Finally made it to Pioneer Park for my first game of the season. What was a pretty good game for six innings dissolved in the seventh into a rout. Here are some of my observations from the game:
On The Mound:
Starter Enderson Franco did not get off to a great start. A four pitch walk to the lead off batter is not the way to start a game. After a stolen base and a ground out, the runner scored on a two out single to give the E-Twins an early lead. Lead off walks will kill you every time.
The second inning was when Franco impressed me the most. After the third baseman booted the first batter's attempt. The next batter hit a tailor made 5-4-3 double play ball that was dropped by the second baseman. So instead of two outs. It was runners at first and second with no outs. Franco induced a 3-1 ground out before walking a batter to load the bases. He then got a pop to third in foul territory and a strike out to avoid any damage. However the side effect of giving a team two extra outs in the inning is Franco threw 18 pitches that inning instead of just seven.
In the third, he only faced three batters but threw 20 pitches. The inning went three pitch strike out looking, eight pitch F8 and nine pitch strike out swinging.
In the fourth, Franco got a lead off strikeout and then allowed three straight singles to the bottom of the line up. He still got out of the inning with just one run scoring. His night was done after four innings. By my count, he threw 71 pitches, with 50 of the going for strikes. He fanned five batters and allowed four hits and two walks.
Franco needs to work on keeping base runners closer. In the first inning both runners who reached stole second and the throw never had a chance. He has a pretty good size leg kick in his stretch and it allows runners to get a good jump on him.
He was relieved by Edison Frias. Frias didn't pitch badly, he just doesn't have an out pitch. He faced five batters who fouled off at least one ball after a two strike count. None of those at bats ended in a strike out. Most of them ended up in base hits. His breaking pitch was in the dirt and the E-Twins were not swinging at it. He needs an out pitch. He threw 74 pitches in 3 2/3 innings with 49 of the pitches for strikes. He struck out two batters and walked one. He allowed nine hits with five going for extra bases.
Ryan Connolly got the last four outs for the G-Stros. He is an extreme side arm pitcher. No balls got out of the infield off him. One was hit well but a nice play by Borchering at first took care of it.
At The Plate:
Tanner Mathis did what you want a lead off to do. He got on base. He went 1-3 but also reached on a walk and a HBP.
Edwin Gomez had the two big hits for the night for Greeneville. A RBI triple in the 4th and a two run homer in the 8th. The home came on the seventh pitch of the at bat with a full count. Both hits were to right center.
Ricky Gingras had two hits, including a double to lead off the fourth.
Juan Santana added two singles.
Ariel Ovando looked very off balance at the plate. He has a big step in the load of his swing and I believe it makes it hard for him to adjust to off speed pitches. He was getting a heavy diet of breaking balls. He struck out swinging twice and hit two grounders to first. The only good contact was on a couple of foul balls.
Bobby Borchering looked out of sorts as well. He had one good hit that was smothered by the E-Twins 6'7" first baseman. But otherwise, it was strikeouts and a pop out to short.
In The Field:
Other than the nice snag by Borchering on a line drive at first, there weren't too many stand out plays. Gingras did a nice job behind the plate keeping the ball in front of him on several balls in dirt from Frias.
For the second straight night defense at third was an issue. Angel Ibanez made two errors at third. One on a well hit but routine grounder that got in on him. The other was a throw on a tough play coming in. The throw sailed on him and ended up in the seats.
The other error came on a missed catch by second baseman Parker Hipp. The throw was low to start the 5-4-3 double play but it appeared to catch him in the palm of the glove and he couldn't squeeze it.
The outfield got lots of practice chasing after balls over their head. Cut off throws were pretty effective and defensive position of cut off men looked sound.
I hope to make it out to another game this week if life doesn't get in the way.
Showing posts with label Ovando. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ovando. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Monday, September 10, 2012
16 former G-Stros on Instructional Roster
Brian McTaggart just released the Astros roster for the fall instructional league. This year, 16 former G-Stros will be spending a few extra weeks in Kissimmee honing their skills. Here are the former G-Stros based on when they played here:
2008
Zach Grimmett - appeared in 23 games for Lancaster. Ten of them as a starter and 13 as a reliever. Finished the year with an 8.21 ERA.
2009
Jonathon Meyer - Hit .272 in his second year in Lancaster.
2010
Telvin Nash - Hit .224 with 29 HR and 198 strikeouts in 106 games in Lancaster.
Delino DeShields - Had a break out year. Started in Lexington and finished the year in Lancaster. Stole a combined 101 bases on the season. He raised his slash line from .220/.305/.322 to .287/.389/.428. Just turned 20 in August.
Roberto Pena - He also started the year in Lexington but moved up to Lancaster to finish the season. Pena caught 33% of the base stealers (26 out of 78) in Lexington. His bat showed some improvement but his glove and arm are what have earned him the invite to instructionals.
2012
Three of the players on this list also played in Greeneville in 2011 but we will group them with their most recent cohort.
Ariel Ovando - He showed significant improvement between 2011 (.235/.283/.365) and 2012 (.287/.350/.444). All the physical tools are present but he is still learning how to get them to do what they need to do. He turns 19 later this week so we need to have some patience.
Chris Lee - He started the season in the Appy but was sent down to the GCL where he didn't pitch. So the instructs will give him a chance to get some work in he missed during the season. He was also on the team in 2011.
Frances Ramirez - He is the other player who was also on the 2011 roster. He made four starts in '11 verses the 13 he made in 2012. You can find more of my thoughts on him at my post Season Recap - Starting Pitcher. You can also use that link to get my thoughts on two other 2012 pitchers invited, Michael Feliz & Lance McCullers Jr.
Kevin Comer and Joe Musgrove were acquired during the year and didn't get many chances to pitch which is why they are heading to Florida for the fall.
The other four players are position players who were drafted this year: Carlos Correa, Rio Ruiz, Terrell Joyce, and Angel Ibanez. Of those four, Ibanez is a bit of a surprise due to his low draft slot but he showed a solid bat during the season and 3rd base is a shallow spot in the Astros organization.
Overall, former Greeneville players made up almost half (16 out of 33) of the players invited.
2008
Zach Grimmett - appeared in 23 games for Lancaster. Ten of them as a starter and 13 as a reliever. Finished the year with an 8.21 ERA.
2009
Jonathon Meyer - Hit .272 in his second year in Lancaster.
2010
Telvin Nash - Hit .224 with 29 HR and 198 strikeouts in 106 games in Lancaster.
Delino DeShields - Had a break out year. Started in Lexington and finished the year in Lancaster. Stole a combined 101 bases on the season. He raised his slash line from .220/.305/.322 to .287/.389/.428. Just turned 20 in August.
Roberto Pena - He also started the year in Lexington but moved up to Lancaster to finish the season. Pena caught 33% of the base stealers (26 out of 78) in Lexington. His bat showed some improvement but his glove and arm are what have earned him the invite to instructionals.
2012
Three of the players on this list also played in Greeneville in 2011 but we will group them with their most recent cohort.
Ariel Ovando - He showed significant improvement between 2011 (.235/.283/.365) and 2012 (.287/.350/.444). All the physical tools are present but he is still learning how to get them to do what they need to do. He turns 19 later this week so we need to have some patience.
Chris Lee - He started the season in the Appy but was sent down to the GCL where he didn't pitch. So the instructs will give him a chance to get some work in he missed during the season. He was also on the team in 2011.
Frances Ramirez - He is the other player who was also on the 2011 roster. He made four starts in '11 verses the 13 he made in 2012. You can find more of my thoughts on him at my post Season Recap - Starting Pitcher. You can also use that link to get my thoughts on two other 2012 pitchers invited, Michael Feliz & Lance McCullers Jr.
Kevin Comer and Joe Musgrove were acquired during the year and didn't get many chances to pitch which is why they are heading to Florida for the fall.
The other four players are position players who were drafted this year: Carlos Correa, Rio Ruiz, Terrell Joyce, and Angel Ibanez. Of those four, Ibanez is a bit of a surprise due to his low draft slot but he showed a solid bat during the season and 3rd base is a shallow spot in the Astros organization.
Overall, former Greeneville players made up almost half (16 out of 33) of the players invited.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Eyewitness Report 6/26/12 Gville 8 Princeton 7
Greeneville Wins Again! I had other duties tonight so I couldn't keep my detailed book but I do want to share a few observations.
Big Game Brian
Brian Blasik is quickly becoming on of my favorite G-Stros this year. He makes the plays in the field he is supposed to make. He makes some he is not supposed to make. He hits the ball hard and is agressive at the plate. Does all this project to the majors? I don't know. I am just a fan not a scout. But I love watching him play.
After the Astros were in a two run hole in the first, hit a line drive that cleared the fence in left field. It just seemed to keep carrying. That HR tied the game.
In the fifth, the P-Rays had pulled with in one run at 4-3. The Astros had greeted a new pitcher with two singles. Blasik ropes a double to left and plates his third RBI of the night. He later scores in the inning.
In the top of the 8th, with the tying run at third, Blasik makes a great layout dive to his left to stop, what appeared of the bat, a sure hit that would have tied the game. He gets up from his belly and makes the throw for the third out of the inning. He had a total of five assist tonight.
In the eighth, he hits a hard ground ball that was through the first baseman's legs before he could react. He moved a runner to third but couldn't push across another run.
Blasik now has a .464 average and has five doubles and a homer. He has multi hit games in five of his first six starts. He has 11 RBI which is tied for the league lead. He is yet to strike out after 28 at bats (he hasn't walked either) . And he always seems to be coming through at the right time. From now on, until he gives us cause to do otherwise, he will be known as Big Game Brian!
Doubles
The Astros added three more doubles to their total tonight. That gives them 20 in the first eight games. That average of 2 1/2 doubles per game would be 170 over the season. That would break the Appy League mark of 167 set by Johnson City last year. Blasik and Ariel Ovando are tied for the league lead with five each and Terrell Joyce is tied for second with four.
Double Ouch
D'Andre Toney get's the boo boo award tonight. His first at bat ended after just one pitch which hit him on the foot. His last at bat in the eighth ended with him getting plunked in what appeared to be the upper arm/back area. Toney reached base in four of his five plate appearances. He singled, walked and had two hit by pitches.
Baserunning Troubles
The Astros are getting on base at a good clip. As a team they have a .303 batting average and a.377 on base percentage. But staying on base is becoming a problem. They are 10 for 16 in stolen bases. And that doesn't include pick offs. The good news is they are willing to try to take the extra base. Hopefully we will see the successful steals increase as the great teacher experience does its work with the players.
Seven Pitchers & No 1,2,3 Innings
None of the pitchers escaped an inning unscathed. Each allowed a base runner in every inning. Francis Ramirez looked better from the wind up than from the stretch. He spent a great deal of time in the stretch since the first two batters of each of his innings reached. The lead off pair of walks in the first scored but the single and walk that lead off the second were stranded.
Christian Garcia pitched better than his line indicates. He only gave up one hard hit ball; a double that tailed away from Toney as he tracked it down in center. Garcia did get the first three batters out in an inning but only after the third batter had reached on a swinging bunt The runner left before the left hander had made his move home and they were able to get a picked off /stolen base to end the inning.
Jordan Jankowski's curve ball was moving well tonight. He fanned five in two innings and gave up one hard luck run on a ball that was slow bouncer that hit off the first baseman's glove. It was probably the second baseman's ball and Batista should have been at the bag. However, it was an effort mistake and also if Batista would have caught it, Jankowski was late on getting to the bag. The double Jankowski gave up was just about six inches from being caught by Ovando in right field.
Zach Dando had a short night of work. He walked a batter and gave up a single and his night was done. In came Scott Zuloaga who allowed one of the inherited runners to score limited the damage nicely. Michael Dimock came in in the eighth and struggled. Blasik's diving stop with a runner moving from second on the play limited the damage to just two runs scored. Michael Hauschild came on to pitch the ninth. Like his predecessors, he didn't have a clean inning but it was effective.
Princeton's Two Out RBI
Princeton scored six of their seven runs with two outs. The fact that there were two runs allowed the base runners to be off with the crack of the bat, thus allowing several runners to score from second easily on singles. It is a good thing they were just five for 18 with runners in scoring position for the night.
Reality Check
I will say what I said yesterday, I am excited about this team. However, this isn't the best start in the history of the G-Stros. The 2010 version got off to a 7-2 start and then lost their next seven games to fall out of contention. There are other teams to contend with that we won't see for a few weeks. Greeneville has a solid +23 run differential, however Elizabethon has an amazing +48 run differential.
There appears to be a very positive vibe about this team and I hope that they keep going about their business and we get to watch some winning baseball. I also hope that when Elizabethon comes to town on July 11th for three games, the games will have a playoff style atmosphere.
Big Game Brian
Brian Blasik is quickly becoming on of my favorite G-Stros this year. He makes the plays in the field he is supposed to make. He makes some he is not supposed to make. He hits the ball hard and is agressive at the plate. Does all this project to the majors? I don't know. I am just a fan not a scout. But I love watching him play.
After the Astros were in a two run hole in the first, hit a line drive that cleared the fence in left field. It just seemed to keep carrying. That HR tied the game.
In the fifth, the P-Rays had pulled with in one run at 4-3. The Astros had greeted a new pitcher with two singles. Blasik ropes a double to left and plates his third RBI of the night. He later scores in the inning.
In the top of the 8th, with the tying run at third, Blasik makes a great layout dive to his left to stop, what appeared of the bat, a sure hit that would have tied the game. He gets up from his belly and makes the throw for the third out of the inning. He had a total of five assist tonight.
In the eighth, he hits a hard ground ball that was through the first baseman's legs before he could react. He moved a runner to third but couldn't push across another run.
Blasik now has a .464 average and has five doubles and a homer. He has multi hit games in five of his first six starts. He has 11 RBI which is tied for the league lead. He is yet to strike out after 28 at bats (he hasn't walked either) . And he always seems to be coming through at the right time. From now on, until he gives us cause to do otherwise, he will be known as Big Game Brian!
Doubles
The Astros added three more doubles to their total tonight. That gives them 20 in the first eight games. That average of 2 1/2 doubles per game would be 170 over the season. That would break the Appy League mark of 167 set by Johnson City last year. Blasik and Ariel Ovando are tied for the league lead with five each and Terrell Joyce is tied for second with four.
Double Ouch
D'Andre Toney get's the boo boo award tonight. His first at bat ended after just one pitch which hit him on the foot. His last at bat in the eighth ended with him getting plunked in what appeared to be the upper arm/back area. Toney reached base in four of his five plate appearances. He singled, walked and had two hit by pitches.
Baserunning Troubles
The Astros are getting on base at a good clip. As a team they have a .303 batting average and a.377 on base percentage. But staying on base is becoming a problem. They are 10 for 16 in stolen bases. And that doesn't include pick offs. The good news is they are willing to try to take the extra base. Hopefully we will see the successful steals increase as the great teacher experience does its work with the players.
Seven Pitchers & No 1,2,3 Innings
None of the pitchers escaped an inning unscathed. Each allowed a base runner in every inning. Francis Ramirez looked better from the wind up than from the stretch. He spent a great deal of time in the stretch since the first two batters of each of his innings reached. The lead off pair of walks in the first scored but the single and walk that lead off the second were stranded.
Christian Garcia pitched better than his line indicates. He only gave up one hard hit ball; a double that tailed away from Toney as he tracked it down in center. Garcia did get the first three batters out in an inning but only after the third batter had reached on a swinging bunt The runner left before the left hander had made his move home and they were able to get a picked off /stolen base to end the inning.
Jordan Jankowski's curve ball was moving well tonight. He fanned five in two innings and gave up one hard luck run on a ball that was slow bouncer that hit off the first baseman's glove. It was probably the second baseman's ball and Batista should have been at the bag. However, it was an effort mistake and also if Batista would have caught it, Jankowski was late on getting to the bag. The double Jankowski gave up was just about six inches from being caught by Ovando in right field.
Zach Dando had a short night of work. He walked a batter and gave up a single and his night was done. In came Scott Zuloaga who allowed one of the inherited runners to score limited the damage nicely. Michael Dimock came in in the eighth and struggled. Blasik's diving stop with a runner moving from second on the play limited the damage to just two runs scored. Michael Hauschild came on to pitch the ninth. Like his predecessors, he didn't have a clean inning but it was effective.
Princeton's Two Out RBI
Princeton scored six of their seven runs with two outs. The fact that there were two runs allowed the base runners to be off with the crack of the bat, thus allowing several runners to score from second easily on singles. It is a good thing they were just five for 18 with runners in scoring position for the night.
Reality Check
I will say what I said yesterday, I am excited about this team. However, this isn't the best start in the history of the G-Stros. The 2010 version got off to a 7-2 start and then lost their next seven games to fall out of contention. There are other teams to contend with that we won't see for a few weeks. Greeneville has a solid +23 run differential, however Elizabethon has an amazing +48 run differential.
There appears to be a very positive vibe about this team and I hope that they keep going about their business and we get to watch some winning baseball. I also hope that when Elizabethon comes to town on July 11th for three games, the games will have a playoff style atmosphere.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Instructional Roster Released
Thanks to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle for releasing the Instructional League roster. Here are the former G-Stros who are going to be spending part of their fall in Florida. I will include the number of players who have played in Greeneville out of the total number at each position as well as they year(s) the player was in Greeneville in parentheses.
Pitchers:(9 out of 22 on roster)
Ruben Alaniz (10)
Ricardo Batista (10, 11)
Jamaine Cotton (10,11)
Jamaine Cotton (10,11)
Michael Foltynewicz (10)
Christopher Lee (11)
Luis Ordosgoitti (11)
Rodney Quintero (10,11)
Francis Ramirez (11)
Luis Ordosgoitti (11)
Rodney Quintero (10,11)
Francis Ramirez (11)
Vincent Velasquez (10)
Catchers: (3 out of 6)
Ernesto Genoves (11)
Roberto Pena (10)
Chris Wallace (10)
Roberto Pena (10)
Chris Wallace (10)
Infielders: (5 out of 10)
Jean Carlos Batista (11)
Delino DeShields Jr. (10)
Jonathan Meyer (09)
Jiovanni Mier (09)
Telvin Nash (10)
Telvin Nash (10)
Outfielders: (2 out of 8)
Ariel Ovando (11)
Jordan Scott (11)
Of the 44 players who are on the non rehab roster, here is where they finished the 2011 season.
GCL: 7
Greeneville: 8
TriCities: 8
Lexington: 10
Lancaster: 4
Corpus Christi: 4
No Roster/DL: 3
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Appy Astros G-Stros End of August Report
Little Appy Astro and I went to Pioneer Park last night and caught the last game of the season. It is always a bitter sweet time of the year. You can tell the players are ready to go home and see family and friends. And having experienced being away from home, I understand where they are coming from. However, as a baseball fan, it means the season is drawing to a close. And a disappointing season at that.
I had high hopes for this edition of the G-Stros. Some of the players I thought would do well, didn't. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't some development that took place. Let's take a look at who showed some growth during the final month of the season.
Josh Magee turned his season around in a big way in the month of August. In June and July, he played in 30 games and was 20 for 99 at the plate (.202). He got sizzling hot in August including one stretch where he hit in 12 straight AB. He finished the month hitting .376 (32 of 85) and that brought his season average up to a respectable .283. He is a good example of a player who develops over a short season. He raised his OBP at least .100 points each month.
Jordan Scott was the MVP of the G-Stros this season. He hit .337 on the season but hit .366 for the month of August. He also hit his first HR of the season. He will turn 20 on 9/22/11. Look for him to be in LF in Lexington next season.
Jean Batista joined the G-Stros around the middle of August. He appeared in 12 games and got off to a hot start. The 19 year old SS hit .333 and also hit two HR during his brief stay in Greeneville.
On the mound, there were also some positive developments:
Frances Ramirez was called up from the GCL and made four starts in G'ville in August. In those four starts, he put up a 2.89 ERA in 18 2/3 IP. He only allowed 12 hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters during that span.
Tyson Perez put together a solid last month of the season. His ERA for August was 3.54 in six starts but he fanned 29 batters in 28 innings pitched. Prior to this month, he had only fanned 20 in 27 IP.
Chris Lee, the highest draft pick at the start of the year, showed some signs of development. He fanned 26 batters during his last 23 2/3 IP. While he still gave up way too many walks, he was getting more swings and misses and more ground balls.
Jeremiah Meiners was one of the most solid arms out of the pen all season. He finished with a 2.90 ERA and never had a month where his ERA rose to the 3.00 level. In 40 1/3 IP, he fanned 42 batters and only walked 10. He didn't get enough IP to qualify among the league leaders (14 1/3 short), but his WHIP of 1.09 would have been in first place. He showed significant growth over his 2010 season in the GCL (6.95 ERA).
Zach Dando didn't have the best of months for August but despite an ERA of 4.97, he held opposing batters to a .196 average. He had more Ks (35) than IP (33).
Matison Smith was one of the older players on the roster. At 23, he put together a nice August out of the G-Stros pen. He put up a 1.42 ERA in 9 appearances (12 2/3 IP). During that span, he fanned 20 batters.
Scott Zuloaga, had an impressive August. The side winding lefty posted a 2.45 ERA for the month that was less than half of his previous month's 5.68. During August, he appeared in 12 games and fanned 8 batters in 7 1/3 IP. He also induced ground balls at a higher rate. His season ERA is deceptively high due to his 36 ERA in August.
Most Likely To Return
Last year, I predicted that Cotton & Batista would return to pitch in G'ville. Here are the players, I feel will be back in Greeneville next year. It will be a larger number than were here this year.
Possible returnees include:
Ariel Ovando - raw talent still has a great deal of work to do in the field and on the bases.
Darwin Rivera - made a big jump to the Appy after only 13 games in the DSL over 2 years.
Garen Wright - injuries hampered this season for another raw outfielder.
Chan Moon - really started to shine at SS later in the season. Had a few flashes at the plate as well.
Adrian Houser - don't see him ready for older competition yet.
Jose Perdomo - if he is not hurt, I could see him back for a 2nd year. Didn't pitch after 7/18.
If those six players return, that would be a solid foundation for a good team for 2012. Because there is always next year.
I had high hopes for this edition of the G-Stros. Some of the players I thought would do well, didn't. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't some development that took place. Let's take a look at who showed some growth during the final month of the season.
Josh Magee turned his season around in a big way in the month of August. In June and July, he played in 30 games and was 20 for 99 at the plate (.202). He got sizzling hot in August including one stretch where he hit in 12 straight AB. He finished the month hitting .376 (32 of 85) and that brought his season average up to a respectable .283. He is a good example of a player who develops over a short season. He raised his OBP at least .100 points each month.
Jordan Scott was the MVP of the G-Stros this season. He hit .337 on the season but hit .366 for the month of August. He also hit his first HR of the season. He will turn 20 on 9/22/11. Look for him to be in LF in Lexington next season.
Jean Batista joined the G-Stros around the middle of August. He appeared in 12 games and got off to a hot start. The 19 year old SS hit .333 and also hit two HR during his brief stay in Greeneville.
On the mound, there were also some positive developments:
Frances Ramirez was called up from the GCL and made four starts in G'ville in August. In those four starts, he put up a 2.89 ERA in 18 2/3 IP. He only allowed 12 hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters during that span.
Tyson Perez put together a solid last month of the season. His ERA for August was 3.54 in six starts but he fanned 29 batters in 28 innings pitched. Prior to this month, he had only fanned 20 in 27 IP.
Chris Lee, the highest draft pick at the start of the year, showed some signs of development. He fanned 26 batters during his last 23 2/3 IP. While he still gave up way too many walks, he was getting more swings and misses and more ground balls.
Jeremiah Meiners was one of the most solid arms out of the pen all season. He finished with a 2.90 ERA and never had a month where his ERA rose to the 3.00 level. In 40 1/3 IP, he fanned 42 batters and only walked 10. He didn't get enough IP to qualify among the league leaders (14 1/3 short), but his WHIP of 1.09 would have been in first place. He showed significant growth over his 2010 season in the GCL (6.95 ERA).
Zach Dando didn't have the best of months for August but despite an ERA of 4.97, he held opposing batters to a .196 average. He had more Ks (35) than IP (33).
Matison Smith was one of the older players on the roster. At 23, he put together a nice August out of the G-Stros pen. He put up a 1.42 ERA in 9 appearances (12 2/3 IP). During that span, he fanned 20 batters.
Scott Zuloaga, had an impressive August. The side winding lefty posted a 2.45 ERA for the month that was less than half of his previous month's 5.68. During August, he appeared in 12 games and fanned 8 batters in 7 1/3 IP. He also induced ground balls at a higher rate. His season ERA is deceptively high due to his 36 ERA in August.
Most Likely To Return
Last year, I predicted that Cotton & Batista would return to pitch in G'ville. Here are the players, I feel will be back in Greeneville next year. It will be a larger number than were here this year.
Possible returnees include:
Ariel Ovando - raw talent still has a great deal of work to do in the field and on the bases.
Darwin Rivera - made a big jump to the Appy after only 13 games in the DSL over 2 years.
Garen Wright - injuries hampered this season for another raw outfielder.
Chan Moon - really started to shine at SS later in the season. Had a few flashes at the plate as well.
Adrian Houser - don't see him ready for older competition yet.
Jose Perdomo - if he is not hurt, I could see him back for a 2nd year. Didn't pitch after 7/18.
If those six players return, that would be a solid foundation for a good team for 2012. Because there is always next year.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
A few silly & serious things to look for in the last 8 games
Heading into the last 8 games of the season. The G-Stros have a 24 - 36 mark. Here is what we know... they will NOT finish with the worst record in G-Stros history. That ignoble mark belongs to the 2007 G-Stros who finished 17-51.
Let's look at what could happen if they win a certain number of games.
8- Let's go out with a streak and win them all. If that happens, they pass the 2010 club (31-35) for the 3rd most wins in team history.
7 - Okay, so maybe nobody's perfect and they let one get away. They will still have the 3rd best win total along side the 2010 club.
6- That would be a solid way to wrap up the season. This would assure them that they do not finish last in the Appy West based on their two game lead over Bristol. 30 looks so much better than 29 in the win column. They would also tie the 2008 team for the 4th highest win total.
5- That would be over half the remaining games won. It would tie them with the 2005 club (29-37) for 5th most wins. It would also insure that they would not have the worst record in the league based on their three game lead over Burlington in the overall standings.
4 - Finishing .500 would keep them ahead of the the 2009 club (27 - 40) and put them in 6th best record by themselves. And let's face it loosing any more means 40 losses and 40 losses simply looks bad.
I won't even go into the impact of loosing more than half of the last eight. I am hoping they are able to pull out at least five wins.
What so you don't find this kind of score board watching fun? Fine, then let's just continue to see if:
Josh Magee can continue his torrid pace. If he gets eight more hits, he will have averaged a hit per game this season.
Ariel Ovando can finish strong. Only hitting .221 in August.
Ernesto Genoves can keep the average above .300 for the season. Currently at .303
Jordan Scott can reach higher than 5th best batting average in the Appy League.
Greeneville fans can claim their 8th straight attendance win. They are 8,000 fannies in the seats ahead with five more home games.
There is always something to look for at the ball park.
Let's look at what could happen if they win a certain number of games.
8- Let's go out with a streak and win them all. If that happens, they pass the 2010 club (31-35) for the 3rd most wins in team history.
7 - Okay, so maybe nobody's perfect and they let one get away. They will still have the 3rd best win total along side the 2010 club.
6- That would be a solid way to wrap up the season. This would assure them that they do not finish last in the Appy West based on their two game lead over Bristol. 30 looks so much better than 29 in the win column. They would also tie the 2008 team for the 4th highest win total.
5- That would be over half the remaining games won. It would tie them with the 2005 club (29-37) for 5th most wins. It would also insure that they would not have the worst record in the league based on their three game lead over Burlington in the overall standings.
4 - Finishing .500 would keep them ahead of the the 2009 club (27 - 40) and put them in 6th best record by themselves. And let's face it loosing any more means 40 losses and 40 losses simply looks bad.
I won't even go into the impact of loosing more than half of the last eight. I am hoping they are able to pull out at least five wins.
What so you don't find this kind of score board watching fun? Fine, then let's just continue to see if:
Josh Magee can continue his torrid pace. If he gets eight more hits, he will have averaged a hit per game this season.
Ariel Ovando can finish strong. Only hitting .221 in August.
Ernesto Genoves can keep the average above .300 for the season. Currently at .303
Jordan Scott can reach higher than 5th best batting average in the Appy League.
Greeneville fans can claim their 8th straight attendance win. They are 8,000 fannies in the seats ahead with five more home games.
There is always something to look for at the ball park.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Appy Astros G-Stros End of July Report
We have the first 40 games of baseball under out belts in Greeneville. The G-Stros are mired in last place in the Appy League West but there are bright spots. Let's look and see what the first 40 games tell us and who we need to be watching for the next 28 games of the season.
Hitters:
Ernesto Genoves is a 20 year old catcher from Venezuela. He has exceeded expectations with his bat this season. After hitting .278 last year in 23 games with the GCL Astros, he is hitting .373 in Greeneville in 20 games. He has shown the ability to get on base at a .462 OBP clip and is slugging a solid .627. He is second on the team in doubles, HR and extra base hits.
Chase Davidson (21 years old - 1B) is the leading slugger on the team. He leads the team with 9 HR, 10 doubles and 20 extra base hits. He is hitting .313 on the season and thanks to his 21 walks, he has a OBP of .411. He has struck out 43 times in 128 AB.
Jordan Scott (19 years old - LF/CF) is hitting .320 during his time with Greeneville this season. He snapped a 9 game hitting streak last night. He leads the team in hits and has been a consistent source of runs at the top of the line up.
Ariel Ovando (17 year old - RF) while his playing time has been limited by dings (He played in 20 out of 30 games in July). His developing nicely. He is learning a great deal in a hurry. He is hitting .269 but 7 of his 21 hits have been for extra bases. What he does in August will be interesting to watch.
Others to keep eyes on:
Jesse Wierzbicki - Old man of position players catching up to Appy League.
Darwin Rivera - Struggles in field impacting his bat, can he turn it around?
Garen Wright - showing improvement over his 2010 GCL numbers but has been missing time with a bum shoulder. Will he get to see many more at bats this summer?
Josh Magee - Hit .133 in 9 games in June. Hit .232 in 21 games in July. Finished July hitting in 6 of 7 games. Is he putting it together for August?
Luis Alverez - starting to show signs he is returning to the form he was in in 2009 prior to the knee injury.
Starting Pitchers:
Rookie ball stats are pretty useless. You get players with a wide variety of ability and at a wide variety of development. For pitchers, I have found it helpful to drop their best & worst outings from their stats to get a better picture of what the true stat might look like. For more on my rational, check out my post that looked at the 2010 pitching staff where I explained the Appy Astros Adjusted Scoring System (3A2S).
Luis Ordosgoitti is a 19 year old from Venezuela. He had been stellar through his first five starts. The last two showed some struggle. He was placed on the 7 day DL and then sent down to the GCL when Adrian Houser was brought up. His demotion caught me off guard, I am hoping it is just a rehab type of assignment. At this point in the season, his ERA is 4.37 but he has just walked 3 batters and fanned 32 in 35 IP. When you take out his best & worst starts, his ERA drops t0 3.67.
Chris Lee was the highest round draft pick from 2011 (4th) on the team prior to Houser's arrival. Lee has struggled with control, walking 18 batters in 25 innings. Though he showed some progress from his two starts in June (6 BB in 3 2/3 IP) and July (12 BB in 21 1/3 IP). He appears to struggle more with his control out of the stretch than in the wind up. His ERA is currently 6.84. His 3A2S ERA is 6.48.
Tyson Perez is the 21 year old pitcher out of Stanford drafted in the 17th round. He has been inconsistent which is not unusual for Rookie Ball. He currently has a 5.63 ERA through 8 starts. He started August with his best start of the season going 5 innings giving up no earned runs on four hits. When you take out his best start and worst start (8 ER in 1 1/3 IP) of the season, his 3A2S ERA drops to 4.21. He has less than one walk a start on the season.
Richardo Batista is a LHP repeating the Appy League this season at 19 years old. He has been outstanding at times with two starts being scoreless through 5 innings. Then he has also been very average not even getting to the 5th inning in 4 of his 7 starts. He tends to nibble when he pitches. If it is a free swinging team, he is good to go. If they are patient, he goes deep in counts and batters are walked. The key for Batista is throwing his curve for strikes. ERA 5.58/ 3A2S ERA 5.02.
Jose Perdomo is a 19 year old RHP from Venezuela. He put up outstanding numbers in the GCL last year. The Appy League hasn't been so kind. He currently totes a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts. His 3A2S ERA is higher at 9.52. The one bright spot in his numbers is he still has more K's than IP (21/ 18). He has not pitched since 5/18 but isn't on the DL. There may be an issue they hope rest will fix be it physical, mental or mechanical.
Jermain Cotton is repeating the Appy. He has made four starts and four relief appearances. However, he has not had a relief appearance shorter than four innings, though he has had two starts shorter than three innings, I am lumping him in with the starters. Cotton throws pretty hard. His ERA for the season thus far is 5.76. His 3A2S ERA is 4.81. He appears to be more comfortable in long relief as his relief ERA is 2.76.
The one to keep an eye on for the last month of the season is Adrian Houser who had a solid start in his first Appy League outing. He was drafted in the 2nd round this year.
Relief Pitchers:
The bullpen has improved as the season has come along. There is some maturity in the pen and some of the top performers are some of the oldest players on the roster. Let's look at a few of the highlights.
Jeremiah Meiners is a 22 year old LHP who was drafted in the 40th round in 2010. He has fanned 23 batters in 24 innings and only walked four. He has held opponents to a .204 batting average. His ERA is an even 3.00 on the season.
Matison Smith is a 23 year old RHP who was a NDFA signed in 2010. He has finished a team leading 9 games for the G-Stros and has 2 saves. He only had three walks through his first 19 1/3 IP before giving up two in his last outing. In fact, his last two outings have taken his ERA from 2.12 to 3.38. It will be interesting to watch how he does the rest of the season.
Steve Martin is a 23 year old RHP out of Texas A&M who was drafted in the 37th round this year. He has appeared in 8 games and has a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13 IP). Opponents are hitting just .098 against him. He has not allowed a hit in 5 of his 8 outings.
Rodney Quintero is repeating the Appy this year after only making three appearances in 2010. The 21year old 25th round draft pick from 2010 has show some promise this year by not allowing an earned run in six of his 11 outings and striking out 24 batters in 19 1/3 innings. However he has also been very hittable at times giving up a total of 19 hits in 19 1/3 IP.
Zach Dando is a 20 year old drafted in the 32nd round this year. He had a rough first outing of the season but has bounced back with a solid 2.95 ERA in July. He has 22 strike outs in 19 1/3 IP.
James Propst is a 22 year old drafted in the 38th round this year. He has been inconsistent mixing six scoreless outings with three outings where he gave up three or more runs. He has fanned 29 batters in 25 IP.
Hitters:
Ernesto Genoves is a 20 year old catcher from Venezuela. He has exceeded expectations with his bat this season. After hitting .278 last year in 23 games with the GCL Astros, he is hitting .373 in Greeneville in 20 games. He has shown the ability to get on base at a .462 OBP clip and is slugging a solid .627. He is second on the team in doubles, HR and extra base hits.
Chase Davidson (21 years old - 1B) is the leading slugger on the team. He leads the team with 9 HR, 10 doubles and 20 extra base hits. He is hitting .313 on the season and thanks to his 21 walks, he has a OBP of .411. He has struck out 43 times in 128 AB.
Jordan Scott (19 years old - LF/CF) is hitting .320 during his time with Greeneville this season. He snapped a 9 game hitting streak last night. He leads the team in hits and has been a consistent source of runs at the top of the line up.
Ariel Ovando (17 year old - RF) while his playing time has been limited by dings (He played in 20 out of 30 games in July). His developing nicely. He is learning a great deal in a hurry. He is hitting .269 but 7 of his 21 hits have been for extra bases. What he does in August will be interesting to watch.
Others to keep eyes on:
Jesse Wierzbicki - Old man of position players catching up to Appy League.
Darwin Rivera - Struggles in field impacting his bat, can he turn it around?
Garen Wright - showing improvement over his 2010 GCL numbers but has been missing time with a bum shoulder. Will he get to see many more at bats this summer?
Josh Magee - Hit .133 in 9 games in June. Hit .232 in 21 games in July. Finished July hitting in 6 of 7 games. Is he putting it together for August?
Luis Alverez - starting to show signs he is returning to the form he was in in 2009 prior to the knee injury.
Starting Pitchers:
Rookie ball stats are pretty useless. You get players with a wide variety of ability and at a wide variety of development. For pitchers, I have found it helpful to drop their best & worst outings from their stats to get a better picture of what the true stat might look like. For more on my rational, check out my post that looked at the 2010 pitching staff where I explained the Appy Astros Adjusted Scoring System (3A2S).
Luis Ordosgoitti is a 19 year old from Venezuela. He had been stellar through his first five starts. The last two showed some struggle. He was placed on the 7 day DL and then sent down to the GCL when Adrian Houser was brought up. His demotion caught me off guard, I am hoping it is just a rehab type of assignment. At this point in the season, his ERA is 4.37 but he has just walked 3 batters and fanned 32 in 35 IP. When you take out his best & worst starts, his ERA drops t0 3.67.
Chris Lee was the highest round draft pick from 2011 (4th) on the team prior to Houser's arrival. Lee has struggled with control, walking 18 batters in 25 innings. Though he showed some progress from his two starts in June (6 BB in 3 2/3 IP) and July (12 BB in 21 1/3 IP). He appears to struggle more with his control out of the stretch than in the wind up. His ERA is currently 6.84. His 3A2S ERA is 6.48.
Tyson Perez is the 21 year old pitcher out of Stanford drafted in the 17th round. He has been inconsistent which is not unusual for Rookie Ball. He currently has a 5.63 ERA through 8 starts. He started August with his best start of the season going 5 innings giving up no earned runs on four hits. When you take out his best start and worst start (8 ER in 1 1/3 IP) of the season, his 3A2S ERA drops to 4.21. He has less than one walk a start on the season.
Richardo Batista is a LHP repeating the Appy League this season at 19 years old. He has been outstanding at times with two starts being scoreless through 5 innings. Then he has also been very average not even getting to the 5th inning in 4 of his 7 starts. He tends to nibble when he pitches. If it is a free swinging team, he is good to go. If they are patient, he goes deep in counts and batters are walked. The key for Batista is throwing his curve for strikes. ERA 5.58/ 3A2S ERA 5.02.
Jose Perdomo is a 19 year old RHP from Venezuela. He put up outstanding numbers in the GCL last year. The Appy League hasn't been so kind. He currently totes a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts. His 3A2S ERA is higher at 9.52. The one bright spot in his numbers is he still has more K's than IP (21/ 18). He has not pitched since 5/18 but isn't on the DL. There may be an issue they hope rest will fix be it physical, mental or mechanical.
Jermain Cotton is repeating the Appy. He has made four starts and four relief appearances. However, he has not had a relief appearance shorter than four innings, though he has had two starts shorter than three innings, I am lumping him in with the starters. Cotton throws pretty hard. His ERA for the season thus far is 5.76. His 3A2S ERA is 4.81. He appears to be more comfortable in long relief as his relief ERA is 2.76.
The one to keep an eye on for the last month of the season is Adrian Houser who had a solid start in his first Appy League outing. He was drafted in the 2nd round this year.
Relief Pitchers:
The bullpen has improved as the season has come along. There is some maturity in the pen and some of the top performers are some of the oldest players on the roster. Let's look at a few of the highlights.
Jeremiah Meiners is a 22 year old LHP who was drafted in the 40th round in 2010. He has fanned 23 batters in 24 innings and only walked four. He has held opponents to a .204 batting average. His ERA is an even 3.00 on the season.
Matison Smith is a 23 year old RHP who was a NDFA signed in 2010. He has finished a team leading 9 games for the G-Stros and has 2 saves. He only had three walks through his first 19 1/3 IP before giving up two in his last outing. In fact, his last two outings have taken his ERA from 2.12 to 3.38. It will be interesting to watch how he does the rest of the season.
Steve Martin is a 23 year old RHP out of Texas A&M who was drafted in the 37th round this year. He has appeared in 8 games and has a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13 IP). Opponents are hitting just .098 against him. He has not allowed a hit in 5 of his 8 outings.
Rodney Quintero is repeating the Appy this year after only making three appearances in 2010. The 21year old 25th round draft pick from 2010 has show some promise this year by not allowing an earned run in six of his 11 outings and striking out 24 batters in 19 1/3 innings. However he has also been very hittable at times giving up a total of 19 hits in 19 1/3 IP.
Zach Dando is a 20 year old drafted in the 32nd round this year. He had a rough first outing of the season but has bounced back with a solid 2.95 ERA in July. He has 22 strike outs in 19 1/3 IP.
James Propst is a 22 year old drafted in the 38th round this year. He has been inconsistent mixing six scoreless outings with three outings where he gave up three or more runs. He has fanned 29 batters in 25 IP.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Eye Witness Report - G-Stros Get 9 Runs Off 4 Hits
The G-Stros no longer have the worst record in the Appy League. With Burlington's game last night suspended, and Greeneville winning 9-5 over Princeton, the G-Stros own a half game lead over the Royals.
Adrian Houser made his G-Stros debut last night with a solid outing. Through 4 innings, he had only faced two batters over the mminimum. His fast ball had nice pop and his curve ball appeared to be keeping the P-Rays hitters off balance often inducing weak ground balls. He didn't walk a batter until the 5th inning but he went to full counts on several batters.
Ump Blows Call - Manager Ejected
Houser ran into some trouble in the 5th. With two outs, one run in and a runner at second, Ryan Brett hits a long fly ball to center field. Jordan Scott ran back and appeared to have tracked it down but the ball went over his outstretched glove for a double. I am not sure if he missed judged it or took his eye off of it looking for the wall, either way, I was surprised when he couldn't corral the ball. In fact, even one of the umpires thought he should have caught it because he called him out. Yes he called the batter out an a fly ball that bounced on the warning track. Houser is on the mound ready to face the next batter when some of the players start off and other players are confused. After a few seconds, the players jog off the field. At that point, the P-Rays manager Mike Johns comes out and argues the call. After confirming with the home plate ump, the field ump changes the call to safe and calls the G-Stros back on the field. Omar Lopez comes out first and was irate. After several steps over the line, he was ejected and hitting coach Josh Bonafay & pitching coach Rick Aponte split the manager duties for the rest of the night. That would be the last batter Houser faced. He finished the night allowing three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 IP. If Scott is able to track down that ball in center, his night is over with one run on four hits in five innings. A game of inches.
Matison Smith was called in from the pen and had uncharacteristic struggles. He was hit hard (two doubles and a HR) and he walked two batters. He only had three walks coming into the night in 19 IP. Yet he was the pitch of record when the Astros began their improbable comeback.
Seven runs on one hit
After being stymied for much of the game by P-Rays starter Reinaldo Lopez, the G-Stros made their move in the 7th. Down 5-2, Greeneville used five walks, an error, a balk and a grand slam from Jose Vargas to push 7 runs across the plate. It was Vargas' first HR of the season. It was a well hit ball that bounced off the top of the wall in right center field. Several diligent Astros staffers literally beat the bushes to come up with the HR ball so they could return it to Vargas.
From there, bullpen did it's job. In the last two innings, Mark Jones, Scott Zuloaga and Steve Martin shut the P-Rays down, allowing a hit an inning but fanning four of the last six outs.
Impressions
Houser had a very solid outing. He is a tall, athletic looking right hander with a very smooth delivery. His off speed stuff had Princeton batters out in front several times during the game.
Ovando got two RBI's last night. One on a grounder to 2nd with the bases loaded that the second baseman couldn't get out of his glove to turn he double play and settled for a force at 1st. The second RBI came on a walk. He did have a solid hit through the right side early in the game. He made a laser of a throw to the cutoff man on a double hit in the 9th.
On the Princeton side of the equation, their shortstop was impressive. Jake Hager, the Rays 2011 1st round pick, is 18 years old and looks like a giant at SS, though he is listed at just 6' 1". He turned three double plays where he fielded the ball, touched second and threw the batter out. There was another time he fielded a ball that would have resulted in similar play had the runner not stolen second earlier in the at bat. It was amazing how well he was positioned all night. At the plate, he went 0-4 but is hitting .257 through 19 Appy League games and is hitting .341 in his last 10 despite going just 1 for his last 13.
Adrian Houser made his G-Stros debut last night with a solid outing. Through 4 innings, he had only faced two batters over the mminimum. His fast ball had nice pop and his curve ball appeared to be keeping the P-Rays hitters off balance often inducing weak ground balls. He didn't walk a batter until the 5th inning but he went to full counts on several batters.
Ump Blows Call - Manager Ejected
Houser ran into some trouble in the 5th. With two outs, one run in and a runner at second, Ryan Brett hits a long fly ball to center field. Jordan Scott ran back and appeared to have tracked it down but the ball went over his outstretched glove for a double. I am not sure if he missed judged it or took his eye off of it looking for the wall, either way, I was surprised when he couldn't corral the ball. In fact, even one of the umpires thought he should have caught it because he called him out. Yes he called the batter out an a fly ball that bounced on the warning track. Houser is on the mound ready to face the next batter when some of the players start off and other players are confused. After a few seconds, the players jog off the field. At that point, the P-Rays manager Mike Johns comes out and argues the call. After confirming with the home plate ump, the field ump changes the call to safe and calls the G-Stros back on the field. Omar Lopez comes out first and was irate. After several steps over the line, he was ejected and hitting coach Josh Bonafay & pitching coach Rick Aponte split the manager duties for the rest of the night. That would be the last batter Houser faced. He finished the night allowing three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 IP. If Scott is able to track down that ball in center, his night is over with one run on four hits in five innings. A game of inches.
Matison Smith was called in from the pen and had uncharacteristic struggles. He was hit hard (two doubles and a HR) and he walked two batters. He only had three walks coming into the night in 19 IP. Yet he was the pitch of record when the Astros began their improbable comeback.
Seven runs on one hit
After being stymied for much of the game by P-Rays starter Reinaldo Lopez, the G-Stros made their move in the 7th. Down 5-2, Greeneville used five walks, an error, a balk and a grand slam from Jose Vargas to push 7 runs across the plate. It was Vargas' first HR of the season. It was a well hit ball that bounced off the top of the wall in right center field. Several diligent Astros staffers literally beat the bushes to come up with the HR ball so they could return it to Vargas.
From there, bullpen did it's job. In the last two innings, Mark Jones, Scott Zuloaga and Steve Martin shut the P-Rays down, allowing a hit an inning but fanning four of the last six outs.
Impressions
Houser had a very solid outing. He is a tall, athletic looking right hander with a very smooth delivery. His off speed stuff had Princeton batters out in front several times during the game.
Ovando got two RBI's last night. One on a grounder to 2nd with the bases loaded that the second baseman couldn't get out of his glove to turn he double play and settled for a force at 1st. The second RBI came on a walk. He did have a solid hit through the right side early in the game. He made a laser of a throw to the cutoff man on a double hit in the 9th.
On the Princeton side of the equation, their shortstop was impressive. Jake Hager, the Rays 2011 1st round pick, is 18 years old and looks like a giant at SS, though he is listed at just 6' 1". He turned three double plays where he fielded the ball, touched second and threw the batter out. There was another time he fielded a ball that would have resulted in similar play had the runner not stolen second earlier in the at bat. It was amazing how well he was positioned all night. At the plate, he went 0-4 but is hitting .257 through 19 Appy League games and is hitting .341 in his last 10 despite going just 1 for his last 13.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Eye Witness Report - Game #6 = Loss #6
Little Appy Astros and I took in the game tonight. Sunday nights are a great time for fans to catch the G-Stros in action. They start Saturday & Sunday games at 6 so you get out a time that works for early Monday morning schedules and Sunday tickets are buy one get one free. Where else can you get two tickets for $6. On to the game....
I got a first hand look at Jose Perdomo tonight. He lead off the game with back to back called strikes. His fastball showed good pop. He then threw three balls and when he came back with a fastball, it was drilled for a line drive double. That ended up being the pattern with him. He is having no trouble throwing fastballs for strikes. It was when he would miss with the change or the breaking pitches, he would get into trouble. And he missed with the off speed stuff often. He only lasted through the third inning. Five of the seven hits he surrendered were for extra bases. He gave up two singles, three doubles, a triple and one home run. Add into that two wild pitches, a balk and a walk, and you have a rough outing. His season ERA is now very close to the 20 range. I wonder if he makes another start in G'ville or is he sent back to the GCL.
If he is sent down, I expect his spot in the rotation to be taken by Rodney Quintero. Quentero came in and pitched three shut out innings. He fanned 4 during his outing, only allowing one hit. He did hit two batters, otherwise he looked very good tonight. The one hit he allowed was a fly into shallow right that the second baseman, Magee, couldn't catch over his shoulder on the run. He got his hands on it but couldn't quite control it.
Mark Jones looked okay for two innings, but when he came out in the 9th, things unraveled for him. After that, the Astros brought in the side-arming lefty Scott Zuloaga who allowed two inherited runners to score but did get the final two outs.
At the plate, Ernesto Genoves continues to impress me. He hit a HR and a single tonight. All of his extra base hits that I have seen have been to the opposite field.
Darwin Rivera had a two for four night and made some nice plays at third. He tends to double clutch the ball but when he lets it go, it gets there in a hurry.
Jose Vargas was helped off the field after trying to break up a double play. He was not putting much weight on his left leg/foot. Garen Wright replaced him and went 1 for 1.
Ovando Update: He was in uniform again tonight and he was kind enough to sign a ball for my son but apparently not healthy enough to play.
I will be able to make it back out tomorrow to see the Astros try to get their first win against the Kingsport Mets. They too were swept by Johnson City, however, they just swept Bristol who swept the G-Stros in the first series. I hope I see Ovando play and the Astros win tomorrow night.
I got a first hand look at Jose Perdomo tonight. He lead off the game with back to back called strikes. His fastball showed good pop. He then threw three balls and when he came back with a fastball, it was drilled for a line drive double. That ended up being the pattern with him. He is having no trouble throwing fastballs for strikes. It was when he would miss with the change or the breaking pitches, he would get into trouble. And he missed with the off speed stuff often. He only lasted through the third inning. Five of the seven hits he surrendered were for extra bases. He gave up two singles, three doubles, a triple and one home run. Add into that two wild pitches, a balk and a walk, and you have a rough outing. His season ERA is now very close to the 20 range. I wonder if he makes another start in G'ville or is he sent back to the GCL.
If he is sent down, I expect his spot in the rotation to be taken by Rodney Quintero. Quentero came in and pitched three shut out innings. He fanned 4 during his outing, only allowing one hit. He did hit two batters, otherwise he looked very good tonight. The one hit he allowed was a fly into shallow right that the second baseman, Magee, couldn't catch over his shoulder on the run. He got his hands on it but couldn't quite control it.
Mark Jones looked okay for two innings, but when he came out in the 9th, things unraveled for him. After that, the Astros brought in the side-arming lefty Scott Zuloaga who allowed two inherited runners to score but did get the final two outs.
At the plate, Ernesto Genoves continues to impress me. He hit a HR and a single tonight. All of his extra base hits that I have seen have been to the opposite field.
Darwin Rivera had a two for four night and made some nice plays at third. He tends to double clutch the ball but when he lets it go, it gets there in a hurry.
Jose Vargas was helped off the field after trying to break up a double play. He was not putting much weight on his left leg/foot. Garen Wright replaced him and went 1 for 1.
Ovando Update: He was in uniform again tonight and he was kind enough to sign a ball for my son but apparently not healthy enough to play.
I will be able to make it back out tomorrow to see the Astros try to get their first win against the Kingsport Mets. They too were swept by Johnson City, however, they just swept Bristol who swept the G-Stros in the first series. I hope I see Ovando play and the Astros win tomorrow night.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Opening Night 2011
The G-Stros got blown out on opening night. The final was 13-4, with the Bristol Sox getting the win. It is interesting to not that the Astros have 13 position players born in the 1990's on their roster, where as the B-Sox just have 5. This is a young G-Stros team and they will have to grow up fast to hang with the older competition they will face.
The line up held one surprise. Jordan Scott was added to the roster from the Lexington Legends and got the start in LF. Scott was the 14th round pick out of Robinson High in Greer, South Carolina last year. He hit .301 in the GCL last year and had hit .277 in 14 games at Lexington this year.
The positives from the night include:
Chase Davidson appears to like the wood bat. He went 2 for 3 with a triple and a HR.
Ariel Ovando went 1 for 4 with a swinging bunt single and a RBI. He also had an outfield assist from RF.
The areas for improvement include the defense. Three errors were made by the middle infielders (Todd 2, Magee 1). These errors allowed 5 unearned runs to score.
The G-Stros will board the bus for Bristol again tonight to try to even the series.
The line up held one surprise. Jordan Scott was added to the roster from the Lexington Legends and got the start in LF. Scott was the 14th round pick out of Robinson High in Greer, South Carolina last year. He hit .301 in the GCL last year and had hit .277 in 14 games at Lexington this year.
The positives from the night include:
Chase Davidson appears to like the wood bat. He went 2 for 3 with a triple and a HR.
Ariel Ovando went 1 for 4 with a swinging bunt single and a RBI. He also had an outfield assist from RF.
The areas for improvement include the defense. Three errors were made by the middle infielders (Todd 2, Magee 1). These errors allowed 5 unearned runs to score.
The G-Stros will board the bus for Bristol again tonight to try to even the series.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
First Look At 2011 G-Stros
Last night, thanks to the rain out of my son's games, we got to go check out the G-Stros first practice of the season. While you can't tell a great deal about the team from the drills and BP, it is nice to see the guys you have been hearing about live.
One of my favorite things is getting to see and hear the reactions of the players to Pioneer Park. I got to talk to Garen Wright a little and his tweat pretty much summed up his take on the park.
First Observation: Like new manager Omar Lopez. Very hands on in his instruction. While working on pick off moves, a player was struggling to get the timing down. He took the player's spot, took a throw from the 2nd baseman and ran the runner down with a swipe tag to the jersey. Players loved seeing the manager get involved that way. During infield drills, saw him with several players over to the side giving more instruction.
Second Observation: Ariel Ovando looks like a ball player. I had to leave before he took BP. All of his movements in the field look effortless. Didn't look out of place as a 17 year old hanging around a bunch of older guys.
Other Observations:
Chan Moon looks smooth at SS. He also appears to be very gregarious.
Chase Davidson hit several line drives to RF during the few rounds of BP we got to see. Hit one HR over the right center field wall. He will be working at 1B this season. He took all drills there and looked fine. I understand he hasn't played there since HS.
Darwin Rivera looks very good at third base. Smooth footwork and strong arm.
Luis Alvarez looks to be back from his knee injury. Moved well running down the line to 1st on drills with all his gear on.
Ruben Sosa is short. Listed at 5'7". My son's observation, "Maybe we have another Altuve". He doesn't have the strong lower half Altuve has.
Garen Wright looks very athletic. Will be interesting to see how he develops.
It was exciting to see action on the field at Pioneer Park. I am looking forward to my first chance to see them live on Friday night.
One of my favorite things is getting to see and hear the reactions of the players to Pioneer Park. I got to talk to Garen Wright a little and his tweat pretty much summed up his take on the park.
First Observation: Like new manager Omar Lopez. Very hands on in his instruction. While working on pick off moves, a player was struggling to get the timing down. He took the player's spot, took a throw from the 2nd baseman and ran the runner down with a swipe tag to the jersey. Players loved seeing the manager get involved that way. During infield drills, saw him with several players over to the side giving more instruction.
Second Observation: Ariel Ovando looks like a ball player. I had to leave before he took BP. All of his movements in the field look effortless. Didn't look out of place as a 17 year old hanging around a bunch of older guys.
Other Observations:
Chan Moon looks smooth at SS. He also appears to be very gregarious.
Chase Davidson hit several line drives to RF during the few rounds of BP we got to see. Hit one HR over the right center field wall. He will be working at 1B this season. He took all drills there and looked fine. I understand he hasn't played there since HS.
Darwin Rivera looks very good at third base. Smooth footwork and strong arm.
Luis Alvarez looks to be back from his knee injury. Moved well running down the line to 1st on drills with all his gear on.
Ruben Sosa is short. Listed at 5'7". My son's observation, "Maybe we have another Altuve". He doesn't have the strong lower half Altuve has.
Garen Wright looks very athletic. Will be interesting to see how he develops.
It was exciting to see action on the field at Pioneer Park. I am looking forward to my first chance to see them live on Friday night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)