to the majors and help the team this year.
If he made it to the bigs this year it would be because of a) his performance and b) because the Rangers need another lefty in the ’pen.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Evidently NNoC
is saying the player’s at a higher level right now.
I know tonight’s performance suggests as much…
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on May 4, 2010 10:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Indeed.
Why take someone who can get anyone out and then only let him face batters that hit from one side of the plate?
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:27 AM CDT up reply actions
For the same reason...
that you take Feliz and put him in the ‘pen, because that’s what the ML team needs right now.
It’s not like that dooms him to being a loogy for the rest of his career,
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Ummm...
No. That would be like allowing Darren Oliver to only face lefties. It doesn’t make sense.
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Okay...
breaking a guy in and getting his feet wet as a loogy in the bigs becausse that’s what the team needs isn’t similar to a vet like Oliver.
Sorry Trip.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Be sorry all you want.
Putting him in any kind of role that limits him as a pitcher is not a smart idea. Developmentally, it does not make any sense – too few innings available and only pitching against righties in emergencies.
There’s just no point in “breaking a guy in” as a LOOGY when you want him to pitch against both righties and lefties in the long run, potentially over multiple innings.
This is wrong on so many levels...
You’re acting like Phillips is a top 10 prospect and I’m banishing him to the ‘pen as a loogy for the rest of his career because I think he could help the team for 2 or 3 months in that role. 2 or 3 months at the ML level isn’t going to kill his development like you’re suggesting.
You can’t use a guy as a loogy for a couple months when his ML ceiling is likely as a long relief guy? That would really hurt him? I’m mean how could he possibly have a great career as a bullpen pitcher if he’s first brought up as a loogy for a couple months? With all the pitching talent the Rangers have in their system, exactly how many of these guys are going to have to be left in the minors because there aren’t enough innings for them at the ML level then?
I respect your opinion and knowledge on the Rangers system, but really don’t understand where you’re coming from on this. I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Phillips
How do you see him evolving at this point? Has he taken a big step forward from last year?
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on May 5, 2010 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions
His stuff is about the same, but his command is insane right now.
I don’t know if it’s sustainable, but he looks like a solid middle relief or possibly late-inning arm with 3 very solid pitches.
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Ugh...
CD back to his old ways. 0-4 with 3 K’s.
Looks like Hunter had 3 solid innings in his first start back. Nice to see.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
And here I thought he liked me...
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions
I was a Big Tom sell high on'er, so I generally agree.
Though a LAIE in the hand is worth two in the Northwest League, or some kind of butt shit like that.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
You know, his name is never brought up for the bullpen
But I wonder if he doesn’t replace Mathis here pretty soon
Do you mean this season?
Because when I was trying to tell everyone in 2008 and early in 2009 that Tommy Hunter is a starter, all I heard back was “bullpen.”
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:28 AM CDT up reply actions
Hunter in the pen
I think Hunter is a guy that is going to provide roughly league average results. If those results come in 200 inning chunks per season, that’s pretty valuable. If those league average results come out of the pen, it’s much less valuable and Hunter doesn’t seem to me like the type of pitcher that would see his stuff play up in shorter spurts. Harrison on the other hand…
Hey Tom - It's over now, so do you know how - to pick up the pieces and go home?
much less valuable
in the pen, unless of course you feel you have 5 better options already in the rotation. If Holland replaces Harrison this is probably true and then Hunter is valuable as a swing man. Great problem to have when he is ready.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Holland/Hunter
I see Holland replacing Harrison soon, and then Hunter staying in AAA (along with, fwiw, BMac) for that first wave of in-case-of-injury depth.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on May 5, 2010 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh, yah. I forgot I'm friends with you about him.
Good remembering.
Or should I say… Good remembering, friend.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Joe Wieland article
pretty light fare – but it does have this …
Columnist Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News noted last month that Ryan likes Wieland because “Wieland is a bad a—, just like Ryan was,” meaning he will not let hitters crowd the plate or intimidate him in any way.That quote does sound familiar – but I don’t think it was from last month in the DMN.
Did he ever stumble on the mound and then GLARE at someone in a dugout?
Cause that’s the pinnacle of penis-in-hand level badassery.
Why, a man who could do that could never fail!
Never I tells ya!
NEH, VER!!!!
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Upcoming OKC Redhawks pitching matchups
Wed. May 5 @ Omaha LH Michael Kirkman 3-0, 2.12 RH Luis Mendoza 0-0, 3.00
Friday May 7 @ Iowa LH Michael Ballard 2-0, 4.33 RH Thomas Diamond 1-0, 1.65
I might have to go that Thomas Diamond game.
Pro baseball has always been a dream, so this is pretty freakin’ cool out here. -- Tim Steggall, undrafted Rangers minor leaguer.
Glad he's starting again.
Looking at his numbers against lefties, it looks like his change up is alive and well.
I do wonder if he’s throwing his ’08 curveball or his ’09 slider, though.
by NoNameOnCard on May 5, 2010 12:31 AM CDT up reply actions
Sickels has a 2010 mock draft up. Seiler approves, FWIW.
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/4/1457903/2010-mock-draft
He has Texas taking a coupla college pitchers – Eibner and Workman.
IDK, but I think Jason Cole has convinced himself it would be a solid pick.
So … good enough for me.
Not at all
Sounding more and more like he may not even make it that far
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions
It's just unfortunate
that they have the collection of picks at a time when they are very limited.
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Choice's stock
moving up lately, might not be around. Same with Grandal, as Sickels has here.
If TX chooses someone like Eibner with the first pick, I could see them going for someone a little bit more BPA at 22. If Florida and the Dodgers can afford Cabrera and Jenkins, than TX could, too. Actually, I’d rather have Workman and one of those two than Eibner and Workman right now, just a gut feeling.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Here's a nice video of Choice's swing, complete with super slo mo so you can see that odd hitch that apparently worries some people.
Clickerz McGee is my real name.
I’d be fine with Choice there, the more I think about it.
He’s got enough ceiling to be an interesting guy, imo.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Kinda funky
lot of moving parts in that swing, but the bat moved fast.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Choice as a safe 15th pick doesn't bother me
Its the safe sign-able college players at 22, 45, and 49 that makes me want to torch Hicks’ house and firebomb Monarch for dragging this out.
Settling for a lesser player on their draft board because of money makes me want to emulate dirkatron and punt a puppy and I like puppies.
Sickels’ supplemental round picks in addition to the previous two choices are violence inducing.
I'd love Choice at 15
Good chance he doesn’t get there, though
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions
He's honestly
coming closer to one of my preferred choices at 15. (forgive the pun) There’s nothing wrong with him or Bentz at 15. Again my beef is more with the picks that are protected being blah. Tommy Hunter is a nice player. I don’t want three of them though.
I'm hoping
that at least at 22 they don’t back down too much. If they draft a more expensive guy, either the sale will go through and they can sign him, or they’ll get the comp pick and presumably be able to pay more next year.
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions
Anyone else have a reverse Kahlil Greene moment when they first saw Choice?
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 11:34 PM CDT up reply actions
I wouldn't be all that excited about Workman.
Eibner I could get excited about.
Pro baseball has always been a dream, so this is pretty freakin’ cool out here. -- Tim Steggall, undrafted Rangers minor leaguer.
Clarke, Golden and/or Ragira would make me happy.
Don’t really know enough about Choice to make an informed decision right now, though to be honest us draft plebes never know much at all.
Even if we devour every bit of info we come across we still only see a few minutes of blurry tape and some random opinions from dudes who probably where underpants to bed.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
I've mentioned his name before...
But, Mel Rojas Jr…. Klaw likes him, Andy doesn’t as much… But i’m keeping my eye on him.
Ragira
seems like he’d take too much money, but, yeah, I like.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Based on last year slot forour two firsts should be ~1.6 and ~1.3, respectively.
If somewhere in that range ain’t gonna get him done, he can take his stinky ragira and go on to Stanford for all I care.
Of course he’d be a bit of a reach that high, but we’re likely not gonna have the freedom to go overslot for guys if MLB is breathing down our signing bonus penis.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions
That mock makes me sad.
AJ freaking Cole available at 15 (and Covey) with no chance of the Rangers taking him. Castellanos available at 22 with no chance of the Rangers taking him…
Yeah
this is stacking up as a big lost opportunity. Screw Hicks.
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions
They could certainly
more afford to be opportunistic, though.
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions
I wonder if we'd pop one of 'em if Greenberg were in by now.
We of course really won’t know what kind of owner he’d be until he, you know, owns.
Worse case scenario hopefully a real owner’s in by the end of the year and we snap up some late j2’s to makeup for our sure-to-be-depressing draft spending.
Obviously there won’t be another Chapman, but this winter saw a shit ton of interesting international signees (Sano, Salcedo, Arguelles, Hechevaria, Jorge Alfaro, Guy Incognito, Ibarra, etc.) so hopefully next winter is similar.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
I think the 15th choice
might still have to be relatively safe even with Greenberg, but the next one would be balls out. I’m depressed about that.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Meh, I think too much is made of the "unprotectedness" of the unprotected pick.
As long as you get a firm agreement from the player and the agent, you really think they’d break it?
Look at what the Yanks did with Sladey the Lady last year.
They agreed to an overslot deal, and that was that.
They got their man.
Sure, there’s a chance the kid Gerrit Coles you, but how many kids have Gerrit Coled in recent memory?
I can’t think of one.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 11:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Right, except the Rangers won't be able to go overslot
unless the sale goes through ASAP. The Rangers have to pick a guy that will sign and sign for slot there.
If the sale is pushed through and the Greenberg group is in control soon then we can hope for more.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Yes, but my point is if a guy is agreeable to slot, then you can pick him even if he's not "safe" in the traditional sense.
As long as they agree to the deal, you can pick ’em, imo.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 5, 2010 12:15 AM CDT up reply actions
That is my opinion
I don’t think that the fact that they wouldn’t receive another comp is all that big of a deal, but in combination with MLB paying for the player it is.
by Brett Perryman on May 5, 2010 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Derek Holland 1
Hitter 1: ?
Hitter 2: Maddox
Pitch 1: ball
Pitch 2: swinging strike
Pitch 3: ball
Pitch 4: ball
Pitch 5: foul
Pitch 6: foul
Pitch 7: groundball to SS
Hitter 3: Alex Gordon
Pitch 1: ball
Pitch 2: groundball to 2nd.
All three outs were GB’s.
Derek Holland 2
Hitter 1: Thorman
Pitch 1: ball
Pitch 2: foul
Pitch 3: ball
Pitch 4: foul
Pitch 5: foul
Pitch 6: foul
Pitch 7: ball
Pitch 8: foul
Pitch 9: foul
Pitch 10: lineout to 2nd baseman
Hitter 2: Lough
Pitch 1: foul
Pitch 2: ball
Pitch 3: foul (breaking ball)
Pitch 4: swinging strike (off-speed pitch)
Hitter 3: Betemit
Pitch 1: called strike
Pitch 2: swinging strike (fastball)
Pitch 3: ball
Pitch 4: foul
Pitch 5: called strike
C-Wun 1
Hitter 1: Chalk
Pitch 1: Called Strike
Pitch 2: GB to 2nd, nice play by Lawson
Hitter 2: Canham
Pitch 1: Called strike (91mph)
Pitch 2: Called strike (fastball)
Pitch 3: Flyout to LF (Lemon in LF)
Hitter 3: Carroll
Pitch 1: Ball
Pitch 2: Called strike
Pitch 3: foul
Pitch 4: foul
Pitch 5: foul
Pitch 6: Swinging strike (breaking ball)
Thanks...
you multi-tasker you.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
But he struck out the last two batters to douse the fire.
Let’s see if he pitches angry now and bears down.
He did the same thing in his last start too...
he was at his best when there were runners on. I think he goes to his fastball primarily with runners on.
C-Wun 2
Hitter 1: Clark
Pitch 1: Ball (breaking ball)
Pitch 2: Ball (breaking ball)
Pitch 3: Lineout to 2nd
Hitter 2: Darnell
Pitch 1: Strike (breaking ball)
Pitch 2: foul
Pitch 3: ball
Pitch 4: ball
Pitch 5: called strike
Hitter 3: Kulbacki
Pitch 1: called strike (fastball 90mph)
Pitch 2: ball (off-speed)
Pitch 3: ball
Pitch 4: called strike (breaking ball)
Pitch 5: ball
Pitch 6: foul
Pitch 7: foul
Pitch 8: ball
Hitter 4: Martinez
Pitch 1: ball
Pitch 2: infield single to SS
Hitter 5: Parrino
Pitch 1: foul
Pitch 2: triple, scores 2 runs
Hitter 6: Weems
Pitch 1: called strike (fastball 90mph)
Pitch 2: called strike
Pitch 3: called strike (breaking ball)
Wieland - Final line...
6 ip | 5 h | 3 er | 1 bb | 8 k’s |
Groundouts-flyouts: Wieland 6-3
Struggled in the 5th and the 6th. Had a one-hitter thru 4 ip.
Holland out after 83 pitches
I don’t think he’s long for the minors.
5IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB, 8K
"If the Saints can reach the Superbowl, the Rangers can reach the World Series." - PhilKid
The Animated Ballpark in Arlington
hmm
“What’s that ’1BB” thing mean?" ask Tanner Scheppers
Thank you Houston for drafting Jason Castro.
Scheppers
might get in this game too.
"If the Saints can reach the Superbowl, the Rangers can reach the World Series." - PhilKid
The Animated Ballpark in Arlington
Yep.
1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 H
I don’t know if Scheppers will be mentally strong enough to bounce back from such a rough outing.
Pro baseball has always been a dream, so this is pretty freakin’ cool out here. -- Tim Steggall, undrafted Rangers minor leaguer.
Well, we wondered
if they would touch him in AAA (I was leaning toward no), and at least for one night, they can and he may have room to grow at that level.
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh
full line: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 K
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Boggs has a 1.168 ops
over the last 10 games. He is 2-2 so far tonight. His shoulder must be feeling better.
Thank you Houston for drafting Jason Castro.
His BABIP was something fucked in the penis-hole low when I looked the other day.
As much as I want him to fail so I can lord it over Large Guy Steven… I’d much rather him succeed.
Surely there will be other things I can dominate his face with.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 4, 2010 11:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Just remember
that enormous esteban was wrong no matter what DeFonze does in the future.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Oh, I will.
I think the complete and utter sex crime I pulled on Steve in that thread might be my all time favorite exchange I’ve ever had here on good old LSB.
Certainly it’s up there.
It was just such a complete and total ownershipping.
I get that tight underpants feeling just thinking about it.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 5, 2010 12:27 AM CDT up reply actions
enormous esteban
That’s a good one
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
My excitement about the Frisco bullpen
has been tempered by the fact that no one in the bullpen isn’t doing awesome.
"If the Saints can reach the Superbowl, the Rangers can reach the World Series." - PhilKid
The Animated Ballpark in Arlington
Phillips has been something else, though
by Brett Perryman on May 4, 2010 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah that's true
he’s now had 3x as many strike outs as he’s had baserunners.
"If the Saints can reach the Superbowl, the Rangers can reach the World Series." - PhilKid
The Animated Ballpark in Arlington
How much longer will they keep Leuke in the Hickory pen?
He’s at an age where you’d think they’d want to push him to Bakersfield at least. He and Tullis are abusing hitters down there.
That's fine with me
He needs a challenge and Hickory isn’t presenting that. Be it Frisco or Bakersfield I just hope they don’t wait till June or July.
I thought he legally can't go back to Bakersfield
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on May 4, 2010 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Ah...I didn't know that
now Jason’s comments make far more sense to me. I didn’t realize that’s part of his plea agreement or whatever. Kinda surprising but….
Is that possible?
I doubt it.
I don’t think you can Rambo someone.
Maybe you can get a city-wide restraining order, but that would have to ruffle the ACLU’s feathers or some kind of butt shit.
But, maybe.
I’m not a lawyer and point in fact I’m starting to think I might even be illiterate.
More likely they just want to avoid sending the guy back there.
You don’t send a dude back into the hornet’s nest after he glopped on one of the lady hornets while she was puking on the bathroom floor.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on May 5, 2010 12:06 AM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, maybe that's it
Either way, it sounds like it’s not happening and the root cause is his legal problems there.
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
Lueke to BAK
That just sounds like a PR migraine for the Rangers org, and avoidable if the player’s advanced enough for AA. I mean…that whole thing was in the local papers, and the details weren’t pretty.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on May 5, 2010 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions
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