AAA: Round Rock 4, El Paso (SDG) 9
Round Rock: 8 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 30-34, 9.5 GB
SP Kumar Rocker: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 70 P / 44 S, 1.13 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.96 ERA
2B Justin Foscue: 2-5, 2B, .289/.388/.512
1B Blaine Crim: 2-3, BB, .292/.361/.525
In his first start on optional assignment, Kumar Rocker posted a snazzy line but wasn’t as overwhelmingly dominant as his earlier rehab starts or last year’s rampage through the minors. Though he didn’t walk anyone, his control lagged in the first two innings (and a stingy ump who suffered multiple overturned calls didn’t help). Rocker also missed only two bats (on a cutter and change), his fewest as a professional.
The most noticeable difference is his primary breaker, once categorized by the man himself as a curve, usually referred to a slider because of its velocity, and recently veering well into cutter territory, maxing out at 92.2 MPH. Statcast doesn’t appear wholly consistent in differentiating between cutter and sliders, but what is readily apparent so far is the faster breakers are missing fewer bats. In his two Round Rock starts, opponents have missed on one of seven swings (14%) when the pitch was 89 or higher, but six of 12 (50%) when under 89. Obviously, that’s a small sample, but I don’t believe it’s too early to discuss, because the bat-missing version is his meal ticket. The faster version arrives pretty flat, while the slower one drops under bats and is what amazed us all last year.
As you probably read or watched, Rocker failed to field his position properly both on rehab and in his last start for Texas. I don’t recall any issues yesterday, and he dutifully backed third on a throw to the base from right field. I don’t pretend to know the man, but in going about his business, Rocker carries himself serenely and exhibits an extreme economy of motion. No, I’m not attempting a clever way to suggest he’s not trying hard. Actually, I mean the opposite: all energy is devoted to pitching, and he just doesn’t appear to want to expend a single joule on unrelated tasks. Which is fine, for the most part, but sometimes the job requires fielding, too.
I could go on, but I need to play with and probably recategorize some data first.
Game-time temperature was a chilly 85 with the wind blowing in at 12 MPH. Dustin Harris hit two flies that leave the yard in typical weather, and on the first, I cheerily said “there you go, Dustin” upon contact only to see the ball die at the track.
Texas signed Craig Kimbrel to a minor deal. No harm, I suppose.
AA: Frisco 5, at Midland (ATH) 6 (7)
Frisco: 7 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 32-25, 1.5 GB
SP Daniel Missaki: 3.2 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 5 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 83 P / 53 S, 7.20 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, .268/.413/.433
3B Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, .252/.351/.443
C Ian Moller: 2-3, 2 2B, .179/.297/.284
If you’re a fan a Frisco and shutdown innings and full games, last night was not for you. The Riders forced and then lost ties in the 3th, 4th and 5th. The last was especially frustrating, as Midland scored the go-ahead run on an infield single, hit-by-pitch, walk and wild pitch. Frisco would bat only twice more, stranding two in scoring position in the 7th, when rain arrived.
Daniel Missaki missed a season-high 15 bats but also allowed a season-high seven hits and a homer in a fifth-consecutive appearance.
Sebastian Walcott has played consecutive games as third for the first time as a professional. He’s appeared there five times this season, all in the last 19 games after none in the first 35.
Hi-A: Hub City 1, Wilmington (WAS) 2 (11)
Hub City: 3 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-27, 0.5 GB
SP Leandro Lopez: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 SO, 82 P / 50 S, 2.06 ERA
“3 hits, 2 walks” sells short how thoroughly Hub City’s offense was suppressed. Keith Jones II led off the 1st with a single and was immediately erased on a double play. Until the 11th, the Burgers had only two more runners, both on walks, one of which came with two outs and was stranded, the other intentional and setting up a double play which was immediately executed. Wilmington broke the draw in the 11th with two runs. Hub City answered with two singles to plate one, but that would be all.
Leandro Lopez walked four for the first time this season.
Lo-A: Hickory 9, at Myrtle Beach (CHC) 4
Hickory: 13 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 30-27, 0.5 GB
SP Ismael Agreda: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 80 P / 50 S, 2.33 ERA
SS Chandler Pollard: 1-4, HBP, SB (25), .270/.355/.333
LF Maxton Martin: 1-4, 2B, BB, .281/.332/.475
2B Antonis Macias: 3-5, 2B, .259/.415/.333
CF Yeremi Cabrera: 3-5, 2 SB (17), .237/.372/.314
3B Rafe Perich: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (3), .251/.368/.371
Hickory averaged 6.3 runs per game and went 14-10 during the previous four series and began this one in similar style. More walks in May and more everything in June has Rafe Perich with a slash in line with what I envisioned watching him in March.
The South Division is a free-for-all with eight games remaining:
Kannapolis (tied for 1st, at Charleston)
Augusta (tied for 1st, at Columbia)
Hickory (0.5 GB, at Myrtle Beach)
Columbia (1.0 GB, vs Augusta)
Charleston (3.0 GB, vs Kannapolis)
Hickory’s one cancelled game means they won’t finish in a tie with anyone (barring future rainouts).
Today’s Starters
AAA: Abbott
AA: Drake
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: Segura
Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The third-best pitching performance by a Ranger in a short-season league during 2007-2024 belongs to Alex Claudio in 2012.
Getting even to this point took a while. Drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2010’s 27th round, Claudio posted 15 so-so innings for the rookies as an 18-year-old (13 strikeouts but 11 runs). He returned to the complex in 2011, tossing 25 much better innings and finishing with three more at short-season Spokane. Instead of heading to Spokane or Hickory in 2012, he spent yet another summer in Arizona. At this time, he was more-or-less a starter, taking the mound in the 1st only three times but lasting at least four innings in nine of 14 appearances. He was never ineffective but not especially flashy early on, hardly ever issuing a walk but giving up the occasional run. His final four appearances gave an idea of what was to come: 14.1 IP, 6 hits, no runs, no walks, 23 strikeouts. He would be, at long last, done with the complex. Claudio will make another appearance on these lists, so I’ll stop here.