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.  

Former G-Stros Start Year on DL

Baseball America's Minor League Transactions came out yesterday and confirmed that some of the players not on rosters were in fact on the disabled list.  Here is the list of Astros minor leaguers on the DL.  The former G-Stros are underlined.

RHP Murilo Gouvea
RHP Chia-Jen Lo
RHP Kyle Weiland
LHP Sergio Escalona
LHP Kenny Long
C Max Stassi
3B Andrew Simunic
3B Brandon Wikoff
OF Grant Hogue
OF Telvin Nash

If they are not on this list or on a roster, they are likely in extended spring training. 

In other transaction news, it appears that Ralph Henriquez has been released by the Rockies. Leaving Brandon Barnes the only player from the 2005 team who is still in affiliated baseball. 

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. 

Four Former G-Stros Make Opening Day Rosters As Gutierrez Claims Final Spot

Yesterday it was announced that J.C. Gutierrez claimed the final spot in the Royals' bullpen. He won it based on a solid performance in spring training and the fact that he was the only person vying for the spot who was out of options.  The Royals didn't want to expose the ex -Astros formerly known as Juan Gutierrez to waivers.

With the announcement of Gutierrez winning his spot; there are four former Greeneville Astros on opening day rosters this season:  Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes, Troy Patton and J.C. Guttierez.

The could be one more former G-Stro who could be named to a roster as an injury replacement.  News out of Houston is that Fernando Martinez might have to go on the DL for an oblique injury.  If that happens, it is possible that J.D. Martinez will take his roster spot. Though I suspect the Astros will go with switch hitting Trevor Crowe to increase match up options on the bench.

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. 

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: July 2012

A bunch of G-Stros players have been on the month this month. We have several players earning Alumni of the month designation for teams they are either no longer on or just arrived on.  Let's take a look at former Greeneville Astros who had a strong July.

Tri Cities ValleyCats

Hitter: 
Jessie Wierzbicki hit .299 in 27 games in July. I was surprised by the speed numbers. He hit two triples and was successful in nine out of 10 stolen base attempts.

Pitcher: 
Jarmaine Cotton appeared in seven games out of the Tri Cities bullpen. He was almost perfect for the month, allowing just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings pitched.  He fanned 10 batters while only allowing six hits and four walks. 

Honorable Mentions: Vincent Velasquez, Jeremiah Meiners

Lexington Legends

Hitter:
Delino DeShields Jr was dominate in July.  He hit .380 for the month in 27 games.  He showed impressive pop, hitting seven doubles, a triple and four home runs.  On the base paths, he added 20 stolen bases to his team record total, bringing him to 77 on the season.  You have to wonder if he will be eligible for alumni of the month on another team in August.

Honorable Mention: Ruben Sosa

Pitcher: 
Mitchell Lambson almost let this recognition slip away last night.  Prior to last night, he had been dominate since his promotion from Greeneville in late June.  Lambson gave up four of the eight earned runs for the month last night.  His ERA jumped to 3.48 for the month after that outing.  Yet he still fanned 22 batters in just 20 2/3 innings pitched and opponents hit just .215 off of him.  

Lancaster JetHawks

Hitters:
It wasn't a great month for former Greeneville players at the plate in Lancaster.  So, I am going with Ben Orloff, who was promoted in the middle of July to AA.  Prior to his promotion, he hit .344 with only three strike outs in 40 plate appearances.

Pitchers:
Carlos Quevedo is doing well since his promotion to Lancaster in early July.  In seven outings, he has given up just two earned runs in 15 1/3 innings pitched.  He struck out nineteen while walking just four batters.  Last night he gave up two walks.  It was his first multi walk outing since early May.

Honorable Mention: Patrick Urckfitz, David Martinez

Corpus Christi Hooks 

Hitters: 
Even though he was promoted, Chris Wallace's numbers for July in Corpus Christi deserve recognition.  In 11 games before his promotion, he hit .467 (14 for 34).  Since his promotion, he has hit a very respectable .333 in OKC. 

Pitchers:
The pitcher of the month also goes to a promoted player.  Jose Cisnero made four starts in CC before moving to OKC.  In those starts, he had a 2.75 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 26 2/3 innings pitched.  He pitched a complete nine inning game on 7/22. 

Oklahoma City RedHawks

Hitters:

Brandon Barnes continues to be a solid producer at the plate. He hit .333 for July in 25 games.  I continue to be impressed with his improved plate discipline.  He took 13 walks in July which helped his OBP rise to .417 for the month.  

Pitcher: there was no former G-Stro pitcher on the roster for much of July.  Fernando Abad was optioned there from Houston at the end of the month and made one forgettable appearance.

MLB

Hitter: 
Jose Altuve hit .282 for the month of July. His average is down a bit but OBP up due to taking 10 walks in the month. He also added seven stolen bases in eight attempts for the month.

Pitcher: 
Troy Patton continues to be a significant part of the Baltimore bullpen. Patton appeared in 13 games for the Os in July amassing 10 innings pitched.  During that stretch, he allowed just two earned runs, both off home runs. Both home runs came in the first outing of the month. Since then he has not allowed a run to score. It does look like he played with fire a bit with opponents hitting .302 against him for the month and a surprising 1.60 WHIP.  

MILB outside of organization

Hitter:
Ralph Henriquez is hitting .314 in 10 games for AA Jackson (Mariners).  It is nice to see Henriquez having some success.  He will always be a fan favorite in Greeneville. 

Pitcher:
Jimmy Barthmaier gets the nod this month.  He is recovering from injury and started his year in High A, where he put up a 1.84 ERA in 14 outings before earning a promotion to AA late this month. He is in the Nationals organization. 


Distribution
Lets look at where those in the organization are at the end of July:

Tri Cities -7 (-1 from last month).
Lexington - 14 (-2 from last month)
Lancaster - 17 (unchanged)
Corpus Christi - 7 (+1 from last month)
Oklahoma City - 1 (+3 from last month)
Houston -3 (-1 from last month)

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - June 2012

It has been a fun month of June.  Several former G-Stros are making serious progress and the new bunch is winning games. Let's look at how the former Greeneville Astros did this month.

Tri Cities ValleyCats

Pitcher of the Month - Vincent Velasquez made three starts in June and had a 1.76 ERA in 15 1/3 IP with 16 K.  What makes this more impressive is these were his first three starts after missing all of 2011 with Tommy John surgery.

Honorable Mention - Juri Perez - two scoreless starts to start his second season in the NYPL.  Jamaine Cotton - made five scoreless relief appearances before surrendering two runs on 6/30. 

Hitter of the Month - There are only three former G-Stros on the roster in TriCities, none of which are setting the woods on fire. This months award goes to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .260 for the first 14 games of the season.

Lexington Legends

Pitcher of the Month - Murilo Gouvea had a stellar month out of the pen.  Allowing just one earned run in 14 1/3 ip (10 games) with 14 strike outs. He only allowed five hits during that stretch but allowed 10 walks.  His June ERA was 0.61.

Honorable Mention - Mike Foltynewicz amassed a 2.97 ERA in five starts.  He had a rough outing to end the month, otherwise, he numbers would have been much stronger.  Still 2.97 is not to shabby.

Hitter of the Month - I think those who follow Astros minor league ball would come after me with pitch forks and torches if I chose anyone but Delino DeShields Jr. as the Lexington hitter of the month.  DDJ hit a solid .303 for the month.  He also took 16 walks which helped boost his OPB to .407.  He showed some pop with seven extra base hits and when he did find him self on first, he often managed to get to second via one of his 25 stolen bases.

Honorable Mentions - Chan Moon  really appears to have put it together at the plate.  The South Korean Shortstop hit .276 in June with a .403 OBP.  Roberto Pena also had a solid June hitting .329 and hitting seven doubles during the month where he turned 20. 

Lancaster JetHawks

Pitcher of the Month - Jose Trinadad had a great month out of the pen. In eight games (seven relief and one start) he allowed 19 hits in 21 innings pitched.  His ERA for the month was .043.  His last appearance of the month was spreading seven hits over seven shut out innings in his third start of the year.  His ERA as as start this season is 1.13

Honorable Mention - Pat Urckfitz who allowed four earned runs in 15 innings pitched for a 2.40 ERA in June. 

Hitter of the Month - I normally put those who haven't played a full month in the Honorable Mention category but what Grant Hogue put together in limited playing time is impressive.  He played the first nine games of the month and then missed about two weeks on the DL returning to get in for the final few games of the month.  During his 11 games, Hogue hit .667 (21 out of 34).  Hard to ignore that production.

Honorable Mention - Rafael Valenzuela hit .298 in 17 games with a .403 OBP.  Rene Garcia hit .321 in 16 games. Ben Orloff hit .283 and had just four strike outs in 99 at bats during the month.

Corpus Christi Hooks

Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero is the easy choice this month.  In five starts, he allowed just eight walks and eight earned runs while striking out 31 in 33 innings pitched.  He allowed no home runs in June.  He pitched a complete game two hitter on June 16th.  He held opponents to a .215 batting average for the month. 

Honorable Mention- Henry Villar pitched in 8 games (16 1/3 IP) in June with a 2.70 ERA.  During that span, he fanned 16 while only issuing two free passes.

Hitter of the Month -  Kody Hinze rebounded from a rough May (.106 in 22 games) to hit for a solid .306 in 24 games in June.  Seven of his 22 hits in the month went for extra bases.

Oklahoma City RedHawks

Pitcher of the Month - Vacant - there were no former G-Stros pitching in Oklahoma City in June except Fernando Abad who was on rehab assignment.

Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes is the only RedHawk who played in Greeneville but this award isn't given by default.  Barnes has earned it!  He hit .333 with nine doubles and three home runs in June.  He also walked eight times and struck out just 18 in 108 at bats (28 games).  If the 26 year old Barnes can keep this up, he might get a shot at the bigs in a September call up or as an injury replacement. 

Minors Outside Astros System

Pitcher of the Month - Slingin Sammy Gervacio continues to tear up the Mexican League (unaffiliated AAA). In June, he appeared in 15 games (15 2/3 IP), issued just four walks and nine hits while fanning 23 batters.  He earned 12 saves during the month.

Hitter of the Month - Albert Cartwright had a bounce back month after hitting below the Mendoza line for May, he hit .306 with four doubles and three home runs in the Florida State League (Phillies High A). 

Major Leagues

Pitcher of the Month - While Jordan Lyles and Fernando Abad had good months, the best month by a former Greeneville Astro pitcher in the Majors was by Troy Patton of the Orioles.  Patton appeared in 11 games (14 2/3 IP) in which he fanned 15 batters while allowing only nine hits and four walks.  Opponents hit just .190 off Patton during the month.

Hitter of the Month - While you can debate my list choice, I don't think there is much of a debate when it comes to selecting Jose Altuve as the hitter of the month. During June, he hit .291 with five doubles and two home runs. 

Quick break down of the number of former G-stros in the Astros system:

Tri Cities - 8
Lexington - 16
Lancaster - 17
Corpus Christi - 6
Oklahoma City - 1
Houston - 4

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: May 2012

Well, I have let June slip up on me and I haven't gotten the highlights from May wrapped up.  Better late than never.  We have two months of full season ball under our belts now, let's see who put up solid months in May.

Lexington Legends: 
Hitter of the Month-
Last month, we gave the award to Alex Todd, he has absconded to Lancaster.  In May, we are going to Delino DeShields Jr..  I know he only hit .252 in May but 1/3 of his hits went for extra bases.  But it is more about what happened when he got on base.  He stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in May.  He had 32 total stolen bases in 36 attempts this season.

Honorable Mention: Chan Moon hit .283 in his first 13 games with Lexington and Jordan Scott who hit .270 for the month with nine doubles and two triples. 


Pitcher of the Month-
Last month, the honor went the Mike Foltynewicz.  He had another good month (3-0 with a 2.84 ERA) but Luis Cruz was better.  He made five quality starts in the month and finished with a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings pitched.  The little lefty looks like he is putting together a quality year in his third season in Lexington.

Honorable Mention: Folty and Carlos Quevedo who made nine appearances out of the pen (19 1/3 IP) and allowed just 3 earned runs (1.40 ERA).  Also worth of a mention is Murilo Gouvea who made 11 relief appearances (16 IP) and struck out 19 batters while amassing a 2.25 ERA.  



Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month 
Jonathan Meyer cooled off in May hitting just .265 and Telvin Nash hit a rough patch seeing his average plummet while his strike outs continued to climb.  So this month, the Almni hitter of the month is Ben Orloff who hit .287 for May.  He also had more walks than strike outs. 

Honorable Mentions: Rafael Valenzuela who in limited playing time, hit .270 with eight of his 20 hits going for extra bases.

Pitcher of the Month
This month, we are going to the bullpen to give the award to Jose Trinidad. Trinidad pitched in 10 games in May.  Eight were in relief and two were starts.  In those appearances, he covered 22 1/3 innings pitched and only allowed 6 earned runs for an ERA of 2.42 for the month.

Honorable Mention to RJ Alaniz and Tyson Perez  who both had good starts in May but also had a few where the game got away from them.  But there was more good than bad.


Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Here we have another situation where the incumbent, Brandon Barnes, was promoted to the next level during the subsequent month; so he was not here to defend his stats as alumni of the month.   There is not much to write home about with the remaining Greeneville alumni on the roster.  However, in limited action, Chris Wallace put together a .273 average in seven games (8 at bats).  With the struggles of other former G-Stros Hinze and McCurdy; Wallace is the best chose this month.

Pitcher of the Month 
Ross Seaton was very good this May.  In six starts, he pitched six plus innings in five of them and in those five, he did not give up more than three runs.  His ERA for the month was 2.70.  When you consider he was charged with four earned runs in his first start of the month; his solid ERA at the end of the month is more impressive.


Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Brandon Barnes brought his hitting with him to OKC.  In the four games after he arrived late in the month, he hit .333 with five singles in fifteen at bats.  

Pitcher of the Month 
Jordan Lyles made three starts in OKC in May.  His ERA over those starts was 3.68.  It has been announced that he is in Houston to stay for the foreseeable future so this may be his last shot at AppyAstros Alumni of the month in AAA for a while.

Outside of the System - Minors

Hitter of the Month - Vacant
This section might be called dishonorable mention.  No one stood out.  Jordan Parraz went 0 for 16 in May before landing on the DL with a broken hand.   Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma after hitting .228 in AA.  J R Towles hit .231 for the month.  Wlad Sutil hit .224 for May.  Albert Cartwright couldn't get above .188 for the month.  Amandeo Zazueta hit just .148.  Koby Clemens was sent down to high A ball and then further down to a short season roster as the work with him on possible returning to catcher. 

Pitcher of the Month
Sammy Gervacio appeared on the roster of the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican league in May.  He appeared in nine games (10 IP) and maintained an ERA of just 1.80 and struck out 12 batters.  The Mexican League is AAA but it is unaffiliated.  It will be interesting to see if his pitching catches the attention of an affiliated team in the near future. 

Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion continues his solid performance at the plate.  He hit a solid .283 with six more walks.  While this is down from April.  It is still worthy of recognition.  

Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton repeats as Pitcher of the Month.  He was called on 11 times out of the Oriole bullpen and he responded with a 3.55 ERA and also started striking batters out more.  After striking out just four in 10 innings in April, Patton fanned 16 in 12 2/3 innings pitched in May.

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: April 2012

Each month of the season, I will select a former Greeneville Astros player who had the best month at each level of the organization. I will also select one for outside the organization. Let's get started with our review of April:

Lexington Legends: 
Hitter of the Month- Alex Todd
Todd hit an even .300 in 18 games (70 AB) in the month.  He was a road warrior hitting. 438 on the road.

Pitcher of the Month- Mike Foltynewicz
Folty was solid in his five starts (27 1/3 IP).  He finished the month with a 1.98 ERA, which was good for 8th best in the league.  He fanned 27 batters this month.

Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month - Jonathan Meyer
While Telvin Nash has gotten attention for his Home Runs (9 in the month), Meyer has quietly put together an all around good month.  He hit .309 with four doubles, two triples and two HR.  

Honorable Mentions: Telvin Nash & Jio Mier

Pitcher of the Month - Rubin (RJ) Alaniz
Pitching in Lancaster is not for the faint of heart.  Alaniz has performed well in his five starts (31 IP) in the Cal League.  His 2.90 ERA for the month is second on the team among starters.  He fanned 26 and walked only seven during the month.

Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month -  Brandon Barnes
Barnes hit .353 for the month with 21 RBI in 22 games.  Of his 32 hits, 18 were for extra bases (14 doubles and four HR).  His 14 doubles leads the Texas League and he is listed in the top 10 in almost every offensive category. 
Honorable Mention - Kody Hinze
 
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero
Cisnero had three good outings and two that weren't so great during April.  He finished the month with a descent 3.80 ERA but with 30 strike outs in 23 2/3 IP.

Honorable Mention - Arcenio Leon

Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month - None - there are no hitters in Oklahoma City who have spent time in Greeneville. 

Pitcher of the Month - Fernando Abad
Sandwiched between two unspectacular performances in Houston, Abad put up stellar numbers out of the pen in AAA.  In 5 relief appearances (7 1/3 IP), Abad struck out 12 and didn't allow a run.

Honorable Mention: Jordan Lyles

Outside of the System - Minors
Hitter of the Month - Jordan Parraz
Parraz hit .367 in April for the Gwinnett Braves (AAA).  He is 6th in the league in batting average.  Parraz, who was one of the last players cut from the Braves spring training, is making a case for his first call up to the Majors. 

Pitcher of the Month - Tom Vessella
Vessella pitching out of the pen for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA- Giants) appeared in nine games (11 2/3 IP) in April.  He amassed a 3.09 ERA, allowing only six hits, while walking seven and striking out seven. 
 
Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion leads all MLB 2nd basemen in average, on base percentage, and hits. He is in the top three in runs, doubles, slugging, and OPS.  His .360 average for the month of April was third best among NL hitters and 7th best in all of MLB.  But I am most excited about the seven walks he took! 

Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton was the only former G-Stro pitcher to spend the whole month in the bigs.  He got off to a rough start, giving up 2 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning.  Since then, he has surrendered three earned runs in 9 2/3 IP. His performance out of the bullpen has helped the Orioles get off to a surprising start in the AL East.

Barnes Off To Hot Start

Brandon Barnes (Greeneville Astros 05, 06) is off to a great start for the Corpus Christi Hooks (AA).  He currently leads the league in the following categories:

Average: .385
Slugging: .750
OPS: 1.157
Doubles: 10
Total Bases: 39
Hits: 20 (tie)
Runs: 12 (tie)

He is also among the league leaders in the following categories:

Home Runs: 3 (tied for 3rd)
RBI: 11 (tied for 4th)
OBP: .407 (11th)

Other former G-Stros who are off to good starts in 2012 are:

Delino DeShields Jr - his 10 stolen bases as tops in the Sally League
Mike Folteynewicz  - is 9th in ERA in the Sally (1.72).
Telvin Nash - his 7 HR leads all of minor league baseball.  His OPS (1.019) is 10th best in the California League.  His slugging average (.655) is good for 7th best. He also ranks 4th in total bases (38), tied for 10th in most walks (8), 6th in RBI's (12), and tied for 8th in runs scored (12). 
Chris Wallace - tied for 8th most doubles (4) in the Texas League.
Jose Cisnero - is tied for 6th most strikeouts with 16 in 14 2/3 IP. His 2.45 ERA is good for 9th best in the Texas League.
Jordan Lyles - his 18 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings are tied for 6th best in the PCL.
Jordan Parraz - his .368 average is 4th best in the International League. His 21 hits also tie him for 4th best. His .438 OBP is 10th best.  His 3 stolen bases tie him for 8th in the league.

Former G-Stros in AA - 2012

Here are the former G-Stros who are in AA. We will first list those still in the Astros organization and then look at those outside the organization.

Those on the Corpus Christi Roster:

Jose Cisnero (Gville 2009)
Arcenio Leon (Gville 2007,08)
Ross Seaton (Gville 2008)
Henry Villar (Gville 2008)
Chris Wallace (Gville 2010)
Kody Hinze (Gville 2008)
Brandon Barnes (Gville 2005, 06)

Those in other organizations:

Koby Clemens (Gville 2005) - New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Ralph Henriquez (Gville 2005,06) - Jackson Generals (Mariners)
Vlad Sutil (Gville 2004) - Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks)
Tom Vessella (Gville 2006) - Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)

What To Watch For In 2012 - Former G-Stros Outfield

Heading into the outfield to wrap up our position players in our What to Watch For series. Notice that there are only three names listed from before 2009. Again the years they played in Greeneville, highest level and age on opening day will be in parenthesis.

Outfielders:

Jay Austin (2008 - High A - 21) -Starting his 5th pro season at 21 years of age, Austin's status isn't that different from last year.  Is this the year he lives up to expectations? Can he build off his solid AFL performance with a solid year in AA?  Can we remember that he is still just 21 and be patient?

Brandon Barnes (2005,06 - AAA - 25) - Based on his time with the G-Stros, Barnes has exceeded expectations.  He was very raw and never hit above .220 in his two years in Greeneville.  But he has shown improvement each year.  How will he fair in big league camp this spring? Can he continue to improve in 2012 or has he reached his peak? 

Emilio King (2010- Low A - 22) - King had a reputation as a stellar outfielder but the bat was the question heading into 2011.  He answered those questions with a .293 average in Lexington with nine HR and 24 doubles.  Will he secure 14 or more outfield assist for the third year in a row?  Will his offensive numbers continue to rise?  Can he make it to AA before the year is out?

J. D. Martinez (2009 - MLB - 24) - His rapid assent to the majors finds him as the projected starting LF for the Astros this year.  Will he be a superb sophomore or suffer a sophomore slump? Could he be the first former G-Stro to make an all star team?

Ariel Ovando (2011 - Rookie - 18) - Ovando didn't make a huge splash in his debut season but he did show improvement.  He showed signs of the tools that excited folks prior to his signing through out the year but he just wasn't consistent.  Will he be back in Greeneville for year #2? Has he improved on tracking balls better in RF?  Will we be able to see more of the diamond and less of the rough by the end of the year?

Jordan Scott (2011 - Low A - 20) - Scott had a break out year in Greeneville, tying the team record for hits with 83, and battling for the league hitting title.  What does this year hold?  Can he build on last year's success and put up solid numbers in full season ball?  Can he improve his routes in LF?

Others to watch: 

Grant Hogue (2009 - Low A - 24) - Will he break camp with the AA Hooks?

Bryce Lane (2010 - High A - 22)- Lane returned to earth in 2011 after his strong finish to 2010. Will 2012 see him rebound?   

Jordan Parraz (2004 - AAA - 27) - Will he get a chance to play in a big league game this year? After being in 5 organizations in his career, how long will he be with the Braves?

Garen Wright (2011 - Rookie -21) - Injuries cut his third season short.  He still showed improved numbers in limited action.  Will 2012 find him in Tri Cities? Will this be the year he breaks out?

Projected placement of those still in the Astros organization:
Houston (MLB)
Martinez 

Oklahoma City (AAA)
Barnes

Corpus Christi (AA)
Austin
Hogue

Lancaster (Hi A)
King
Lane 

Lexington (Lo A)
Scott 

Extended Spring training
Ovando
Wright

Barnes Enjoying Playing in the Outback

Brandon Barnes is playing ball this winter in Australia for the Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League. He has had very good games lately.  It all started on Wednesday when he went 3 for 5 with two doubles.  Then Thursday, he went 3 for 5 with a double and two home runs.  The big hit being a three run homer in the top of the 9th to win the game.  Then Friday , he   again went 3 for 5 but with only one extra base hit, a two run HR, but he had four RBI on the day.  That makes him 9 for his last 15 with three doubles, three HR and a 11 RBI.

Maybe most encouraging is the fact that he has only struck out 6 times in 38 at bats.  I know it is a small sample but he struck out 111 times in 423 at bats between AA & AAA last season.  Hope this trend continues for the rest of the ABL season and into spring training.  Maybe he will need to start eating at Outback for pregame meals.

By the way, Jayne over at What the heck, Bobby? is doing a great job of tracking all the Astros farm hands off season activities.  She has cumulative stats for all of the former G-Stros posted on her site and gives daily game reports.

2006 & 2007 Greeneville Astros Progress Reports

Yesterday, we went back to 2005 to see who was still hanging around.  Today we will cover two years.  We are covering two years because, well..., there aren't many players left from these two teams.

2006
There were 31 players on the 2006 roster.  Six of those players were still in affiliated ball during the 2011 season (19%). We have already covered half of these guys in the 2005 post (so click here to read about them). Those from the 2005 team who were also on the 2006 team include:
Brandon Barnes
Ralph Henriquez
Polin Trinidad

Other players who were active in 2011 were:

Tom Vessella - the 11th round pick in 2006 was released by the Astros after the 2008 season.  He played two years in indy ball and was signed by the Giants this year.  He started the season in AA, was sent down to the Sally League (A), was promoted to the Cal League (A+), before ending the year with one appearance in AAA Fresno.  Over those four stops, he amassed 5.50 ERA in 38 games (72 IP).  He started eight games and also finished 8 games.  He will be 26 years old when spring training starts next year. 

Armadeo Zazueta - the utility infielder from Mexico only appeared in 28 games and had just 57 plate appearances in Greeneville.  He was released after that season.  In 2008, he appeared back in the states playing indy ball.  He was signed by the Braves in 2010 and played in Myrtle Beach (A+) and Mississippi (AA).  He also suspended for PED use.  Then late this season, he showed up with the Padres' AA team in San Antonio.  In 15 games he hit .283 with his best games coming against the Corpus Christi Hooks.  Over a three game series, Zazueta went six for 13 with three singles, a double, a triple and a HR.  He will be 26 next season.

Reid Kelly - Kelly was the 33 round pick in 2005 but didn't sign until 2006.  He pitched in Greeneville in 2006.  He spent 07 & 08 in Lexington before finishing his time with the Astros organization in 2009 in Lancaster.  He was out of baseball for 2010 but was signed in 2011 by the White Sox.  He appeared in 18 games for Kannapolis of the Sally League (A) but was released in August.  In his time in the Sally, he put together a 3.72 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 19 1/3 IP.

2007
"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." - Thumper (Bambi 1942)
This is going to be very, very short.  Of the 38 players that appeared on the roster in 2007, only five players are still active in affiliated ball (13%).  Sixty three percent (24) of the players were out of affiliated baseball at the start of the 2009 season.  Let those awful stats sink in for a moment and then let's say the nice things about the survivors.

Fernando Abad - The big righty made it to the bigs in 2010 appearing in 22 games out of the Houston bullpen.  He had a solid 2.84 ERA and looked primed to be an important part of the 2011 pen.  However, he wasn't effective in 29 games (19 2/3 IP) and was sent down to the minors in early July.  He made two rehab appearance in the Gulf Coast League before heading to AAA.  There he got 30 innings of work in with a 4.50 ERA.  Abad is currently on the 40 man roster, so he should be competing for a bullpen slot again this coming spring at age 26.

Albert Cartwright - Cartwright was drafted in the 36rd round of the 2007 draft.  He didn't get much playing time in 2007 due to some paperwork related issues but returned to Greeneville in 2008 where he shared time at 2B with Jose Altuve.  He then climbed the ladder all the way to AA in 2010 before he was traded last off season. He was traded to the Phillies for Sergio Escalona.  Cartwight injured his Achilles during spring training and missed the whole season.  He reported on his twitter feed that he was able to return to the field for instructional league games.

Kyle Greenwalt- He was drafted in the 20th round of the 2007 draft.  He repeated Greeneville in 2008 and was the MVP that season.  After stops in Lexington (09) and Lancaster (10), he spent the fall of 2010 in the Arizona Fall League.  He started 2011 in Corpus Christi and struggled.  After nine starts, he was moved to the bull pen and then in late July, he was sent back to Lancaster.  In Lancaster, the notorious hitters park, Greenwalt was extremely effective.  He pitched in 12 games (24 1/3 IP) amassing a 1.85 ERA.  Greenwalkt will be 23 at the start of next season where I expect he will take another shot at AA.

Arcenio Leon - The hard throwing Venezuelan spent the first of his two seasons in Greeneville during the 2007 campaign.  After a solid but unspectacular 2009 in Lexington, he returned there and was outstanding.  In 26 games (54 IP) he struck out 60 batters and had a 2.33 ERA.  He was moved all the way up to AA Corpus Christi to finish that year and predictably he didn't fare as well.  His strike out numbers stayed good at 23 in 23 IP but he also walked 22 batters.  He returned to Corpus Christi in 2011 and struck out 73 batters in 64 2/3 IP.  But he still walked too many batters (48).  He did get moved up to Oklahoma City at the season for one brief appearance.  He will be 25 when next spring rolls around.  I look for him to be at AAA next season.  He is on the 40 man roster and has some promise if he can learn the control to match his velocity. 

Colton Pitkin - Pitkin was drafted in the 41st round of the 2007 draft.  He came with a tired shoulder so he was eased in to pro ball in 2007 only pitching 7 2/3 innings.  He returned to Greeneville in 2008 and struck out 45 batters in 44 innings out of the bullpen.  After a stint in 2009 as a starter for Tri Cities, he moved back to the pen in Lexington in 2010.  He stayed in the pen in Lancaster in 2011 where he got off to a great start with a 3.82 ERA in the first half.  However, after the all star break, he struggled and finished with a 6.45 ERA overall.  Pitkin will be 22 when he heads to Florida this spring, he will likely be in Lancaster but he might be in Corpus Christi. 

So there you have it.  2008 can only look better since we know there will be at least four of these players returning to the roster.  We will look at their outcomes soon.

2005 Greeneville Astros Progress Report

A few weeks back, we looked at the 2004 team and who was still active. Today, let's look back at the 2005 edition of the G-Stros and see who is still around and how they fared in 2011.

There are seven players who are still in affiliated ball from the 35 players who appeared on the 2005 Greeneville Astros roster. That means 20% were still in affiliated ball in 2011.  Most of these aren't the names I would have listed after the 2005 season.  The Baseball America 2005 top 20 Appy League prospects had four members of the 2005 G-Stros on the list.  The only one still playing affliiated ball today is Koby Clemens (16).  Those who were on the list that aren't around any more are Josh Flores (8), Eli Iorg (14), and Ryan Mitchell (19). 

Koby Clemens - Clemens was the big name of the 2005 draft class.  Some said he was drafted as a favor to his father Roger Clemens but Koby quickly let it be known that he was a decent ball player in his own right.  This was the year the senior Clemens was only traveling with the Houston Astros when he was pitching.  Therefore there were several sightings of Roger Clemens at Pioneer Park and the local Wal Mart.  2005 was Clemens only season in Greeneville.  He moved up the ladder showing progress and working to find a position that worked for him.  He started at 3rd, moved to Catcher and LF before finally landing at 1st.  He found the thin air of the California league to his liking and had a break out year in 2009.   His average dropped almost .100 points in the move from the Cal League to the Texas League in 2010 but he still hit 26 HR on the season.  That warranted a move to AAA for 2011.  There he hit .234 with 16 home runs.

He will turn 25 in the off season.  He is still working on his versatility in the field which is more important with Brett Wallace ahead of him on the depth chart and Kody Hinze and Jonathon Singleton behind him at 1st base. 

Ralph Henriquez - Ralphie (as he was known then) was the Astros' 2nd round pick in  2005.  He spent the first of two years in Greeneville in 2005.  He was a fan favorite because of his willingness to spend time with kids.  After the 2007 season, he was traded for to the Mets for a minor league pitcher, Josh Appell.  After two seasons with the Mets organization, he signed as a free agent with the Mariners organization.  This appears to have been a good move for Henriquez as he got his first taste of AA ball in 2010.  In 2011, he spent time at three different levels, though he only spent one game at high A High Desert before going to the Jackson Generals of the Southern League.  In Jackson, Ralph hit just .196 and threw out 24% of base stealers in 39 games.  In late June, he moved up to AAA Tacoma of the PCL.  His found more success there. He hit a respectable .256 and threw out 30% of base stealers in 37 games.

Henriquez will turn 25 right at the start of the 2012 season.  He is showing improvement despite a slow start that saw him in short season ball for at least part of every season from 2005 to 2009. He is currently looking like a career organizational player but you never know.  Many folks thought he would be out of affiliated ball by now.

Since we are talking about Ralph, you can't mention his career with out the including the classic at bat in 2008 against Pat Venditte.  Switch hitter verses switch pitcher.

Brandon Barnes - Barnes was the 6th round pick in 2005. He like Henriquez spent two season in Greeneville.  Barnes took up baseball late and was primarily a football player in High School.  He was seen as someone with good athleticism and power but very raw.  He had a bit of a break out year in 2007 at Tri Cities where he was named the team MVP.  After spending 2008 in Lexington, he made three different stops in 2009.  He especially enjoyed Lancaster.  During the 2009 and 2010 season, he combined for 39 HR.  That is more than half of his career total of 77 round trippers.  After 2010, he spent some tie in the Arizona Fall League.  This year, he started in Corpus Christi (AA)  but was quickly moved to AAA Oklahoma City.  He didn't fare well there and was sent back to Corpus Christi in July. In Corpus Christiy, he played all three outfield positions and also played three games at second base.   He hit .286 with an OPS of .788 while on the Texas coast. At AAA Oklahoma City, he hit 197 with an OPS of .696.  He played almost exclusively in CF for the RedHawks.

Barnes will be 25 for another month when the season starts next year. I expect he will be in AAA to start the 2012 season.

Victor Garate  - Garate showed promise in Greeneville. He struck out 53 batters in 32 1/3 IP out of the pen but walked more batters (26) than he allowed on base via hits (21).  The questions could he learn control.  He made huge progress in 2006 in Tri Cities where his ERA dropped to 0.92.  Yet he struggled with walks again in Lexington and was sent back to Tri Cities to finish in 2007.  He was left off a AA or AAA roster in the offs eason and the Dodgers nabbed him in the minor league section of the rule 5 draft.He made solid progress for them and was traded to the Nationals in 2009 out of AA as a player to be named later in the Ronnie Belliard trade.  Washington brought him right to the big leagues and he made four appearances in the end of the 2009 season.  He didn't wow anyone with his performance and spent 2010 between AA and AAA in the Washington organization.  In 2011, he signed with the Marlins and had an impressive campaign with the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA).  He appeared in 43 games (56 1/3 IP) and had a 2.72 ERA.  During the year, he struck out 59 batters, walked 34 and allowed 44 hits and five home runs.

I was a bit surprised he didn't get a September call up based on the numbers he put up.  He will be 27 when the season begins and if he continues to do the quality of work he did last season, he should be getting another shot a the majors.

Sammy Gervacio - Gervacio or "Slingin' Sammy" as I like to call him, was the closer for the 2005 G-Stros.  He collected eight saves that season.  He spent 2006 in Lexington before climbing two levels a year in 2007 and 2008.  He ended 2009 with a late season call up to Houston.  He took advantage of his opprotunity and had a solid 2.14 ERA over 29 games (21 IP).  He started 2010 in the Astros bullpen but rotator cuff surgery ended his 2010 season and cut into his 2011 season.  This year he started his climb back to the majors in Corpus Christi in May.  In 8 games there (13 IP) he put up a 1.38 ERA and was promoted to AAA to finish the year.  In Oklahoma City, he appeared in 28 games with a 4.01 ERA. 

Gervacio will be 27 when the season starts next year.  Shoulder injuries often drop velocity and make pitchers have to learn to pitch differently.  Gervacio is playing winter ball for Licey in the Dominican. How he does there might impact where he starts 2012.

Brad James  - Yes was still on a roster this year.  Brad James spent two summers in Greeneville.  He then rode his sinking fast ball on a fast track to AA in 2007.  He spent 2008 and 2009 there.  He missed all of 2010 with a shoulder injury and made a brief comeback this season.  He was shut down in July.  At 27, James time is running out.  I would be surprised if he is on a roster next spring. 

Polin Trinidad - Trinidad spent both 05 and 06 in Greeneville as well.  He think climbed the Astros ladder and was at AAA in 2010 when he was released.  The Cubs picked him up  in the off season but released him in early 2011.  He was picked up by the A's and finished the year at AA Midland where he amassed a 6.91 ERA in 18 games/9 starts.  Trinidad will be 27 when next season begins.  Being a lefty, he might make it on someones roster.  He is playing winter ball in the Dominican for Estrellas de Oriente.

Life Outside of Baseball: Brandon Barnes' Big Announcement

List night former Greeneville Astro introduced his new child to the world via twitter. Kenadie Joy Barnes. Just a reminder that these young me we follow also have a life outside of baseball. Brandon is currently on the temporarily inactive list for the Corpus Christi Hooks so he can be home for this important event. Congrats Brandon.

May AppyAstros Alumni of the Month

It has been a busy month. Unfortunately my business interfered with my hobby of writing about the former Greeneville Astros. So to get me caught up and the start fresh for June, let's look back at the month of May and decide who are the G-Stro Alumni who had a strong May. This month's report is brought to you by the letters D & L.

Lexington

Alumni Hitter of the Month: This time last month, we were talking about the exploits of Chris Wallace and Telvin Nash. Well, Wallace hit only .221 in May to bring his average down to the low .300's. Nash broke the hamate bone in his hand/wrist and had to have surgery. He missed most of the month on the DL. The man for the month of May was Emilio King. Yes, the guy who only hit .210 in 63 games for the G-Stros last year has made a splash in Lexington. He broke out with a huge debut game, going 3 for 4 and falling a 3B short of the cycle. He has continued his hot streak, hitting in 15 of the 21 games he has played. He has had 9 multi hit games after only having 12 total last year. He has dropped is K rate from once every three times at bat to once every six times at bat. Meanwhile, he has only walked twice which is way down from the 1 in 16 plate appearances last year. I know that drop will concern some folks but when your average is .400 and your OBP is .438; I will let you swing the bat.

Alumni Pitcher of the Month: This month's award goes to Mike Foltyenwicz. He earned not just his first but also his second career win. After a rough start to the month, he bounced back with three solid outings. In his last three outings, he went a combined 18 IP, giving up just two earned runs, while striking out 12.

Last months Alumni of the Month, Gabriel Garcia, had a rough outing to start the month and then landed on the DL. Since his return, he is back to his dominate ways out of the pen. He is give up just three hits and no runs in his four outings (5 2/3 IP) since his return. He now has 26 K in 23 IP.

Honorable Mention was going to Jorge DeLeon who has moved into the closer role in Lexington. He was slated finished the month with four saves and a 0.90 ERA in 6 appearances. But he blew his save tonight giving up three runs in one inning pitched.

Lancaster

Alumni Hitter of the Month: Anyone who has a fleeting interest in Astros minor league baseball can tell where this award is heading. Jose Altuve is leading all of Minor League Baseball with a .408 average and 87 hits. His seven triples also leads the California League. And just so you don't think he rode his hot April to get here, for the month of May, he hit .388/.424/.570. He has finished the month very hot, hitting .488 in his last 10 games.

Honorable Mention: These guys had a good month of May, they just happened to have the misfortune of being on Jose Altuve's team. Grant Hogue got consistent playing time and hit .360 for the month. He also got on base at a .443 clip. Rene Garcia saw his bat heat up in May. He hit .350 for the month. His OBP was .426 for May. His average at the end of May is .284. It was .214 at the end of April. Kody Hinze also deserves some recognition. The slugging first baseman hit .319 for the month, with 5 HR and 8 doubles. He also took 25 walks to bring home a healthy . 472 OBP for the month.

Alumni Pitcher of the Month: The DL has played a prominent role in this months report. That continues as the AppyAstros Alumni of the month for Lancaster is Colton Pitkin, who ended the month on the DL. The big lefty made 10 appearances in the month of May. In the first nine, he only allowed 1 run over 13 1/3 IP. The last outing of the month, he gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning and promptly went on the DL.

Keeping an eye on: Jose Cisnero continues to be consistently inconsistent. He he went 2-2 for the month of May with a 3.90 ERA. He had three great starts combining for 21 2/3 IP, 8 hits, 3 ER, 7 BB and 27 strike outs. In his other three starts, he went a combined 10 2/3 IP, 14 hits, 11ER, 10 BB and 7 strike outs.

Corpus Christi

Alumni Hitter of the Month: There are not that many former G-Stro batters on the roster of the Hooks at this time. With Brandon Barnes promotion to Oklahoma City; that just leaves J.D. Martinez, Wlad Sutil & Frederico Hernandez. Of those three, J. D. Martinez had the best month, despite spending about half of it on the DL with a hamstring issue. He hit .275 for May with just two extra base hits in 14 games. He did walk (10) more than he struck out (8) for the month.

Alumni Pitcher of the Month: May wasn't kind to the former G-Stros pitching for the hooks. Greenwalt took a trip back to extended spring training. Leon, Urckfitz and Seaton all saw their numbers rise. The only highlight was the return of Slinging Sammy Gervacio from the an injury that ended his season early last year. He has made two appearances in late May going 3 IP and allowing 1 run.

Oklahoma City

Alumni Hitter of the Month: Again there are not many former G-Stros on the AAA roster. Only Brandon Barnes and Koby Clemens are representing the G. Barnes had a solid month. He hit just over .240 but 20 of his 27 hits were for extra bases. He hit 7 home runs and took the team lead in that category despite arriving in late April.

Alumni Pitcher of the Month: Jordan Lyles has settled down and had a solid May for OKC. Four of his five starts were deemed quality starts (6 or more IP with 3 or less runs allowed). His ERA for May was 2.81. He earned a call up to get two starts in the place of the injured Wandy Rodriguez who was placed on the 15 day DL.

Outside the Astros Organization

Alumni Hitter of the Month: Marcus Nidiffer got the call up to Cedar Rapids of the Midwest League. Since his call up in the middle of the month, he has hit .310.

Alumni Pitcher of the Month: As good as Victor Garate was in April, he was just a little better in May. He appeared in 10 games, throwing in 14 1/3 innings. He allowed just 8 hits and walked 7 batters but fanned 18. All the while, just allowing one earned run. He has only allowed two this season in 27 1/3 IP. This gives him a season ERA of 0.66

MLB

Alumni of the Month: Since there is only one position player in the bigs who played in Greeneville (Towles); we will combine the award for the major league level. Based on his performance tonight, we announce that Jordan Lyles is also the Alumni for the Month in the MLB division. He pitched well in his debut at Wrigley tonight; going 7 innings and allowing just one earned run. He also was 1 for 3 at the plate.

Besides the Lyles debut, there was one other call up during the month of May. Troy Patton was called up briefly by the Orioles. When he was sent back down, he was taken off the 40 man roster. He cleared waivers and is back in Norfolk waiting another call back up. He had a 2.57 ERA in Norfolk this May. He also spent part of the month on the DL.

In other alumni news, Felipe Paulino was traded from the Rockies to the Royals. He has made one relief appearance for the Royals and will make his first start for them on tonight against the Angels.

What To Watch For In 2011 - Former G-Stros Outfield

Wrapping up our what to watch for series, we go to the expanse of the outfield. Here, we have several older players who are in other organizations now and a bunch of younger guys working their way to the top. Again the years they played in Greeneville, highest level and age on opening day will be in parenthesis.

Outfielders:

Jay Austin (2008 - High A - 20) - Austin was one of the youngest players both in the California League and in the Arizona Fall League. He showed the ability to adjust pretty well to the Cal. League but struggled in the AFL. He has seen alittle big league spring training action this year and even made the highlights once with his defense. Will he repeat high A or be moved on to AA? Can he use his speed to find more ways to reach base?

Brandon Barnes (2005,06 - AAA - 24) - Barnes keeps climbing the later as many of his peers fall to the side. In 2005, he played in the shadow of Eli Iorg & Josh Flores in Greeneville. Now, he is the only one left. Will his power hold up in the higher levels? Can he cut down on strikeouts? Will he be squeezed out playing time by the crush of OF in the system at the AA level?

Bryce Lane (2010 - High A - 21) Lane had a yo yo season last year. He started in Greeneville, was sent down to Gulf Coast League only to be promoted to High A Lancaster to finish the year. There, he found his groove and hit .356 in 15 games, with an OPS of over 1.000. Where will he start the season, Lex or Lancaster? Was his end of the year burst for real or just a flash in the pan?

J. D. Martinez (2009 - AA - 23) - Martinez's stock continues to rise. After skipping straight from low A to AA this year and continuing to hit over .300, he was invited to attend Major League Spring Training. He was slowed with a slight injury but was there primarily for the experience. At AAA, will he continue to show his solid average? Can his BB/SO rates hold up to more advance pitching? How will his power be after he suffered a bit of a power drop at AA? Will they experiment with him at first base any?

Telvin Nash (2010 - Rookie - 20) Nash was the 2010 MVP in Greeneville. He has raised some eyebrows in BP this spring with his power. That is by far the strongest (weak pun intended) part of this game. Can he improve his strike out rate? How much time does he have to improve his OF play before he is moved to 1B? How many HR will he his this year?

Others to watch:

Grant Hogue (2009 - Low A - 24) Can he make it to AA before the year is out? Will younger prospects block his movement?

Emilio King (2010- Rookie - 21) Will he repeat Greeneville or land higher? Can he bring his hitting up to the level of his defense? How will teams respect the arm of a guy who had 14 OF assist in just 148 chances?

Jordan Parraz (2004 - AAA - 26) Will he get a chance to play in a big league game this year? After being in 4 organizations in his career, how long will he be with the Yankees?

Beau Torbert (2004 - AAA - 27) Will he stick with the Braves organization or be released from spring training?

Will They Make It Out Of Spring Training?

Ryan Humphrey (2009 - Rookie - 22)
Wilton Infante (2008, 09 - SS A - 23)
Renzo Tello (2008 - Low A - 23)

"The Farm" A Short Film Featuring Former G-Stros

Two "minor league" film makers, Alex Jablonski & Michael Totten, set out to make a short film every month for a year. In July, they visited the Lancaster JetHawks because they wanted to do a film about other people who were " in a similar situation, folks blessed and cursed with the onus of potential in a situation where their performance would determine their future."

The result of this visit was episode 10 of the endeavor "The Farm".

Sparrow Songs - Episode 10 - The Farm from Sparrow Songs on Vimeo.

I loved watching this because it gives a pretty true picture of minor league baseball. It also allowed me to see some of the guys who have played in Greeneville and are now on the other side of the country. Some of the Greeneville former players who appear are: Frederico Hernandez (interviewed), Leandro Cespedes (pitching & getting lit up), & Brandon Barnes (swinging a bat in the dugout).

Get a small bag of popcorn (it's only 9 minutes long) and enjoy.

AFL Championship Game Report - Greenwalt, & Barnes

Kyle Greenwalt did start the game in Arizona today. MLB turned off the Pitch/FX & speed for game day to day so I don't know what he was throwing or how fast he was throwing it. What we do know are the outcomes of what he threw.

Greenwalt went three innings, giving up two runs (both earned) on four hits and a hit batter. He did strike out three and didn't walk any one. He did commit an error on a throw.

In the first, he set them down in order with two strike outs and a fly out. In the second, staked to a 1-0 lead, he allowed a lead off single. Greenwalt then threw away a come backer that put the runners at 1st & 3rd with no one out. A sac fly and two singles later, it was a 2-1 ball game. In the third, he stranded the batter he hit and the other single to get out of the inning.

Greenwalt left the game trailing 2-1 but his teammates tied it up in the top of the 4th, taking him off the hook for the loss. The final score of the game was a 3-2 loss for the Javelinas.

Brandon Barnes started in CF batting 9th. He made the first out of the 3rd inning with a swinging strike out. He grounded out in the 5th and then flew out in the 7th. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 9th. He made two putouts in the field.

Even though this game didn't end the way they wanted it to, both players have to feel good about their performance in the Arizona Fall League.