Oh hellz yes. The Hooks return to the playoffs tonight at Frisco beginning at 7pm tonight. Frisco is the Rangers' Double-A affiliate so, you know, Strike 1. Also, they're the RoughRiders. A "RoughRider" is what you get for 75 cents in an Exxon bathroom.
Season Series: Hooks lead 15-13, (7-9 at Frisco)
Hooks starter: Paul Clemens
Clemens - who came to the organization in July 2011 as part of the Bourn trade - began 2012 at OKC, but had a rough go of it. In 20 starts Clemens was 8-8, but with a 6.73 ERA/1.74 WHIP, and 68K:32BB in 101.2IP. So he got sent back to Corpus, where he fared much better against lower-level competition, going 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA/1.25 WHIP, and 37K:11BB in 41.2IP.
His last start of the season actually came against Frisco, where on August 31 he threw 5IP, allowing 6H/2ER, 4K:0BB. In his last five starts for Corpus (he was presumably pouting in his first two Corpus starts), Clemens racked up 30IP, 27H/6ER, 20K:8BB.
Roughriders starter: Barret Loux
Perhaps you remember Barret Loux. First of all, he's from Stratford. But he was the 6th overall pick by the Diamondbacks in 2010, and agreed to a $2m signing bonus. But Arizona was quite surprised to find out that Loux failed his physical thanks to a torn labrum and elbow damage. So they didn't offer him a contract, instead taking the 7th overall pick in the 2011 draft. MLB made the somewhat-unprecedented move of declaring him a free agent. Ed Wade doofused around and figured the Astros didn't need any minor-league pitching, so they didn't pursue him. And then the Rangers signed him for $312,000. Now pre-draft physicals are required for the Top 200 prospects. No one calls it the Loux Rule, but that may as well be what it is.
Loux has been a stud for Frisco this season. He's 14-1 in 25 starts, with a 3.47 ERA/1.27 WHIP, 100K:41BB, and 10HR allowed in 127IP. In six starts against Corpus this season, He has thrown 26.1IP, allowing 28H/18ER, 27K:10BB. This includes his worst start of the season, on June 22 at home vs. Corpus, when the Hooks clapped him up for 8H/8ER, 4K:1BB in 3IP.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
