Hurley promoted.
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers are promoting righthander Eric Hurley to Oklahoma. The 21-year-old, who would not have been drafted until this month had he gone to the University of Florida rather than sign with the Rangers out of high school as their second first-round pick in 2004, will make his first AAA start on Sunday.
Hurley has gone 7-2, 3.25 for Frisco this year, holding the Texas League to a .219 batting average and fanning 76 while walking 27 in 88.2 innings. Combined with his late-season stint with the RoughRiders last season, Hurley's AA record is 10-3, 2.86 in 20 starts and a relief appearance.
Hurley's final Frisco start was his roughest (eight runs on nine hits [including four home runs] and three walks in four innings), but don't be discouraged. Last summer he was in the midst of his only slump with High A Bakersfield (9.53 ERA in five starts) when he was promoted to Frisco, promptly going 3-1, 1.95 in six starts.
Hurley was the Rangers' choice with the number 30 selection in the 2004 draft, which was compensation from Atlanta for the Braves' signing of free agent righthander John Thomson. Yesterday, as Texas announced it was promoting Hurley to AAA, Toronto was in the process of releasing Thomson.
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