David Martinez got the call up to the show yesterday. He made his MLB debut tonight becoming the 16th former Greeneville Astro to put on a MLB uniform.
Here is the list of former Greeneville Astros who have made it to the big leagues
#1 RHP J.C. Gutierrez
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/19/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently with Angels
#2 LHP Troy Patton
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/25/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently with Baltimore Orioles
#3 RHP Felipe Paulino
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently on KC Royals DL
#4 C J.R. Towles
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently in AAA in Dodgers system.
#5 RHP Jimmy Barthmaier
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 6/27/2008 with Pittsburgh Pirates
Out of Baseball
#6 RHP Sammy Gervacio
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 8/14/2009 with Houston Astros
Out of Baseball
#7 LHP Victor Garate
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 9/5/2009 with Washington Nationals
Currently in Mexican League (AAA - Unaffiliated)
#8 LHP Fernando Abad
Greeneville Astros: 2007
MLB Debut: 7/28/2010 with Houston Astros
Currently with Washington Nationals
#9 RHP Henry Villar
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 9/10/2010 with Houston Astros
Out of Baseball
#10 RHP Jordan Lyles
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 5/31/11 with Houston Astros
Currently with Houston Astros
#11 2B Jose Altuve
Greeneville Astros: 2008-09
MLB Debut: 7/20/11 with Houston Astros -Current
#12 LF J.D. Martinez
Greeneville Astros: 2009
MLB Debut: 7/30/11 with Houston Astros - Currently on the 15 day DL
#13 OF Brandon Barnes
Greeneville Astros: 2005-06
MLB Debut: 8/7/12 with Houston Astros- Current
#14 RHP Jose Cisnero
Greeneville Astros 2009
MLB Debut: 4/22/13
Currently in AAA- Oklahoma City
#15 RHP Jorge De Leon
Greeneville Astros 2008 (as a SS)
MLB Debut 8/9/13
Currently in AAA - Oklahoma City
#16 RHP David Martinez
Greeneville Astro 2009
MLB Debut 8/21/13
Showing posts with label David Martinez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Martinez. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Appy Astros Alumni Of The Month - July 2013
The short season is in full swing and both Greeneville and Tri Cities lead their divisions. The rest of the farm isn't doing to shabbily either with both Corpus Christi and Lancaster leading their divisions in the second half of the season.
Here is your monthly look at how former Greeneville Astros are doing in the Major Leagues, the Astros' farm system and in other minor league affiliates.
Tri-City ValleyCats (short season A ball)
Hitter
Chan Moon was bumped back down to short season ball after spending most of last season in Low A and even getting a taste of High A. The fact that he is in Tri Cities shows you the depth at SS in the organization. In July, he hit .299/.365/.358 with seven stolen bases.
Pitcher
Michael Feliz has been dominate in the NY/Penn League. In 20 1/3 innings in July, he fanned 23 batters and offered free passes to just three. His season ERA is 1.49 with 42 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched.
Quad Cities River Bandits (Low A)
Hitter
Carlos Correa hit .295/.378/.474 for the month of July. He added two HR and eight doubles. His season average of .314 shows he is ready for the next challenge.
Honorable mention to Rio Ruiz. He hit .279 for July with 10 extra base hits (six doubles, one triple and three HR). He has rebounded from a rough start to raise his season average to .251.
Pitcher
Vincent Velasquez made four starts in July and finished with an impressive 2.35 ERA. He fanned 21 batters in 23 innings pitched while maintaining a WHIP of 0.783.
Sharing the honor this month is Jordan Jankowski who made two starts and four relief appearances for a combined 19 1/3 innings pitched. During July, his ERA was 1.86 and he allowed just 13 hits and one walk for a 0.656 WHIP.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter
Delino DeShields was hot for July hitting .349/..407/.500 with 19 stolen bases. He took 10 walks and only struck out 16 times in 106 at bats.
Pitcher
Mike Hauschild has only spent a part of the month in Lancaster be he has been solid in his first three outings. In 14 innings pitched (two starts and one relief appearance) he struck out 12 batters and only issued two walks. His Lancaster ERA was 3.86.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter
Rene Garcia gets the nod before he heads off to AAA. For July, he hit .327/.358/.423. During his time in Corpus Christi he has thrown out 51% of would be base stealers.
Jonathan Meyer gets honorable mention for his solid month. He hit .315/.411/.446. After hitting .165 in April, his season average is up to .274.
Pitcher
Who else but David Martinez. In 5 starts for July (36 1/3 IP) he had a 1.98 ERA with two complete games.
Ruben Alaniz gets honorable mention for his solid month. In four starts, he posted a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter
Ruben Sosa earns this spot despite being the only position player on the roster who played in Greeneville. He appeared in 19 games in July and hit an impressive .368 with three triples.
Pitcher
Jorge De Leon gets the nod by virtue of three strong relief appearances after his call up from Corpus Christi. He has not allowed a run in the four innings he has thrown so far.
Outside The Astros Org.
Hitter
Albert Cartwright had a very solid month for Reading (Phillies AA). He hit .306/.328 /.417 bringing his season average up to .268.
Pitcher
Victor Garate made five starts for Saltillo of the Mexican League (AAA). His ERA for July was 1.74. He fanned 33 batters in his 31 innings of work.
MLB
Hitter
J.D. Martinez gets the honor by hitting .288 in 17 games this month. Honorable mention goes to Brandon Barnes for hitting for the cycle this month.
Pitcher
Fernando Abad continues his solid work this season. In July, he amassed a 1.86 ERA in 10 games (9 2/3 IP) out of the Nationals bullpen. Home runs have always been Abad's Achilles heel, but this year, through 24 1/3 innings, he has not surrendered a long ball.
Here is your monthly look at how former Greeneville Astros are doing in the Major Leagues, the Astros' farm system and in other minor league affiliates.
Tri-City ValleyCats (short season A ball)
Hitter
Chan Moon was bumped back down to short season ball after spending most of last season in Low A and even getting a taste of High A. The fact that he is in Tri Cities shows you the depth at SS in the organization. In July, he hit .299/.365/.358 with seven stolen bases.
Pitcher
Michael Feliz has been dominate in the NY/Penn League. In 20 1/3 innings in July, he fanned 23 batters and offered free passes to just three. His season ERA is 1.49 with 42 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched.
Quad Cities River Bandits (Low A)
Hitter
Carlos Correa hit .295/.378/.474 for the month of July. He added two HR and eight doubles. His season average of .314 shows he is ready for the next challenge.
Honorable mention to Rio Ruiz. He hit .279 for July with 10 extra base hits (six doubles, one triple and three HR). He has rebounded from a rough start to raise his season average to .251.
Pitcher
Vincent Velasquez made four starts in July and finished with an impressive 2.35 ERA. He fanned 21 batters in 23 innings pitched while maintaining a WHIP of 0.783.
Sharing the honor this month is Jordan Jankowski who made two starts and four relief appearances for a combined 19 1/3 innings pitched. During July, his ERA was 1.86 and he allowed just 13 hits and one walk for a 0.656 WHIP.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter
Delino DeShields was hot for July hitting .349/..407/.500 with 19 stolen bases. He took 10 walks and only struck out 16 times in 106 at bats.
Pitcher
Mike Hauschild has only spent a part of the month in Lancaster be he has been solid in his first three outings. In 14 innings pitched (two starts and one relief appearance) he struck out 12 batters and only issued two walks. His Lancaster ERA was 3.86.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter
Rene Garcia gets the nod before he heads off to AAA. For July, he hit .327/.358/.423. During his time in Corpus Christi he has thrown out 51% of would be base stealers.
Jonathan Meyer gets honorable mention for his solid month. He hit .315/.411/.446. After hitting .165 in April, his season average is up to .274.
Pitcher
Who else but David Martinez. In 5 starts for July (36 1/3 IP) he had a 1.98 ERA with two complete games.
Ruben Alaniz gets honorable mention for his solid month. In four starts, he posted a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter
Ruben Sosa earns this spot despite being the only position player on the roster who played in Greeneville. He appeared in 19 games in July and hit an impressive .368 with three triples.
Pitcher
Jorge De Leon gets the nod by virtue of three strong relief appearances after his call up from Corpus Christi. He has not allowed a run in the four innings he has thrown so far.
Outside The Astros Org.
Hitter
Albert Cartwright had a very solid month for Reading (Phillies AA). He hit .306/.328 /.417 bringing his season average up to .268.
Pitcher
Victor Garate made five starts for Saltillo of the Mexican League (AAA). His ERA for July was 1.74. He fanned 33 batters in his 31 innings of work.
MLB
Hitter
J.D. Martinez gets the honor by hitting .288 in 17 games this month. Honorable mention goes to Brandon Barnes for hitting for the cycle this month.
Pitcher
Fernando Abad continues his solid work this season. In July, he amassed a 1.86 ERA in 10 games (9 2/3 IP) out of the Nationals bullpen. Home runs have always been Abad's Achilles heel, but this year, through 24 1/3 innings, he has not surrendered a long ball.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: June 2013
June is a fun month. The short season teams have started playing. Most of the full season teams have had their all star games. Let's see which former G-Stros' June was more fun because of their performances. We won't look at the short season teams this month because two weeks isn't really enough time to assess performances yet.
Quad Cities:
Hitters -
Who else but Carlos Correa. Correa hit .370/.413/.510 for the month. He has brought his average up to .323 for the season after a very sluggish start. Fun stat for Correa - Out of his 289 plate appearances so far, only six have been against pitchers younger than him and he has no hits against the younger pitchers. In the 283 plate appearances against older pitchers, he is hitting .332.
Honorable mention to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .286/.351/.417 for the month of June.
Pitchers -
Lance McCullers Jr. continues to have an impressive season in Quad Cities. McCullars struck out 33 batters in 27 1/3 innings pitched with a 2.30 ERA.
Honorable mention to Daniel Minor who had a 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings before he went on the DL.
Lancaster
Hitters -
Delino DeShields had another solid month in June. He hit .280/.370/.366. He also stole 8 bases to bring his season total to 20 on the season. He has really settled in as a 20 year old playing in the Cal. League.
Pitchers -
Luis Cruz has bounced back from a rough May and had an outstanding June. In 31 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed just 22 hits and seven walks for a WHIP of 0.906. He had an impressive total of 40 strike outs for the month!
Corpus Christi
Hitters -
Jonathan Meyer had another solid month hitting.280 with eight doubles and five home runs for a .510 slugging percentage.
Pitchers -
David Martinez continues to put up impressive numbers this season. In 30 2/3 June innings, he gave up just 21 hits and two walks while striking out 24 batters. Opponents hit just .193 against him in June.
Oklahoma City
There were only two former G-Stros on the roster at any point in time this month. Nether put up numbers worthy of recognition.
Major Leagues
Hitters-
Jose Altuve continues to be the most consistent Astro at the plate Even in a down month (.275
average) he still lead the time in batting average.
Pitchers -
Jose Cisnero struck out 14 batters in 11 2/3 innings pitched (8 games). He had not given up a run in June until his final outing. He ended the month with a 0.77 ERA.
Honorable mention to Troy Patton who found his grove again in June. In 12 appearances (12 1/3 IP) he fanned 12 batters and did not walk a batter after giving up eight free passes in May. ERA for June was 1.46
Fernando Abad also gets a honorable mention with his performance out of the National's bullpen. In 12 games (12 1/3 IP) he struck out 14 batters and also walked no one. His June ERA was also 1.46
Finally, I feel like J.C. Gutierrez deserves a mention as well. In limited action, he fanned eight batters in nine innings of pitching for the Royals. He finished June with a 2.00 ERA.
Quad Cities:
Hitters -
Who else but Carlos Correa. Correa hit .370/.413/.510 for the month. He has brought his average up to .323 for the season after a very sluggish start. Fun stat for Correa - Out of his 289 plate appearances so far, only six have been against pitchers younger than him and he has no hits against the younger pitchers. In the 283 plate appearances against older pitchers, he is hitting .332.
Honorable mention to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .286/.351/.417 for the month of June.
Pitchers -
Lance McCullers Jr. continues to have an impressive season in Quad Cities. McCullars struck out 33 batters in 27 1/3 innings pitched with a 2.30 ERA.
Honorable mention to Daniel Minor who had a 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings before he went on the DL.
Lancaster
Hitters -
Delino DeShields had another solid month in June. He hit .280/.370/.366. He also stole 8 bases to bring his season total to 20 on the season. He has really settled in as a 20 year old playing in the Cal. League.
Pitchers -
Luis Cruz has bounced back from a rough May and had an outstanding June. In 31 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed just 22 hits and seven walks for a WHIP of 0.906. He had an impressive total of 40 strike outs for the month!
Corpus Christi
Hitters -
Jonathan Meyer had another solid month hitting.280 with eight doubles and five home runs for a .510 slugging percentage.
Pitchers -
David Martinez continues to put up impressive numbers this season. In 30 2/3 June innings, he gave up just 21 hits and two walks while striking out 24 batters. Opponents hit just .193 against him in June.
Oklahoma City
There were only two former G-Stros on the roster at any point in time this month. Nether put up numbers worthy of recognition.
Major Leagues
Hitters-
Jose Altuve continues to be the most consistent Astro at the plate Even in a down month (.275
average) he still lead the time in batting average.
Pitchers -
Jose Cisnero struck out 14 batters in 11 2/3 innings pitched (8 games). He had not given up a run in June until his final outing. He ended the month with a 0.77 ERA.
Honorable mention to Troy Patton who found his grove again in June. In 12 appearances (12 1/3 IP) he fanned 12 batters and did not walk a batter after giving up eight free passes in May. ERA for June was 1.46
Fernando Abad also gets a honorable mention with his performance out of the National's bullpen. In 12 games (12 1/3 IP) he struck out 14 batters and also walked no one. His June ERA was also 1.46
Finally, I feel like J.C. Gutierrez deserves a mention as well. In limited action, he fanned eight batters in nine innings of pitching for the Royals. He finished June with a 2.00 ERA.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
David Martinez's Unlikely Journey to a AA Breakout Season
When David Martinez pitched in Greeneville, his pedigree didn't scream future major league pitcher. Lets look at his journey.
He was 21 years old when he appeared on the 2009 roster after four seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League. In those seasons, he had appeared in 51 games with 16 starts and 18 games finished and his ERA increased every year. He wasn't really a starter and he wasn't really a reliever.
In 2009, he appeared in 22 games for the G-Stros pitching 40 innings all out of the bullpen. He struck out just 25 batters and allowing a WHIP of 1.50. These are the numbers of a pitcher that are likely to be released. But something clicked after this year because his stats started improving after this season.
In 2010, Martinez pitched in Tri Cities. He reduced his walks from 14 to 11 while pitching 65 2/3 innings. His strike outs jumped to 57. He also made 10 starts out of his 17 appearances.
In 2011, he went back to being a primary bullpen pitcher appearing in 37 games, with just five of those as starts. In 66 2/3 innings pitched, his strike outs regressed to 44 and his walks rose to 17 while he faced tougher competition. Three of the five starts came at the end of the season. Which was a bit of foreshadowing.
In 2012, Martinez for the first time in his minor league career was truly a starting pitcher. In Lancaster, known as a pitchers purgatory, Martinez made 26 starts plus one bullpen appearance. All of a sudden, after not throwing more than 66 2/3 innings in any season in his career, he threw 160 innings in 2012. His strike outs per nine was a respectable 6.4 and his walks per nine went down to 1.9.
He made a strong enough impression that he appeared in three major league spring training games this year before the season. He was then assigned to AA Corpus Christi where he has made a name for himself while surrounded by well known top prospects. This season, he is 9-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 61 1/3 innings pitched. His walks per nine is down to 1.8 and his WHIP is 0.995. All while facing tougher competition.
Today, there was a feature in the Chronicle about Martinez and Jake Buchanan. Here are some of the quotes that highlight Martinez and what is behind his break out season.
Pitching Coach Gary Ruby:
He was 21 years old when he appeared on the 2009 roster after four seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League. In those seasons, he had appeared in 51 games with 16 starts and 18 games finished and his ERA increased every year. He wasn't really a starter and he wasn't really a reliever.
In 2009, he appeared in 22 games for the G-Stros pitching 40 innings all out of the bullpen. He struck out just 25 batters and allowing a WHIP of 1.50. These are the numbers of a pitcher that are likely to be released. But something clicked after this year because his stats started improving after this season.
In 2010, Martinez pitched in Tri Cities. He reduced his walks from 14 to 11 while pitching 65 2/3 innings. His strike outs jumped to 57. He also made 10 starts out of his 17 appearances.
In 2011, he went back to being a primary bullpen pitcher appearing in 37 games, with just five of those as starts. In 66 2/3 innings pitched, his strike outs regressed to 44 and his walks rose to 17 while he faced tougher competition. Three of the five starts came at the end of the season. Which was a bit of foreshadowing.
In 2012, Martinez for the first time in his minor league career was truly a starting pitcher. In Lancaster, known as a pitchers purgatory, Martinez made 26 starts plus one bullpen appearance. All of a sudden, after not throwing more than 66 2/3 innings in any season in his career, he threw 160 innings in 2012. His strike outs per nine was a respectable 6.4 and his walks per nine went down to 1.9.
He made a strong enough impression that he appeared in three major league spring training games this year before the season. He was then assigned to AA Corpus Christi where he has made a name for himself while surrounded by well known top prospects. This season, he is 9-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 61 1/3 innings pitched. His walks per nine is down to 1.8 and his WHIP is 0.995. All while facing tougher competition.
Today, there was a feature in the Chronicle about Martinez and Jake Buchanan. Here are some of the quotes that highlight Martinez and what is behind his break out season.
Pitching Coach Gary Ruby:
“David has just been phenomenal.... He’s up to the 90-92 (mph) range but his slider right now is as good as anybody’s anywhere. He’s got a good changeup. He’s working on a little bit of a split(finger) for down the road. He works at a great pace, a quick tempo, and he just attacks the bottom of the zone.”Manager Keith Bodie:
“He’s kind of a darkhorse. … You watch and you say, ‘Man, that ball had some life to it. Man, that ball sunk. Man, they took a bad swing at that breaking ball,’ ” Brodie said. “But they keep doing it and they don’t get a good look at him. His arm slot, from wherever he’s throwing, everything looks like it’s the same."The season David Martinez is putting up highlights the challenges of player development. You never know when something is going to click and a player just takes off. We will be watching to see what happens as he continues to develop.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - May 2013
We are getting closer to seeing baseball in Greeneville. The draft is next week and players will report on the 16th of June. Until that time, we spend our time watching box scores of former G-Stros. Here are the alumni who stood out in the month of May.
Quad Cities - Low A
Hitters
No doubt who this one goes to this month. Carlos Correa hit .349/.423/.442 with six doubles and a triple for the month. He raised his average from .221 at the end of April to .292. What may be more exciting is that his strike outs dropped from 23 in April to just 12 in May. He was also 4 for 5 in the stolen base department.
Honorable mention goes toe Jordan Scott who bounced back from a .217 April with a .319 May. At the same time, his OBP jumped from .347 to .473 thanks to increasing his walk total from 12 in April to 23 in May.
Pitchers
This month we have co-Alumi of the month in this spot. Lance McCullers continues to put up impressive numbers in QC. In his seven appearances in May, he struck out 26 batters in 24 innings pitched with a 1.88 ERA. He did struggle some with walks, offering 14 free passes to batters.
As good as McCullers has been, Jordan Jankowski deserves a mention as well. In his six appearances in May, he has struck out 32 batters in 29 1/3 IP. He only allowed four walks during the month. His ERA in May was 2.15. Jankowski at 24 is older than league average of 22.2 but he is putting up impressive numbers. It looks like he might be ready for the next challenge.
Honorable mention goes to Mike Hauschild who in seven appearances amassed a 3.09 ERA in 29 2/3 IP. He fanned 19 while giving up nine walks. He did not allow a home run during the month.
Lancaster - High A
Hitters
Despite missing some time with an injury to his hand. Delino DeShields put up impressive numbers in May. He his .312/.418/.442 with 12 walks and 15 strike outs in 20 games. After going 5 for 11 in stolen bases in April, he was 7 for 9 in May.
Pitchers
Despite his struggles during the month in general, when you pitch four innings of a combined no hitter (5/12/13), you get the nod for pitcher of the month. So we give the nod this month to Luis Cruz.
Corpus Christi - AA
Hitters
In what may be the biggest bounce of the month, Jonathan Meyer jumped his average from .165 at April's end to .250 as of 5/30. In May, he put up a .321/.364/.481 line. Eleven of his 34 hits for the month went for extra bases. At the same time, he doubled his walk total (from 4 to 9) and he reduced his strike out rate (20/85 in April to 15/106 in May).
Honorable mention goes to Rene Garcia who put up another solid month - .304/.364/.405. He leads the team and is 5th in the league with a .315 average on the season.
Pitchers
Michael Foltynewicz earns top props this month. Since his promotion from Lancaster earlier this month, he has been lights out. In 25 IP, he has only surrendered 13 hits and three earned runs. His ERA for the month is a measly 1.08. He has struck out 25 batters and has walked 10.
Honorable mention goes to his piggy back starting mate David Martinez. Martinez had another good month with a 2.30 ERA. His season total is 1.83 and is second in the league. The Hooks have won 11 of the 13 games in which Martinez has made an appearance.
Oklahoma City - AAA
Greeneville only has one alumni in OKC. Ross Seaton showed improvement in May, dropping his ERA from 11.57 at the end of April down to 7.78 at the end of May.
Minors - Other systems
Hitters
There was some movement among former G-Stros outside of the organization. Both Jordan Parraz and J.R. Towles were released by their teams and picked up by others. Parraz in now in AA with the Twins organization and Towles landed with the Dodgers in AAA. No one really excelled to earn the Alumni of the month for this category.
Pitcher
Fernando Abad pitched seven scoreless outings to earn the Alumni award before being promoted to the big leagues. Since his arrival in Washington, he has appeared in four games. He has allowed no runs and one hit in 2 1/3 IP with two strike outs and no walks.
MLB
Hitters
J.D. Martinez had a very good month of May. He hit .299/.325/.506 with 10 of his 23 hits going for extra bases. It is nice to see the pop back in Martinez's bat. It might be an indication he is finally fully healed from the broken Hamate bone and subsequent surgery.
Pitchers
J.C. Gutierrez gets the nod for Alumni of the month with his good work in limited action out of the Royals pen. In 8 1/3 IP (6 appearances) he allowed no runs and just five hits with seven strike outs and no walks.
Honorable mention goes to Jose Cisnero, who except for one rough outing on 5/4/13 had a very good month. When you take that one outing out, he put up 12 2/3 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB and 14 K. So the month was much more good than bad for Cisnero.
Quad Cities - Low A
Hitters
No doubt who this one goes to this month. Carlos Correa hit .349/.423/.442 with six doubles and a triple for the month. He raised his average from .221 at the end of April to .292. What may be more exciting is that his strike outs dropped from 23 in April to just 12 in May. He was also 4 for 5 in the stolen base department.
Honorable mention goes toe Jordan Scott who bounced back from a .217 April with a .319 May. At the same time, his OBP jumped from .347 to .473 thanks to increasing his walk total from 12 in April to 23 in May.
Pitchers
This month we have co-Alumi of the month in this spot. Lance McCullers continues to put up impressive numbers in QC. In his seven appearances in May, he struck out 26 batters in 24 innings pitched with a 1.88 ERA. He did struggle some with walks, offering 14 free passes to batters.
As good as McCullers has been, Jordan Jankowski deserves a mention as well. In his six appearances in May, he has struck out 32 batters in 29 1/3 IP. He only allowed four walks during the month. His ERA in May was 2.15. Jankowski at 24 is older than league average of 22.2 but he is putting up impressive numbers. It looks like he might be ready for the next challenge.
Honorable mention goes to Mike Hauschild who in seven appearances amassed a 3.09 ERA in 29 2/3 IP. He fanned 19 while giving up nine walks. He did not allow a home run during the month.
Lancaster - High A
Hitters
Despite missing some time with an injury to his hand. Delino DeShields put up impressive numbers in May. He his .312/.418/.442 with 12 walks and 15 strike outs in 20 games. After going 5 for 11 in stolen bases in April, he was 7 for 9 in May.
Pitchers
Despite his struggles during the month in general, when you pitch four innings of a combined no hitter (5/12/13), you get the nod for pitcher of the month. So we give the nod this month to Luis Cruz.
Corpus Christi - AA
Hitters
In what may be the biggest bounce of the month, Jonathan Meyer jumped his average from .165 at April's end to .250 as of 5/30. In May, he put up a .321/.364/.481 line. Eleven of his 34 hits for the month went for extra bases. At the same time, he doubled his walk total (from 4 to 9) and he reduced his strike out rate (20/85 in April to 15/106 in May).
Honorable mention goes to Rene Garcia who put up another solid month - .304/.364/.405. He leads the team and is 5th in the league with a .315 average on the season.
Pitchers
Michael Foltynewicz earns top props this month. Since his promotion from Lancaster earlier this month, he has been lights out. In 25 IP, he has only surrendered 13 hits and three earned runs. His ERA for the month is a measly 1.08. He has struck out 25 batters and has walked 10.
Honorable mention goes to his piggy back starting mate David Martinez. Martinez had another good month with a 2.30 ERA. His season total is 1.83 and is second in the league. The Hooks have won 11 of the 13 games in which Martinez has made an appearance.
Oklahoma City - AAA
Greeneville only has one alumni in OKC. Ross Seaton showed improvement in May, dropping his ERA from 11.57 at the end of April down to 7.78 at the end of May.
Minors - Other systems
Hitters
There was some movement among former G-Stros outside of the organization. Both Jordan Parraz and J.R. Towles were released by their teams and picked up by others. Parraz in now in AA with the Twins organization and Towles landed with the Dodgers in AAA. No one really excelled to earn the Alumni of the month for this category.
Pitcher
Fernando Abad pitched seven scoreless outings to earn the Alumni award before being promoted to the big leagues. Since his arrival in Washington, he has appeared in four games. He has allowed no runs and one hit in 2 1/3 IP with two strike outs and no walks.
MLB
Hitters
J.D. Martinez had a very good month of May. He hit .299/.325/.506 with 10 of his 23 hits going for extra bases. It is nice to see the pop back in Martinez's bat. It might be an indication he is finally fully healed from the broken Hamate bone and subsequent surgery.
Pitchers
J.C. Gutierrez gets the nod for Alumni of the month with his good work in limited action out of the Royals pen. In 8 1/3 IP (6 appearances) he allowed no runs and just five hits with seven strike outs and no walks.
Honorable mention goes to Jose Cisnero, who except for one rough outing on 5/4/13 had a very good month. When you take that one outing out, he put up 12 2/3 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB and 14 K. So the month was much more good than bad for Cisnero.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
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.
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.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Big Games for Former G-Stros
Normally I post the highlights for former Greeneville Astros box scores on twitter. Just highlighting the best performances of the night. However, last night, there are several that are worth mentioning and giving a little more attention to.
In the Majors, Brandon Barnes hitting his first home run of the year for the Astros and Jose Altuve raising his average to .371 with a 2 for 3 night were some of the only highlights for the big league club. In the minors, it was a different story.
Delino DeSheilds went 3 for 3 with two triples, two RBI, three runs scored and one walk in Lancaster's win over Bakersfield. He also stole two bases in the game. Since returning from a five day layoff with a bum finger. DDJ is 4 for 6 with a double, two triples and three walks. Exactly what you want from a lead off guy.
Luis Cruz continued his solid start to the 2013 season in Lancaster. He pitched five inning shut out innings, giving up just one hit, one walk and striking out five batters. Cruz even earned the prestigious Morgan Ensberg "He's a really good player" award. Cruz has been working in the tandem starting role in Lancaster this season. He has appeared in four games. In 16 2/3 IP, he has allowed just nine hits, eight walks, four runs and has struck out 22 batters.
But the biggest night belonged to David Martinez of Corpus Christi. He pitched five perfect innings against Frisco in AA last night. He threw just 60 pitches in five innings. With the current tandem pitching rotation in the Astros minor league system, the starting pitcher for the day throws five innings or 75 pitches and the second reliever comes in to throw the last four or 60 pitches. His ERA for the year is 1.88. However in the two games he has been the starting pitcher, he has allowed just two hits and two walks in 10 innings pitched. The plan according to the Astros is for the cream to rise to the top over time and the best five will be starting by mid season. If Martinez and Cruz keep up what they are doing, they will be among those who continue starting.
In the Majors, Brandon Barnes hitting his first home run of the year for the Astros and Jose Altuve raising his average to .371 with a 2 for 3 night were some of the only highlights for the big league club. In the minors, it was a different story.
Delino DeSheilds went 3 for 3 with two triples, two RBI, three runs scored and one walk in Lancaster's win over Bakersfield. He also stole two bases in the game. Since returning from a five day layoff with a bum finger. DDJ is 4 for 6 with a double, two triples and three walks. Exactly what you want from a lead off guy.
Luis Cruz continued his solid start to the 2013 season in Lancaster. He pitched five inning shut out innings, giving up just one hit, one walk and striking out five batters. Cruz even earned the prestigious Morgan Ensberg "He's a really good player" award. Cruz has been working in the tandem starting role in Lancaster this season. He has appeared in four games. In 16 2/3 IP, he has allowed just nine hits, eight walks, four runs and has struck out 22 batters.
But the biggest night belonged to David Martinez of Corpus Christi. He pitched five perfect innings against Frisco in AA last night. He threw just 60 pitches in five innings. With the current tandem pitching rotation in the Astros minor league system, the starting pitcher for the day throws five innings or 75 pitches and the second reliever comes in to throw the last four or 60 pitches. His ERA for the year is 1.88. However in the two games he has been the starting pitcher, he has allowed just two hits and two walks in 10 innings pitched. The plan according to the Astros is for the cream to rise to the top over time and the best five will be starting by mid season. If Martinez and Cruz keep up what they are doing, they will be among those who continue starting.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Going Camping: Making The Roster & Getting Reassigned
Camps are wrapping up and players are starting to learn their fate. Let's see where things stand going in to the last few days of camp.
In Houston's Camp:
Jose Altuve will be the opening day second baseman and will hit leadoff for the Astros. He will be joined on the opening day roster by Brandon Barnes. Barnes won the reserve outfield spot thanks to his flexibility to play all three outfield positions and his outstanding defense. Barnes is the new poster child for reminding folks not to read too much into Appy League stats. In 91 games, over two seasons, Barnes hit .211/.284/.318 with more strike outs (83) than hits (67). Barnes was raw when drafted. The minor leagues is about development. Sometimes we forget that. Barnes has developed into a major league ball player.
J.D. Martinez got the news Saturday that he was being sent down to AAA. I don't expect this to be a long trip for Martinez who had off season surgery to remove the Hamate bone in his wrist. The Astros are still positive about Martinez.
All of the other former G-Stros have been sent back to minor league camp. Though kudos to David Martinez for getting the start on Sunday and earning the win. We are also hearing the Delino DeShields Jr. will be with the team for their final exhibition game against the Cubs in Houston.
In Other Camps:
Troy Patton is a lock for the Orioles 'pen despite a recent rough outing.
J.R. Towles and Jordan Parraz were sent to AAA by the Cards & Braves respectively. And apparently I missed Arcenio Leon being sent down by the Brewers earlier this month.
J.C. Gutierrez and Fernando Abad are both battling for the final spot in the Royals and Nats bullpens respectively. However it is likely both will start the season in AAA.
That means that it is likely only three former G-Stros will be on opening day rosters this year. Last year, there were four on rosters (Patton, Altuve, Lyles and Martinez) with Paulino on the DL in KC.
In Houston's Camp:
Jose Altuve will be the opening day second baseman and will hit leadoff for the Astros. He will be joined on the opening day roster by Brandon Barnes. Barnes won the reserve outfield spot thanks to his flexibility to play all three outfield positions and his outstanding defense. Barnes is the new poster child for reminding folks not to read too much into Appy League stats. In 91 games, over two seasons, Barnes hit .211/.284/.318 with more strike outs (83) than hits (67). Barnes was raw when drafted. The minor leagues is about development. Sometimes we forget that. Barnes has developed into a major league ball player.
J.D. Martinez got the news Saturday that he was being sent down to AAA. I don't expect this to be a long trip for Martinez who had off season surgery to remove the Hamate bone in his wrist. The Astros are still positive about Martinez.
"We see J.D. as an everyday outfielder, and when you switch to the American League, it's hard to get our fourth or fifth outfielders a lot of playing time because the fact you're not doing as many double switches," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He's going to play a lot, and right now we couldn't guarantee him that amount of playing time at the big league level
All of the other former G-Stros have been sent back to minor league camp. Though kudos to David Martinez for getting the start on Sunday and earning the win. We are also hearing the Delino DeShields Jr. will be with the team for their final exhibition game against the Cubs in Houston.
In Other Camps:
Troy Patton is a lock for the Orioles 'pen despite a recent rough outing.
J.R. Towles and Jordan Parraz were sent to AAA by the Cards & Braves respectively. And apparently I missed Arcenio Leon being sent down by the Brewers earlier this month.
J.C. Gutierrez and Fernando Abad are both battling for the final spot in the Royals and Nats bullpens respectively. However it is likely both will start the season in AAA.
That means that it is likely only three former G-Stros will be on opening day rosters this year. Last year, there were four on rosters (Patton, Altuve, Lyles and Martinez) with Paulino on the DL in KC.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Going Camping: Updates from Major League Spring Camps
Well, it is less than two weeks to opening day and we have some movement among former G-Stros in big league spring training. Let's check out the updates starting with those in Astros camp:
Jose Altuve is a lock for the starting 2nd base job in Houston. He has had a good spring hitting .356 with a on base percentage of .396. It has been announced he will be batting in the lead off spot.
Brandon Barnes is continuing to make a case for making the 25 man roster out of spring training. He has hit four home runs and has only struck out three times in 30 at bats. He continues to provide stellar defense which helps his case as a reserve outfielder on the roster.
Rene Garcia is still in camp. In a very small sample size (10 AB) he has a .300 average and a healthy .417 on base percentage. He will likely return to minor league camp soon but it has been a good spring for Garcia.
Jordan Lyles was sent down to minor league camp today. The Astros want him to right the ship in AAA and then return to the majors never to be sent down again. Let's hope that is the case for Lyles. According to Bo Porter, "it is not a demotion, it's a delay".
David Martinez got called up today and made his major league spring training debut. He came in and pitched the 8th and 9th. Facing only six batters and striking out two. He will go back to minor league camp after the game, but it was nice to see him get a shot at some big league batters.
J.D. Martinez is being talked about as a part of the platoon in right field, sharing time with Rike Ankiel. He is not having a great spring statistically.
Chris Wallace is still in big league camp but is getting limited action. He will be heading to minor league camp before long.
Outside of Astros Camp:
Fernando Abad has had a solid spring but appears to be looking at starting the year in AAA.
Victor Garate was released by the Dodgers without ever appearing in a Spring Training game.
J.C. Gutierrez (Juan) is battling for a return to the big leagues after missing last season with an injury. He is facing an up hill battle but is out of options so if he doesn't make the Royals, he might be a waiver claim candidate.
Arcenio Leon is still in big league camp with the Brewers but has only appeared in two games. Both of those appearances were last month.
Troy Patton appears to be a fixture in the O's bullpen. He appears to really like playing for manager Buck Showalter
Felipe Paulino is up to 35 pitches, throwing just fastballs and change ups. He is slated to return around mid season.
Jordan Parraz hit a three run pinch hit homer today. He has had a solid spring but has little chance of making the 25 man roster for Atlanta. But it is only a short drive from AAA to the ATL.
J.R. Towles has had a descent spring but is all but certainly headed to AAA Memphis.
So based on how things look right now. Two former G-Stros (Altuve & Patton) are locks to be on rosters on opening day. After that, those with descent chances are Barnes, Martinez & Gutierrez. We will check in again next week to see where they stand.
Jose Altuve is a lock for the starting 2nd base job in Houston. He has had a good spring hitting .356 with a on base percentage of .396. It has been announced he will be batting in the lead off spot.
Brandon Barnes is continuing to make a case for making the 25 man roster out of spring training. He has hit four home runs and has only struck out three times in 30 at bats. He continues to provide stellar defense which helps his case as a reserve outfielder on the roster.
Rene Garcia is still in camp. In a very small sample size (10 AB) he has a .300 average and a healthy .417 on base percentage. He will likely return to minor league camp soon but it has been a good spring for Garcia.
Jordan Lyles was sent down to minor league camp today. The Astros want him to right the ship in AAA and then return to the majors never to be sent down again. Let's hope that is the case for Lyles. According to Bo Porter, "it is not a demotion, it's a delay".
David Martinez got called up today and made his major league spring training debut. He came in and pitched the 8th and 9th. Facing only six batters and striking out two. He will go back to minor league camp after the game, but it was nice to see him get a shot at some big league batters.
J.D. Martinez is being talked about as a part of the platoon in right field, sharing time with Rike Ankiel. He is not having a great spring statistically.
Chris Wallace is still in big league camp but is getting limited action. He will be heading to minor league camp before long.
Outside of Astros Camp:
Fernando Abad has had a solid spring but appears to be looking at starting the year in AAA.
Victor Garate was released by the Dodgers without ever appearing in a Spring Training game.
J.C. Gutierrez (Juan) is battling for a return to the big leagues after missing last season with an injury. He is facing an up hill battle but is out of options so if he doesn't make the Royals, he might be a waiver claim candidate.
Arcenio Leon is still in big league camp with the Brewers but has only appeared in two games. Both of those appearances were last month.
Troy Patton appears to be a fixture in the O's bullpen. He appears to really like playing for manager Buck Showalter
Felipe Paulino is up to 35 pitches, throwing just fastballs and change ups. He is slated to return around mid season.
Jordan Parraz hit a three run pinch hit homer today. He has had a solid spring but has little chance of making the 25 man roster for Atlanta. But it is only a short drive from AAA to the ATL.
J.R. Towles has had a descent spring but is all but certainly headed to AAA Memphis.
So based on how things look right now. Two former G-Stros (Altuve & Patton) are locks to be on rosters on opening day. After that, those with descent chances are Barnes, Martinez & Gutierrez. We will check in again next week to see where they stand.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Former G-Stros in Minor's Mini Camp
The top talent in the system has been invited to report to camp early for a minicamp. Brian McTaggart posted the list of invitees yesterday. Here are those who were invited along with the year(s) they appeared in Greeneville:
Ruben Alaniz (2010)
Michael Foltynewicz (2010)
David Martinez (2009)
Lance McCullers Jr. (2012)
Vincent Velasquez (2010)
Roberto Pena (2010)
Carlos Correa (2012)
Chase Davidson (2011)
Jonathan Meyer (2009)
Jiovanni Mier (2009)
Rio Ruiz (2012)
In addition to those players a few other players will be participating some since they reported early to camp. Two of those are former G-Stros Telvin Nash (2010) and Ruben Sosa (2011 & 12)
Ruben Alaniz (2010)
Michael Foltynewicz (2010)
David Martinez (2009)
Lance McCullers Jr. (2012)
Vincent Velasquez (2010)
Roberto Pena (2010)
Carlos Correa (2012)
Chase Davidson (2011)
Jonathan Meyer (2009)
Jiovanni Mier (2009)
Rio Ruiz (2012)
In addition to those players a few other players will be participating some since they reported early to camp. Two of those are former G-Stros Telvin Nash (2010) and Ruben Sosa (2011 & 12)
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Liga Paralela - The Minor Leagues in Venezuela
In Venezuela, there isn’t just the LVBP season going on . There is also the Liga Paralela, the
Venezuelan minor leagues. Here is an
update on the former G-Stros who are playing minor league winter ball.
MAGALLANES
Frederico Hernandez – Has started five games and is hitting
.227 in 22 at bats. He has played 1st
base in most of his games.
Ernesto Genoves – Has played in four games but started just
three. In 12 at bats, he has three hits
for a .250 batting average. One of those
hit was a home run. He has put in an
appearance at 3rd base in one game.
David Martinez – Has pitched in four games, three of them as
a starter. In 14 innings pitched, he has
yet to allow an earned run. He has
allowed just five hits and two walks for a 0.500 WHIP. He has fanned 8 of the 44 batters he has
faced.
Carlos Quevedo – Has pitched in relief in six games. He has given up five runs in nine innings
pitched but only one of those runs was earned.
So he is sporting a snazzy 1.00 ERA.
He has given up seven hits and fanned three batters.
CARACAS
Yuri (Juri) Perez – Has pitched in five games, three of them
as the starter. In 21 innings, he has given
up 20 hits and eight walks. He has
struck out 16 batters. His ERA is 3.86
NAVEGANTES
Luis Alvarez – Is hitting .282 in 12 games. He has three doubles and a home run. He has walked three times and has struck out
only three times in 39 at bats. He has
caught four out of six base thieves.
This is all that I can locate on the rosters. Just last year, Jose Altuve started winter ball in this league and he finished Winterball in the Venezuelan big leagues. Maybe the same will happen for a few of these guys this year.
This is all that I can locate on the rosters. Just last year, Jose Altuve started winter ball in this league and he finished Winterball in the Venezuelan big leagues. Maybe the same will happen for a few of these guys this year.
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