Well another summer is drawing to a close. Playoff baseball has returned to Greeneville and many of the Astros affiliates are preparing for their playoffs to start. Let's look at the former G-Stros in affiliated ball and see who stood out in August.
Tri City ValleyCats:
Pitcher of the Month
Gonzalo Sanudo appeared in seven games in August and got six saves. He struck out 17 batters in 11 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed just three hits and one walk.
Honorable Mention goes to Michael Feliz is having a break out season in Tri-City. In August,
he pitched in five games (four starts) and had an ERA of 1.75. He
struck out 26 batters in 25 2/3 innings pitched.
Tyler Brunnemann also gets a nod. He appeared in seven games after his call up from Greeneville. In those appearances, he struck out 10 batters in 8 1/3 innings and allowed just one earned run.
Hitter of the Month
Tyler White hit .265 in August and had more walks (9) than strike outs (7).
Quad Cities River Bandits
Pitcher of the Month
Three relievers will share the award for this month.
Andrew Walter appeared in five games (10 1/3 IP) and had a perfect 0.00 ERA. He fanned 10 batters.
Mitchell Lambson appeared in eight games (18 1/3 IP) and only allowed one run for a 0.49 ERA with 25 strike outs. He allowed just nine hits and four walks for the month.
Jamaine Cotton appeared in eight games (21 IP) and had an impressive 0.86 ERA with two saves. He only struck out 12 but he only allowed 13 hits.
Hitter of the Month
Carlos Correa hit .336 for August with a .430 on base percentage and 13 extra base hits.
Honorable Mention goes to Rio Ruiz who hit .298 for the month and had 17 extra base hits.
Lancaster JetHawks
Pitcher of the Month
Michael Dimock appeared in eight games (14 2/3 IP) and only allowed two earned runs (1.23 ERA). He struck out 14 batters while only allowing three walks.
Hitter of the Month
Delino DeShields hit .365 in 23 games this month with an impressive on base percentage of .455. He also stole 11 bases in 13 attempts.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Pitcher of the Month
Carlos Quevedo had a great month out of the CC bullpen. He didn't allow a run in 8 appearances (16 IP). He allowed just five walks and five hits while striking out 18 batters.
Honorable Mention goes to Michael Foltynewicz who maintained a respectable 3.63 ERA in August. It appears he is beginning to tire some as his strike out numbers reduce (just 13 in 22 1/3 IP) but he is still pitching well.
Luis Cruz has shown he belongs in AA. In his four appearances since
arriving in CC, he has a 0.53 ERA in 17 innings pitched. He has struck
out 21 batters during that time.
Hitter of the Month
Luis Alvarez gets the nod this month not because of his average in Corpus Christ (.235 for August in six games) but because in a span of about a month and a half, he moved up from SS-A ball to A to Hi-A to AA. That is a rare four level season and deserves notice.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Pitcher of the Month
Pat Urckfitz appeared in nine games for the RedHawks bullpen in August. He allowed a 2.08 ERA in 8 2/3 innings pitched.
Hitter of the Month
Rene Garcia continues to represent himself well with the bat. He hit .258 in 17 games after his promotion from CC. He also had thrown out four out of nine base runners so far.
Non Astros Affiliates
Pitcher of the Month
Arcenio Leon pitched in 11 games for Huntsville (AA-Brewers) in August. He allowed just two runs in 13 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for a 1.32 ERA.
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz hit .319 for New Britan (AA- Twins).
MLB
It wasn't a stellar month for former G-Stros in the big league. So we are going to leave these honors vacant for the month.
Showing posts with label Cotton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cotton. Show all posts
Monday, September 2, 2013
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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)
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)
Friday, March 9, 2012
What To Watch For In 2012: Former G-Stros Relief Pitchers
So we have come to the bullpen at last. Eighty percent of the players listed below, pitched in Greeneville in 2009, 2010 or 2011. Relievers are the longest shots to make it to the majors. Let's see who is still around and what I will be watching for in 2012 as the full season teams start up next month.
The player's year(s) with the G-Stros, highest level and age on opening day will be in parentheses.
Relief Pitchers
Fernando Abad (2007, MLB, 26) - Abad didn't live up to expectations in 2011. I suspect he pitched too much in winter ball and wasn't rested for spring training. This year, he only pitched 16 innings of winter ball and is off to a good start in spring training. Will he be with the big club when camp breaks? Can he have a breakout year?
Wander Alvino (2008, Hi A, 25) - Alvino had fairly impressive numbers for Lancaster in '11. He fanned 73 batters in 73 innings but did have an increase in walks. How will he handle AA hitters?
Ryan Cole (2010, SS A, 24) - Cole was the closer in Tri Cities last season. Will he be in Lancaster before the year is out?
Jermaine Cotton (2010, 11, SS A, 21) After being a reliever in 2010, he was pressed in starting in 2011. He did well as a starter and earned a promotion to Tri Cities where he made five starts. Will he start or relieve in Lexington in 2012? Can he continue to show the improvement he showed in 2011?
Zachary Dando (2011, Rookie, 21) - Had an up and down season in Greeneville but more up than down. Can he make the jump to Lexington in 2012?
Victor Garate (2005, MLB, 27) - Garate pitched in AAA for the Marlins last year putting up an impressive 2.72 ERA out of the pen. He was signed by the Brewers as a minor league free agent and is expected to be AAA depth. Will he get another crack at the bigs this year.
Murilo Gouvea (2009, Lo A, 23) - The Brazilian right hander, who was acquired from the White Sox for cash in 2009, put up solid numbers in Lexington in 2011 out of the pen. How will he fair in Lancaster? Can he have more K's than IP for the third straight year?
B. J. Hyatt (2009, Rookie, 23) - He hasn't pitched in two seasons due to an injury. Will he make a comeback in 2012?
David Martinez (2009, Lo A, 25) - Had a descent season in Lex and then pitched in the LVBP in his home country of Venezuela. How will he fair in Lancaster? Can this be a two level year for him?
Steve Martin (2011, Rookie, 24) - A Tale of two months. July (1.38 ERA ) and August (11.45 ERA). Had less than 20 innings pitched at Texas A&M. Will we see a jump in the learning curve in 2012?
Jeremiah Meiners (2011, Hi A, 23) - Meiners showed significant growth from 2010 to 2011 and earned a late season promotion to Lancaster from Greeneville. Will he be back in Lancaster to start 2012 or will he be in Lexington?
Juan Mojica (2011, Rookie, 23) - Only made one appearance in G'ville. He has only pitched 30 2/3 IP since missing all of 2009 with injury. Will he be ready for full season ball in 2012?
Nathan Pettus (2008,09, Lo A, 23) - Pettus missed most of 2010 and 2011 with injuries. Will he be healthy enough to make a roster? Will injuries have claimed his career?
James Propst (2011, Rookie, 22) - Descent season in Greeneville in 2011. Will he show progress against advanced hitters in higher levels?
Rodney Quintero (2010, 11, Rookie, 22) - Quintero repeated Greeneville in 2011 and was not that impressive. Will he be on a roster in 2012?
Paris Shewey (2011, Rookie, 23) - Really struggled at the end of the year in Greeneville. Will he make it out of spring training?
Matson Smith (2011, Rookie, 23) - Smith was one of the older members of the G-Stros in 2011. He has put up solid numbers in two season of short season ball. Will he get a chance a full season ball this year?
Brian Streilein (2010, Lo A, 23) - Was great in June (2.12 ERA) and July (1.35 ERA). Not as much in May (7.71 ERA) and August (7.80 ERA). Will he have a consistent 2012?
Pat Urckfitz (2008, AAA, 23) - Urckfitz had a great 2010 and then struggled in 2011. I think he needs to ditch the contacts and go back to the rec specs! Can he recover the 2010 stuff? AA or AAA this year?
Scott Zuloaga (2011, Rookie, 22) - This sidewinder finished strong with a 2.45 ERA in August for Greeneville. He is a specialist with a 1.00 ERA verses right handed batters and a 14.29 ERA verses lefties. Will he be in Lexington in 2012? Will he get the chance to improve his numbers against righties?
Projected placement of those still in the Astros organization:
MLB:
Abad
Oklahoma City (AAA)
Urckfitz
Corpus Christi (AA)
Alvino
Lancaster (Hi A)
Gouvea
Martinez
Lexington (Lo A)
Cole
Cotton
Meiners
Mojica
Pettus
Quintero
Streilein
Zuloaga
Extended Spring Training
Dando
Hyatt
Martin
Propst
Shewey
The player's year(s) with the G-Stros, highest level and age on opening day will be in parentheses.
Relief Pitchers
Fernando Abad (2007, MLB, 26) - Abad didn't live up to expectations in 2011. I suspect he pitched too much in winter ball and wasn't rested for spring training. This year, he only pitched 16 innings of winter ball and is off to a good start in spring training. Will he be with the big club when camp breaks? Can he have a breakout year?
Wander Alvino (2008, Hi A, 25) - Alvino had fairly impressive numbers for Lancaster in '11. He fanned 73 batters in 73 innings but did have an increase in walks. How will he handle AA hitters?
Ryan Cole (2010, SS A, 24) - Cole was the closer in Tri Cities last season. Will he be in Lancaster before the year is out?
Jermaine Cotton (2010, 11, SS A, 21) After being a reliever in 2010, he was pressed in starting in 2011. He did well as a starter and earned a promotion to Tri Cities where he made five starts. Will he start or relieve in Lexington in 2012? Can he continue to show the improvement he showed in 2011?
Zachary Dando (2011, Rookie, 21) - Had an up and down season in Greeneville but more up than down. Can he make the jump to Lexington in 2012?
Victor Garate (2005, MLB, 27) - Garate pitched in AAA for the Marlins last year putting up an impressive 2.72 ERA out of the pen. He was signed by the Brewers as a minor league free agent and is expected to be AAA depth. Will he get another crack at the bigs this year.
Murilo Gouvea (2009, Lo A, 23) - The Brazilian right hander, who was acquired from the White Sox for cash in 2009, put up solid numbers in Lexington in 2011 out of the pen. How will he fair in Lancaster? Can he have more K's than IP for the third straight year?
B. J. Hyatt (2009, Rookie, 23) - He hasn't pitched in two seasons due to an injury. Will he make a comeback in 2012?
David Martinez (2009, Lo A, 25) - Had a descent season in Lex and then pitched in the LVBP in his home country of Venezuela. How will he fair in Lancaster? Can this be a two level year for him?
Steve Martin (2011, Rookie, 24) - A Tale of two months. July (1.38 ERA ) and August (11.45 ERA). Had less than 20 innings pitched at Texas A&M. Will we see a jump in the learning curve in 2012?
Jeremiah Meiners (2011, Hi A, 23) - Meiners showed significant growth from 2010 to 2011 and earned a late season promotion to Lancaster from Greeneville. Will he be back in Lancaster to start 2012 or will he be in Lexington?
Juan Mojica (2011, Rookie, 23) - Only made one appearance in G'ville. He has only pitched 30 2/3 IP since missing all of 2009 with injury. Will he be ready for full season ball in 2012?
Nathan Pettus (2008,09, Lo A, 23) - Pettus missed most of 2010 and 2011 with injuries. Will he be healthy enough to make a roster? Will injuries have claimed his career?
James Propst (2011, Rookie, 22) - Descent season in Greeneville in 2011. Will he show progress against advanced hitters in higher levels?
Rodney Quintero (2010, 11, Rookie, 22) - Quintero repeated Greeneville in 2011 and was not that impressive. Will he be on a roster in 2012?
Paris Shewey (2011, Rookie, 23) - Really struggled at the end of the year in Greeneville. Will he make it out of spring training?
Matson Smith (2011, Rookie, 23) - Smith was one of the older members of the G-Stros in 2011. He has put up solid numbers in two season of short season ball. Will he get a chance a full season ball this year?
Brian Streilein (2010, Lo A, 23) - Was great in June (2.12 ERA) and July (1.35 ERA). Not as much in May (7.71 ERA) and August (7.80 ERA). Will he have a consistent 2012?
Pat Urckfitz (2008, AAA, 23) - Urckfitz had a great 2010 and then struggled in 2011. I think he needs to ditch the contacts and go back to the rec specs! Can he recover the 2010 stuff? AA or AAA this year?
Scott Zuloaga (2011, Rookie, 22) - This sidewinder finished strong with a 2.45 ERA in August for Greeneville. He is a specialist with a 1.00 ERA verses right handed batters and a 14.29 ERA verses lefties. Will he be in Lexington in 2012? Will he get the chance to improve his numbers against righties?
Projected placement of those still in the Astros organization:
MLB:
Abad
Oklahoma City (AAA)
Urckfitz
Corpus Christi (AA)
Alvino
Lancaster (Hi A)
Gouvea
Martinez
Lexington (Lo A)
Cole
Cotton
Meiners
Mojica
Pettus
Quintero
Streilein
Zuloaga
Extended Spring Training
Dando
Hyatt
Martin
Propst
Shewey
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Instructional Roster Released
Thanks to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle for releasing the Instructional League roster. Here are the former G-Stros who are going to be spending part of their fall in Florida. I will include the number of players who have played in Greeneville out of the total number at each position as well as they year(s) the player was in Greeneville in parentheses.
Pitchers:(9 out of 22 on roster)
Ruben Alaniz (10)
Ricardo Batista (10, 11)
Jamaine Cotton (10,11)
Jamaine Cotton (10,11)
Michael Foltynewicz (10)
Christopher Lee (11)
Luis Ordosgoitti (11)
Rodney Quintero (10,11)
Francis Ramirez (11)
Luis Ordosgoitti (11)
Rodney Quintero (10,11)
Francis Ramirez (11)
Vincent Velasquez (10)
Catchers: (3 out of 6)
Ernesto Genoves (11)
Roberto Pena (10)
Chris Wallace (10)
Roberto Pena (10)
Chris Wallace (10)
Infielders: (5 out of 10)
Jean Carlos Batista (11)
Delino DeShields Jr. (10)
Jonathan Meyer (09)
Jiovanni Mier (09)
Telvin Nash (10)
Telvin Nash (10)
Outfielders: (2 out of 8)
Ariel Ovando (11)
Jordan Scott (11)
Of the 44 players who are on the non rehab roster, here is where they finished the 2011 season.
GCL: 7
Greeneville: 8
TriCities: 8
Lexington: 10
Lancaster: 4
Corpus Christi: 4
No Roster/DL: 3
Monday, August 1, 2011
Appy Astros G-Stros End of July Report
We have the first 40 games of baseball under out belts in Greeneville. The G-Stros are mired in last place in the Appy League West but there are bright spots. Let's look and see what the first 40 games tell us and who we need to be watching for the next 28 games of the season.
Hitters:
Ernesto Genoves is a 20 year old catcher from Venezuela. He has exceeded expectations with his bat this season. After hitting .278 last year in 23 games with the GCL Astros, he is hitting .373 in Greeneville in 20 games. He has shown the ability to get on base at a .462 OBP clip and is slugging a solid .627. He is second on the team in doubles, HR and extra base hits.
Chase Davidson (21 years old - 1B) is the leading slugger on the team. He leads the team with 9 HR, 10 doubles and 20 extra base hits. He is hitting .313 on the season and thanks to his 21 walks, he has a OBP of .411. He has struck out 43 times in 128 AB.
Jordan Scott (19 years old - LF/CF) is hitting .320 during his time with Greeneville this season. He snapped a 9 game hitting streak last night. He leads the team in hits and has been a consistent source of runs at the top of the line up.
Ariel Ovando (17 year old - RF) while his playing time has been limited by dings (He played in 20 out of 30 games in July). His developing nicely. He is learning a great deal in a hurry. He is hitting .269 but 7 of his 21 hits have been for extra bases. What he does in August will be interesting to watch.
Others to keep eyes on:
Jesse Wierzbicki - Old man of position players catching up to Appy League.
Darwin Rivera - Struggles in field impacting his bat, can he turn it around?
Garen Wright - showing improvement over his 2010 GCL numbers but has been missing time with a bum shoulder. Will he get to see many more at bats this summer?
Josh Magee - Hit .133 in 9 games in June. Hit .232 in 21 games in July. Finished July hitting in 6 of 7 games. Is he putting it together for August?
Luis Alverez - starting to show signs he is returning to the form he was in in 2009 prior to the knee injury.
Starting Pitchers:
Rookie ball stats are pretty useless. You get players with a wide variety of ability and at a wide variety of development. For pitchers, I have found it helpful to drop their best & worst outings from their stats to get a better picture of what the true stat might look like. For more on my rational, check out my post that looked at the 2010 pitching staff where I explained the Appy Astros Adjusted Scoring System (3A2S).
Luis Ordosgoitti is a 19 year old from Venezuela. He had been stellar through his first five starts. The last two showed some struggle. He was placed on the 7 day DL and then sent down to the GCL when Adrian Houser was brought up. His demotion caught me off guard, I am hoping it is just a rehab type of assignment. At this point in the season, his ERA is 4.37 but he has just walked 3 batters and fanned 32 in 35 IP. When you take out his best & worst starts, his ERA drops t0 3.67.
Chris Lee was the highest round draft pick from 2011 (4th) on the team prior to Houser's arrival. Lee has struggled with control, walking 18 batters in 25 innings. Though he showed some progress from his two starts in June (6 BB in 3 2/3 IP) and July (12 BB in 21 1/3 IP). He appears to struggle more with his control out of the stretch than in the wind up. His ERA is currently 6.84. His 3A2S ERA is 6.48.
Tyson Perez is the 21 year old pitcher out of Stanford drafted in the 17th round. He has been inconsistent which is not unusual for Rookie Ball. He currently has a 5.63 ERA through 8 starts. He started August with his best start of the season going 5 innings giving up no earned runs on four hits. When you take out his best start and worst start (8 ER in 1 1/3 IP) of the season, his 3A2S ERA drops to 4.21. He has less than one walk a start on the season.
Richardo Batista is a LHP repeating the Appy League this season at 19 years old. He has been outstanding at times with two starts being scoreless through 5 innings. Then he has also been very average not even getting to the 5th inning in 4 of his 7 starts. He tends to nibble when he pitches. If it is a free swinging team, he is good to go. If they are patient, he goes deep in counts and batters are walked. The key for Batista is throwing his curve for strikes. ERA 5.58/ 3A2S ERA 5.02.
Jose Perdomo is a 19 year old RHP from Venezuela. He put up outstanding numbers in the GCL last year. The Appy League hasn't been so kind. He currently totes a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts. His 3A2S ERA is higher at 9.52. The one bright spot in his numbers is he still has more K's than IP (21/ 18). He has not pitched since 5/18 but isn't on the DL. There may be an issue they hope rest will fix be it physical, mental or mechanical.
Jermain Cotton is repeating the Appy. He has made four starts and four relief appearances. However, he has not had a relief appearance shorter than four innings, though he has had two starts shorter than three innings, I am lumping him in with the starters. Cotton throws pretty hard. His ERA for the season thus far is 5.76. His 3A2S ERA is 4.81. He appears to be more comfortable in long relief as his relief ERA is 2.76.
The one to keep an eye on for the last month of the season is Adrian Houser who had a solid start in his first Appy League outing. He was drafted in the 2nd round this year.
Relief Pitchers:
The bullpen has improved as the season has come along. There is some maturity in the pen and some of the top performers are some of the oldest players on the roster. Let's look at a few of the highlights.
Jeremiah Meiners is a 22 year old LHP who was drafted in the 40th round in 2010. He has fanned 23 batters in 24 innings and only walked four. He has held opponents to a .204 batting average. His ERA is an even 3.00 on the season.
Matison Smith is a 23 year old RHP who was a NDFA signed in 2010. He has finished a team leading 9 games for the G-Stros and has 2 saves. He only had three walks through his first 19 1/3 IP before giving up two in his last outing. In fact, his last two outings have taken his ERA from 2.12 to 3.38. It will be interesting to watch how he does the rest of the season.
Steve Martin is a 23 year old RHP out of Texas A&M who was drafted in the 37th round this year. He has appeared in 8 games and has a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13 IP). Opponents are hitting just .098 against him. He has not allowed a hit in 5 of his 8 outings.
Rodney Quintero is repeating the Appy this year after only making three appearances in 2010. The 21year old 25th round draft pick from 2010 has show some promise this year by not allowing an earned run in six of his 11 outings and striking out 24 batters in 19 1/3 innings. However he has also been very hittable at times giving up a total of 19 hits in 19 1/3 IP.
Zach Dando is a 20 year old drafted in the 32nd round this year. He had a rough first outing of the season but has bounced back with a solid 2.95 ERA in July. He has 22 strike outs in 19 1/3 IP.
James Propst is a 22 year old drafted in the 38th round this year. He has been inconsistent mixing six scoreless outings with three outings where he gave up three or more runs. He has fanned 29 batters in 25 IP.
Hitters:
Ernesto Genoves is a 20 year old catcher from Venezuela. He has exceeded expectations with his bat this season. After hitting .278 last year in 23 games with the GCL Astros, he is hitting .373 in Greeneville in 20 games. He has shown the ability to get on base at a .462 OBP clip and is slugging a solid .627. He is second on the team in doubles, HR and extra base hits.
Chase Davidson (21 years old - 1B) is the leading slugger on the team. He leads the team with 9 HR, 10 doubles and 20 extra base hits. He is hitting .313 on the season and thanks to his 21 walks, he has a OBP of .411. He has struck out 43 times in 128 AB.
Jordan Scott (19 years old - LF/CF) is hitting .320 during his time with Greeneville this season. He snapped a 9 game hitting streak last night. He leads the team in hits and has been a consistent source of runs at the top of the line up.
Ariel Ovando (17 year old - RF) while his playing time has been limited by dings (He played in 20 out of 30 games in July). His developing nicely. He is learning a great deal in a hurry. He is hitting .269 but 7 of his 21 hits have been for extra bases. What he does in August will be interesting to watch.
Others to keep eyes on:
Jesse Wierzbicki - Old man of position players catching up to Appy League.
Darwin Rivera - Struggles in field impacting his bat, can he turn it around?
Garen Wright - showing improvement over his 2010 GCL numbers but has been missing time with a bum shoulder. Will he get to see many more at bats this summer?
Josh Magee - Hit .133 in 9 games in June. Hit .232 in 21 games in July. Finished July hitting in 6 of 7 games. Is he putting it together for August?
Luis Alverez - starting to show signs he is returning to the form he was in in 2009 prior to the knee injury.
Starting Pitchers:
Rookie ball stats are pretty useless. You get players with a wide variety of ability and at a wide variety of development. For pitchers, I have found it helpful to drop their best & worst outings from their stats to get a better picture of what the true stat might look like. For more on my rational, check out my post that looked at the 2010 pitching staff where I explained the Appy Astros Adjusted Scoring System (3A2S).
Luis Ordosgoitti is a 19 year old from Venezuela. He had been stellar through his first five starts. The last two showed some struggle. He was placed on the 7 day DL and then sent down to the GCL when Adrian Houser was brought up. His demotion caught me off guard, I am hoping it is just a rehab type of assignment. At this point in the season, his ERA is 4.37 but he has just walked 3 batters and fanned 32 in 35 IP. When you take out his best & worst starts, his ERA drops t0 3.67.
Chris Lee was the highest round draft pick from 2011 (4th) on the team prior to Houser's arrival. Lee has struggled with control, walking 18 batters in 25 innings. Though he showed some progress from his two starts in June (6 BB in 3 2/3 IP) and July (12 BB in 21 1/3 IP). He appears to struggle more with his control out of the stretch than in the wind up. His ERA is currently 6.84. His 3A2S ERA is 6.48.
Tyson Perez is the 21 year old pitcher out of Stanford drafted in the 17th round. He has been inconsistent which is not unusual for Rookie Ball. He currently has a 5.63 ERA through 8 starts. He started August with his best start of the season going 5 innings giving up no earned runs on four hits. When you take out his best start and worst start (8 ER in 1 1/3 IP) of the season, his 3A2S ERA drops to 4.21. He has less than one walk a start on the season.
Richardo Batista is a LHP repeating the Appy League this season at 19 years old. He has been outstanding at times with two starts being scoreless through 5 innings. Then he has also been very average not even getting to the 5th inning in 4 of his 7 starts. He tends to nibble when he pitches. If it is a free swinging team, he is good to go. If they are patient, he goes deep in counts and batters are walked. The key for Batista is throwing his curve for strikes. ERA 5.58/ 3A2S ERA 5.02.
Jose Perdomo is a 19 year old RHP from Venezuela. He put up outstanding numbers in the GCL last year. The Appy League hasn't been so kind. He currently totes a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts. His 3A2S ERA is higher at 9.52. The one bright spot in his numbers is he still has more K's than IP (21/ 18). He has not pitched since 5/18 but isn't on the DL. There may be an issue they hope rest will fix be it physical, mental or mechanical.
Jermain Cotton is repeating the Appy. He has made four starts and four relief appearances. However, he has not had a relief appearance shorter than four innings, though he has had two starts shorter than three innings, I am lumping him in with the starters. Cotton throws pretty hard. His ERA for the season thus far is 5.76. His 3A2S ERA is 4.81. He appears to be more comfortable in long relief as his relief ERA is 2.76.
The one to keep an eye on for the last month of the season is Adrian Houser who had a solid start in his first Appy League outing. He was drafted in the 2nd round this year.
Relief Pitchers:
The bullpen has improved as the season has come along. There is some maturity in the pen and some of the top performers are some of the oldest players on the roster. Let's look at a few of the highlights.
Jeremiah Meiners is a 22 year old LHP who was drafted in the 40th round in 2010. He has fanned 23 batters in 24 innings and only walked four. He has held opponents to a .204 batting average. His ERA is an even 3.00 on the season.
Matison Smith is a 23 year old RHP who was a NDFA signed in 2010. He has finished a team leading 9 games for the G-Stros and has 2 saves. He only had three walks through his first 19 1/3 IP before giving up two in his last outing. In fact, his last two outings have taken his ERA from 2.12 to 3.38. It will be interesting to watch how he does the rest of the season.
Steve Martin is a 23 year old RHP out of Texas A&M who was drafted in the 37th round this year. He has appeared in 8 games and has a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13 IP). Opponents are hitting just .098 against him. He has not allowed a hit in 5 of his 8 outings.
Rodney Quintero is repeating the Appy this year after only making three appearances in 2010. The 21year old 25th round draft pick from 2010 has show some promise this year by not allowing an earned run in six of his 11 outings and striking out 24 batters in 19 1/3 innings. However he has also been very hittable at times giving up a total of 19 hits in 19 1/3 IP.
Zach Dando is a 20 year old drafted in the 32nd round this year. He had a rough first outing of the season but has bounced back with a solid 2.95 ERA in July. He has 22 strike outs in 19 1/3 IP.
James Propst is a 22 year old drafted in the 38th round this year. He has been inconsistent mixing six scoreless outings with three outings where he gave up three or more runs. He has fanned 29 batters in 25 IP.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Another Top 10, Scouting Jordan Lyles, Going to Camp, & More
A great deal has been going on with former Greeneville Astros over the past week or so. I have not been able to keep up with getting it up here. Let's do some catching up.
The Hardball Times Top 10
Top 10 list continue to come out. The most recent one is from the folks at The Hardball Times. With six former G-Stros, their top 10 contains the most former G-Stros of any list so far. Here is their list:
1. Jordan Lyles ('08)
2. Jio Mier ('09)
3. Delino Deshields ('10)
4. Mike Foltynewicz ('10)
5. Tanner Bushue
6. Jonathon Villar
7. Jimmy Parades
8. Austin Wates
9. J. D. Martinez ('09)
10. Jay Austin ('08)
Don't forget the combined top 10 list spreed sheet I have compiled here.
What folks are saying about Jordan Lyles
Jordan Lyles is the clear #1 prospect in the Astros organization. He is regularly seen as one of the top 50 prospects in all of Minor League Baseball. One list even had him as high as #3. AstroAndy over at The Crawfish Boxes, has compiled a compilation of all the scouting reports on Jordan Lyles. So if you have any questions about what he throws, that is a great one stop place to check.
Spring Training Invites
While getting the call up to the big leagues is the ultimate call up, getting to go to big league spring training is an honor as well. This year, several former Greeneville Astros will be in big league camp in Kissimmee in a few weeks. Last week, 10 minor leaguers were invited to spend camp with the big boys. Six of those minor league players are former G-Stros. They are:
Koby Clemens (05)
Rene Garcia (08)
Jordan Lyles (08)
Jio Mier (09)
J. D. Martinez (09)
Patrick Urckfitz (08)
The only one that was a total surprise was Jio Mier since he is possibly going to repeat low A ball in Lexington this year. It was explained that his inclusion was due to a contractual agreement.
The rational behind these young guys going to big league camp was explained by Astros General Manager Ed Wade:
Fernando Abad (07)
Jorge De Leon (08)
Arcenio Leon (07-08)
Henry Villar (08)
J.R. Towles (04)
That makes 13 of the 62 players on the spring roster are former G-Stros.
Last Link - Jermaine Cotton is keeping fit playing winter ball in his native St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The paper thinks he played last year in South Carolina and not Tennessee. I would be willing to go set them straight on the geography, if someone would finance a trip for me to the Virgin Islands. Tough job but someone needs to do it. Jermaine did capture the small town feel of Greeneville well.
The Hardball Times Top 10
Top 10 list continue to come out. The most recent one is from the folks at The Hardball Times. With six former G-Stros, their top 10 contains the most former G-Stros of any list so far. Here is their list:
1. Jordan Lyles ('08)
2. Jio Mier ('09)
3. Delino Deshields ('10)
4. Mike Foltynewicz ('10)
5. Tanner Bushue
6. Jonathon Villar
7. Jimmy Parades
8. Austin Wates
9. J. D. Martinez ('09)
10. Jay Austin ('08)
Don't forget the combined top 10 list spreed sheet I have compiled here.
What folks are saying about Jordan Lyles
Jordan Lyles is the clear #1 prospect in the Astros organization. He is regularly seen as one of the top 50 prospects in all of Minor League Baseball. One list even had him as high as #3. AstroAndy over at The Crawfish Boxes, has compiled a compilation of all the scouting reports on Jordan Lyles. So if you have any questions about what he throws, that is a great one stop place to check.
Spring Training Invites
While getting the call up to the big leagues is the ultimate call up, getting to go to big league spring training is an honor as well. This year, several former Greeneville Astros will be in big league camp in Kissimmee in a few weeks. Last week, 10 minor leaguers were invited to spend camp with the big boys. Six of those minor league players are former G-Stros. They are:
Koby Clemens (05)
Rene Garcia (08)
Jordan Lyles (08)
Jio Mier (09)
J. D. Martinez (09)
Patrick Urckfitz (08)
The only one that was a total surprise was Jio Mier since he is possibly going to repeat low A ball in Lexington this year. It was explained that his inclusion was due to a contractual agreement.
The rational behind these young guys going to big league camp was explained by Astros General Manager Ed Wade:
These six will be joining former G-Stros Douglas Arguello (04) & Sammy Gervacio (05) who had already received invites after signing new minor league contracts. Those who will be there as a part of the Astros 40 man roster include:“It gives these kids the chance to come in and see what the atmosphere is like on the big league side,” Wade said. “And it gives Millsie and the coaches the chance to see some of the guys we talk about a lot.
“And frankly, it allows us to show that we’re making progress in player development.”
Fernando Abad (07)
Jorge De Leon (08)
Arcenio Leon (07-08)
Henry Villar (08)
J.R. Towles (04)
That makes 13 of the 62 players on the spring roster are former G-Stros.
Last Link - Jermaine Cotton is keeping fit playing winter ball in his native St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The paper thinks he played last year in South Carolina and not Tennessee. I would be willing to go set them straight on the geography, if someone would finance a trip for me to the Virgin Islands. Tough job but someone needs to do it. Jermaine did capture the small town feel of Greeneville well.
"Basically, there's not a whole lot else to do in Greeneville," Cotton said this week. "It's sleep, eat and baseball."
Monday, September 27, 2010
Season Recap - The Bullpen
Here is the final installment for the 2010 Season Recap. Let's look at the lovable guys who sit down the right field line at Pioneer Park and try to lure unsuspecting kids into trying to drop a quarter into a cup for a scuffed up game ball. If a single ball is not enough, do it 3 times and you can get a broken bat. If these guys don't have a future in baseball, they might have a future in business or at least on the carnival circuit.
We will list the players by number of game appearances. I think you will notice a much older group of guys than when we looked at the other players.
The guys who were released (B. J. Hagan), promoted (Jack Frawly), demoted (Andrea Lucati) or signed too late in the year (Rodney Quintero) and didn't have more than a handful of appearances are not addressed here.
Ryan Cole appeared in 22 games out of the pen. He had a streak of 8 straight scoreless outings than spanned 12 2/3 IP and had 14 appearances where he didn't give up an earned run. He finished with a season ERA of 2.83 and 2 saves. He had the best WHIP among closers (1.06). His walk totals look high at eight in 35 IP but 4 of those were intentional passes. So 4 in 35 innings is a much truer picture of his control. With his age and his performance, I could see him in the pen in Lexington next season.
Garrett Bullock the lefty NDFA out of Wake Forest repeated at Greeneville this year and showed marked improvement. He lead the bullpen with 41 IP in 21 appearances. He was often the first guy out of the pen, but he did garner two saves. In 16 of his 21 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run. Bullock is able to keep runners close with an excellent pick off move that he refined to reduce the balks called on him. Bullock was too old for the Appy at 24. He was promoted to Tri Cities at the end of the season but didn't get to pitch. With his age, being a lefty with a good pick off move and his ability to keep the ball down (no home runs in a combined 62 1/3 IP for his career, I could see him landing in Lancaster next season but Lexington might be more likely.
Philip Rorabaugh is another NDFA who is in his second pro year. He pitched in the GCL in 09 and at 23 was at the top end of the age for the Appy League. Rorabaugh started the year okay but struggled with a rough stretch in July and 2 bad outings in August that left him with a 4.91 ERA for the year in his 21 appearances. If Rorabaugh is with the organization next season, he will likely be in Tri Cities for some additional depth.
Brian Streilein made his pro debut in Greeneville this year. The big righty appeared in 20 games covering 32 IP and was second on the team with 5 saves. He too had a large number of his walks accounted for with intentional passes (4 out of 8). Streilein was the closer at the end of the season and earned a brief appearance in Tri Cities. At 22 next season, I could see Streilein in Tri Cities working the late innings out of the pen.
Travis Smink returned to Pioneer Park this year and showed improvement. He was the closer to start the season. He got 5 saves out of his first 6 outings. There doesn't appear to be a reason why he stopped getting save opportunities as he continued to be effective through the end of July, giving up just 3 ER in 151/3 IP. But maybe the Astros coaching staff could see something we couldn't because in August, Smink struggled. After posting a 2.25 ERA in 9 outings in July, he put up a 5. 02 ERA in his 7 August outings. For the year, he finished with a 3.34 ERA and 6 saves. Look for Smink to be in Lexington next season.
Jeiler Castillo started the year on the Tri Cities roster but was sent back for his third year with the G-Stros shortly after the season began. He was a solid arm out of the pen pulling two 4 inning stints in long relief. He also spot started 2 games and closed out 4, getting the save in 1 of those. Heading into August, Castillo was putting together a solid season. Then the wheels came off starting on August 11th. Over his next 4 outings, he gave up 9 earned runs in just 3 innings pitched. His ERA for July had been 2.25 and for August it was 8.71. Castillo will turn 23 this off season, I expect him to be in Lexington if he is with the organization next year. Three seasons of short season ball should be sufficient.
Paul Gerrish started his pro career in Greeneville. The former Horned Frog, appeared in 14 games for the G-Stros with mixed results. He finished 6 games and got the save in 1 of those. He held opponents to no earned runs in half of his appearances. He finished with an ERA of 4.56 but he had good control numbers (4 walks in 23 2/3 IP- 1 IBB) and only 2 of the 32 hits he surrendered were doubles or homers. Of the 19 runs he surrendered 7 were unearned. I am not sure if he was more unlucky or ineffective. He finished the year with a great outing, facing the minimum in 3 1/3 IP while striking out 4. He is already 24 so his age is a factor here. Based on his numbers and his age, I expect him to be in Lexington next year.
Jamaine Cotton took the long way to get the Greeneville. He is from St. Thomas, VI but went to college at Western Oklahoma State. This was his second straight year to be drafted (Giants in 09) and the Astros were able to sign him as their 15th pick. Apparently, Jamaine is a man of few words and is still learning the art of pitching. He only appeared in 13 games accounting for only 14 IP. He didn't meet much success. The only exciting stat is that he had more than one strike out per inning. However, he got hit (28 in 14 IP) and hard too (3 HR). He also struggled with control (7 BB & 3 WP). He had already pitched over 60 innings when he got to Greeneville so we don't know how tired he was, that might be a factor here. Jarmaine will probably get a second year in Greeneville.
Justin Harper was the 17th pick of the 2009 draft by the Astros. He had been selected before (Marlins 31st round 07, Yankees 37th round 08) so there is something scouts like when they see Harper pitch. He made 11 appearances in Greeneville totaling all of 18 innings pitched. He only got 6 innings pitched in 2009. So we have a 2 year vet with only 24 IP. Not much of a sample to make much of an assessment. Especially when you consider that 7 of his 10 earned runs occurred in his first three outings. He will be 22 when the season opens next year. I expect he will return to Tri Cities to show continued improvement and to get a full short season of work in.
Assessment None of these guys jump out and scream top prospect. Most will probably be roster fillers for their careers but you never can tell when someone puts it all together and makes it to the show. All of these guys have a long road ahead of them to get to the show, but we are pulling for them to make it.
We will list the players by number of game appearances. I think you will notice a much older group of guys than when we looked at the other players.
The guys who were released (B. J. Hagan), promoted (Jack Frawly), demoted (Andrea Lucati) or signed too late in the year (Rodney Quintero) and didn't have more than a handful of appearances are not addressed here.
Ryan Cole appeared in 22 games out of the pen. He had a streak of 8 straight scoreless outings than spanned 12 2/3 IP and had 14 appearances where he didn't give up an earned run. He finished with a season ERA of 2.83 and 2 saves. He had the best WHIP among closers (1.06). His walk totals look high at eight in 35 IP but 4 of those were intentional passes. So 4 in 35 innings is a much truer picture of his control. With his age and his performance, I could see him in the pen in Lexington next season.
Garrett Bullock the lefty NDFA out of Wake Forest repeated at Greeneville this year and showed marked improvement. He lead the bullpen with 41 IP in 21 appearances. He was often the first guy out of the pen, but he did garner two saves. In 16 of his 21 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run. Bullock is able to keep runners close with an excellent pick off move that he refined to reduce the balks called on him. Bullock was too old for the Appy at 24. He was promoted to Tri Cities at the end of the season but didn't get to pitch. With his age, being a lefty with a good pick off move and his ability to keep the ball down (no home runs in a combined 62 1/3 IP for his career, I could see him landing in Lancaster next season but Lexington might be more likely.
Philip Rorabaugh is another NDFA who is in his second pro year. He pitched in the GCL in 09 and at 23 was at the top end of the age for the Appy League. Rorabaugh started the year okay but struggled with a rough stretch in July and 2 bad outings in August that left him with a 4.91 ERA for the year in his 21 appearances. If Rorabaugh is with the organization next season, he will likely be in Tri Cities for some additional depth.
Brian Streilein made his pro debut in Greeneville this year. The big righty appeared in 20 games covering 32 IP and was second on the team with 5 saves. He too had a large number of his walks accounted for with intentional passes (4 out of 8). Streilein was the closer at the end of the season and earned a brief appearance in Tri Cities. At 22 next season, I could see Streilein in Tri Cities working the late innings out of the pen.
Travis Smink returned to Pioneer Park this year and showed improvement. He was the closer to start the season. He got 5 saves out of his first 6 outings. There doesn't appear to be a reason why he stopped getting save opportunities as he continued to be effective through the end of July, giving up just 3 ER in 151/3 IP. But maybe the Astros coaching staff could see something we couldn't because in August, Smink struggled. After posting a 2.25 ERA in 9 outings in July, he put up a 5. 02 ERA in his 7 August outings. For the year, he finished with a 3.34 ERA and 6 saves. Look for Smink to be in Lexington next season.
Jeiler Castillo started the year on the Tri Cities roster but was sent back for his third year with the G-Stros shortly after the season began. He was a solid arm out of the pen pulling two 4 inning stints in long relief. He also spot started 2 games and closed out 4, getting the save in 1 of those. Heading into August, Castillo was putting together a solid season. Then the wheels came off starting on August 11th. Over his next 4 outings, he gave up 9 earned runs in just 3 innings pitched. His ERA for July had been 2.25 and for August it was 8.71. Castillo will turn 23 this off season, I expect him to be in Lexington if he is with the organization next year. Three seasons of short season ball should be sufficient.
Paul Gerrish started his pro career in Greeneville. The former Horned Frog, appeared in 14 games for the G-Stros with mixed results. He finished 6 games and got the save in 1 of those. He held opponents to no earned runs in half of his appearances. He finished with an ERA of 4.56 but he had good control numbers (4 walks in 23 2/3 IP- 1 IBB) and only 2 of the 32 hits he surrendered were doubles or homers. Of the 19 runs he surrendered 7 were unearned. I am not sure if he was more unlucky or ineffective. He finished the year with a great outing, facing the minimum in 3 1/3 IP while striking out 4. He is already 24 so his age is a factor here. Based on his numbers and his age, I expect him to be in Lexington next year.
Jamaine Cotton took the long way to get the Greeneville. He is from St. Thomas, VI but went to college at Western Oklahoma State. This was his second straight year to be drafted (Giants in 09) and the Astros were able to sign him as their 15th pick. Apparently, Jamaine is a man of few words and is still learning the art of pitching. He only appeared in 13 games accounting for only 14 IP. He didn't meet much success. The only exciting stat is that he had more than one strike out per inning. However, he got hit (28 in 14 IP) and hard too (3 HR). He also struggled with control (7 BB & 3 WP). He had already pitched over 60 innings when he got to Greeneville so we don't know how tired he was, that might be a factor here. Jarmaine will probably get a second year in Greeneville.
Justin Harper was the 17th pick of the 2009 draft by the Astros. He had been selected before (Marlins 31st round 07, Yankees 37th round 08) so there is something scouts like when they see Harper pitch. He made 11 appearances in Greeneville totaling all of 18 innings pitched. He only got 6 innings pitched in 2009. So we have a 2 year vet with only 24 IP. Not much of a sample to make much of an assessment. Especially when you consider that 7 of his 10 earned runs occurred in his first three outings. He will be 22 when the season opens next year. I expect he will return to Tri Cities to show continued improvement and to get a full short season of work in.
Assessment None of these guys jump out and scream top prospect. Most will probably be roster fillers for their careers but you never can tell when someone puts it all together and makes it to the show. All of these guys have a long road ahead of them to get to the show, but we are pulling for them to make it.
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