Read More: twins baseball, minnesota twins baseball, rangers baseball, texas rangers baseball, rangers at twins, rangers vs twins, rangers twins recap, Jim Hoey (P – MIN), Colby Lewis (P – TEX), C.J. Wilson (P – TEX), Jim Thome (DH – MIN), Joe Mauer (C – MIN), Justin Morneau (1B – MIN), Jason Kubel (DH – MIN), Michael Cuddyer (RF – MIN), Alexi Casilla (2B – MIN), Scott Baker (P – MIN), Jason Repko (RF – MIN), Denard Span (CF – MIN), Anthony Swarzak (P – MIN), Drew Butera (C – MIN), Brian Duensing (P – MIN), Matt Tolbert (2B – MIN), Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, Jun 10, 2011 7:10 PM CDT

The Texas Rangers put a screeching halt to their seven-game losing streak at Target Field on Friday night, scoring seven runs in the second inning and chasing Minnesota Twins starter Brian Duensing en route to a 9-3 victory over the Twins on Friday evening at Target Field.

Fielding a lineup that didn’t have any sign of Denard Span (concussion), Justin Morneau (wrist soreness), Joe Mauer, Jason Kubel, or Jim Thome, the Twins’ offense just didn’t have enough gas to keep up with the Texas offense, who scored early and often against Duensing. The Rangers sent eleven men to the plate in their seven-run second inning, and Duensing did not come back out for the third, having been replaced by Anthony Swarzak. Only three of the seven runs the Rangers scored were earned runs, thanks to errors by Jason Repko and Alexi Casilla, but it was still enough to knock out Duensing, who was sent to his sixth loss in his last seven decisions.

Matt Tolbert, Michael Cuddyer, and Drew Butera each drove in one run for the Twins, who lost for just the second time in their last nine games.

The loss for Duensing dropped his record on the season to 3-6 on the season. Swarzak pitched six innings in relief, allowing two runs and six hits in that time. Jim Hoey also pitched a perfect inning in relief. The victory for the Rangers went to starter C.J. Wilson, who now has a record of 7-3 on the season, having scattered eight hits and allowing three runs in the victory for Texas.

The same two teams will get together at Target Field on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:10 PM Central time in Minneapolis. The Rangers will start right-hander Colby Lewis (5-6, 4.37 ERA), while the Twins will turn to right-hander Scott Baker (3-4, 3.86 ERA).

Read More: game recap, Michael Young (DH – TEX), C.J. Wilson (P – TEX), Josh Hamilton (LF – TEX), Adrian Beltre (3B – TEX), Elvis Andrus (SS – TEX), Andres Blanco (2B – TEX), Brian Duensing (P – MIN), Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins

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The Rangers scored seven runs in the second inning to take a 7-0 lead in a game threatened my inclement weather. Familiar script, right?

Except, this time, the Rangers got to keep playing, and, as they likely would have the last time, coasted to an easy victory. Their first win ever in Target Field, in fact.

It was a day that was all about how awesome the Rangers position players were. Every Rangers starter but Andres Blanco and Nelson Cruz had a hit. In fact, every Ranger but those two, Elvis Andrus, and Josh Hamilton (who had a double) slapped multiple, and Michael Young showed good signs of breaking out of his slump with three hits to lead the team. It wasn’t just the offense, though, it was the defense, highlighted by an incredible assist to third by Cruz and amazing infield stops by Adrian Beltre and Andrus.

What was unusual was the Rangers scoring nine runs with only two extra base hits the whole game. Every other hit was a single, they just mostly came in the second inning. Beltre opened the inning with the Rangers’ only walk of the game (against just three strikeouts), and ended the scoring with a double for the only extra base hit of the inning. In between, there were six singles — Hamilton making the only out — and a reached-on-error. Beltre added another RBI single in the fourth, and Young did so in the sixth to give the Rangers nine runs with almost no power. For one day, the Rangers were an early 20th century baseball team, excelling on putting everything in play they could and hoping to string together enough singles to score runs. It was nothing if not exciting, and put the game out of reach early.

The strangeness of the game may just have been influenced by the umpires’ decision to keep playing through the rain, which was particularly heavy in the second. Brian Duensing is better than a seven runs in two innings pitcher, and the weather at least had a small part in that, maybe a larger part. The Twins pair of errors in the inning came when Jason Repko slipped in the wet outfield and Alexi Casilla couldn’t handle a strange hop on the infield grass. Those directly lead to runs and baserunners, and who knows how much trouble Duensing had hitting his spots in the rain.

On the other side, C.J. Wilson’s performance — outside of runs allowed — was not necessarily his best, either. With three walks and a hit batter to just one strikeout on three swinging strikes, he was probably a tad lucky to have gone seven innings with three runs allowed. With the weather the way it was, it’s not hard to believe that was the reason Wilson had trouble missing bats or finding the zone Friday (Dana DeMuth’s small zone didn’t help, either). We know he’s better, and one game in the rain probably means even less than one game normally does.

Regardless, even without some good luck and defensive help, Wilson still pitched well enough to win handily simply because the Rangers did a better job than the Twins of punishing a pitcher battling the elements. For the ninth time in 15 games, they’ve delivered cheap Papa John’s pizza to the people of the Metroplex, and, after an 8-0 Cardinals loss, it gives Texas the second best run differential in baseball.

GAME CHARTS

FanGraphs Win Expectancy

Biggest Contributions (What is this, I don’t even. . . ?)

1. Mike Napoli 12%
2. C.J. Wilson 9%
3. Adrian Beltre 8%

Dan DeMuth’s Strikezone from Brooks Baseball

VOTE FOR THE PLAYER OF THE GAME

MINNEAPOLIS – Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington planned to give Michael Young a rest this weekend and he’s sticking to it.

Not even a breakout game could change the manager’s mind.

Young had three hits and three RBIs, Adrian Beltre added two hits and drove in two run, and the Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 9-3 on Friday night.

The Rangers sent 11 batters to the plate and scored a season-high seven runs in the second inning to snap an eight-game road losing streak against the Twins and win for the first time at Target Field.

Young, who is two away from setting the Rangers franchise record for games played, was 4 for 39 in June before Friday. Washington said after the game that he’s sticking to his plan to give Young the day off on Saturday.

“I want to play every day, but at the same time Wash was great,” Young said. “I told him I’m fine, I told him I’m ready to go. He just said he wants to take care of me.”

C.J. Wilson (7-3) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings to notch his fifth straight quality start.

The lefty pitched through a steady rain and conditions that worsened throughout the game. Despite struggling to grip the ball and command his pitches, Wilson gave Texas another strong effort.

“It was like Die Hard,” Wilson said. “Bruce Willis gets shot, he’s limping around, but he still throws the bad guy down the elevator shaft. It’s whatever you can do.”

Brian Duensing (3-6) lasted two innings and allowed seven runs – three earned – and seven hits as the Twins lost for the second time in their last nine games. Duensing has lost six of his last seven decisions.

It started raining in the second inning, right before Texas got rolling and Minnesota reverted to the sloppy play that has characterized most of its season.

“Ugly weather and one really bad inning out there,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We missed a couple of plays. One of those innings that’s a nightmare. Couldn’t stop it, couldn’t find a way.”

Beltre led off with a walk and scored when Jason Repko slipped and bobbled Mike Napoli’s single to center. Yorvit Torrealba delivered an RBI single and scored when shortstop Alexi Casilla misplayed Andres Blanco’s bouncer.

Blanco scored on Craig Gentry’s single, barely avoiding Drew Butera’s tag at the plate. The close play drew Gardenhire out of the dugout to kick some dirt around home plate and argue briefly with umpire Dana DeMuth.

Young capped the second inning with a two-run single after Gardenhire stomped back to the dugout.

Young hit .341 in April and May, but his June slump dipped him to .304 entering Friday. Perhaps the big second-inning hit will ignite another hot streak.

The Texas Rangers  are the defending American League champions. They lead the AL West and have looked like a powerhouse since seeing Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton return from the disabled list.

It’s not surprising, then, that fans aren’t hearing quite as much about the franchise’s prospects as they did years ago. Gone are the days of a fan base losing hope for contention in July. Gone are trade-deadline “everything must go” sales. Thankfully, though, prospects remain.

I spoke with Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus and Texas Farm Review, who was kind enough to lend his insight on some of the topics and players in the Rangers’ system.

It didn’t seem like many Ranger prospects stepped forward in 2010, but 2011 has been a different story altogether. Players all across the system are seeing their stocks rise, buoyed by gaudy stat lines and improving tools.

Parks especially cited Neil Ramirez, a pitcher drafted out of high school in 2007 whose suddenly intense work ethic has overcome years spent struggling with command issues. Ramirez had never pitched above A-Ball before this season, but after one dominating start in High-A he’s been elevated to AAA Round Rock, where he’s flashing three good pitches and a 3.44 ERA. Ramirez has exploded onto the prospect scene like few others in the league.

The Rangers’ top prospect is also turning heads. Martin Perez turned 20 on April 4^th and is one of the youngest players in AA. After what some considered a middling performance in Frisco last year, Perez has thrown with greater control and consistency on his way to a 2.6 ERA – and many guesses he’s due for a promotion in the near future. The lefty throws a 92-96 MPH fastball that has topped out at 98 and a changeup and curve which both project as above-average. He’s also started throwing a two-seam fastball, by some reports. Parks’ take: “it looks like he needs a greater challenge than AA.” Again… he’s barely 20 years old.

When the Rangers spent a 2009  third rounder on diminutive high school leftie Robbie Erlin, he wasn’t considered a flashy draft pick. Two years later, he’s blossomed into one of the most compelling pitchers in the minor leagues. According to Parks, despite his lack of seasoning Erlin “may be more ready than Perez.” He’s a horse who does nothing but “eat baseballs” and cares for nothing but “attacking hitters.”

Erlin doesn’t have phenomenal stuff, but has a very deep arsenal. He can cut, sink and tail his fastball and his ability to pitch is special. He also hits his spots very well. While he’s not an intimidator like Neftali Feliz, he has an ability to make hitters uncomfortable. In that sense, he’s similar to former Ranger great and current Phillie Cliff Lee. Jason said Erlin needs to face advanced competition, as he stands out too much at the lower levels. He was convinced the 20-year old would wear a Ranger uniform sometime in 2012.

With that being said, Erlin tends to get smacked around when he misses his spots. He lives by command and sequence, but his pitches aren’t overwhelming, so if one hangs, slips or loses its bite he’s likely to spin around and gaze at a ball traveling far, far away.

One final anecdote: Erlin has struck out 196 hitters in his minor league career. He’s walked 25.

There have been two major exceptions to the Rangers’ system-wide improvement in 2011. The first is centerfielder Engel Beltre, who has spiraled between poor play, a suspension for throwing a trash can at a fan and a move to right field. Through no fault of his own, the second is Tanner Scheppers.

The 6’4 right hander throws two dynamite pitches, a fastball that has touched 100 MPH and a vicious curve. Unfortunately, he’s been cursed with injury issues to his shoulders and back throughout his brief career. The most worrying aspect – back injuries can take forever and just linger, similar to hamstring injuries (Think Nelson Cruz.)

Parks says there is concern about Scheppers ever being at full strength. But he thinks when Scheppers returns from his most recent trip to the trainer’s table, he will no longer be seen as a starter. The workload is not right for him, and the lack of a third pitch makes it difficult for him to succeed multiple times through a lineup. This would seem to work well with the Rangers’ urgent need for bullpen help.

The only way to adjust to major-league pitching is at the major league level. Scheppers’ two primary pitches are so good he could contribute very quickly if the transition to relief work was made. After a few appearances in AAA, he could be ready for a callup. Parks maintains he is the closest to contributing of any significant Rangers prospect.

Of course, that all assumes Scheppers returns in full health. Based on his track record, that may be too much to hope for.

Much has been made of the Rangers’ newest international signee, 15.5 million dollar man Leonys Martin. The 23-year old centerfielder is highly touted and has quite simply overmatched AA pitching, even coming off a long layoff from baseball. Keep this in mind: Martin faced a lot of legitimate talent during his time in Cuba. He should probably be in AAA at this stage, and is on the short list for a September callup.

Parks thinks Martin could make for a great late-season catalyst. Teams have yet to assemble a true scouting report on him, so he could make a quick impact.

Under the category of ‘good problems to have:’ Julio Borbon played well before getting injured and Endy Chavez has impressed in his short big-league stint. There’s also the matter of one Josh Hamilton, who’s a fairly decent player himself. So Martin’s role on the 2011 club is uncertain.

For a more thorough look at Martin, check out this Q&A done with Jason Cole several weeks ago.

While he’s no longer a prospect, a lot of attention has been paid to Neftali Feliz’s struggles this year. The Dominican righthander who had never struggled on the mound before this year has walked more than he’s struck out this year and truly looked helpless against right-handed hitters. Parks’ diagnosis: He’s throwing, not pitching. There have been flashes when Feliz looked like he was developing into a pitcher, but he’s never truly put it together. It’s not entirely his fault, as he was rushed through the minor leagues because of his dominating fastball. As a result, his secondary pitches suffered.  It’s simply a factor of contention; long-term development becomes a tertiary concern during a pennant run.  The tenures of GMs and managers don’t always last long enough to take advantage of that future. For Feliz, developing finesse will be tough when he was never taught to show it.

The Rangers’ ace in the hole is actually built upon having several loaded decks. Parks says the talent in low levels of Rangers minor league system trumps that of any team in the league. The franchise’s  depth in the Dominican League and Short Season League is “insane.” These levels are anchored by players like pitchers David Perez and Victor Payano, and catcher Jorge Alfaro who are, in his opinion, “Going to be very, very, very good.”

One of the more frightening terms coined by legendary Baseball Prospectus writer Nate Silver was the acronym TINSTAAPP – “There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.” While this is obviously hyperbole, it puts into context the level of risk with projecting young players to great things. With that being said, it’s near impossible to build a winning franchise without a solid farm system. And based on what the Rangers’ minor league clubs are boasting, the Texas Rangers’ newfound habit of winning could be one that sticks.

Check out Jason Parks’ work on his site, Texas Farm Review or on Baseball Prospectus.