TL1 Texas League

Texas League Newsletter '08 No. 1

Published on April 15, 2008 under Texas League (TL1) News Release


Self taking on a new role for Hooks

By George Vondracek, Caller-Times, April 1, 2008

Perhaps several years down the road, Todd Self envisioned having to decide whether to remain in baseball as a coach. The Houston Astros effectively accelerated the plans for the 29-year-old first baseman-outfielder.

He hasn't retired, but Self will return to the Hooks this season, but as a first-base and outfielders coach. He got the word from Astros assistant general manager Ricky Bennett following Sunday's exhibition finale between the Hooks and Round Rock, Corpus Christi's Class AAA sister affiliate. The 6-foot-5, left-handed hitter will remain on the inactive list on the Hooks' roster.

"Obviously I wasn't expecting to make a decision about this for three, four years," Self said Monday night while the Hooks worked out at Whataburger Field. "I talked to my wife about this in the offseason. You've got to have a Plan B."

Instead of whacking home runs and recording putouts, that plan now involves helping bring along the younger players on the Hooks' roster this season.

"This organization is good in that they keep a lot of players in the organization to coach," first-year Hooks manager Luis Pujols said. "But he's still ready where if something were to happen he'd be ready to go."

Signed to a minor-league contract in October, Self was anxious about the coming season "expecting to have a job either in Triple-A or here," he said. That all changed last week when Bennett called the eight-year veteran from Shreveport, La.

"He told me, 'We may have to make some more moves and there may not be room for you, but we'd like to keep you in the organization.' Obviously, this time of year nobody's looking for players.

"I love the game and know a lot of the young guys here. It's kind of what I did here last year," he said.

After discussing the matter with his wife Crystal, Self opted to take Bennett's offer and be part of Pujols' staff. Self said he isn't sure how long he would like to coach -- he and his wife are contemplating parenthood -- and isn't ruling out a return as an active player.

"It's not to say that my playing career is over," Self said. "Ricky told me if an opportunity arose he wouldn't hold me back if that's what I wanted to do."

A career .297 hitter, Self led the Hooks with a .294 batting average last season, seventh in the Texas League. He drove in 69 runs and hit 13 homers. Self also played in 21 games with the Astros in 2005 and spent time in the Mets and Yankees organizations, as well as the independent Shreveport Sports.

"All I know is I want to coach (now). I love the game. I know the game well and I've been taught by some of the best coaches in the organization and in baseball," Self said.

Texas League report

By Todd Traub and Rick Polikoff, Sunday, April 13, 2008

Ex-Hog has sights on Texas

Craig Gentry is trying to get to Arlington, Texas, but he doesn't mind spending a little time in Arkansas along the way.

Gentry, a Van Buren native who played for the Arkansas Razorbacks, is making tracks in the Texas Rangers' organization. As center fielder for the Class AA Texas League's Frisco RoughRiders, he is only in his second full year as a professional.

With the Rangers trying to turn things around after a lastplace American League West finish in 2007, does Gentry expect the team to turn quickly to its young talent and maybe hasten the day when he might suit up at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington ?

"That's everybody's dream here, but we've just got to go out and focus on where we're at right now," Gentry said.

The RoughRiders were 1 1 / 2 games behind undefeated Midland on Friday in what appears to be the Texas League's toughest division. The prospect-laden RoughRiders opened the year 5-0, taking two victories from the Arkansas Travelers in a rain-shortened series at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The RoughRiders' roster boasts seven of the Rangers' top 30 prospects as rated by Baseball America, including No. 1 prospect Elvis Andrus at shortstop, No. 2 Chris Davis at third and No. 4 Taylor Teagarden behind the plate.

While not a rated prospect, Gentry, taken by the Rangers in the 10 th round of the 2006 draft, seems to be climbing the minor league ladder pretty steadily.

"I like where I'm at. I can't complain," he said. "It's my second full season, being in Double-A. We have a great, great team here, great pitching staff and a great ballclub, and we have a good chance of doing some special things here. I'm glad I'm a part of it."

Gentry played two years at Arkansas-Fort Smith before transferring to play for the Razorbacks. As a senior, he was a pesky hitter who was hit by pitches a team-high 13 times, led the Hogs with 16 steals and batted. 326.

Gentry's ties to the university make him popular on his return visits to Arkansas, even with autograph seekers who only recognize him as an ex-Hog.

"I enjoy coming back here and playing. A lot of my family gets to come and a lot of my friends, too," Gentry said. "Every once in a while, there's always a Razorback fan somewhere, so, yeah, I've gotten that a couple times since I've been in pro ball."

For those reasons, Gentry, batting. 250 entering Friday, was looking forward to Frisco's series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in Springdale beginning May 24.

"All my friends are still up there. I live there during the off-season, so it's going to be great," Gentry said of Northwest Arkansas.

NORTH NOTES

Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), 2-7, Third Place, North Division

April 3...Switch-hitter Ben Johnson clubbed a two-run homer from the left-side on opening night, the highlight of the Travelers' 3-2 loss versus Midland. Arkansas' opener at Dickey-Stephens Park was called in the eighth inning due to rain and the threat of tornadoes that had touched down in the greater Little Rock area.

Outfielder Chris Petitt fractured the third metatarsal bone in his right foot and could miss the entire 2008 campaign. The break occurred when Petitt closed on a flyout during the fourth inning of the season opener. The Loyola Marymount alumnus hit .326 with 18 home runs, 95 RBIs and 30 stolen bases between low Single-A Cedar Rapids and high Single-A Rancho Cucamonga last season. The Angels assigned Rancho Cucamonga Quakes outfielder Jordan Renz to Arkansas to take Pettit's spot on the 24-man roster. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound Renz batted .227 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs for the Quakes in 2007. He hails from Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

April 4...Starter Brok Butcher hurled six innings, struck out five and surrendered six hits, one walk and two runs but did not figure in the decision in the Travs' 6-5, 10-inning loss to Midland.

April 5... Midland swept the opening series with their 2-1 win handing the Travelers their third consecutive one-run loss. In his Double-A debut, Anthony Ortega (0-1) took the loss despite giving one only one earned run over five innings of work. The Venezuelan gave up three hits, three walks, two runs total and fanned five RockHounds batters. Southpaw Doug Brandt was brilliant in relief. In three innings pitched, he gave up just one hit, struck out three and allowed no walks or runs.

April 6...Tied at 3-3 in the top of the ninth, closer Stephen Marek (0-1) served up a two-run triple to Frisco shortstop Elvis Andrus that broke the tie and dropped Arkansas to 0-4. The Travelers have lost their first four games by a total of just five runs. Reliever Francisco Rodriguez tossed two and 2/3 innings of no-hit ball and struck out four in the losing effort.

April 7...Shortstop Hainley Statia's 2-for-3 day was the shining performance in the Travelers' 10-0 loss to Frisco.

April 10...A former Midland area prep star at Seminole High, Aaron Peel went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in his return home. The Travs amassed 11 hits total which included two-hit games from Coby Smith, Ben Johnson, Michael Collins and Jordan Renz, but Arkansas only got four runs across in the end. Undefeated Midland (7-0) capitalized on their 15 base hits to win 11-4 and drop the Travelers to 0-6. Off the field, the Angels released first baseman Jesse Hoorelbeke and signed pitcher Dan Denham to replace him.

April 11...Holding a 4-1 advantage, the Travelers relief corps surrendered three runs in the bottom of the eighth and one more in the ninth, which led to a 5-4 loss to Midland. The gut wrenching defeat dropped Arkansas to 0-7, as Midland stayed undefeated at 8-0. The Travelers took a 4-1 lead by scoring three runs in the top of fifth, with RBI singles from Aaron Peel and Coby Smith and a RBI double off the bat of Nate Sutton. Unfortunately for the Travelers, Peel and Smith got gunned down in separate instances that inning trying to take an extra base, hurting Arkansas' chances for additional runs. Travelers pitchers struck out 11 batters in eight and 2/3 innings, but shot themselves in the foot by issuing 11 bases on balls.

Prior to the game, the Travelers released newly acquired outfielder Jordan Renz and right-handed pitcher Jesse Smith was assigned to extended spring training in Tempe, AZ. Smith had been experiencing pain in his pitching elbow. To take their roster spots, the Angels signed outfielder Jordan Czarniecki and infielder Adam Morrissey. Czarniecki played for Tulsa from 2006-07 and Morrisey is a three-time Texas League All-Star.

April 12...Third baseman Corey Smith was 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBI, helping lead the Travelers to a 6-3 victory over the RockHounds, their first win of the season. In the top of the second inning, Smith's two-run single to center scored Hainley Statia and Michael Collins and extended the Travs' lead to 5-0. Smith's homer, in the eighth, was a solo blast hit to right. Venezuelan right-hander Anthony Ortega improved his record to 1-1 after limiting Midland to just two runs over seven innings pitched. He scattered four hits and three walks while striking out seven.

April 13...Corey Smith, who was 2-for-3, homered for the second straight game, helping Arkansas squeak by Frisco 4-3. Travelers pitchers induced three double play ground balls to put an end to rallies by the RoughRiders and give Arkansas their first one-run win of the year. Not to be confused with the big league Angels closer, El Paso native Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless one and 2/3 innings and struck out three to earn his first save of the year.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City Royals) 4-6, T-1st Place, North Division

April 3...Northwest Arkansas won their inaugural game 6-4 over the San Antonio Missions underlined by Brian McFall's go-ahead, two-run home run in the fifth. On a 2-0 count and two outs, San Antonio starter Mike Ekstrom threw McFall a meat fastball and the Northwest Arkansas right fielder hammered it over the left-field fence. McFall was 2-for-4 on the evening and added a triple. Center fielder Jose Duarte was a nuisance to the Missions with the bat and on the basepaths. The leadoff hitter racked up three hits, drew two walks, scored a run and stole two bases. Kila Kaaihue, the pride of Hawaii, was only 1-for-5, but he made his presence felt with three RBIs.

April 4...Texas League veteran Juan Richardson was 3-for-4 with a double during the Naturals' uneventful 3-0 loss to the Missions. Lefty Paul Mildren kept the Naturals in the game by tossing three shutout innings of relief. Before the game, the Kansas City Royals assigned reliever Jeff Fulchino from extended spring training to the Naturals 24-man active roster.

April 5...The Naturals were defeated 8-2 by the Missions in the deciding game of the series. The punchless offense of Northwest Arkansas failed to come up with an extra-base hit all night. Rowdy Hardy, the 2007 Carolina Pitcher of the Year, had a rough Double-A initiation getting roughed up for nine hits and five runs in three and 2/3 innings of work.

April 6...Fireballer Daniel Cortes held his own in his much anticipated first Double-A start, going four and 1/3 innings and allowing just one run to cross home plate. The 6-foot-6 right-hander struck out four, allowed three hits and surrendered three free passes. Ranked by Baseball America as the Kansas City Royals' number-two prospect, Cortes got a no-decision in the Naturals' 6-1 loss to Corpus Christi. At 21, he's the youngest player on the Naturals' roster.

April 7...Corpus Christi won 8-7 in 12 innings to hand Northwest Arkansas their fourth consecutive defeat. Northwest Arkansas got their offense on track with seven runs and 12 hits in the losing effort. Hooks pitchers could not stop Geraldo Valentin who went 4-for-4, with a solo home run, two doubles, knocked in three and scored two runs. Naturals thumper Kila Kaaihue connected on a three-run dinger in the top of the first to giving the Naturals a quick start out of the gate. Credited with 75 steals with Single-A Lakeland last season, Ovandy Suero, 2-for-5, notched his first two thefts of 2008.

April 8...Stuck in a four-game losing skid, Carlos Rosa led the way with six shutout innings to help the Naturals edge the Hooks 2-0. It was Corpus Christi's (5-1) first defeat of 2008 campaign. Rosa exhibited stellar command by walking none, while Hooks hitters could only muster three hits against the Dominican hurler. Relievers Roman Colon and Jeff Fulchino slammed the door shut with three flawless innings of no-hit pitching. Ovandy Suero, the pesky, slap hitting Dominican, was a thorn in the Hooks' side again, going 2-for-3 with two more stolen bases and a run scored. Mario Lisson, who entered the contest batting .056, hit a RBI double in the eighth to increase the Naturals' lead to 2-0 and give the bullpen a little breathing room.

April 10...The Naturals laid an egg collecting only four hits and one run during a 7-1 loss to San Antonio in the inaugural game at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. Accounting for the Naturals lone run, slugger Kila Kaaihue christened Arvest with the first Naturals round-tripper there, a solo blast off Wilton Lopez breakup the shutout with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Prior to the game, the Naturals made a catcher roster swap. Kiel Thibault (back) was placed on the seven-day disabled list and Cody Clark was subsequently taken off the DL. Reliever Jeff Fulchino was also promoted to Triple-A Omaha, while right-hander Patrick Green joined the active roster after being removed from the disabled list.

April 11...Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Kila Kaaihue smacked a grand slam off Missions reliever Jonathan Ellis to help Naturals win their first game at Arvest Ballpark, an 11-4 triumph over San Antonio. Kaaihue pulled Ellis' offering just inside the fair pole in right field to give Northwest Arkansas a 7-4 lead and they tacked on three more runs to rout the Missions with an eight run, eighth inning. The round-tripper marked Kaaihue's third on the season and he finished the game with two runs scored and 5 RBIs.

April 12...The Naturals bats were quieted by a brilliant pitching performance by Missions starter Steve Garrison, who no-hit Northwest Arkansas in seven innings before being pulled because of a pitch count limit. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Marc Maddox broke up the no-hitter with a single off Edwin Moreno. Starter Daniel Cortes pitched well but did not figure in the decision after throwing four shutout innings, striking out two and scattering two hits and three walks.

April 13...First baseman Kila Kaaihue crushed two homers in consecutive plate appearances as the Naturals blanked the Hooks 7-0. The Hawaiian slugger finished the day at 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. He now has five home runs in ten games and has clubbed five of the seven Naturals total round-trippers. Blake Johnson, the former Dodgers farmhand, got the winning decision after pitching six shutout innings. It was an efficient outing for Johnson as he threw only 68 pitches, walked none and struck out five. Naturals hurlers were able to induce ground balls when they needed them as they got the Hooks to hit into three double plays.

Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals) 1-9, Fourth Place, North Division

April 3...Left fielder Shane Robinson was 3-for-3, with a RBI, run scored and a stolen base in Springfield's 6-3 loss to Frisco on opening night at Hammons Field. Highly regarded pitching prospect P.J. Walters started the first game and had mixed results. In five innings of work, the right-hander was charged with two earned runs, gave up three runs total and surrendered eight hits. On the bright side, Walters fanned five and walked none. Between three levels last season, Walters registered a 12-6 record with a 2.55 earned run average and recorded an impressive 147/33 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 152 innings.

April 4...Frisco edged Springfield 2-1, aided by RoughRiders Scott Feldman's pitching gem. Feldman carried a no-hitter into the seventh before Jon Jay put an end to it with a leadoff single. The Cardinals could only get to Feldman for one run on three hits in seven innings. Left fielder Cody Haerther was the lone offensive bright spot going 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. For the second straight night, a highly touted Cardinals pitching prospect took the hill and went home with the loss. Southpaw Jaime Garcia tossed four innings and was touched up for six hits and two runs. After being shutdown last season with a sprained elbow ligament, the Cardinals took it easy on Garcia during his first start, pulling him after 73 pitches.

April 5...Aided by a tie breaking two-run dinger by Adam Fox off Springfield reliever Nick Webber in the top of the 11th, the RoughRiders defeated the Cardinals 7-4 and put the wraps on a three-game sweep to open the season. The Cardinals loss wasted a fine outing by starting pitcher Clayton Mortensen who hurled five scoreless innings and fanned four RoughRiders. He yielded three hits and two walks to Frisco. Mortensen was the first round supplemental selection of the St. Louis Cardinals last year out of Gonzaga. A 2-for-5 showing at the plate, with a double and run scored, marked Cody Haerther's second consecutive multiple-hit game. The Cardinals also announced right-hander Cory Rauschenberger was sent to Triple-A Memphis.

April 6...Allen Craig and Mark Hamilton connected on solo home runs, the first round-trippers of the Cardinals season, but it wasn't enough as Springfield came up short 7-4 in their series opener versus Midland. Hamilton, the first baseman from Tulane, collected three hits in all raising his season batting average to .364. In addition to Hamilton, Jon Jay also racked up three hits with two doubles, a RBI and a run.

April 7... Midland battered Springfield with a convincing 12-0 rout that dropped the Cardinals record to 0-5. The Cardinals batters could only tally five hits all day, while the pitchers gave up ten earned runs on 18 hits and Springfield fielders were charged with three errors. The only bright spots were Mark Hamilton's 2-for-3 display upping his batting mark to .429 and a flawless one and 2/3 innings thrown in relief by Fernando Salas, who recorded three strikeouts. Infielder Pete Maestrales joined the club filling the spot that was left open by Cory Rauschenberger's promotion to Memphis. The 29-year-old Maestrales was recently signed by the Cardinals as a minor league free agent and he's logged time in the minors with the San Francisco, Kansas City and Baltimore organizations.

April 8...Number-one starter P.J. Walters (0-2) had another Jekkyl-and-Hyde performance as he took the loss in a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the RockHounds. Walters sat down his share of RockHounds batters by recording nine strikeouts through five innings, but he also allowed three runs on six hits and a walk. Jon Jay clubbed his first homer of the season with a two-run blast in the top of the fourth inning off Midland's Michael Madsen. The dinger tied the game at 2-2, but the Cardinals offense failed to score another run the rest of the game sealing their fate. Springfield was swept for the second straight series and are sitting at 0-6.

April 10...Springfield finally got their first win out of the way by thrashing Frisco 12-5 on 18 hits, six walks and six extra-base knocks. Catcher Brian Anderson and second baseman Jose Martinez each enjoyed four hit games. Anderson (4-for-5) scored three runs, doubled and added a RBI. Martinez also went 4-for-5 with a double and run scored. Mark Hamilton blasted a three-run homer in the eighth, his second of 2008 and knocked in four during a 2-for-5 performance at the plate. Southpaw Jaime Garcia got the win by punching out five through five innings, but had somewhat of a rough outing by allowing seven hits and three runs. St. Louis promoted outfielder Cody Haerther to Triple-A Memphis.

April 11...Tyler Greene, the Cardinals 2005 first round pick, socked a two-run homer and double during an 8-3 defeat at Frisco. The RoughRiders chased Clayton Mortensen out of the game after scoring five runs against the 2007 first rounder in three and 2/3 innings.

April 12...Added to the roster on the previous day, right fielder Mark Shorey connected on a solo home run in the second inning during his second plate appearance of the season. Springfield wound up losing 4-2 to drop to 1-8. Cardinals 2006 first round selection Adam Ottavino had a mediocre outing, hurling four innings with four strikeouts, but allowed two runs to score on three hits, four walks and a homer.

April 13...Jose Martinez collected two RBI singles and Mark Hamilton tallied three hits, a double and run scored during a 7-3 loss at Midland.

Tulsa Drillers (Colorado Rockies) 4-6, T-1st Place, North Divison

April 3...In an 8-7, 11 inning loss at Corpus Christi, right fielder Daniel Carte was the offensive star of the Texas League on Opening Day after he ripped two home runs, drove in three and scored twice on a 3-for-5 night. Carte's first dinger came on a solo shot in the top of the second. The next batter Jeff Kindel followed him by connecting on a on a fly ball, home run to left-center. Tied at 5-5 in the top of the ninth, Carte clubbed a two-run home run off Hooks pitcher Kyle Middleton to left-center to give the Drillers a 7-5 lead entering the bottom half of the inning. Tulsa's Pedro Strop wound up blowing the save, allowing the Hooks to tie the game at 7-7. The Hooks went on to win the contest in the bottom of the 11th.

April 4...Tulsa fell to 0-2 after suffering a 15-5 drubbing at the hands of Corpus Christi. The Hooks amassed 15 runs on 15 hits and 10 walks against the Drillers pitchers. Tulsa center fielder Dexter Fowler collected three hits, knocked in two and swiped his first stolen base of the season.

April 5...The Hooks completed the sweep of the Drilers with a 5-1 win, as Corpus Christi's hurlers limited Tulsa to one run and eight hits. Corey Wimberly compiled four of his team's eight hits, scored the Drillers lone run and stole his first base of the season. The 4-for-4 effort lifted Wimberly's average to a gaudy .833 mark after three games. The infielder hit .268 and stole 36 bases last year for Tulsa.

April 6...The Drillers finally got in the win column with a 7-2 victory over San Antonio. Tulsa rounded up 16 hits and their fine athletes exhibited their track star wheels on the basepaths. Dexter Fowler and Eric Young, Jr. both hit two triples. Fowler finished the day 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in two. Young, Jr., whose father played for San Antonio in 1991, also amassed three hits and added a run. Corey Wimberly's batting average dropped from .833 to .818 after a 4-for-5 performance in which he stole two bases, slapped a double and scored twice. Shortstop Chris Nelson had two separate RBI singles and swiped his first bag after stealing 27 last year with Single-A Modesto. Starter Xavier Cedeno (1-0) won after he yielded one earned run in five innings.

April 7...Eric Young, Jr. hit a line-drive, RBI single off San Antonio pitcher Neil Jamison's foot to score Daniel Carte from second and help the Drillers blank the Missions 1-0 in 12 innings. Young Jr. finished at 4-for-6 on the evening with a double. The Drillers accumulated 13 hits, but were unable to capitalize on their opportunities all night long as they left 17 runners on-base. Tulsa Drillers pitchers Tomas Santiago, Eduardo Valdez, Jarrett Grube, Casey Weathers, Pedro Strop, Adam Bright and Ryan Mattheus combined on a four-hit shutout. The Missions only mustered one extra-base hit against the staff. Valdez joined the club before the game after reliever Matt Daley was called up to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

April 8...Tulsa was edged 4-3 by San Antonio, wasting a solid outing by sinkerballer Alan Johnson, who gave up only one run in seven-plus innings of work. The 6-foot-1, 180 pound right-hander scattered six hits and walked one. Last year the Mississippi St. alumnus registered a 16-7 record, with a 2.93 earned run average, with Modesto and Tulsa. Daniel Carte blasted his third home run of the season, knocked in another run on a sacrifice fly, ripped a double and finished the day at 2-for-3. Carte's three round-trippers leads the Texas League through six games. Dexter Fowler laced his TL leading triple of the season in a 1-for-4 effort.

April 10... In their home opener, Dexter Fowler socked home runs in his first two at-bats, leading the Drillers to a 4-3 victory over the Hooks. Fowler, one of the top prospects in the Texas League, was 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs. Fowler's parents, who were in attendance for the opener, had once lived in the Tulsa community prior to their son's birth. Left fielder Matt Miller also went deep for Tulsa, connecting on a solo homer in the first.

April 11...In a 7-3 loss to Corpus Christi, Eric Young, Jr. ripped two doubles, scored a run and amassed three hits. Third baseman Corey Wimberly went 0-for-4 with a run scored and his two stolen bases brought his season total of thefts to six. Left-handed reliever Luis Gonzalez (finger) was put on the disabled list and Colorado added right-hander Jonathan George to the Tulsa roster.

April 12...Justin Nelson's solo round-tripper in the second inning accounted for the Drillers lone run in a 5-1 loss to Corpus Christi. Tulsa committed four errors in the field and managed to collect just six hits in the game.

April 13...Tied 6-6 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Eric Young, Jr. stroked a two-run double to center to bring home the go-ahead runs and propel Tulsa to an 8-6 win versus San Antonio. In addition to the big hit, Young, Jr. also scored three runs, walked twice and ran wild on the Missions by stealing three bases. Behind 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, the Drillers exploded with five runs, the most they have scored in an inning all season. Not to be overshadowed by Young's heroics, Daniel Carte batted 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a double. Casey Weathers pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the winning decision and Pedro Strop was credited with a save after tossing a shutout ninth inning.

SOUTH NOTES

Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros) 7-3, Third Place, South Division

April 3...With two outs and down 0-and-2 in the count, Eli Iorg hit a game-winning double into the right-center gap to score Mitch Einertson from first and give the Hooks an 8-7 win over Tulsa in 11 innings. Iorg was 2-for-5 on the night with a walk and two RBIs. Second baseman Drew Sutton was 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base. Reliever Chris Blazek (1-0) was credited with the win as he was the only one of four Hooks pitchers on the night not to give up a run to the Drillers. The 6-foot, 195 pound left-hander allowed no base runners to reach base and fanned three in two innings pitched.

April 4...The Hooks 15-5 win over Tulsa was highlighted by an offense that accumulated 15 hits and racked up 10 walks. Drew Sutton and Robert Cosby had three hits a piece in the one sided win. With two additional walks, Sutton reached base five times in all, scored two runs and knocked in two. Cosby was credited with three RBIs and a run scored. Eli Iorg enjoyed his second straight multiple-hit game going 2-for-4 with three runs and a walk. Right-hander Ryan McKeller (1-0) earned the win, throwing three shutout frames with four strikeouts.

April 5...Bud Norris hurled five shutout innings and fanned eight Drillers batters to help Corpus Christi to a 5-1 win and sweep of their opening three-game series of Tulsa. The 6-foot, 195 pound righty surrendered five hits and walked one on the night. Rated by the Astros fifth best prospect by Baseball America, Norris features a sinking fastball and an above-average curveball in his pitch arsenal. He was drafted by Houston in the sixth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal Poly. Robert Cosby belted a three-run dinger to left-center, giving him eight RBIs total through the first three contests.

April 6...In his first start of the season, designated hitter Ole Sheldon went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored to help Corpus Christi to a 6-1 triumph over Northwest Arkansas. The win improved the Hooks record to 4-0 and they were in a three-way tie in first along with Frisco and Midland. Off-the-field, the Hooks placed right-handed pitcher Kyle Middleton (shoulder) on the disabled list and added fellow righty hurler Brian Gordon to the roster from the inactive list.

April 7... For the second time in five days, Eli Iorg drove home the winning run in extra innings. His one-out RBI single to center in the bottom of the 12th broke a 7-7 tie and improved the Hooks' record to 5-0. Down to their last out and trailing 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Rob Cosby ripped a solo home run to left-center off Naturals closer Julio De La Cruz to take the game to extra-innings. The former Toronto Blue Jays farm hand was 3-for-3 on the night with three runs scored, a double and two RBIs. Through the first five games, Cosby was hitting .391 with two homers and 10 RBIs. Catcher Lou Santangelo added to the offense going 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored.

April 8...Starter Brad James gave up only one run in five innings of work, but was out pitched by Northwest Arkansas right-hander Carlos Rosa. Rosa threw six shutout frames and helped put the first blemish on the Hooks record (5-1) as the Naturals won 2-0. Houston Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui started his rehab assignment with the Hooks and was 1-for-3 with a double batting out of the leadoff spot.

April 10...In day two of a rehab assignment, Kazuo Matsui was 2-for-4, clubbed two doubles and scored a run in the Hooks 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Drillers. Drew Sutton connected on a two-run dinger in the third and Eli Iorg blasted a solo home run in the sixth. Corpus Christi right-hander Dan Denham was released and the Houston Astros assigned righty Jose Oyervidez to the Hooks after acquiring him from San Diego for a player to be named later.

April 11...Bud Norris earned his second win of the season in as many starts leading the way in the Hooks 7-3 win over Tulsa. In five innings, the right-hander was charged with one run, served up three hits, walked two and struck out eight Drillers batters. Norris holds a 0.90 earned run average with 16 punchouts in 10 innings thrown to date. Left fielder Billy Hart headlined the Hooks offensive going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, a double and a run scored. After the temperature dipped into the 40s, rehab assignee Kazuo Matsui was a last-minute scratch from the Hooks lineup.

April 12...In a 5-1 Hooks win over Tulsa, starter Chance Douglass gave up one run over five innings and was credited with his first win of the season. The right-hander from Amarillo, Texas has registered a 1.80 earned run average through ten innings pitched in 2008. Hooks leadoff batter Drew Sutton went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and a RBI.

April 13...Northwest Arkansas blanked Corpus Christi 7-0 after Hooks hitters grounded into three double plays, struck out ten times and failed to draw a bases on balls.

Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers) 7-2, Second Place, South Division

April 3...Matt Harrison allowed one run in five and 2/3 innings and picked up his first win of the season as Frisco won 6-3 at Hammons Field in Springfield on opening night. The 6-foot-5, 205 pound southpaw surrendered four hits, walked none and fanned four Cardinals. He was one of the key prospects the Rangers acquired in the Mark Teixeira to Atlanta trade last July. Leadoff batter Craig Gentry and number-two hitter Elvis Andrus both drove-in two and collected two hits.

April 4...Starting pitcher Scott Feldman had a no-hitter through six innings before Springfield's Jon Jay broke it up with a leadoff single that bounced off the mitt of first baseman Chris Davis. Feldman wound up throwing seven complete innings and earned the victory in a 2-1 Frisco win. The Cardinals could only muster one run, three hits and one free pass versus the 25-year-old right-hander. Both of the RoughRiders' runs came on a two-RBI single by Davis in the third inning. Davis was 2-for-4 on the evening with a double.

April 5...Tied at 4-4 in the 11th, Adam Fox pulled a go-ahead, two-run homer to give Frisco the advantage and eventual 7-4 victory that capped the RoughRiders three game sweep of Springfield. Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez also added their first round-trippers of the season.

April 6...Shortstop Elvis Andrus broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the third with a two-run triple as the RoughRiders triumphed 5-3 over Arkansas and improved their record to 4-0.

April 7...Minor league veteran Trey Hodges hurled six shutout innings pacing the way for a 5-0 Frisco shutout of Arkansas. The Travelers collected only four hits off Hodges and struck out on five occasions. The 29-year-old right-hander spent the last seven seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization before joining the Rangers as a minor league free agent this past winter. After clubbing a combined 36 home runs in the minors last season, Chris Davis got on the board with his first dinger of 2008, a two-run shot in the top of the third. The RoughRiders first baseman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and two RBIs in the shutout win. Emerson Frostad, a Canadian native, went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs.

April 10... In Frisco's 12-5 loss in their home opener versus Springfield, second baseman Thomas Berkery knocked in three runs and scored during a 2-for-4 day. Cardinals hitters racked up eight hits off RoughRiders ace Matt Harrison who was pulled after surrendering three runs in four and 2/3 innings.

April 11...Former Virginia Cavalier southpaw Michael Ballard (1-0) was nicked for one run in six strong innings to help the RoughRiders cruise to an 8-3 win against Springfield. Left fielder Stephen Murphy harassed Cardinals pitchers with a 3-for-4 game in which he belted a solo home run to go along with three RBIs and three runs scored. John Mayberry, Jr. connected on a solo homer in the fifth, his first of the 2008 campaign.

April 12...In a 4-2 win over Springfield, Max Ramirez belted a solo homer off Cardinals reliever Jonathan Mikrut to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth. Frisco tacked on an insurance run on Corey Ragsdale's sacrifice fly in the seventh to extend the lead to 4-2. RoughRiders closer Brennan Garr sealed the win when he struck out Tyler Greene looking to end the game with runners on second and third. Ragsdale also smacked a solo homer in the third.

April 13...Frisco's batters hit into three double plays, as they lost a close knit, 4-3 ballgame to Arkansas. Trey Hodges tallied up nine strikeouts in five innings, but surrendered four runs on seven hits and two walks. Scott Feldman, who entered 2008 with just four career professional starts, was recalled by the Texas Rangers to take the hill versus the Toronto Blue Jays. In the start for the Rangers, Feldman drew a no-decision giving up three runs in six innings pitched.

Midland RockHounds (Oakland Athletics) 9-1, First Place, South Divison

April 3...Midland won their weather shortened opener 3-2 over Arkansas highlighted by Michael Madsen's solid outing. The former Ohio State star gave up only two runs in six innings. Second baseman Jesus Guzman scored two of the three RockHounds runs, ripped a double and was 2-for-4 at the plate.

April 4...The RockHounds won 6-5 in ten innings thanks to a go-ahead solo home run belted by designated hitter Myron Leslie, who had gone hitless in his previous four at-bats. Venezuelan Jesus Guzman enjoyed his second consecutive multiple-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance at the dish. He added a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Former Texas A&M Aggie Cliff Pennington was 3-for-5 with a double, a stolen base and two runs. Midland's bullpen wasted a strong outing by sinkerballer Vincent Mazzaro who surrendered one earned run over six innings.

April 5...The Travelers were overmatched on this night by Midland right-hander Andrew Bailey, who was credited with the win after giving up no earned runs over six innings in the RockHounds 2-0 win. Bailey, a sixth round pick of the A's in 2006, struck out seven batters and allowed only four hitters to reach base. The right-hander retired 17 of the last 19 batters he faced. Jose Rojas hurled a perfect 1 and 2/3 innings to notch his first save of the young season.

April 6...Third baseman Jesus Guzman continued his torrid hitting with a 4-for-5 day and four RBIs in Midland's 7-4 win at Springfield. Jon Zeringue also touched up Cardinals pitchers for four hits, scored two runs and connected on his first home run of the season, a solo blast in the second. Prior to the game, Midland announced Danny Putnam was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League.

April 7...Midland triumphed over Springfield, thrashing the Cardinals 12-0. RockHounds batters scored 12 runs on 18 hits and four walks. Catcher/Coach Casey Myers led the onslaught with a 3-for-4 performance with a home run, two doubles, four runs scored and two RBIs. Brian Snyder added a three-run home run and had a total of four RBIs in the game. Midland pitchers James Simmons, Ryan Webb and Scott Tyler combined on a shutout. The three hurlers recorded seven strikeouts in all, while only seven Cardinals batters reached base against them by hit or walk.

April 8...With a 6-2 victory over Springfield, Midland swept their second consecutive series, moving into sole possession of first place in the Texas League Northern Division with a 6-0 record. Michael Madsen upped his record to 2-0 after giving the RockHounds another efficient six inning outing in which he allowed just two Cardinals players to cross home. The 6-foot-1, 167 pound starter served up three hits, walked two and fanned four Cardinals. Jesus Guzman reached base in four of five plate appearances, two by hit and two on free passes. He crushed his first home run of the 2008 campaign, scored two runs and added a double. Jon Zeringue, the former Arizona Diamondbacks farm hand, launched his second home run of the season. Outfielder Adam Klein was added to the Midland roster to take the place of Danny Putnam, who was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento earlier in the week.

April 10...In a lop sided win over the Travelers, first baseman Tommy Everidge led the charge, going 3-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs as Midland pounded Arkansas 11-4 to improve their season record to 7-0. Jon Zeringue batted a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Jesus Guzman raised his batting average to .516 after a 2-for-5 game with two runs scored. Relying on his defense, winning pitcher Vince Mazzaro did not strikeout a batter in six innings, but was able to limit Arkansas to two runs scored on seven hits and a walk.

April 11...Designated hitter Brian Snyder ripped a game-winning double over the head of Aaron Peel in right which scored Adam Klein from second, giving the RockHounds a thrilling 5-4 winover the Travelers. The RockHounds improved to 8-0. Down 4-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, Midland scored three runs off Arkansas reliever Doug Brandt to tie the game at 4-4. Snyder singled in the first run, Jesus Guzman followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home another and Tommy Everidge capped the scoring in the inning with a RBI single to score Cliff Pennington.

April 12...Continuing his assault on Texas League pitchers, Jesus Guzman (2-for-4) clubbed both a home run and a double during a 6-3 loss to Arkansas. Guzman lifted his season batting mark to .538. The loss was the first blemish on Midland's record (8-1). Right-hander Jesus Silva was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento and the Athletics filled his opening with pitcher Pat Currin from Stockton.

April 13...Midland defeated Springfield 7-3 getting a lift from left fielder Myron Leslie who connected on a two-run homer in the fourth and drove in four runs total. Leslie, the South Florida alumnus, went 3-for-4 on the day. At 2-for-4, Jesus Guzman had his seventh-straight multiple hit game and has multiple hit performances in nine of ten games this season. The former Seattle Mariners farmhand scored a run and initially put the RockHounds on the board with a first inning RBI single. Pat Currin, promoted from Single-A Stockton the day before, threw a perfect two and 2/3 innings to earn the winning decision, striking out four Cardinals batters in the process.

San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres) 5-5, Fourth Place, South Division

April 3...Second baseman Brett Dowdy smacked a solo home run during the bottom of the ninth in the Missions' 6-4 opening night loss to Northwest Arkansas. Craig Cooper went 2-for-5 with a run and was the only Missions hitter with a multiple-hit performance. With runners on second and third, the Notre Dame alum was robbed of a RBI hit when his smoked liner was caught by Naturals shortstop Angel Sanchez to end the inning. Peter Ciofrone contributed with a two-run double to left field in the fourth inning that put the Missions on the board for the first time this season.

April 4...Coming off a brilliant year in which he ranked second in the minors with 170 strikeouts, Will Inman was firing on all cylinders in his 2008 debut. He threw five shutout innings and earned the win in the Missions 3-0 victory. The native of Danville, Virginia scattered three hits, two walks and struck out five. The 6-foot, 200 pound right-hander has a reputation for being an overachieving command pitcher, but may surprise some scouts now that he has added some zip on his fastball. Relievers Greg Burke, Jonathan Ellis and Edwin Moreno followed Inman's lead by combining to pitch four scoreless innings to seal the win. Catcher Colt Morton chipped in with a RBI double in the second and a run-scoring single in the fourth.

April 5...Peter Ciofrone, 2007 Texas League All-Star, drove-in half of the Missions runs with a four RBI day helping San Antonio take the series with an 8-2 victory over the Naturals. The former Red Sox minor leaguer was 3-for-5 at the dish with a double. Forty-man roster player Drew Macias scored three runs, while going 1-for-3, with a double and a RBI. Matt Buschmann was credited with the victory after giving up two runs through five innings pitched and fanning six. The former Vanderbilt hurler was making his Double-A debut after going 12-6 with a 2.89 earned run average with Single-A Lake Elsinore of the California League last season.

April 6...Chad Huffman and Josh Alley both had three-hit games and RBI singles on a day when the Missions could only put together two runs. Huffman slugged two doubles and Alley also clubbed a two-bagger, but both players were stranded on-base all three times in Tulsa's 7-2 defeat of San Antonio. The Missions placed infielder Brett Dowdy on the disabled list with an oblique strain and the San Diego organization responded by transferring Marshall McDougall to San Antonio from Triple-A Portland.

April 7...The Drillers broke a scoreless tie on a RBI infield single by Eric Young, Jr. in the top of the 12th, holding on to beat San Antonio 1-0. San Antonio could only rack up four hits in 12-innings versus Drillers pitching. Newly acquired Marshall McDougall had half of the base knocks. Stephen Faris, the Missions fifth starter, threw five scoreless innings scattering three hits and two runs.

April 8...Entering the contest batting .133, sleeping giant Kyle Blanks finally awoke out of his slumber and highlighted the Missions 4-3 comeback victory by going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The 6-foot-6, 270 pound behemoth broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth by crushing a two-run, line-drive single to center. Two batters earlier, Chad Huffman tied the game by driving-in Sean Kazmar on a double to left. Huffman was 2-for-3 on the day with two doubles and a run scored. The former TCU Horned Frog is batting .375 through the first six games. Prior to the game, the San Diego Padres recalled catcher Colt Morton and moved catcher Matt Stocco to San Antonio from Lake Elsinore to take his place.

April 10...Will Inman put a damper on the Naturals inaugural game at Arvest Ballpark by allowing one hit over five scoreless innings, earning his second win of the season, a 7-1 final. The former Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguer fanned four and walked three. Greg Burke followed Inman's lead by pitching three shutout innings and overpowering Naturals hitters to a tune of six strikeouts. Infielders Seth Johnston and Sean Kazmar slugged their first home runs of 2008. Johnston's fourth inning solo shot was the first dinger in Arvest Ballpark history. Kazmar's homer was a three-run blast in top of the ninth.

April 11...Entering the bottom of the eighth with a 4-3 lead, the Missions lost 11-4 to the Naturals after the bullpen surrendered eight runs during the inning on six hits and three walks. Reliever Jonathan Ellis (1-1) blew the save and was charged with six runs in 1/3 innings pitched. He loaded the bases and allowed a go-ahead grand slam to Kila Kaaihue of the Naturals.

April 12...San Antonio starter Steve Garrison tossed seven innings of no-hit ball and notched his first victory in the Missions 3-1 win. Despite throwing a no-hitter, Garrison was pulled after the seventh by manager Bill Masse because he was on a strict pitch count. The 6-foot-1, 185 pound southpaw tossed 80 pitches in all, 56 of them for strikes. The left-hander fanned five Naturals batters and his two walks were the only blemishes on his statistical line for the evening. The Missions team no-hit bid was broken up in the bottom of the eighth when Marc Maddox singled off Missions closer Edwin Moreno with one out.

April 13...For the second time in three days, San Antonio lost a lead in the bottom of the eighth due to a bullpen meltdown. The Drillers tallied up five runs on six hits in the eighth off relievers Wilton Lopez and Jonathan Ellis to take an 8-6 lead and hold on to win. In a losing effort, former Texas Longhorn standout Seth Johnston connected on a two-run home run in the seventh and scored two runs.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jesus Guzman, Midland RockHounds

10 G, 43 AB, 23 H, .535, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 9 R, 4 2B, .553 OBP, .767 SLG

Just 23-years-old, the Oakland Athletics found themselves a bargain when they signed Guzman as a minor league free agent during the offseason. Through ten games, Guzman leads the Texas League with a .535 batting average and ranks second in the circuit with 14 RBIs. He also is the league leader in hits (23), runs scored (9), on-base percentage (.553) and slugging percentage (.767).

The 6-foot-1, 165 pound infielder had multiple-hit games in nine of his first ten games of the season. Guzman recorded at least one RBI and had multiple hits in seven consecutive contests ranging from April 6 to 13. On April 6 against Springfield, Guzman drove-in four runs during a 4-for-5 performance in a 7-4 Midland victory.

Last season Guzman batted .301 with 25 home runs and 112 RBIs for Single-A High Desert of the California League, a Seattle Mariners affiliate. The Venezuelan played for the San Antonio Missions in both 2005 and 2006 when they were still a Seattle farm club. Guzman was selected to participate 2005 Texas League All-Star Game when he batted .258 with nine home runs and 53 RBI for the Missions.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Will Inman, San Antonio Missions 2-0, 2 G, 10.0 IP, 0 ER, 0.00 ERA, 4 H, 5 BB, 9K

Inman lacks the fastball that lights up radar guns and the projection that impresses scouts, but it's hard to quibble with his minor league track record. Inman has already notched two wins and currently leads the Texas League with a perfect earned run average among pitchers that qualify.

Inman limited Northwest Arkansas Naturals hitters to three hits in five innings during his first start on April 4 and one-hit them through five frames on April 10. The 6-foot, 200 pound right-hander was acquired by the San Diego Padres along with reliever Joe Thatcher and San Antonio teammate Steve Garrison that sent major league setup man Scott Linebrink to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Last season Inman ranked second in all of minor league baseball with 180 strikeouts. Between three clubs last season, Inman recorded an 8-11 record with a 3.28 earned run average in 159 and 1/3 innings pitched. Milwaukee drafted Inman during the third round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. He played high school baseball at Tunstall High School in the Danville, Virginia area.

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Texas League Stories from April 15, 2008


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