Rangers prospect Engel Beltre of AA Frisco has been suspended for an indefinite period by the Texas League. Beltre’s suspension was part of the fallout from an incident involving a few San Antonio fans and some Frisco players in a 6-5 Frisco road loss Tuesday afternoon.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said water bottles were thrown on the field by fans and a plastic garbage can was thrown into the stands from the Frisco dugout. Daniels confirmed it was thrown by Beltre, the only player suspended by the league. “It is definitely not something we condone,’’ Daniels said. “It is a black eye for all involved.’’
The Rangers are considering sending the suspended 21-year-old center fielder to Surprise, Ariz., for extended spring training work, Daniels said.
A ball hit by Frisco’s Mike Bianucci first ruled a go-ahead three-run home run in the ninth inning was changed by umpires to a double. Both Frisco manager Steve Buechele and pitching coach Jeff Andrews were
thrown out of the game in an ensuing argument. A strikeout of the next
Frisco batter ended the game and touched off the incident.
Engel Beltre has been in the Rangers’ system since 2007, and he shot immediately toward the top of the prospect list. He still hangs near the top four years later as their top outfield prospect, and this year he is at major-league spring training for the first time.
Beltre was 17 when the Rangers acquired him from Boston in the Eric Gagné deal at the 2007 trade deadline. He had his best season last year at age 20, with a fast start at Class A Bakersfield that earned him a promotion to Double A Frisco.
Player threw trash can at fans (ESPN DALLAS)
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