It has been a fun month of June. Several former G-Stros are making serious progress and the new bunch is winning games. Let's look at how the former Greeneville Astros did this month.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Pitcher of the Month - Vincent Velasquez made three starts in June and had a 1.76 ERA in 15 1/3 IP with 16 K. What makes this more impressive is these were his first three starts after missing all of 2011 with Tommy John surgery.
Honorable Mention - Juri Perez - two scoreless starts to start his second season in the NYPL. Jamaine Cotton - made five scoreless relief appearances before surrendering two runs on 6/30.
Hitter of the Month - There are only three former G-Stros on the roster in TriCities, none of which are setting the woods on fire. This months award goes to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .260 for the first 14 games of the season.
Lexington Legends
Pitcher of the Month - Murilo Gouvea had a stellar month out of the pen. Allowing just one earned run in 14 1/3 ip (10 games) with 14 strike outs. He only allowed five hits during that stretch but allowed 10 walks. His June ERA was 0.61.
Honorable Mention - Mike Foltynewicz amassed a 2.97 ERA in five starts. He had a rough outing to end the month, otherwise, he numbers would have been much stronger. Still 2.97 is not to shabby.
Hitter of the Month - I think those who follow Astros minor league ball would come after me with pitch forks and torches if I chose anyone but Delino DeShields Jr. as the Lexington hitter of the month. DDJ hit a solid .303 for the month. He also took 16 walks which helped boost his OPB to .407. He showed some pop with seven extra base hits and when he did find him self on first, he often managed to get to second via one of his 25 stolen bases.
Honorable Mentions - Chan Moon really appears to have put it together at the plate. The South Korean Shortstop hit .276 in June with a .403 OBP. Roberto Pena also had a solid June hitting .329 and hitting seven doubles during the month where he turned 20.
Lancaster JetHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Trinadad had a great month out of the pen. In eight games (seven relief and one start) he allowed 19 hits in 21 innings pitched. His ERA for the month was .043. His last appearance of the month was spreading seven hits over seven shut out innings in his third start of the year. His ERA as as start this season is 1.13
Honorable Mention - Pat Urckfitz who allowed four earned runs in 15 innings pitched for a 2.40 ERA in June.
Hitter of the Month - I normally put those who haven't played a full month in the Honorable Mention category but what Grant Hogue put together in limited playing time is impressive. He played the first nine games of the month and then missed about two weeks on the DL returning to get in for the final few games of the month. During his 11 games, Hogue hit .667 (21 out of 34). Hard to ignore that production.
Honorable Mention - Rafael Valenzuela hit .298 in 17 games with a .403 OBP. Rene Garcia hit .321 in 16 games. Ben Orloff hit .283 and had just four strike outs in 99 at bats during the month.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero is the easy choice this month. In five starts, he allowed just eight walks and eight earned runs while striking out 31 in 33 innings pitched. He allowed no home runs in June. He pitched a complete game two hitter on June 16th. He held opponents to a .215 batting average for the month.
Honorable Mention- Henry Villar pitched in 8 games (16 1/3 IP) in June with a 2.70 ERA. During that span, he fanned 16 while only issuing two free passes.
Hitter of the Month - Kody Hinze rebounded from a rough May (.106 in 22 games) to hit for a solid .306 in 24 games in June. Seven of his 22 hits in the month went for extra bases.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Vacant - there were no former G-Stros pitching in Oklahoma City in June except Fernando Abad who was on rehab assignment.
Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes is the only RedHawk who played in Greeneville but this award isn't given by default. Barnes has earned it! He hit .333 with nine doubles and three home runs in June. He also walked eight times and struck out just 18 in 108 at bats (28 games). If the 26 year old Barnes can keep this up, he might get a shot at the bigs in a September call up or as an injury replacement.
Minors Outside Astros System
Pitcher of the Month - Slingin Sammy Gervacio continues to tear up the Mexican League (unaffiliated AAA). In June, he appeared in 15 games (15 2/3 IP), issued just four walks and nine hits while fanning 23 batters. He earned 12 saves during the month.
Hitter of the Month - Albert Cartwright had a bounce back month after hitting below the Mendoza line for May, he hit .306 with four doubles and three home runs in the Florida State League (Phillies High A).
Major Leagues
Pitcher of the Month - While Jordan Lyles and Fernando Abad had good months, the best month by a former Greeneville Astro pitcher in the Majors was by Troy Patton of the Orioles. Patton appeared in 11 games (14 2/3 IP) in which he fanned 15 batters while allowing only nine hits and four walks. Opponents hit just .190 off Patton during the month.
Hitter of the Month - While you can debate my list choice, I don't think there is much of a debate when it comes to selecting Jose Altuve as the hitter of the month. During June, he hit .291 with five doubles and two home runs.
Quick break down of the number of former G-stros in the Astros system:
Tri Cities - 8
Lexington - 16
Lancaster - 17
Corpus Christi - 6
Oklahoma City - 1
Houston - 4
Showing posts with label Gervacio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gervacio. Show all posts
Monday, July 2, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: May 2012
Well, I have let June slip up on me and I haven't gotten the highlights from May wrapped up. Better late than never. We have two months of full season ball under our belts now, let's see who put up solid months in May.
Lexington Legends:
Hitter of the Month-
Last month, we gave the award to Alex Todd, he has absconded to Lancaster. In May, we are going to Delino DeShields Jr.. I know he only hit .252 in May but 1/3 of his hits went for extra bases. But it is more about what happened when he got on base. He stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in May. He had 32 total stolen bases in 36 attempts this season.
Honorable Mention: Chan Moon hit .283 in his first 13 games with Lexington and Jordan Scott who hit .270 for the month with nine doubles and two triples.
Pitcher of the Month-
Last month, the honor went the Mike Foltynewicz. He had another good month (3-0 with a 2.84 ERA) but Luis Cruz was better. He made five quality starts in the month and finished with a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings pitched. The little lefty looks like he is putting together a quality year in his third season in Lexington.
Honorable Mention: Folty and Carlos Quevedo who made nine appearances out of the pen (19 1/3 IP) and allowed just 3 earned runs (1.40 ERA). Also worth of a mention is Murilo Gouvea who made 11 relief appearances (16 IP) and struck out 19 batters while amassing a 2.25 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
Jonathan Meyer cooled off in May hitting just .265 and Telvin Nash hit a rough patch seeing his average plummet while his strike outs continued to climb. So this month, the Almni hitter of the month is Ben Orloff who hit .287 for May. He also had more walks than strike outs.
Honorable Mentions: Rafael Valenzuela who in limited playing time, hit .270 with eight of his 20 hits going for extra bases.
Pitcher of the Month
This month, we are going to the bullpen to give the award to Jose Trinidad. Trinidad pitched in 10 games in May. Eight were in relief and two were starts. In those appearances, he covered 22 1/3 innings pitched and only allowed 6 earned runs for an ERA of 2.42 for the month.
Honorable Mention to RJ Alaniz and Tyson Perez who both had good starts in May but also had a few where the game got away from them. But there was more good than bad.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Here we have another situation where the incumbent, Brandon Barnes, was promoted to the next level during the subsequent month; so he was not here to defend his stats as alumni of the month. There is not much to write home about with the remaining Greeneville alumni on the roster. However, in limited action, Chris Wallace put together a .273 average in seven games (8 at bats). With the struggles of other former G-Stros Hinze and McCurdy; Wallace is the best chose this month.
Pitcher of the Month
Ross Seaton was very good this May. In six starts, he pitched six plus innings in five of them and in those five, he did not give up more than three runs. His ERA for the month was 2.70. When you consider he was charged with four earned runs in his first start of the month; his solid ERA at the end of the month is more impressive.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Brandon Barnes brought his hitting with him to OKC. In the four games after he arrived late in the month, he hit .333 with five singles in fifteen at bats.
Pitcher of the Month
Jordan Lyles made three starts in OKC in May. His ERA over those starts was 3.68. It has been announced that he is in Houston to stay for the foreseeable future so this may be his last shot at AppyAstros Alumni of the month in AAA for a while.
Outside of the System - Minors
Hitter of the Month - Vacant
This section might be called dishonorable mention. No one stood out. Jordan Parraz went 0 for 16 in May before landing on the DL with a broken hand. Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma after hitting .228 in AA. J R Towles hit .231 for the month. Wlad Sutil hit .224 for May. Albert Cartwright couldn't get above .188 for the month. Amandeo Zazueta hit just .148. Koby Clemens was sent down to high A ball and then further down to a short season roster as the work with him on possible returning to catcher.
Pitcher of the Month
Sammy Gervacio appeared on the roster of the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican league in May. He appeared in nine games (10 IP) and maintained an ERA of just 1.80 and struck out 12 batters. The Mexican League is AAA but it is unaffiliated. It will be interesting to see if his pitching catches the attention of an affiliated team in the near future.
Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion continues his solid performance at the plate. He hit a solid .283 with six more walks. While this is down from April. It is still worthy of recognition.
Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton repeats as Pitcher of the Month. He was called on 11 times out of the Oriole bullpen and he responded with a 3.55 ERA and also started striking batters out more. After striking out just four in 10 innings in April, Patton fanned 16 in 12 2/3 innings pitched in May.
Lexington Legends:
Hitter of the Month-
Last month, we gave the award to Alex Todd, he has absconded to Lancaster. In May, we are going to Delino DeShields Jr.. I know he only hit .252 in May but 1/3 of his hits went for extra bases. But it is more about what happened when he got on base. He stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in May. He had 32 total stolen bases in 36 attempts this season.
Honorable Mention: Chan Moon hit .283 in his first 13 games with Lexington and Jordan Scott who hit .270 for the month with nine doubles and two triples.
Pitcher of the Month-
Last month, the honor went the Mike Foltynewicz. He had another good month (3-0 with a 2.84 ERA) but Luis Cruz was better. He made five quality starts in the month and finished with a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings pitched. The little lefty looks like he is putting together a quality year in his third season in Lexington.
Honorable Mention: Folty and Carlos Quevedo who made nine appearances out of the pen (19 1/3 IP) and allowed just 3 earned runs (1.40 ERA). Also worth of a mention is Murilo Gouvea who made 11 relief appearances (16 IP) and struck out 19 batters while amassing a 2.25 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
Jonathan Meyer cooled off in May hitting just .265 and Telvin Nash hit a rough patch seeing his average plummet while his strike outs continued to climb. So this month, the Almni hitter of the month is Ben Orloff who hit .287 for May. He also had more walks than strike outs.
Honorable Mentions: Rafael Valenzuela who in limited playing time, hit .270 with eight of his 20 hits going for extra bases.
Pitcher of the Month
This month, we are going to the bullpen to give the award to Jose Trinidad. Trinidad pitched in 10 games in May. Eight were in relief and two were starts. In those appearances, he covered 22 1/3 innings pitched and only allowed 6 earned runs for an ERA of 2.42 for the month.
Honorable Mention to RJ Alaniz and Tyson Perez who both had good starts in May but also had a few where the game got away from them. But there was more good than bad.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Here we have another situation where the incumbent, Brandon Barnes, was promoted to the next level during the subsequent month; so he was not here to defend his stats as alumni of the month. There is not much to write home about with the remaining Greeneville alumni on the roster. However, in limited action, Chris Wallace put together a .273 average in seven games (8 at bats). With the struggles of other former G-Stros Hinze and McCurdy; Wallace is the best chose this month.
Pitcher of the Month
Ross Seaton was very good this May. In six starts, he pitched six plus innings in five of them and in those five, he did not give up more than three runs. His ERA for the month was 2.70. When you consider he was charged with four earned runs in his first start of the month; his solid ERA at the end of the month is more impressive.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Brandon Barnes brought his hitting with him to OKC. In the four games after he arrived late in the month, he hit .333 with five singles in fifteen at bats.
Pitcher of the Month
Jordan Lyles made three starts in OKC in May. His ERA over those starts was 3.68. It has been announced that he is in Houston to stay for the foreseeable future so this may be his last shot at AppyAstros Alumni of the month in AAA for a while.
Outside of the System - Minors
Hitter of the Month - Vacant
This section might be called dishonorable mention. No one stood out. Jordan Parraz went 0 for 16 in May before landing on the DL with a broken hand. Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma after hitting .228 in AA. J R Towles hit .231 for the month. Wlad Sutil hit .224 for May. Albert Cartwright couldn't get above .188 for the month. Amandeo Zazueta hit just .148. Koby Clemens was sent down to high A ball and then further down to a short season roster as the work with him on possible returning to catcher.
Pitcher of the Month
Sammy Gervacio appeared on the roster of the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican league in May. He appeared in nine games (10 IP) and maintained an ERA of just 1.80 and struck out 12 batters. The Mexican League is AAA but it is unaffiliated. It will be interesting to see if his pitching catches the attention of an affiliated team in the near future.
Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion continues his solid performance at the plate. He hit a solid .283 with six more walks. While this is down from April. It is still worthy of recognition.
Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton repeats as Pitcher of the Month. He was called on 11 times out of the Oriole bullpen and he responded with a 3.55 ERA and also started striking batters out more. After striking out just four in 10 innings in April, Patton fanned 16 in 12 2/3 innings pitched in May.
Monday, February 13, 2012
New Uni's for old G-Stros
As spring training approaches, it looks like most teams have wrapped up their signing of minor league free agents. Baseball America has a great database tool this year to help keep up with where players have signed. Here are players who used to be G-Stros and where they have signed for 2012.
Jimmy Barthmaier - Nationals (re-signed)
Koby Clemens - Blue Jays
Victor Garate - Brewers
Juan Gutierrez - Royals
Jordan Parraz - Braves
Wlad Sutil - Diamondbacks
J.R. Towles - Twins
Still unsigned free agents:
Douglas Arguello
Sammy Gervacio
Brad James
Jhonny Medrano
Neil Sellers
Polin Trinidad
Of those left unsigned, Gervacio is the most surprising. He pitched in 11 games (6 2/3 IP) in the Dominican Winter League. His ERA was 6.43 in a very small sample size. He gave up eight of his 10 hits and all five runs in three outings (3 1/3 IP). He had no strike outs in those outings. In the other eight (3 1/3 IP), he gave up only two hits and struck out seven. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up in camp somewhere.
Jimmy Barthmaier - Nationals (re-signed)
Koby Clemens - Blue Jays
Victor Garate - Brewers
Juan Gutierrez - Royals
Jordan Parraz - Braves
Wlad Sutil - Diamondbacks
J.R. Towles - Twins
Still unsigned free agents:
Douglas Arguello
Sammy Gervacio
Brad James
Jhonny Medrano
Neil Sellers
Polin Trinidad
Of those left unsigned, Gervacio is the most surprising. He pitched in 11 games (6 2/3 IP) in the Dominican Winter League. His ERA was 6.43 in a very small sample size. He gave up eight of his 10 hits and all five runs in three outings (3 1/3 IP). He had no strike outs in those outings. In the other eight (3 1/3 IP), he gave up only two hits and struck out seven. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up in camp somewhere.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Former Appy Astros Who Are Now Minor League Free Agents
Baseball America released their list of the minor league free agents on Friday. There are a great number of former G-Stros who are on the list. Here are the ones whose careers are at a crossroads. Included are the year(s) they played in Greeneville and the organization they played in last season.
Sammy Gervacio (05 - Houston)
Brad James (05,06 - Houston)
JR Towles (04 - Houston)
Koby Clemens (05 - Houston)
Jhonny Medrano (10 - Houston)
Wlad Sutil (04 - Houston)
Victor Garate (05- Florida)
Neil Sellers (04 - Florida)
Jordan Parraz (04 - NY Yankees)
Polin Trinidad (05,06 - Texas)
Jimmy Barthmaier (04 - Washington)
Most of the ones on the list have had their shots at the AA level or higher. However Medrano has only been as high as Lexington (Low A). He was on the initial roster for the 2008 G-Stros and was bringing a fair amount of buzz with him. He blew his knee out at the first practice of the season in Greeneville. He missed all of 2008 and never fully regained his prospect status.
Some of these players will sign with an affiliated team to fill out the upper levels rosters. Some will choose to play in a foreign country. Some will play indy ball. Some of these players will hang their spikes up and walk away silently into the night. We will try to keep you informed on what happens to these players.
Sammy Gervacio (05 - Houston)
Brad James (05,06 - Houston)
JR Towles (04 - Houston)
Koby Clemens (05 - Houston)
Jhonny Medrano (10 - Houston)
Wlad Sutil (04 - Houston)
Victor Garate (05- Florida)
Neil Sellers (04 - Florida)
Jordan Parraz (04 - NY Yankees)
Polin Trinidad (05,06 - Texas)
Jimmy Barthmaier (04 - Washington)
Most of the ones on the list have had their shots at the AA level or higher. However Medrano has only been as high as Lexington (Low A). He was on the initial roster for the 2008 G-Stros and was bringing a fair amount of buzz with him. He blew his knee out at the first practice of the season in Greeneville. He missed all of 2008 and never fully regained his prospect status.
Some of these players will sign with an affiliated team to fill out the upper levels rosters. Some will choose to play in a foreign country. Some will play indy ball. Some of these players will hang their spikes up and walk away silently into the night. We will try to keep you informed on what happens to these players.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
2005 Greeneville Astros Progress Report
A few weeks back, we looked at the 2004 team and who was still active. Today, let's look back at the 2005 edition of the G-Stros and see who is still around and how they fared in 2011.
There are seven players who are still in affiliated ball from the 35 players who appeared on the 2005 Greeneville Astros roster. That means 20% were still in affiliated ball in 2011. Most of these aren't the names I would have listed after the 2005 season. The Baseball America 2005 top 20 Appy League prospects had four members of the 2005 G-Stros on the list. The only one still playing affliiated ball today is Koby Clemens (16). Those who were on the list that aren't around any more are Josh Flores (8), Eli Iorg (14), and Ryan Mitchell (19).
Koby Clemens - Clemens was the big name of the 2005 draft class. Some said he was drafted as a favor to his father Roger Clemens but Koby quickly let it be known that he was a decent ball player in his own right. This was the year the senior Clemens was only traveling with the Houston Astros when he was pitching. Therefore there were several sightings of Roger Clemens at Pioneer Park and the local Wal Mart. 2005 was Clemens only season in Greeneville. He moved up the ladder showing progress and working to find a position that worked for him. He started at 3rd, moved to Catcher and LF before finally landing at 1st. He found the thin air of the California league to his liking and had a break out year in 2009. His average dropped almost .100 points in the move from the Cal League to the Texas League in 2010 but he still hit 26 HR on the season. That warranted a move to AAA for 2011. There he hit .234 with 16 home runs.
He will turn 25 in the off season. He is still working on his versatility in the field which is more important with Brett Wallace ahead of him on the depth chart and Kody Hinze and Jonathon Singleton behind him at 1st base.
Ralph Henriquez - Ralphie (as he was known then) was the Astros' 2nd round pick in 2005. He spent the first of two years in Greeneville in 2005. He was a fan favorite because of his willingness to spend time with kids. After the 2007 season, he was traded for to the Mets for a minor league pitcher, Josh Appell. After two seasons with the Mets organization, he signed as a free agent with the Mariners organization. This appears to have been a good move for Henriquez as he got his first taste of AA ball in 2010. In 2011, he spent time at three different levels, though he only spent one game at high A High Desert before going to the Jackson Generals of the Southern League. In Jackson, Ralph hit just .196 and threw out 24% of base stealers in 39 games. In late June, he moved up to AAA Tacoma of the PCL. His found more success there. He hit a respectable .256 and threw out 30% of base stealers in 37 games.
Henriquez will turn 25 right at the start of the 2012 season. He is showing improvement despite a slow start that saw him in short season ball for at least part of every season from 2005 to 2009. He is currently looking like a career organizational player but you never know. Many folks thought he would be out of affiliated ball by now.
Since we are talking about Ralph, you can't mention his career with out the including the classic at bat in 2008 against Pat Venditte. Switch hitter verses switch pitcher.
Brandon Barnes - Barnes was the 6th round pick in 2005. He like Henriquez spent two season in Greeneville. Barnes took up baseball late and was primarily a football player in High School. He was seen as someone with good athleticism and power but very raw. He had a bit of a break out year in 2007 at Tri Cities where he was named the team MVP. After spending 2008 in Lexington, he made three different stops in 2009. He especially enjoyed Lancaster. During the 2009 and 2010 season, he combined for 39 HR. That is more than half of his career total of 77 round trippers. After 2010, he spent some tie in the Arizona Fall League. This year, he started in Corpus Christi (AA) but was quickly moved to AAA Oklahoma City. He didn't fare well there and was sent back to Corpus Christi in July. In Corpus Christiy, he played all three outfield positions and also played three games at second base. He hit .286 with an OPS of .788 while on the Texas coast. At AAA Oklahoma City, he hit 197 with an OPS of .696. He played almost exclusively in CF for the RedHawks.
Barnes will be 25 for another month when the season starts next year. I expect he will be in AAA to start the 2012 season.
Victor Garate - Garate showed promise in Greeneville. He struck out 53 batters in 32 1/3 IP out of the pen but walked more batters (26) than he allowed on base via hits (21). The questions could he learn control. He made huge progress in 2006 in Tri Cities where his ERA dropped to 0.92. Yet he struggled with walks again in Lexington and was sent back to Tri Cities to finish in 2007. He was left off a AA or AAA roster in the offs eason and the Dodgers nabbed him in the minor league section of the rule 5 draft.He made solid progress for them and was traded to the Nationals in 2009 out of AA as a player to be named later in the Ronnie Belliard trade. Washington brought him right to the big leagues and he made four appearances in the end of the 2009 season. He didn't wow anyone with his performance and spent 2010 between AA and AAA in the Washington organization. In 2011, he signed with the Marlins and had an impressive campaign with the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA). He appeared in 43 games (56 1/3 IP) and had a 2.72 ERA. During the year, he struck out 59 batters, walked 34 and allowed 44 hits and five home runs.
I was a bit surprised he didn't get a September call up based on the numbers he put up. He will be 27 when the season begins and if he continues to do the quality of work he did last season, he should be getting another shot a the majors.
Sammy Gervacio - Gervacio or "Slingin' Sammy" as I like to call him, was the closer for the 2005 G-Stros. He collected eight saves that season. He spent 2006 in Lexington before climbing two levels a year in 2007 and 2008. He ended 2009 with a late season call up to Houston. He took advantage of his opprotunity and had a solid 2.14 ERA over 29 games (21 IP). He started 2010 in the Astros bullpen but rotator cuff surgery ended his 2010 season and cut into his 2011 season. This year he started his climb back to the majors in Corpus Christi in May. In 8 games there (13 IP) he put up a 1.38 ERA and was promoted to AAA to finish the year. In Oklahoma City, he appeared in 28 games with a 4.01 ERA.
Gervacio will be 27 when the season starts next year. Shoulder injuries often drop velocity and make pitchers have to learn to pitch differently. Gervacio is playing winter ball for Licey in the Dominican. How he does there might impact where he starts 2012.
Brad James - Yes was still on a roster this year. Brad James spent two summers in Greeneville. He then rode his sinking fast ball on a fast track to AA in 2007. He spent 2008 and 2009 there. He missed all of 2010 with a shoulder injury and made a brief comeback this season. He was shut down in July. At 27, James time is running out. I would be surprised if he is on a roster next spring.
Polin Trinidad - Trinidad spent both 05 and 06 in Greeneville as well. He think climbed the Astros ladder and was at AAA in 2010 when he was released. The Cubs picked him up in the off season but released him in early 2011. He was picked up by the A's and finished the year at AA Midland where he amassed a 6.91 ERA in 18 games/9 starts. Trinidad will be 27 when next season begins. Being a lefty, he might make it on someones roster. He is playing winter ball in the Dominican for Estrellas de Oriente.
There are seven players who are still in affiliated ball from the 35 players who appeared on the 2005 Greeneville Astros roster. That means 20% were still in affiliated ball in 2011. Most of these aren't the names I would have listed after the 2005 season. The Baseball America 2005 top 20 Appy League prospects had four members of the 2005 G-Stros on the list. The only one still playing affliiated ball today is Koby Clemens (16). Those who were on the list that aren't around any more are Josh Flores (8), Eli Iorg (14), and Ryan Mitchell (19).
Koby Clemens - Clemens was the big name of the 2005 draft class. Some said he was drafted as a favor to his father Roger Clemens but Koby quickly let it be known that he was a decent ball player in his own right. This was the year the senior Clemens was only traveling with the Houston Astros when he was pitching. Therefore there were several sightings of Roger Clemens at Pioneer Park and the local Wal Mart. 2005 was Clemens only season in Greeneville. He moved up the ladder showing progress and working to find a position that worked for him. He started at 3rd, moved to Catcher and LF before finally landing at 1st. He found the thin air of the California league to his liking and had a break out year in 2009. His average dropped almost .100 points in the move from the Cal League to the Texas League in 2010 but he still hit 26 HR on the season. That warranted a move to AAA for 2011. There he hit .234 with 16 home runs.
He will turn 25 in the off season. He is still working on his versatility in the field which is more important with Brett Wallace ahead of him on the depth chart and Kody Hinze and Jonathon Singleton behind him at 1st base.
Ralph Henriquez - Ralphie (as he was known then) was the Astros' 2nd round pick in 2005. He spent the first of two years in Greeneville in 2005. He was a fan favorite because of his willingness to spend time with kids. After the 2007 season, he was traded for to the Mets for a minor league pitcher, Josh Appell. After two seasons with the Mets organization, he signed as a free agent with the Mariners organization. This appears to have been a good move for Henriquez as he got his first taste of AA ball in 2010. In 2011, he spent time at three different levels, though he only spent one game at high A High Desert before going to the Jackson Generals of the Southern League. In Jackson, Ralph hit just .196 and threw out 24% of base stealers in 39 games. In late June, he moved up to AAA Tacoma of the PCL. His found more success there. He hit a respectable .256 and threw out 30% of base stealers in 37 games.
Henriquez will turn 25 right at the start of the 2012 season. He is showing improvement despite a slow start that saw him in short season ball for at least part of every season from 2005 to 2009. He is currently looking like a career organizational player but you never know. Many folks thought he would be out of affiliated ball by now.
Brandon Barnes - Barnes was the 6th round pick in 2005. He like Henriquez spent two season in Greeneville. Barnes took up baseball late and was primarily a football player in High School. He was seen as someone with good athleticism and power but very raw. He had a bit of a break out year in 2007 at Tri Cities where he was named the team MVP. After spending 2008 in Lexington, he made three different stops in 2009. He especially enjoyed Lancaster. During the 2009 and 2010 season, he combined for 39 HR. That is more than half of his career total of 77 round trippers. After 2010, he spent some tie in the Arizona Fall League. This year, he started in Corpus Christi (AA) but was quickly moved to AAA Oklahoma City. He didn't fare well there and was sent back to Corpus Christi in July. In Corpus Christiy, he played all three outfield positions and also played three games at second base. He hit .286 with an OPS of .788 while on the Texas coast. At AAA Oklahoma City, he hit 197 with an OPS of .696. He played almost exclusively in CF for the RedHawks.
Barnes will be 25 for another month when the season starts next year. I expect he will be in AAA to start the 2012 season.
Victor Garate - Garate showed promise in Greeneville. He struck out 53 batters in 32 1/3 IP out of the pen but walked more batters (26) than he allowed on base via hits (21). The questions could he learn control. He made huge progress in 2006 in Tri Cities where his ERA dropped to 0.92. Yet he struggled with walks again in Lexington and was sent back to Tri Cities to finish in 2007. He was left off a AA or AAA roster in the offs eason and the Dodgers nabbed him in the minor league section of the rule 5 draft.He made solid progress for them and was traded to the Nationals in 2009 out of AA as a player to be named later in the Ronnie Belliard trade. Washington brought him right to the big leagues and he made four appearances in the end of the 2009 season. He didn't wow anyone with his performance and spent 2010 between AA and AAA in the Washington organization. In 2011, he signed with the Marlins and had an impressive campaign with the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA). He appeared in 43 games (56 1/3 IP) and had a 2.72 ERA. During the year, he struck out 59 batters, walked 34 and allowed 44 hits and five home runs.
I was a bit surprised he didn't get a September call up based on the numbers he put up. He will be 27 when the season begins and if he continues to do the quality of work he did last season, he should be getting another shot a the majors.
Sammy Gervacio - Gervacio or "Slingin' Sammy" as I like to call him, was the closer for the 2005 G-Stros. He collected eight saves that season. He spent 2006 in Lexington before climbing two levels a year in 2007 and 2008. He ended 2009 with a late season call up to Houston. He took advantage of his opprotunity and had a solid 2.14 ERA over 29 games (21 IP). He started 2010 in the Astros bullpen but rotator cuff surgery ended his 2010 season and cut into his 2011 season. This year he started his climb back to the majors in Corpus Christi in May. In 8 games there (13 IP) he put up a 1.38 ERA and was promoted to AAA to finish the year. In Oklahoma City, he appeared in 28 games with a 4.01 ERA.
Gervacio will be 27 when the season starts next year. Shoulder injuries often drop velocity and make pitchers have to learn to pitch differently. Gervacio is playing winter ball for Licey in the Dominican. How he does there might impact where he starts 2012.
Brad James - Yes was still on a roster this year. Brad James spent two summers in Greeneville. He then rode his sinking fast ball on a fast track to AA in 2007. He spent 2008 and 2009 there. He missed all of 2010 with a shoulder injury and made a brief comeback this season. He was shut down in July. At 27, James time is running out. I would be surprised if he is on a roster next spring.
Polin Trinidad - Trinidad spent both 05 and 06 in Greeneville as well. He think climbed the Astros ladder and was at AAA in 2010 when he was released. The Cubs picked him up in the off season but released him in early 2011. He was picked up by the A's and finished the year at AA Midland where he amassed a 6.91 ERA in 18 games/9 starts. Trinidad will be 27 when next season begins. Being a lefty, he might make it on someones roster. He is playing winter ball in the Dominican for Estrellas de Oriente.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Altuve Makes Eleven
#1 RHP Juan Gutierrez
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/19/2007 with Houston Astros
#2 LHP Troy PattonGreeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/25/2007 with Houston Astros
#3 RHP Felipe Paulino
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
#4 C J.R. TowlesGreeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
#5 RHP Jimmy Barthmaier
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 6/27/2008 with Pittsburgh Pirates
#6 RHP Sammy GervacioGreeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 8/14/2009 with Houston Astros
#7 LHP Victor Garate
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 9/5/2009 with Washington Nationals
#8 LHP Fernando AbadGreeneville Astros: 2007
MLB Debut: 7/28/2010 with Houston Astros
#9 RHP Henry Villar
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 9/10/2010 with Houston Astros
#10 RHP Jordan Lyles
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 5/31/11 with Houston Astros
#11 2nd Jose Altuve
Greeneville Astros: 2008-09
MLB Debut: 7/20/11 with Houston Astros
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
May AppyAstros Alumni of the Month
It has been a busy month. Unfortunately my business interfered with my hobby of writing about the former Greeneville Astros. So to get me caught up and the start fresh for June, let's look back at the month of May and decide who are the G-Stro Alumni who had a strong May. This month's report is brought to you by the letters D & L.
Lexington
Alumni Hitter of the Month: This time last month, we were talking about the exploits of Chris Wallace and Telvin Nash. Well, Wallace hit only .221 in May to bring his average down to the low .300's. Nash broke the hamate bone in his hand/wrist and had to have surgery. He missed most of the month on the DL. The man for the month of May was Emilio King. Yes, the guy who only hit .210 in 63 games for the G-Stros last year has made a splash in Lexington. He broke out with a huge debut game, going 3 for 4 and falling a 3B short of the cycle. He has continued his hot streak, hitting in 15 of the 21 games he has played. He has had 9 multi hit games after only having 12 total last year. He has dropped is K rate from once every three times at bat to once every six times at bat. Meanwhile, he has only walked twice which is way down from the 1 in 16 plate appearances last year. I know that drop will concern some folks but when your average is .400 and your OBP is .438; I will let you swing the bat.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: This month's award goes to Mike Foltyenwicz. He earned not just his first but also his second career win. After a rough start to the month, he bounced back with three solid outings. In his last three outings, he went a combined 18 IP, giving up just two earned runs, while striking out 12.
Last months Alumni of the Month, Gabriel Garcia, had a rough outing to start the month and then landed on the DL. Since his return, he is back to his dominate ways out of the pen. He is give up just three hits and no runs in his four outings (5 2/3 IP) since his return. He now has 26 K in 23 IP.
Honorable Mention was going to Jorge DeLeon who has moved into the closer role in Lexington. He was slated finished the month with four saves and a 0.90 ERA in 6 appearances. But he blew his save tonight giving up three runs in one inning pitched.
Lancaster
Alumni Hitter of the Month: Anyone who has a fleeting interest in Astros minor league baseball can tell where this award is heading. Jose Altuve is leading all of Minor League Baseball with a .408 average and 87 hits. His seven triples also leads the California League. And just so you don't think he rode his hot April to get here, for the month of May, he hit .388/.424/.570. He has finished the month very hot, hitting .488 in his last 10 games.
Honorable Mention: These guys had a good month of May, they just happened to have the misfortune of being on Jose Altuve's team. Grant Hogue got consistent playing time and hit .360 for the month. He also got on base at a .443 clip. Rene Garcia saw his bat heat up in May. He hit .350 for the month. His OBP was .426 for May. His average at the end of May is .284. It was .214 at the end of April. Kody Hinze also deserves some recognition. The slugging first baseman hit .319 for the month, with 5 HR and 8 doubles. He also took 25 walks to bring home a healthy . 472 OBP for the month.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: The DL has played a prominent role in this months report. That continues as the AppyAstros Alumni of the month for Lancaster is Colton Pitkin, who ended the month on the DL. The big lefty made 10 appearances in the month of May. In the first nine, he only allowed 1 run over 13 1/3 IP. The last outing of the month, he gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning and promptly went on the DL.
Keeping an eye on: Jose Cisnero continues to be consistently inconsistent. He he went 2-2 for the month of May with a 3.90 ERA. He had three great starts combining for 21 2/3 IP, 8 hits, 3 ER, 7 BB and 27 strike outs. In his other three starts, he went a combined 10 2/3 IP, 14 hits, 11ER, 10 BB and 7 strike outs.
Corpus Christi
Lexington
Alumni Hitter of the Month: This time last month, we were talking about the exploits of Chris Wallace and Telvin Nash. Well, Wallace hit only .221 in May to bring his average down to the low .300's. Nash broke the hamate bone in his hand/wrist and had to have surgery. He missed most of the month on the DL. The man for the month of May was Emilio King. Yes, the guy who only hit .210 in 63 games for the G-Stros last year has made a splash in Lexington. He broke out with a huge debut game, going 3 for 4 and falling a 3B short of the cycle. He has continued his hot streak, hitting in 15 of the 21 games he has played. He has had 9 multi hit games after only having 12 total last year. He has dropped is K rate from once every three times at bat to once every six times at bat. Meanwhile, he has only walked twice which is way down from the 1 in 16 plate appearances last year. I know that drop will concern some folks but when your average is .400 and your OBP is .438; I will let you swing the bat.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: This month's award goes to Mike Foltyenwicz. He earned not just his first but also his second career win. After a rough start to the month, he bounced back with three solid outings. In his last three outings, he went a combined 18 IP, giving up just two earned runs, while striking out 12.
Last months Alumni of the Month, Gabriel Garcia, had a rough outing to start the month and then landed on the DL. Since his return, he is back to his dominate ways out of the pen. He is give up just three hits and no runs in his four outings (5 2/3 IP) since his return. He now has 26 K in 23 IP.
Honorable Mention was going to Jorge DeLeon who has moved into the closer role in Lexington. He was slated finished the month with four saves and a 0.90 ERA in 6 appearances. But he blew his save tonight giving up three runs in one inning pitched.
Lancaster
Alumni Hitter of the Month: Anyone who has a fleeting interest in Astros minor league baseball can tell where this award is heading. Jose Altuve is leading all of Minor League Baseball with a .408 average and 87 hits. His seven triples also leads the California League. And just so you don't think he rode his hot April to get here, for the month of May, he hit .388/.424/.570. He has finished the month very hot, hitting .488 in his last 10 games.
Honorable Mention: These guys had a good month of May, they just happened to have the misfortune of being on Jose Altuve's team. Grant Hogue got consistent playing time and hit .360 for the month. He also got on base at a .443 clip. Rene Garcia saw his bat heat up in May. He hit .350 for the month. His OBP was .426 for May. His average at the end of May is .284. It was .214 at the end of April. Kody Hinze also deserves some recognition. The slugging first baseman hit .319 for the month, with 5 HR and 8 doubles. He also took 25 walks to bring home a healthy . 472 OBP for the month.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: The DL has played a prominent role in this months report. That continues as the AppyAstros Alumni of the month for Lancaster is Colton Pitkin, who ended the month on the DL. The big lefty made 10 appearances in the month of May. In the first nine, he only allowed 1 run over 13 1/3 IP. The last outing of the month, he gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning and promptly went on the DL.
Keeping an eye on: Jose Cisnero continues to be consistently inconsistent. He he went 2-2 for the month of May with a 3.90 ERA. He had three great starts combining for 21 2/3 IP, 8 hits, 3 ER, 7 BB and 27 strike outs. In his other three starts, he went a combined 10 2/3 IP, 14 hits, 11ER, 10 BB and 7 strike outs.
Corpus Christi
Alumni Hitter of the Month: There are not that many former G-Stro batters on the roster of the Hooks at this time. With Brandon Barnes promotion to Oklahoma City; that just leaves J.D. Martinez, Wlad Sutil & Frederico Hernandez. Of those three, J. D. Martinez had the best month, despite spending about half of it on the DL with a hamstring issue. He hit .275 for May with just two extra base hits in 14 games. He did walk (10) more than he struck out (8) for the month.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: May wasn't kind to the former G-Stros pitching for the hooks. Greenwalt took a trip back to extended spring training. Leon, Urckfitz and Seaton all saw their numbers rise. The only highlight was the return of Slinging Sammy Gervacio from the an injury that ended his season early last year. He has made two appearances in late May going 3 IP and allowing 1 run.
Oklahoma City
Alumni Hitter of the Month: Again there are not many former G-Stros on the AAA roster. Only Brandon Barnes and Koby Clemens are representing the G. Barnes had a solid month. He hit just over .240 but 20 of his 27 hits were for extra bases. He hit 7 home runs and took the team lead in that category despite arriving in late April.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: Jordan Lyles has settled down and had a solid May for OKC. Four of his five starts were deemed quality starts (6 or more IP with 3 or less runs allowed). His ERA for May was 2.81. He earned a call up to get two starts in the place of the injured Wandy Rodriguez who was placed on the 15 day DL.
Outside the Astros Organization
Alumni Hitter of the Month: Marcus Nidiffer got the call up to Cedar Rapids of the Midwest League. Since his call up in the middle of the month, he has hit .310.
Alumni Pitcher of the Month: As good as Victor Garate was in April, he was just a little better in May. He appeared in 10 games, throwing in 14 1/3 innings. He allowed just 8 hits and walked 7 batters but fanned 18. All the while, just allowing one earned run. He has only allowed two this season in 27 1/3 IP. This gives him a season ERA of 0.66
MLB
Alumni of the Month: Since there is only one position player in the bigs who played in Greeneville (Towles); we will combine the award for the major league level. Based on his performance tonight, we announce that Jordan Lyles is also the Alumni for the Month in the MLB division. He pitched well in his debut at Wrigley tonight; going 7 innings and allowing just one earned run. He also was 1 for 3 at the plate.
Besides the Lyles debut, there was one other call up during the month of May. Troy Patton was called up briefly by the Orioles. When he was sent back down, he was taken off the 40 man roster. He cleared waivers and is back in Norfolk waiting another call back up. He had a 2.57 ERA in Norfolk this May. He also spent part of the month on the DL.
In other alumni news, Felipe Paulino was traded from the Rockies to the Royals. He has made one relief appearance for the Royals and will make his first start for them on tonight against the Angels.
In other alumni news, Felipe Paulino was traded from the Rockies to the Royals. He has made one relief appearance for the Royals and will make his first start for them on tonight against the Angels.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Folty Gives G'ville Some Love, DeSheilds in Some Trouble & Other News
Just read MILB.com's 10 questions with Mike Foltynewicz. He talks about his experiences in Greeneville this summer and does a decent job of summing up what it is like playing in Greeneville.
Sunday, DeLino DeShields was arrested in Athens, Georgia for DUI, underage position of alcohol and going the wrong way on a one way street. He released a statement today on his facebook page & twitter feed that said:
Gervacio Having Shoulder Cleaned Out
Sammy Gervacio will have debris removed from his shoulder and bicep on Friday. He was removed from the 40 man roster and signed to a minor league contract this year because of injury concerns during the off season. He should miss the first two months of the season.
Transaction News
Phil Rorabaugh was released by the Astros earlier this month. I will always remember Phil as one of the Florida boys who had the gumption to do the Gator Chomp while RockyTop played during the 7th inning stretch at Pioneer Park. He was signed as a NDFA in 2009.
Tom Vassella played for Greeneville back in 2006. He was released by the Astros in 2008. He then went to indy ball. He played for two teams in the Frontier League before finishing 2010 with the Laredo Broncos of the United Baseball League. There he was teammates with former 1st round draft pick Wade Townsend and former major leaguers Ozzie & Jose Canseco. According to Baseball America's transaction page, Tom is back in affiliated ball with the San Fransisco Giants.
There wasn't really much to do in Greeneville, but they had one of the nicest and fields in the league and the highest average crowd. [The front office] really knew what they were doing and I was thankful to be there. Overall, I had a fun time. [The Appalachian League] is a good league and I liked being there.He also talked about what caused the turn around after his the one awful outing he had on August 6th when he gave up 7 runs in 2 1/3 IP. After that outing, he only allowed one earned run in his last 18 2/3 IP.
My first start wasn't bad, but in a couple after that, I was really tense. I was throwing the crap out of the ball, but not pinpointing my location. In the middle of the year, I started telling myself that this is just like anything else. It was pitching a baseball, just like I did in high school. I needed to relax, in order to hit my spots like I know I can.DeLino DeShields Arrested
Sunday, DeLino DeShields was arrested in Athens, Georgia for DUI, underage position of alcohol and going the wrong way on a one way street. He released a statement today on his facebook page & twitter feed that said:
Delino is a bright young man who is very aware of how people look up to him. People make mistakes. He is fortunate that this was just an embarrassing mistake and not one that cost him or someone else their life. Driving under the influence is serious. I expect that the his family, the Astros front office & others are making sure he has a clear understanding of this."I take the responsibility of being a role model seriously and apologize to my fans, my community and the Astros organization, who continue to support my family and I during this unfortunate incident. I look forward to putting this matter behind me and sincerely appreciate the respect of privacy during this personal matter."
Gervacio Having Shoulder Cleaned Out
Sammy Gervacio will have debris removed from his shoulder and bicep on Friday. He was removed from the 40 man roster and signed to a minor league contract this year because of injury concerns during the off season. He should miss the first two months of the season.
Transaction News
Phil Rorabaugh was released by the Astros earlier this month. I will always remember Phil as one of the Florida boys who had the gumption to do the Gator Chomp while RockyTop played during the 7th inning stretch at Pioneer Park. He was signed as a NDFA in 2009.
Tom Vassella played for Greeneville back in 2006. He was released by the Astros in 2008. He then went to indy ball. He played for two teams in the Frontier League before finishing 2010 with the Laredo Broncos of the United Baseball League. There he was teammates with former 1st round draft pick Wade Townsend and former major leaguers Ozzie & Jose Canseco. According to Baseball America's transaction page, Tom is back in affiliated ball with the San Fransisco Giants.
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."
Friday, December 3, 2010
Gervacio Not Tendered A Contract, Drew Saylor Update
Yesterday was the deadline for MLB teams to tender contracts to players for the coming year. Sammy Gervacio was not tendered a contract. Gervacio, who played for Greeenville in 2005, had been injured for much of the 2010 season and that factored into the decision. Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle gives this explanation:
All reports are that the Astros will try to sign Gervacio to a non roster contract, but he is now a free agent and eligible to sign with any MLB team. He has not pitched since May. He is on the roster for Licey in the Dominican Winter League but has not pitched in a game.
Drew Saylor Retires
In 2007, Drew Saylor, was signed by the Astros after his release by the Marlins organization and assigned to Greeneville. He only appeared in 6 games was released after the season and had been playing indy ball in the Frontier League. Last season, he won the Citizenship award for his work in the community while playing for the Lake Erie Crushers. I saw in the transactions this week that he had retired and found a story to confirm it. Saylor was also an assistant coach at Cleveland State University last season.
MLB rules state that had he continued to be affected by the injury in spring training and did not make the club, he would have to be placed on the major league disabled list and command a major league salary.
All reports are that the Astros will try to sign Gervacio to a non roster contract, but he is now a free agent and eligible to sign with any MLB team. He has not pitched since May. He is on the roster for Licey in the Dominican Winter League but has not pitched in a game.
Drew Saylor Retires
In 2007, Drew Saylor, was signed by the Astros after his release by the Marlins organization and assigned to Greeneville. He only appeared in 6 games was released after the season and had been playing indy ball in the Frontier League. Last season, he won the Citizenship award for his work in the community while playing for the Lake Erie Crushers. I saw in the transactions this week that he had retired and found a story to confirm it. Saylor was also an assistant coach at Cleveland State University last season.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
2005 Greeneville Astros - Who is still around?
Last week, we looked at the 2004 Greeneville Astros and what has happened to their baseball careers. Today, we will pull up the roster from the 2005 season.
The 2005 season was a season of hope. A bunch of high draft picks were sent to Greeneville: Eli Iorg (1st round Supplemental), Ralphie Henriquez (2nd round), Josh Flores (4th round), Brandon Barnes (6th round), Timmy Johnson (7th round), Koby Clemens (8th round) and Allen Langdon (10th round). Iorg was the son & nephew of major league players and had played college ball at nearby Tennessee. Koby's dad spent a great deal of time at the park and kept the buzz going all year long. One night, you had Eli's dad, Koby's dad & Frank Viola, whose son was on the Bristol White Sox, all in the park on one night.
Add to those guys two pitchers who made some noise, Ryan Mitchell who made the BA top 20 that season and Matt Hirsh whose older brother was a top prospect in the system at the time. It was an exciting year. Let's see what has happened in the five years since then. Was the buzz warranted?
First of all there were 35 players on the roster in 2005. Four of those players were repeats from 2004. Those repeaters were Brad James, Antonio Garcia, David Katy, & Ryan Reed. Of the 35 players who were on the roster at some point in 2005, eight of them are still current. That comes to 23% still active in affiliated ball. That is a lower percentage of players in affiliated ball than the 2004 team (28%) and the 2004 team has played one more year of ball.
Here is a list of the eight players and the level & system with which they finished 2010. Those in bold have seen MLB time.
Brandon Barnes - AAA (Hou)
Koby Clemens - AA (Hou)
Jhon Florintino - AA (Hou)
Ralphie Henriquez - High A (Seattle)
Victor Garate - AAA (Wash)
Sammy Gervacio - AAA (Hou)
Brad James - AA(DL) (Hou)
Polin Trinadad - AA (Hou)
Here are some nuggets on the rest of the guys. Eighteen of the 35 (52%) never made it higher than Lexington (Low A ball). By comparison the 2004 squad had 17 out of 36 (47%) whose careers stalled at Low A.
As you can see above, two guys made it for a cup of coffee in the big leagues, compared to five from 2004. Four others made it as far as AAA (Iorg, Trinidad, Barnes, & Henriquez)as the high point in their career, which is the same number as 2004.
For a class that started out full of hope, there has been some significant disappointments. Significant injuries played a part in some of them (Iorg, Flores & Jose Lopez) not making it further up the ladder. There have also been rumblings of personality issues that lead to some of the lack of success.But you can't take all the blame away from those who scouted and drafted the players. As we look back at this next year, I expect the 2005 class of Greeneville Astros will have fallen even further behind the 2004 class.
The 2005 season was a season of hope. A bunch of high draft picks were sent to Greeneville: Eli Iorg (1st round Supplemental), Ralphie Henriquez (2nd round), Josh Flores (4th round), Brandon Barnes (6th round), Timmy Johnson (7th round), Koby Clemens (8th round) and Allen Langdon (10th round). Iorg was the son & nephew of major league players and had played college ball at nearby Tennessee. Koby's dad spent a great deal of time at the park and kept the buzz going all year long. One night, you had Eli's dad, Koby's dad & Frank Viola, whose son was on the Bristol White Sox, all in the park on one night.
Add to those guys two pitchers who made some noise, Ryan Mitchell who made the BA top 20 that season and Matt Hirsh whose older brother was a top prospect in the system at the time. It was an exciting year. Let's see what has happened in the five years since then. Was the buzz warranted?
First of all there were 35 players on the roster in 2005. Four of those players were repeats from 2004. Those repeaters were Brad James, Antonio Garcia, David Katy, & Ryan Reed. Of the 35 players who were on the roster at some point in 2005, eight of them are still current. That comes to 23% still active in affiliated ball. That is a lower percentage of players in affiliated ball than the 2004 team (28%) and the 2004 team has played one more year of ball.
Here is a list of the eight players and the level & system with which they finished 2010. Those in bold have seen MLB time.
Brandon Barnes - AAA (Hou)
Koby Clemens - AA (Hou)
Jhon Florintino - AA (Hou)
Ralphie Henriquez - High A (Seattle)
Victor Garate - AAA (Wash)
Sammy Gervacio - AAA (Hou)
Brad James - AA(DL) (Hou)
Polin Trinadad - AA (Hou)
Here are some nuggets on the rest of the guys. Eighteen of the 35 (52%) never made it higher than Lexington (Low A ball). By comparison the 2004 squad had 17 out of 36 (47%) whose careers stalled at Low A.
As you can see above, two guys made it for a cup of coffee in the big leagues, compared to five from 2004. Four others made it as far as AAA (Iorg, Trinidad, Barnes, & Henriquez)as the high point in their career, which is the same number as 2004.
For a class that started out full of hope, there has been some significant disappointments. Significant injuries played a part in some of them (Iorg, Flores & Jose Lopez) not making it further up the ladder. There have also been rumblings of personality issues that lead to some of the lack of success.But you can't take all the blame away from those who scouted and drafted the players. As we look back at this next year, I expect the 2005 class of Greeneville Astros will have fallen even further behind the 2004 class.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Extreme Fatigue - Dom. Edition
I have found a list of players on the Fatigue list for the Dominican Republic Winter League. Here are the Astros who are listed:
Alberto Arias
Sammy Gervacio
Enerio del Rosario
Wandy Rodriguez
Alberto Arias
Sammy Gervacio
Enerio del Rosario
Wandy Rodriguez
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