Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: June 2013

June is a fun month. The short season teams have started playing.  Most of the full season teams have had their all star games.  Let's see which former G-Stros' June was more fun because of their performances.  We won't look at the short season teams this month because two weeks isn't really enough time to assess performances yet.

Quad Cities: 

Hitters - 
Who else but Carlos Correa.  Correa hit .370/.413/.510 for the month. He has brought his average up to .323 for the season after a very sluggish start. Fun stat for Correa - Out of his 289 plate appearances so far, only six have been against pitchers younger than him and he has no hits against the younger pitchers.  In the 283 plate appearances against older pitchers, he is hitting .332.  

Honorable mention to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .286/.351/.417 for the month of June.

Pitchers - 
Lance McCullers Jr. continues to have an impressive season in Quad Cities.  McCullars struck out 33 batters in 27 1/3 innings pitched with a 2.30 ERA.

Honorable mention to Daniel Minor who had a 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings before he went on the DL.

Lancaster

Hitters - 
Delino DeShields had another solid month in June.  He hit .280/.370/.366.  He also stole 8 bases to bring his season total to 20 on the season.  He has really settled in as a 20 year old playing in the Cal. League.

Pitchers - 
Luis Cruz has bounced back from a rough May and had an outstanding June.  In 31 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed just 22 hits and seven walks for a WHIP of 0.906.  He had an impressive total of 40 strike outs for the month! 

Corpus Christi

Hitters - 
Jonathan Meyer had another solid month hitting.280 with eight doubles and five home runs for a .510 slugging percentage.

Pitchers - 
David Martinez continues to put up impressive numbers this season.  In 30 2/3 June innings, he gave up just 21 hits and two walks while striking out 24 batters.  Opponents hit just .193 against him in June.

Oklahoma City
There were only two former G-Stros on the roster at any point in time this month. Nether put up numbers worthy of recognition.

Major Leagues

Hitters-
Jose Altuve continues to be the most consistent Astro at the plate  Even in a down month (.275
average) he still lead the time in batting average. 

Pitchers - 
Jose Cisnero struck out 14 batters in 11 2/3 innings pitched (8 games).  He had not given up a run in June until his final outing. He ended the month with a 0.77 ERA.  

Honorable mention to Troy Patton who found his grove again in June.  In 12 appearances (12 1/3 IP) he fanned 12 batters and did not walk a batter after giving up eight free passes in May. ERA for June was 1.46

Fernando Abad also gets a honorable mention with his performance out of the National's bullpen.  In 12 games (12 1/3 IP) he struck out 14 batters and also walked no one.  His June ERA was also 1.46

Finally, I feel like J.C. Gutierrez deserves a mention as well.  In limited action, he fanned eight batters in nine innings of pitching for the Royals.  He finished June with a 2.00 ERA. 

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - May 2013

We are getting closer to seeing baseball in Greeneville.  The draft is next week and players will report on the 16th of June.  Until that time, we spend our time watching box scores of former G-Stros.  Here are the alumni who stood out in the month of May. 

Quad Cities - Low A

Hitters

No doubt who this one goes to this month.  Carlos Correa hit .349/.423/.442 with six doubles and a triple for the month.  He raised his average from .221 at the end of April to .292.  What may be more exciting is that his strike outs dropped from 23 in April to just 12 in May.  He was also 4 for 5 in the stolen base department.

Honorable mention goes toe Jordan Scott who bounced back from a .217 April with a .319 May.  At the same time, his OBP jumped from .347 to .473 thanks to increasing his walk total from 12 in April to 23 in May.

Pitchers

This month we have co-Alumi of the month in this spot. Lance McCullers continues to put up impressive numbers in QC.  In his seven appearances in May, he struck out 26 batters in 24 innings pitched with a 1.88 ERA.  He did struggle some with walks, offering 14 free passes to batters. 

As good as McCullers has been, Jordan Jankowski deserves a mention as well.  In his six appearances in May, he has struck out 32 batters in 29 1/3 IP.  He only allowed four walks during the month.  His ERA in May was 2.15. Jankowski at 24 is older than league average of 22.2 but he is putting up impressive numbers. It looks like he might be ready for the next challenge.

Honorable mention goes to Mike Hauschild who in seven appearances amassed a 3.09 ERA in 29 2/3 IP.  He fanned 19 while giving up nine walks.  He did not allow a home run during the month.

Lancaster - High A

Hitters

Despite missing some time with an injury to his hand. Delino DeShields put up impressive numbers in May.  He his .312/.418/.442 with 12 walks and 15 strike outs in 20 games.  After going 5 for 11 in stolen bases in April, he was 7 for 9 in May. 

Pitchers

Despite his struggles during the month in general, when you pitch four innings of a combined no hitter (5/12/13), you get the nod for pitcher of the month.  So we give the nod this month to Luis Cruz.

Corpus Christi - AA

Hitters

In what may be the biggest bounce of the month, Jonathan Meyer jumped his average from .165 at April's end to .250 as of 5/30.  In May, he put up a .321/.364/.481 line.  Eleven of his 34 hits for the month went for extra bases.  At the same time, he doubled his walk total (from 4 to 9) and he reduced his strike out rate (20/85 in April to 15/106 in May).

Honorable mention goes to Rene Garcia who put up another solid month - .304/.364/.405.  He leads the team and is 5th in the league with a .315 average on the season.


Pitchers

Michael Foltynewicz earns top props this month.  Since his promotion from Lancaster earlier this month, he has been lights out.  In 25 IP, he has only surrendered 13 hits and three earned runs.  His ERA for the month is a measly 1.08.  He has struck out 25 batters and has walked 10.

Honorable mention goes to his piggy back starting mate David Martinez.  Martinez had another good month with a 2.30 ERA.  His season total is 1.83 and is second in the league.  The Hooks have won 11 of the 13 games in which Martinez has made an appearance.

Oklahoma City - AAA

Greeneville only has one alumni in OKC.  Ross Seaton showed improvement in May, dropping his ERA from 11.57 at the end of April down to 7.78 at the end of May.

Minors - Other systems

Hitters

There was some movement among former G-Stros outside of the organization.  Both Jordan Parraz and J.R. Towles were released by their teams and picked up by others.  Parraz in now in AA with the Twins organization and Towles landed with the Dodgers in AAA.  No one really excelled to earn the Alumni of the month for this category.

Pitcher

Fernando Abad pitched seven scoreless outings to earn the Alumni award before being promoted to the big leagues.  Since his arrival in Washington, he has appeared in four games.  He has allowed no runs and one hit in 2 1/3 IP with two strike outs and no walks.

MLB

Hitters

J.D. Martinez had a very good month of May.  He hit .299/.325/.506 with 10 of his 23 hits going for extra bases.  It is nice to see the pop back in Martinez's bat.  It might be an indication he is finally fully healed from the broken Hamate bone and subsequent surgery.

Pitchers

J.C. Gutierrez gets the nod for Alumni of the month with his good work in limited action out of the Royals pen.  In 8 1/3 IP (6 appearances) he allowed no runs and just five hits with seven strike outs and no walks.

Honorable mention goes to Jose Cisnero, who except for one rough outing on 5/4/13 had a very good month.  When you take that one outing out, he put up 12 2/3 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB and 14 K.  So the month was much more good than bad for Cisnero.

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - April 2013

The first month of the season is in the books.  Let's check on the progress of the former G-Stros both in and out of the Houston organization and recognize those who put up good numbers this month.  We will look at a hitter and a pitcher at all levels.

Quad Cities: 

Hitter of the Month: 
Roberto Pena hit .365 in 13 games for the River Bandits.  Of his 19 hits, he had two HR and three doubles.  The 20 year old is starting the season in low A for the third time.  He is doing his best to show he is ready for a new challenge. 

Honorable Mention: Jesse Wierzbicki, who hit .261 for the month but had eight extra base hits and is tied for fourth in the league with 20 RBI. 

Pitcher of the Month: 
Vincent Velasquez finished the month on a rough note last night giving up four earned runs in 2 2/3 IP, yet that only raised his ERA for the month to 2.45.  He has struck out 31 batters in 25 2/3 IP.  His 31 Ks tie him for the league lead.

Honorable Mention: Lance McCullers Jr., who in five appearances amassed a 1.93 ERA with 19 K in 18 2/3 IP.

Lancaster: 

Hitter of the Month:
The options for hitter here are slim as there are just three former G-Stros position players on the Lancaster roster.  Delino DeShields gets the nod this month despite a bit of a slump towards the end of the month.  In April, he hit .250 with three doubles and three triples.  He made just two errors in 63 chances at second base during the month. 

Honorable Mention: Telvin Nash joined the team late in the month after rehabbing an injury in extended spring training.  In the seven games since he joined the team, Nash is hitting .346 with a double and two home runs.  He has taken four walks against six strikeouts.  If he can put those numbers up over a whole month, he will be a shoo in for Alumni of the month.

Pitcher of the Month: 
Likewise, there are only three options to choose from for Appy Astros Alumni of the Month among the pitchers in Lancaster.  Luis Cruz is the choice based on his three starts in the tandem pitching rotation.  In his three starts, he has a 0.61 ERA with 19 strike outs in 14 2/3 IP.  He has not fared as well coming in as the second half of the tandem but overall he finishes April with a 3.47 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched.  He is tied for 8th among league leaders in strikeouts. 

Honorable Mention: Michael Foltynewicz got off to a rough start but has rebounded with several strong outings later in the month. 

Corpus Christi:

Hitter of the Month
This was one of the toughest calls of the month.  Ben Orloff gets the nod with a .322 average in 20 games this month. He struck out just four times in 59 at bats.  That is one K every 15 at bats!  He also took eight walks on the month.  He has also moved around the diamond this month.  He has played five games each at 1B,  2B, and SS while adding three games at 3B and one game as DH.

Honorable Mention: Rene Garcia made this a tough call.  He has only appeared in 13 games but when he has gotten his chances, he has hit the ball.  He hit .333 with four doubles and a HR to his credit for the month.  He has gunned down 50% of would be base burglars so far this season as well.

Pitcher of the Month
David Martinez has quietly put up solid numbers in his AA debut. In 22 2/3 innings pitched, he has allowed just 15 hits and five walks for a WHIP of 0.88 (3rd best in the Texas League).  He has not given up an earned run in his past 13 2/3 innings pitched. 

Honorable Mention: Carlos Quevedo started the month in Lancaster but was quickly promoted to Corpus Christi.  Since arriving he has appeared in six games with one of those being a start.  In 16 2/3 IP, he has a 1.62 ERA with 14 strikeouts.

Oklahoma City

Hitter of the Month - No former G-Stro qualified for the award this month.  Only two former players have appeared in games for OKC this season.  Ruben Sosa was sent down to EST after just two games and Chris Wallace was traded after limited action. 

Pitcher of the Month 
Jordan Lyles gets the nod here.  He had one rough outing that inflates his numbers but he heads to Houston to join the big league Astros after completing April with a 5.32 ERA.

Minors- Other Affiliations

Hitter of the Month
Albert Cartwright is off to a hot start with Reading (AA-Phillies).  The second baseman is hitting .326 with three doubles, a triple and a HR.  He is tearing up lefties with eight hits and 16 at bats.

Honorable Mention: Chris Wallace was traded to the Indians organization during the month.  He played in eight games for Akron hitting ,.367 before being promoted to Columbus (AAA).  Since arriving back in AAA, he went 5 for 7 in his first game in a Clippers uniform.

Pitcher of the Month
Fernando Abad started off the year with eight straight scoreless outings. Despite giving up a run in his last two outings of the month, he still ended April with a 1.93 ERA.  He is pitching for Syracuse (AAA- Washington). 

Honorable Mention: Tom Vessella appeared in nine games for the Richmond Flying Squirrles (AA- Giants). The lefty finished April with a 1.08 ERA in 16 2/3 innings pitched.

Majors

Hitter of the Month
It is very hard to select anyone but Jose Altuve. Altuve continues to show he belongs in the big leagues.  He hit .330 in April and finished the month with 37 hits which ties him for the league lead.  He also continues to make impressive plays in the field. 

Honorable Mention: Brandon Barnes has come to the plate in 15 games so far this year and has reached base in 14 of those games.

Pitcher of the Month
Jose Cisnero came up from OKC to give the bullpen a fresh arm and he has shown he belongs in the bigs.  The 14th G-Stro to make the show has appeared in three games since his call up allowing just one earned run in 7 2/3 innings pitched out of the Astros' bullpen.  He has allowed just five hits and one walk while striking out five opponents. 

Honorable Mention: Troy Patton has appeared in 11 games out of the Baltimore bullpen. He is holding opponents to a measly .220 batting average.

Overall not a bad showing by the alumni of the Greeneville Astros!  Can't wait to see who shines in May.  

Progress Report 2004-2007

Since the full season minor league rosters for the Astros were released yesterday, I noticed there is no player in the Astros minor league organization who played for Greeneville in 2004-2007.  There is only one player from that time frame with the big league Astros and that is Brandon Barnes.  Not to bet a much beaten dead horse but it just goes to show how poorly run the system was a few years ago. 

Let's take a look at the 11 players who are left in affiliated ball from those teams.  

There are three players who are still in affiliated ball: Fernando Abad (Nationals AAA), Arcenio Leon (Brewers AA), Albert Cartwright (Phillies AA).

From the 2006 team, Brandon Barnes is in Houston with the big club.  Other than that, Ralph Henriquez is with AA Tulsa (Rockies) and Tom Vessella (AA Giants) are the only players left in affiliated ball.

Barnes and Henriquez are the only two players left in affiliated ball from the 2005 team.

The 2004 team still has a large number in affliated ball but none with the Astros organization.  Troy Patton (Baltimore) and J.C. Gutierrez (Royals) were on opening day rosters.   Felipe Paulino is on the Royals 60 day DL as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery.  He should be back in the majors around the all star break.  J.R. Towles (Cardinals) and Jordan Parraz (Braves) are both in AAA to start this season.

So basically out of the 11 players from those years, you have one player who is a home grown player who is a back up in the major leagues.

You have three players that were traded as a part of packages to obtain needed pieces:
Patton - key piece of the Tejada trade
Gutierrez - traded with Burke & Qualls for Valverde
Paulino - traded for Clint Barmes

And you have seven players who are currently organizational type players or AAAA type players in other systems. 

Going Camping: Making The Roster & Getting Reassigned

Camps are wrapping up and players are starting to learn their fate.  Let's see where things stand going in to the last few days of camp.

In Houston's Camp:

Jose Altuve will be the opening day second baseman and will hit leadoff for the Astros.  He will be joined on the opening day roster by Brandon Barnes.  Barnes won the reserve outfield spot thanks to his flexibility to play all three outfield positions and his outstanding defense.  Barnes is the new poster child for reminding folks not to read too much into Appy League stats.  In 91 games, over two seasons, Barnes hit .211/.284/.318 with more strike outs (83) than hits (67).  Barnes was raw when drafted.  The minor leagues is about development.  Sometimes we forget that.  Barnes has developed into a major league ball player. 

J.D. Martinez got the news Saturday that he was being sent down to AAA.  I don't expect this to be a long trip for Martinez who had off season surgery to remove the Hamate bone in his wrist.  The Astros are still positive about Martinez.

 "We see J.D. as an everyday outfielder, and when you switch to the American League, it's hard to get our fourth or fifth outfielders a lot of playing time because the fact you're not doing as many double switches," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He's going to play a lot, and right now we couldn't guarantee him that amount of playing time at the big league level 

All of the other former G-Stros have been sent back to minor league camp.  Though kudos to David Martinez for getting the start on Sunday and earning the win.  We are also hearing the Delino DeShields Jr. will be with the team for their final exhibition game against the Cubs in Houston.

In Other Camps:

Troy Patton is a lock for the Orioles 'pen despite a recent rough outing.

J.R. Towles and Jordan Parraz were sent to AAA by the Cards & Braves respectively.  And apparently I missed Arcenio Leon being sent down by the Brewers earlier this month. 

J.C. Gutierrez and Fernando Abad  are both battling for the final spot in the Royals and Nats bullpens respectively.  However it is likely both will start the season in AAA.

That means that it is likely only three former G-Stros will be on opening day rosters this year.  Last year, there were four on rosters (Patton, Altuve, Lyles and Martinez) with Paulino on the DL in KC. 

Going Camping: Updates from Major League Spring Camps

Well, it is less than two weeks to opening day and we have some movement among former G-Stros in big league spring training.  Let's check out the updates starting with those in Astros camp:

Jose Altuve is a lock for the starting 2nd base job in Houston.  He has had a good spring hitting .356 with a on base percentage of .396.  It has been announced he will be batting in the lead off spot.

Brandon Barnes is continuing to make a case for making the 25 man roster out of spring training.  He has hit four home runs and has only struck out three times in 30 at bats.  He continues to provide stellar defense which helps his case as a reserve outfielder on the roster.

Rene Garcia is still in camp.  In a very small sample size (10 AB) he has a .300 average and a healthy .417 on base percentage.  He will likely return to minor league camp soon but it has been a good spring for Garcia.

Jordan Lyles was sent down to minor league camp today.  The Astros want him to right the ship in AAA and then return to the majors never to be sent down again.  Let's hope that is the case for Lyles.  According to Bo Porter, "it is not a demotion, it's a delay".

David Martinez got called up today and made his major league spring training debut.  He came in and pitched the 8th and 9th.  Facing only six batters and striking out two.  He will go back to minor league camp after the game, but it was nice to see him get a shot at some big league batters.

J.D. Martinez is being talked about as a part of the platoon in right field, sharing time with Rike Ankiel.  He is not having a great spring statistically.

Chris Wallace is still in big league camp but is getting limited action.  He will be heading to minor league camp before long.

Outside of Astros Camp:

Fernando Abad has had a solid spring but appears to be looking at starting the year in AAA.

Victor Garate was released by the Dodgers without ever appearing in a Spring Training game. 

J.C. Gutierrez (Juan) is battling for a return to the big leagues after missing last season with an injury. He is facing an up hill battle but is out of options so if he doesn't make the Royals, he might be a waiver claim candidate.

Arcenio Leon is still in big league camp with the Brewers but has only appeared in two games.  Both of those appearances were last month.

Troy Patton appears to be a fixture in the O's bullpen.  He appears to really like playing for manager Buck Showalter

Felipe Paulino is up to 35 pitches, throwing just fastballs and change ups.  He is slated to return around mid season. 

Jordan Parraz hit a three run pinch hit homer today.  He has had a solid spring but has little chance of making the 25 man roster for Atlanta.  But it is only a short drive from AAA to the ATL.

J.R. Towles has had a descent spring but is all but certainly headed to AAA Memphis.

So based on how things look right now.  Two former G-Stros (Altuve & Patton) are locks to be on rosters on opening day.   After that, those with descent chances are Barnes, Martinez & Gutierrez.  We will check in again next week to see where they stand.

 

Going Camping: Update on Former G-Stros in Big League Camp

In Astros Camp, here is the latest on the former G-Stros:

Jose Altuve is hitting .314 through 12 games (35 At Bats).  We got to visit with him briefly down in Florida and he is the same nice guy he was in Greeneville.  He is a lock for the roster.

Brandon Barnes is making a case for a back up outfield spot.  He has played in 12 games and his hitting .409 in 22 at bats.  He is tied for the lead in HR on the team this spring with three.  He continues to play solid defense in the outfield.

Barnes & Altuve talk during warm ups

 (Photo by AppyAstros/All Rights Reserved)

Jose Cisnero appeared in two games (2 2/3 innings) before being sent down to minor league camp.

Delino DeShields appeared in 10 games and received 12 at bats.  He got four hits and stole two bases in three attempts.  He was moved back to minor league camp during the weekend.

Rene Garcia he has appeared in seven games with just eight at bats.  It won't be long before he is back in minor league camp.  We saw him at spring training and he is no longer the skinny kid he was in Greeneville. 

Jordan Lyles has been working on specific issues at the instruction of the Astros' coaching staff.  Therefore, his results on the mound haven't been pretty but results aren't the focus right now.

J. D. Martinez has played in 13 games with 31 at bats.  He is hitting just .258 this spring but likely has a spot on the roster. 

Chris Wallace has appeared in three games with out getting a hit.  Like Garcia, he is there for catching depth and will likely be returning to minor league camp soon.

Michael Foltynewicz appeared in one game and pitched a scoreless inning before being sent back down to minor league camp.  He was seen working out with the AA group during minor league drills.

Ross Seaton made appearances in two games and didn't give up any earned runs in his 2 2/3 innings pitched.  He has been sent back to minor league camp.

Though Jonathon Meyer and Roberto Pena were on the major league roster list, they have yet to appear in a major league spring training game.

Outside of Astros camp, Fernando Abad has been in the running for the final spot in the Nationals bullpen, but it looks like he will be the odd man out.

Felipe Paulino continues his rehab back from Tommy John surgery and will start the season on the DL.

Juan Guttierez (J.C.) has struggled recently and appears to be losing the battle for a major league roster spot. 

Troy Patton after struggling in February, he has had two scoreless outings in March.  He also appears to be getting a good number of ground balls this spring.  We had a chance to talk to Patton during spring training.  He talked about the fact that he came up as a starter and has four pitches has made his transition to the bullpen easy.  He said he can face right handed batters and never show them the same pitch in an at bat.

Jordan Parraz is hitting .200 in 25 at bats over 16 games.  He appears to be headed for AAA.

J.R. Towles is hitting .375 in 11 games (16 at bats).  However, he doesn't appear to have a realistic shot at the Cardinals' opening day roster.

Arcenio Leon has made two appearances for the Brewers giving up two runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched.

Victor Garate is still on the Dodgers roster but has not appeared in a game thus far. 

Going Camping: Former G-Stros Edition

Let's check in on how a few of the former Greeneville Astros are doing in camps around Major League Baseball this spring.

Troy Patton - Baltimore - How many lefty's in the O's bullpen is too many? 

"That's too far down the line to be speculating on," he said. "I tell you this: We did OK with one left-hander down there, and the reason was the six right-handers were pitching well. That's just conventionally set up, and I'm not married to that. We'll take our best seven guys down there.....Those things can fluctuate depending on who your starters are.
"I think it comes more into play when your starters are predominantly right-handed that you need a second left-hander, preferably to be a long reliever. I think Patton is capable of doing both. I think he can pitch long and short, especially with his starting pitching background."

J.R. Towles - Cardinals - is really a long shot to make the major league roster.  

Felipe Paulino - Royals - is about a week away from throwing off the mound and is still slated to return at the All Star Break.  He is recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

Juan Gutierrez - Royals - had a great winter ball campaign in Venezuela.  He was named the closer of the year in the LVBP. Gutierrez talked about the impact the injury from 2011 that required Tommy John surgery had on him.

"I matured a lot," he said. "It was the kind of pitcher that threw hard as I did not worry about working, by lifting weights and stuff. With rehabilitation forced me to work hard and now that I have become routine. I strengthened my muscles, I improved as a player and I learned that you have to work very hard to keep. "  (via google translate)

According to reports during winterball, his fastball was back to 93 mph.   He is not on the 40 man roster but has a shot at making the team out of camp with a solid spring.

Fernando Abad  - Nationals - might get a look as a starter in Nationals camp. 

14 Former G-Stros in Big League Spring Training

With yesterday's snow here in Greeneville, thoughts of spring are in the forefront of my mind.  As of today, it appears 13 former Greeneville Astros players will be reporting to big league camp when spring training begins.

There are seven who will be in the Astros camp and seven others that are scattered among six other teams.  Players on a team's 40 man roster with have a (40) and those who have Non Roster Invites with be designated with a (NRI).

Astros:
Jose Altuve (40) - Altuve is one of the few former G-Stros assured of a starting spot when camp breaks.  He was expected to be on the provisional roster for Venezuela in the WBC but did not appear on it when rosters were released this week.  So he will be in camp full time.

Brandon Barnes (40) - Barnes will be battling for a spot on the big league club.  At this point in his career he has played in more big league games (46) in one season than big league spring training games (26) over three seasons.

Jordan Lyles (40) - Will be looking to solidify his spot in the rotation and spend the full year in the majors after spending time at AAA each of the last two years.

J.D. Martinez (40) - Will try to show the baseball world that his wrist is healed and his swing is back. 

Delino DeShields (NRI) - No chance to make the big league club but a chance to show his progress to the front office against very good competition. 

Rene Garcia (NRI) - Will be his third year to get a chance to play in a spring training game.  In six games so far, he hasn't had a hit yet.

Chris Wallace (NRI) - It will also be the masked marvel's third spring training.  In 11 games in the previous two years, he has a .250 average.

Braves:
Jordan Parraz (NRI) - Parraz had a great spring last year and then suffered hand injuries to each hand that shortened his best shot for a call up to the majors.

Orioles:
Troy Patton (40) -Coming off a successful season in the O's pen, Patton is a lock to make the team out of spring training. He avoided arbitration today, signing a $815,000 contract.

Royals:
Juan Gutierrez (40) - Was dominate out of the pen in the LVBP and appears to be recovered from shoulder surgery.

Felipe Paulino (40) - Will start the year on the DL as he continues to heal from Tommy John surgery.  He should be back before the all star break.

Brewers:
Arcenio Leon (NRI) - Recently removed from the 40 man roster, Leon will be trying to make the Nashville AAA club out of spring training.

Nationals:
Fernando Abad (NRI) - He will be fighting for a spot in a Nationals bullpen devoid of lefties.  He has a pretty good shot unless a FA signing occurs. 

Cardinals:
J.R. Towles (NRI) - Expect another year at AAA for J. R.

It is interesting to note that of the 14 players listed.  Only Barnes, Martinez, and DeShields  are not pitchers or catchers.

Former G-Stros Involved in Recent Transactions

Now that the season is over, players find out if they are in a teams plans or not.  Sometimes that means a door is opened for a new opportunity with a new team and sometimes it means a career may be over.  Here is the list of transactions that have occurred since this season ended that involve former G-Stros.  For those who have been declared a free agent, I have listed the last team they were affiliated with.

I am also including any players still on active rosters (MILB & MLB) so that you can see what results those teams have produced.

2004
Jimmy Barthmaier - declared a free agent by the Nationals.
Juan Gutierrez - re-signed by the Royals to a minor league deal.
Jordan Parraz - re-signed a minor league deal with the Braves.
Wladimir Sutil - declared a free agent by the Dbacks.
J.R. Towles - declared a free agent by the Twins. (Update signed to minor league contract with Cardinals)

Felipe Paulino (Royals-DL) and Troy Patton (Orioles) are the last two on Major League rosters.

2005
Koby Clemens - released by Blue Jays before end of season.
Victor Garate - released by Brewers before end of the season.
Ralph Henriquez - released by Mariners before end of season. (Signed to minor league contract with Rockies)

That leaves only Brandon Barnes left in affiliated ball from the 2005 G-Stros.

2006
Amadeo Zazueta (Blue Jays) and Tom Vessella (Giants) were on minor league rosters at the end of the season and have not been declared free agents or released yet.  Both Barnes & Henriquez were also on this team. 

2007
Fernando Abad - removed from the Astros 40 man roster, cleared waivers and is a free agent. (Update - signed to a minor league deal with the Nationals)
Arcenio Leon - removed from Astros 40 man roster and was claimed by the Brewers.

In addition to those two, the only player left on an active roster is Albert Cartwright (Phillies - minors).

2008
The following players have been released by the Astros organization:
Brad Dydalewicz
Nathan Pettus
Jose Trinidad
Jay Austin (before season ended)
Kody Hinze (before season ended)

In addition to those, Jorge De Leon was removed from the 40 man roster, cleared waivers and is a free agent.

Henry Villar was declared a free agent by the Astros.

There are still seven players in the Astros system from that team (Altuve, Lyles, Urckfitz, Grimmett, L. Cruz, Seaton, R. Garcia). Also Cartwright was on this roster too.

2009
Gabriel Garcia was released by the Astros.  There are still 12 players from this roster active in the Astros organization.

2010
The following players have been released by the Astros organization.
Ricardo Batista
Emilio King
Rodney Quintero

There are still 14 players from this roster active in the Astros organization. 

2011
The following players have been released by the Astros organization
Juan Mojica
Brad Propst
Garen Wright
Joshua Magee (released during the season and is now on the Alabama football roster as a walk on).
(Batista & Quintero were also on this roster)

There are 22 players from this roster active in the Astros organization. 

2012
James Howick was released by the Astros organization.  Propst was also on this roster.  There are 39 players from this roster active in the Astros organization. 

Abad Moving Back to Starter?

Yesterday, Brian McTaggart posted his minor league notebook, where he talked about Delino DeShields Jr. success this season and a few other things.  The bit that caught my eye was the decision to move Fernando Abad back to the starter role. 

"We're trying to look at what might be best," said Astros director of player development Fred Nelson. "He's pitched well in the Dominican Republic as a starter, and we've vacillated back and forth between what is best for him, and I think we're going to take a look and see what he can do in a starting role and see if he can filter in to be a guy that might end up starting for us."

Abad has had several good seasons playing winter ball in the Dominican but hasn't been a starter in the states very much at all.  He has never started more than four games in a minor league season since he came to the states.  In looking at his numbers, it appears he does better when he pitches to more batters than he has this past year as a lefty specialist.  Hope this experiment goes well for Fernando.  I would expect he won't be fully stretch out until the season ends and we will be watching winter ball stats again for further indication of his move to a starter.

Climbing the Ladder: A Look at the Progress of Prospects (2012 edition)

For the last several years, I have written a piece for the Greeneville Astros game day program about the minor league system.  Here is this year's edition.  It was turned in on June 1, 2012.  I am posting an updated version with updates in parentheses. 

When you attend a game at Pioneer Park, you never know if the player you are watching today will make it to the big leagues in a few years.  In the first two months of the 2012 Major League Baseball Season, six former Greeneville Astros have worn major league uniforms this year. 

1. Jose Altuve (2008,09) has made the most of his first time on the opening day roster.  As the everyday second baseman at the young age of 21 years old, he burst out of the gate with an impressive .360 batting average in the month of April.  Altuve was challenged by the Houston coaches to increase his walks in order to get on base more.  He has taken that challenge to heart and has seen his on base percentage increase over 50 points.  He has become a fan favorite in Houston and if he keeps playing at his current level; he could become the first former Greeneville Astro to make an appearance in the Major League All Star Game. (Altuve has continued his solid season hitting .291 so far in June.  He left last night's game with a hamstring strain. He is currently third in All Star voting) 
2. J. D. Martinez (2009) also made his opening day debut with the Houston Astros this year as the starting left fielder. He had a solid April, hitting .282 but struggled in the month of May.  The highlight of his year so far was hitting the first home run in the new Miami Marlins’ ballpark.  J. D. grew up in Miami and was able to share the moment with several family and friends.(J.D. has hit four more home runs in June.  He is still struggling some with average. He is hitting .230.)
3. Felipe Paulino (2004) started the year on the disabled list with the Royals missing the month of April.  In May, he had five solid starts; finishing the month with a 2.03 ERA and 34 strike outs in 31 innings pitched.  His best start of the year was his first when he pitched six innings of shut out ball against the New York Yankees. (Paulino recently was diagnosed with a tear in his UCL and will have Tommy John surgery. He is out for the rest of the year.)
4. Fernando Abad (2007) continues his up and down relationship with the Astros.  He started the season in the majors but was sent to AAA on April 9^th.  However,  after five appearances in Oklahoma City and not giving up a run, he was called back up to Houston on 4/27.  Over the next month, he pitched relatively well amassing a 2.56 ERA in 11 appearances in May before being placed on the 15 day disabled list in late May with a right intercostal (muscle in the rib cage) strain.(Abad came off the DL on 6/15 and has pitched in three games since his return without giving up a run.)
5. Troy Patton (2004) was on the opening day roster for the first time in his career.  Through late May, Troy has already equaled his number of appearances (20) he had in 2011 out of the Baltimore Orioles bullpen.  He is 1-0 with a 3.97 ERA in 22 2/3 innings pitched.  His work as a part of the Orioles pen has helped the team to a surprising run at the lead in the American League East. (Patton has put together an impressive June with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 IP).
6. Jordan Lyles (2008) has split his time between AAA and the majors this season.  In his seven starts at AAA he is 5-0 with a 3.54 ERA.  In his four starts for Houston, he is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA.  Lyles is just 21 years old and is still developing.  As of the end of May, the only person younger than Lyles to appear in the National League is Bryce Harper.(Lyles got called back up to stay in June.  He has made four starts and has put together a 4.37 ERA in 22 2/3 IP).

A quick note on a player who was in the major leagues last season.  Juan Gutierrez (2004) who was with the Diamondbacks last season had Tommy John surgery on his elbow in the offseason.  The Diamondbacks released him and the Kansas City Royals signed him to a minor league contract.  He should miss all of the 2012 season as he recovers from the surgery.   

Those Still Climbing

Here is a glance team by team at the Houston Astros’ minor league system and which players there are making some noise early in the season.

Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA)

Again this year, the AAA roster is full of players who have had at least a cup of coffee in the big leagues.  Over 70% of the roster has major league experience. Many of these players are experienced players who can be called up to Houston to fill a need.  A few are prospects who are honing their craft at the highest level of the minors.  Let’s look at a few of those:

Paul Clemens was acquired from Atlanta in the Michael Bourn trade last season.  He throws in the upper 90’s on a regular basis. He is trying to harness that power in OKC.  He had a great start to the season with a 2.04 ERA in his four stats in April.  He has not been as successful in May (10.29 ERA).  He loves pitching at home where he holds a 1.57 ERA.  On the road is a very different story (11.00 ERA). (He has had a better June with a 5.40 ERA and has lowered the road ERA to 9.95).

The opposite of Clemens is Dallas Keuchel. The lefty has climbed the Astros ladder after being the 7^th round pick in the 2009 draft by the Astros.  In his wake, he has left batters frustrated. He doesn’t strike them out with blazing speed but gets them to hit his pitch using control and command.  He started the 2012 season off with seven straight starts of six innings or more pitched and three or less runs allowed.(Keuckel got called up and has made two outings.  The results have been promising - 1.29 ERA in 14 IP).

Brandon Barnes (2005, 06) was re-signed by the Astros this off season as minor league free agent.  He started 2011 in AA and hit .317 in 44 games with seven home runs.  He was called up to AAA in the last week of May and got hits in his first two games with the RedHawks.(Barnes has continued to hit in AAA in June.  He has hit .358 in 22 games this month and has only struck out 12 times in 81 at bats)

Other names to watch in AAA are Brett Wallace and Jimmy Parades who both spent significant time with the Astros last season but have returned to AAA for seasoning.(Wallace spent some time in Houston while Carlos Lee was on the DL.  He showed he is ready to be the first baseman if Lee gets traded in the coming weeks.)

Corpus Christi Hooks (AA)

Players who reach AA are very close to the majors.  It is becoming more and more common for players to make the jump directly to the big leagues from AA, as was seen last season by the jumps from AA by J. D Martinez and Jose Altuve.  There are several players here worth keeping an eye on. Here are a few of the Hooks to watch closely.

Jonathon Singleton was one of the prize prospects the Astros acquired from the Phillies in the Hunter Pence trade last season.  He is seen as the top prospect in the Astros organization and the 34^th best on all of baseball according to Baseball America.  The 6’2” 235 pound, 20 year old plays first base and left field and bats from the left side of the plate.  He is hitting .313 with nine home runs in his first 49 games this season.  He could be the Astros starting first baseman as soon as next season. (He has had a rough June, hitting just .133 so far this month, Singleton will be representing the Astros in the Futures Game during All Star Weekend.)

Jonathon Villar is a shortstop who came to the Astros organization from the Phillies in the Roy Oswalt trade in 2010.  He spent half of 2011 in Corpus Christi and has shown progress in the first two months of 2012; raising his batting average 20 points, getting on base more and stealing more bases.  He just turned 21 at the beginning of May so he still has some time to develop. (He has hit .278 in June, raising his season average up to .259 - so almost 30 points from his stint at CC last year.)

Austin Wates is a Virginia Tech product who was drafted in the 3^rd round of the 2010 draft by the Astros.  After hitting .300 for Lancaster in 2011, he started 2012 in AA.  He can play all three outfield positions but projects best as a left fielder.  He is a line drive hitter with good speed and a little bit of power to go with it.  He is hitting .298 through 50 games this season. (Waits missed much of June with an injury.  He recently started a rehab stint in the GCL and should be back roaming the outfields of the Texas League soon)

Ross Seaton (2008) appears to be showing some of the promise that was expected when he was drafted in the 3^rd round by the Astros in 2008.  The tall righty is 22 years old and in his second season in AA, he has put together solid numbers through his first ten starts (3.28 ERA).  He isn’t going to blow you away with any one pitch but he mixes them well and he doesn’t walk many batters. (He has had two great outings and two bad outings in June.  Overall, his season ERA is sitting at a respectable 3.83 for the season in AA)

Brett Oberhotzer is another player the Astros acquired via trade in 2011.  He was a part of the Michael Bourn deal with Atlanta.  The big left throws in the low 90’s and features very good control.  He is repeating AA after struggling there after the trade last year. (Has been promoted to AAA where he has made two starts.  His ERA is 6.97 since his promotion)

Jarred Cosart arrived in the Houston organization as a part of the Pence trade with the Phillies.  The right handed pitcher, who turned 22 in May, throws a fast ball in the upper 90’s and a good curve ball.  He pitched in last years’ Futures Game as a part of All Star Weekend.  He has had injury issues in the past but if he can stay healthy, he could be in Houston’s starting rotation for a long time. (He has added a solid June to his resume with a 3.48 ERA and the last two starts have been outstanding).

The AA roster has many more players worth watching including: Chris Wallace  (2010), Kody Hinze (2008), Kevin Chapman, Jason Stoffel, and Jake Buchanan.

Other former Greeneville Astros on the roster include: Jose Cisnero (2009), Arcenio Leon (2007, 08), Ryan McCurdy (2010), and Henry Villar (2008)

Lancaster JetHawks (High A)

The Astros begin their fourth season in Lancaster of the California League.  There are 18 former Greeneville players are with the JetHawks this season.  Lancaster is known as a hitters paradise and as such is tough on pitchers.  Here are a few players to watch.

Domingo Santana was the player to be named later in the Hunter Pence trade last season.  Santana through his first 42 games at High A is hitting .275 with half of his 46 hits going for extra bases.  The tall (6’5”) right fielder is the youngest player on the JetHawks roster and won’t turn 20 until later this summer. (His June has been solid with a .288 average but his power has dipped.)

George Springer was Houston’s first round pick last season out of the University of Connecticut. He is off to a solid start in his first full season in the minors. Through his first 49 games, he is hitting .303 with eight doubles, six triples and 10 home runs. The center fielder is projected to be on a fast track to Houston, meaning it won’t be surprising to see him in Corpus Christi before the season is over. (Springer finished the first half of the season with a .303 average.)

Jonathon Meyer (2009) is quietly putting together a very strong season in Lancaster.  His average, which finished at .264 last season, is up to .284 in his first 50 games.  Meyer is still 21 years old and is developing into a solid 3^rd baseman. (He has hit .273 for June thus far)

Jiovanni Meir (2009) finished the 2011 season in Lancaster.  He returned in 2012 and was showing signs of a break out season.  He was hitting .309 through 26 games when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. (still on the DL)

Telvin Nash (2010) has some of the best power in the Astros organization.  In his first 47 games, he has already hit 14 home runs.  However, he is going to have to reduce the number of strike outs in order for his power to shine at the upper levels.  He appears to have really improved his defense this season. (Nash has hit another four home runs in June but has struck out 42 times in 64 at bats - ouch)

Ruben (R. J.) Alaniz continues to develop into a solid pitcher.  Through his first 11 starts, he has an ERA of 3.69 and has only surrendered four home runs in the hitter friendly California League.  In fact, he has not given up any home runs in his 26 innings pitched at home.  His fastball is in the low 90’s and he mixes it with a solid change up and curve.  He is the youngest pitcher on the JetHawks staff. (He has had three rough starts and one great start in June, giving him a 8.74 ERA for the month so far)

Other names to keep an eye on include: Eric Castro, Bobby Doran, Rene Garcia (2008), Tyson Perez (2011). (Doran has been promoted to AA).

Other former Greeneville Astros include: Jorge DeLeon (2008), Brad Dydalewicz (2008), Gabriel Garcia (2009,10), Zachary Grimmett (2008), David Martinez (2009), Brian Streinlein (2011), Jose Trinidad (2008), Pat Urckfitz (2008),  Ben Orloff (2009), Alex Todd (2011), and Rafael Valenzuela (2010).

Lexington Legends (Low A)

Lexington is the first stop where players have to adjust to a full season of baseball.  This tests a player’s mental and physical toughness as well as giving them a better level of competition.  This is a very young team this year.  Here are a few guys who started the year 20 or younger and are growing up in the South Atlantic League. 

Delino DeSheilds Jr (2010) is showing progress in his second season in Lexington. 

His batting average is up to .252 through 51 games.  He is leading the league in steals with 32 and has just been caught stealing four times.  DeSheilds is also showing progress in his transition to second base. (DeShields broke the Legends season record for stolen bases in just the 69th game of the year.  He now has 49 on the season.  His average is up to .268 on the season thanks to hitting .311 in June.)

Matt Duffy is a 3^rd baseman out of the University of Tennessee.  He has put together a solid start to his first full season in the Astros organization.  Through the first two months, he hit .320 in 52 games with eight homeruns and 11 doubles.  With him already being 23, he might be moved up a level soon to see how he handles the next the challenge at the next level. (Duffy has hit .309 so far in June.  He has also added two more doubles and three more HR to his totals)

Jordan Scott (2011) was last years MVP for Greeneville.  He is patrolling left field for the Legends this season.  The 20 year old has seen his numbers dip slightly as he hit .266 over the first two months of the season. (Scott struggled in June hitting just .167 in 14 games thus far.  However, he has a four game hitting streak going since the All Star Break.)

Mike Foltyenwicz (2010) is another prospect repeating the South Atlantic League.  He is showing he is ready to move on to another challenge.  In the first two months of 2012, he was dominating; putting together a 6-1 record and a 2.27 ERA in 11 starts. (Is looking like he is ready for the next step.  In June, he has made three starts and lowered his season ERA to 2.13.  His record now stands at 9-1 on the year.)

Luis Cruz (2008/09) is putting together an impressive start to the 2012 season.  In his third year at Lexington, the 21 year old made six starts in the month of May with an era of 1.85 in 39 innings pitched. (June has not been kind to Cruz who has allowed 14 earned runs in 17 1/3 IP. His season ERA has risen to 3.70)

Other names to watch on the Legends roster include: John Hinson, Mike Kvasnicka, Nicholas Tropeano, Evan Grills, and Luis Ordosgotti (2011).

Other former G-Stros who are on the roster include: Chan Moon (2011), Jesse Wierzbicki (2011), Roberto Pena (2010), Carlos Quevedo (2009), Murilo Gouvea (2009), Nathan Pettus (2009), and Euris Quezada (2010) (Jay Austin (2008) has been added to the team as he works his way back from a broken hand.  Wierzbicki has been moved down to Tri Cities).

Short Season Teams

The Astros operate a facility in the Dominican Republic to host the Dominican Summer League Astros.  This facility will help prepare young foreign born players for life moving up the ladder both on and off the field.  The Gulf Coast League Astros play their games at the Astros’ spring training complex in Kissimmee and will be the first stop for many young draftees and those coming to the United States from the Dominican Academy.  The Greeneville Astros as a result, should get players with a little more seasoning.  The Tri Cities ValleyCats of the NY Penn League will continue to be the top rung of the short season team ladder.

Former Greeneville Players Now Playing In Other Organizations

Sometimes the climb up the ladder requires you make a detour.  You move from one organizations ladder to another organizations ladder.  Sometimes these moves come as a result of a trade and sometimes it comes when a player becomes a free agent and signs with a different organization.  Here is a list of former G-Stros along with their new organization and the level they were playing at on June 1, 2012.

Albert Cartwright  (2007/08) High A -  Clearwater (Phillies) (has gotten hot in June hitting .333 for the month)

Koby Clemens (2005) Short Season A - Vancouver (Toronto) (Moved up to High A Dunedin as a catcher)

Victor Garate (2005) AAA – Nashville (Brewers) (7.15 ERA in 26 games)

Sammy Gervacio (2005) AAA – Aguascalientes (Mexican League) (15 saves in 22 games)

Ralph Henriquez (2005/06) AAA – Tacoma (Mariners) (Moved back down to AA Jackson of the Southern League)

Jordan Parraz (2004) AAA – Gwinnett (Braves) (On the DL since a broken hand on 5/7)

Wlad Sutil (2004) AA – Mobile (Diamondbacks) (hitting .225 on the season)

J. R. Towles (2004) AAA – Rochester (Twins) (Struggling at the plate with a .205 average for the season)

Tom Vessella (2006) AA – Richmond (Giants) (2.94 ERA in 23 games of relief)

Amandeo Zazueta (2006) AAA – Tuscon (Padres) (hitting .174 on the year)

The overall goal of any player is to traverse the many challenges they face in the minor leagues resulting in a Major League career.  The players will push themselves to climb as high as they can to achieve their dreams of playing Major League baseball.  In 2012, sit back and enjoy a season of players learning, growing, and hopefully winning as they chase their dreams and reach for the next rung on the ladder.