Astros Farm Report: 10/18

Well, that was fun! (If you don't count the last two innings on Monday and the loss on Wednesday.) Seriously, I would have preferred seeing the Astros advance to the ALCS, but I couldn't get too worked up about the loss because: a) I know that the existing team will be able to build on that playoff experience, b) I know that there is still a ton of talent coming up through the Astros system that will help fill some of the holes, and c) I tend to have an optimistic take on things. I really do think that the minor league pipeline will keep flowing as long as the Astros front office doesn't do something silly like replace human scouts with robots or the like. Wait. What?

In this piece from Jon Heyman posted Friday (scroll down to the MLB notes for Houston), Heyman talks about the discontent in the Astros system amongst the non-player types for various reasons, such as the elimination of pension plans for non-uniformed personnel. He also dropped this little nugget:

They are saying they may use the TrackMan system more for scouting, which measures spin rate, launch angles and the like, thus giving a nod to robots.

I'm trying to imagine how Special Assistant to the GM Enos Cabell and Executive Advisor Nolan Ryan feel about that (and whether or not what they think would be fit for publication in a family blog such as this one). I know that the human element in life cannot be easily quantified, but those organizations who recognize the significant contribution of human knowledge, experience and instinct as a scouting tool and use that information to dovetail with the statistical side are the organizations that will ultimately succeed. At least that is my totally subjective, totally unprovable and totally human take on things.

Now on to other business ...

One correction from my post last Sunday: the original Baseball America transaction report showed that both Alex Presley and L.J. Hoes had elected free agency. That has since been corrected and only Presley elected free agency. Hoes is still in the system.

BIRTHDAYS

WTHB wishes a Very Happy Birthday to these players who celebrate birthdays this week:

10-18: RHP Riley Ferrell (22)
10-18: LHP Patrick Sandoval (19)
10-18: RHP Andrew Walter (25)
10-20: C/1B Ihan Bernal (19)
10-22: SS Joan Mauricio (19)

FALL/WINTER LEAGUE STATS

Here is how the Astros players participating in fall and winter leagues have fared to date (through Saturday, the 17th):

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE
3B J.D. Davis - .143/.250/.571 in 2 games
OF Derek Fisher - .200/.500/.400 in 2 games
IF Chan-Jong Moon - .000/.000/.000 in 1 game
1B A.J. Reed - .000/.333/.000 in 2 games
LHP Chris Cotton - 9.00 ERA/2.000 WHIP in 1 game (1.0IP)
LHP Brian Holmes - 0.00 ERA/1.500 WHIP in 1 game (2.0IP)
LHP Albert Minnis - 5.40 ERA/1.200 WHIP in 1 game (1.2IP)
RHP Keegan Yuhl - 40.50 ERA/6.000 WHIP in 1 game (0.2IP)

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE
C Tyler Heineman - .250/.625/.250 in 2 games
*1B/DH Tyler White - .250/.250/.375 in 2 games
RHP Jake Buchanan - 0.00 ERA/0.500 WHIP in 1 game (2.0IP)
LHP Reymin Guduan - 0.00 ERA/0.000 WHIP in 1 game (0.1IP)
RHP Jandel Gustave - 0.00 ERA/3.003 WHIP in 1 game (0.1IP)

*Has only played 1B and DH so far and hasn't caught yet.

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE
IF Kristian Trompiz - 2 games as pinch runner; no at-bats
OF Danry Vasquez - .300/.364/.500 in 8 games
RHP James Hoyt - 0.00 ERA/0.923 WHIP in 4 games (4.1IP)

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
OF Leo Heras - .333/.500/.444 in 3 games
RHP Enrique Chavez - 9.00 ERA/3.000 WHIP in 1 game (1.0IP)
RHP Juan Robles - 0.00 ERA/0.429 WHIP in 2 games (2.1IP)