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October 02, 2006

Minor League Review, Part 5: Frisco Roughriders Hitters

The League: Known as a hitter-friendly league, the Texas League bears a strong resemblance to the AL during 1991-1993 and 1995. Compared to 2006, walks and strikeouts are 10% more frequent and (as with any minor league) unearned runs more common. (0.63 per nine innings compared to 0.38 in the AL).

Texas League vs American League
Runs Scored 1% lower
Runs Allowed 1% higher
ERA 4% lower
Batting Average .005 lower
On-Base Percentage .005 higher
Slugging Percentage .019 lower
Walk Rate 10% higher
Strikeout Rate 10% higher

The Park: Standard down the lines (335’), a bit shallow to the alleys (364’) and deep to center (409’), Dr. Pepper Ballpark favors hitters. I understand that tickets are the most expensive in AA, up to $18. In AAA Round Rock, tickets top out at $12, plus you get to see Joe McEwing.

Park Factors -- Dr. Pepper Ballpark
Runs 1.03
Average 1.02
On-Base Percentage 1.02
Slugging Percentage 1.01
Walks 1.02
Strikeouts 0.99

Update your satellite imagery, Google!

The Team: Nate Gold (10th round, 2002) had a 145 OPS+ and led the league in homers. Unfortunately, he turned 26 in June, borderline-ancient for a prospect in AA. Texas exposed him to the Rule 5 draft last winter and may do so again despite his upsurge. Perhaps Texas will add him to the 40-man roster this fall and try to sneak him through waivers at the end of Spring Training if they need his spot.

Ben Harrison (2002, 7th) performed admirably after a midseason promotion from Bakerfield, though his walk rate plummeted. Kevin Mahar (undrafted) maintained his power (sixth in the league in triples, eighth in homers) but lost fifty points of average and eighty of OBP in his transition to AA. Travis Metcalf (2004, 11th) lost everything but his cap; his OPS plummeted from .870 in Bakersfield in 2005 to .622 in Frisco. The Rangers needn’t make a roster. Like Gold, they could face exposure to thus winter’s Rule 5 draft.

Overall, Frisco had a weak offense, scoring about one-quarter run per game under the park-adjusted league average.

Player
POS
G
OPS
OPS+
AVG
AVG+
OBP
OBP+
SLG
SLG+
ISO
ISO+
BB%
BB%+
SO%
SO%+
Net Steals
Nate
Gold
1B
120
.958
145
.292
107
.376
107
.582
138
.290
195
10.8%
115
15.8%
106
-5
Kevin
Richardson
C
93
.857
120
.271
99
.358
102
.498
118
.227
152
9.8%
1002
23.9%
70
2
Adam
Morrissey
2B
54
.844
118
.313
114
.387
110
.457
108
.144
97
10.7%
112
18.4%
91
-2
Ben
Harrison
OF
42
.832
113
.282
103
.341
97
.491
116
.209
140
5.8%
60
16.4%
102
4
Anthony
Webster
OF
59
.827
113
.310
113
.364
104
.463
109
.153
103
7.7%
80
10.4%
161
-7
Kevin
Mahar
OF
127
.789
102
.267
98
.319
91
.469
111
.202
136
6.1%
64
17.9%
94
-1
Casey
Benjamin
SS
92
.771
99
.283
103
.349
99
.422
100
.139
93
9.4%
98
14.5%
115
-2
Mike
Nickeas
C
39
.745
95
.248
91
.382
109
.363
86
.115
77
15.7%
1603
16.3%
103
-1
Jake
Blalock
OF
110
.711
85
.266
97
.339
97
.372
88
.106
71
9.6%
100
18.4%
91
2
Enrique
Cruz
SS
76
.694
79
.270
99
.323
92
.370
87
.100
67
6.3%
656
22.6%
74
-4
Jim
Fasano
1B
96
.692
79
.244
89
.308
88
.384
91
.140
94
7.8%
82
20.3%
82
2
Luke
Grayson
OF
55
.668
73
.233
85
.305
87
.364
86
.131
88
7.4%
757
19.6%
875
-1
Ruddy
Yan
CF
49
.622
63
.257
94
.320
91
.302
71
.045
30
8.2%
85
10.6%
160
1
Travis
Metcalf
3B
121
.622
62
.221
81
.298
85
.325
77
.104
70
9.6%
100
20.9%
158
-5
TEAM
TOTALS
-
140
.753
95
.267
98
.339
97
.415
98
.148
99
8.8%
92
18.1%
92
-12
Park-Adjusted League Average
-
-
.751
-
.274
-
.351
-
.423
-
.149
-
9.6%
-
16.7%
-
-12

About the stats: See the post on Clinton’s hitters for explanations and caveats.

Posted by Lucas at October 2, 2006 07:59 PM