Abad Moving Back to Starter?

Yesterday, Brian McTaggart posted his minor league notebook, where he talked about Delino DeShields Jr. success this season and a few other things.  The bit that caught my eye was the decision to move Fernando Abad back to the starter role. 

"We're trying to look at what might be best," said Astros director of player development Fred Nelson. "He's pitched well in the Dominican Republic as a starter, and we've vacillated back and forth between what is best for him, and I think we're going to take a look and see what he can do in a starting role and see if he can filter in to be a guy that might end up starting for us."

Abad has had several good seasons playing winter ball in the Dominican but hasn't been a starter in the states very much at all.  He has never started more than four games in a minor league season since he came to the states.  In looking at his numbers, it appears he does better when he pitches to more batters than he has this past year as a lefty specialist.  Hope this experiment goes well for Fernando.  I would expect he won't be fully stretch out until the season ends and we will be watching winter ball stats again for further indication of his move to a starter.

Barnes Makes #13

Here is the list of former Greeneville Astros who have made it to the big leagues

#1 RHP Juan Gutierrez
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 8/19/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently on DL in KC Royals Minor Leagues

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

#3 RHP Felipe Paulino
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently on KC Royals DL

#4 C J.R. Towles
Greeneville Astros: 2004
MLB Debut: 9/5/2007 with Houston Astros
Currently in AAA in Twins system.

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

#6 RHP Sammy Gervacio
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 8/14/2009 with Houston Astros
Currently in Mexican League (AAA - Unaffiliated)

#7 LHP Victor Garate
Greeneville Astros: 2005
MLB Debut: 9/5/2009 with Washington Nationals
Recently released by Brewers from AAA

#8 LHP Fernando Abad
Greeneville Astros: 2007
MLB Debut: 7/28/2010 with Houston Astros
Currently in Oklahoma City (AAA - Astros)

#9 RHP Henry Villar
Greeneville Astros: 2008
MLB Debut: 9/10/2010 with Houston Astros
Currently in Corpus Christi (AA- Astros)

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

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

#12 LF J. D. Martinez
Greeneville Astros: 2009
MLB Debut: 7/30/11 with Houston Astros - Current

#13 OF Brandon Barnes
Greeneville Astros: 2005-06
MLB Debut: 8/7/12 with Houston Astros

Brandon Barnes Gets The Call

Reports out of Houston today indicate that Brandon Barnes will be the 13th Greeneville Astro alumni to make his Major League debut.   Barnes was drafted in the sixth round of the 2005 draft.  He is the third signed player from that draft to make it to the bigs.  The other two are Brian Bogusevic and Tommy Manzella. 

Barnes spent 2005 and 2006 in Greeneville and was a raw ball player.  He had been primarily a football player in high school with dreams of playing in the NFL.  However that changed and after one year at Cypress College as a walk on, he was drafted. He improved during his two years in Greeneville but then really started growing as he moved up the ladder.  His progress was slow and steady.  In 2009 and 2010 both saw him appear in three levels of the system.  He did enough in the 2011 year to have the Astros re-sign him to a minor league free agent deal with an invite to spring training as a non roster invitee.  He appeared in 14 spring training games and hit .267 in 15 at bats.  He has played well at Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City this season. 

Personal Side:
It is always exciting when a former Greeneville Astro gets the call up to the major leagues but it is even more exciting when you have a personally connection with the player.  So excuse me as I share a personal story. 

Our family was fortunate enough to get to know Brandon during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.  He was very generous with his time and was great to my kids.  There is no way to make me a big fan than to treat my kids well. 

Here is my favorite Brandon Barnes story:

We were sitting around the table during lunch and my son, who 6 at the time was talking baseball with Brandon and Ralphie Henriquez.  The topic turned to Vlad Guerrero.  My son stated, "What I don't understand is he is there best player and they have him playing right field.  That is where you put your worst player."  Ralphie dies laughing because if you check Brandon's stats from his time in Greeneville, you will find he played 30 games in RF in 2006 for the G-Stros.  Brandon educated my son on why you need your best arm in right field and why that is an important position.  Ralphie just agreed with my son that the worst player plays in RF.  The irony is my son has spent a fair amount of time in RF as he has gotten older as well due to his arm.

I have enjoyed following Brandon's career not just because of his growth as a baseball player but his growth as a man, a husband and father.  I have also enjoyed watching the growth of his faith as well. 

Good luck Brandon.  We are still pulling for you!

More Than Stats: 
There is something else in this promotion story for those of us who follow minor league baseball.  Don't get too caught up in short season stats.  Brandon hit .200 his first year and .220 his second year.  He was a work in progress.  He is a reminder to show some patience with these young men who are developing.  Those who make personnel decisions in pro ball look at more than a stat line. They call it player development for a reason. 

Eyewitness Report: 8/6/12 Double Header Loss to Johnson City

It was a tough night at Pioneer Park last night.  The G-Stros were swept by the Johnson City Cardinals.  Here are a few observations: 

GAME ONE: Cards 8 - Gville 2

On The Mound:
Adrian Houser got the start in game one.  He didn't pitch as badly as the line indicates. Two of the doubles were not hit hard but were placed right down the opposite field line.  Batters appeared to have been fooled on the pitch.  The triple that was hit to lead off the second was aided by a bad line to the ball by Ariel Ovando.  

Houser's poise was good until the fifth when you could see the frustration in his body language on the mound.

Mike Hauschild relieved Houser with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth.  He allowed a single, a walk, and a fielders choice to allow all the inherited runners to score.  The ground ball was a slow roller that couldn't be turned for a run saving double play.  He pitched a scoreless sixth inning.

Andrew Walter finished the game for Greeneville.  He pitched around three hits for a scoreless seventh.

At The Plate:
Not much to write about here.  The G-Stros only mustered three runs off of Cardinal pitching.  Angel Ibanez had a two RBI double  D'Andre Toney also had a double and Ricky Gingras has a single.  Ovando took a four pitch walk and showed better pitch recognition in all at bats.  He already has four walks in August.  It appears the scouting report is don't throw him strikes and he has made some adjustment.

In The Field:
Ricky Gingras did a nice job behind the plate blocking balls.  His caught stealing was on a ball that got away from him and he corralled it and made a good throw to third.

Other than Ovando's bad route, the only other misplay was by Toney who ran past a ball on the ground in an error that was possibly due to lack of focus late in a blow out game.  It did not result in additional runs but it did give up an extra base to two runners.

GAME TWO: Cards 5 - Gville 1 

On the Mound: 
There was a buzz in the air before game two.  It was the Greeneville debut of 1st round supplemental draft pick Lance McCullers.  Part of the buzz was created by his pre game warm up routine that included long tossing a neon yellow softball.  It was the first time I had seen that in a pitchers pre game routine.

Once he took the mound, he showed good poise and solid pitching.  The first inning was an adventure as he got the first two outs and then walked the bases loaded. Two of those walks came on full counts.  After a pitching visit, he settled down and got the final out on a strike out.    I sat near a scout so I could peek at his radar gun.  It was reading 91-93 on fastballs and 80-84 on his breaking ball.  Those numbers stayed consistent throughout his start.

After his 26 pitch first inning, McCullers settled down and pitched very well.  He allowed one hit and one walk in his next three innings of work while striking out three more batters.  An impressive first showing for Mr. McCullers

He was relieved by Joe Musgrove.  The scout didn't have his gun out for him so I can't give you numbers but he appeared to be throwing harder.  However, they were being hit and hit hard.  He lasted an 1 2/3 innings and was helped by defense.

Euris Quezada came in and put out a fire in the sixth and then was pulled with two outs in the seventh in favor of a lefty.  Hindsight being 20/20, I wish he would have been left in.

Scott Zuloaga came in to face Bruce Caldwell who was pulled for a pitch hitter who hit a line drive that should have been out #3 but was a three base error instead.

After one batter, Michael Dimock came in to finish the game. 

At The Plate:
The Astros hitters were baffled by slight Stalyn Lopez.  He pitched a complete game four hitter and fanned eight G-Stros.  He got better as the game went along.  He was throwing mid 80's at the start of the game and hit 90 in the sixth inning.

Angel Ibanez had the big hit again with another RBI double. He was responsible for knocking in all of Greenville's runs last night. He now has a seven game hitting streak and in his last five games, he is 9 for 20 (.450) with four doubles and eight RBI.

Jean Batista hit a double, and Toney and Jose Monzon added singles to complete the G-Stros hit totals. 

In The Field: 
It a mixed bag for Ariel Ovando.
The Good: With a runner on second, he caught a fly ball in right field.  He runner went back to tag and Ovando unleashed a throw that the third baseman caught head high.  It was slightly off line but the throw created a buzz in the park.
The Bad: He hot dogged one catch in right.  It was a high fly ball on the warning track and he caught the ball about bell high on his right side.  He had plenty of time to catch it in a fundamentally sound way.  He also misplayed a line drive that got by him and was the difference in the game.  

Jose Monzon also had a mixed result.  He nailed the potential tying run at the plate in the fifth with a great throw.  He later let a throw slip out of his hand that almost ended up in the seats behind third.

Angel Ibanez had a solid game at third; making several plays coming in towards the grass.

D'Andre Toney made a diving attempt in each game on balls in front of him.  He failed to come up with either one but you have to like the effort.

Eyewitness Report: 8/4/12 Greeneville 3 Johnson City 2

What a difference one day makes. From a blow out to a nail biter.  Greeneville rode solid starting pitching and did just enough at the plate to earn a 3-2 win in 10 innings.  Here are my observations:

On The Mound: 
Daniel Minor did an outstanding job in this game!  He battled out of a rough first to retire 17 batters in a row before leaving the game.  In the first, he struck out the first batter, then gave up two singles. He fanned the next two and then became very efficient having five straight 1,2,3 innings.

I don't think he was done either.  His pitch count wasn't too high and he appeared to be cruising when the final batter in the sixth lined a pitch back up the middle that caught Minor on the foot/ankle. He stayed with the play and made the out but then limped off the field.  He tried to return in the seventh but made just one warm up pitch before being replaced. 

Zach Dando retired the next five batters in a row before walking a runner with two outs in the eighth inning.  He was then replaced by Jordan Jankowski. 

Jankowski  gave up a single that I felt 3rd baseman Ibanez should have handled but it was a hot shot.  He then fanned the next batter to end the threat in the eighth.

In the nineth, Jankowski gave up a single on a slow roller up the middle before surrendering his first home run ball of the year.  That tied the game up.  The G-Stros manager stayed with Jankowski and he retired the next batter on a pop fly before surrendering back to back singles on flairs to right field.  Jankowski was more unlucky than bad.

Big Euris Quezada came in to relieve Jankowski and got a double play ball to end the inning.  In the 10th, he struck out the side while mixing in a single.  He ended up with the win in relief.

At The Plate:
Ariel Ovando had the big game at the plate. His day didn't start off great. He grounded to short in his first at bat.  The shortstop made a solid play but Ovando didn't hustle down the line. I believe it would have been a close play had he hustled.  He then launched a high fly ball that almost cleared the fence but bounced off for a triple.  Ovando was running full out on that play.  Makes me wonder if he didn't get some feedback on his effort from the previous at bat. 

After another ground out, he got the big hit in the 10th.  With two outs and runners at first and second, he showed good bat control and took a ball the opposite way for a walk off single.  He also took a walk during the game, giving him three walks in his last four games.

Jean Batista, stayed hot, going two for four with a walk.  The double he hit, didn't get past the outfielders. It was a shot in the gap and he hustled it into a double.

Terrell Joyce had two hits also.  He finished July in a bit of a funk, striking out 11 out of his last 21 at bats in the month.  Since the calendar has turned to August, he only has one strike out in his first 14 at bats this month.

 In The Field: 
Greeneville played error free ball.  The middle infield of Batista and Brian Blasik took care of nine of the 11 ground outs in the field.  They turned a double play in a key spot as well.  Batista had six assist and one put out.  Blasik had four assist and one put out.

Other Observations:
The buzz around the field was the arrival of Lance McCullers Jr. who is slated to start Monday night.  He was busy signing a lot of autographs after he finished his running before the game. 

There was also a report that Joe Musgrove will make his Astros debut on Monday as well in relief.