Astros Minor League Snapshot with Playoff Pictures

We are now 19 weeks in to the minor league season (only two and a half weeks until the minor league regular season concludes). Let's take a look at where things stand.

OKLAHOMA CITY

3rd    63-63    .500    3.0GB    L1

Playoff Picture - 18 games left; elimination number is 16

The RedHawks are still in third place in the American Southern Division, and they are still only three games behind Iowa and Omaha who are in a virtual tie for first place. A post-season berth is still possible, but NOT if they have another 3-4 week like last week. The only thing that they can do to improve their odds is to win. They won't see Omaha again this season and they won't see Iowa again until the last series of the season by which time their fate will likely be sealed unless they start getting a nice win streak going.

Week Ahead

The 'Hawks are currently on the left coast and split the first two of four against Fresno (60-65), the last place team in the Pacific Northern Division. They will then take on the first place Pacific Northern Sacramento River Cats for four games starting on Saturday. Wednesday will see them back home for four against the El Paso Chihuahuas. The annoying yippy little rat dog team [full disclosure: I'm a dog lover except for chihuahuas] is currently in second place in the Pacific Southern Division with a 60-65 record. It is the first time Oklahoma City has faced any of these teams this season.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 4th (out of 16 teams)
OBP - 4th
SLG - 9th
ERA - 6th
WHIP - 5th

CORPUS CHRISTI

For the season:
4th    56-66    .459    14.5GB    W1

For the second half:
4th     22-30     .423     8.0GB     W1

Playoff picture - 18 games left; elimination number is 11

The Hooks aren't completely out of it, but they cannot afford another 2-4 week like the last one. They will be playing their final 14 games of the season against division rivals, four against first place Frisco (70-51), four against second place Midland (67-55) and six against third place San Antonio (60-62). Corpus Christi will have to play very well against those team PLUS get a lot of cooperation from the other teams playing against those teams to avoid elimination. Miracles sometimes happen, but don't bet the house on this one.

Week Ahead

The Hooks will play the rubber game at home against Northwest Arkansas (50-71 for season; 25-26 for second half), against whom they are 6-5 this season. They will then host Arkansas (65-56 for season; 31-20 for second half) for three games. The Hooks are 3-6 against Arkansas this season. Monday will be an off day/travel day as they travel to Midland (67-55 for season; 29-23 for second half) for four games starting on Tuesday. Corpus Christi has not fared well against Midland this season as they are 10-18 against the Oakland farm team.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 5th (out of 8 teams)
OBP - 1st
SLG - 3rd
ERA - 6th
WHIP - 2nd

LANCASTER

For the season:
1st    71-51    .582    -.-GB    L2

For the second half:
T1st     27-25     .519     -.-GB     L2

Playoff Picture - 18 games left; elimination number is N/A

The 'Hawks clinched their playoff berth by winning the first half. All that remains at this point is to see whether or not they can win the second half as well. They are currently in a tie with Rancho Cucamonga for first place in the second half standings. Since Lancaster doesn't play Rancho again in the regular season, they simply need to concentrate on winning, something that didn't come easily this past week as they went 1-5. Only one and a half games separate all five teams in the division in the second half standings so it's not just Rancho that they will need to keep an eye on.

Week ahead

The JetHawks will try to salvage a win in their current home series with High Desert (59-62 for season; 25-26 for second half) before heading to Bakersfield (68-54 for season; 23-29 for second half) for four games starting Friday. Tuesday finds the team back home for three more with High Desert. Lancaster has split the season series with each of these teams and has a 9-9 record against High Desert and a 3-3 record against Bakersfield.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 2nd (out of 10 teams)
OBP - 1st
SLG - 3rd
ERA - 7th
WHIP - 3rd

QUAD CITIES

For the season:

6th    60-60    .500    15.5GB    L2

For the second half:

5th     25-26     .490     6.0GB     L2

Playoff Picture - 19 games left; elimination number is 15

The Bandits took another hit in the standings this week, their 2-4 record for the week dropping them another two games behind in the second half standings. The good news is that a second place finish in the second half would get them into the playoffs. The bad news is that they will still need to get past three teams to get there and they only have four head-to-head games left with the four teams ahead of them. They have their work cut out for them.

Week Ahead

Quad Cities will try to salvage their final game of the season with first place Kane County (76-45 for the season; 31-20 for second half) tonight before returning home to face sixth place Burlington (61-59 for season; 23-28 for second half) for three. The Banditos are 5-11 and 5-7 in their season series against those teams. On Monday, they will hit the road for three against second place Cedar Rapids (61-60 for season; 30-21 for second half). Quad Cities is 6-3 vs. the Kernels for the season.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 3rd (out of 16 teams)
OBP - 1st
SLG - 1st
ERA - 9th
WHIP - 10th

TRI-CITY

1st     39-20     .661     -.-GB     L1

Playoff Picture - 17 games left; elimination number is N/A

The ValleyCats are in comfortable position with an eight game lead despite going 3-4 for the week. The only team within their division that they will face the rest of the way will be Vermont, who they will see in seven of their final 13 games. Vermont is currently in last place, 13.5 games back.

Week Ahead

Tri-City will get its last regular season look at Hudson Valley (40-19; 1st place in McNamara Division) tonight. They are assured of at least a split on the season series as they have a 3-2 record against that team. The 'Cats will then head to Staten Island for a 3-game weekend series starting Friday which will take them to their *All-Star break. They will host Vermont for a quick two-game series starting next Wednesday. The ValleyCats are 5-2 against Vermont this season.

*I have been remiss in reporting that 3B Nick Tanielu, C Jamie Ritchie, OF Bobby Boyd (since promoted to Quad Cities) and RHP Ryan Thompson were named to the All-Star squad for next Tuesday's game in Brooklyn.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 1st (out of 14 teams)
OBP - 1st
SLG - 1st
ERA - 7th
WHIP - 5th

GREENEVILLE

3rd     26-25     .510     3.5GB     L3

Playoff picture - 15 games left; elimination number is 15

Greeneville dropped to third place after their 2-3 week, but are only a half game behind the second place team. Both first and second place teams advance to the playoffs. It is a tight race as three teams are within three and half games of the leader, Elizabethton (30-22). The Appy Astros will play nine of their final 15 games against the contending teams in their division so it looks to be an exciting couple of weeks ahead.

Week Ahead

Greeneville dropped the first game of a three-game road series against Elizabethton who they are now 3-4 against this season. They will then play Kingsport (who trails Greeneville by .001 percent in the standings) for four games, one on the road, one at home and then two more on the road starting Saturday. Kingsport is 27-26 for the season and the Astros lead the season series against them 4-3. Next Wednesday will be an off day.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 8th (out of 10 teams)
OBP - 7th
SLG - 7th
ERA - 4th
WHIP - 6th

GCL ASTROS

3rd     23-24     .489     4.0GB     L4

Playoff picture - 13 games left; elimination number is 10

Despite going 2-4 for the week, the GCL Astros didn't fall any further back in the standings as they remain four games out of first. Seven of their remaining 13 games are within the division.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 7th (out of 16 teams)
OBP - 7th
SLG - 7th
ERA - 11th
WHIP - 11th

DSL ASTROS ORANGE

7th     27-36     .429     21.0GB     W5

Playoff picture - Eliminated

Although the Orange team was eliminated from playoff contention a while back, they are making a late surge for respectability, having won five in a row and having gone from 10th place (in a 10-team division) to 7th place in the last week.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 19th (out of 36 teams)
OBP - 4th
SLG - 13th
ERA - 35th
WHIP - 35th

DSL ASTROS BLUE

4th     29-32      .475     7.5GB      L1

Playoff picture - 10 games left; elimination number is 4

The Blue team is hanging on by the skin of their teeth. All remaining games are within the division.

Here is how the team stacks up within the league in selected categories:

BA - 25th (out of 36 teams)
OBP - 9th
SLG - 22nd
ERA - 18th
WHIP - 9th