RoughRiders 2004 Opening Day Roster Announced
April 5, 2004 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
Frisco, TX – The Texas Rangers have set their final opening day roster for their game today against Oakland. More importantly for RoughRiders fans, the Rangers have announced which minor leaguers will be calling Frisco home.
In the outfield, two new faces will join two familiar faces to begin the season. Eric Asadoorian and Rashad Eldridge team up with Patrick Boyd and Tydus Meadows to give Frisco a nice combination of speed and power. Asadoorian and Eldridge both finished the 2003 season in the outfield for Stockton. Asadoorian joined the Rangers organization as part of the trade that sent Estaban Yan to St. Louis. Eldridge led Stockton in hits and RBI in 2003. Boyd played the final 46 games of 2003 in center field with the RoughRiders where he made only one error. Meadows did not spend his time in the Rangers organization in 2003, but rather a Double A and Texas League All-Star with the Wichita Wranglers. Meadows ranked fifth in the Texas League in 2003 with 17 home runs.
The RoughRiders infield remains stabilized by the dynamic duo of Jason Bourgeois and Drew Meyer. Jason Botts will also be back at first base for Frisco. Slated for starting role at third base is Gregg Raymundo. Raymundo batted over .300 last year for Stockton and racked up 34 doubles and five triples. The RoughRiders will have another Gonzalez in the infield, but it wonÂ’t be the first baseman that finished 2003 with Frisco. AdrianÂ’s brother Edgar is now a utility infielder with the RoughRiders after the Rangers picked him up in the Rule 5 draft in December. Recently acquired utility man Daryl Clark rounds out the infield prospects.
Handling the pitches for the RoughRiders will be Jeff Smith and Josh McKinley. Smith joined Frisco in July of 2003 and represented a steadying force as the team got younger. Apart from catching duties, the veteran Smith will most likely serve as a mentor for newly acquired Josh McKinley. McKinley joined the Rangers organization as part of the Einar Diaz trade with Montreal and is just breaking into the catcher position.
The mound is sure to be a focal point for Frisco and Frisco is loaded with young arms. After a stellar season in 2003, Edwin Moreno returns to Frisco as the staff ace. Moreno will be head a staff that consists of several young pitchers heralded as some of the best pitching talent in the Rangers organization. Kameron Loe, Kelvin Jimenez and Erik Thompson come to Frisco after downright dominant 2003 seasons. Jimenez was 6-3 as a starter at Stockton with a 3.25 ERA and was second on the club with 101 strikeouts. Loe and Thompson were a combined 11-3 at Stockton and both pitchers sported a sub 3.00 ERA. Two pitchers are going to be very close to home this year. Ryan Dittfurth and Chris Young hail from McKinney and Highland Park, respectively. Dittfurth is making his way back from shoulder surgery and Young arrives from the Montreal Expos organization with McKinley. Steven Rowe, Sam Narron and Billy Sylvester join the returning Travis Hughes, Keith Stamler and Frankie Francisco to complete the RoughRiders very deep and very talented pitching staff.
Season tickets for the 2004 Frisco RoughRiders season can be purchased at the teamÂ’s first practice on Tuesday starting at 6:00 PM or by calling 972-731-9200 or visiting www.ridersbaseball.com. The RoughRiders open the season on April 8th in Tulsa and kickoff their first home stand April 18th.
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Texas League Stories from April 5, 2004
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