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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Astros Minor League Snapshot

The minor league season is now nine weeks old. Let's take a look at where things stand.

OKLAHOMA CITY

2nd   32-28   .533   -.-GB   L1

The RedHawks are currently in second place place in the American Northern Division, behind the first place Iowa Cubs who they trail by .003 in win percentage (the Cubs have played four fewer games). After a "day off" (translation: overnight bus trip), the RedHawks will be playing four games against the third place Omaha team. The Omaha Storm Chasers only trail Oklahoma City by a half game and lead the season series 5-3. Following a 2:05 game on Sunday, the 'Hawks will once again board the bus and head back home where they will host the Salt Lake Bees for four games starting Monday. It will be the first meeting of the two teams this season. Salt Lake (21-39) is currently in last place in the Pacific Southern Division.

CORPUS CHRISTI

4th   29-29   .500   5.5GB   L3

The Hooks have scuffled in the past week, going 2-4 and dropping to 4th place in the South Division since we last checked in with them. They will be playing games three and four tonight and Friday in their current 4-game road series against second place Midland (31-27) and will have to take both games in order to salvage a split; Midland leads that season series 9-5. They will return home on Saturday and continue playing within the division, four games against third place San Antonio (30-28) and four against first place Frisco (34-23). The Hooks are 6-2 and 4-8 respectively in the season series against those two teams.

The fourth game of the San Antonio series will take place at 6:10 p.m. Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. The game is free and everyone should come see the next wave of talent headed to Houston!

This Hooks team has had a lot of injuries and that may be contributing to their problem with winning consistently. Already this season, we've seen Delino DeShields, Leo Heras, David Rollins, Aaron West, R.J. Alaniz, Colton Cain, Luis Cruz and Brady Rodgers spend time on the DL (and that's only the ones I can think of off the top of my head). I keep saying this team can/should/will do better than their current standings indicate and I hope to see them start to win more consistently. Soon.

LANCASTER

1st    38-23   .623   -.-GB   W4

Lancaster, on the other hand, has finally broken through in what seemed like a perpetual tie with Lake Elsinore for first place in the South Division and now leads that team by three games after going 6-1 over the last week. Lancaster's magic number to clinch the first half is 7.

The 'Hawks will try to sweep last place Inland Empire at home tonight after having taken the first two from that team in their ongoing 3-game series; they lead the season series 7-3. They will then hit the road for their first look at the North Division second place Visalia Rawhide team (33-28) for four games. That will be followed by a rare JetHawks day off on Tuesday, their first off day since they started the current string of 28 games straight. The fourth place Rancho Cucamonga Quakes will come to town on Wednesday for four games to close out the first half of the season. Lancaster leads Rancho 6-5 in their season series.

Yesterday the California League All-Stars were announced and the JetHawks will have five representatives. 2B Tony Kemp and OF Teoscar Hernandez will be starters; LHP Josh Hader, SS Carlos Correa and C Roberto Pena will be reserves. The All-Star game between the California League All-Stars and the Carolina League All-Stars will take place in Wilmington, Delaware on June 17th.

QUAD CITIES

3rd    30-28    .517    8.5GB    L2

Quad Cities has crept into third place in the 8-team division, eight and a half games behind Kane County, but only one game behind second place Peoria. Burlington and Clinton are breathing down the Bandits necks as both teams are just a half game behind Quad Cities in the standings. The River Bandits have lost the first of three on the road with Burlington and have fallen to 2-5 against that team for the season. On Saturday they will return home for three against Peoria (1-2 for the season) followed by three down the road in Cedar Rapids starting Tuesday. The Bandits are 5-1 against 7th place Cedar Rapids for the season.

The Midwest League also announced All-Stars on Tuesday and three River Bandits made the cut. OF Brett Phillips was named as a starter; IF Chan-Jong Moon and RHP Tyler Brunnemann were named as reserves. Manager Omar Lopez, Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski, Hitting Coach Joel Chimelis and Company will serve as coaching staff for the Western Division All-Stars in the game which will be played on June 17th in Comstock Park, Michigan.

DSL ASTROS BLUE

1st    3-1    .750    -.-GB    W1

Four games into the season, the Blue team leads the Boca Chica Northwest division by one game over the four teams tied for second place. There are six teams in the division.

DSL ASTROS ORANGE

T9th    0-4    .000    4.0GB    L4

The Orange team, however, is not faring quite so well. They are still looking for their first win four games in and trail the undefeated DSL Rangers1 by four games in the Boca Chica North division. The Marlins, also seeking their first win, share the cellar in the 10-team division with Astros Orange.

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