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 Hinze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hinze. Show all posts
Monday, July 2, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: April 2012
Each month of the season, I will select a former Greeneville Astros player who had the best month at each level of the organization. I will also select one for outside the organization. Let's get started with our review of April:
Lexington Legends:
Hitter of the Month- Alex Todd
Todd hit an even .300 in 18 games (70 AB) in the month. He was a road warrior hitting. 438 on the road.
Pitcher of the Month- Mike Foltynewicz
Folty was solid in his five starts (27 1/3 IP). He finished the month with a 1.98 ERA, which was good for 8th best in the league. He fanned 27 batters this month.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month - Jonathan Meyer
While Telvin Nash has gotten attention for his Home Runs (9 in the month), Meyer has quietly put together an all around good month. He hit .309 with four doubles, two triples and two HR.
Honorable Mentions: Telvin Nash & Jio Mier
Pitcher of the Month - Rubin (RJ) Alaniz
Pitching in Lancaster is not for the faint of heart. Alaniz has performed well in his five starts (31 IP) in the Cal League. His 2.90 ERA for the month is second on the team among starters. He fanned 26 and walked only seven during the month.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes
Barnes hit .353 for the month with 21 RBI in 22 games. Of his 32 hits, 18 were for extra bases (14 doubles and four HR). His 14 doubles leads the Texas League and he is listed in the top 10 in almost every offensive category.
Honorable Mention - Kody Hinze
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero
Cisnero had three good outings and two that weren't so great during April. He finished the month with a descent 3.80 ERA but with 30 strike outs in 23 2/3 IP.
Honorable Mention - Arcenio Leon
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month - None - there are no hitters in Oklahoma City who have spent time in Greeneville.
Pitcher of the Month - Fernando Abad
Sandwiched between two unspectacular performances in Houston, Abad put up stellar numbers out of the pen in AAA. In 5 relief appearances (7 1/3 IP), Abad struck out 12 and didn't allow a run.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Lyles
Outside of the System - Minors
Hitter of the Month - Jordan Parraz
Parraz hit .367 in April for the Gwinnett Braves (AAA). He is 6th in the league in batting average. Parraz, who was one of the last players cut from the Braves spring training, is making a case for his first call up to the Majors.
Pitcher of the Month - Tom Vessella
Vessella pitching out of the pen for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA- Giants) appeared in nine games (11 2/3 IP) in April. He amassed a 3.09 ERA, allowing only six hits, while walking seven and striking out seven.
Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion leads all MLB 2nd basemen in average, on base percentage, and hits. He is in the top three in runs, doubles, slugging, and OPS. His .360 average for the month of April was third best among NL hitters and 7th best in all of MLB. But I am most excited about the seven walks he took!
Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton was the only former G-Stro pitcher to spend the whole month in the bigs. He got off to a rough start, giving up 2 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. Since then, he has surrendered three earned runs in 9 2/3 IP. His performance out of the bullpen has helped the Orioles get off to a surprising start in the AL East.
Lexington Legends:
Hitter of the Month- Alex Todd
Todd hit an even .300 in 18 games (70 AB) in the month. He was a road warrior hitting. 438 on the road.
Pitcher of the Month- Mike Foltynewicz
Folty was solid in his five starts (27 1/3 IP). He finished the month with a 1.98 ERA, which was good for 8th best in the league. He fanned 27 batters this month.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month - Jonathan Meyer
While Telvin Nash has gotten attention for his Home Runs (9 in the month), Meyer has quietly put together an all around good month. He hit .309 with four doubles, two triples and two HR.
Honorable Mentions: Telvin Nash & Jio Mier
Pitcher of the Month - Rubin (RJ) Alaniz
Pitching in Lancaster is not for the faint of heart. Alaniz has performed well in his five starts (31 IP) in the Cal League. His 2.90 ERA for the month is second on the team among starters. He fanned 26 and walked only seven during the month.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes
Barnes hit .353 for the month with 21 RBI in 22 games. Of his 32 hits, 18 were for extra bases (14 doubles and four HR). His 14 doubles leads the Texas League and he is listed in the top 10 in almost every offensive category.
Honorable Mention - Kody Hinze
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero
Cisnero had three good outings and two that weren't so great during April. He finished the month with a descent 3.80 ERA but with 30 strike outs in 23 2/3 IP.
Honorable Mention - Arcenio Leon
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month - None - there are no hitters in Oklahoma City who have spent time in Greeneville.
Pitcher of the Month - Fernando Abad
Sandwiched between two unspectacular performances in Houston, Abad put up stellar numbers out of the pen in AAA. In 5 relief appearances (7 1/3 IP), Abad struck out 12 and didn't allow a run.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Lyles
Outside of the System - Minors
Hitter of the Month - Jordan Parraz
Parraz hit .367 in April for the Gwinnett Braves (AAA). He is 6th in the league in batting average. Parraz, who was one of the last players cut from the Braves spring training, is making a case for his first call up to the Majors.
Pitcher of the Month - Tom Vessella
Vessella pitching out of the pen for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA- Giants) appeared in nine games (11 2/3 IP) in April. He amassed a 3.09 ERA, allowing only six hits, while walking seven and striking out seven.
Major League
Hitter of the Month - Jose Altuve
El Escorpion leads all MLB 2nd basemen in average, on base percentage, and hits. He is in the top three in runs, doubles, slugging, and OPS. His .360 average for the month of April was third best among NL hitters and 7th best in all of MLB. But I am most excited about the seven walks he took!
Pitcher of the Month - Troy Patton
Patton was the only former G-Stro pitcher to spend the whole month in the bigs. He got off to a rough start, giving up 2 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. Since then, he has surrendered three earned runs in 9 2/3 IP. His performance out of the bullpen has helped the Orioles get off to a surprising start in the AL East.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Former G-Stros in AA - 2012
Here are the former G-Stros who are in AA. We will first list those still in the Astros organization and then look at those outside the organization.
Those on the Corpus Christi Roster:
Jose Cisnero (Gville 2009)
Arcenio Leon (Gville 2007,08)
Ross Seaton (Gville 2008)
Henry Villar (Gville 2008)
Chris Wallace (Gville 2010)
Kody Hinze (Gville 2008)
Brandon Barnes (Gville 2005, 06)
Those in other organizations:
Koby Clemens (Gville 2005) - New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Ralph Henriquez (Gville 2005,06) - Jackson Generals (Mariners)
Vlad Sutil (Gville 2004) - Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks)
Tom Vessella (Gville 2006) - Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)
Those on the Corpus Christi Roster:
Jose Cisnero (Gville 2009)
Arcenio Leon (Gville 2007,08)
Ross Seaton (Gville 2008)
Henry Villar (Gville 2008)
Chris Wallace (Gville 2010)
Kody Hinze (Gville 2008)
Brandon Barnes (Gville 2005, 06)
Those in other organizations:
Koby Clemens (Gville 2005) - New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Ralph Henriquez (Gville 2005,06) - Jackson Generals (Mariners)
Vlad Sutil (Gville 2004) - Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks)
Tom Vessella (Gville 2006) - Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
What To Watch For In 2012 - Former G-Stros First Basemen
There are more former G-Stros at first than there were last year but the majority are a bit long in the tooth for the levels they were at last year. Here is what I am watching for from
them this year.
First Base
Koby Clemens - (2005 - 25- AAA) - Signed a minor league free agent deal with the Blue Jays. Where will he land when spring training breaks? Las Vegas (AAA) or New Hampshire (AA)? Will he be at 1st or 3rd?
Chase Davidson - (2011 - 22 - SS A) - Hit .335 in 43 games with Greeneville before a brief promotion to Tri Cities. Saw only 10 games at 1B in the 2011 season. How will he hit when he faces more age appropriate competition? Can he cut down on the K's?
Kody Hinze - (2008 - 24 - AA) - Made the two level move last year, blistering Lancaster and putting up solid numbers in AA. Is the best defensive first baseman in the bunch, with a career .991 fielding percentage. Can he increase his power numbers against advanced pitching?
Marcus Nidiffer - (2010 - 25 - Low A ) Was released by the Astros and later signed with the Angels last year. They moved him back to catcher, where he played in college. He hit .230 for Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League. Will he get a shot to play ball again this season or will he be considered to old for the level?
Telvin Nash - (2010 - 21 - Low A) Made the move to 1B last season and was off to a great start at he plate when he broke the hamate bone in his hand. He is the best prospect of the bunch. Just how many prodigious HR will he hit in Lancaster this year? Can he stay healthy? Can he reduce the K's?
Rafael Valenzuela - (2010 - 24 - SS A) The NDFA out of Arizona missed part of 2011 with injury but hit a solid .316 in 31 games with Tri Cities. In his minor league career, he has 42 games at 1B and 37 at 3B. Will he get a shot at full season ball in 2012? Which side of the diamond will he land on?
Jesse Wiersbicki - (2011- 23 - Rookie) Played 37 of 45 games at 1B for the G-Stros in 2011. He hit .265 and had five HR. Will he get to jump to full season ball in 2012? Can he continue to show good OBP (358 in 2011) against advance competition?
Projected placement of those in the Astros organization. Last year, I was two out of three.
Oklahoma (AAA)
Hinze
Corpus Christi
Lancaster (HiA)
Nash
Lexington (LoA)
Davidson
Valenzuela
Extended Spring Training
Wiersbicki
Blast from the past
2004 G-Stro Ole Shelton was still playing indy ball in 2011. He hit .304 for the Saint Paul Saints.
First Base
Koby Clemens - (2005 - 25- AAA) - Signed a minor league free agent deal with the Blue Jays. Where will he land when spring training breaks? Las Vegas (AAA) or New Hampshire (AA)? Will he be at 1st or 3rd?
Chase Davidson - (2011 - 22 - SS A) - Hit .335 in 43 games with Greeneville before a brief promotion to Tri Cities. Saw only 10 games at 1B in the 2011 season. How will he hit when he faces more age appropriate competition? Can he cut down on the K's?
Kody Hinze - (2008 - 24 - AA) - Made the two level move last year, blistering Lancaster and putting up solid numbers in AA. Is the best defensive first baseman in the bunch, with a career .991 fielding percentage. Can he increase his power numbers against advanced pitching?
Marcus Nidiffer - (2010 - 25 - Low A ) Was released by the Astros and later signed with the Angels last year. They moved him back to catcher, where he played in college. He hit .230 for Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League. Will he get a shot to play ball again this season or will he be considered to old for the level?
Telvin Nash - (2010 - 21 - Low A) Made the move to 1B last season and was off to a great start at he plate when he broke the hamate bone in his hand. He is the best prospect of the bunch. Just how many prodigious HR will he hit in Lancaster this year? Can he stay healthy? Can he reduce the K's?
Rafael Valenzuela - (2010 - 24 - SS A) The NDFA out of Arizona missed part of 2011 with injury but hit a solid .316 in 31 games with Tri Cities. In his minor league career, he has 42 games at 1B and 37 at 3B. Will he get a shot at full season ball in 2012? Which side of the diamond will he land on?
Jesse Wiersbicki - (2011- 23 - Rookie) Played 37 of 45 games at 1B for the G-Stros in 2011. He hit .265 and had five HR. Will he get to jump to full season ball in 2012? Can he continue to show good OBP (358 in 2011) against advance competition?
Projected placement of those in the Astros organization. Last year, I was two out of three.
Oklahoma (AAA)
Hinze
Corpus Christi
Lancaster (HiA)
Nash
Lexington (LoA)
Davidson
Valenzuela
Extended Spring Training
Wiersbicki
Blast from the past
2004 G-Stro Ole Shelton was still playing indy ball in 2011. He hit .304 for the Saint Paul Saints.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
2008 Greeneville Astros Progress Report
What a difference a year makes. The 2008 Greeneville Astros finished
the year 30-36. While not quite at .500, they were 13 games better
than the previous year's team. This was a young team with 18 of the 38
players still in the teen years when the season began. Three of them
were still 17 (Jay Austin, Jordan Lyles & Luis Cruz). In 2011, 58%
(22 out of 38) of the 2008 roster were still playing affiliated
baseball. In fact 12 of the 18 teenagers were still active.
Let's look at this group based on the highest level they played at this year. The percentage is of the 2008 full roster.
MLB 2 (5%)
Jose Altuve - Started in Lancaster and hit .408 prior to being moved to Corpus Christ where he hit .361. Then he was promoted to Houston. In the big leagues, he hit a respectable .276 in 221 at bats in 57 games. He appears to have locked down the starting 2nd base position for 2012 at the ripe age of 22.
Jordan Lyles - While Altuve's sudden climb was a bit of a surprise to some, Lyles ascendance was expected. He was sent to AAA to start the year after a solid spring training but was called up to the quickly to the majors and spent most of the season there. He started 15 games before being moved to the pen to keep his inning count down. He finished with a 2-8 record and a 5. 36 ERA. He has locked up a rotation position for 2012 at age 21.
AAA 2 (5%)
Patrick Urckfitz - Urckfitz bounced around earning frequent flier miles this year. He was in AA to start the season. Then got some brief time in at AAA before heading back to AA. Next came a short time in hi A before return to AA to wrap up the season. In four games at AAA he amassed a 17.47 ERA. In AA 5.08 in 31 games. In hi A, he appeared in 10 games with a 2.02 ERA. Gotta love a NDFA reaching this level. he will be 23 at the start of next season.
Henry Villar - Started the season in AAA but was moved to AA in June. In AAA, he made 7 starts but that experiment ended and he spent the rest of the year in the pen. Pitched just 76 innings worth of ball between the two for a combined 5.45 ERA. Villar had a brief appearance in the big leagues in 2010. He will be 24 at the start of next season.
AA 5 (13%)
Kody Hinze - Had a break out year. He started in Lancaster, where he hit .323 with 22 HR. He was promoted to CC where he hit 281 with 7 HR. He is getting extra at bats in the Arizona Fall League right now. Another solid Non Drafted Free Agent (NDFA) signing. He will be 24 in spring training.
Federico Hernandez - It was a rough year for Freddy. He struggled at the plate both at AA and at High A after he was sent down to Lancaster. In both stops he hit less than .200. He will turn 24 just before pitchers and catchers report.
Ross Seaton - Spent the year in Corpus Christi, 4-9 with a 5.23 in 28 starts. He continues to climb a level a year even thought the results aren't spectacular. He will just be 22 when spring training starts.
Kyle Greenwalt & Arcenio Leon see the 2007 write up.
Hi A 7 (18%)
Jay Austin - The former 2nd round draft pick repeated Lancaster to start the season. After not showing much progress over last season, he was sent to Lexington to finish the year and he continued to struggle. He is getting more at bats int the Arizona Fall League right now. He will be just 21 when the 2012 minor league players report to camp.
Rene Garcia - The 35th round pick from 2008 spent this season in the California league where he hit hit .242 with only 41 K in 326 AB. He threw out 30% of base stealers. He will turn 22 during spring training next year.
Luis Cruz - The 9th round pick in 2008 made 4 starts in Lancaster where he got shelled (ERA over 14). But found moderate success back in Lexington where he went 5-4 with a 4.45 era. He had 92 strike outs in 91 IP in Lex but gave up 15 HR. He will still be 21 when next season ends!
Colton Pitkin - see the 2007 write up
Zachary Grimmett - He split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen this year in Lancaster. As a starter 7.35 ERA in 18 games (85 2/3 IP) as a reliever 5.34 in 12 games (32 IP). He will turn 22 before he reports to spring training.
Jose Trinidad - Season shorted to just 10 games due to an injury. He will start the season on the DL at age 24.
Wander Alvino - Had 73 K in 73 IP (46 games). His 4.19 ERA isn't bad when you consider the location. His walks per 9 jumped from 2.8 in Lex in 10 to 6.3 in Lancaster. Alvino will turn 25 before he reports this spring.
Low A 3 (8%)
Jorge De Leon - The former shortstop now converted to pitcher went 6-4 with a 3.42 ERA in 43 games (55 1/3 IP). He struck out 51 to just 13 walks while giving up 5 long balls. He will be 24 next season.
Brad Dydalewicz - The 8th round pick of the 2008 draft had a rough season. In only 29 2/3 innings pitched between GCL & Lexington, he amassed a 10.86 ERA. He will turn 22 during spring training next season.
Jeiler Castillo - After being drafted by the A's in the rule 5 draft; Castillo started in the Midwest league (Low A) but was sent back to Vermont (SS A) for his 4th season in short season ball. He was released after the season.
Short Season 1 (3%)
Wilton Infante - The former outfielder tried to make the move to pitcher. After six outings in the GCL, he was released
DL/Rehab 2 (5%)
Albert Cartwright - see the 2007 write up.
Nathan Pettus - The former 27th round pick of the 2008 draft spent most of 2011 on the DL. He appeared in 5 games at the GCL Astros rehabbing his way back from an injury. He will be 23 when the new season starts.
We would expect the number of active players to continue to rise while we look at more recent teams but the jump from five to 22 in one year tells us that something changed in the Astros farm system in 2008. Oh yeah, Bobby Heck joined the Astros staff in October of 2007. You think that change made a difference?
Let's look at this group based on the highest level they played at this year. The percentage is of the 2008 full roster.
MLB 2 (5%)
Jose Altuve - Started in Lancaster and hit .408 prior to being moved to Corpus Christ where he hit .361. Then he was promoted to Houston. In the big leagues, he hit a respectable .276 in 221 at bats in 57 games. He appears to have locked down the starting 2nd base position for 2012 at the ripe age of 22.
Jordan Lyles - While Altuve's sudden climb was a bit of a surprise to some, Lyles ascendance was expected. He was sent to AAA to start the year after a solid spring training but was called up to the quickly to the majors and spent most of the season there. He started 15 games before being moved to the pen to keep his inning count down. He finished with a 2-8 record and a 5. 36 ERA. He has locked up a rotation position for 2012 at age 21.
AAA 2 (5%)
Patrick Urckfitz - Urckfitz bounced around earning frequent flier miles this year. He was in AA to start the season. Then got some brief time in at AAA before heading back to AA. Next came a short time in hi A before return to AA to wrap up the season. In four games at AAA he amassed a 17.47 ERA. In AA 5.08 in 31 games. In hi A, he appeared in 10 games with a 2.02 ERA. Gotta love a NDFA reaching this level. he will be 23 at the start of next season.
Henry Villar - Started the season in AAA but was moved to AA in June. In AAA, he made 7 starts but that experiment ended and he spent the rest of the year in the pen. Pitched just 76 innings worth of ball between the two for a combined 5.45 ERA. Villar had a brief appearance in the big leagues in 2010. He will be 24 at the start of next season.
AA 5 (13%)
Kody Hinze - Had a break out year. He started in Lancaster, where he hit .323 with 22 HR. He was promoted to CC where he hit 281 with 7 HR. He is getting extra at bats in the Arizona Fall League right now. Another solid Non Drafted Free Agent (NDFA) signing. He will be 24 in spring training.
Federico Hernandez - It was a rough year for Freddy. He struggled at the plate both at AA and at High A after he was sent down to Lancaster. In both stops he hit less than .200. He will turn 24 just before pitchers and catchers report.
Ross Seaton - Spent the year in Corpus Christi, 4-9 with a 5.23 in 28 starts. He continues to climb a level a year even thought the results aren't spectacular. He will just be 22 when spring training starts.
Kyle Greenwalt & Arcenio Leon see the 2007 write up.
Hi A 7 (18%)
Jay Austin - The former 2nd round draft pick repeated Lancaster to start the season. After not showing much progress over last season, he was sent to Lexington to finish the year and he continued to struggle. He is getting more at bats int the Arizona Fall League right now. He will be just 21 when the 2012 minor league players report to camp.
Rene Garcia - The 35th round pick from 2008 spent this season in the California league where he hit hit .242 with only 41 K in 326 AB. He threw out 30% of base stealers. He will turn 22 during spring training next year.
Luis Cruz - The 9th round pick in 2008 made 4 starts in Lancaster where he got shelled (ERA over 14). But found moderate success back in Lexington where he went 5-4 with a 4.45 era. He had 92 strike outs in 91 IP in Lex but gave up 15 HR. He will still be 21 when next season ends!
Colton Pitkin - see the 2007 write up
Zachary Grimmett - He split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen this year in Lancaster. As a starter 7.35 ERA in 18 games (85 2/3 IP) as a reliever 5.34 in 12 games (32 IP). He will turn 22 before he reports to spring training.
Jose Trinidad - Season shorted to just 10 games due to an injury. He will start the season on the DL at age 24.
Wander Alvino - Had 73 K in 73 IP (46 games). His 4.19 ERA isn't bad when you consider the location. His walks per 9 jumped from 2.8 in Lex in 10 to 6.3 in Lancaster. Alvino will turn 25 before he reports this spring.
Low A 3 (8%)
Jorge De Leon - The former shortstop now converted to pitcher went 6-4 with a 3.42 ERA in 43 games (55 1/3 IP). He struck out 51 to just 13 walks while giving up 5 long balls. He will be 24 next season.
Brad Dydalewicz - The 8th round pick of the 2008 draft had a rough season. In only 29 2/3 innings pitched between GCL & Lexington, he amassed a 10.86 ERA. He will turn 22 during spring training next season.
Jeiler Castillo - After being drafted by the A's in the rule 5 draft; Castillo started in the Midwest league (Low A) but was sent back to Vermont (SS A) for his 4th season in short season ball. He was released after the season.
Short Season 1 (3%)
Wilton Infante - The former outfielder tried to make the move to pitcher. After six outings in the GCL, he was released
DL/Rehab 2 (5%)
Albert Cartwright - see the 2007 write up.
Nathan Pettus - The former 27th round pick of the 2008 draft spent most of 2011 on the DL. He appeared in 5 games at the GCL Astros rehabbing his way back from an injury. He will be 23 when the new season starts.
We would expect the number of active players to continue to rise while we look at more recent teams but the jump from five to 22 in one year tells us that something changed in the Astros farm system in 2008. Oh yeah, Bobby Heck joined the Astros staff in October of 2007. You think that change made a difference?
Monday, August 1, 2011
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - July
July was a crazy month. It included the call ups of two former G-Stros and others moving around the organization. Let's take a look at the numbers and see which former G-Stros stood out this month.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Hitter of the Month
There are only three former G-Stros position players on the ValleyCat roster. Former G-Stro catcher Ryan McCurdy had the best month of the three. In 12 games, he hit .316. Bubby Williams gets a mention for hitting three home runs during the month.
Pitcher of the Month
Garrett Bullock gets the nod for his 2.84 ERA and 16 strike outs in 12 2/3 IP. The rest of the former G-Stros had pretty rough months in Tri Cities so no honorable mentions after having a slew of them last month.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
Ben Orloff leads the way for the former G-Stros hitters who put up some impressive numbers in July. He hit .358 on the month with a very impressive .436 OBP. While Orloff is old for the league at 24, he continues to show that when he gets a chance to play, he will do well. After only getting in to 33 games prior to the all star break, he has already played in 33 since Jio Mier was promoted to Lancaster.
Others worthy of mention include Delino Deshields Jr. who bounced back from a .154 June with a .320 July. Telvin Nash who came off the DL to hit .264 with 4 HR and an impressive .409 OBP. Finally, Bryce Lane isn't getting much playing time but in 16 games, he hit 3 HR and 4 doubles for a .581 slugging percentage.
Pitchers of the Month
Again, we are going with a starter and reliever of the month in Lexington. Carlos Quevedo gets the nod as starter of the month. He went 1-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 5 starts and held opponents to a .240 batting average. Brian Strenlein gets the reliever of the month honors for his 1.35 ERA over 7 games. He fanned 12 in 13 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .234 average.
Honorable mentions: Two other relievers need to be noted for their performances in July. Gabriel Garcia had an 0-2 record but in 6 games (15 1/3 IP) he fanned 14 batters and had a 2.87 ERA. Jorge DeLeon had good outcomes with a 4-0 record with 3 saves to go along with 14 strike outs in 14 1/3 IP. He held opponents to a .226 average while compiling a 3.68 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
With Jose Altuve moved on through CC to Houston, and Kody Hinze now in Corpus Christi, we will have a new hitter of the month in Lancaster. We are going with Miguel Arrendell this month. The utility infielder hit .302 in 16 games with a .397 OBP. He is now hitting a solid .284 on the season and his having a career year.
Pitchers of the Month
Starter of the month is Jose Cisnero. He went 4-1 in 5 starts with a 4.26 ERA. He struck out 40 batters in 25 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .219 average. Out of the bullpen, Wander Alvino gets the reliever of the month. Alvino produced a 0.79 ERA in July in 8 appearances. He struck out 13 in 11 1/3 IP. The secret to his success lately has been inducing a 2.75 ground out to air out ratio. The has allowed him to overcome the 11 walks he surrendered in July.
Corpus Christi
Hitter of the Month
J.D. Martinez finished the month in Houston, but he put up amazing numbers that earn him hitter of the month at Corpus Christi. Prior to his departure, he hit .380 with 7 home runs and 16 extra base hits. He had a .473 OBP and a .717 slugging percentage. He also took more walks (15) than times he struck out (13).
Honorable Mention
Kody Hinze continues to put up solid numbers in the shadow of amazing numbers. After his promotion to Corpus Christi, he has hit .350 with 5 home runs and a total of 10 extra base hits. His OBP was .418 and his slugging an even .600. He also showed solid plate discipline taking 10 walks while striking out just 17 times in 80 at bats. Chris Wallace is trying to follow in Martinez's cleat prints after bypassing Lancaster on his way to AA. In July, he hit .272 with 5 home runs and 9 extra base hits in 81 at bats. His .303 OBP and .506 slugging are solid but pale in comparison to Martinez and Hinze. Also, Jose Altuve, hit .353 in his 8 games in July prior to his promotion to Houston.
Pitcher of the Month
Arcenio Leon appeared in 12 games for Corpus Christi. He struck out 22 batters in 16 1/3 innings and complied a 2-1 record with one save and a 3.78 ERA.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
In 17 games, J. R. Towles hit .283. That earns him the honor of hitter of the month in AAA.
Honorable Mention:
Koby Clemens hit .256 for the month with 10 extra base hits (5 HR) which is note worthy after his May (.220) and June (.181) performances.
Pitcher of the Month
In a very close race, Sammy Gervacio wins the award this month. Slingin' Sammy went 3-0 with one save during July and had a microscopic ERA of 0.56 in 11 appearances (16 IP). He held opponents to a .196 average.
Honorable Mention:
Douglas Arguello has thrived since his move to the pen. In July, he also appeared in 11 games (11 1/3 IP) and produced an impressive 0.73 ERA. Even more impressive is his 3.00 ground out to air out ratio.
Outside the System Minors
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to lay claim to this award. He had a great July hitting .374 with 13 extra base hits in 28 games for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization.
Honorable Mention:
Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma of the Mariners organization this month. In the 19 games since he arrived there, he has been hot at the plate. He has been hitting .356 with 6 extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
Jimmy Barthmaier had 8 appearances in July (7 relief & 1 start). In 15 1/3 IP, he amassed a 1.73 ERA and fanned 14 batters for AA Harrisburg of the Washington Nationals organization.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Jose Altuve could win by default but he earns the award with his performance after his late month call up. In his first 11 games as a big leaguer, Jose hit 359 with two doubles. The buzz created by his promotion has been so much fun to watch.
Pitchers of the Month
Felipe Paulino edges out the competition this month for the starter of the month award. In 4 starts, he went 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA. He fanned 27 in 24 2/3 IP.
For the reliever of the month, we go outside the Astros organization to Troy Patton of the Baltimore Orioles. In 5 relief appearances since his call up in Mid July, Patton has put up a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 IP. He has fanned 8 batters while walking only one.
Honorable mention:
Jordan Lyles continues to seek his first big league win but he is not pitching as bad as his 0-3 record indicates. Two of his five starts in July qualified as quality starts. Therefore, he is the starter of the month.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Hitter of the Month
There are only three former G-Stros position players on the ValleyCat roster. Former G-Stro catcher Ryan McCurdy had the best month of the three. In 12 games, he hit .316. Bubby Williams gets a mention for hitting three home runs during the month.
Pitcher of the Month
Garrett Bullock gets the nod for his 2.84 ERA and 16 strike outs in 12 2/3 IP. The rest of the former G-Stros had pretty rough months in Tri Cities so no honorable mentions after having a slew of them last month.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
Ben Orloff leads the way for the former G-Stros hitters who put up some impressive numbers in July. He hit .358 on the month with a very impressive .436 OBP. While Orloff is old for the league at 24, he continues to show that when he gets a chance to play, he will do well. After only getting in to 33 games prior to the all star break, he has already played in 33 since Jio Mier was promoted to Lancaster.
Others worthy of mention include Delino Deshields Jr. who bounced back from a .154 June with a .320 July. Telvin Nash who came off the DL to hit .264 with 4 HR and an impressive .409 OBP. Finally, Bryce Lane isn't getting much playing time but in 16 games, he hit 3 HR and 4 doubles for a .581 slugging percentage.
Pitchers of the Month
Again, we are going with a starter and reliever of the month in Lexington. Carlos Quevedo gets the nod as starter of the month. He went 1-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 5 starts and held opponents to a .240 batting average. Brian Strenlein gets the reliever of the month honors for his 1.35 ERA over 7 games. He fanned 12 in 13 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .234 average.
Honorable mentions: Two other relievers need to be noted for their performances in July. Gabriel Garcia had an 0-2 record but in 6 games (15 1/3 IP) he fanned 14 batters and had a 2.87 ERA. Jorge DeLeon had good outcomes with a 4-0 record with 3 saves to go along with 14 strike outs in 14 1/3 IP. He held opponents to a .226 average while compiling a 3.68 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
With Jose Altuve moved on through CC to Houston, and Kody Hinze now in Corpus Christi, we will have a new hitter of the month in Lancaster. We are going with Miguel Arrendell this month. The utility infielder hit .302 in 16 games with a .397 OBP. He is now hitting a solid .284 on the season and his having a career year.
Pitchers of the Month
Starter of the month is Jose Cisnero. He went 4-1 in 5 starts with a 4.26 ERA. He struck out 40 batters in 25 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .219 average. Out of the bullpen, Wander Alvino gets the reliever of the month. Alvino produced a 0.79 ERA in July in 8 appearances. He struck out 13 in 11 1/3 IP. The secret to his success lately has been inducing a 2.75 ground out to air out ratio. The has allowed him to overcome the 11 walks he surrendered in July.
Corpus Christi
Hitter of the Month
J.D. Martinez finished the month in Houston, but he put up amazing numbers that earn him hitter of the month at Corpus Christi. Prior to his departure, he hit .380 with 7 home runs and 16 extra base hits. He had a .473 OBP and a .717 slugging percentage. He also took more walks (15) than times he struck out (13).
Honorable Mention
Kody Hinze continues to put up solid numbers in the shadow of amazing numbers. After his promotion to Corpus Christi, he has hit .350 with 5 home runs and a total of 10 extra base hits. His OBP was .418 and his slugging an even .600. He also showed solid plate discipline taking 10 walks while striking out just 17 times in 80 at bats. Chris Wallace is trying to follow in Martinez's cleat prints after bypassing Lancaster on his way to AA. In July, he hit .272 with 5 home runs and 9 extra base hits in 81 at bats. His .303 OBP and .506 slugging are solid but pale in comparison to Martinez and Hinze. Also, Jose Altuve, hit .353 in his 8 games in July prior to his promotion to Houston.
Pitcher of the Month
Arcenio Leon appeared in 12 games for Corpus Christi. He struck out 22 batters in 16 1/3 innings and complied a 2-1 record with one save and a 3.78 ERA.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
In 17 games, J. R. Towles hit .283. That earns him the honor of hitter of the month in AAA.
Honorable Mention:
Koby Clemens hit .256 for the month with 10 extra base hits (5 HR) which is note worthy after his May (.220) and June (.181) performances.
Pitcher of the Month
In a very close race, Sammy Gervacio wins the award this month. Slingin' Sammy went 3-0 with one save during July and had a microscopic ERA of 0.56 in 11 appearances (16 IP). He held opponents to a .196 average.
Honorable Mention:
Douglas Arguello has thrived since his move to the pen. In July, he also appeared in 11 games (11 1/3 IP) and produced an impressive 0.73 ERA. Even more impressive is his 3.00 ground out to air out ratio.
Outside the System Minors
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to lay claim to this award. He had a great July hitting .374 with 13 extra base hits in 28 games for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization.
Honorable Mention:
Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma of the Mariners organization this month. In the 19 games since he arrived there, he has been hot at the plate. He has been hitting .356 with 6 extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
Jimmy Barthmaier had 8 appearances in July (7 relief & 1 start). In 15 1/3 IP, he amassed a 1.73 ERA and fanned 14 batters for AA Harrisburg of the Washington Nationals organization.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Jose Altuve could win by default but he earns the award with his performance after his late month call up. In his first 11 games as a big leaguer, Jose hit 359 with two doubles. The buzz created by his promotion has been so much fun to watch.
Pitchers of the Month
Felipe Paulino edges out the competition this month for the starter of the month award. In 4 starts, he went 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA. He fanned 27 in 24 2/3 IP.
For the reliever of the month, we go outside the Astros organization to Troy Patton of the Baltimore Orioles. In 5 relief appearances since his call up in Mid July, Patton has put up a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 IP. He has fanned 8 batters while walking only one.
Honorable mention:
Jordan Lyles continues to seek his first big league win but he is not pitching as bad as his 0-3 record indicates. Two of his five starts in July qualified as quality starts. Therefore, he is the starter of the month.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Corpus Christi Roster Full of Former G-Stros
With news this week that Kody Hinze is headed to CC for AA ball, I checked out the Hooks roster and found it is full of former G-Stros. With Hinze's addition, it will make 10 players who wore the GreenEville across their chest. Here is who is there now:
Jose Altuve
Kyle Greenwalt
Kody Hinze
Brad James
Arcenio Leon
J.D. Martinez
Ross Seaton
Pat Urkfitz
Henry Villar
Chris Wallace
There are only six other players who were originally drafted or signed by the Astros organization. There are nine players who were obtained via trade or free agent signings. I am excited to have this group of folks at this level because it is only a call up away from the majors. As Zachary Levine tells us this morning in the Houston Chronicle, AA is where the prospects are, AAA is just a holding ground for roster fillers.
Altuve Getting Some Time At 3rd
One of the problems on the roster in Corpus Christi is that there are too many middle infielders. Altuve, and Jimmy Parades are both listed as second basemen and are both rising prospects. The Astos org is trying to keep both in the line up so they have also shared time at 3rd base. Altuve has played seven games at third so far. The moving around on defense hasn't hurt his approach at the plate where he hit .364 for the month of June.
Jose Altuve
Kyle Greenwalt
Kody Hinze
Brad James
Arcenio Leon
J.D. Martinez
Ross Seaton
Pat Urkfitz
Henry Villar
Chris Wallace
There are only six other players who were originally drafted or signed by the Astros organization. There are nine players who were obtained via trade or free agent signings. I am excited to have this group of folks at this level because it is only a call up away from the majors. As Zachary Levine tells us this morning in the Houston Chronicle, AA is where the prospects are, AAA is just a holding ground for roster fillers.
Altuve Getting Some Time At 3rd
One of the problems on the roster in Corpus Christi is that there are too many middle infielders. Altuve, and Jimmy Parades are both listed as second basemen and are both rising prospects. The Astos org is trying to keep both in the line up so they have also shared time at 3rd base. Altuve has played seven games at third so far. The moving around on defense hasn't hurt his approach at the plate where he hit .364 for the month of June.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - June
Wow, summer is flying by. We just got started with ball in Greeneville and it is halfway over for the full season teams. Let's look at how the former G-Stros are doing up the ladder and outside the system.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
I know they just are just about two weeks into their season but we have 11 former G-Stros on the roster and we needed to check in on those guys.
Hitter of the Month
With just three candidates the pickings are a little slim. We we go with the one alumni with an average over the mendoza line. Ryan McCurdy has appeared in 4 games and is hitting .267. Let's hope that we have to make a choice between great performances for July.
Pitcher of the Month
Now this is a competition. There are eight former G-Stros on the roster and at least five merited some discussion here. We will go with Juri Perez as the pitcher of the month. Perez who is working his way back from arm surgery. He only threw 8 1/3 innings in 2010. He made a brief appearance in Lexington earlier this spring but is making his presence felt in Tri Cities. Perez made three starts in June. He struggled with his control a bit in the first start but since then, he has been dominate. In his last two starts, he has pitched 10 innings and struck out 16 batters; while allowing eight hits, two walks, and two runs. Opponents are hitting just .212 against him. His 20 total strike outs leads the NY/Penn League.
Honorable Mention goes to Ryan Cole who has 3 saves and a 1.93 ERA (4 2/3 IP); Garrett Bullock who has a 2.03 ERA in 4 appearances (4 1/3 IP); Travis Smink who has a 2.45 ERA in 4 appearances (7 1/3 IP); and Ebert Rosario who has a 3.60 ERA but 8 Ks in 5 IP. Rosario started the transition to pitcher from third baseman last summer.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
The roster has experienced a fair amount of turn over in Lexington. During the month, Chris Wallace won the Sally League HR Derby and found himself wearing a Corpus Christi uni. Jio Mier jumped to Lancaster and Telvin Nash was activated from the DL after missing most of the month with a broken hamate bone in his hand. With those guys gone, the hitter of the month is Emilio King. King lost 100 points off his average from last month but still hit a solid .286 with seven doubles and two HR.
Pitcher of the Month
The G-Stro Alumni are starting to put together a solid pitching staff in Lexington. This is a very close call. So close that I am giving a started and reliever of the month for June. Luis Cruz is the starer of the month. He moved from the pen to the rotation after his first appearance in June. After three starts, he had a 2.45 ERA as a starter and a 17 K in 18 1/3 IP. Jorge DeLeon is the reliever of the month. He finished with a 0.75 ERA and 5 saves with 14 K in 12 IP. DeLeon is in his second season of conversion from SS to P.
Honorable Mentions Murilo Gouvea missed part of the month but booked ended his time on the DL with a solid 0.75 ERA in six appearances where he fanned 14 in 11 1/3 IP. Ruben Alaniz had a solid month in the starting rotation. He finished June with a 3-1 record and a 2.28 ERA. David Martinez's contributions also cannot be overlooked. He fanned 10 in 10 1/3 IP and finished the month with a 1.73 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
This one is the easiest of the bunch. Kody Hinze is just too good for the California League. Hinze put up a .357/.505/.690 slash line despite a 2 for 23 slump following the All Star Break. Hinze won the Cal./Car. All Star Game HR Derby and still leads ALL of minor league baseball with a .469 OBP. He finished June with 8 home runs. His total of 21 on the season ties him for 3rd most in all of minor league baseball.
Honorable Mention goes to Miguel Arrendell who in 11 games put up a .342 average.
Pitcher of the Month
Wander Alvino put up a solid month out of the Lancaster bullpen. In 10 appearances, he finished with a 3.75 ERA and 14 Ks in 17 1/3 IP.
Honorable Mention goes to Colton Pitkin who had a solid month except for his last outing of the month. In his first 7 outings, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed just 4 earned runs. His last outing of the month was a rough one. Only 2/3 innings pitched and 7 earned runs scored. That outing accounts for 1/3 of the total runs he has surrendered all season.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Who else but Jose Altuve. The Venezuelan prospect has taken away the excuse that his previous numbers were inflated by the "Lancaster effect". He it .364 with 13 extra base hits since his call up to the Hooks on June 1st. He is a contact hitter, he doesn't walk much; only four times in June. He doesn't strike out much either; only 10 times in 110 AB.
Honorable Mention to J D Martinez whose RBI totals should benefit from Altuve being on base in front of him. Martinez hit .320 for June with seven extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
It was an up and down month for the Appy Astros Alumi with the Hooks. There was no solid consistent performer and people were moving all over the place. This months award goes to Kyle Greenwalt. Since being moved to the pen, Greenwalt has adjusted nicely. In his 9 relief appearances in June, he is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA.
Oklahoma RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Wlad Sutil is the only former G-Stro with any numbers worth noting. The little glove first player continues to use his bat effectively too. He hit a respectable .267 in 15 games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (2).
Pitcher of the Month
Douglas Arguello had two good starts before going on the DL. Jordan Lyles stayed up with the big club. Henry Villar and Pat Urckfitz were sent down to Corpus Christi. Sammy Gervacio came up from Corpus Christi late in the month. Fernando Abad made 6 appearances before being called up to join Lyles with the big club. So based on this info we are giving the pitcher of the month to the Waiver Wire - for its great Change Up of the roster.
Outside the Astros System (Minors)
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to have a decent season for the Scranto/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. His average dropped a bit hitting only .243 for the month but he hit six doubles and three HRs.
Pitcher of the Month
Troy Patton had a solid June. He appeared in seven games for the Norfolk Tide (16 1/3 IP) and finished with a 1.65 ERA. It appears he is becoming a different pitcher than he was before the shoulder surgery of 2009. He only struck out 4 batters in the month.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Yet another month where only J. R. Towles represents the G-Stros as a position player. We are pulling for September call ups for Martinez & Altuve so that he can have some company. Towles was beat up for much of the month and in 15 games only hit .154.
Pitcher of the Month
Since being traded from the Rockies to the Royals, Felipe Paulino has been a solid starter. In his six starts in June, he amassed a 3.58 ERA and struck out 33 in 37 2/3 IP while walking 10.
Honorable Mention to Fernando Abad who in the five games since he was called up to Houston, has a 1.80 ERA and five strike outs.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
I know they just are just about two weeks into their season but we have 11 former G-Stros on the roster and we needed to check in on those guys.
Hitter of the Month
With just three candidates the pickings are a little slim. We we go with the one alumni with an average over the mendoza line. Ryan McCurdy has appeared in 4 games and is hitting .267. Let's hope that we have to make a choice between great performances for July.
Pitcher of the Month
Now this is a competition. There are eight former G-Stros on the roster and at least five merited some discussion here. We will go with Juri Perez as the pitcher of the month. Perez who is working his way back from arm surgery. He only threw 8 1/3 innings in 2010. He made a brief appearance in Lexington earlier this spring but is making his presence felt in Tri Cities. Perez made three starts in June. He struggled with his control a bit in the first start but since then, he has been dominate. In his last two starts, he has pitched 10 innings and struck out 16 batters; while allowing eight hits, two walks, and two runs. Opponents are hitting just .212 against him. His 20 total strike outs leads the NY/Penn League.
Honorable Mention goes to Ryan Cole who has 3 saves and a 1.93 ERA (4 2/3 IP); Garrett Bullock who has a 2.03 ERA in 4 appearances (4 1/3 IP); Travis Smink who has a 2.45 ERA in 4 appearances (7 1/3 IP); and Ebert Rosario who has a 3.60 ERA but 8 Ks in 5 IP. Rosario started the transition to pitcher from third baseman last summer.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
The roster has experienced a fair amount of turn over in Lexington. During the month, Chris Wallace won the Sally League HR Derby and found himself wearing a Corpus Christi uni. Jio Mier jumped to Lancaster and Telvin Nash was activated from the DL after missing most of the month with a broken hamate bone in his hand. With those guys gone, the hitter of the month is Emilio King. King lost 100 points off his average from last month but still hit a solid .286 with seven doubles and two HR.
Pitcher of the Month
The G-Stro Alumni are starting to put together a solid pitching staff in Lexington. This is a very close call. So close that I am giving a started and reliever of the month for June. Luis Cruz is the starer of the month. He moved from the pen to the rotation after his first appearance in June. After three starts, he had a 2.45 ERA as a starter and a 17 K in 18 1/3 IP. Jorge DeLeon is the reliever of the month. He finished with a 0.75 ERA and 5 saves with 14 K in 12 IP. DeLeon is in his second season of conversion from SS to P.
Honorable Mentions Murilo Gouvea missed part of the month but booked ended his time on the DL with a solid 0.75 ERA in six appearances where he fanned 14 in 11 1/3 IP. Ruben Alaniz had a solid month in the starting rotation. He finished June with a 3-1 record and a 2.28 ERA. David Martinez's contributions also cannot be overlooked. He fanned 10 in 10 1/3 IP and finished the month with a 1.73 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
This one is the easiest of the bunch. Kody Hinze is just too good for the California League. Hinze put up a .357/.505/.690 slash line despite a 2 for 23 slump following the All Star Break. Hinze won the Cal./Car. All Star Game HR Derby and still leads ALL of minor league baseball with a .469 OBP. He finished June with 8 home runs. His total of 21 on the season ties him for 3rd most in all of minor league baseball.
Honorable Mention goes to Miguel Arrendell who in 11 games put up a .342 average.
Pitcher of the Month
Wander Alvino put up a solid month out of the Lancaster bullpen. In 10 appearances, he finished with a 3.75 ERA and 14 Ks in 17 1/3 IP.
Honorable Mention goes to Colton Pitkin who had a solid month except for his last outing of the month. In his first 7 outings, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed just 4 earned runs. His last outing of the month was a rough one. Only 2/3 innings pitched and 7 earned runs scored. That outing accounts for 1/3 of the total runs he has surrendered all season.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Who else but Jose Altuve. The Venezuelan prospect has taken away the excuse that his previous numbers were inflated by the "Lancaster effect". He it .364 with 13 extra base hits since his call up to the Hooks on June 1st. He is a contact hitter, he doesn't walk much; only four times in June. He doesn't strike out much either; only 10 times in 110 AB.
Honorable Mention to J D Martinez whose RBI totals should benefit from Altuve being on base in front of him. Martinez hit .320 for June with seven extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
It was an up and down month for the Appy Astros Alumi with the Hooks. There was no solid consistent performer and people were moving all over the place. This months award goes to Kyle Greenwalt. Since being moved to the pen, Greenwalt has adjusted nicely. In his 9 relief appearances in June, he is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA.
Oklahoma RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Wlad Sutil is the only former G-Stro with any numbers worth noting. The little glove first player continues to use his bat effectively too. He hit a respectable .267 in 15 games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (2).
Pitcher of the Month
Douglas Arguello had two good starts before going on the DL. Jordan Lyles stayed up with the big club. Henry Villar and Pat Urckfitz were sent down to Corpus Christi. Sammy Gervacio came up from Corpus Christi late in the month. Fernando Abad made 6 appearances before being called up to join Lyles with the big club. So based on this info we are giving the pitcher of the month to the Waiver Wire - for its great Change Up of the roster.
Outside the Astros System (Minors)
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to have a decent season for the Scranto/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. His average dropped a bit hitting only .243 for the month but he hit six doubles and three HRs.
Pitcher of the Month
Troy Patton had a solid June. He appeared in seven games for the Norfolk Tide (16 1/3 IP) and finished with a 1.65 ERA. It appears he is becoming a different pitcher than he was before the shoulder surgery of 2009. He only struck out 4 batters in the month.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Yet another month where only J. R. Towles represents the G-Stros as a position player. We are pulling for September call ups for Martinez & Altuve so that he can have some company. Towles was beat up for much of the month and in 15 games only hit .154.
Pitcher of the Month
Since being traded from the Rockies to the Royals, Felipe Paulino has been a solid starter. In his six starts in June, he amassed a 3.58 ERA and struck out 33 in 37 2/3 IP while walking 10.
Honorable Mention to Fernando Abad who in the five games since he was called up to Houston, has a 1.80 ERA and five strike outs.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Altuve & Hinze Lead Minors At Half Way Point of Season
Baseball American did a write up on the minor league statistical leaders at the half way point of the season. Jose Altuve and Kody Hinze got a great deal of discussion in the piece.
Altuve is leading MiLB in batting average at the half way mark. His .395 batting average leads the second place batter by .018. Here is what BA had to say about the little guy with the big stick.
Hinze is among the leaders in HR (19 - Tied for 7th) and Slugging Percentage (.622 - 14th) but he is THE leader in On Base Percentage. Here is what BA said about the big first baseman.
Altuve is leading MiLB in batting average at the half way mark. His .395 batting average leads the second place batter by .018. Here is what BA had to say about the little guy with the big stick.
Jose Altuve hit .301 at two Class A stops last season (561 plate appearances), on the heels of a cumulative .306 showing in two years in the Rookie-level Appalachian League (360 PA), so he has a clear track record of hitting for average. His crazy .395 average this year has been propped up by an otherworldly showing at home in the high Class A California League prior to his bump to Double-A. Altuve hit .464 (52-for-112) in 28 home games for Lancaster, collecting a hit slightly more than half the time he put the ball in play (50.5 percent).This is a polite way of saying "the Lancaster effect". We say hooey on that. Let's focus on the fact that since his promotion to AA he has hit .381. We know this is a small sample size (no pun intended) but the leader in AA for average for the season is at .357. So let's quit trying to explain away his success and recognize him for being a solid hitter.
Hinze is among the leaders in HR (19 - Tied for 7th) and Slugging Percentage (.622 - 14th) but he is THE leader in On Base Percentage. Here is what BA said about the big first baseman.
Kody Hinze, from Houston's Nimitz High, failed to come to terms with the Pirates as a 46th-round draft-and-follow selection in ’05. He twice went undrafted out of Angelina (Texas) JC before signing with Houston as a free agent that October ’07.... Hinze toiled for two years in rookie ball and has yet to advance past high Class A, but he's on to something this year with Lancaster. He's clubbed 19 homers and drawn 64 walks, the latter of which ranks second only to the Padres' Jaff Decker in the minors. Hinze's walk rate (20 percent of PAs) leads the way among this group .Hinze may also be benefiting from "the Lancaster effect" but the numbers don't show as much difference as they do with Altuve. In fact, Hinze's home and away numbers are almost identical. At home he has a slash line of .333/.463/.620 and his away slash line is .326/.467/.636. He is having a monster June, hitting .359 /.495/.679. All this indicates, he is ready for AA. Hopefully he will get that call soon. Hinze is a bit too old for the California League and needs to move on.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Two Former G-Stros Are Home Run Derby Champs
Last night was the All Star games for the A ball teams. Both Chris Wallace (Low A Lexington) and Kody Hinze (High A Lancaster) won their All Star Game Home Run Derby.
Wallace, who started his pro career in Greeneville last season, knocked 20 long balls over the fence to claim the South Atlantic League trophy. Here is what he said to the local paper after the victory.
Wallace picked up a $500 along with his trophy (pictured in link).
Meanwhile, at the California League vs. Carolina League All Star event, Kody Hinze hit 5 of his 10 dingers in the final round to win that All Star Home Run Derby.
Wallace, who started his pro career in Greeneville last season, knocked 20 long balls over the fence to claim the South Atlantic League trophy. Here is what he said to the local paper after the victory.
"It was fun," said Wallace, who was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round of the 2010 first-year player draft. "I got in a little bit of a groove that continued from my first round. I don't know what happened; something got in to me the last two rounds. I was just having a lot of fun out there."..."I just felt good," Wallace said. "I felt good in batting practice today, and the guy throwing the ball was really just hanging them in there. I really need to thank him for grooving some balls in there for me."
Wallace picked up a $500 along with his trophy (pictured in link).
Meanwhile, at the California League vs. Carolina League All Star event, Kody Hinze hit 5 of his 10 dingers in the final round to win that All Star Home Run Derby.
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.
Friday, February 18, 2011
What To Watch For In 2011 - Former G-Stros First Basemen
This is one of the thinnest positions in the Astros farm system. After seven seasons, there are only three former Greeneville Astros first basemen left in organized ball. Here is what I am watching for from them this year.
First Base
Koby Clemens - (2005 - 24- AA) - How does he handle the pitching in MLB Spring Training? Can he cut down on strike outs and bring up the batting average back above .250?
Kody Hinze - (2008 - 23 - A) - Can he get more hits than strike outs? How much will his power numbers jump in Lancaster?
Marcus Nidiffer - (2010 - 24 - SS A) How fast can he move through an unclogged system? Can he hit as he moves up?
Projected Placement
Oklahoma (AAA)
Clemens
Lancaster (HiA)
Hinze
Lexington (LoA)
Nidiffer
First Base
Koby Clemens - (2005 - 24- AA) - How does he handle the pitching in MLB Spring Training? Can he cut down on strike outs and bring up the batting average back above .250?
Kody Hinze - (2008 - 23 - A) - Can he get more hits than strike outs? How much will his power numbers jump in Lancaster?
Marcus Nidiffer - (2010 - 24 - SS A) How fast can he move through an unclogged system? Can he hit as he moves up?
Projected Placement
Oklahoma (AAA)
Clemens
Lancaster (HiA)
Hinze
Lexington (LoA)
Nidiffer
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