DSL Season Post-Mortem

The DSL season is mercifully over. It was not a good one. The DSL represents the one failure by the Astros farm system to improve their record from the prior year. (Heck, you were already in a bad mood because it's Monday -- why not pile on a bit?) With that said, here's how this season compared to last season.

2011 Win Percentage - .403
2012 Win Percentage - .319

2011 Runs Scored - Runs Allowed = Run Differential - 306 - 391 = (85)
2012 Runs Scored - Runs Allowed = Run Differential - 254 - 383 = (129)

2011 Team ERA & WHIP - 4.71 & 1.625
2012 Team ERA & WHIP - 4.19 & 1.494

2011 Team Batting Line - .245/.339/.337
2012 Team Batting Line - .215/.301/.285

Believe it or not, there were actually three teams with lower win percentages this season. The biggest difference between 2011 and 2012 was the total lack of offense. Pitching improved slightly while offensive categories went from above average to the bottom two or three in the league.

Were there any bright spots? Yes, there were a couple of players with good seasons that will bear watching.

SS/2B Luis Reynoso led the team in batting average with a .281 mark and in OBP at .382 while ranking third in SLG at .363. And he won't turn 18 until next week.

1B Mesac Laguna led the team in several offensive categories, but he did so as the only 20-year old position player on a team on which 12 of 17 position players were 17 or 18 during the season.

At 18, RHP Samil de los Santos compiled the second most innings on the team as he pitched in 12 games (nine starts) with a 2.50 ERA, 1.075 WHIP, 9.8 SO/9, 3.15 SO/BB ratio and a .197 batting average allowed.

The 17-year old LHP Edwin Villarroel led the team in innings pitched and in ERA (2.25), but needs serious improvement in his SO/BB ratio as he struck out only 2.9 per nine innings while walking 3.9 per nine. But since he just turned 17 in May, he definitely has time to develop.

In 17 appearances (one start), LHP Javier Saucedo was 5-4 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.322 WHIP. He had 6.2 SO/9 but an even worse walk rate than Villarroel as he walked 4.7 per nine innings pitched. He will be turning 19 in a month.

A total of 24 out of 37 players who appeared for the DSL team in 2012 were either 17 or 18 which keeps me from being very hard on the team, but also keeps me from getting very excited about anyone either. But if even one player from this group eventually appears on a major league roster, the year and the team will be deemed a rousing success in hindsight.

The news all gets better from here on out. I will look at the GCL Astros later in the week.