June is a fun month. The short season teams have started playing. Most of the full season teams have had their all star games. Let's see which former G-Stros' June was more fun because of their performances. We won't look at the short season teams this month because two weeks isn't really enough time to assess performances yet.
Quad Cities:
Hitters -
Who else but Carlos Correa. Correa hit .370/.413/.510 for the month. He has brought his average up to .323 for the season after a very sluggish start. Fun stat for Correa - Out of his 289 plate appearances so far, only six have been against pitchers younger than him and he has no hits against the younger pitchers. In the 283 plate appearances against older pitchers, he is hitting .332.
Honorable mention to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .286/.351/.417 for the month of June.
Pitchers -
Lance McCullers Jr. continues to have an impressive season in Quad Cities. McCullars struck out 33 batters in 27 1/3 innings pitched with a 2.30 ERA.
Honorable mention to Daniel Minor who had a 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings before he went on the DL.
Lancaster
Hitters -
Delino DeShields had another solid month in June. He hit .280/.370/.366. He also stole 8 bases to bring his season total to 20 on the season. He has really settled in as a 20 year old playing in the Cal. League.
Pitchers -
Luis Cruz has bounced back from a rough May and had an outstanding June. In 31 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed just 22 hits and seven walks for a WHIP of 0.906. He had an impressive total of 40 strike outs for the month!
Corpus Christi
Hitters -
Jonathan Meyer had another solid month hitting.280 with eight doubles and five home runs for a .510 slugging percentage.
Pitchers -
David Martinez continues to put up impressive numbers this season. In 30 2/3 June innings, he gave up just 21 hits and two walks while striking out 24 batters. Opponents hit just .193 against him in June.
Oklahoma City
There were only two former G-Stros on the roster at any point in time this month. Nether put up numbers worthy of recognition.
Major Leagues
Hitters-
Jose Altuve continues to be the most consistent Astro at the plate Even in a down month (.275
average) he still lead the time in batting average.
Pitchers -
Jose Cisnero struck out 14 batters in 11 2/3 innings pitched (8 games). He had not given up a run in June until his final outing. He ended the month with a 0.77 ERA.
Honorable mention to Troy Patton who found his grove again in June. In 12 appearances (12 1/3 IP) he fanned 12 batters and did not walk a batter after giving up eight free passes in May. ERA for June was 1.46
Fernando Abad also gets a honorable mention with his performance out of the National's bullpen. In 12 games (12 1/3 IP) he struck out 14 batters and also walked no one. His June ERA was also 1.46
Finally, I feel like J.C. Gutierrez deserves a mention as well. In limited action, he fanned eight batters in nine innings of pitching for the Royals. He finished June with a 2.00 ERA.
Showing posts with label Patton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patton. Show all posts
Monday, July 1, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Former G-Stro Troy Patton Trying To Right Ship As He Heads Home
Troy Patton grew up in the Houston area and fulfilled the boyhood dream of being drafted by the Houston Astros and making his MLB debut with the Astros in 2007. He was then traded to the Orioles in the Miguel Tejada deal. After recovering from shoulder surgery, Patton has become a key piece of the Orioles bullpen. He had a very successful 2012 appearing in 54 games with a 2.43 ERA and 49 Ks to just 12 walks. Last fall, he became the first former Greeneville Astro to pitch in the post season.
Today, the Orioles come to Houston to open a three game set. That will give Patton another chance to pitch in his hometown. However, he is coming home trying to figure out what has gone wrong in 2013. In 22 games this year, he has already walked more batters (13) and given up as many runs (15) as he did in 2012.
The Baltimore press has noticed the struggles and have talked to Patton about what he is doing about them. It look like he is taking a two pronged approach.
1. He is going back to throwing bullpen sessions similar to what he did as a starter.
I am sure there will be a large contingent of fans at the games this series pulling for Patton to do well.
Today, the Orioles come to Houston to open a three game set. That will give Patton another chance to pitch in his hometown. However, he is coming home trying to figure out what has gone wrong in 2013. In 22 games this year, he has already walked more batters (13) and given up as many runs (15) as he did in 2012.
The Baltimore press has noticed the struggles and have talked to Patton about what he is doing about them. It look like he is taking a two pronged approach.
1. He is going back to throwing bullpen sessions similar to what he did as a starter.
“I’m just trying to get back to what made me good,” Patton said. “I really just wanted to it to work on duplicating mechanics because my missed haven’t been smaller than last year. Aim small, miss small. My misses have been much more dramatic this season.”2. He is watching video of 2012.
"We've been looking at some film from last year because things went well last season, and I had good results. Just looking at things I might have changed and then I just need to get my fastball to where I want it to go. Working on different things to get my arm where I can consistently throw the pitches where I want to."He appears to be on the right track with these strategies. After amassing a 7.71 ERA in May, he started June with a two inning outing where he surrendered two hits but didn't walk a batter and struck out three. That was his highest strike out total of the season and accounted for 1/5th of his total strike outs for the year.
I am sure there will be a large contingent of fans at the games this series pulling for Patton to do well.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - April 2013
The first month of the season is in the books. Let's check on the progress of the former G-Stros both in and out of the Houston organization and recognize those who put up good numbers this month. We will look at a hitter and a pitcher at all levels.
Quad Cities:
Hitter of the Month:
Roberto Pena hit .365 in 13 games for the River Bandits. Of his 19 hits, he had two HR and three doubles. The 20 year old is starting the season in low A for the third time. He is doing his best to show he is ready for a new challenge.
Honorable Mention: Jesse Wierzbicki, who hit .261 for the month but had eight extra base hits and is tied for fourth in the league with 20 RBI.
Pitcher of the Month:
Vincent Velasquez finished the month on a rough note last night giving up four earned runs in 2 2/3 IP, yet that only raised his ERA for the month to 2.45. He has struck out 31 batters in 25 2/3 IP. His 31 Ks tie him for the league lead.
Honorable Mention: Lance McCullers Jr., who in five appearances amassed a 1.93 ERA with 19 K in 18 2/3 IP.
Lancaster:
Hitter of the Month:
The options for hitter here are slim as there are just three former G-Stros position players on the Lancaster roster. Delino DeShields gets the nod this month despite a bit of a slump towards the end of the month. In April, he hit .250 with three doubles and three triples. He made just two errors in 63 chances at second base during the month.
Honorable Mention: Telvin Nash joined the team late in the month after rehabbing an injury in extended spring training. In the seven games since he joined the team, Nash is hitting .346 with a double and two home runs. He has taken four walks against six strikeouts. If he can put those numbers up over a whole month, he will be a shoo in for Alumni of the month.
Pitcher of the Month:
Likewise, there are only three options to choose from for Appy Astros Alumni of the Month among the pitchers in Lancaster. Luis Cruz is the choice based on his three starts in the tandem pitching rotation. In his three starts, he has a 0.61 ERA with 19 strike outs in 14 2/3 IP. He has not fared as well coming in as the second half of the tandem but overall he finishes April with a 3.47 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched. He is tied for 8th among league leaders in strikeouts.
Honorable Mention: Michael Foltynewicz got off to a rough start but has rebounded with several strong outings later in the month.
Corpus Christi:
Hitter of the Month
This was one of the toughest calls of the month. Ben Orloff gets the nod with a .322 average in 20 games this month. He struck out just four times in 59 at bats. That is one K every 15 at bats! He also took eight walks on the month. He has also moved around the diamond this month. He has played five games each at 1B, 2B, and SS while adding three games at 3B and one game as DH.
Honorable Mention: Rene Garcia made this a tough call. He has only appeared in 13 games but when he has gotten his chances, he has hit the ball. He hit .333 with four doubles and a HR to his credit for the month. He has gunned down 50% of would be base burglars so far this season as well.
Pitcher of the Month
David Martinez has quietly put up solid numbers in his AA debut. In 22 2/3 innings pitched, he has allowed just 15 hits and five walks for a WHIP of 0.88 (3rd best in the Texas League). He has not given up an earned run in his past 13 2/3 innings pitched.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Quevedo started the month in Lancaster but was quickly promoted to Corpus Christi. Since arriving he has appeared in six games with one of those being a start. In 16 2/3 IP, he has a 1.62 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
Oklahoma City
Hitter of the Month - No former G-Stro qualified for the award this month. Only two former players have appeared in games for OKC this season. Ruben Sosa was sent down to EST after just two games and Chris Wallace was traded after limited action.
Pitcher of the Month
Jordan Lyles gets the nod here. He had one rough outing that inflates his numbers but he heads to Houston to join the big league Astros after completing April with a 5.32 ERA.
Minors- Other Affiliations
Hitter of the Month
Albert Cartwright is off to a hot start with Reading (AA-Phillies). The second baseman is hitting .326 with three doubles, a triple and a HR. He is tearing up lefties with eight hits and 16 at bats.
Honorable Mention: Chris Wallace was traded to the Indians organization during the month. He played in eight games for Akron hitting ,.367 before being promoted to Columbus (AAA). Since arriving back in AAA, he went 5 for 7 in his first game in a Clippers uniform.
Pitcher of the Month
Fernando Abad started off the year with eight straight scoreless outings. Despite giving up a run in his last two outings of the month, he still ended April with a 1.93 ERA. He is pitching for Syracuse (AAA- Washington).
Honorable Mention: Tom Vessella appeared in nine games for the Richmond Flying Squirrles (AA- Giants). The lefty finished April with a 1.08 ERA in 16 2/3 innings pitched.
Majors
Hitter of the Month
It is very hard to select anyone but Jose Altuve. Altuve continues to show he belongs in the big leagues. He hit .330 in April and finished the month with 37 hits which ties him for the league lead. He also continues to make impressive plays in the field.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Barnes has come to the plate in 15 games so far this year and has reached base in 14 of those games.
Pitcher of the Month
Jose Cisnero came up from OKC to give the bullpen a fresh arm and he has shown he belongs in the bigs. The 14th G-Stro to make the show has appeared in three games since his call up allowing just one earned run in 7 2/3 innings pitched out of the Astros' bullpen. He has allowed just five hits and one walk while striking out five opponents.
Honorable Mention: Troy Patton has appeared in 11 games out of the Baltimore bullpen. He is holding opponents to a measly .220 batting average.
Overall not a bad showing by the alumni of the Greeneville Astros! Can't wait to see who shines in May.
Quad Cities:
Hitter of the Month:
Roberto Pena hit .365 in 13 games for the River Bandits. Of his 19 hits, he had two HR and three doubles. The 20 year old is starting the season in low A for the third time. He is doing his best to show he is ready for a new challenge.
Honorable Mention: Jesse Wierzbicki, who hit .261 for the month but had eight extra base hits and is tied for fourth in the league with 20 RBI.
Pitcher of the Month:
Vincent Velasquez finished the month on a rough note last night giving up four earned runs in 2 2/3 IP, yet that only raised his ERA for the month to 2.45. He has struck out 31 batters in 25 2/3 IP. His 31 Ks tie him for the league lead.
Honorable Mention: Lance McCullers Jr., who in five appearances amassed a 1.93 ERA with 19 K in 18 2/3 IP.
Lancaster:
Hitter of the Month:
The options for hitter here are slim as there are just three former G-Stros position players on the Lancaster roster. Delino DeShields gets the nod this month despite a bit of a slump towards the end of the month. In April, he hit .250 with three doubles and three triples. He made just two errors in 63 chances at second base during the month.
Honorable Mention: Telvin Nash joined the team late in the month after rehabbing an injury in extended spring training. In the seven games since he joined the team, Nash is hitting .346 with a double and two home runs. He has taken four walks against six strikeouts. If he can put those numbers up over a whole month, he will be a shoo in for Alumni of the month.
Pitcher of the Month:
Likewise, there are only three options to choose from for Appy Astros Alumni of the Month among the pitchers in Lancaster. Luis Cruz is the choice based on his three starts in the tandem pitching rotation. In his three starts, he has a 0.61 ERA with 19 strike outs in 14 2/3 IP. He has not fared as well coming in as the second half of the tandem but overall he finishes April with a 3.47 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched. He is tied for 8th among league leaders in strikeouts.
Honorable Mention: Michael Foltynewicz got off to a rough start but has rebounded with several strong outings later in the month.
Corpus Christi:
Hitter of the Month
This was one of the toughest calls of the month. Ben Orloff gets the nod with a .322 average in 20 games this month. He struck out just four times in 59 at bats. That is one K every 15 at bats! He also took eight walks on the month. He has also moved around the diamond this month. He has played five games each at 1B, 2B, and SS while adding three games at 3B and one game as DH.
Honorable Mention: Rene Garcia made this a tough call. He has only appeared in 13 games but when he has gotten his chances, he has hit the ball. He hit .333 with four doubles and a HR to his credit for the month. He has gunned down 50% of would be base burglars so far this season as well.
Pitcher of the Month
David Martinez has quietly put up solid numbers in his AA debut. In 22 2/3 innings pitched, he has allowed just 15 hits and five walks for a WHIP of 0.88 (3rd best in the Texas League). He has not given up an earned run in his past 13 2/3 innings pitched.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Quevedo started the month in Lancaster but was quickly promoted to Corpus Christi. Since arriving he has appeared in six games with one of those being a start. In 16 2/3 IP, he has a 1.62 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
Oklahoma City
Hitter of the Month - No former G-Stro qualified for the award this month. Only two former players have appeared in games for OKC this season. Ruben Sosa was sent down to EST after just two games and Chris Wallace was traded after limited action.
Pitcher of the Month
Jordan Lyles gets the nod here. He had one rough outing that inflates his numbers but he heads to Houston to join the big league Astros after completing April with a 5.32 ERA.
Minors- Other Affiliations
Hitter of the Month
Albert Cartwright is off to a hot start with Reading (AA-Phillies). The second baseman is hitting .326 with three doubles, a triple and a HR. He is tearing up lefties with eight hits and 16 at bats.
Honorable Mention: Chris Wallace was traded to the Indians organization during the month. He played in eight games for Akron hitting ,.367 before being promoted to Columbus (AAA). Since arriving back in AAA, he went 5 for 7 in his first game in a Clippers uniform.
Pitcher of the Month
Fernando Abad started off the year with eight straight scoreless outings. Despite giving up a run in his last two outings of the month, he still ended April with a 1.93 ERA. He is pitching for Syracuse (AAA- Washington).
Honorable Mention: Tom Vessella appeared in nine games for the Richmond Flying Squirrles (AA- Giants). The lefty finished April with a 1.08 ERA in 16 2/3 innings pitched.
Majors
Hitter of the Month
It is very hard to select anyone but Jose Altuve. Altuve continues to show he belongs in the big leagues. He hit .330 in April and finished the month with 37 hits which ties him for the league lead. He also continues to make impressive plays in the field.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Barnes has come to the plate in 15 games so far this year and has reached base in 14 of those games.
Pitcher of the Month
Jose Cisnero came up from OKC to give the bullpen a fresh arm and he has shown he belongs in the bigs. The 14th G-Stro to make the show has appeared in three games since his call up allowing just one earned run in 7 2/3 innings pitched out of the Astros' bullpen. He has allowed just five hits and one walk while striking out five opponents.
Honorable Mention: Troy Patton has appeared in 11 games out of the Baltimore bullpen. He is holding opponents to a measly .220 batting average.
Overall not a bad showing by the alumni of the Greeneville Astros! Can't wait to see who shines in May.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Progress Report 2004-2007
Since the full season minor league rosters for the Astros were released yesterday, I noticed there is no player in the Astros minor league organization who played for Greeneville in 2004-2007. There is only one player from that time frame with the big league Astros and that is Brandon Barnes. Not to bet a much beaten dead horse but it just goes to show how poorly run the system was a few years ago.
Let's take a look at the 11 players who are left in affiliated ball from those teams.
There are three players who are still in affiliated ball: Fernando Abad (Nationals AAA), Arcenio Leon (Brewers AA), Albert Cartwright (Phillies AA).
From the 2006 team, Brandon Barnes is in Houston with the big club. Other than that, Ralph Henriquez is with AA Tulsa (Rockies) and Tom Vessella (AA Giants) are the only players left in affiliated ball.
Barnes and Henriquez are the only two players left in affiliated ball from the 2005 team.
The 2004 team still has a large number in affliated ball but none with the Astros organization. Troy Patton (Baltimore) and J.C. Gutierrez (Royals) were on opening day rosters. Felipe Paulino is on the Royals 60 day DL as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery. He should be back in the majors around the all star break. J.R. Towles (Cardinals) and Jordan Parraz (Braves) are both in AAA to start this season.
So basically out of the 11 players from those years, you have one player who is a home grown player who is a back up in the major leagues.
You have three players that were traded as a part of packages to obtain needed pieces:
Patton - key piece of the Tejada trade
Gutierrez - traded with Burke & Qualls for Valverde
Paulino - traded for Clint Barmes
And you have seven players who are currently organizational type players or AAAA type players in other systems.
Let's take a look at the 11 players who are left in affiliated ball from those teams.
There are three players who are still in affiliated ball: Fernando Abad (Nationals AAA), Arcenio Leon (Brewers AA), Albert Cartwright (Phillies AA).
From the 2006 team, Brandon Barnes is in Houston with the big club. Other than that, Ralph Henriquez is with AA Tulsa (Rockies) and Tom Vessella (AA Giants) are the only players left in affiliated ball.
Barnes and Henriquez are the only two players left in affiliated ball from the 2005 team.
The 2004 team still has a large number in affliated ball but none with the Astros organization. Troy Patton (Baltimore) and J.C. Gutierrez (Royals) were on opening day rosters. Felipe Paulino is on the Royals 60 day DL as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery. He should be back in the majors around the all star break. J.R. Towles (Cardinals) and Jordan Parraz (Braves) are both in AAA to start this season.
So basically out of the 11 players from those years, you have one player who is a home grown player who is a back up in the major leagues.
You have three players that were traded as a part of packages to obtain needed pieces:
Patton - key piece of the Tejada trade
Gutierrez - traded with Burke & Qualls for Valverde
Paulino - traded for Clint Barmes
And you have seven players who are currently organizational type players or AAAA type players in other systems.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Four Former G-Stros Make Opening Day Rosters As Gutierrez Claims Final Spot
Yesterday it was announced that J.C. Gutierrez claimed the final spot in the Royals' bullpen. He won it based on a solid performance in spring training and the fact that he was the only person vying for the spot who was out of options. The Royals didn't want to expose the ex -Astros formerly known as Juan Gutierrez to waivers.
With the announcement of Gutierrez winning his spot; there are four former Greeneville Astros on opening day rosters this season: Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes, Troy Patton and J.C. Guttierez.
The could be one more former G-Stro who could be named to a roster as an injury replacement. News out of Houston is that Fernando Martinez might have to go on the DL for an oblique injury. If that happens, it is possible that J.D. Martinez will take his roster spot. Though I suspect the Astros will go with switch hitting Trevor Crowe to increase match up options on the bench.
With the announcement of Gutierrez winning his spot; there are four former Greeneville Astros on opening day rosters this season: Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes, Troy Patton and J.C. Guttierez.
The could be one more former G-Stro who could be named to a roster as an injury replacement. News out of Houston is that Fernando Martinez might have to go on the DL for an oblique injury. If that happens, it is possible that J.D. Martinez will take his roster spot. Though I suspect the Astros will go with switch hitting Trevor Crowe to increase match up options on the bench.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Going Camping: Making The Roster & Getting Reassigned
Camps are wrapping up and players are starting to learn their fate. Let's see where things stand going in to the last few days of camp.
In Houston's Camp:
Jose Altuve will be the opening day second baseman and will hit leadoff for the Astros. He will be joined on the opening day roster by Brandon Barnes. Barnes won the reserve outfield spot thanks to his flexibility to play all three outfield positions and his outstanding defense. Barnes is the new poster child for reminding folks not to read too much into Appy League stats. In 91 games, over two seasons, Barnes hit .211/.284/.318 with more strike outs (83) than hits (67). Barnes was raw when drafted. The minor leagues is about development. Sometimes we forget that. Barnes has developed into a major league ball player.
J.D. Martinez got the news Saturday that he was being sent down to AAA. I don't expect this to be a long trip for Martinez who had off season surgery to remove the Hamate bone in his wrist. The Astros are still positive about Martinez.
All of the other former G-Stros have been sent back to minor league camp. Though kudos to David Martinez for getting the start on Sunday and earning the win. We are also hearing the Delino DeShields Jr. will be with the team for their final exhibition game against the Cubs in Houston.
In Other Camps:
Troy Patton is a lock for the Orioles 'pen despite a recent rough outing.
J.R. Towles and Jordan Parraz were sent to AAA by the Cards & Braves respectively. And apparently I missed Arcenio Leon being sent down by the Brewers earlier this month.
J.C. Gutierrez and Fernando Abad are both battling for the final spot in the Royals and Nats bullpens respectively. However it is likely both will start the season in AAA.
That means that it is likely only three former G-Stros will be on opening day rosters this year. Last year, there were four on rosters (Patton, Altuve, Lyles and Martinez) with Paulino on the DL in KC.
In Houston's Camp:
Jose Altuve will be the opening day second baseman and will hit leadoff for the Astros. He will be joined on the opening day roster by Brandon Barnes. Barnes won the reserve outfield spot thanks to his flexibility to play all three outfield positions and his outstanding defense. Barnes is the new poster child for reminding folks not to read too much into Appy League stats. In 91 games, over two seasons, Barnes hit .211/.284/.318 with more strike outs (83) than hits (67). Barnes was raw when drafted. The minor leagues is about development. Sometimes we forget that. Barnes has developed into a major league ball player.
J.D. Martinez got the news Saturday that he was being sent down to AAA. I don't expect this to be a long trip for Martinez who had off season surgery to remove the Hamate bone in his wrist. The Astros are still positive about Martinez.
"We see J.D. as an everyday outfielder, and when you switch to the American League, it's hard to get our fourth or fifth outfielders a lot of playing time because the fact you're not doing as many double switches," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He's going to play a lot, and right now we couldn't guarantee him that amount of playing time at the big league level
All of the other former G-Stros have been sent back to minor league camp. Though kudos to David Martinez for getting the start on Sunday and earning the win. We are also hearing the Delino DeShields Jr. will be with the team for their final exhibition game against the Cubs in Houston.
In Other Camps:
Troy Patton is a lock for the Orioles 'pen despite a recent rough outing.
J.R. Towles and Jordan Parraz were sent to AAA by the Cards & Braves respectively. And apparently I missed Arcenio Leon being sent down by the Brewers earlier this month.
J.C. Gutierrez and Fernando Abad are both battling for the final spot in the Royals and Nats bullpens respectively. However it is likely both will start the season in AAA.
That means that it is likely only three former G-Stros will be on opening day rosters this year. Last year, there were four on rosters (Patton, Altuve, Lyles and Martinez) with Paulino on the DL in KC.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Going Camping: Updates from Major League Spring Camps
Well, it is less than two weeks to opening day and we have some movement among former G-Stros in big league spring training. Let's check out the updates starting with those in Astros camp:
Jose Altuve is a lock for the starting 2nd base job in Houston. He has had a good spring hitting .356 with a on base percentage of .396. It has been announced he will be batting in the lead off spot.
Brandon Barnes is continuing to make a case for making the 25 man roster out of spring training. He has hit four home runs and has only struck out three times in 30 at bats. He continues to provide stellar defense which helps his case as a reserve outfielder on the roster.
Rene Garcia is still in camp. In a very small sample size (10 AB) he has a .300 average and a healthy .417 on base percentage. He will likely return to minor league camp soon but it has been a good spring for Garcia.
Jordan Lyles was sent down to minor league camp today. The Astros want him to right the ship in AAA and then return to the majors never to be sent down again. Let's hope that is the case for Lyles. According to Bo Porter, "it is not a demotion, it's a delay".
David Martinez got called up today and made his major league spring training debut. He came in and pitched the 8th and 9th. Facing only six batters and striking out two. He will go back to minor league camp after the game, but it was nice to see him get a shot at some big league batters.
J.D. Martinez is being talked about as a part of the platoon in right field, sharing time with Rike Ankiel. He is not having a great spring statistically.
Chris Wallace is still in big league camp but is getting limited action. He will be heading to minor league camp before long.
Outside of Astros Camp:
Fernando Abad has had a solid spring but appears to be looking at starting the year in AAA.
Victor Garate was released by the Dodgers without ever appearing in a Spring Training game.
J.C. Gutierrez (Juan) is battling for a return to the big leagues after missing last season with an injury. He is facing an up hill battle but is out of options so if he doesn't make the Royals, he might be a waiver claim candidate.
Arcenio Leon is still in big league camp with the Brewers but has only appeared in two games. Both of those appearances were last month.
Troy Patton appears to be a fixture in the O's bullpen. He appears to really like playing for manager Buck Showalter
Felipe Paulino is up to 35 pitches, throwing just fastballs and change ups. He is slated to return around mid season.
Jordan Parraz hit a three run pinch hit homer today. He has had a solid spring but has little chance of making the 25 man roster for Atlanta. But it is only a short drive from AAA to the ATL.
J.R. Towles has had a descent spring but is all but certainly headed to AAA Memphis.
So based on how things look right now. Two former G-Stros (Altuve & Patton) are locks to be on rosters on opening day. After that, those with descent chances are Barnes, Martinez & Gutierrez. We will check in again next week to see where they stand.
Jose Altuve is a lock for the starting 2nd base job in Houston. He has had a good spring hitting .356 with a on base percentage of .396. It has been announced he will be batting in the lead off spot.
Brandon Barnes is continuing to make a case for making the 25 man roster out of spring training. He has hit four home runs and has only struck out three times in 30 at bats. He continues to provide stellar defense which helps his case as a reserve outfielder on the roster.
Rene Garcia is still in camp. In a very small sample size (10 AB) he has a .300 average and a healthy .417 on base percentage. He will likely return to minor league camp soon but it has been a good spring for Garcia.
Jordan Lyles was sent down to minor league camp today. The Astros want him to right the ship in AAA and then return to the majors never to be sent down again. Let's hope that is the case for Lyles. According to Bo Porter, "it is not a demotion, it's a delay".
David Martinez got called up today and made his major league spring training debut. He came in and pitched the 8th and 9th. Facing only six batters and striking out two. He will go back to minor league camp after the game, but it was nice to see him get a shot at some big league batters.
J.D. Martinez is being talked about as a part of the platoon in right field, sharing time with Rike Ankiel. He is not having a great spring statistically.
Chris Wallace is still in big league camp but is getting limited action. He will be heading to minor league camp before long.
Outside of Astros Camp:
Fernando Abad has had a solid spring but appears to be looking at starting the year in AAA.
Victor Garate was released by the Dodgers without ever appearing in a Spring Training game.
J.C. Gutierrez (Juan) is battling for a return to the big leagues after missing last season with an injury. He is facing an up hill battle but is out of options so if he doesn't make the Royals, he might be a waiver claim candidate.
Arcenio Leon is still in big league camp with the Brewers but has only appeared in two games. Both of those appearances were last month.
Troy Patton appears to be a fixture in the O's bullpen. He appears to really like playing for manager Buck Showalter
Felipe Paulino is up to 35 pitches, throwing just fastballs and change ups. He is slated to return around mid season.
Jordan Parraz hit a three run pinch hit homer today. He has had a solid spring but has little chance of making the 25 man roster for Atlanta. But it is only a short drive from AAA to the ATL.
J.R. Towles has had a descent spring but is all but certainly headed to AAA Memphis.
So based on how things look right now. Two former G-Stros (Altuve & Patton) are locks to be on rosters on opening day. After that, those with descent chances are Barnes, Martinez & Gutierrez. We will check in again next week to see where they stand.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Dinner Table Guys
Let's go back to the beginning of my interest in the Astros minor leagues. The Astros came to Greeneville in 2004. At that time, we were just excited to have pro baseball in town. Prior to living in Greeneville, we lived in Birmingham and my daughter and I took in several games there. I loved the baseball and she loved cotton candy. We had missed minor league ball. So when the news broke of an Appy League team moving to Greeneville we were thrilled.
When the Astros announced their roster, I saw a kid named Wallace "Beau" Torbert had been drafted out of the university my wife had spent her first two years of college. Turns out he was from a town just a few miles down the road from where I grew up. One of the first games we went to, we connected and we made arrangements for Beau to come over to the house for lunch one day.
Just a few weeks later, my son (then 4) was at McDonald's with my wife. He saw some young guys nearby and he said to my wife "I think those are Astros players". She told him to go ask. Sure enough, they were.
That night, he and I were at the game and I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was a young guy with a clip board. He looked at James and said, "Were you the kid who was at McDonald's today?" My son nodded. The player then said, "My name is Troy Patton, I am one of the pitchers but I am charting pitches today. Meet me at the field after the game and I will give you a ball." That night, my son went home with a brand new clean Appalachian League baseball. He still has this ball. It is still clean and he meant to bring it to Florida for Troy to sign but he forgot.
Troy was then added to lunch plans with Beau. They came over and shared a meal with us and then shared some wiffle ball with James. Troy would pitch to my son and make a fuss over him hitting his curve ball. The season wore on and we continued to build relationships with our "dinner table guys". They come over to the house once more and at my son's requested brought another player with them.
Later that year, I learned I had close to one million dollars in signing bonuses sitting around the table. But I was clueless at the time. These were guys who were happy for a home cooked meal.
The season ended and we exchanged email addresses. We stayed in touch and got to see Troy over the next few seasons in both Low A and High A ball. Then he was promoted to AA and before long, he was wearing a Houston Astros uniform. The morning I woke my son up to tell him that Troy made his major league debut, his response was, "Now I can say I hit a major league curve ball." This year will be Troy's 10th season of pro ball.
We were able to connect when we were at Spring Training last week. Troy continues to make a fuss over my son (who is 13 now) and my son continues to soak up every word Troy says. Last Thursday, Troy showed my son a different change up grip. Saturday, my son was trying to throw that pitch behind the condo. It looked pretty good. Oh, and he also gave him a shiny new Major League Baseball with his name signed on it.
I planned to get an updated picture of the two of them together last week but we got so busy talking, I forgot to take the picture. Maybe I see where my son gets his forgetfulness from.
Spending time with Troy and the other dinner table guys this spring training makes me long for the players to report to Greeneville and to add more names to the list.
In nine season, we have had a total of 18 players over to our house for meals. Some were top prospects, some were raw talent that took some time to develop, some were non drafted free agents just trying to get a chance and some were guys spending their third year in Greeneville and knew their pro baseball career would be over at the end of the season. We provided the meal and they provided the memories.
Of those 18 guys, four were in big league camp with two assured a MLB spot. Two more are battling for roster spots. We got to see all four of these guys play on our trip to spring training and got to talk to three of them. Of the rest of the dinner table guys, one other is in a minor league camp and one is a hitting coach in indy ball. Two are coaching high school baseball. One owns a small construction company. One works as a division director for a staffing company. One plans to graduate law school in a few months. One is working on obtaining a visa to come back to America. One is selling fitness products and giving private hitting lessons. There are a few that I have lost touch with over time.
Each one of them will always be one of our dinner table guys. There are other players who we were never able to have over but hold honorary seats at the table. So if you ever see biases in my writing you can bet they were likely a dinner table guy.
When the Astros announced their roster, I saw a kid named Wallace "Beau" Torbert had been drafted out of the university my wife had spent her first two years of college. Turns out he was from a town just a few miles down the road from where I grew up. One of the first games we went to, we connected and we made arrangements for Beau to come over to the house for lunch one day.
Just a few weeks later, my son (then 4) was at McDonald's with my wife. He saw some young guys nearby and he said to my wife "I think those are Astros players". She told him to go ask. Sure enough, they were.
That night, he and I were at the game and I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was a young guy with a clip board. He looked at James and said, "Were you the kid who was at McDonald's today?" My son nodded. The player then said, "My name is Troy Patton, I am one of the pitchers but I am charting pitches today. Meet me at the field after the game and I will give you a ball." That night, my son went home with a brand new clean Appalachian League baseball. He still has this ball. It is still clean and he meant to bring it to Florida for Troy to sign but he forgot.
Troy was then added to lunch plans with Beau. They came over and shared a meal with us and then shared some wiffle ball with James. Troy would pitch to my son and make a fuss over him hitting his curve ball. The season wore on and we continued to build relationships with our "dinner table guys". They come over to the house once more and at my son's requested brought another player with them.
Later that year, I learned I had close to one million dollars in signing bonuses sitting around the table. But I was clueless at the time. These were guys who were happy for a home cooked meal.
The season ended and we exchanged email addresses. We stayed in touch and got to see Troy over the next few seasons in both Low A and High A ball. Then he was promoted to AA and before long, he was wearing a Houston Astros uniform. The morning I woke my son up to tell him that Troy made his major league debut, his response was, "Now I can say I hit a major league curve ball." This year will be Troy's 10th season of pro ball.
We were able to connect when we were at Spring Training last week. Troy continues to make a fuss over my son (who is 13 now) and my son continues to soak up every word Troy says. Last Thursday, Troy showed my son a different change up grip. Saturday, my son was trying to throw that pitch behind the condo. It looked pretty good. Oh, and he also gave him a shiny new Major League Baseball with his name signed on it.
 | ||
| Troy with my son in 2004 |
| (Photo by AppyAstros/All Rights Reserved) |
Spending time with Troy and the other dinner table guys this spring training makes me long for the players to report to Greeneville and to add more names to the list.
In nine season, we have had a total of 18 players over to our house for meals. Some were top prospects, some were raw talent that took some time to develop, some were non drafted free agents just trying to get a chance and some were guys spending their third year in Greeneville and knew their pro baseball career would be over at the end of the season. We provided the meal and they provided the memories.
Of those 18 guys, four were in big league camp with two assured a MLB spot. Two more are battling for roster spots. We got to see all four of these guys play on our trip to spring training and got to talk to three of them. Of the rest of the dinner table guys, one other is in a minor league camp and one is a hitting coach in indy ball. Two are coaching high school baseball. One owns a small construction company. One works as a division director for a staffing company. One plans to graduate law school in a few months. One is working on obtaining a visa to come back to America. One is selling fitness products and giving private hitting lessons. There are a few that I have lost touch with over time.
Each one of them will always be one of our dinner table guys. There are other players who we were never able to have over but hold honorary seats at the table. So if you ever see biases in my writing you can bet they were likely a dinner table guy.
Going Camping: Update on Former G-Stros in Big League Camp
In Astros Camp, here is the latest on the former G-Stros:
Jose Altuve is hitting .314 through 12 games (35 At Bats). We got to visit with him briefly down in Florida and he is the same nice guy he was in Greeneville. He is a lock for the roster.
Brandon Barnes is making a case for a back up outfield spot. He has played in 12 games and his hitting .409 in 22 at bats. He is tied for the lead in HR on the team this spring with three. He continues to play solid defense in the outfield.
Jose Cisnero appeared in two games (2 2/3 innings) before being sent down to minor league camp.
Delino DeShields appeared in 10 games and received 12 at bats. He got four hits and stole two bases in three attempts. He was moved back to minor league camp during the weekend.
Rene Garcia he has appeared in seven games with just eight at bats. It won't be long before he is back in minor league camp. We saw him at spring training and he is no longer the skinny kid he was in Greeneville.
Jordan Lyles has been working on specific issues at the instruction of the Astros' coaching staff. Therefore, his results on the mound haven't been pretty but results aren't the focus right now.
J. D. Martinez has played in 13 games with 31 at bats. He is hitting just .258 this spring but likely has a spot on the roster.
Chris Wallace has appeared in three games with out getting a hit. Like Garcia, he is there for catching depth and will likely be returning to minor league camp soon.
Michael Foltynewicz appeared in one game and pitched a scoreless inning before being sent back down to minor league camp. He was seen working out with the AA group during minor league drills.
Ross Seaton made appearances in two games and didn't give up any earned runs in his 2 2/3 innings pitched. He has been sent back to minor league camp.
Though Jonathon Meyer and Roberto Pena were on the major league roster list, they have yet to appear in a major league spring training game.
Outside of Astros camp, Fernando Abad has been in the running for the final spot in the Nationals bullpen, but it looks like he will be the odd man out.
Felipe Paulino continues his rehab back from Tommy John surgery and will start the season on the DL.
Juan Guttierez (J.C.) has struggled recently and appears to be losing the battle for a major league roster spot.
Troy Patton after struggling in February, he has had two scoreless outings in March. He also appears to be getting a good number of ground balls this spring. We had a chance to talk to Patton during spring training. He talked about the fact that he came up as a starter and has four pitches has made his transition to the bullpen easy. He said he can face right handed batters and never show them the same pitch in an at bat.
Jordan Parraz is hitting .200 in 25 at bats over 16 games. He appears to be headed for AAA.
J.R. Towles is hitting .375 in 11 games (16 at bats). However, he doesn't appear to have a realistic shot at the Cardinals' opening day roster.
Arcenio Leon has made two appearances for the Brewers giving up two runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched.
Victor Garate is still on the Dodgers roster but has not appeared in a game thus far.
Jose Altuve is hitting .314 through 12 games (35 At Bats). We got to visit with him briefly down in Florida and he is the same nice guy he was in Greeneville. He is a lock for the roster.
Brandon Barnes is making a case for a back up outfield spot. He has played in 12 games and his hitting .409 in 22 at bats. He is tied for the lead in HR on the team this spring with three. He continues to play solid defense in the outfield.
 | ||||
| Barnes & Altuve talk during warm ups |
(Photo by AppyAstros/All Rights Reserved)
Jose Cisnero appeared in two games (2 2/3 innings) before being sent down to minor league camp.
Delino DeShields appeared in 10 games and received 12 at bats. He got four hits and stole two bases in three attempts. He was moved back to minor league camp during the weekend.
Rene Garcia he has appeared in seven games with just eight at bats. It won't be long before he is back in minor league camp. We saw him at spring training and he is no longer the skinny kid he was in Greeneville.
Jordan Lyles has been working on specific issues at the instruction of the Astros' coaching staff. Therefore, his results on the mound haven't been pretty but results aren't the focus right now.
J. D. Martinez has played in 13 games with 31 at bats. He is hitting just .258 this spring but likely has a spot on the roster.
Chris Wallace has appeared in three games with out getting a hit. Like Garcia, he is there for catching depth and will likely be returning to minor league camp soon.
Michael Foltynewicz appeared in one game and pitched a scoreless inning before being sent back down to minor league camp. He was seen working out with the AA group during minor league drills.
Ross Seaton made appearances in two games and didn't give up any earned runs in his 2 2/3 innings pitched. He has been sent back to minor league camp.
Though Jonathon Meyer and Roberto Pena were on the major league roster list, they have yet to appear in a major league spring training game.
Outside of Astros camp, Fernando Abad has been in the running for the final spot in the Nationals bullpen, but it looks like he will be the odd man out.
Felipe Paulino continues his rehab back from Tommy John surgery and will start the season on the DL.
Juan Guttierez (J.C.) has struggled recently and appears to be losing the battle for a major league roster spot.
Troy Patton after struggling in February, he has had two scoreless outings in March. He also appears to be getting a good number of ground balls this spring. We had a chance to talk to Patton during spring training. He talked about the fact that he came up as a starter and has four pitches has made his transition to the bullpen easy. He said he can face right handed batters and never show them the same pitch in an at bat.
Jordan Parraz is hitting .200 in 25 at bats over 16 games. He appears to be headed for AAA.
J.R. Towles is hitting .375 in 11 games (16 at bats). However, he doesn't appear to have a realistic shot at the Cardinals' opening day roster.
Arcenio Leon has made two appearances for the Brewers giving up two runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched.
Victor Garate is still on the Dodgers roster but has not appeared in a game thus far.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Going Camping: Update on Former G-Stros in Big League Camp
In Astros Camp, here is the latest on the former G-Stros:
Jose Altuve has appeared in just two games so far this spring. He is a lock to make the big league club but his lack of playing time concerns me as far as a possible injury.
Brandon Barnes is making the most of his opportunities when he gets playing time. He has appeared in four games thus far and is three for nine at the plate with a HR, no strike outs and two stolen bases. He also has two outfield assist. There is a great deal of competition for the outfield spots and Barnes is doing his best to make the decision even tougher.
Jose Cisnero made his first appearance yesterday and was effective pitching 1 1/3 innings give up one hit and one walk while striking out one batter.
Delino DeShields is getting a full taste of major league camp this spring. He has appeared in four games and has demonstrated his speed tool in the pinch runner mode several times. He has scored three runs, even though he has only reached base one time as a batter.
Rene Garcia is in camp for catching depth and has played in three games thus far. He is hit less in two at bats but has two walks in his other plate appearances.
Jordan Lyles had a rough outing in his first outing of the spring but it is nothing to get too worried about. He will likely be in the rotation when camp breaks.
J.D. Martinez is three for his first 10 this spring as he fights for a starting spot in the Astros outfield. It was reported yesterday he will see some time in right in addition to his usual spot in left.
Chris Wallace is also in camp for catching depth. He has appeared in two games and doesn't have a hit in two at bats but he does have an RBI and a walk.
Other players on the spring training roster who might get some playing time as the spring progresses (especially in split squad games) are: Michael Foltynewicz (#88), Jonathan Meyer (#96). Roberto Pena (#84) and Ross Seaton (#61).
In other camps around baseball here is how the former G-Stros are doing.
Juan Gutierrez has apparently decided on a name change. He is now listed as J.C. Gutierrez on the Royals roster. In his lone outing thus far, he pitched a 1,2,3 inning against the D-Backs and appears to be the top candidate for the final bullpen spot. He should make his second appearance today.
In other news from Royals camp, Felipe Paulino threw off the mound earlier this week and is making progress towards a mid season return.
Troy Patton had a good outing yesterday with Baltimore. He came into the game in a bases loaded one out jam. He escaped by striking out Shane Victorino and then got Christian Vazquez to ground into a force out. His full line for the day was 1 1/3 IP, two hits, one run, one walk and two strike outs.
Fernando Abad is making some noise in Nationals camp.
J.R. Towles has appeared in two games for the Cards and has one hit in three at bats.
Arcenio Leon has made two appearances for the Brewers (1 2/3 IP) giving up two hits and two walks with no strike outs. He has surrendered two earned runs and one long ball.
Victor Garate has yet to appear in a game in Dodgers camp thus far.
My next update will come from Florida. My son and I leave for Spring Training next Wednesday and hope to see many of Florida based former G-Stros in person.
Jose Altuve has appeared in just two games so far this spring. He is a lock to make the big league club but his lack of playing time concerns me as far as a possible injury.
Brandon Barnes is making the most of his opportunities when he gets playing time. He has appeared in four games thus far and is three for nine at the plate with a HR, no strike outs and two stolen bases. He also has two outfield assist. There is a great deal of competition for the outfield spots and Barnes is doing his best to make the decision even tougher.
Jose Cisnero made his first appearance yesterday and was effective pitching 1 1/3 innings give up one hit and one walk while striking out one batter.
Delino DeShields is getting a full taste of major league camp this spring. He has appeared in four games and has demonstrated his speed tool in the pinch runner mode several times. He has scored three runs, even though he has only reached base one time as a batter.
Rene Garcia is in camp for catching depth and has played in three games thus far. He is hit less in two at bats but has two walks in his other plate appearances.
Jordan Lyles had a rough outing in his first outing of the spring but it is nothing to get too worried about. He will likely be in the rotation when camp breaks.
J.D. Martinez is three for his first 10 this spring as he fights for a starting spot in the Astros outfield. It was reported yesterday he will see some time in right in addition to his usual spot in left.
Chris Wallace is also in camp for catching depth. He has appeared in two games and doesn't have a hit in two at bats but he does have an RBI and a walk.
Other players on the spring training roster who might get some playing time as the spring progresses (especially in split squad games) are: Michael Foltynewicz (#88), Jonathan Meyer (#96). Roberto Pena (#84) and Ross Seaton (#61).
In other camps around baseball here is how the former G-Stros are doing.
Juan Gutierrez has apparently decided on a name change. He is now listed as J.C. Gutierrez on the Royals roster. In his lone outing thus far, he pitched a 1,2,3 inning against the D-Backs and appears to be the top candidate for the final bullpen spot. He should make his second appearance today.
In other news from Royals camp, Felipe Paulino threw off the mound earlier this week and is making progress towards a mid season return.
Troy Patton had a good outing yesterday with Baltimore. He came into the game in a bases loaded one out jam. He escaped by striking out Shane Victorino and then got Christian Vazquez to ground into a force out. His full line for the day was 1 1/3 IP, two hits, one run, one walk and two strike outs.
Fernando Abad is making some noise in Nationals camp.
If one player stood out aside from starter Dan Haren, it was left-handed reliever Fernando Abad. He had a 5.09 ERA last year for the Astros, but he’s been impressing the Nationals all spring, starting in bullpen sessions. Abad, 27, struck out one batter in a 1-2-3 inning. His odds to make the roster are long, but he could work his way into the competition for the final spot in the Nationals’ bullpen. If you’re looking for a sleeper, it may be Abad.Jordan Parraz has yet to start in game for the Braves but has preformed well when he has gotten time. In six games (8 AB), he is hitting .250 with one HR.
J.R. Towles has appeared in two games for the Cards and has one hit in three at bats.
Arcenio Leon has made two appearances for the Brewers (1 2/3 IP) giving up two hits and two walks with no strike outs. He has surrendered two earned runs and one long ball.
Victor Garate has yet to appear in a game in Dodgers camp thus far.
My next update will come from Florida. My son and I leave for Spring Training next Wednesday and hope to see many of Florida based former G-Stros in person.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Going Camping: Former G-Stros Edition
Let's check in on how a few of the former Greeneville Astros are doing in camps around Major League Baseball this spring.
Troy Patton - Baltimore - How many lefty's in the O's bullpen is too many?
Felipe Paulino - Royals - is about a week away from throwing off the mound and is still slated to return at the All Star Break. He is recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
Juan Gutierrez - Royals - had a great winter ball campaign in Venezuela. He was named the closer of the year in the LVBP. Gutierrez talked about the impact the injury from 2011 that required Tommy John surgery had on him.
Fernando Abad - Nationals - might get a look as a starter in Nationals camp.
Troy Patton - Baltimore - How many lefty's in the O's bullpen is too many?
"That's too far down the line to be speculating on," he said. "I tell you this: We did OK with one left-hander down there, and the reason was the six right-handers were pitching well. That's just conventionally set up, and I'm not married to that. We'll take our best seven guys down there.....Those things can fluctuate depending on who your starters are.J.R. Towles - Cardinals - is really a long shot to make the major league roster.
"I think it comes more into play when your starters are predominantly right-handed that you need a second left-hander, preferably to be a long reliever. I think Patton is capable of doing both. I think he can pitch long and short, especially with his starting pitching background."
Felipe Paulino - Royals - is about a week away from throwing off the mound and is still slated to return at the All Star Break. He is recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
Juan Gutierrez - Royals - had a great winter ball campaign in Venezuela. He was named the closer of the year in the LVBP. Gutierrez talked about the impact the injury from 2011 that required Tommy John surgery had on him.
"I matured a lot," he said. "It was the kind of pitcher that threw hard as I did not worry about working, by lifting weights and stuff. With rehabilitation forced me to work hard and now that I have become routine. I strengthened my muscles, I improved as a player and I learned that you have to work very hard to keep. " (via google translate)According to reports during winterball, his fastball was back to 93 mph. He is not on the 40 man roster but has a shot at making the team out of camp with a solid spring.
Fernando Abad - Nationals - might get a look as a starter in Nationals camp.
Friday, January 18, 2013
14 Former G-Stros in Big League Spring Training
With yesterday's snow here in Greeneville, thoughts of spring are in the forefront of my mind. As of today, it appears 13 former Greeneville Astros players will be reporting to big league camp when spring training begins.
There are seven who will be in the Astros camp and seven others that are scattered among six other teams. Players on a team's 40 man roster with have a (40) and those who have Non Roster Invites with be designated with a (NRI).
Astros:
Jose Altuve (40) - Altuve is one of the few former G-Stros assured of a starting spot when camp breaks. He was expected to be on the provisional roster for Venezuela in the WBC but did not appear on it when rosters were released this week. So he will be in camp full time.
Brandon Barnes (40) - Barnes will be battling for a spot on the big league club. At this point in his career he has played in more big league games (46) in one season than big league spring training games (26) over three seasons.
Jordan Lyles (40) - Will be looking to solidify his spot in the rotation and spend the full year in the majors after spending time at AAA each of the last two years.
J.D. Martinez (40) - Will try to show the baseball world that his wrist is healed and his swing is back.
Delino DeShields (NRI) - No chance to make the big league club but a chance to show his progress to the front office against very good competition.
Rene Garcia (NRI) - Will be his third year to get a chance to play in a spring training game. In six games so far, he hasn't had a hit yet.
Chris Wallace (NRI) - It will also be the masked marvel's third spring training. In 11 games in the previous two years, he has a .250 average.
Braves:
Jordan Parraz (NRI) - Parraz had a great spring last year and then suffered hand injuries to each hand that shortened his best shot for a call up to the majors.
Orioles:
Troy Patton (40) -Coming off a successful season in the O's pen, Patton is a lock to make the team out of spring training. He avoided arbitration today, signing a $815,000 contract.
Royals:
Juan Gutierrez (40) - Was dominate out of the pen in the LVBP and appears to be recovered from shoulder surgery.
Felipe Paulino (40) - Will start the year on the DL as he continues to heal from Tommy John surgery. He should be back before the all star break.
Brewers:
Arcenio Leon (NRI) - Recently removed from the 40 man roster, Leon will be trying to make the Nashville AAA club out of spring training.
Nationals:
Fernando Abad (NRI) - He will be fighting for a spot in a Nationals bullpen devoid of lefties. He has a pretty good shot unless a FA signing occurs.
Cardinals:
J.R. Towles (NRI) - Expect another year at AAA for J. R.
It is interesting to note that of the 14 players listed. Only Barnes, Martinez, and DeShields are not pitchers or catchers.
There are seven who will be in the Astros camp and seven others that are scattered among six other teams. Players on a team's 40 man roster with have a (40) and those who have Non Roster Invites with be designated with a (NRI).
Astros:
Jose Altuve (40) - Altuve is one of the few former G-Stros assured of a starting spot when camp breaks. He was expected to be on the provisional roster for Venezuela in the WBC but did not appear on it when rosters were released this week. So he will be in camp full time.
Brandon Barnes (40) - Barnes will be battling for a spot on the big league club. At this point in his career he has played in more big league games (46) in one season than big league spring training games (26) over three seasons.
Jordan Lyles (40) - Will be looking to solidify his spot in the rotation and spend the full year in the majors after spending time at AAA each of the last two years.
J.D. Martinez (40) - Will try to show the baseball world that his wrist is healed and his swing is back.
Delino DeShields (NRI) - No chance to make the big league club but a chance to show his progress to the front office against very good competition.
Rene Garcia (NRI) - Will be his third year to get a chance to play in a spring training game. In six games so far, he hasn't had a hit yet.
Chris Wallace (NRI) - It will also be the masked marvel's third spring training. In 11 games in the previous two years, he has a .250 average.
Braves:
Jordan Parraz (NRI) - Parraz had a great spring last year and then suffered hand injuries to each hand that shortened his best shot for a call up to the majors.
Orioles:
Troy Patton (40) -Coming off a successful season in the O's pen, Patton is a lock to make the team out of spring training. He avoided arbitration today, signing a $815,000 contract.
Royals:
Juan Gutierrez (40) - Was dominate out of the pen in the LVBP and appears to be recovered from shoulder surgery.
Felipe Paulino (40) - Will start the year on the DL as he continues to heal from Tommy John surgery. He should be back before the all star break.
Brewers:
Arcenio Leon (NRI) - Recently removed from the 40 man roster, Leon will be trying to make the Nashville AAA club out of spring training.
Nationals:
Fernando Abad (NRI) - He will be fighting for a spot in a Nationals bullpen devoid of lefties. He has a pretty good shot unless a FA signing occurs.
Cardinals:
J.R. Towles (NRI) - Expect another year at AAA for J. R.
It is interesting to note that of the 14 players listed. Only Barnes, Martinez, and DeShields are not pitchers or catchers.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Patton On The DL and other transactions
I normally don't do much posting about transactions because they are too numerous for me to keep up with but there have been several over the last few days that are worth noting.
In A Garage....Really?
Troy Patton (2004) was placed on the DL by Baltimore after spraining his ankle walking in the garage of the hotel where he stays.
Two former 2nd round picks by the Astros have been released recently. Earlier this week, Ralphie Henriquez (2005, 2006) was released by the Mariners. He made it as high as AAA.
Yesterday Jay Austin (2008) was released by the Astros. He never made it higher than Hi A ball.
Trio Promoted
Three 2012 G-Stros have been promoted to Tri Cities. Pitchers Euris Quezada and Scott Zuloaga were moved up along with Jean Batsita. Batista leaves Greeneville with 19 doubles meaning the doubles record of 20 by Jose Altuve & Ronald Ramirez will be safe for another year.
In A Garage....Really?
Troy Patton (2004) was placed on the DL by Baltimore after spraining his ankle walking in the garage of the hotel where he stays.
"I was walking in the garage where I stay and caught it on the edge of the curb, at angle, and just turned it quick," he said. "I didn't think it was very bad until I woke up the next day, and it was very, very swollen. I thought it was just a little tweak, no problem."..."It's just a sprain. I'll be back in 14 days, since it's retroactive. I'll be back as soon as I'm allowed to be back, and I'll be ready to go."Former G'Stros Released
Two former 2nd round picks by the Astros have been released recently. Earlier this week, Ralphie Henriquez (2005, 2006) was released by the Mariners. He made it as high as AAA.
Yesterday Jay Austin (2008) was released by the Astros. He never made it higher than Hi A ball.
Trio Promoted
Three 2012 G-Stros have been promoted to Tri Cities. Pitchers Euris Quezada and Scott Zuloaga were moved up along with Jean Batsita. Batista leaves Greeneville with 19 doubles meaning the doubles record of 20 by Jose Altuve & Ronald Ramirez will be safe for another year.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month: July 2012
A bunch of G-Stros players have been on the month this month. We have several players earning Alumni of the month designation for teams they are either no longer on or just arrived on. Let's take a look at former Greeneville Astros who had a strong July.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Hitter:
Jessie Wierzbicki hit .299 in 27 games in July. I was surprised by the speed numbers. He hit two triples and was successful in nine out of 10 stolen base attempts.
Pitcher:
Jarmaine Cotton appeared in seven games out of the Tri Cities bullpen. He was almost perfect for the month, allowing just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings pitched. He fanned 10 batters while only allowing six hits and four walks.
Honorable Mentions: Vincent Velasquez, Jeremiah Meiners
Lexington Legends
Hitter:
Delino DeShields Jr was dominate in July. He hit .380 for the month in 27 games. He showed impressive pop, hitting seven doubles, a triple and four home runs. On the base paths, he added 20 stolen bases to his team record total, bringing him to 77 on the season. You have to wonder if he will be eligible for alumni of the month on another team in August.
Honorable Mention: Ruben Sosa
Pitcher:
Mitchell Lambson almost let this recognition slip away last night. Prior to last night, he had been dominate since his promotion from Greeneville in late June. Lambson gave up four of the eight earned runs for the month last night. His ERA jumped to 3.48 for the month after that outing. Yet he still fanned 22 batters in just 20 2/3 innings pitched and opponents hit just .215 off of him.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitters:
It wasn't a great month for former Greeneville players at the plate in Lancaster. So, I am going with Ben Orloff, who was promoted in the middle of July to AA. Prior to his promotion, he hit .344 with only three strike outs in 40 plate appearances.
Pitchers:
Carlos Quevedo is doing well since his promotion to Lancaster in early July. In seven outings, he has given up just two earned runs in 15 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out nineteen while walking just four batters. Last night he gave up two walks. It was his first multi walk outing since early May.
Honorable Mention: Patrick Urckfitz, David Martinez
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitters:
Even though he was promoted, Chris Wallace's numbers for July in Corpus Christi deserve recognition. In 11 games before his promotion, he hit .467 (14 for 34). Since his promotion, he has hit a very respectable .333 in OKC.
Pitchers:
The pitcher of the month also goes to a promoted player. Jose Cisnero made four starts in CC before moving to OKC. In those starts, he had a 2.75 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 26 2/3 innings pitched. He pitched a complete nine inning game on 7/22.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitters:
Brandon Barnes continues to be a solid producer at the plate. He hit .333 for July in 25 games. I continue to be impressed with his improved plate discipline. He took 13 walks in July which helped his OBP rise to .417 for the month.
Pitcher: there was no former G-Stro pitcher on the roster for much of July. Fernando Abad was optioned there from Houston at the end of the month and made one forgettable appearance.
MLB
Hitter:
Jose Altuve hit .282 for the month of July. His average is down a bit but OBP up due to taking 10 walks in the month. He also added seven stolen bases in eight attempts for the month.
Pitcher:
Troy Patton continues to be a significant part of the Baltimore bullpen. Patton appeared in 13 games for the Os in July amassing 10 innings pitched. During that stretch, he allowed just two earned runs, both off home runs. Both home runs came in the first outing of the month. Since then he has not allowed a run to score. It does look like he played with fire a bit with opponents hitting .302 against him for the month and a surprising 1.60 WHIP.
MILB outside of organization
Hitter:
Ralph Henriquez is hitting .314 in 10 games for AA Jackson (Mariners). It is nice to see Henriquez having some success. He will always be a fan favorite in Greeneville.
Pitcher:
Jimmy Barthmaier gets the nod this month. He is recovering from injury and started his year in High A, where he put up a 1.84 ERA in 14 outings before earning a promotion to AA late this month. He is in the Nationals organization.
Distribution
Lets look at where those in the organization are at the end of July:
Tri Cities -7 (-1 from last month).
Lexington - 14 (-2 from last month)
Lancaster - 17 (unchanged)
Corpus Christi - 7 (+1 from last month)
Oklahoma City - 1 (+3 from last month)
Houston -3 (-1 from last month)
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Hitter:
Jessie Wierzbicki hit .299 in 27 games in July. I was surprised by the speed numbers. He hit two triples and was successful in nine out of 10 stolen base attempts.
Pitcher:
Jarmaine Cotton appeared in seven games out of the Tri Cities bullpen. He was almost perfect for the month, allowing just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings pitched. He fanned 10 batters while only allowing six hits and four walks.
Honorable Mentions: Vincent Velasquez, Jeremiah Meiners
Lexington Legends
Hitter:
Delino DeShields Jr was dominate in July. He hit .380 for the month in 27 games. He showed impressive pop, hitting seven doubles, a triple and four home runs. On the base paths, he added 20 stolen bases to his team record total, bringing him to 77 on the season. You have to wonder if he will be eligible for alumni of the month on another team in August.
Honorable Mention: Ruben Sosa
Pitcher:
Mitchell Lambson almost let this recognition slip away last night. Prior to last night, he had been dominate since his promotion from Greeneville in late June. Lambson gave up four of the eight earned runs for the month last night. His ERA jumped to 3.48 for the month after that outing. Yet he still fanned 22 batters in just 20 2/3 innings pitched and opponents hit just .215 off of him.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitters:
It wasn't a great month for former Greeneville players at the plate in Lancaster. So, I am going with Ben Orloff, who was promoted in the middle of July to AA. Prior to his promotion, he hit .344 with only three strike outs in 40 plate appearances.
Pitchers:
Carlos Quevedo is doing well since his promotion to Lancaster in early July. In seven outings, he has given up just two earned runs in 15 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out nineteen while walking just four batters. Last night he gave up two walks. It was his first multi walk outing since early May.
Honorable Mention: Patrick Urckfitz, David Martinez
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitters:
Even though he was promoted, Chris Wallace's numbers for July in Corpus Christi deserve recognition. In 11 games before his promotion, he hit .467 (14 for 34). Since his promotion, he has hit a very respectable .333 in OKC.
Pitchers:
The pitcher of the month also goes to a promoted player. Jose Cisnero made four starts in CC before moving to OKC. In those starts, he had a 2.75 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 26 2/3 innings pitched. He pitched a complete nine inning game on 7/22.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Hitters:
Brandon Barnes continues to be a solid producer at the plate. He hit .333 for July in 25 games. I continue to be impressed with his improved plate discipline. He took 13 walks in July which helped his OBP rise to .417 for the month.
Pitcher: there was no former G-Stro pitcher on the roster for much of July. Fernando Abad was optioned there from Houston at the end of the month and made one forgettable appearance.
MLB
Hitter:
Jose Altuve hit .282 for the month of July. His average is down a bit but OBP up due to taking 10 walks in the month. He also added seven stolen bases in eight attempts for the month.
Pitcher:
Troy Patton continues to be a significant part of the Baltimore bullpen. Patton appeared in 13 games for the Os in July amassing 10 innings pitched. During that stretch, he allowed just two earned runs, both off home runs. Both home runs came in the first outing of the month. Since then he has not allowed a run to score. It does look like he played with fire a bit with opponents hitting .302 against him for the month and a surprising 1.60 WHIP.
MILB outside of organization
Hitter:
Ralph Henriquez is hitting .314 in 10 games for AA Jackson (Mariners). It is nice to see Henriquez having some success. He will always be a fan favorite in Greeneville.
Pitcher:
Jimmy Barthmaier gets the nod this month. He is recovering from injury and started his year in High A, where he put up a 1.84 ERA in 14 outings before earning a promotion to AA late this month. He is in the Nationals organization.
Distribution
Lets look at where those in the organization are at the end of July:
Tri Cities -7 (-1 from last month).
Lexington - 14 (-2 from last month)
Lancaster - 17 (unchanged)
Corpus Christi - 7 (+1 from last month)
Oklahoma City - 1 (+3 from last month)
Houston -3 (-1 from last month)
Monday, July 2, 2012
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - June 2012
It has been a fun month of June. Several former G-Stros are making serious progress and the new bunch is winning games. Let's look at how the former Greeneville Astros did this month.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Pitcher of the Month - Vincent Velasquez made three starts in June and had a 1.76 ERA in 15 1/3 IP with 16 K. What makes this more impressive is these were his first three starts after missing all of 2011 with Tommy John surgery.
Honorable Mention - Juri Perez - two scoreless starts to start his second season in the NYPL. Jamaine Cotton - made five scoreless relief appearances before surrendering two runs on 6/30.
Hitter of the Month - There are only three former G-Stros on the roster in TriCities, none of which are setting the woods on fire. This months award goes to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .260 for the first 14 games of the season.
Lexington Legends
Pitcher of the Month - Murilo Gouvea had a stellar month out of the pen. Allowing just one earned run in 14 1/3 ip (10 games) with 14 strike outs. He only allowed five hits during that stretch but allowed 10 walks. His June ERA was 0.61.
Honorable Mention - Mike Foltynewicz amassed a 2.97 ERA in five starts. He had a rough outing to end the month, otherwise, he numbers would have been much stronger. Still 2.97 is not to shabby.
Hitter of the Month - I think those who follow Astros minor league ball would come after me with pitch forks and torches if I chose anyone but Delino DeShields Jr. as the Lexington hitter of the month. DDJ hit a solid .303 for the month. He also took 16 walks which helped boost his OPB to .407. He showed some pop with seven extra base hits and when he did find him self on first, he often managed to get to second via one of his 25 stolen bases.
Honorable Mentions - Chan Moon really appears to have put it together at the plate. The South Korean Shortstop hit .276 in June with a .403 OBP. Roberto Pena also had a solid June hitting .329 and hitting seven doubles during the month where he turned 20.
Lancaster JetHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Trinadad had a great month out of the pen. In eight games (seven relief and one start) he allowed 19 hits in 21 innings pitched. His ERA for the month was .043. His last appearance of the month was spreading seven hits over seven shut out innings in his third start of the year. His ERA as as start this season is 1.13
Honorable Mention - Pat Urckfitz who allowed four earned runs in 15 innings pitched for a 2.40 ERA in June.
Hitter of the Month - I normally put those who haven't played a full month in the Honorable Mention category but what Grant Hogue put together in limited playing time is impressive. He played the first nine games of the month and then missed about two weeks on the DL returning to get in for the final few games of the month. During his 11 games, Hogue hit .667 (21 out of 34). Hard to ignore that production.
Honorable Mention - Rafael Valenzuela hit .298 in 17 games with a .403 OBP. Rene Garcia hit .321 in 16 games. Ben Orloff hit .283 and had just four strike outs in 99 at bats during the month.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero is the easy choice this month. In five starts, he allowed just eight walks and eight earned runs while striking out 31 in 33 innings pitched. He allowed no home runs in June. He pitched a complete game two hitter on June 16th. He held opponents to a .215 batting average for the month.
Honorable Mention- Henry Villar pitched in 8 games (16 1/3 IP) in June with a 2.70 ERA. During that span, he fanned 16 while only issuing two free passes.
Hitter of the Month - Kody Hinze rebounded from a rough May (.106 in 22 games) to hit for a solid .306 in 24 games in June. Seven of his 22 hits in the month went for extra bases.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Vacant - there were no former G-Stros pitching in Oklahoma City in June except Fernando Abad who was on rehab assignment.
Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes is the only RedHawk who played in Greeneville but this award isn't given by default. Barnes has earned it! He hit .333 with nine doubles and three home runs in June. He also walked eight times and struck out just 18 in 108 at bats (28 games). If the 26 year old Barnes can keep this up, he might get a shot at the bigs in a September call up or as an injury replacement.
Minors Outside Astros System
Pitcher of the Month - Slingin Sammy Gervacio continues to tear up the Mexican League (unaffiliated AAA). In June, he appeared in 15 games (15 2/3 IP), issued just four walks and nine hits while fanning 23 batters. He earned 12 saves during the month.
Hitter of the Month - Albert Cartwright had a bounce back month after hitting below the Mendoza line for May, he hit .306 with four doubles and three home runs in the Florida State League (Phillies High A).
Major Leagues
Pitcher of the Month - While Jordan Lyles and Fernando Abad had good months, the best month by a former Greeneville Astro pitcher in the Majors was by Troy Patton of the Orioles. Patton appeared in 11 games (14 2/3 IP) in which he fanned 15 batters while allowing only nine hits and four walks. Opponents hit just .190 off Patton during the month.
Hitter of the Month - While you can debate my list choice, I don't think there is much of a debate when it comes to selecting Jose Altuve as the hitter of the month. During June, he hit .291 with five doubles and two home runs.
Quick break down of the number of former G-stros in the Astros system:
Tri Cities - 8
Lexington - 16
Lancaster - 17
Corpus Christi - 6
Oklahoma City - 1
Houston - 4
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
Monday, June 25, 2012
Climbing the Ladder: A Look at the Progress of Prospects (2012 edition)
For the last several years, I have written a piece for the Greeneville Astros game day program about the minor league system. Here is this year's edition. It was turned in on June 1, 2012. I am posting an updated version with updates in parentheses.
When you attend a game at Pioneer Park,
you never know if the player you are watching today will make it to the big
leagues in a few years. In the first two
months of the 2012 Major League Baseball Season, six former Greeneville Astros
have worn major league uniforms this year.
- Jose Altuve (2008,09) has made the most of his first time on the opening day roster. As the everyday second baseman at the young age of 21 years old, he burst out of the gate with an impressive .360 batting average in the month of April. Altuve was challenged by the Houston coaches to increase his walks in order to get on base more. He has taken that challenge to heart and has seen his on base percentage increase over 50 points. He has become a fan favorite in Houston and if he keeps playing at his current level; he could become the first former Greeneville Astro to make an appearance in the Major League All Star Game. (Altuve has continued his solid season hitting .291 so far in June. He left last night's game with a hamstring strain. He is currently third in All Star voting)
- J. D. Martinez (2009) also made his opening day debut with the Houston Astros this year as the starting left fielder. He had a solid April, hitting .282 but struggled in the month of May. The highlight of his year so far was hitting the first home run in the new Miami Marlins’ ballpark. J. D. grew up in Miami and was able to share the moment with several family and friends.(J.D. has hit four more home runs in June. He is still struggling some with average. He is hitting .230.)
- Felipe Paulino (2004) started the year on the disabled list with the Royals missing the month of April. In May, he had five solid starts; finishing the month with a 2.03 ERA and 34 strike outs in 31 innings pitched. His best start of the year was his first when he pitched six innings of shut out ball against the New York Yankees. (Paulino recently was diagnosed with a tear in his UCL and will have Tommy John surgery. He is out for the rest of the year.)
- Fernando Abad (2007) continues his up and down relationship with the Astros. He started the season in the majors but was sent to AAA on April 9th. However, after five appearances in Oklahoma City and not giving up a run, he was called back up to Houston on 4/27. Over the next month, he pitched relatively well amassing a 2.56 ERA in 11 appearances in May before being placed on the 15 day disabled list in late May with a right intercostal (muscle in the rib cage) strain.(Abad came off the DL on 6/15 and has pitched in three games since his return without giving up a run.)
- Troy Patton (2004) was on the opening day roster for the first time in his career. Through late May, Troy has already equaled his number of appearances (20) he had in 2011 out of the Baltimore Orioles bullpen. He is 1-0 with a 3.97 ERA in 22 2/3 innings pitched. His work as a part of the Orioles pen has helped the team to a surprising run at the lead in the American League East. (Patton has put together an impressive June with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 IP).
- Jordan Lyles (2008) has split his time between AAA and the majors this season. In his seven starts at AAA he is 5-0 with a 3.54 ERA. In his four starts for Houston, he is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA. Lyles is just 21 years old and is still developing. As of the end of May, the only person younger than Lyles to appear in the National League is Bryce Harper.(Lyles got called back up to stay in June. He has made four starts and has put together a 4.37 ERA in 22 2/3 IP).
A quick note on a player who was in the major leagues last
season. Juan Gutierrez (2004) who was with the Diamondbacks last season had
Tommy John surgery on his elbow in the offseason. The Diamondbacks released him and the Kansas
City Royals signed him to a minor league contract. He should miss all of the 2012 season as he
recovers from the surgery.
Those Still Climbing
Here is a glance team by team at the Houston Astros’ minor
league system and which players there are making some noise early in the
season.
Oklahoma City
RedHawks (AAA)
Again this year, the AAA roster is full of players who have
had at least a cup of coffee in the big leagues. Over 70% of the roster has major league
experience. Many of these players are experienced players who can be called up
to Houston to
fill a need. A few are prospects who are
honing their craft at the highest level of the minors. Let’s look at a few of those:
Paul Clemens was
acquired from Atlanta
in the Michael Bourn trade last season.
He throws in the upper 90’s on a regular basis. He is trying to harness
that power in OKC. He had a great start
to the season with a 2.04 ERA in his four stats in April. He has not been as successful in May (10.29
ERA). He loves pitching at home where he
holds a 1.57 ERA. On the road is a very
different story (11.00 ERA). (He has had a better June with a 5.40 ERA and has lowered the road ERA to 9.95).
The opposite of Clemens is Dallas Keuchel. The lefty has climbed the Astros ladder after being
the 7th round pick in the 2009 draft by the Astros. In his wake, he has left batters frustrated.
He doesn’t strike them out with blazing speed but gets them to hit his pitch
using control and command. He started
the 2012 season off with seven straight starts of six innings or more pitched
and three or less runs allowed.(Keuckel got called up and has made two outings. The results have been promising - 1.29 ERA in 14 IP).
Brandon Barnes
(2005, 06) was re-signed by the Astros this off season as minor league free
agent. He started 2011 in AA and hit
.317 in 44 games with seven home runs.
He was called up to AAA in the last week of May and got hits in his
first two games with the RedHawks.(Barnes has continued to hit in AAA in June. He has hit .358 in 22 games this month and has only struck out 12 times in 81 at bats)
Other names to watch in AAA are Brett Wallace and Jimmy
Parades who both spent significant time with the Astros last season but
have returned to AAA for seasoning.(Wallace spent some time in Houston while Carlos Lee was on the DL. He showed he is ready to be the first baseman if Lee gets traded in the coming weeks.)
Corpus Christi Hooks (AA)
Players who reach AA are very close to the majors. It is becoming more and more common for
players to make the jump directly to the big leagues from AA, as was seen last
season by the jumps from AA by J. D
Martinez and Jose Altuve. There are several players here worth keeping
an eye on. Here are a few of the Hooks to watch closely.
Jonathon Singleton
was one of the prize prospects the Astros acquired from the Phillies in the
Hunter Pence trade last season. He is
seen as the top prospect in the Astros organization and the 34th
best on all of baseball according to Baseball America. The 6’2” 235 pound, 20 year old plays first
base and left field and bats from the left side of the plate. He is hitting .313 with nine home runs in his
first 49 games this season. He could be
the Astros starting first baseman as soon as next season. (He has had a rough June, hitting just .133 so far this month, Singleton will be representing the Astros in the Futures Game during All Star Weekend.)
Jonathon Villar
is a shortstop who came to the Astros organization from the Phillies in the Roy
Oswalt trade in 2010. He spent half of
2011 in Corpus Christi
and has shown progress in the first two months of 2012; raising his batting
average 20 points, getting on base more and stealing more bases. He just turned 21 at the beginning of May so
he still has some time to develop. (He has hit .278 in June, raising his season average up to .259 - so almost 30 points from his stint at CC last year.)
Austin Wates is a
Virginia Tech product who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010
draft by the Astros. After hitting .300
for Lancaster
in 2011, he started 2012 in AA. He can
play all three outfield positions but projects best as a left fielder. He is a line drive hitter with good speed and
a little bit of power to go with it. He
is hitting .298 through 50 games this season. (Waits missed much of June with an injury. He recently started a rehab stint in the GCL and should be back roaming the outfields of the Texas League soon)
Ross Seaton (2008)
appears to be showing some of the promise that was expected when he was drafted
in the 3rd round by the Astros in 2008. The tall righty is 22 years old and in his
second season in AA, he has put together solid numbers through his first ten
starts (3.28 ERA). He isn’t going to
blow you away with any one pitch but he mixes them well and he doesn’t walk
many batters. (He has had two great outings and two bad outings in June. Overall, his season ERA is sitting at a respectable 3.83 for the season in AA)
Brett Oberhotzer
is another player the Astros acquired via trade in 2011. He was a part of the Michael Bourn deal with Atlanta. The big left throws in the low 90’s and
features very good control. He is
repeating AA after struggling there after the trade last year. (Has been promoted to AAA where he has made two starts. His ERA is 6.97 since his promotion)
Jarred Cosart
arrived in the Houston
organization as a part of the Pence trade with the Phillies. The right handed pitcher, who turned 22 in
May, throws a fast ball in the upper 90’s and a good curve ball. He pitched in last years’ Futures Game as a
part of All Star Weekend. He has had
injury issues in the past but if he can stay healthy, he could be in Houston’s starting
rotation for a long time. (He has added a solid June to his resume with a 3.48 ERA and the last two starts have been outstanding).
The AA roster has many more players worth watching including:
Chris Wallace (2010), Kody
Hinze (2008), Kevin Chapman, Jason Stoffel, and Jake Buchanan.
Other former Greeneville Astros on the roster include: Jose Cisnero (2009), Arcenio Leon (2007, 08), Ryan McCurdy (2010), and Henry Villar (2008)
The Astros begin their fourth season in Lancaster of the California League. There are 18 former Greeneville players are with
the JetHawks this season. Lancaster is known as a
hitters paradise and as such is tough on pitchers. Here are a few players to watch.
Domingo Santana was
the player to be named later in the Hunter Pence trade last season. Santana through his first 42 games at High A
is hitting .275 with half of his 46 hits going for extra bases. The tall (6’5”) right fielder is the youngest
player on the JetHawks roster and won’t turn 20 until later this summer. (His June has been solid with a .288 average but his power has dipped.)
George Springer was
Houston’s first round pick last season out of
the University of
Connecticut. He is off to
a solid start in his first full season in the minors. Through his first 49
games, he is hitting .303 with eight doubles, six triples and 10 home runs. The
center fielder is projected to be on a fast track to Houston,
meaning it won’t be surprising to see him in Corpus Christi before the season is
over. (Springer finished the first half of the season with a .303 average.)
Jonathon Meyer
(2009) is quietly putting together a
very strong season in Lancaster. His average, which finished at .264 last
season, is up to .284 in his first 50 games.
Meyer is still 21 years old and is developing into a solid 3rd
baseman. (He has hit .273 for June thus far)
Jiovanni Meir
(2009) finished the 2011 season in Lancaster. He returned in 2012 and was showing signs of
a break out season. He was hitting .309
through 26 games when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. (still on the DL)
Telvin Nash (2010)
has some of the best power in the Astros organization. In his first 47 games, he has already hit 14
home runs. However, he is going to have
to reduce the number of strike outs in order for his power to shine at the
upper levels. He appears to have really
improved his defense this season. (Nash has hit another four home runs in June but has struck out 42 times in 64 at bats - ouch)
Ruben (R. J.) Alaniz continues to develop into a solid pitcher. Through his first 11 starts, he has an ERA of
3.69 and has only surrendered four home runs in the hitter friendly California
League. In fact, he has not given up any
home runs in his 26 innings pitched at home.
His fastball is in the low 90’s and he mixes it with a solid change up
and curve. He is the youngest pitcher on
the JetHawks staff. (He has had three rough starts and one great start in June, giving him a 8.74 ERA for the month so far)
Other names to keep an eye on
include: Eric Castro, Bobby Doran, Rene Garcia (2008), Tyson
Perez (2011). (Doran has been promoted to AA).
Other former Greeneville Astros
include: Jorge DeLeon (2008), Brad Dydalewicz (2008), Gabriel Garcia (2009,10), Zachary Grimmett (2008), David Martinez (2009), Brian Streinlein (2011), Jose Trinidad (2008), Pat Urckfitz (2008), Ben
Orloff (2009), Alex Todd (2011),
and Rafael Valenzuela (2010).
Lexington Legends (Low A)
Lexington
is the first stop where players have to adjust to a full season of
baseball. This tests a player’s mental
and physical toughness as well as giving them a better level of competition. This is a very young team this year. Here are a few guys who started the year 20
or younger and are growing up in the South Atlantic League.
Delino DeSheilds Jr (2010)
is showing progress in his second season in Lexington.
His batting average is up to .252 through 51 games. He is leading the league in steals with 32
and has just been caught stealing four times.
DeSheilds is also showing progress in his transition to second
base. (DeShields broke the Legends season record for stolen bases in just the 69th game of the year. He now has 49 on the season. His average is up to .268 on the season thanks to hitting .311 in June.)
Matt Duffy is a 3rd
baseman out of the University
of Tennessee. He has put together a solid start to his
first full season in the Astros organization.
Through the first two months, he hit .320 in 52 games with eight
homeruns and 11 doubles. With him
already being 23, he might be moved up a level soon to see how he handles the
next the challenge at the next level. (Duffy has hit .309 so far in June. He has also added two more doubles and three more HR to his totals)
Jordan Scott
(2011) was last years MVP for Greeneville.
He is patrolling left field for the Legends this season. The 20 year old has seen his numbers dip
slightly as he hit .266 over the first two months of the season. (Scott struggled in June hitting just .167 in 14 games thus far. However, he has a four game hitting streak going since the All Star Break.)
Mike Foltyenwicz
(2010) is another prospect repeating the South Atlantic League. He is showing he is ready to move on to
another challenge. In the first two
months of 2012, he was dominating; putting together a 6-1 record and a 2.27 ERA
in 11 starts. (Is looking like he is ready for the next step. In June, he has made three starts and lowered his season ERA to 2.13. His record now stands at 9-1 on the year.)
Luis Cruz
(2008/09) is putting together an
impressive start to the 2012 season. In
his third year at Lexington,
the 21 year old made six starts in the month of May with an era of 1.85 in 39
innings pitched. (June has not been kind to Cruz who has allowed 14 earned runs in 17 1/3 IP. His season ERA has risen to 3.70)
Other names to watch on the Legends roster include: John Hinson, Mike Kvasnicka, Nicholas
Tropeano, Evan Grills, and Luis
Ordosgotti (2011).
Other former G-Stros who are on the roster include: Chan Moon (2011), Jesse Wierzbicki (2011),
Roberto Pena (2010), Carlos Quevedo
(2009), Murilo Gouvea (2009), Nathan Pettus (2009), and Euris Quezada (2010) (Jay Austin (2008) has been added to the team as he works his way back from a broken hand. Wierzbicki has been moved down to Tri Cities).
Short Season Teams
The Astros operate a facility in the Dominican Republic
to host the Dominican Summer League Astros.
This facility will help prepare young foreign born players for life
moving up the ladder both on and off the field. The Gulf Coast League Astros play their games
at the Astros’ spring training complex in Kissimmee
and will be the first stop for many young draftees and those coming to the United States from the Dominican Academy. The Greeneville Astros as a result, should
get players with a little more seasoning.
The Tri Cities ValleyCats of the NY Penn League will continue to be the
top rung of the short season team ladder.
Former Greeneville
Players Now Playing In Other Organizations
Sometimes the climb up the ladder requires you make a
detour. You move from one organizations
ladder to another organizations ladder.
Sometimes these moves come as a result of a trade and sometimes it comes
when a player becomes a free agent and signs with a different
organization. Here is a list of former
G-Stros along with their new organization and the level they were playing at on
June 1, 2012.
Albert Cartwright (2007/08) High A - Clearwater
(Phillies) (has gotten hot in June hitting .333 for the month)
Koby Clemens (2005)
Short Season A - Vancouver (Toronto) (Moved up to High A Dunedin as a catcher)
Victor Garate (2005)
AAA – Nashville
(Brewers) (7.15 ERA in 26 games)
Sammy Gervacio
(2005) AAA – Aguascalientes
(Mexican League) (15 saves in 22 games)
Ralph Henriquez (2005/06) AAA – Tacoma (Mariners) (Moved back down to AA Jackson of the Southern League)
Jordan Parraz (2004) AAA – Gwinnett (Braves) (On the DL since a broken hand on 5/7)
Wlad Sutil (2004)
AA – Mobile
(Diamondbacks) (hitting .225 on the season)
J. R. Towles
(2004) AAA – Rochester
(Twins) (Struggling at the plate with a .205 average for the season)
Tom Vessella
(2006) AA – Richmond
(Giants) (2.94 ERA in 23 games of relief)
Amandeo Zazueta (2006) AAA – Tuscon (Padres) (hitting .174 on the year)
The overall goal of any player is to traverse the many
challenges they face in the minor leagues resulting in a Major League
career. The players will push themselves
to climb as high as they can to achieve their dreams of playing Major League
baseball. In 2012, sit back and enjoy a
season of players learning, growing, and hopefully winning as they chase their
dreams and reach for the next rung on the ladder.
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