Gulf Coast League Astros Season Recap

On Monday, I took a look at the DSL Astros season and it wasn't the best of news. Things definitely look better for the GCL team though. Here's a quick look at how the 2011 and 2012 teams compare.

2011 Win Percentage - .370
2012 Win Percentage - .475

2011 Runs Scored - Runs Allowed = Run Differential - 215 - 280 = (65)
2012 Runs Scored - Runs Allowed = Run Differential - 227 - 240 = (13)

2011 Team ERA & WHIP - 4.19 & 1.453
2012 Team ERA & WHIP - 3.45 & 1.387

2011 Team Batting Line - .231/.308/.314
2012 Team Batting Line - .244/.307/.342

There is still room for improvement but ending up three games below .500 instead of 14 games below .500 is definitely a step in the right direction. The biggest improvement, as measured against the rest of the league, was in team batting average and slugging percentage where the GCL Astros now rest comfortably in the middle of the pack instead of the bottom. Although the ERA and WHIP are improved over last year in terms of raw numbers, the team was still in the lower third of the league.

Whose individual performances merit recognition? I'm glad you asked.

3B Darwin Rivera led the team in most hitting categories as he hit .310/.373/.410 with 62 hits, 14 doubles, four home runs and 29 RBI. He was in the top 10 in the GCL in batting average, on base percentage and slugging and in the top five in the league in hits, doubles and RBI. He will be 21 in October.

2012 sixth round draft pick CF Brett Phillips hit .251/.360/.360 with six triples (tied for first in the league) and 28 walks (tied for fourth in the league). He also ranked in the top 15 in the league in on base percentage and runs scored. He is 18.

19-year old RF Teoscar Hernandez is in his first season in the GCL after excelling in the DSL in 2011. In 51 games, he hit .243/.325/.395. He ranks in the top 20 in the league in numerous categories, including slugging, runs scored, doubles, home runs, walks and stolen bases. He also had 12 outfield assists. He received a late call-up to Lexington to take the place of Jordan Scott who is on the temporary inactive list dealing with a family matter. He's only played in two games at Lexington at this point but he's made quite an impression, going four-for-seven with a double, home run, two RBI, two walks and two runs scored.

SS Juan Santana, who just turned 18 this month, hit .268/.309/.330 and is in the top 10 in the league in hits and RBI, and is tied for 11th in doubles.

There are only nine pitchers in the entire GCL who even qualify to be league leaders based on the innings pitched criteria. 18-year old RHP Agapito Barrios ranks fourth on that list with a 3.28 ERA and is third in WHIP at 1.196.

15th round draft pick RHP Erick Gonzalez pitched in 19 games for the GCL and was 2-0 with 10 saves, a 1.80 ERA and a 1.320 WHIP. He earned a late promotion to Greeneville where the 20-year old was perfect in one appearance.

RHP Edison Frias falls just short of qualifying, innings-wise, as a league leader but he would rank highly as the 21-year old, in his second season in the system, compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.14 ERA and a 1.273 WHIP.

18-year old RHP Michael Feliz went 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.887 WHIP before being promoted to Greeneville. He wasn't quite as effective at Greeneville as he was with the GCL, but he did earn a win in the final game of the season with an effective outing.

After sitting out the 2011 season, RHP Raul Rivera came back strong in 2012. In 12 appearances (six starts) he was 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.111 WHIP. His SO/9 is 8.8 and his BB/9 is 1.0. He is 21.

Since Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers and Rio Ruiz split their time between the GCL and Greeneville, I will be looking at them when I do my Greeneville recap -- coming soon.

The GCL and DSL did finish below .500, but of the remaining six Astros minor league affiliates, Greeneville finished their season four games over .500 yesterday; Oklahoma City, Corpus Christi and Tri-City are all guaranteed to finish over .500; and Lancaster is guaranteed at least a .500 finish. Lexington is currently four games over .500 with seven games left to play, in good position to finish over .500 as well. So as I  continue to do season recaps, the news will get better and better!