Omar's coming! This time, we consider the Oklahoma RedHawks.
The Good
Michael Kirkman's official breakout finally took place. Posted a 13-3 record with a 3.09 ERA and a strikeout per inning.
Chad Tracy took his first exposure to Triple A pitching in stride. His average wound up dipping to .263, but he hit 17 home runs and 14 doubles. He also posted a 35-52 walk to strikeout ratio.
Nevermind the 3-9 record, Omar Beltre has something. He posted a 2.65 ERA with a strikeout per frame. He'll probably be in Arlington this season.
I can't figure out Pedro Strop. Taken off the Colorado Rockies' trash heap, Strop has promise. He had a 1.91 ERA with 57 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 42 innings. Opponents hit .203 off of him. That's dominant. Then he gets to the Majors and craps the bed. Maybe 2011 will be his.
Hernan Iribarren was just kind of a add-on for infield depth in the minors. Wound up with a .275 average. He had 23 doubles and 70 RBI. Not bad for an afterthought.
The Bad
Guillermo Moscoso had a forgettable year. His one awful start in the Majors was mirrored by his 5.18 ERA in OKC with a 2:1 strikeout-walk ratio.
Max Ramirez had just 189 at-bats. His injuries are becoming a chronic issue and I think the Rangers are running out of patience. Just eight minor-league home runs in two seasons.
It had seemed that Doug Mathis had worked himself into the bullpen situation in the Majors. His 2010 started off rough. He got hurt and spent the rest of the year in Oklahoma City. There, the 27 year old had a 5.66 ERA. Opponents hit .317. Although never a huge strikeout guy, Mathis' numbers were awful with almost a walk per strikeout.
The level of play caught up with our boy Tanner Scheppers. His dominance in Frisco was halted in OKC where he had a 5.48 ERA and opponents hit .297 off of him. His month-by-month numbers show that maybe the wear and tear of 80 innings took its toll: 1.13 ERA in May and a 20.25 ERA in September.
In three seasons in Oklahoma City, Michael Ballard's had ERAs of 6.81, 5.14 and 5.09. Granted, it's improving. By 2025, it'll be below 5.00.
