Tough Night for Rehab Starts in Frisco Webb/Borbon

Brandon Webb and Julio Borbon each took their first rehab starts in Frisco with the RoughRiders. Webb is an offseason acquisition that came with some baggage. The ground ball pitcher is battling back from shoulder surgery, this was his first start in a professional game since April of 2009. Borbon is battling back from being on the DL with hamstring issues.

Webb’s outing was ugly, and that’s being generous. We will certainly give him the benefit of the doubt, considering the man hasn’t pitched in more than two years in an actual game. Webb threw 77 pitches over 3.1 innings. He gave up five runs on eight hits, and had two strikeouts and two walks in the game. Of his pitches he threw 47 of them for strikes. I wasn’t at the game in Frisco and the game-day data neglects to show me pitch speeds, however Anthony Andro was able to pick these up. Below is what Ando had to say.

"Webb hit 85 mph on the radar gun on one pitch in the first inning, but normally was around the 83 or 84 mph mark. – From the Star Telegram Blog"

This certainly is not where we would like to see his fastball, but if he can use it effectively he could be a tool in the bullpen.

Julio Borbon was the designated hitter in this one, and went 0 for 4 with one strikeout. In his first at bat he grounded out on a 2-1 count. In the bottom of the 3^rd he worked a 2-2 count before grounding out again. In the bottom of the fifth Julio only saw two pitches and bunted the second one up for an out, and struck out in the eighth inning on five pitches.

Nothing really of concern for Borbon, who is a player mainly touted for his defense. He seemed to work the count, just was unable to make productive contact. Frisco went on to lose the series finale game 7 to 2 to the Tulsa Drillers. Leonys Martin had a good game going two for four with an RBI and the other RBI came from Michael Bianucci who was one for four with an RBI double.

We will keep you informed on both players progress throughout their stints.

-Jonathan