AAA: Round Rock 10, Albuquerque (COL) 7
Round Rock: 15 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 21-17, 2 GB, 65-47 overall
SP Cody Bradford: 4 IP, 10 H (1 HR), 7 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 81 P / 53 S, 3.53 ERA
RP Chase Lee: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.95 ERA
RP Kyle Cody: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 6.59 ERA
RP Alex Speas: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 3.86 ERA
CF Elier Hernandez: 2-4, BB, .306/.364/.521
3B Justin Foscue: 2-4, 2B, BB, .263/.388/.444
1B Blaine Crim: 2-5, 2B, .286/.389/.503
RF Sandro Fabian: 3-5, .301/.341/.558
Cody Bradford allowed ten balls in play under 85 MPH off the bat, and seven became hits. Just one of those nights.
Kyle Cody’s 6.59 ERA is accurate, but he’s looked better lately with a little more pep in the fastball and more chases against the slider.
Down 7-4 in the 8th, the Express scored six on six singles and Albuquerque (46-67) doing some of what got them 20,000 leagues under .500. The prime victim was Fernando Abad, who at the age of 37 accepted an outright assignment to Albuquerque three weeks ago. That’s unusual. Abad signed with the Astros in 2002 and has bounced around nine MLB organizations, Mexico, indy ball, and probably some other places that I missed because his Baseball Reference season register has 62 lines.
If the Rangers decide they need a fresh arm, Jonathan Hernandez might be the best choice. Another is Glenn Otto, who threw 45 pitches four days ago. Alex Speas and Cody Bradford pitched last night. Yerry Rodriguez isn’t eligible until Wednesday (and isn’t pitching well in any case). Owen White pitched five days ago, but he wouldn’t be my first pick right now.
AA: Frisco 0, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 2
Frisco: 4 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 0 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 22-16, 1 GB, 53-53 overall
SP Seth Nordlin: 5 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 2 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 81 P / 58 S, 5.44 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 6.30 ERA
RP Grant Wolfram: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1.95 ERA
CF Evan Carter: 1-3, BB, .277/.405/.442
Some solid pitching was for naught, as the offense couldn’t capitalize on serious threats in the 4th and 5th.
I’ve been asked about Jack Leiter from several folks. I hadn’t written about him because there’s been nothing to say. The only words I’d heard were “no rush.” Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning news wrote about the situation at length. Leiter is fine physically but again, no rush for him to return. Indeed, I’m not saying he won’t be back in 2023, but you might want to at least contemplate the idea.
Hi-A: rain
Two today. Not ideal for getaway day, but at least the game is at nearby Asheville.
Lo-A: Down East 11, at Kannapolis (CHW) 2
Down East: 19 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 21-20, 6 GB, 58-44 overall
SP Brock Porter: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 42 P / 29 S, 2.47 ERA
RP Kohl Drake: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 6.75 ERA
CF Anthony Gutierrez: 2-5, 2B, HBP, SB (28), .266/.332/.333
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, HR (9), .218/.305/.340
LF Jojo Blackmon: 2-4, BB, .206/.304/.361
C Ian Moller: 3-5, .190/.225/.300
RF Quincy Scott: 4-5, .481/.500/.556
1B Anthony Calarco: 3-4, .240/.296/.240
Kannapolis has a decent pitching staff but has allowed 34 runs in the last four games to a suddenly torrid Down East. The Woodies scored five against Peyton Pallette, the former Razorback who in 2022 was one of college baseball’s best arms but underwent elbow surgery before the season and fell to 62nd overall in the draft. I hadn’t thought of him in a while, but you don’t forget a name like Peyton Pallette.
After being skipped last week, Brock Porter returned, briefly, and struck out four of nine batters. His sometimes-iffy control was fine, although he did unleash a wild pitch that scored a runner from third.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBA
AA: Garcia
Hi-A: Corniell / TBA
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco lost its fifth of six on the final northern road trip to fall two back of first. Hickory was shut out by division-leading Lakewood. Down East lost 2-1 to reach something of a nadir, 20-48 after a 30-22 start. The Woodies would play close to .500 ball the rest of the way. 2018, baby!