Results tagged ‘ Steve Murphy ’
All-’Riders Team: Left Field
2012 marks the RoughRiders’ 10th season as a franchise, all as the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate. Since 2003, there have been hundreds of talented players come through Dr Pepper Ballpark, but some have stood out more than others. With the help of Michael Damman, the RoughRiders’ Director of Statistical Research, we’ve come up with the All-’Riders Team: the best player at each position in franchise history. Today we continue with the RoughRiders all-time best left fielder.
Michael Damman’s Take:
Drafted in the 14th round of the 2005 draft out of Kansas State University, Steve Murphy hit .283 with 38 doubles, 5 triples, and 19 homeruns in his first full season of minor league baseball in High-A in 2006. He reached Double-A with the Frisco RoughRiders the following season.
Dubbed as “Mr. Frisco” by the press box of the RoughRiders, Steve Murphy played two full seasons (2007-08) and one half season (2009) with the ‘Riders. Murphy was a starter and key contributor on two of Frisco’s best teams in 2007 and 2008. His best minor league season came in 2008 when he posted career bests in runs (84), triples (9), homeruns (20), RBI (87), steals (15), and walks (36). Steve finished up his two and a half year tenure with Frisco as the ‘Riders all-time leader in career hits (319), homeruns (41), RBI (194), and runs (194). Renny Osuna topped his career hit total last season, but Murphy remains Frisco’s all-time leader in homeruns, RBI, and runs.
Murphy made it as far as Triple-A in 2009 for the Oklahoma City Redhawks, but retired after the season.
Up Next: Center Field
Osuna Becomes All-Time Hits Leader
Renny Osuna became the all-time hits leader in RoughRiders history Wednesday night at Dr Pepper Ballpark when he singled up the middle in the first inning against Northwest Arkansas’ Jeremy Jeffress.
Renny Osuna is the new hit king in RoughRiders history (Photo: James Garner).
Osuna now has 320 hits, which is one better than Steve Murphy. The everyday shortstop has played in 288 games with the RoughRiders over the last three seasons, which is 43 fewer than Murphy appeared in during his time in Frisco.
Entering play tonight, Osuna was second in the Texas League with 125 hits and ninth in batting average at .299. He has a career-high eight home runs to go along with 49 RBIs.
Hit number one in Osuna’s Double-A career came in his first ever at-bat with the RoughRiders May 29, 2009, at Tulsa.
When Osuna broke the record, the ‘Riders and Naturals were scoreless in the opener of their three-game series.
Osuna’s Second Chance at History
Renny Osuna will once again get a chance to break the RoughRiders’ all-time hits record when the RoughRiders kick off this three-game series with the league’s defending champions–the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Osuna went 0-for-4 Monday after posting two hits Sunday, which gave him 319 for his RoughRiders career. Frisco’s everyday shortstop is currently tied with Steve Murphy for the record.
In five games against the Naturals this season, Osuna is hitting .364 (8-for-22) with two home runs and seven RBIs.
As per usual, Osuna is leading off and playing at short for the ‘Riders tonight.
Osuna has faced Northwest Arkansas pitcher Jeremy Jeffress once in his minor league career, and it came back on August 8, 2006, when both players were in the Arizona League. Osuna grounded out to short against Jeffress, who was a Brewers farmhand at the time.
This season, Jeffress is 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in four starts with Northwest Arkansas after posting a 7.13 ERA in 16 appearances with Triple-A Omaha.
- Brian
Closing In On RoughRiders History
The RoughRiders are chasing their second Texas League championship as a team, but there is quite an individual storyline gathering speed within the ‘Riders clubhouse.
Renny Osuna is three hits away from Frisco's all-time record (James Garner).
In his third season with the RoughRiders, Renny Osuna is just three hits away from matching Steve Murphy’s franchise record in hits, which currently sits at 319.
Osuna, a .294 hitter in his six-year minor league career, has 316 hits while with the ‘Riders. This season, Osuna is batting .299 with a career-high eight home runs. Frisco’s everyday shortstop has driven in 48 runs, which is one off his total from last year and only 18 shy of his career-high mark set in 2008.
Hit number one in Osuna’s Double-A career came in his first ever at-bat with the RoughRiders May 29, 2009, at Tulsa. Osuna singled and came around to score against Drillers starter Brandon Durden.
Osuna’s third hit was his first at Dr Pepper Ballpark June 3, once again against the Drillers. The ’09 season ended with Osuna notching 62 base hits, which was good for a .246 average.
In his first full season in Frisco, Osuna started climbing the hit list quickly. Following a 14-hit April, Osuna’s first Double-A home run was in his first game of May. That home run came during a 3-for-4 day May 3.
Overall in 2010, Osuna hit below .270 for a month only once. The Caracas, Venezuela, native posted a .293 average with four homers and 49 RBIs.
Before the start of this season, Osuna had 194 hits in his ‘Riders career. Despite bouncing around three different positions and missing time with a broken nose, Osuna has 122 hits in 94 games this season. He is on pace to reach or surpass many of his individual marks.
Osuna and the 'Riders play their next nine games at Dr Pepper Ballpark (James Garner).
Osuna is also on pace to break the all-time hits record in Frisco history very soon, and he has gotten within three hits of Murphy’s mark despite appearing in 47 fewer games and going to the plate 149 fewer times.
Isn’t it fitting that the RoughRiders have just begun their longest home stand of the season with Osuna on the brink of history?
Osuna needs just three more hits, and fans at Dr Pepper Ballpark are likely to see those three and many more from Renny.
- Brian
