The last thread has gotten too unwieldy and is quickly approaching the time where it will get purged from the front page regardless of the rec number. To promote some discussion, what are some prospects (Rangers or otherwise, I'm not picky) that you have found disappointing this year OTHER THAN Martin Perez, Neil Ramirez, and Jordan Akins. And some prospects you are impressed with OTHER THAN Jurickson Profar, Mike Olt, and Cody Buckel.

Statistically, Will Lamb has disappointed me. The Rangers' 2nd round pick has given up around a hit per inning pitched in Hickory, walked more than he's struckout, and he doesn't strikeout very many. His BB/PA is 11.5% and his K/PA is 10.7%. Now he's very tall and lanky, and I've heard that those are the kinda guys that have trouble repeating their mechanics, but it's still kind of a poor showing from the Clemson lefty. I will now await my painful homicide like a man.

I've been very impressed with Kyle Hendricks, the Rangers 8th round pick from the 2011 draft. Now, I don't know how much of this is his gem from last night, but meh. He's got a 41:5 K:BB ratio in 51.1 Inning. That is phenomenal. I am eager to hear what Parks and Cole have to say about him and his stuff, as they were at his start in MB.

Speaking of Parks, he's posted his thoughts on Nick Tepesch's semi-No hitter over at TFR and you should check it out.

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As always, here's Shroom's Wizard Site: http://www.my.calendars.net/farmprobs/

MONDAY - MAY 21

HICKORY: LUKE JACKSON (6.2 IP|1 H|1 R|3 BB|9 K|1 HR) / NICK MARTINEZ (3 IP | 4 H | 3 ER | 3 BB | 4 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: OFF

FRISCO: JAKE BRIGHAM (6.2 IP | 4 H | 3 ER | 3 BB | 5 K)

ROUND ROCK: GREG REYNOLDS - 7:05 (I don't care)

TUESDAY - MAY 22

HICKORY: ANDREW FAULKNER(3 IP | 7 H | 4 ER | 0 BB | 2 K)/NICK MCBRIDE(4 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 3 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: WILMER FONT (5.1 IP | 2 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 7 K)

FRISCO: OFF

ROUND ROCK: MICHAEL KIRKMAN (Meh)

WEDNESDAY - MAY 23

HICKORY: OFF

MYRTLE BEACH: CODY BUCKEL (7 IP | 7 H | 2 ER | 2 BB | 5 K | 1 HR)

FRISCO: TIM MURPHY (Meh)

ROUND ROCK: ZACK JACKSON (Meh)

THURSDAY - MAY 24

HICKORY: VICTOR PAYANO (5 IP | 7 H | 2 ER | 4 BB | 3 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: ROMAN MENDEZ (5.2 IP | 6 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 9 K)

FRISCO: JUSTIN GRIMM (7 IP | 6 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 6 K)

ROUND ROCK: NEIL RAMIREZ (6 IP | 4 H | 3 ER | 4 BB | 6 K)

FRIDAY - MAY 25

HICKORY: JARED EICKHOFF (6 IP | 7 H | 4 ER | 1 BB | 2 K | 2 HR)

MYRTLE BEACH: NICK TEPESCH (6.2 IP | 5 H | 2 ER | 1 BB | 4 K)

FRISCO: CHAD BELL (5 IP | 5 H | 0 ER | 1 BB | 2 K)

ROUND ROCK: MARTIN PEREZ (4 IP | 4 H | 3 ER | 4 BB | 1 K)

SATURDAY - MAY 26

HICKORY: NICK MARTINEZ (4 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 5 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: KYLE HENDRICKS (7 IP | 5 H | 2 ER | 0 BB | 7 K)

FRISCO: BARRET "9-0" LOUX (6 IP | 9 H | 6 ER | 2 BB | 7 K)

ROUND ROCK: GREG REYNOLDS - 6:35

SUNDAY - MAY 27

HICKORY: SANTO PEREZ (6.1 IP | 6 H | 4 ER | 1 BB | 8 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: WILMER FONT (4 IP | 2 H | 0 ER | 6 BB | 5 K)

FRISCO: JAKE BRIGHAM (5.1 IP | 7 H | 6 ER | 1 BB | 3 K)

ROUND ROCK: MICHAEL KIRKMAN (Meh)

MONDAY - MAY 28

HICKORY: LUKE JACKSON (6 IP | 6 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 4 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: CODY BUCKEL (6 IP | 3 H | 0 ER | 1 BB | 9 K)

FRISCO: TIM MURPHY (5 IP | 5 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 1 K)

ROUND ROCK: Derek Hankins (Meh)

TUESDAY - MAY 29

HICKORY: VICTOR PAYANO (7 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 11 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: ROMAN MENDEZ (SUSPENDED)

FRISCO: OFF

ROUND ROCK: NEIL RAMIREZ (2.1 IP | 6 H | 8 ER | 4 BB | 2 K)

WEDNESDAY - MAY 30

HICKORY: JERED EICKHOFF (6 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 5 K)

MYRTLE BEACH: NICK TEPESCH (5.2 IP | 8 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 7 K)

FRISCO: JUSTIN GRIMM (6 IP | 6 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 6 K)

ROUND ROCK: MARTIN PEREZ (5.2 IP | 5 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 4 K)

THURSDAY - MAY 31

HICKORY: NICK MARTINEZ - 6:00

MYRTLE BEACH: KYLE HENDRICKS - 6:00

FRISCO: CHAD BELL - 7:00

ROUND ROCK: GREG REYNOLDS - 7:00

Finally! The Rangers might not start up for reals until Friday, but every Rangers minor league affiliate apart from Myrtle Beach (and Spokane, obviously) start up their season today! Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know about the shroomprobs calendar and all of its glory, but in case you don't

http://www.my.calendars.net/farmprobs/

I'll probably be charting games on and off during the year, depending on radio coverage, since it is usually well received. I have no doubts that Firebat and Bradst1ck will occasionally do it too. Maybe Aquabro as well

Rec this bitch up so the OT threads don't consume it.

Games after the jump

Continue reading this post »

Big day tomorrow. Perez toes the rubber in Frisco at 11 AM, Ross and LuJack pitch for Myrtle Beach and Hickory at 6, and then NeRa closes it out in Round Rock at 7.

Baseball stuff that tickles me in a dirty way:

Jurickson Profar's line as of 5/25:

.275/.405/.517 (wOBA of .413, folks)

Joe Wieland and Robbie Erlin's strikeout to walk ratios:

Currently at  61:3 and 62:5 respectively

Barret Loux and Martin Perez's groundball rates:

55% and 58% respectively

Neil Ramirez's fastball:

I don't know how to expand on that

Josh Hamilton:

Always relevant

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5-26 Ballgames

Hickory - 6:00 - Luke Jackson - 3.1 IP | 3 H | 0 ER | 4 BB | 5 K

Myrtle Beach - 6:00 - Robbie Ross - 6.1 IP | 5 H | 4 ER | 3 BB | 7 K | 5-3 GO-AO

Frisco - 11:00 AM - Martin Perez - 7 IP | 5 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 5 K

Round Rock - 7:00 - Neil Ramirez - 4 IP | 4 H | 2 ER | 4 BB | 3 K

5-27 Ballgames

Hickory - 6:00 - Cody Buckel - 4 IP | 3 H | 2 ER | 0 BB | 5 K | 1 HR | 2-2 GO-AO

Myrtle Beach - 6:00 - Wilfredo Boscan - 5.2 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 3 K | 7-3 GO-AO

Frisco - 7:00 - Jake Brigham - 5 IP | 7 H | 4 ER | 3 BB | 3 K | 1 HR. Ejected for bum rushing the home plate umpire

Round Rock - 7:00 - Zack Jackson - 7 IP | 6 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 0 K | 1 HR

5-28 Ballgames 

Hickory - 6:00 - Nick Tepesch - 5 IP | 7 H | 5 ER | 3 BB | 1 K | 1 HR

Myrtle Beach - 6:00 - Joe Wieland - 7 IP | 5 H | 0 ER | 0 BB | 9 K

Frisco - 7:00 - Carlos Pimentel - 5 IP | 5 H | 3 ER | 3 BB | 5 K | 2 HR

Round Rock - 7:00 - Derek Hankins - 7 IP | 8 H | 2 ER | 0 BB | 6 K

The Rangers are supposedly one of 8 teams after this sexy Japanese monster. Per MLBTradeRumors, his likely fee could be around $25MM and he'll be looking for a five-year deal from an MLB club.

From a scouting report over at BasebalI America from 2008 over at baseball america

He works in the low 90s with his fastball and can reach back for 95-96 mph on occasion. He can cut his fastball, and he also throws a slider, curveball, splitter and a changeup. His ability to locate his pitches makes them play up, and he could be a frontline starter in the big leagues.

His Japanese stats are just ridiculous, even for a league that's inferior in talent:

1.81 ERA, 8.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, and a WHIP of 0.872 in 590.1 innings over 3 years, and he's what, 24 years old?

From this Fangraphs article back in May 2010:

- He’s got velocity. Darvish usually works his fastball in the 92-93 range, but is capable of running it up to 95-96.

- He changes speeds. Darvish’s curveball bottoms out at under 60mph, and he has other offerings in the 75-85mph range.

- Darvish is young (not yet 24), and “projectable” (6’5, 188 lbs).

What do you guys think? Would you like it if the Rangers seriously pursued this guy?

Thought we should have another one of these guys. I don't really have the time to write anything thought provoking here like some of the other Minors threads have, so I'll just toss up today's starters.

Today’s Starters (Scott Lucas)
AAA: Beltre / Nippert
AA: Martin Perez
High-A: Wilfredo Boscan
Low-A: Jake Brigham
Short-A: Ben Henry

Hopefully Marteen has a nice start and Fredo keeps being a a badass strike throwing fool.

And speaking of Boscan, has his stock this season risen for anyone else? He has added 3 strikeouts per 9 innings from last year, and is walking half a batter more per 9 innings than last year. The GB% is still an excellent 51%.