AAA: Round Rock 14, @ Tacoma (SEA) 5
Round Rock: 21 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 33-37, eliminated, 70-74 overall
SP Ryan Garcia: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 80 P / 53 S, 3.43 ERA
RP Marc Church: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 2.11 ERA
RP Nick Krauth: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.86 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 3-6, 2B, SB (34), .275/.360/.395
1B Blaine Crim: 3-6, HR (20), .278/.372/.471
DH Trevor Hauver: 3-5, 2B, HR (11), BB, .245/.358/.424
C Sam Huff: 2-5, 2 HR (13), BB, .247/.312/.417
SS Jax Biggers: 4-5, .279/.394/.387
To be honest, at the end of 2023, I wondered if Ryan Garcia would continue to have a job in the organization. He’d posted a 6.66 ERA and .263/.367/.482 in 98.2 AA innings as a 25-year-old (admittedly a fairly inexperienced 25-year-old because of covid and elbow surgery, but still). When he allowed 12 runs in his first 12.1 AA innings this season, I wondered again. After that, he was a different pitcher, still a little more walk-prone than preferable but far less susceptible to hard contact. Upon promotion to AAA, he pitched better still, continuing to squash extra-base-type contact and widening the gap between walks and strikeouts. Although last night was far more fastball-oriented, he’s tended to lean on an upper-80s cutter in his six-pitch mix. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see him in person and don’t have as strong a read on him as I should, but the difference between now and a year ago is palpable.
Blaine Crim has hit at least 20 homers in all four of his full seasons with the Rangers.
The win means that for a 26th consecutive season, Texas’s AAA club will not finish ten or more games below .500. That’s admittedly a weird stat, but I’ve always found it interesting. You’d think for any number of reasons — the needs of the parent club, prospects stalling out, injuries, mostly pure randomness — every minor league team would be a clunker every so often. Not so with the Rangers in AAA. How unusual is this? For the other teams in the Pacific Coast League, here’s the most recent season in this category:
Colorado: 2024
LA Angels: 2024 (probably)
Houston: 2023
San Diego: 2023
San Francisco: 2023
LA Dodgers: 2019
Seattle: 2019
Oakland: 2015
Arizona: 2013
Texas: 1997
During these 26 seasons, Texas’s AAA squad has 15 winning records, nine postseason appearances, four finals appearances, and…. zero championships. The last winner was 1996.
Reno has clinched the second-half title and will play Sugar Land in the PCL finals.
Elsewhere
Frisco hosts Midland tonight in Game 2 of the Texas league semifinals. The Riders must win tonight and tomorrow to advance.
Tampa-affiliated Bowling Green won the high-A South Atlantic League title over Hudson Valley (NYY). The Hot Rods have won three championships in four seasons since the 2021 Great Reorganization. In the low-A Carolina League, Fredericksburg (WAS) defeated Kannapolis (CHW) two games to one in the finals.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Solomon
AA: Drake