Former G-Stro Felipe Paulino Has Successful Rehab Outing

Felipe Paulino (2004) continued his long rehab from Tommy John surgery by making a rehab appearance in AA NW Arkansas last night.  Paulino threw 67 pitches (42 for strikes) in five innings.  He allowed two hits and two runs while striking out six.  He didn't allow a run to score.  He is expected back sometime around the All Star Break. 

One interesting note is that his return might result in former G-Stro J.C. Gutierrez losing his spot in the bullpen.  With both Paulino and Danny Duffy returning to the rotation, some starters will return to the pen. The domino effect might mean Gutierrez, who was the last man added to the pen but who is out of options might be put on waivers.  

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. 

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.

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. 

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? 

"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.
"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."

J.R. Towles - Cardinals - is really a long shot to make the major league roster.  

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. 

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.

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. 

1. 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) 
2. 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.)
3. 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.)
4. 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 9^th.  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.)
5. 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).
6. 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 7^th 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 34^th 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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)

Lancaster JetHawks (High A)

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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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.

Former G-Stros Fighting for Roster Spots

Let's take a look outside the Astros system at players who have been in big league camp and what their chances are of making a major league roster on opening day.

Troy Patton - Orioles (G-Stros 2004)
Patton has been solid this spring.  In five games, he has not allowed an earned run in 6 1/3 IP.  He has picked up one save as well.  This combined with his solid finish to the 2011 season in the Orioles bullpen make him the former G-Stro with the best chance of making the big league team.

Patton's chances of making the Orioles out of spring training: Very Likely  

Felipe Paulino - Royals (G-Stros 2004)
Paulino is locked in a battle for the back end of the rotation in Kansas City.  Yesterday, Paulino pitched four innings against the Angles.  He allowed one run on four hits and now walks.  He fanned four batters, including Albert Pujols twice. Here is what his manager said after the game:

"He threw really well, commanded the ball, had good stuff, kept the ball down and got through four innings pretty efficiently," manager Ned Yost said. "I thought he threw the ball extremely well."

He will likely have one more start this spring.  The Royals rotation is taking shape with Jonathan Sanchez, Luke Hochevar, and Bruce Chen locking down the first three spots.  After that Paulino, Danny Duffy and Luis Mendoza are battling for the last two spots.  Paulino and Mendoza are out of options so sending them down, would expose them to the waiver wire.

Paulino's chances at making the Royals out of spring training: Likely

Jordan Parraz - Braves (G-Stros 2004)
Parraz has toured the minor leagues in his career.  He started with the Astros' organization and was traded to the Royals.  He was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox and the Yankee's before signing with the Braves this year as a minor league free agent.  He has played three seasons in AAA and has hit a respectable but not spectacular .279 with an OBP of .356 and slugging .425.

This spring, he has been on fire on a Braves team who has struggled offensively.  Through 17 games (24 AB), he is hitting .417 with a triple and a home run.  He has walked once and struck out three times.


Parraz is fighting for the 25th spot on the roster. The last spot on the roster is currently occupied by Jose Costanza, who became a fan favorite filling in for Jason Heyward last year. Constanza is hitting .174 in 13 games this spring (23 AB). The other candidate for the spot is Luis Durango, who had a cup of coffee with Houston last year. Durango is hitting an impressive .526 in 19 at bats. All 10 of his hits have been singles and he has walked five times as well. So his OBP is .625. I think this battle will come down to what the Braves want on the bench. If they want flexibility in OF position, Parraz has the edge. If they want power, Parraz has the edge. If they want speed, Durango has the edge.

Parraz's chance of making the Braves roster out of spring training: Possible 

J R Towles - Twins (G-Stros 2004) 
Towles signed a minor league deal with the Twins and is battling for the third catcher spot behind Joe Mauer, and Ryan Doumit.  He has had a mixed spring batting .200 with one home run.  His competition for the spot Rene Rivera and Drew Butera.  Rivera played in 45 games for the Twins last year and hit just .144.  Butera played in 93 games for the Twins last seaon and hit .167.  So all three of these guys have major league time with very poor hitting track records.  They are all 28 years old.

Towles chances of making the Twins' roster out of spring training: Unlikely

Victor Garate - Brewers (G-Stros 2005)

Garate has only appeared in one game for the Brewers this spring.  Expect him to be in AAA when camp breaks.

Garate's chances of making the Brewers' roster out of spring training: No chance

Ralph Henriquez - Mariners (G-Stros 2005, 2006)
Henriquez has appeared in two games early in camp and has not appeared in one since.  He has one hit in three at bats.

Henriquez's chances of making the Mariners' roster out of spring training: No chance

Best of luck to these guys.  We will continue to keep you updated on where former Greeneville Astros wind up when big league and minor league camps break.

Paulino Ready for Breakout in KC

Former G- Stro Felipe Paulino is featured in a write up by the Kansas City Star.  He talks about how he is enjoying being in KC and is optimistic about 2012. 

“I believe I found my home here last year with KC,” Paulino said. “I’m really happy about the opportunity that KC gave me. They let me be a starting guy last season, and that’s what I’ve prepared to be for all of my career.

His manager, Ned Yost, says this about him: 

“His stuff is dynamic and electric, but he still can’t pitch effectively out of the strike zone. He can’t pitch up, and he can’t pitch out. It was a very fine line with him.
“He would overpower guys at times last year, but in order for him to maintain his consistency, and become a consistent winner, he’s got to command the fastball down in the zone. When he gets out of the zone, when he gets the ball up, he gets hammered.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/23/3447941/royals-paulino-believes-hes-poised.html#storylink=cpy

He has been working with new pitching coach, Dave Eiland to improve his mechanics in bullpens and the initial results are promising.  But the fans from Missiouri are waiting for the "show me" results in a game.  He suffered a hamstring tweak last week but is expected to get his first spring training action this week. 

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/23/3447941/royals-paulino-believes-hes-poised.html#storylink=cpy

Age in the Appy and Making the Show

 I did some research over the last few days looking at those who make it to the big leagues from the Appy and the age at which they made their Appy League debut.  The results were interesting. In this post, we will look at the number by year, the number by age,  the number by affiliate, and the number by position player vs. pitcher.

Year to Year
I looked at 2004 - 2009 rosters.  Here are the numbers of players on those rosters who have made it to the show.  If a player repeated, I only listed them in their first season unless their second season was 2004 (there were six such players).

2004 - 31  (16 teens/ 15 older)
2005 - 21  (9 teens/ 12 older)
2006 - 19  (9 teens/ 10 older)
2007 - 16  (8 teens/ 8 older)
2008 - 12  (6 teens/ 6 older)
2009 -  3  (0 teens/ 3 older)

That is a total of 102 players who have made their MLB debut.  Sixty of the 102 have been pitchers and 42 were position players.  One, David Carpenter, started in the Appy as a fielder and then returned when converted to pitcher.  Since he made his MLB debut as a pitcher, I used his pitching debut for his age.

The diminishing number is not a surprise as it takes time for most players to climb the ladder.   It is surprising that the teen to older ratio stays around 50% for all years except 2009.  There were some fast moving teens in 2008.  That group includes Salvador Perez & Kelvin Herrera of the Royals, Julio Teheran & Randell Delgado of the Braves and  Jordan Lyles & Jose Altuve of the Astros.

Age #
You can see from the chart below the the most common ages were 18 (26), 20 (22), 21 (19) and 19 (17) .  You can also see that if you are over 20 in the Appy your chances of making the big leagues decline if you are a position player.
Overall, teens make up 47% of the players who have made their MLB debut from the Appy since 2004.  Teens make up 55.6% of the position players and 40% of the pitchers.

Affiliate Breakdown
In terms of affiliation, the Braves and Twins have had the most players make the majors with 20 each.  With the Braves nine of the 20 made their debut as teenagers.  Elvis Andrus made his debut as a 16 year old.  He is the youngest of the 102.  Other teens in the Braves pipeline included Jason Hayward, Julio Teheran, Randall Degado, Neftali Perez and Matt Harrison.  (note that three of those are now Rangers thanks to the Texeira trade)

With the Twins, they have only had four teenagers make it to the majors.  They accounted for seven of the 19 players who were 21 when they made their Appy debut and four of the 10 players who were 22 when they made their Appy debut.

The Astros and the Cards each had 12 players make it from the Appy to the major leagues.  Six of the 12 Astros who made it all the way were teens when they made their Appy debut.  However, four of those repeated the level (Paulino, Gutierrez, Barthmaier and Altuve). 

The Cards' dozen includes four teens.  With Colby Rasmus being the big name in the bunch.  They had three players who have made it who were 22 during their Appy debut, with David Carpenter being one of those.

The only other affiliate to have at least 10 players was the White Sox.  Seven of their 11 have been 18 or 19 when they made their Appy debut.  Current Astro Lucas Harrell is in this group.  He was 19 when he made his Appy appearance in 2004.

The other affiliates had the following amount of success.

Rays 7 - all teens
Orioles 6 - five teens
Mets 5 - three teens
Indians 3 - no teens
Jays 3 - one teen
Royals 2 - both teens
Mariners 1 - no teens

In fairness, the Indians, Royals, Mariners and Jays have not had continuous presence in the league.   The Indians left Burlington after the 2006 season and the Royals moved in.  The Jays left Pulaski after the 2006 season and the Mariners moved in for the 2008 season. 

Conclusion
These numbers will continue to change over time as more players from 2007, 2008 and 2009 make their path to the majors; be it for a cup of coffee or a hall of fame career.  However, the numbers lead me to the following conclusions:

1. Watch teens in the Appy, especially position players.
2. Pitchers can be slightly older and still be worth watching.
3. Position players over the age of 20 are a long shot.
4. It is okay for teens to repeat but not 20's.

This backs up what my gut and common sense told me but it is always nice to have some facts to back it up.

Does this raise any questions you want answered?  Let me know appyastros(at)gmail.com or on twitter @AppyAstros

Towles & Sutil Becoming Free Agents Removes All 2004 G-Stros from Houston Org

J. R. Towles, one of the most popular players to ever wear the GreenEville Astros uniform was removed from the Houston Astros 40 man roster yesterday.  He will become a free agent as soon as the World Series ends. Towles could resign with the Astros as a non roster invitee to spring training but I would expect he would test other teams interest before that occurs.

That transaction means that, along with Wlad Sutil's pending minor league free agency, that no members for the 2004 GreenEville Astros remain in the Astros organization.   

Here are the 2004 players who remained in affiliated ball this year:


Jordan Parraz - AAA for the NY Yankees - hit .289 with an OPS of .802.Left Astros organization via trade with the Royals for Tyler Lumsden.

Neil Sellers - AA for the Marlins - hit .176 in just 59 games for New Orleans.  At age 29, his dream of making the big leagues might be about out.  Left the Astros in the 2007 Rule 5 draft.

Wlad Sutil - AA/AAA for Houston - hit combined .269 for the year.  His .284 average and solid glove in AA earned him a promotion to AAA where he hit just .222. Doubled his career HR total with two round trippers this year. Will be a free agent after the World Series.

J. R. Towles - AAA/MLB for Houston - hit .276 in 35 games in the minors, but just hit .184 in 54 games in the majors.  Will be a free agent after the World Series.

Douglas Arguello - AAA for Houston and Texas - Arguello was released by Houston after amassing a 3.67 ERA in 31 games. Texas picked him up for two appearances in September.

Jimmy Barthmaier - AA for the Pirates - was 5-3 with a 5.05 ERA in 39 games.  Had 69 strikeouts in 67 2/3 IP.  Marked the first time he had more K's than IP in his pro career.  Was signed by the Pirates after Houston released him following the 2007 season.

Juan Gutierrez - MLB for D-Backs - Missed most of the season with shoulder trouble.  He was released yesterday by the D-Backs. He left the Houston organization as a part of the Valverde trade in 2007.

Troy Patton - AAA/MLB for Baltimore - bounced back and forth between AAA & the Baltimore pen.  He had a 1.83 ERA in Norfolk and a 3.00 ERA in Baltimore. He was a part of the Miguel Tejada trade after the 2007 season.

Felipe Paulino - MLB for Colorado & Kansas City - He has a rough start to 2011 in Colorado.  He was 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA in his first 18 games.  After a trade to Kansas City, he had a solid showing.  For the Royals, he was 4-6 with a respectable 4.11 ERA. He was traded to Colorado prior to the 2011 season for Clint Barmes.  

So nine players from the 2004 G-Stros were still playing affiliated baseball this year.  Looking at the reason for leaving, most were a part of a trade to help the big club.  This serves as a reminder that prospects can help the club in more ways than in making it to the big club. 

Last Night Good for 2004 G-Stros Patton & Paulino

Checking box scores this morning, I saw that two former Greeneville Astros got wins in the MLB yesterday.  First, Felipe Paulino continues his good pitching for Kansas City.  He fanned 9 batters in his start against the Twins. He went six innings allowing three runs on six hits with two walks to earn his fourth win of the year. 

Meanwhile, back on the east coast, the Orioles were facing the Red Sox.  After five innings, the Sox were up 2-1.  Baltimore turned to Troy Patton who retired the only five batters he faced.  While he was one the mound, the Orioles took the lead and gave Patton his second win of the season.  It also lowered his ERA on the season to 3.25 and for the month of September his ERA is down to 0.98.  He is making the case to start the season in the Majors for the first time and maybe even in the back end of the bull pen.  Dave Regan of foxsports says this:

...reportedly the Orioles are looking to move him (current closer Jim Johnson) to the rotation given the struggles of starters like Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman. Troy Patton and Pedro Strop are potential sleepers, but it's possible the team's 2012 closer is not yet on the roster.

 

Arguello Released

Releases are hard to read about. When you start following the start of a players career, as we are lucky to do in Greeneville, you expect that you will be reading about the end of those careers. Sometimes, you expect it to come quickly; other times you hope it will be years from their time with the G-Stros.

Today, I learned via Astros County that Douglas Arguello had been released. Arguello was a member of the 2004 Appy League Champ G-Stros. That year, he was 19 and was used exclusively out of the bullpen. Though it was the first year those of us in Greeneville had seen him pitch, it was his second year in the Appy League. He had pitched out of the Martinsville bullpen the year before. He dropped his ERA from 5.26 down t0 2.92 that season and then went on to be stretched out into a starter as he moved up the ladder.

Control has always been an issue for Arguello. This season, he was in AAA Oklahoma City. He started off the year in the rotation but struggled. They moved him to the pen and in the second half of the year, he was showing some promise. In July, after coming off the DL, he had a respectably solid 2.73 ERA in 12 outings. He was getting a good number of ground balls, and his 9 walks in 12 1/3 IP weren't hurting him. In August, he had 9 outings. In 5 of those, he didn't allow a single earned run. In the other 4, his line read this way: 1 2/3 IP, 6 H, 7 earned runs, 4 BB, 4 K. Three of those four outings ended with Arguello not getting anyone out.

But hey, he is left handed. He will likely go to winter ball and if he is successful there, maybe get a minor league invite to spring training from another organization. He will turn 27 in November. Best of luck to the Nicaragua native.

Here are who is left out of the 2004 G-Stros in affiliated ball as the 2011 season wraps up.

Juan Gutierrez - D'backs (MLB 60 day DL)
Felipe Paulino - Royals (MLB)
Troy Patton - Orioles (MLB)
J. R. Towles - Astros (AAA)
Jordan Parraz - Yankees (AAA)
Wlad Sutil - Astros (AA)
Brad James - Astros (AA)
Jimmy Barthmaier - Nationals (AA)
Neil Sellers - Phillies (AA)

That is 9 out of the 36 players who saw playing time in 2004 for the G-Stros. Having 25% of the players off a team being active in affiliated ball 7 years later isn't too bad. Five of the nine have seen MLB action (Towles & Barthmaier in addition to the 3 who are currently on MLB rosters).

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - July

July was a crazy month. It included the call ups of two former G-Stros and others moving around the organization. Let's take a look at the numbers and see which former G-Stros stood out this month.

Tri Cities ValleyCats

Hitter of the Month
There are only three former G-Stros position players on the ValleyCat roster. Former G-Stro catcher Ryan McCurdy had the best month of the three. In 12 games, he hit .316. Bubby Williams gets a mention for hitting three home runs during the month.

Pitcher of the Month
Garrett Bullock gets the nod for his 2.84 ERA and 16 strike outs in 12 2/3 IP. The rest of the former G-Stros had pretty rough months in Tri Cities so no honorable mentions after having a slew of them last month.

Lexington Legends

Hitter of the Month
Ben Orloff leads the way for the former G-Stros hitters who put up some impressive numbers in July. He hit .358 on the month with a very impressive .436 OBP. While Orloff is old for the league at 24, he continues to show that when he gets a chance to play, he will do well. After only getting in to 33 games prior to the all star break, he has already played in 33 since Jio Mier was promoted to Lancaster.

Others worthy of mention include Delino Deshields Jr. who bounced back from a .154 June with a .320 July. Telvin Nash who came off the DL to hit .264 with 4 HR and an impressive .409 OBP. Finally, Bryce Lane isn't getting much playing time but in 16 games, he hit 3 HR and 4 doubles for a .581 slugging percentage.

Pitchers of the Month
Again, we are going with a starter and reliever of the month in Lexington. Carlos Quevedo gets the nod as starter of the month. He went 1-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 5 starts and held opponents to a .240 batting average. Brian Strenlein gets the reliever of the month honors for his 1.35 ERA over 7 games. He fanned 12 in 13 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .234 average.

Honorable mentions: Two other relievers need to be noted for their performances in July. Gabriel Garcia had an 0-2 record but in 6 games (15 1/3 IP) he fanned 14 batters and had a 2.87 ERA. Jorge DeLeon had good outcomes with a 4-0 record with 3 saves to go along with 14 strike outs in 14 1/3 IP. He held opponents to a .226 average while compiling a 3.68 ERA.

Lancaster JetHawks

Hitter of the Month
With Jose Altuve moved on through CC to Houston, and Kody Hinze now in Corpus Christi, we will have a new hitter of the month in Lancaster. We are going with Miguel Arrendell this month. The utility infielder hit .302 in 16 games with a .397 OBP. He is now hitting a solid .284 on the season and his having a career year.

Pitchers of the Month
Starter of the month is Jose Cisnero. He went 4-1 in 5 starts with a 4.26 ERA. He struck out 40 batters in 25 1/3 IP and held opponents to a .219 average. Out of the bullpen, Wander Alvino gets the reliever of the month. Alvino produced a 0.79 ERA in July in 8 appearances. He struck out 13 in 11 1/3 IP. The secret to his success lately has been inducing a 2.75 ground out to air out ratio. The has allowed him to overcome the 11 walks he surrendered in July.

Corpus Christi

Hitter of the Month
J.D. Martinez finished the month in Houston, but he put up amazing numbers that earn him hitter of the month at Corpus Christi. Prior to his departure, he hit .380 with 7 home runs and 16 extra base hits. He had a .473 OBP and a .717 slugging percentage. He also took more walks (15) than times he struck out (13).

Honorable Mention
Kody Hinze continues to put up solid numbers in the shadow of amazing numbers. After his promotion to Corpus Christi, he has hit .350 with 5 home runs and a total of 10 extra base hits. His OBP was .418 and his slugging an even .600. He also showed solid plate discipline taking 10 walks while striking out just 17 times in 80 at bats. Chris Wallace is trying to follow in Martinez's cleat prints after bypassing Lancaster on his way to AA. In July, he hit .272 with 5 home runs and 9 extra base hits in 81 at bats. His .303 OBP and .506 slugging are solid but pale in comparison to Martinez and Hinze. Also, Jose Altuve, hit .353 in his 8 games in July prior to his promotion to Houston.

Pitcher of the Month
Arcenio Leon appeared in 12 games for Corpus Christi. He struck out 22 batters in 16 1/3 innings and complied a 2-1 record with one save and a 3.78 ERA.

Oklahoma City RedHawks

Hitter of the Month
In 17 games, J. R. Towles hit .283. That earns him the honor of hitter of the month in AAA.

Honorable Mention:
Koby Clemens hit .256 for the month with 10 extra base hits (5 HR) which is note worthy after his May (.220) and June (.181) performances.

Pitcher of the Month
In a very close race, Sammy Gervacio wins the award this month. Slingin' Sammy went 3-0 with one save during July and had a microscopic ERA of 0.56 in 11 appearances (16 IP). He held opponents to a .196 average.

Honorable Mention:
Douglas Arguello has thrived since his move to the pen. In July, he also appeared in 11 games (11 1/3 IP) and produced an impressive 0.73 ERA. Even more impressive is his 3.00 ground out to air out ratio.

Outside the System Minors

Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to lay claim to this award. He had a great July hitting .374 with 13 extra base hits in 28 games for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization.

Honorable Mention:
Ralph Henriquez was promoted to AAA Tacoma of the Mariners organization this month. In the 19 games since he arrived there, he has been hot at the plate. He has been hitting .356 with 6 extra base hits.

Pitcher of the Month
Jimmy Barthmaier had 8 appearances in July (7 relief & 1 start). In 15 1/3 IP, he amassed a 1.73 ERA and fanned 14 batters for AA Harrisburg of the Washington Nationals organization.

MLB

Hitter of the Month
Jose Altuve could win by default but he earns the award with his performance after his late month call up. In his first 11 games as a big leaguer, Jose hit 359 with two doubles. The buzz created by his promotion has been so much fun to watch.

Pitchers of the Month
Felipe Paulino edges out the competition this month for the starter of the month award. In 4 starts, he went 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA. He fanned 27 in 24 2/3 IP.

For the reliever of the month, we go outside the Astros organization to Troy Patton of the Baltimore Orioles. In 5 relief appearances since his call up in Mid July, Patton has put up a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 IP. He has fanned 8 batters while walking only one.

Honorable mention:
Jordan Lyles continues to seek his first big league win but he is not pitching as bad as his 0-3 record indicates. Two of his five starts in July qualified as quality starts. Therefore, he is the starter of the month.

Altuve Makes Eleven

#1 RHP Juan Gutierrez
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/19/2007 with Houston Astros

#2 LHP Troy Patton
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/25/2007 with Houston Astros

#3 RHP Felipe Paulino
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros

#4 C J.R. Towles
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros

#5 RHP Jimmy Barthmaier
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 6/27/2008 with Pittsburgh Pirates

#6 RHP Sammy Gervacio
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 8/14/2009 with Houston Astros

#7 LHP Victor Garate
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 9/5/2009 with Washington Nationals

#8 LHP Fernando Abad
Greeneville Astros: 2007
MLB Debut: 7/28/2010 with Houston Astros

#9 RHP Henry Villar
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 9/10/2010 with Houston Astros

#10 RHP Jordan Lyles
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 5/31/11 with Houston Astros

#11 2nd Jose Altuve
Greeneville Astros: 2008-09
MLB Debut: 7/20/11 with Houston Astros

Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - June

Wow, summer is flying by. We just got started with ball in Greeneville and it is halfway over for the full season teams. Let's look at how the former G-Stros are doing up the ladder and outside the system.

Tri Cities ValleyCats

I know they just are just about two weeks into their season but we have 11 former G-Stros on the roster and we needed to check in on those guys.

Hitter of the Month

With just three candidates the pickings are a little slim. We we go with the one alumni with an average over the mendoza line. Ryan McCurdy has appeared in 4 games and is hitting .267. Let's hope that we have to make a choice between great performances for July.

Pitcher of the Month

Now this is a competition. There are eight former G-Stros on the roster and at least five merited some discussion here. We will go with Juri Perez as the pitcher of the month. Perez who is working his way back from arm surgery. He only threw 8 1/3 innings in 2010. He made a brief appearance in Lexington earlier this spring but is making his presence felt in Tri Cities. Perez made three starts in June. He struggled with his control a bit in the first start but since then, he has been dominate. In his last two starts, he has pitched 10 innings and struck out 16 batters; while allowing eight hits, two walks, and two runs. Opponents are hitting just .212 against him. His 20 total strike outs leads the NY/Penn League.

Honorable Mention goes to Ryan Cole who has 3 saves and a 1.93 ERA (4 2/3 IP); Garrett Bullock who has a 2.03 ERA in 4 appearances (4 1/3 IP); Travis Smink who has a 2.45 ERA in 4 appearances (7 1/3 IP); and Ebert Rosario who has a 3.60 ERA but 8 Ks in 5 IP. Rosario started the transition to pitcher from third baseman last summer.

Lexington Legends

Hitter of the Month
The roster has experienced a fair amount of turn over in Lexington. During the month, Chris Wallace won the Sally League HR Derby and found himself wearing a Corpus Christi uni. Jio Mier jumped to Lancaster and Telvin Nash was activated from the DL after missing most of the month with a broken hamate bone in his hand. With those guys gone, the hitter of the month is Emilio King. King lost 100 points off his average from last month but still hit a solid .286 with seven doubles and two HR.

Pitcher of the Month
The G-Stro Alumni are starting to put together a solid pitching staff in Lexington. This is a very close call. So close that I am giving a started and reliever of the month for June. Luis Cruz is the starer of the month. He moved from the pen to the rotation after his first appearance in June. After three starts, he had a 2.45 ERA as a starter and a 17 K in 18 1/3 IP. Jorge DeLeon is the reliever of the month. He finished with a 0.75 ERA and 5 saves with 14 K in 12 IP. DeLeon is in his second season of conversion from SS to P.

Honorable Mentions Murilo Gouvea missed part of the month but booked ended his time on the DL with a solid 0.75 ERA in six appearances where he fanned 14 in 11 1/3 IP. Ruben Alaniz had a solid month in the starting rotation. He finished June with a 3-1 record and a 2.28 ERA. David Martinez's contributions also cannot be overlooked. He fanned 10 in 10 1/3 IP and finished the month with a 1.73 ERA.

Lancaster JetHawks

Hitter of the Month
This one is the easiest of the bunch. Kody Hinze is just too good for the California League. Hinze put up a .357/.505/.690 slash line despite a 2 for 23 slump following the All Star Break. Hinze won the Cal./Car. All Star Game HR Derby and still leads ALL of minor league baseball with a .469 OBP. He finished June with 8 home runs. His total of 21 on the season ties him for 3rd most in all of minor league baseball.

Honorable Mention goes to Miguel Arrendell who in 11 games put up a .342 average.

Pitcher of the Month
Wander Alvino put up a solid month out of the Lancaster bullpen. In 10 appearances, he finished with a 3.75 ERA and 14 Ks in 17 1/3 IP.

Honorable Mention goes to Colton Pitkin who had a solid month except for his last outing of the month. In his first 7 outings, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed just 4 earned runs. His last outing of the month was a rough one. Only 2/3 innings pitched and 7 earned runs scored. That outing accounts for 1/3 of the total runs he has surrendered all season.

Corpus Christi Hooks

Hitter of the Month
Who else but Jose Altuve. The Venezuelan prospect has taken away the excuse that his previous numbers were inflated by the "Lancaster effect". He it .364 with 13 extra base hits since his call up to the Hooks on June 1st. He is a contact hitter, he doesn't walk much; only four times in June. He doesn't strike out much either; only 10 times in 110 AB.

Honorable Mention to J D Martinez whose RBI totals should benefit from Altuve being on base in front of him. Martinez hit .320 for June with seven extra base hits.

Pitcher of the Month
It was an up and down month for the Appy Astros Alumi with the Hooks. There was no solid consistent performer and people were moving all over the place. This months award goes to Kyle Greenwalt. Since being moved to the pen, Greenwalt has adjusted nicely. In his 9 relief appearances in June, he is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA.

Oklahoma RedHawks

Hitter of the Month
Wlad Sutil is the only former G-Stro with any numbers worth noting. The little glove first player continues to use his bat effectively too. He hit a respectable .267 in 15 games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (2).

Pitcher of the Month
Douglas Arguello had two good starts before going on the DL. Jordan Lyles stayed up with the big club. Henry Villar and Pat Urckfitz were sent down to Corpus Christi. Sammy Gervacio came up from Corpus Christi late in the month. Fernando Abad made 6 appearances before being called up to join Lyles with the big club. So based on this info we are giving the pitcher of the month to the Waiver Wire - for its great Change Up of the roster.

Outside the Astros System (Minors)

Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to have a decent season for the Scranto/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. His average dropped a bit hitting only .243 for the month but he hit six doubles and three HRs.

Pitcher of the Month
Troy Patton had a solid June. He appeared in seven games for the Norfolk Tide (16 1/3 IP) and finished with a 1.65 ERA. It appears he is becoming a different pitcher than he was before the shoulder surgery of 2009. He only struck out 4 batters in the month.

MLB
Hitter of the Month
Yet another month where only J. R. Towles represents the G-Stros as a position player. We are pulling for September call ups for Martinez & Altuve so that he can have some company. Towles was beat up for much of the month and in 15 games only hit .154.

Pitcher of the Month
Since being traded from the Rockies to the Royals, Felipe Paulino has been a solid starter. In his six starts in June, he amassed a 3.58 ERA and struck out 33 in 37 2/3 IP while walking 10.

Honorable Mention to Fernando Abad who in the five games since he was called up to Houston, has a 1.80 ERA and five strike outs.

Paulino Liking New League & Return to Rotation

Since 2004 alumni Felipe Paulino was traded from the Rockies to the Royals, he has been having solid starts. In the month of June, he has an ERA of 2.78 in 4 starts (22 2/3 IP) and opponents are only hitting .224 against him. This improvement not only mirrors his move from the NL to the AL but it marks his return from the pen to the starting rotation. Paulino has always been viewed as a player with great potential, maybe this is the environment he needed to show that. We will keep watching.

Jordan Lyles Makes Ten

With Jordan Lyles solid debut for the Astros last night, he marked the 10th Greeneville Astro to get called up to the majors since the franchise moved to Greeneville in 2004. Here is the list of the other former G-Stros who have made the big time.

#1 RHP Juan Gutierrez
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/19/2007 with Houston Astros

#2 LHP Troy Patton
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/25/2007 with Houston Astros

#3 RHP Felipe Paulino
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros

#4 C J.R. Towles
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros

#5 RHP Jimmy Barthmaier
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 6/27/2008 with Pittsburgh Pirates

#6 RHP Sammy Gervacio
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 8/14/2009 with Houston Astros

#7 LHP Victor Garate
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 9/5/2009 with Washington Nationals

#8 LHP Fernando Abad
Greeneville Astros: 2007
MLB Debut: 7/28/2010 with Houston Astros

#9 RHP Henry Villar
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 9/10/2010 with Houston Astros

#10 RHP Jordan Lyles
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 5/31/11 with Houston Astros