Thursday, October 31, 2013

Official Retirements

As I reported earlier, 2009 2nd round draft pick RHP Tanner Bushue retired at the end of the season. The transaction was finally made official. In addition, it was reported that OF D'Andre Toney has also retired. Toney had struggled this season at Tri-City before being suspended 50 games for testing positive for the use of amphetamines. Toney, a 14th round pick for Kansas City in 2011, came into the Houston system (as the PTBNL) along with LHP Kevin Chapman in the March 2012 trade that sent OF Jason Bourgeois and C Humberto Quintero to Kansas City.

It Was a Very Big Year For ...

Back in March, I wrote a piece about a few pitchers for whom I declared, "This is going to be a very big year." I would like to revisit what I said back in March and what ultimately happened with each of them. The article, in full, follows with updates.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote this piece about a few position players for whom THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR. This is something I heard time and again in my recent conversations with John Manuel of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com and others. With the Astros depth increasing, players will need to step up to keep up. For some, it may be a matter of staying healthy. For some, it will be recapturing earlier promise. For some, it will be taking that next step developmentally. Today, let's look at a few pitchers whose ultimate fate in the organization may be either helped or hindered by the year they have.

RHP Paul Clemens
Going into the 2012 season, Paul Clemens was ranked as the number 5 prospect in the Astros system by Baseball America. Coming into the 2013 season, he is ranked at number 27. What happened? Clemens struggled in 20 starts at AAA Oklahoma City (6.73 ERA and 1.741 WHIP) before being demoted to Corpus Christi at the end of the season. Clemens has a great deal of talent and I don't think the 25-year old will be going anywhere even if he  has another subpar year in 2013. However, after seeing him pitch extremely effectively out of the bullpen in Kissimmee during Spring Training, I am convinced that he may eventually get moved in that direction unless he can start showing a more consistent and effective approach in his starts at the higher level.

UPDATE: Clemens made one appearance in Oklahoma City before making his major league debut on April 9th. He was used out of the bullpen with mixed results until struggles in July sent him back to Oklahoma City for a few games. When he got back to Houston, he was used as a starter in his final five appearances compiling a 3.71 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in those games. As a reliever in Houston, his overall ERA was 6.32 with a 1.447 WHIP. When you back out his six appearances in July (when he was less than effective), that is lowered substantially to a 4.46 ERA and a 1.264 WHIP. None of those numbers are overwhelming one way or the other, but overall it was a decent season for a rookie. One thing I like about Clemens is that he always pitches like he's totally po'd at the world. Somehow, it works for him. Overall, though, I'm still a bit baffled by Clemens and I'm not sure where things will ultimately shake out for him, so I think it is safe to say that 2014 will be another big year for Paul.

RHP Josh Zeid
Josh Zeid is one of those guys that you cannot help but pull for. He is extremely nice and genuine, and he was probably one of the best teammates and biggest cheerleaders on the Hooks team last season. He also has excellent "stuff." What he doesn't have is consistency, but it is my sincerest belief that Zeid's lack of consistency is 99% mental. He needs to master the mental part of the game to get to the next level.

UPDATE: What a difference a season makes! After a solid season with Oklahoma City in which Zeid had a 3.50 ERA and a 1.443 WHIP, he was promoted to Houston where he made his major league debut on July 30th. After a couple of dicey outings early on, Zeid settled in very nicely and allowed only five earned runs in his last 18 appearances (and only one in his last nine outings) to end up with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.373 WHIP after the promotion. More importantly, he wasn't quite as prone to the BIG inning as he had been in 2012 and lowered his batting average allowed from .263 in 2012 to .238 in 2013. I would still like to see him cut back on his walks, but overall it was a good major league debut. When I posited my theory about Zeid's issues being primarily mental, a source told me that I was on to something and that he had seen a huge change in Zeid after his 2012 off-season marriage in that he seemed more relaxed and focused.

LHP Kyle Hallock
Hallock, the 10th round pick in 2011, had a very good freshman season with Tri-City that year but was largely ineffective in his seven appearances at Lexington. He ultimately had surgery to clean out loose bodies in his pitching elbow and was healthy enough to make five rehab appearances at the end of the season. If Hallock proves to be healthy and can recreate his excellent 2011 numbers, the 24-year old could open some eyes this season.

UPDATE: Hallock had a bit of an odd season and was moved five times among four levels. Overall, he did very well early in the season, but suffered in the latter couple of months. I'm only speculating, but I wonder if he was suffering from arm fatigue later in the season since his innings went from 30+ in 2012 (due to the surgery) to 96+ in 2013. Early in the season, Hallock pitched extremely well in Oklahoma City in nine appearances (3.72 ERA and 1.293 WHIP) and he pitched the first five innings of a combined no-hitter in Lancaster in May. But in 12 appearances in July and August at Lancaster and Corpus Christi, he had a whopping 13.35 ERA and a 2.629 WHIP. Whether this was due to fatigue or injury, I don't know, but the vast difference in the halves of the season seem to suggest something of the sort.

RHP Tanner Bushue
Drafted in the second round in 2009, Bushue took a giant step backward in his development in 2012 as he struggled badly at Lexington at the start of the season and was subsequently sent back to extended Spring Training. He ended up back in Greeneville where he made 16 appearances, all but one out of the bullpen, and ended with a 5.65 ERA, a 1.849 WHIP and 10.7 SO/9 at the level. He finished the season very strongly, however, with a 0.57 ERA, 0.894 WHIP and 13.2 SO/9 in August in seven long relief outings. There is still time for Bushue to get back on track as he will only be 22 in June, but coming into his fifth season in the system, he has a lot to prove and he will need to do so quickly and emphatically.

UPDATE: Bushue started off the season well in Tri-City, but did not dominate as he should have playing A-level ball in his fifth professional season. He ended the season with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.082 WHIP in 13 games (seven starts). In a footnote to a story about the Tri-City playoffs, the Albany Times Union reported that Bushue was retiring. And thus appears to end the professional career of the Astros second round pick from 2009 at the ripe old age of 22.

LHP Chris Lee
There are two reasons that the fourth round 2011 pick is probably not in danger of being released if he doesn't have a good season. He won't turn 21 until August and he's a lefty. Lefties always get extra looks. But with the infusion of left-handed pitching into the system by Jeff Luhnow and another draft imminent, he could find himself stuck back in Greeneville for his third season. If he can't find his way out of Greeneville and competing effectively at a higher level by the end of the season, all bets are off. Lee only pitched eight and two-thirds innings in five games in 2012 and had very poor results. He was never officially placed on the disabled list, but did not pitch again after July 26th.

UPDATE: This is my favorite story of the five pitchers profiled. Yes, he was back at Greeneville, but he dominated there. There is no reason to believe that he won't get a shot to play for full season Quad Cities in 2014. And if he pitches anything like he did this season, he should be successful. In 11 games (10 starts), he had a 3.10 ERA and a 1.095 WHIP. I had the opportunity to watch him pitch when I was in Greeneville and I can tell you that he really is an exciting player to watch. He is officially on my radar screen now. My interview with Lee (with copious quotes from Manager Josh Bonifay about Lee) can be found here.

Undoubtedly, 2013 will prove to be a BIG YEAR for many players in the Astros organization. These are just a few that I'm keeping my eye on.

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Wednesday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Peoria over Glendale 7-5

Peoria Javelinas
SS Nolan Fontana - 2x3 2BB SO 2R
1B Japhet Amador - 0x4 RBI SF GIDP
3B Jonathan Meyer - 0x4 R

RHP Jonas Dufek - 2.0IP 0H 0R 1BB 2SO

Today's Game - Glendale at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Magallanes over Caracas 5-2

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 0x4 SO R PB

Zulia over La Guaira 7-3

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona - 0.2IP 1H 2R 1BB 1SO HR

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Late results from Tuesday:

Detroit over Bravos 5-3

Bravos
SS Carlos Perdomo - 1x3 BB R SB

Boston over Navegantes 4-1

Navegantes
RHP Enderson Franco (L, 0-2) - 5.1IP 5H 2R 3BB 4SO

Wednesday's Games:

Tampa Bay over Tiburones 8-5

Tiburones
CF Brett Phillips - 1x5 R
SS Alex Gonzalez - 3x4 3B RBI BB SO 3R E
DH Marlon Avea - 0x4 RBI 2SO

Magallanes over Boston 9-5

Magallanes
RHP Carlos Quevedo - 2.0IP 0H 0R 0BB 0SO

Bravos over Cardenales 5-3

Bravos
2B Carlos Perdomo - 0x4 SO


Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 2x4 2B R E

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Culiacan over Obregon 2-1

Tomateros del Culiacan
RHP Gonzalo Sanudo (W, 1-0) - 1.2IP 0H 0R 0BB 0SO

I missed one from Tuesday. Leo Heras is now playing for Guasave and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in his first game for them. He played in right field.

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Licey over Gigantes 7-6

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes - 1x5 2B R

Aguilas over Toros 8-2

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 1x5 2SO R

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE

The ABL started playing today and because of the time difference, that game has already concluded. No Astros farmhands were involved in that game, but a couple have shown up on the rosters:

Adelaide Bite
IF Joe Sclafani

Perth Heat
RHP Cameron Lamb - listed as a reserve

Connor MacDonald, an international signing from last year, was on the Brisbane roster but he was reassigned to the minor leagues.

LIGA DE BEISBOL PROFESIONAL ROBERTO CLEMENTE (PUERTO RICO)

Games start tomorrow. Only one of the rosters has been published at this point, but I will update the master winter league roster on the front page when more assignments are made official. There should be several players playing in Puerto Rico, including Jon Singleton who tweeted about going down to play there.

Happy Birthday - 10/31

Happy Birthday to ~

2B Tony Kemp (22)
Drafted by Houston in the fifth round in 2013 out of Vanderbilt University, Kemp split his season between Tri-City and Quad Cities. In 75 games between the two venues, he hit .273/.366/.345 with eight doubles, three triples, two home runs and 21 stolen bases.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

C John "Pork Chop" Hoffman (died December 27, 2001 at 58)
Signed as an amateur free agent by the Colt .45's in 1963, Hoffman played in only eight games for the Colt .45's and the Astros in 1964 and 1965, hitting .143/.182/.143. And that was the sum total of his major league career.

C Ed Taubensee (45)
Originally drafted by the Reds in the sixth round in 1986, Taubensee came to Houston in a December 1991 trade with Cleveland. In 203 games for the Astros from 1992 to 1994, he hit .234/.296/.351. According to Baseball-Reference, he was:
Nicknamed "The Model" because of the way he strutted his stuff on the runway when the Astros revealed their new uniforms in 1994.
LHP Tim Byrdak (40)
A fifth round pick by Kansas City in 1994, he signed with Houston as a free agent in April 2008. In 199 games for the Astros from 2008 to 2010, he was 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.345 WHIP. According to Baseball-Reference, while pitching for the Mets in 2012:
[H]e was leading the National League in games pitched with 56 when he announced on August 9th that he would need to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn capsule in his shoulder.
Byrdak made it back to pitch for the Mets in September 2013 for eight games.

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Peoria over Scottsdale 3-2

Peoria Javelinas
CF Delino DeShields - 0x2 BB SO SB

RHP Andrew Robinson - 2.0IP 2H 1R 2BB 3SO WP

Today's Game - Peoria at Glendale at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Magallanes over Caracas 5-2

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 0x4 SO R PB

Zulia over La Guaira 7-3

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona - 0.2IP 1H 2R 1BB 1SO HR

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Caribes over Tiburones 5-2

Tiburones
CF Brett Phillips - 0x4 SO
SS Alex Gonzalez - 1x4 SB
C Marlon Avea - 2x4 R

LHP Junior Garcia - 2.0IP 0H 0R 1BB 0SO

Zulia over Tampa Bay 7-4

Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 2x4 BB SO E

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Escogido over Toros 10-5

Toros del Este
PH Teoscar Hernandez - 0x1

Gigantes over Estrellas 5-2

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes - 1x3 2RBI R SF

LHP Rudy Owens - 5.1IP 2H 1R 2BB 6SO

Licey over Aguilas 7-3

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 0x3 BB GIDP

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 2x4 3B 2SO R E

Happy Birthday - 10/30

No future Astros, only former Astros with birthdays today ~

2B/SS Anderson Hernandez (31)
Hernandez was first signed by the Tigers in 2001 as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic and was picked up from Cleveland by the Astros as a waiver claim in 2010.  In 132 games for Houston in 2010, he hit .188/.304/.229. Hernandez played for Campeche in the Mexican League in 2013.

RHP Mark Portugal (51)
Portugal came to Houston in a December 1988 trade with the Twins. In 135 games (123 starts) for the Astros from 1989 to 1993, he went 52-30 with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP. Portugal was first in the National League in win percentage in 1993, going 18-4.

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Monday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

NOTE: The rosters have been set for the Fall Stars Game and CF Delino DeShields and RHP Jonas Dufek have been invited to participate. The game will take place on Saturday, November 2nd at 7:00 CST and will be broadcast on MLB Network. The story is here.

Peoria over Scottsdale 4-0

Peoria Javelinas
CF Delino DeShields - 0x1 3BB 2R
1B Japhet Amador - 2x4 2B RBI R
SS Nolan Fontana - 0x3 SO

RHP Matt Heidenreich - 3.0IP 1H 2SO
LHP Alex Sogard - 2.0IP 1H 1SO

Today's Game - Scottsdale at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Off Day on Monday

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Tiburones and Caracas tied at 8 through 11 innings

Tiburones
CF Brett Phillips - 0x5 BB 2SO 2R
SS Alex Gonzalez - 4x6 2B 3B 2RBI 2R
DH Marlon Avea - 1x6 2B 2RBI 2SO R
C Pedro Coa - 3x3 RBI

RHP Jamaine Cotton - 2.0IP 1H 4SO

Bravos over Tampa Bay 11-10

Bravos
SS Carlos Perdomo - 1x5 2RBI BB R E

Zulia over Caribes 8-7

Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 1x4 2SO R

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Off Day on Monday

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Off Day on Monday

Happy Birthday - 10/29

Happy Birthday to ~

3B Tyler White (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 33rd round in 2013 out of Western Carolina University in North Carolina, White made quick work of the GCL and the Appy League before landing with the Tri-City team for his last 28 games. He hit a combined .322/.406/.456 with 14 doubles, six home runs and a whopping 52 RBI in only 64 games. He walked 27 times and only struck out 24 times.

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Player Stats

Here are the stats for all of the Astros players that are playing on Fall or Winter League teams (that I know of). Stats are through Sunday's games.



Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Sunday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Off Day on Sunday

Today's Game - Peoria at Scottsdale at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Caracas over Zulia 5-3

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 1x4 2SO
Perez allowed three stolen bases, caught one stealing and had a pickoff at first.

La Guaira over Aragua 3-2

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona - 0.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0SO

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

The boxscores for Saturday's games were published late and weren't in Sunday's post.

Caimanes over Tiburones 8-3

Tiburones
SS Alex Gonzalez - 0x4 R 2E
C Pedro Coa - 1x4

Philadelphia over Zulia 17-5

Zulia
SS Arturo Michelena - 0x4 2SO

Magallanes over Navegantes 4-3

Magallanes
1B Luis Alvarez 1x4

Navegantes
RHP Enderson Franco - 1.0IP 1H 0R 1BB 1SO

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Aguilas over Estrellas 6-1

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 0x3 BB R

Escogido over Gigantes 6-3

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes - 1x5 SO

Licey over Toros 7-0

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 2x5 HR 2RBI 3SO R

Toros del Este
CF Teoscar Hernandez - 2x4 CS

Happy Birthday - 10/28

OF Brauly Mejia (19)
Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in May 2012 out of the Dominican Republic, Mejia spent his second season with the Dominican Summer League team. In 46 games, he hit .240/.304/.329. His bat was heating up at the end of the season as he hit .297/.375/.344 in 19 games in August.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Mark Knudson (53)
Drafted by the Astros in the third round in 1982, Knudson pitched in only 11 games for the Astros in 1985 and 1986. In those 11 games (9 starts), he went 1-7 with a 5.20 ERA and a 1.621 WHIP. He was traded to the Brewers in August of 1986 and went on to have modest success with Milwaukee over six seasons with that organization.

SS Tim Bogar (47)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the eighth round in 1987, Bogar came to Houston in a March 1997 trade with New York. In 392 games for the Astros in 1997 through 2000, he hit .219/.297/.327 with 43 doubles, nine triples and sixteen home runs. In the 1999 NLDS, he went 3-for-4 with a double, walk and an RBI. In 2013, he managed the AA Arkansas Travelers for the Angels organization.

RHP Kirk Bullinger (44)
A 32nd round pick by the Cardinals in 1992, Bullinger signed with Houston as a free agent in December of 2001. In 34 games pitched for the Astros in 2003 and 2004, he had a 6.28 ERA and a 1.397 WHIP.

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Saturday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Salt River over Peoria 20-0
No, that is not a typo. It's not supposed to read 2-0. It really was 20-0. Really. It was actually 8-0 after six innings which, although not terrific, is not unusual. Then 12 runs scored in the final three innings, five in the seventh (helped in large part by a grand slam) and five in the ninth (helped in large part by two errors). Andrew Robinson gave up the five in the ninth, but all were unearned; however, he doesn't get a complete pass because he did walk a pair.

Peoria Javelinas
3B Jonathan Meyer - 1x4 2SO E
CF Delino DeShields - 1x3 SO

RHP Andrew Robinson - 1.0IP 2H 5R/0ER 2BB 0SO HR

Off Day on Sunday 

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Zulia over Caracas 11-10 in 10 innings

Leones del Caracas
PH Carlos Perez - RBI SF

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

No boxscores have been published at this time. I will post scores and stats when and if available.

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Culiacan over Mexicali 5-2

Tomateros del Culiacan
RHP Gonzalo Sanudo - 0.1IP 1H 0R 1BB 1SO

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Aguilas over Escogido 5-1

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar -1x4 RBI 2SO

Gigantes over Toros 12-3 (completed early)

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes - 1x4 2RBI BB R

Estrellas over Licey 3-2

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 1x4 2B RBI SO

Note: I've been traveling and I missed a start from Thursday. LHP Rudy Owens took the loss in his first start for the Gigantes. He pitched 3.2 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks, four strikeouts and a solo home run.

Happy Birthday - 10/27

Happy Birthday to ~

C Carlos Perez (23)
Perez was one of the players obtained in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012. He started his 2013 season with Corpus Christi, but was quickly promoted to Oklahoma City. In 91 games combined at the two venues, Perez hit .271/.332/.356 with 18 doubles, three home runs and 37 RBI. He caught 48% of all runners who attempted to steal on him during the season. He is currently playing winter ball in Venezuela for Caracas.

3B Darwin Rivera (22)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera spent the 2013 season with the Greeneville club. In 40 games, he hit .211/.275/.303.

One former Astro celebrating a birthday today ~

LHP Eric Bell (50)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the ninth round in 1982, Bell signed with Houston as a free agent in 1993. In 10 appearances for the Astros that year, he was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP.

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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Friday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Mesa over Peoria 7-5

Peoria Javelinas
SS Nolan Fontana - 0x2 BB CS
CF Delino DeShields - 0x3 BB 2SO 2SB

Today's Game - Salt River at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Caracas over Magallanes 5-4

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 1x3 2B R

Aragua over Margarita 8-7 in 10 innings

Bravos de Margarita
LHP Eric Berger - 2.1IP 4H 4R/2ER 3BB 3SO

La Guaira over Lara 9-6

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona - 0.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0SO

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Late postings for games on Thursday, October 25th

Tiburones over Navegantes 7-3

Tiburones
SS Alex Gonzalez - 1x4 2B 2SO R
CF Brett Phillips - 2x4 2B 2RBI R
1B Pedro Coa - 2x4 2B RBI R

LHP Junior Garcia - 0.2IP 3H 1BB 1SO

Bravos over Caracas 4-3

Bravos
SS Carlos Perdomo - 1x3 HR RBI BB 2R

Friday, October 26th Games

Magallanes over Tiburones 3-1

Magallanes
PH/DH Luis Alvarez - 0x2

Tiburones
SS Alex Gonzalez - 1x3 BB
1B Pedro Coa - 2x4 2B

Bravos over Caribes 7-4

Bravos
2B Carlos Perdomo - 0x3 RBI SO SF

La Guaira over Lara 8-6

La Guaira
CF Brett Phillips - 1x3 3B 3RBI BB R HBP
RHP Jamaine Cotton - 1.0IP 2H 1R 1BB 0SO WP

(Yes, Brett and Jamaine were with the Tiburones before yesterday.)

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Gigantes over Estrellas 2-1

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes 1x3 RBI BB

Aguilas over Licey 4-1

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 1x3 RBI SO R SF E

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 2x2 HR RBI BB R

Happy Birthday - 10/26

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Michael Dimock (24)
Drafted in the 37th round in 2012 out of Wake Forest, Dimock split his second season between Quad Cities and Lancaster. In 37 appearances out of the bullpen, he was 9-1 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.162 WHIP. He walked 14 batters while striking out 51 in 53+ innings. It being his birthday just gives me an excuse to use this picture again (like I need an excuse).

Michael Dimock - Spring Training 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Thursday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Glendale over Peoria 6-0

Peoria Javelinas
RHP Jonas Dufek (L, 0-1) - 1.1IP 3H 5R/1ER 0BB 2SO HR
LHP Alex Sogard - 0.2IP 2H 1R/0ER 1BB 1SO E

Today's Game - Mesa at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Aragua over La Guaira, 6-5 (11)

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona (H, 3) .2IP 0H 0R 0ER 0SO 0BB 0HR

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Some of Wednesday's game boxscores were published late.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD

Lara over Tiburones 3-2

Tiburones
SS Alex Gonzalez - 1x3
RF Brett Phillips - 0x3 RBI SO SH
1B Pedro Coa - 1x4 2B 2SO R

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24TH

Magallanes over Zulia 11-5

Magallanes
1B Luis Alvarez - 1x4 2B RBI 1SO 1R HBP

Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 0x3 2BB 2SO R 2E

Caribes and Philadelphia tied 1-1 after 9 innings

Caribes
LHP Edwin Villarroel- 7.0IP 4H 1R 1BB 5SO

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report.

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Licey over Cibao, 6-4

Gigantes del Cibao
Jimmy Paredes 0X3 BB SO

Happy Birthday - 10/25

Happy Birthday to ~

3B Bobby Borchering (23)
A first round draft pick by Arizona in 2009, Borchering came to the Astros organization, along with Marc Krauss, in the July 2012 trade that sent Chris Johnson to the Diamondbacks. Borchering split his season between Greeneville and Quad Cities where he hit a combined .217/.321/.365 with 11 doubles, one triple and seven home runs in 65 games.

Former Astros celebrating birthdays today ~

RHP Danny "Dr. Death" Darwin a.k.a. The Bonham Bullet (58)
Darwin came to Houston in an August 1986 trade with the Brewers. Nicknamed Dr. Death by teammate Nolan Ryan, Danny Darwin spent 21 seasons in the major leagues, playing for eight different teams.  For his career, he had a 3.84 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP.  Dr. Death was with Houston from 1986 to 1990, during which time he had a 47-35 record with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.164 WHIP.  His most successful season was 1990 when he led the National League in ERA, WHIP and BB/9.

From Wikipedia:
It was a source of debate amongst Astros players and fans over who would win in a fight, Ryan or Darwin. Though Astros pitcher Bob Knepper attempted to set up a fight between the two during spring training in 1988, manager Hal Lanier stopped it before it could commence. Many experts, including Astros shortstop Rafael Ramirez, felt that Darwin would win because he "looked like someone no man would want to mess with."
LHP Skip Guinn (69)
Guinn first came to Houston in April 1969 from the Expos. In 32 games for the Astros in 1969 and 1971, he was 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.863 WHIP.

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Corpus Christi and Lancaster Photos from September

Okay, so I'll admit it took me a while to get my end-of-season photos uploaded and labeled, but I finally did it! You can find my September photos from Corpus Christi here and my September playoff pictures from Lancaster here. I am also adding a link to the complete collection of all of my Astros MiLB pictures from the 2012 and 2013 seasons here. I will add that link to the front page of the blog for easy access to all of those pictures.

With that said, here are a few of my favorite photos from those last two trips.

Mike Hauschild

Andrew Aplin

Jordan Jankowski

Tanner Mathis

Chris Epps
 
Gera Sanchez
 
Colton Cain
 
Luis Alvarez

R.J. Alaniz

Photos by Jayne Hansen
 All Rights Reserved*

*The players featured in these photos are hereby granted permission to use these photos for personal use. All other uses require permission and acknowledgment.

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Wednesday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Glendale over Peoria 4-0
It wasn't a good game for Peoria at the plate as they were limited to three hits and three walks.

Peoria Javelinas
CF Delino DeShields - 2x4 E Picked off at first
SS Nolan Fontana - 0x4 2SO
1B Japhet Amador - 0x3 BB
3B Jonathan Meyer - 0x4 2SO

RHP Andrew Robinson - 1.0IP 0H 0R 0BB 1SO

Today's Game - Glendale at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Caracas over Lara 11-3

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 3x4 3-2B 3RBI SO R SF PB

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Zulia over Navegantes 4-1

Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 0x4 SO

Bravos over Magallanes 11-3

Bravos
SS Carlos Perdomo - 2x5 3B SO R

Magallanes
PH Luis Alvarez - 1x1 HR 3RBI (Yep, that was a 3-run pinch hit home run)

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Licey over Estrellas 7-4

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 0x4 2SO

Gigantes over Toros 7-2

Gigantes del Cibao
LF Jimmy Paredes - 1x2 RBI 2BB 2R SB

Escogido over Aguilas 8-0

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 0x4 SO E

Happy Birthday - 10/24

Happy Birthday to ~

Lancaster Hitting Coach Darryl Robinson (46)
Robinson has served as the hitting coach for the Lancaster JetHawks for the past five seasons. In 2013, he earned the California League Coach of the Year award.

RHP Jesus Castillo (22)
Castillo was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic and joined the 2012 DSL team in progress. In six appearances in August, he pitched 11.1 innings with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.412 WHIP. He did not pitch in 2013.

One former Astro celebrates today ~

RHP Mark Grant (50)
A first round pick by the Giants in 1981, Grant signed with Houston as a free agent in January of 1993. Less than four months later, he was traded to the Rockies. In the interim, he pitched in 6 games for the Astros with a 0.82 ERA and a 1.455 WHIP.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Peoria over Salt River 5-3

Peoria Javelinas
DH Japhet Amador - 3x5 GIDP

LHP Alex Sogard (W, 2-1) - 2.0IP 0H 0R 0BB 2SO

One of my readers submitted an eyewitness report of last night's game:
There were but two Astro farmhands involved in last night's game, but one, Alex Sogard, could not have done more in his two innings of work. Only one ball reached even the infield dirt as he made two sensational plays on screaming line drives back to the mound, pounced on a beautiful drag bunt and got his man at first, and struck out two more Rafters ... the first batter of the second inning did manage to put a ball in play to short, but it was easily gobbled up and he was thrown out at first. The two innings were remarkably fast for the AFL, and every bit as efficient as I described.
Japhet Amador batted fifth last night, and smoked three shots through the hole between short and third his first three times at the plate ... he looks relaxed, almost like a man among boys - which, considering his age he may be. He hasn't done well in the games I've seen with men on base - particularly with the sacks full. Last night he hit the ball hard, just as he had his first three times up, but to the right side and into an easy double play ... he popped out his final time at the plate. He does not look nearly as relaxed with runners on base as he appears with the sacks empty ... it is clear he will hit, perhaps with some power, but he's not very clutch at the moment.
Today's Game - Peoria at Glendate at 2:35

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Game Scores and links

Tiburones de La Guaira
LHP Sergio Escalona - 0.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1SO

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

The boxscores for some of Monday's games were published late.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST

Boston over Tiburones 8-0

Tiburones
C Marlon Avea - 0x4 3SO
DH Pedro Coa - 1x4

Magallanes over Caimanes 9-1

Magallanes
1B Luis Alvarez - 0x3 RBI BB R

Lara over Bravos 7-3

Bravos
2B/3B Carlos Perdomo - 1x4 2B BB SO CS

Philadelphia over Navegantes 11-1

Navegantes
RHP Enderson Franco (L, 0-1) - 4.0IP 5H 3R/1ER 2BB 3SO 2HBP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND


Magallanes
DH Luis Alvarez - 1x1

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Licey over Toros 18-8

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 2x3 2B BB 3R HBP

Toros del Este
LF Teoscar Hernandez - 0x1 SO (Defensive Replacement)

Aguilas over Estrellas 10-6

Aguilas Cibaenas
SS Jonathan Villar - 1x2 3B RBI 2BB SO R SB

Happy Birthday - 10/23

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

2B George Williams (died May 14, 2009 at age 69)
Drafted from the Phillies in the 1961 expansion draft, Williams played in only five games for the Colt 45's in 1962, hitting .375/.375/.500 in eight plate appearances.

RHP Bo McLaughlin (60)
A first round pick for the Astros in 1975, McLaughlin played for Houston from 1976 to 1979.  He had a 9-15 record over 87 appearances with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.352 WHIP.  He was traded to the Braves in 1979 for Frank LaCorte. In 2013, he was Assistant Pitching Coach of the Colorado Rockies.

2B Kazuo Matsui (38)
Matsui signed with Houston as a free agent in November 2007 and played for the Astros from 2008 until his release in May of 2010. In 255 games with Houston, he hit .259/.315/.370. After his release, he played briefly in the Rockies minor league system. He has played in the Japan Pacific League in 2013. Matsui was responsible for placing the phrase "anal fissure" in the lexicon of Astros lore. Thanks for that.

OF Ben Francisco (32)
Francisco came to Houston in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012 and departed via trade to Tampa Bay six weeks later. In the interim, he played in 31 games, hitting .247/.289/.365. Ah, Benny Fresh, we hardly knew ye. Since then, he played with the Yankees until his release in June and then played in the Padres minor league system.

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Some Observations on the Astros and the Upcoming Rule 5 Draft

In order for minor league players to be protected, they will need to be added to 40-man rosters and reserve lists by November 20th in advance of the Rule 5 draft which will be held on December 12th at the winter meetings. As of today, the Astros 40-man roster stands at 36 players, not counting Alex White who is still shown as being on the 60-day DL (which doesn't count against the 40). Jon Singleton has already been added and is included in the 36. There still may be another move or two to free up some extra room in order to protect current Astros players who are now Rule 5 eligible and to give Jeff Luhnow room to add one or two Rule 5 draftees of his own (keeping in mind that the Astros have the first selection). Let's take a look at some of the higher profile players who will merit consideration for a 40-man roster spot.

PITCHERS
Since players taken in the Rule 5 draft have to remain on the drafting team's 25-man roster for the full season*, pitchers are taken much more frequently than position players simply because it's fairly easy to use a pitcher sparingly out of the bullpen. Position players can't be tucked away quite so neatly if they struggle. With that said, here are three pitchers who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft who merit consideration for a roster spot and my ramblings on a few more interesting names.

RHP Asher Wojciechowski/Starter - Wojciechowski is as close to a slam dunk for protection on the 40-man roster as probably anyone in the system for two reasons. He had a terrific season in 2013 and he is more or less major-league ready. He led the Astros minor league system with 160 innings pitched and ended the season with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.150 WHIP between Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City. His last 21 starts were for the AAA team. He struck out 131 batters and walked only 51 for the season. I cannot envision any scenario in which he is NOT placed on the 40-man roster.

RHP Jake Buchanan/Starter - Jake Buchanan is a very different pitcher from Wojciechowski (more of a groundball pitcher pitching to contact), but he is equally deserving of a roster spot for most of the same reasons. Buchanan also had a very good season and is also major-league ready, at least in my eyes. His 158+ innings ranked second in the Astros minor league system. He only pitched in 12 games at AAA this season, but he was ready for the level long before he was finally promoted. Buchanan ended his season with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.099 WHIP, striking out 99 and walking 22. I believe that he will be protected, but he may not be seen by others as major-league ready due to his limited time at AAA.

RHP Andrew Robinson/Reliever - Robinson is a guy that I would probably claim in the Rule 5 draft if he was left unprotected. As I noted above, bullpen guys are easier to tuck away if they struggle, but I have no reason to believe that Robinson couldn't make the leap from AA Corpus Christi to a major league bullpen. His plus fastball and big curveball are weapons that would help him make that leap. With the tandem pitching rotation, Robinson showed signs of rust early in the season, but once he was used regularly, he put up some excellent numbers. For the full season, Robinson had a 3.28 ERA and a 1.236 WHIP. In the last three months of the season, he had a 1.69 ERA and a 0.991 WHIP. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Astros protect him. He is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League.

Other Pitchers - There are several other pitchers who, if not protected on the 40-man roster, will make attractive targets. Lefty Luis Cruz was part of a combined no-hitter in May in Lancaster and threw a complete game shutout in one of his first games for Corpus Christi. I don't believe that he would be taken simply because he doesn't have much experience above High A yet, but lefty starters are always in demand. Alex Sogard and Pat Urckfitz are bullpen lefties that could draw some interest. Sogard struggled some this season, but Urckfitz had a solid year and ended it in AAA Oklahoma City. Tommy Shirley is another intriguing lefty, but due to injuries earlier in his career, he hasn't pitched above High A so I believe he's safe.

On the other hand (literally), Bobby Doran is another big durable right-handed innings-eater who seems to always fly under the radar despite putting up solid numbers. He split his season between Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City, making his last eight starts at the AAA level. I don't believe that he will be protected, but it will be a calculated risk. I was somewhat surprised last season that righty reliever Jason Stoffel was not protected. He had a solid season in 2013, not quite as dominant as his 2012 campaign, but he could be targeted as well if not protected. I've been high on Corpus Christi reliever Carlos Quevedo for quite some time. I am convinced that he will eventually pitch in a long relief/spot starting role out of a major league bullpen, whether that happens for the Astros or some other team.

POSITION PLAYERS
As I noted above, position players are not taken as often as pitchers in the Rule 5 draft. Those who are taken are usually very close to being major-league ready. But even if a player isn't ready for the bigs, leaving a top prospect unprotected could prove too tempting for other teams. Here are three players who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft who may merit consideration for the 40-man roster and my musings on a few other players.

RF Domingo Santana - I think Santana would be one of those players who would prove too big a temptation if he wasn't protected. If he was left unprotected and if he was claimed in the Rule 5 draft, I don't think he would stick with the claiming team because, in my opinion, he isn't quite ready for prime time, but the fact remains that he does have a ton of talent. In 112 games at AA Corpus Christi this season, he hit .252/.345/.498 with 23 doubles, two triples and 25 home runs. How do you not protect a guy that does that?

C Rene Garcia and C Carlos Perez - I'm going to group these two together. I really can't see how the Astros will be able to find room on the 40-man roster to protect both players, but I also can't imagine leaving two AAA backstops unprotected after the catching woes incurred by the team this season. Both players split their seasons between AA and AAA. Perez hit .271/.332/.356 with 18 doubles and three home runs in 91 games. He had a 48% caught stealing rate for the season. Garcia hit .293/.336/.394 with 20 doubles, one triple and five home runs, also in 91 games. Garcia, however, didn't fare quite as well at the plate at AAA as Perez did. Garcia's caught stealing rate was 46% for the season. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these players protected, but I would be flabbergasted to see both simply because I don't believe that room will be available.

Other Position Players - 3B Jonathan Meyer and 1B Erik Castro are two players who I don't think will be protected this year, but who may get some attention if they aren't. They both had solid seasons at the plate in Corpus Christi and both are plus defenders. Before OF Austin Wates' season-ending fractured forearm, I would have said that Wates would need to be protected, but I don't believe that will happen now.

FINAL THOUGHTS
There are some other interesting players who are eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft this year, but some of those players either had rough seasons and/or some haven't spent any significant time (or any time at all) above High A. Obviously, not everyone can be protected on the 40-man roster. Some players will be added to the 38-man AAA reserve list so that they will not be subject to the minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft. If those AAA reserve players are drafted, it will have to be in the major league phase of the draft in which case the players will have to remain on the drafting team's 25-man roster for the whole season*. So the Astros will have to determine which players are more likely to "stick" with another team as they make those decisions.

Last season Marc Krauss was left unprotected and, according to one member of the Astros brain trust, that gave them some anxious moments. But when all was said and done, although there was definite interest in Krauss, it came down to another team's inability to find room on their 25-man roster for a full season. It's simply not that easy to do and that's why so very few players are drafted in the Rule 5 draft and stick with a team. It's also the case that often minor league fans overvalue prospects. We may think much more highly of a player than the other teams' front offices do. When all is said and done, the Astros front office will take some risks in leaving players unprotected, but it will be a highly educated guess based on many factors. I will leave the heavy lifting up to them.

*If the player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster, he will have to be put through waivers. If claimed, the new team will be subject to the same conditions regarding that player. If not claimed, the player will be offered back to the team from which they were drafted.

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Monday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Peoria over Salt River 5-3

Peoria Javelinas
CF Delino DeShields - 3x4 2-2B R E
SS Nolan Fontana - 1x4
1B Japhet Amador - 1x4 HR 2RBI 2SO R

The game story is here. DeShields is still re-learning center field and his error with two outs in the sixth led to two unearned runs scoring in the frame. Peoria re-took the lead with Amador's two-run home run in the seventh.

Today's Game - Peoria at Salt River at 8:35 CST

OTHER LEAGUES

There is nothing to report from the other leagues as they either had the day off or no Astros players participated in the games played.

In regards to the Liga Paralela in Venezuela, it is my understanding that some of the Americanos who were playing there are heading home today. I have not received confirmation from the Astros as to who will be coming back and who will remain. In any event, it looks as though the "Trailblazers11" whose twitter account has entertained us will be fewer in number from here on out.

Happy Birthday - 10/22

Former Astros celebrating birthdays today ~

SS/OF Brian Bixler (31)
A second round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2004, Bixler was claimed by Houston off waivers from the Nationals in November 2011. In his only season with the Astros, he split his time between Oklahoma City and Houston. In 75 games with the Redhawks, he hit .269/.346/.361. In 36 games with Houston, he hit .193/.253/.330. He was signed as a free agent by the Mets in November 2012 and played for their AAA affiliate in 2013.

LHP Frank DiPino (57)
DiPino came to Houston as a part of a September 1982 trade with Milwaukee for Don Sutton. In 201 games pitched for the Astros from 1982 to 1986, he had a 3.65 ERA and a 1.304 WHIP. He left Houston in a July 1986 trade for Davey Lopes.

CF Gerald Young (49)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the fifth round in 1982, Young came to Houston in an August 1984 trade with New York. Playing for the Astros from 1987 to 1992, Young hit .246/.330/.302 and stole 153 bases. According to Baseball-Reference, as of September 1, 2013, Young was the only player born in Honduras to have played in the major leagues.

Manager "Harry the Hat" Walker (died August 8, 1999 at age 82)
Walker managed the Astros from 1968 to 1972 and compiled a 355-353 record. According to Wikipedia:
"Harry the Hat" got his nickname from his habit during at-bats of continually adjusting his cap between pitches — there were no batting helmets in his day.

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Monday, October 21, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Player Stats

Here are the stats for all of the Astros players that are playing on Fall or Winter League teams. Stats are through Sunday's games. Note that some of the Liga Parelela players are almost a best guess because some were listed under two names (i.e., Ricky Gingras and Ricky Gringos) and I had to piece things together here and there.



Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Sunday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Off day on Sunday

Today's Game - Salt River at Peoria at 2:35 p.m.

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Magallanes over Aragua 12-10

Navagantes del Magallanes
RHP Carlos Quevedo - 4.0IP 5H 3R/2ER 1BB 2SO HR

Tigres de Aragua
2B Jose Martinez - 2x5 2B HR 4RBI 2R

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Off Day on Sunday

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Aguilas over Gigantes 7-4

Aguilas Cibaenas
Jonathan Villar - 1x5 2B E GIDP

Happy Birthday - 10/21

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

1B/OF Franklin Stubbs (53)
A first round pick by the Dodgers in 1982, Stubbs came to Houston in an April 1990 trade with Los Angeles. In 146 games for the Astros that season, he hit .261/.334/.475 with 23 doubles, two triples and 23 home runs. He earned his World Series ring with the Dodgers in 1988.

OF Ron Davis (died September 5, 1992 at age 50)
Davis signed as an amateur free agent with Houston prior to the 1962 season and played for the Colt .45's that season and for the Astros in 1966 to 1968. In a total of 200 games for Houston, he hit .239/.293/.345.

RHP Cecil Upshaw (died February 7, 1995 at age 52)
Upshaw came to Houston in an April 1973 trade with Atlanta. In 35 games out of the bullpen that season, he was 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.383 WHIP. After the season, he was traded to Cleveland.

2B Keith Drumright (died August 7, 2010 at age 55)
Originally drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round in 1976, Drumright came to Houston in a October 1977 trade with Chicago. In 17 games for the Astros in 1978, he hit .164/.207/.164. His only other major league experience was in 31 games for Oakland in 1981.

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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Astros Fall and Winter League Recaps

Saturday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Scottsdale over Peoria 12-7

Peoria Javelinas
CF Delino DeShields - 1x4 RBI BB 2SO SB E
1B Japhet Amador - 0x4 RBI 3SO SF
3B Jonathan Meyer - 2x4 RBI 2R 2E

RHP Andrew Robinson - 1.0IP 1H 0R 1BB 1SO Pickoff
LHP Alex Sogard (L, 1-1) - 1.0IP 0H 1R/0ER 1BB 1SO 2WP
RHP Jonas Dufek - 2.0IP 1H 1R 1BB 2SO

Off Day Today

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

Aragua over Magallanes 5-4 in 10 innings

Tigres de Aragua
2B Jose Martinez - 1x4 RBI

Margarita over Caracas 1-0

Bravos de Margarita
LHP Eric Berger - 4.0IP 3H 0R 1BB 2SO

Leones del Caracas
C Carlos Perez - 2x3 2B
One stolen base against him and one caught stealing for the day.

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

Boxscores not available at time of posting

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Licey over Gigantes 1-0

Tigres del Licey
RF Domingo Santana - 1x2

Happy Birthday - 10/20

Happy Birthday to ~

OF Edward Santana (19)
A NDFA from the Dominican Republic, Santana appeared in a grand total of two games for the DSL Astros in June 2012 as a pinch runner/defensive replacement. He never got an at-bat. He is currently listed as being on the 60-day DL. And that is the sum total of everything I know about Santana.

OF Michael Burgess (25)
Originally drafted in the first round by Washington in 2007, Burgess came to the Astros system in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft in December 2012. In 98 games for Corpus Christi this season, he hit .203/.278/.378 with 20 doubles, 12 home runs and 42 RBI.

One former Astro is celebrating today ~

RHP Jose Veras (33)
Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1998, Veras signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2012. He pitched in 42 games with a 2.93 ERA, 1.000 WHIP and 19 saves before being traded to Detroit in July 2013 for OF Danry Vasquez and RHP David Paulino. Detroit is now the seventh team for which Veras has played.

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Arizona Fall and Winter League Recaps

Friday's Games

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

Salt River over Peoria 5-3

Peoria Javelinas
SS Nolan Fontana - 0x3 BB
1B Japhet Amador - 2x4 R GIDP
CF Delino DeShields - 0x4 SO GIDP

Today's Game - Scottsdale at Peoria at 2:35 CST

LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL

La Guaira over Aragua 9-7

Tigres de Aragua
2B Jose Martinez - 0x4 SO

LIGA PARALELA (VENEZUELAN MINOR LEAGUE)

A couple of games from Thursday posted late and weren't included in yesterday's recaps so I'm including them today.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH

Seattle over Tiburones 5-3 (suspended in middle of 6th)

Tiburones
CF Brett Phillips - 1x2 RBI SO R SF
C Marlon Avea - 0x3 SO
RF Marc Wik - 0x2 RBI SF
DH Ricky Gingras - 1x3 3B
3B Ryan Dineen - 1x3 R

Boston over Bravos 4-1

Bravos
SS Carlos Perdomo - 0x3 SO

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18TH

Boston over Zulia 2-0

Zulia
3B Arturo Michelena - 0x2 BB E

La Guaira over Tiburones 4-3

Tiburones
CF Brett Phillips -3x5 2B SO R E
SS Alex Gonzalez - 1x2 RBI 2BB SO SF
DH Ricky Gingras - 0x5 2SO
RF Marc Wik - 1x4 SO
3B Ryan Dineen - 1x2 2BB SO R E

RHP Joe Musgrove - 3.0IP 4H 1R0ER 0BB 0SO
RHP Michael Dimock - 1.0IP 0H 0R 0BB 1SO
LHP Blair Walters 1.0IP 1H 1R 1BB 0SO

Magallanes over Cardenales 11-1

Magallanes
1B Luis Alvarez - 2x5 HR 3RBI 2R

LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO

Nothing to report

LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO

Escogido over Licey 4-1

Tigres del Licey
OF Domingo Santana - 0x4 2SO

Happy Birthday - 10/19

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Jordan Lyles (23)
A 2008 supplemental first round draft pick by the Astros out of high school in South Carolina, Lyles started the season in Oklahoma City where he was 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA and a 1.521 WHIP in six games (five starts) in April before being recalled to Houston for the rest of the season. In his 27 appearances (25 starts) for the Astros, he was 7-9 with a 5.59 ERA and a 1.511 WHIP.

Several former Astros celebrating birthdays today ~

LHP J.A. Happ (31)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 3rd round in 2004, Happ came to the Astros in July 2010 in the Oswalt trade and he departed Houston in a huge July 2012 10-player trade with the Blue Jays. In between, he was 18-28 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.461 WHIP in 59 starts. For Toronto this season, he went 5-7 in 18 starts with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.468 WHIP.

OF/1B Walt Bond (died September 14, 1967 at age 29)
A member of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame, Bond played for the Colt 45's in 1964 and the Astros in 1965.  I was not aware of Bond's history until I read this entry from the TBHOF site.
"Standing at 6' 7" tall and weighing between 235–250 lbs, Big Walt Bond had his best year as a Houston Colt .45 in 1964 when he hit 20 home runs and drove in 85 runs—the first true power hitting ballplayer in team history."
But that was only part of the story.  He was one of many silent heroes who helped to integrate baseball.  He was active in the community, working to support local school sports programs.  And he showed enormous courage and strength in his fight against leukemia which he sadly lost at the age of 29.  I encourage reading the entire entry.

OF Brock Davis (70)
Originally signed as a NDFA by Houston in 1963, Davis played for the Colt 45's in 1963 and 1964 and for the Astros in 1966. In 45 games for Houston, he hit .176/.263/.247. Davis made his major league debut at 19. He went on to have a couple of modestly successful seasons with the Cubs and the Brewers in 1971 and 1972 respectively before a knee injury ended his career.

RHP Dave Veres (47)
A fourth round draft pick by Oakland in 1986, Veres signed with Houston as a free agent in May 1992 and eventually pitched in 104 games for Houston in 1994 and 1995. In those games he was 8-4 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.143 WHIP. He was traded to the Expos in December of 1995 for Sean Berry.

OF/2B Joe McEwing (41)
Originally drafted by the Cardinals in the 28th round in 1992, McEwing was purchased from Kansas City in March of 2006. McEwing appeared in only seven games for the Astros in 2006 and never got a hit. In 2013, McEwing was the third base coach for the White Sox.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

2013/2014 Astros Off-Season Transactions

Last off-season, I started keeping a master list of transactions because they were coming so fast and furious, I was having trouble keeping track of everything. I intend to do so again this off-season. I will update the list as various moves are made and keep it pinned to the front page of the blog for easy reference.

Updated through 3/27/14

40-MAN ROSTER (CURRENTLY AT 40)



1B/DH/OF Chris Carter


*Left-handed hitter
#Switch hitter

NEW TO THE ASTROS ORGANIZATION

ADDED TO THE TEAM AND THE 40-MAN ROSTER
LHP Raul Valdes (Waiver Claim from Philadelphia) - designated for assignment
LHP Darin Downs (Waiver Claim from Detroit)
IF Ryan Jackson (Waiver Claim from St. Louis) - traded to San Diego
OF Dexter Fowler (Trade with Colorado)
RHP Scott Feldman (Free Agent Signing)
RHP Chad Qualls (Free Agent Signing)
RHP Anthony Bass (Trade with San Diego)
RHP Matt Albers (Free Agent Signing)
RHP Collin McHugh (Waiver Claim from Colorado)
1B/LF Jesus Guzman (Trade with San Diego)
RHP Jesse Crain (Free Agent Signing)
RHP Jerome Williams (Free Agent Signing)

ADDED TO THE TEAM ON MINOR LEAGUE AGREEMENTS W/ST INVITES
RHP Peter Moylan - no longer with the Astros by mutual agreement
OF Adron Chambers
IF Cesar Izturis - released
IF Gregorio Petit

RULE 5 DRAFT PICKS IN THE MINOR LEAGUE PHASE OF THE DRAFT
OF Ravel Santana - Drafted from the Yankees
LHP Carlos Vazquez - Drafted from the Mets - Outrighted to the Mexican League
LHP Blaine Sims - Drafted from the Braves

NO LONGER IN THE ORGANIZATION

RETIRED
RHP Tanner Bushue
OF D'Andre Toney
LHP Wes Musick
RHP/1B - Jack Armstrong, Jr.
1B/DH Chase Davidson

LOST TO FREE AGENCY
RHP Philip Humber
LHP Erik Bedard (signed by the Rays)
IF Brandon Laird
LHP Wade LeBlanc
IF Jose Martinez
C Matt Pagnozzi
OF Che-Hsuan Lin
OF Trevor Crowe
RHP Edgar Gonzalez
RHP Hector Ambriz

WAIVER CLAIM
OF Jimmy Paredes - Claimed off waivers by the Marlins
IF Jake Elmore - Claimed off waivers by the White Sox

RELEASED
RHP Alan Abreu
RHP Charles Basford
IF Jean Batista
LHP Joe Bircher
RHP Jesus Castillo
RHP Ryan Connolly
IF Jean Carlos Cortorreal
RHP Zach Dando
OF Luis de la Rosa
IF Ryan Dineen
RHP John Ely
LHP Geronimo Franzua
RHP Christian Garcia
C Ernesto Genoves
RHP Alex Gillingham
RHP Erick Gonzalez
LHP Kyle Hallock
IF Parker Hipp
IF Angel Ibanez
IF Cesar Izturis
OF/1B Mesac Laguna
LHP Kenny Long
RHP Javier Lozano
OF J.D. Martinez
1B/DH Mike Martinez
RHP Yonquelys Martinez
RHP Victor Mesa
C Cristian Moronta
RHP Euris Quezada
OF Javaris Reynolds
OF Jarico Reynoso
3B Darwin Rivera
RHP Rauldison Rodriguez
RHP Gera Sanchez
LF Edward Santana
LHP Javier Saucedo
1B/DH Victor Tavarez
OF Eric Thames
RHP Carlos Vasquez
1B Brett Wallace
LHP Blair Walters
1B Jesse Wierzbicki
IF Brandon Wikoff

TRADED
RHP Jordan Lyles - Traded to the Rockies for Dexter Fowler and a PTBNL
OF Brandon Barnes Traded to the Rockies for Dexter Fowler and a PTBNL
IF Ryan Jackson - Traded to San Diego for Jesus Guzman

LOST IN THE RULE 5 DRAFT (MINOR LEAGUE PHASE)
RHP Enderson Franco

OUTRIGHTED TO THE MEXICAN LEAGUE
LHP Carlos Vazquez

OTHER
Cody Clark - Hired as a replay coordinator for Kansas City
RHP Peter Moylan - left the Astros my mutual agreement

OTHER MOVES

DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT
LHP Raul Valdes

ADDED TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER IN ADVANCE OF THE RULE 5 DRAFT
LHP Luis Cruz
OF Domingo Santana
1B Jon Singleton
RHP Asher Wojciechowski

OPTIONED TO OKLAHOMA CITY
RHP Paul Clemens
LHP Darrin Downs

OUTRIGHTED TO OKC AND REMOVED FROM THE 40-MAN ROSTER
C Cody Clark - hired by the Royals as a replay coordinator
OF Trevor Crowe - signed with the Tigers
RHP Philip Humber (option declined) - signed with the A's
IF Brandon Laird - signed with the Royals
C Matt Pagnozzi - signed with the Brewers
OF J.D. Martinez - released
RHP Rhiner Cruz

CURRENT FREE AGENTS
C Luis Alvarez
RHP Hector Ambriz - signed by the Padres
LHP Erik Bedard - signed by the Rays
OF Michael Burgess
C Cody Clark - hired by the Royals organization
OF Trevor Crowe - signed a minor league deal with the Tigers
RHP Jorge de Leon - re-signed by the Astros
LHP Sergio Escalona
RHP Edgar Gonzalez - signed with the Reds
RHP Murilo Gouvea - re-signed by the Astros
RHP Philip Humber - signed a minor league deal with the A's
IF Brandon Laird - signed with the Royals
RHP Cameron Lamb
LHP Wade LeBlanc - signed with the Angels
OF Che-Hsuan Lin - signed with the Rangers
2B Jose Martinez - signed with the A's
C Matt Pagnozzi - signed with the Brewers
RHP Carlos Quevedo

RE-SIGNED
RHP Jorge de Leon
RHP Murilo Gouvea

RULE 5 PICK TRADED
LHP Patrick Schuster - Drafted from the Diamondbacks & traded to San Diego