Michael Scott Kirkman…he and his wife, Lorie (8/10/09), have twin daughters Anna Elizabeth (11/9/11) and Ellie Katherine (11/10/11)…has participated in the Rangers winter caravan in 3 of the past 4 offseasons, making appearances in the DFW Metroplex and outer markets…participated in the United Concordia Dental Clinic at Mission Arlington…hobbies include hunting and fishing.
2013
Made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career and spent the first 2 months with Texas before landing on the disabled list…returned to the Rangers in September after a month-long rehab assignment with Round Rock (AAA) but did not appear in a game the rest of the way…was placed on the disabled list June 9 (retroactive to June 7) with a recurrence of a cutaneous lymphoma located in the area of his right triceps…underwent treatment and returned to baseball activities in August.
2012
Opened the season with Round Rock but joined the Rangers in mid-June and spent the remainder of the campaign on the
club's active roster...TEXAS: Recalled from Round Rock on June 12 when Alexi
Ogando was placed on the 15-day DL with a right groin strain, and
would spend the rest of the year in the Texas bullpen...went 1-2
with a 3.82 ERA (15 ER/35.1 IP) in 28 appearances, establishing
ML career bests in games, innings, strikeouts (38), WHIP (1.160)
and games finished (9)...was 0-for-2 in save chances and had one
hold...allowed just 5 of 23 (21.7%) inherited runners to score, and
first batters were 5-for-25 (.200) with 2 HR, 2 walks, and 5 RBI...
runs allowed in 8 appearances, multiple runs 5 times...limited opposing hitters to a .182 average (24-132), including a .160 mark
(13-81) by right-handed batters...among left-handed relievers in
the A.L. with at least 125 opponent at-bats, ranked 3rd in opponents average and 8th with a 9.68 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate
(38 K/35.1 IP)...set career highs with 5 strikeouts and 5.0 innings
in relief, June 25 vs. DET...both of his losses were walkoffs: a
leadoff HR by Brandon Hicks in the 9th inning on July 18 at OAK;
and a game-ending throwing error by Mike Olt that allowed Eric
Hosmer to score in the 10th inning on Aug. 5 at KC...inherited the
bases loaded and stranded all 3 runners on 3 occasions, including
twice with just one out in the inning...one of those instances came
in his lone win, Aug. 18 at TOR, a 2-1 Texas victory...posted career-best 10.2-inning scoreless streak over 9 outings Aug. 10-31,
holding opponents to a .114 average (4-35) in that span with 10
K's...pitched on consecutive days on 4 occasions...ROUND ROCK: Went 5-1 with a 5.25 ERA (28 ER/48.0 IP) and
48 strikeouts against 31 walks in 15 games/8 starts...began the
season in the bullpen, posting an 11.12 ERA (8 ER/5.2 IP) in 5
appearances before joining the starting rotation on April 20...made
8 consecutive starts, April 20-May 27, going 4-1 with a 4.71 ERA
(19 ER/36.1 IP)...shifted back to the bullpen at the start of June,
allowing 2 runs over 6.0 innings in 2 appearances before the promotion...walked multiple batters in all 8 starts and had at least 5
strikeouts in each of his final 5 starts...permitted only 5 home runs
in 48.0 innings...was 5-0 with a 3.40 ERA (14 ER/37.0 IP) over his
last 8 games/6 starts before being recalled...on May 6 at Memphis, recorded season highs with 7 strikeouts and 5 walks while
allowing just one hit (solo HR) over season-high-tying 6.0 innings.
2011
The 24-year-old left-hander shuttled between Round Rock
and Texas...started season with the Express as a starter before
shifting to a relief role in May...spent September with the big
league club for a second straight season.
2010
Was recalled from Oklahoma City (AAA) on August 20 ...
his 1.65 ERA was the 2nd lowest among any pitcher who appeared
with the Rangers in 2010 to Alexi Ogando (1.30)...issued
a run in just 2 of 14 outings, permitted one of 12 inherited runners
to score, and allowed 2 of 14 1st batters to reach base ... opponents
batted .161 (9-56) with LHB at .214 (6-28) and RHB at .107
(3-28) ... permitted just one extra-base hit, a Dewayne Wise double
on Sept. 7 at Toronto that scored his 1st career run allowed ...
made his major league debut on Aug. 21 at Baltimore and retired
all 4 batters, fanning the 1st 3 hitters faced (Ty Wigginton/Luke
Scott/Adam Jones) ... was 1st pitcher to strike out as many as 1st
3 batters faced in majors since Tampa Bay's Wade Davis (3),
Sept. 6, 2009 vs. Detroit ... worked 9.0 scoreless innings over his
1st 8 outings, the 3rd-longest scoreless streak in relief to begin a
major league career with Texas behind Jeff Zimmerman (11.2 IP
in 1999) and Alexi Ogando (11.0 IP in 2010) ... pitched 5.2 scoreless
frames in next 5 outings before allowing 2 runs in 0.2 innings
in final game on Oct. 1 vs. Los Angeles, failing in lone save opportunity ...
ERA rose from 0.57 to 1.65 with that outing ... .longest
outing was 2.2 innings, August 26 vs. Minnesota ... recorded 3
strikeouts twice ... made 3 playoff appearances, allowing one run
in 2.2 innings ... worked 2.0 scoreless innings in Game 5 of ALCS
vs. the Yankees and appeared in each of 1st 2 games of the World
Series against the Giants, permitting a run in 0.2 IP ... was not on
the ALDS active roster.
2009
Combined to go 9-8 with a 3.48 ERA (56 ER/144.2 IP) in 26 games/25 starts this season for Bakersfield (High-A) and Frisco
(AA)...he recorded 61 walks against 118 strikeouts, holding opposing batters to a .251 (136-542) average with 10 home runs...he
allowed more than 4 earned runs in just 2 of his 26 outings, also permitting multiple home runs just twice...held opposition scoreless
5 times...opposing teams had 2-hits-or-less in 6 of his 25 starts, all outings of at least 6.0 innings...ranked among Texas organizational
leaders in wins (T4th), strikeouts (5th), and ERA (6th)...for the year, opponents batted .251 (136-542).
2008
Split the season between Spokane (Rookie-Advanced) and Clinton (Low-A)...combined to go 5-4, 3.84 (36 ER/84.1 IP) in 17
games/16 starts...did not make first appearance until June with Clinton...posted a 5.63 (5 ER/8.0 IP) in 2 starts with Clinton...transferred
to Spokane June 15...made 2 starts there, going 1-1, 0.00 (0 ER/10.0 IP) with 9 strikeouts...promoted back to Clinton on June
29...went 3-0, 2.17 (9 ER/37.1 IP) in first 3 starts with LumberKings after promotion...was 1-3, 7.07 (22 ER/28.0 IP) over final 6
starts.
2007
Combined to go 1-5, 7.18 (32 ER/40.1 IP) with 37 walks and 36 strikeouts in 14 games/8 starts with Spokane and
Clinton...began the year with the Indians and went 0-4, 9.45 (21 ER/20.0 IP) in his first 6 games/starts...moved to the bullpen for 3
appearances and did not allow a run across 7.0 innings...transferred to Clinton on Aug. 6...made 2 starts in the rotation (0-1, 6 ER/8.0
IP) before joining the bullpen for 3 additional appearances (5 ER/5.1 IP)...placed on the DL on Aug. 29 with a laceration on his left
hand, ending his season.
2006
Split season between Clinton and AZL Rangers (Rookie)...combined to go 1-5, 9.69 (37 ER/34.1
IP) with no HR allowed and 30 strikeouts over 14 games/10 starts...placed on disabled list with right hamstring strain on May 10...activated
on June 19 and transferred to Arizona...went 1-0, 2.70 (2 ER/6.2 IP) in 4 relief appearances and 0-2, 21.60 (20 ER/8.1 IP) in
4 starts...did not appear in a game after July 26.
2005
Spent first professional season with the Arizona Rangers after signing on
June 9...recorded a 3.44 ERA (20 ER/52.1 IP), 3rd-best among qualifying Texas minor leaguers and 3rd in the AZL...also ranked 4th
in the Arizona League with 58 strikeouts...led Arizona staff in ERA and innings pitched...earned first professional win on July 31 at
Cubs, allowing 2 runs in 4.0 relief innings...compiled a 2.25 ERA (9 ER/36.0 IP) in final 9 games/4 starts to lower season mark from
6.06 to 3.44.
