LITTLE ROCK — Even though he took the loss, Arkansas Travelers left-hander Trevor Reckling reminded everyone of his value one final time Saturday.
Reckling threw five strong innings before encountering trouble in the sixth inning of a 6-0 loss to the Springfield Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Arkansas won the second game 3-2, with relievers Barret Browning and David Herndon shutting out the Cardinals in the final two innings. The Travelers scored the go-ahead run in the fifth when Peter Bourjos scored off a sacrifice fly to center field by Nate Sutton.
Saturday marked the final start of the season for Reckling, who will leave Monday for the International Baseball Federation World Cup, which will take place in Europe on Sept. 9-27.
Reckling will spend next week at USA Baseball's national training complex in Cary, N.C., with other prospects from around the minor leagues before leaving the continent.
"It's going to be kind of weird leaving my teammates for the rest of the season," Reckling said. "But I've had a good summer playing with these guys. It's been a good experience."
Reckling gave up an RBI triple to Tony Cruz in the fourth inning Saturday but kept the Travelers in the game until leaving in the sixth after putting the first two batters on base. Springfield then scored four runs off reliever Bobby Cassevah.
Reckling finished his season with an 8-7 record and 2.93 ERA. He entered Saturday with a 2.90 ERA that was second best among Texas League starters.
Not bad for someone promoted to the Travelers at 19, a markedly young age for a Class AA player.
"It's tough," Springfield Manager Ron Warner said. "He must have real good mental makeup.He carries himself like he's been around, and he doesn't get rattled out there. He's got a lot of upside."
Reckling has moved swiftly through the Los Angeles Angels organization since being taken in the eighth round of the 2007 draft out of St. Benedict's Prep School in Newark, N.J. He expected to spend the majority of this season at Class A Rancho Cucamonga and maybe, with time, earn a promotion to Arkansas.
Instead, Reckling, now 20, landed with the Travelers almost immediately. He now is the No. 1 pitching prospect in the Angels organization, according to Baseball America.
"The good ones keep their poise," Arkansas Manager Bobby Magallanes said. "There's just a presence about them, and he's one of those guys."
That's not to say Reckling leaves as a finished product. After Saturday, he had 106 strikeouts but 75 walks .
"When he gets to where he can control all three of his pitches, he'll be a good big leaguer," Warner said.
Sports, Pages 28 on 08/30/2009