Monday, September 26, 2016

Astros Farm Report: 9-26

It was a light news week in Astros minor land as we wait for the Fall and Winter Leagues to get cranked up.

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

9-26: RHP Albert Abreu (21)
9-26: IF Fredy Medina (19)
9-28: RHP Chris Murphy (24)
9-28: RHP Enoli Paredes (21)
9-29: RHP Miguel Matos (20)
9-30: RHP James Hoyt (30)
9-30: IF Jack Mayfield (26)
9-30: RHP Trent Thornton (23)
9-30: IF Danny Worth (31)
10-1: 3B Colin Moran (24)
10-1: RHP Cy Sneed (24)
10-2: RHP Lance McCullers (23)

Albert Abreu - May 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TRANSACTIONS/ROSTER MOVES

Baseball America has 29 Instructional League Rosters posted. Guess which one is still missing?

RHP Rogelio Armenteros has been added to the Arizona Fall League roster. Although RHP David Paulino is still showing on the roster, I think it's likely that he will be removed from the roster since he's been called up to the Astros. Opening Day isn't until 10/11 so there is still lots of time to finalize the roster.

NEWS AND LINKS

In case you missed it ...

WTHB handed out 2016 awards to Players and Pitchers of the Year for both full season teams and short season teams last week.

Yours truly had the opportunity to ask a few fan questions of Astros SS Carlos Correa at an event hosted by Academy benefiting the Boys and Girls Clubs.
And last, but certainly not least, I neglected to post this last time out and offer my congratulations to Alex Bregman for being named USA Today's Minor League Player of the Year!

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Happy Trails, Bill!

I am not Jewish, but I love language. I love words. I've had a lifelong love affair with words. And the words that come to us from Yiddish have always held a strong appeal for me. As a zaftig woman known to shvitz on occasion, I can identify with the glory of that language. My mother's German roots came into play when she would kibitz during card games and remove shmutz from our dirty faces as she offered us a nosh. Tuches, shtik, shnoz, shmooz, bupkes, chutzpah, shlep ... those were all words we grew up with. We had no patience for schmucks and putzes and nebbishes. And we were as likely to proclaim 'Oy Vey!' as we were to acknowledge our Norwegian heritage by saying 'Uff Da!' I've even been known to kvetch on occasion, or so I've been told. What else can you expect from this shiksa?

But there was one Yiddish word that was always held back and only bestowed as the highest compliment. It was never used ironically or in jest. You only used this word when you really meant it. And that word is mensch.

Wikipedia tells us this about the word mensch ...
A "mensch" is "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous." The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.
We, as Astros fans, have had a true mensch in our midst for the past 30 years. In addition to the above definition, I would add fair, professional, engaging, approachable, honest, intelligent, unassuming, generous and humble. And that's just off the top of my head.

Bill Brown is a mensch as well as a scholar and lover of baseball. He loves to talk baseball and he never stopped learning and growing in his role as a broadcaster. He has no ego and has been as willing to learn from me with what I have to offer with my minor league takes as he has with the many professional sources available to him. It has been my privilege and honor to get to know Brownie a little bit over the years. He is, indeed, a mensch.



As I write this, I am listening to Bill call the Astros game with the same excitement and passion as always. Thank you for your support, your kind words and your steady presence over the years, Bill. Enjoy a well-earned retirement!

The author wearing Bill's
2005 NLC ring

Jayne got the opportunity to interview Carlos Correa for Academy's FB Live video event!
She was awesome!

Check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/Academy/videos/10155252747849377/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Astros 2016 Minor League Players of the Year

Sometimes, selecting the Astros MiLB Players of the Year is a no-brainer. That wasn't the case this year. There were far too many deserving players, and I ended up awarding a couple of ties. Having too many good players isn't a bad problem to have.

With that said, presenting WTHB's 2016 Players of the Year ...

FULL SEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: OF RAMON LAUREANO

Laureano did everything well in 2016. In 116 games between High A Lancaster and AA Corpus Christi, he hit .319/.428/.528 with 28 doubles, seven triples, 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 89 runs scored and he led the Astros system with 43 stolen bases. He also played all three outfield positions and collected 12 outfield assists while making only three errors all season.

Ramon Laureano - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Honorable Mention goes to OF Drew Ferguson: .315/.408/.542 in 105 games (between High A Lancaster and AA Corpus Christi), 29 doubles, 3 triples, 17 home runs, 30 stolen bases, 84 runs scored

STARTERS OF THE YEAR: RHP BRADY RODGERS AND RHP JOSE LUIS HERNANDEZ

Rodgers and Hernandez were virtually in lock step in what they each managed to accomplish this season. Rodgers was 12-4 in 22 starts for AAA Fresno with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.152 WHIP in 132 innings. He walked only 23 batters while striking out 116. Rodgers hit only one batter all season and had zero wild pitches. He also had two complete games for the season, including one complete game shut out.

Hernandez was the only other pitcher in the system with two complete games and one complete game shut out. He was 6-5 with one save in 24 games (21 starts) between Low A Quad Cities and High A Lancaster. In 125.1 innings, he had a 2.94 ERA and a 1.189 WHIP. He walked 24 while striking out 127 batters.

Brady Rodgers - September 2015
Photo by Jayne Hansen

RELIEVER OF THE YEAR: RHP JAMES HOYT

Hoyt led the Astros system and the Pacific Coast League with his 29 saves in 2016. In 49 appearances for AAA Fresno, Hoyt was 4-3 with 29 saves, a 1.64 ERA and a 0.873 WHIP. He walked 19 batters and struck out 93 in 55 innings.

James Hoyt - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

CATCHER OF THE YEAR: GARRETT STUBBS

Stubbs' win of the Johnny Bench award in college wasn't a fluke and he proved that with his fine sophomore campaign. In 86 games (67 at catcher) between High A Lancaster and AA Corpus Christi, Stubbs hit .304/.391/.469 with 22 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 54 RBI, 15 stolen bases (!), and he walked 43 times while striking out 48 times. Behind the plate, he had a .997 fielding percentage and caught 51% of runners attempting to steal.

Garrett Stubbs - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

SHORT SEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: OF STEPHEN WRENN AND 2B RYNE BIRK

Sixth-rounder Wrenn provided more than a little pop, collecting 15 doubles, five triples and 12 home runs over his 71 games (.260/.324/.471) between Short Season A Tri-City and Low A Quad Cities. He also swiped 15 bags, scored 46 times and drove in 39.

Birk, drafted by the Astros in the 13th round this year, missed some time this season on the DL, but what he accomplished in his 43 games with Tri-City and Quad Cities was nothing short of remarkable. Hitting .293/.385/.455 with 13 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs scored, and five stolen bases, he also managed to walk 21 times while striking out only 16 times in those 43 games.

Stephen Wrenn - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Ryne Birk - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

STARTERS OF THE YEAR: RHP ENRIQUE CHAVEZ AND RHP JHEYSON CARABALLO

Chavez started his season with Short Season A Tri-City and ended it with Low A Quad Cities. Between the two venues, he was 3-4 with one save, a 2.89 ERA and a 0.995 WHIP in 62.1 innings of work (14 games/10 starts). Chavez walked 15, struck out 51 and held hitters to a .205 batting average.

Caraballo toiled for the Dominican Summer League Astros Blue team this summer. In 13 games (8 starts), he compiled a 3-0 record with three saves, a 2.85 ERA and a 0.913 WHIP. Caraballo walked 11 and struck out 46 in 53.2 innings, holding hitters to a .199 average.

Enrique Chavez - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

RELIEVER OF THE YEAR: LHP YEREMI CEBALLOS

This 17-year old Dominican lefty shone in his first professional season, playing for the Dominican Summer League Astros Blue team. In 19 appearances (34 innings), Ceballos was 2-1 with one save, a 0.79 ERA and a 1.147 WHIP. He held batters to a .183 average.

CATCHER OF THE YEAR: GABRIEL BRACAMONTE

Bracamonte (no relation to Astros bullpen catcher Javier) split his season between Rookie League Greeneville and Short Season A Tri-City. In 28 games (all of them behind the plate), he hit .278/.362/.367 with six doubles and a triple. He walked 11 times, struck out 13 and even managed to steal a couple of bags. Defensively, he played errorless ball and caught 43% of would-be stolen base runners.

Gabriel Bracamonte - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Congratulations, gentlemen! Fine jobs from all.

>>>>>><<<<<<<

I'm still working on my not-so-serious awards presentations so check back soon for a giggle or two.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Astros Farm Report: 9-19

Fall and Winter Leagues start in a few weeks, but first things first ...

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

9-19: IF/OF Ronny Jimenez (22)
9-19: OF George Springer (27)
9-20: RHP Ken Giles (26)
9-21: RHP Devin Raftery (24)
9-21: 3B Tyler Wolfe (23)
9-22: SS Carlos Correa (22)
9-24: RHP Harlen Florencio (21)

George Springer - May 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen

ROSTER MOVES/TRANSACTIONS

In addition to Friday's recall of 3B Colin Moran to Houston, the Astros also signed Cuban LHP Cionel Perez.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

The Houston Astros contingent participating in the Arizona Fall League was announced late last month and includes RHP Francis Martes, RHP David Paulino, RHP Jacob Dorris, C Garrett Stubbs, 2B/3B Nick Tanielu, OF Ramon Laureano and OF Jason Martin. Paulino was subsequently promoted to the Astros and doesn't currently appear on the Glendale Desert Dogs roster with the other players. If Paulino is pulled from the AFL roster, the Astros will have to send another pitcher in his place. Also, longtime Astros Hitting Coach Darryl Robinson (Lancaster) will serve as the Desert Dogs Hitting Coach.

The first AFL game will take place on October 11th and the regular season will conclude on November 17th. The Fall Stars game will be on November 5th and the Championship game will take place on November 19th.

WINTER LEAGUES

The various winter league clubs, including the Dominican winter league (LIDOM), will also start play next month. Those clubs don't usually publish rosters until much closer to starting day, but the LIDOM did have their draft last week and the results can be found here. Several Astros farmhands were drafted, including RHP Albert Abreu, IF Antonio Nunez and others.

RANDOM FORMER ASTROS UPDATE

RHP Juan Minaya was claimed off waivers by the White Sox on June 22nd. After 17 appearances for the White Sox AAA affiliate in Charlotte, Minaya made his major league debut on September 1st. In five appearances (5.2 innings), he 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.059 WHIP. He turned 26 on Sunday.

Juan Minaya - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here are the recent interviews I did with a few Greeneville Astros, representing the Dominican Republic, United States, the Netherlands and Australia ...

Frankeny Fernandez
Ben Smith
Stijn van der Meer
Connor MacDonald

Friday, September 16, 2016

Getting to Know Greeneville Astros 1B Connor MacDonald

Greeneville Astros 1B Connor MacDonald isn't all that comfortable talking about himself, but Greeneville Manager Josh Bonifay certainly didn't mind helping out. Bonifay has worked with MacDonald since he was 17 years old, shortly after MacDonald signed with the Astros as the first Australian player inked by the team in over 20 years.

Connor MacDonald - August 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Bonifay first encountered MacDonald when managing in extended Spring Training in 2013 and has worked with him on and off ever since. Bonifay shared his insight into MacDonald with me. "I love that guy. He's just a really awesome kid. He's improved so much defensively from where he started. He's outstanding in the clubhouse.

"He spent a year down in the Dominican, playing in the DSL and he was MVP there. And it really helped him communicate. It really helped him understand where a lot of our kids come from and they love him. They call him 'Pollo,' like MacChicken. He's really awesome. I can't say enough good things about him.

"He's come out of his shell this year and he's made a lot of strides. He hit for the cycle this year which was just awesome, in Princeton. I've never seen anything like it. There was a ball hit to centerfield. He was at second base and he just kept on coming. He slid in (to third). They called him safe and I was so happy for him. It was a big night for him. All the kids, they wanted to do something special, so they all signed the line-up card, all signed the baseball, and it was really neat.

"But MacDonald's just a phenomenal person. He works. He grinds. He's just awesome to have on the ball club."

I asked MacDonald about that time he and a few other fellow Aussies spent playing in the Dominican Summer League. "Lachlan Madden ... was already down there. I flew down to the Dominican with a lot of Latino players and just walking through the Dominican airport was an experience. I didn't know where to go. Lucky, my teammates helped me out. Just seeing how people live down there ... it's an eye-opener to see how lucky we are to live in the countries that we do."

In speaking about his 2016 season, MacDonald told me, "I feel that my power numbers have been better this year than last year. Obviously, hitting more home runs is good. More RBI's. That's my job as a first baseman. That's a production position and that's what I was trying (to do). I'm always working to improve ... obviously, trying to take better at-bats with runners in scoring position, become more consistent with that." MacDonald hit .267/.322/.441 with eight doubles, one triple and six home runs in 43 games in 2016. With two outs and runners in scoring position, he hit a whopping .304/.360/.696.

He's also working on cutting down on the strikeouts, a common theme for hitters with developing power. "That's something I'm confident I can improve on. This year I was a lot better. I think I had a lot more hard contacts than last year. In the zone, I'm confident. I don't miss too much in the zone, but I just need to minimize my chases. Once I improve that ... working in the offseason, just still try to make more quality at-bats ... that's going to be exciting. I'm looking forward to it," said MacDonald.

Asked to give a scouting report on himself, MacDonald said, "I think I play the game hard. That's something I take pride in. I definitely think I've got a bit of pop. Again, I just have to improve my plate discipline." Of his defense, he told me, "Being 6'5" and being bigger than a lot of people, I've just got to make sure I keep my feet moving. Sometimes, I get anchored up and get bad hops, but I take pride in my defense and I think I'm good. I've just got to keep my feet moving."

Which of his Greeneville teammates would he least like to face in the batter's box? "Any kids that throw 100. The least pitcher would be [Jorge] Guzman. He throws 103, 104. That wouldn't be too fun so probably him," said MacDonald.

Another Greeneville teammate who stood out for MacDonald was Miguel Sierra, a shortstop who had been promoted to Tri-City at the time of our interview. Of Sierra, MacDonald said, "I really like him as a baseballer. I feel like he's mature. He handles failure well. He hit 11 homers. He swings it well. He came up big a lot for us and he plays defense really well too."

After spending a lot of time in Kissimmee during his first pro seasons, Greeneville was a nice change of scenery for MacDonald, literally. "Greeneville's nice. I drove up with one of me teammates. That was a really nice drive. You're used to Florida. It's flat as a biscuit. There's nothing to see. (Then) you're driving through these really nice mountains." He's also enjoyed the opportunity to play under the lights in front of crowds. "This has been my most enjoyed year of baseball because of that because in the Dominican, no one comes to watch and same in the GCL."

If he didn't play baseball, MacDonald would probably be working with his uncle back home in Queensland. "He's a sheet metal fabricator, welding and making stuff out of steel. I help him out a bit in the offseason, but I'd probably get my apprenticeship there if I wasn't playing baseball. Me best mates back home, they're doing their apprenticeships there. They're starting their degrees and I'm playing a game that I love, travelling, seeing the States. You've got to pinch yourself sometimes. I've got it pretty good."

Asked if baseball is becoming more popular in Australia, MacDonald replied, "I think so. Since they brought the Australian Baseball League back, I definitely think it's gotten more popular. More people are coming to the games. The game seems to get more media attention back home, which is good. They televise the ABL All-Star game and the Championship series on ESPN. So I think so.

"It was funny. There was a brawl (a couple years back) that was all over social media. Sports Center posted it, ESPN and all that, and I was just reading through the comments and Australians were commenting, 'damn, I didn't even know we had baseball in Australia!' I think people heard about it and it's getting out there."

MacDonald has been playing in the ABL since he was 16 and plans to play for the Brisbane Bandits again this offseason. But he also hopes for the opportunity to play for Australia in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. "That would be an awesome achievement," said MacDonald.

My final question to MacDonald elicited an unusual response. Asked for something that most people don't know about him that might surprise them, MacDonald offered this, "I've got a fake tooth. I play a lot of party tricks. I lost my front tooth when I was 10 or 11 and I play a lot of tricks on people."

I will leave my readers with that note and with this photo of MacDonald's glorious coiffure.




Thank you for your time, Connor, and best of luck with the Bandits (and hopefully the WBC)!


 


Wednesday, September 14, 2016

California League South Division Final: High Desert 7, Lancaster 2

High Desert wins series 3-1.

W- Matt Milroy
L- Andrew Thome
S- Nick Gardewine

Lancaster home runs: None.

And with the JetHawks bowing out, the 2016 season in the Houston Astros minor league system has come to a close. The Mavericks seized the momentum in this game by scoring three runs in the 8th and three more in the 9th. Lancaster had their chances, but they only finished 1-8 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.

Kyle Tucker went 2-5 and scored both of Lancaster's runs; he came home on a wild pitch in the 4th and on a Jamie Ritchie bases-loaded walk in the 8th. Osvaldo Duarte went 2-3 at the bottom of the order.

Jose Luis Hernandez was excellent in what turned out to be his final appearance of 2016 as he allowed an unearned run on six hits and recorded a strikeout over seven strong innings. The Mavericks teed off on Andrew Thome and Scott Weathersby, who both pitched an inning and allowed three runs on four hits in their time on the mound.

Many of the players in the system will be headed home for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. For others, their season isn't over; some will be plying their trade in Arizona (Arizona Fall League) and a few will be headed off to the Caribbean to continue playing baseball.

Getting to Know Greeneville Astros SS Stijn Van Der Meer

When you see SS Stijn van der Meer play, the first thing you'll probably notice is his stick thin 6'3" 170-pound build. The second thing you'll probably notice is that he can hit. Greeneville Manager Josh Bonifay said of Van der Meer, "He takes a really good at-bat. He's got a line drive stroke. He's got a pretty good understanding of the strike zone." In his first 21 games with the Astros, he hit .329/.404/.418 with three doubles, two triples and 10 RBI.



Van der Meer, originally from Netherlands, was drafted by the Astros in the 34th round in 2016 out of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. When I talked with him last month in Greeneville, Tennessee, I asked him about his journey so far. "I actually came here [to the U.S.] four years ago, my freshman year of college. I got an opportunity to play junior college in Oklahoma. I took it, went there, played there for three years. [I] played pretty well and then Lamar University of Texas recruited me, played there for two years and then I got drafted and now I'm here."

Van der Meer elaborated a bit about that college experience, "Typical junior college [Eastern Oklahoma State College] -- it was in a town called Wilburton in Oklahoma. There was literally nothing there [Population: 2843] so it was basically campus, baseball and working out, and that's all you could do there. Then I went to Lamar University. There's really nothing to do there either so basically all I did was play baseball and worked out and school." Being close to Houston, he was able to catch a couple of Astros games with his father when he visited from Netherlands.

When asked about his draft experience, van der Meer said, "I did know that [the Astros] were interested. I just didn't expect them to draft me, to be honest. I saw it on twitter and my phone started blowing up and things started rolling from there." He wasn't really worried about not getting drafted, though, because he had a pretty good backup plan. "I have a great opportunity to play baseball back home so even if it wasn't going to be here, I was going to play baseball regardless." Van der Meer has played in the Dutch Major League since he was 19, compiling a .341/.408/.401 batting line over 121 games.

Once van der Meer's season with Greeneville came to an end, he was headed back to Netherlands to participate in the European Championships, an experience that he hopes will lead to an opportunity to play for Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic next year. He's been on the National Team for some time but making the WBC team isn't a given. "We're the Kingdom of the Netherlands now so we have Curacao, Aruba. They have some great infielders already playing in the major leagues so I'm hoping to make the roster because it would be a great experience, but you never know. You just keep working hard," said van der Meer.

Of his first brief professional season since being drafted, van der Meer told me, "The pitching here is definitely a lot better than I see at home. I see good pitching every day. It makes me a better hitter, just seeing the pitches and trying to hit them. I feel like I've become a better hitter. Just hoping I can keep improving."

But there is one improvement that he may be hard-pressed to make. "I'm not the biggest so they're probably going to tell me to gain weight. They've told me that for the last six years. I've been trying everything to gain weight. It's just not happening," said van der Meer. And genetics aren't working in his favor. His father and six uncles all range from 6'1" to 6'4" and 170 to 185 lb.

Asked to give a scouting report on himself, van der Meer obliged, "I have a good eye at the plate. I can put a barrel on the ball. I don't really strike out that much. I will not hit for power. I will steal an occasional base. I'm not the fastest. I'm not the slowest either. I make the routine plays in the field. Every once in a while, I make an extra play. That's basically it."

Bonifay said of van der Meer, "He can play a premier position, shortstop, and he can play second base and [you can] put him in the game at third. He has very good actions, good arm strength." Van der Meer doesn't necessarily have the speed that you would like to see at the top of the order, but Bonifay noted, "His ability to get on base and his ability with runners in scoring position, especially with a runner at third and less than two outs has been awesome. You can count on him on a daily basis. He's just a very steady hand, very steady fielder."

Switching gears, I asked van der Meer which Greeneville Astros pitcher he would least like to face in the batter's box. He responded, "That probably would be [Patrick] Sandoval because I'm a left-handed hitter and he's a left-handed pitcher. [In Sandoval's final appearance of the season], he had a really good outing. His slider is one of his best pitches and his change up was really working too. You could see all the Twins hitters were really having problems with him. And the other guy would probably be [Jorge] Guzman. He just throws really, really hard." Van der Meer may not want to face Sandoval, but he fared quite nicely against lefty pitchers in a limited number of at-bats in his first pro season, hitting .435/.436/.478 off them.

But he was also impressed with what he's seen of RHP Forrest Whitley, "I know he's our first round draft pick. For being a high-schooler, an 18-year old, it's just so easy how he throws and commands all his pitches. I'm very excited to see how far he can come."

Something people may not know about van der Meer is that he is a "decent" soccer player. "The big sport in the Netherlands is soccer. All my friends play soccer. Here, they either play baseball or pick up basketball. What we did, we played soccer every day after school," said van der Meer. Unsurprisingly when asked what he would do if he didn't play baseball, the quick response was, "I'd probably play soccer." Baseball may not be as popular as soccer in his country, but it is on the upswing.

Stijn van der Meer - August 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

The first things you may notice about Stijn van der Meer when you see him play may be his less than impressive physique and his ability to hit, but the first things you will notice when you talk with him are a ready dimpled smile, a twinkle in his eye and a deep and surprisingly unaccented speaking voice. It was a pleasure speaking with him and it was a pleasure to watch him play.

Thank you for your time, Stijn, and best of luck with the WBC and the coming season.


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

California League South Division Final: High Desert 9, Lancaster 4

High Desert leads series 2-1.

W- Collin Wiles
L- Brock Dykxhoorn

Lancaster home runs: Osvaldo Duarte (3, solo in 5th), Bryan Muñiz (2, solo in 6th), Marc Wik (2, 2-run in 9th)

The JetHawks launched 3 home runs that accounted for all of their runs in this game, but the Mavericks had already built up an 8-0 lead after the 3rd.

Osvaldo Duarte put Lancaster on the board with his solo homer in the 5th inning. Bryan Muñiz went 3-5 and smacked a solo shot of his own in the 6th, and Marc Wik came on as a pinch-hitter for Duarte in the 9th and clubbed a 2-run homer.

Brock Dykxhoorn went 5 innings and allowed 8 runs (6 earned) on 12 hits (solo and 2-run homers) and struck out 3. Ralph Garza Jr. stopped the bleeding by allowing a run on 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 2 in 4 innings.

Jose Luis Hernandez will start game 4 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Game 3 Stars

Bryan Muñiz, 1B
3-5, solo HR (2)

Ralph Garza Jr., RHP
4 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 2 K

Marc Wik, UTIL
Pinch-hit 2-R HR (2) in 9th

Monday, September 12, 2016

California League South Division Final Game 2 Recap

High Desert evened the South Division Final at one game apiece with their 15-7 victory on Sunday. Jason Martin and Johnny Sewald launched 2 home runs in the game; both of Martin's homers were solo shots, while Sewald hit a solo home run in the 1st and a 2-run shot in the 9th. Bryan Muñiz finished 2-4 with a 2-run single in the 5th inning and allowed a run on 2 hits in the 8th.

Martin now has 4 home runs this postseason, while those were Sewald's first two of the playoffs.

The pitchers.... got shelled, and I'll leave it at that.

Game 3 will be in Lancaster at 6:35 Pacific. Brock Dykxhoorn will take on Collin Wiles.

Game 2's Stars


Johnny Sewald, OF
2-5, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI

Jason Martin, OF
2-4, 2 solo HR (4)

Bryan Muñiz, 1B
2-4, 2 RBI; IP, 2 H, ER

2016 Astros Rule 5 Draft Primer and Eligible Players

With the recent addition of James Hoyt, Teoscar Hernandez and Brady Rodgers to the 40-man roster, there is only one player currently listed on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Prospect list that isn't currently protected on the 40-man roster, LHP Reymin Guduan at Number 28. However, Guduan is slated to become a minor league free agent this fall as he has now played in the minor leagues for seven seasons (UPDATE: Guduan was added to the 40-man roster in advance of the date upon which he would have become a free agent). As of today, there are 40 players on the 40-man roster (roster is at 37 as of 11/10).


Jon Kemmer - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Here is a primer based on my understanding of how the Rule 5 draft works, as well as some preliminary information about this year's draft eligible players. The draft will be held on December 8th at the Baseball Winter Meetings in National Harbor, Maryland.

RULE 5 ELIGIBILITY

The Rule 5 draft (don't call it the Rule V draft or baseball purists will jump down your throat) has both a major league phase and minor league phases which I'll cover later, but first things first ... eligibility. Those players who are eligible in a given year fall under these guidelines:


[That is directly from the 2008 Major League Rules which was originally found on the now-defunct Biz of Baseball site. If it has changed since then, I haven't seen that information.]

What that means in English is that this year's eligible players basically include: 1) any player who signed prior to the end of the 2012 season; and 2) players who signed after the end of the 2012 season and prior to the end of the 2013 season who were 19 years old or older when they signed. That means most 2013 drafted college players are eligible, but high school players (and some community college players) drafted in 2013 are not eligible until next year. For the international free agents, one needs to know when the player signed their first professional agreement and their age at signing to make the determination. There are exceptions, but that is the basic gist of it.

MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE OF THE RULE 5 DRAFT

The first phase of the Rule 5 draft is the major league phase. In order to protect an eligible player from being drafted in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft, they must be on the major league club's 40-man roster prior to November 20th (if that falls on a business day). Players on the 40-man roster at that deadline are considered "protected."

Obviously not all of a team's best players can be protected on the 40-man roster. That is where the 38-man AAA Reserve List helps. If a player from the AAA Reserve List is drafted in the Rule 5 draft, that player must remain on the drafting team's 25-man major league roster for the full season or he will have to be put through waivers. If claimed, the new team will be subject to the same conditions regarding that player. If not claimed, the player will be offered back to the team from which they were drafted.

The cost of drafting a player in the major league phase of the draft is $50,000. If the player is offered back to the team from which he was drafted, the original team must pay $25,000 back to the drafting team. If the original team declines, the player will be put on waivers.

Last season RHP Juan Minaya, IF Nolan Fontana, OF Andrew Aplin, C Alfredo Gonzalez, RHP Jandel Gustave, RHP Joe Musgrove and RHP David Paulino were all added to the 40-man roster by the Astros in advance of the deadline. The front office made the determination that these three players were the most likely players to be taken in the Rule 5 draft. The front office took a calculated risk by not adding players such as OF Teoscar Hernandez, RHP Brady Rodgers and others to the 40-man roster, but only included them on the AAA Reserve List. They made a determination as to which players, if drafted, were more likely to "stick" on a major league roster for a full season and were very successful in that none of the unprotected players were claimed in last year's Rule 5 draft.

Since players taken in the Rule 5 draft have to remain on the drafting team's 25-man roster for the full season, pitchers are taken much more frequently than position players simply because it's fairly easy to use a pitcher sparingly out of the bullpen. Position players can't be tucked away quite so neatly if they struggle. It all comes down to another team's ability to find room on their 25-man roster for a full season. It's simply not that easy to do and that's why so very few players are drafted in the Rule 5 draft and stick with a team.

It's also the case that often minor league fans overvalue prospects. We may think much more highly of a player than the other teams' front offices do. When all is said and done, the Astros front office will take some risks in leaving players unprotected, but it will be a highly educated guess based on many factors, including future needs.

MINOR LEAGUE PHASES OF THE RULE 5 DRAFT

There are two minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft as well. The players on the 40-man roster and the 38 players on the AAA reserve list aren't eligible to be taken in the minor league phases of the draft. So, in essence, you are protecting your top 78 players from the minor league phases. (As far as I know, AAA Reserve Lists are not made public so we are left to guess who the Astros will be shielding from the minor league phases of the draft.)

In the AAA Phase of the draft, a player who is on the AA Reserve List or lower can be drafted for inclusion on the drafting team's AAA Reserve list for a cost of $12,000. In the AA Phase of the draft, players at all of the levels lower than AA can be drafted for inclusion on the drafting team's AA Reserve List for a cost of $4,000.

The kicker on the minor league phase of the draft is that the drafted player basically becomes that team's property. There is no requirement to offer the player back if he doesn't work out. He can be traded, released, etc. at a team's discretion.

ASTROS 2016 RULE 5 ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

The following are those players who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December if they are left unprotected. I have organized them by the level at which they were assigned at the end of the minor league season. Players who are first year eligible have been #'d.

AAA Position Players
C Tyler Heineman
#OF Jon Kemmer
#IF Jack Mayfield

AAA Pitchers
#LHP Chris Cotton
RHP Edison Frias
RHP Mike Hauschild
LHP Brian Holmes
RHP Jordan Jankowski
#LHP Albert Minnis
RHP Tyson Perez
RHP Aaron West

AA Position Players
#1B Conrad Gregor
#1B Chase McDonald
#OF James Ramsay

AA Pitchers
RHP Kevin Comer
#LHP Kent Emanuel
RHP Angel Heredia
RHP Kyle Smith

Position Players at High A or lower
C Marlon Avea
IF Rodrigo Ayarza
3B Randy Cesar
IF Arturo Michelena
#OF Brauly Mejia
#OF Luis Payano
#OF/1B Hector Roa
#IF Kristian Trompiz
IF/OF Marc Wik

Pitchers at High A or lower
RHP Agapito Barrios
#RHP Elieser Hernandez
#LHP Sebastian Kessay
RHP Andrew Walter

#First year eligibility for Rule 5 Draft

In addition to the above, the following players will be minor league free agents at the conclusion of the major league season in which case they are free to explore free agency.

Minor League Free Agents
LHP Evan Grills
LHP Reymin Guduan - added to 40-man roster before becoming a free agent
IF Chan Moon
C Roberto Pena

Here is some basic information from MLB about the Rule 5 draft.

Astros Farm Report: 9-12

An abbreviated Farm Report today. Come back later today for Astros 2016 Rule 5 Draft info!

WISHING A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

9-12: IF Samir Caraballo (18)
9-15: RHP Forest Whitley (19)
9-16: RHP Ian Hardman (21)
9-16: RHP Cristofer Melendez (19)
9-17: RHP Brady Rodgers (26)
9-18: 1B Jon Singleton (25)

Forrest Whitley - August 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

ROSTER MOVES/TRANSACTIONS

There's still a little maneuvering as the JetHawks advanced to the South Division finals.

9-10: RHP Juan Santos assigned from Lancaster to Quad Cities
9-7: LHP Framber Valdez assigned from Lancaster to Quad Cities
9-7: LHP Matt Bower assigned from Quad Cities to Lancaster

Also, according to Baseball America, the Astros signed RHP Martires Arias who was released by the Padres on August 16th. Arias last pitched for High A Lake Elsinore in the California League.

RANDOM FORMER ASTROS UPDATE

After C Alfredo Gonzalez was traded to the White Sox in early July, he was assigned to that team's AA affiliate, the Birmingham Barons. In 39 games for the Barons, Gonzalez hit .296/.358/.341. He was promoted to the AAA Charlotte team for the last game of the season. Although the Venezuelan-born Gonzalez spent parts of eight seasons in the Astros system, he only turned 24 in mid-July.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

Results for Saturday, September 10, 2016

One team bowed out, but another was able to strike first in the next round.

Texas League South Division Series: Midland 5, Corpus Christi 2

Midland wins series 3-1.

W- Brandon Mann
L- Cy Sneed

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks couldn't really get much of anything on offense despite recording 9 hits.

Ramon Laureano finished 3-4 with a double and spoiled the shutout with an RBI single in the 8th, and Drew Ferguson, who went 2-5, hit an RBI single in the 9th. Corpus had something brewing in that 9th inning, but they left the bases loaded to end the game.

Cy Sneed went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Kyle Smith allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 3 innings, and Kevin Comer allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 in a scoreless 8th.

With the Hooks' season coming to an end, Lancaster is the last team standing in the Astros' minor league system.

California League South Division Final: Lancaster 6, High Desert 4

Lancaster leads series 1-0.

W- Albert Abreu
L- Shane McCain
S- Andrew Thome

Lancaster home runs: Osvaldo Duarte (2, 2-run in 6th)

The JetHawks matched each of the Mavericks' scoring innings and then took control with 3 runs in the top of the 8th to strike first in the South Division final.

High Desert opened the scoring with a run in the 2nd, but one half-inning later, Lancaster got on the board with an RBI infield single from Myles Straw. The Mavericks scored 2 in the 5th, and Osvaldo Duarte provided the answer with a 2-run homer in the 6th.

Straw and Johnny Sewald both walked to lead off the top of the 8th, and Duarte joined them on the bases by beating out a bunt single. Bryan Muñiz took advantage and came through with a 2-run single to give the JetHawks a 5-3 lead. One batter later, Trent Woodward added an RBI single. Duarte and Woodward both finished with 2 hits on the evening.

Elieser Hernandez went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Albert Abreu tagged in for 2.2 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3. Andrew Thome retired all 4 Mavericks he faced to secure the victory.

Saturday's Stars

Osvaldo Duarte, UTIL, Lancaster
2-5, 2-R HR (2), 2 R

Bryan Muñiz, 1B, Lancaster
Go-ahead 2-R single in 8th

Andrew Thome, RHP, Lancaster
Save; 1.1 IP

Ramon Laureano, OF, Corpus Christi
3-4, 2B, RBI

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

Results for Friday, September 9, 2016

JetHawks move on after their show of force in the mini-series.

Texas League South Division Series: Midland 7, Corpus Christi 5

Midland leads series 2-1.

W- Kyle Friedrichs
L- Jacob Dorris

CC home runs: Bobby Boyd (1, 3-run in 4th)

The Hooks were stunned by a 5-run bottom of the 9th, which culminated with Viosergy Rosa hitting a walk-off grand slam to give the RockHounds the series lead.

All 5 Corpus Christi runs came in the 4th inning, as Bobby Boyd launched a 3-run homer, Drew Ferguson ripped an RBI double, and Garrett Stubbs flared a ball into right field for an RBI single. Stubbs and J.D. Davis had 3 hits apiece in the game.

Rogelio Armenteros went 5 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Ryan Thompson was the first man out of the bullpen, and in 2 innings, he allowed a run on 4 hits and struck out 1. Michael Freeman got the first out of the 8th via strikeout. Jacob Dorris was next, and in 1.1 innings, he allowed 4 unearned runs (3 inherited runners charged to him), a single, walked 1, and struck out 2. Ryan Deemes served up the walk-off grand slam to Rosa with 2 outs in the 9th.

Cy Sneed will start game 4 of this series. He'll face Brandon Mann at 7:00.

California League South Division Mini-Series: Lancaster 21, Rancho Cucamonga 6

Lancaster wins series 2-1.

W- Akeem Bostick
L- Adam Bray

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin 2 (2; grand slam in 3rd, 2-run in 6th), Osvaldo Duarte (1, 2-run in 3rd), Kyle Tucker (1, 2-run in 6th), Bryan Muñiz (1, 3-run in 7th)

The JetHawks advanced to the South Division Final behind an incredible show of force. In the 2 games at The Hangar, they scored 38 runs and launched 12 home runs.

Just like Thursday, everyone in the original starting lineup had a hit and scored a run.


Akeem Bostick went 6.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 7 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 3. Ralph Garza Jr. walked 2 and struck out 3 in 1.1 innings, and Juan Carlos Santos allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Next up for the JetHawks is the South Division Final and a date with High Desert. Game 1 from Adelanto will start at 6:35 Pacific.

Friday's Stars

Photo from Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page
Lancaster JetHawks: W 21-6 vs. Rancho Cucamonga
Advanced to California League South Division Final
Jason Martin: 3-5, 2 HR (2), 7 RBI, 3 R
Bryan Muñiz: 4-5, 2B, 3-R HR (1), 3 R
Osvaldo Duarte: 3-5, solo HR (1), 3 RBI, 3 R

Friday, September 9, 2016

Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

Results for Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Hooks and JetHawks drew even in their series.

Texas League South Division Series: Corpus Christi 5, Midland 4

Series tied 1-1.

W- Eric Peterson
L- Cody Stull

CC home runs: None.

The Hounds scored three runs in the top of the 8th to take a 4-0 lead. At that point, they were sitting pretty and six outs away from taking a 2-0 series lead back to Midland. The Hooks.... had other ideas. Let's fast forward to the bottom of the 8th.

Garrett Stubbs drew a walk to lead off the inning, advanced to 3rd on a Ramon Laureano double, and scored Corpus Christi's first run on a J.D. Davis groundout. Laureano, who advanced to 3rd on the groundout, scored on a double from Nick Tanielu. Chase McDonald went down on strikes for the second out of the inning, but Bobby Boyd was able to come through with a single, and he wound up scoring the tying run on a wild pitch.

Stubbs drew another walk to lead off the 9th, and Laureano legged out an infield single. Davis flew out, but Tanielu hit a single to load the bases for Tony Nuñez, who sent the Whataburger Field crowd home happy with the game-winning RBI single. Laureano and Tanielu both finished with 3 hits.

Trent Thornton went 6.2 innings and allowed a run on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Dean Deetz was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen, and he allowed 3 runs, a 2-run double in the 8th, walked 4, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings. Eric Peterson allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th.

Tonight, the series shifts to Midland. Rogelio Armenteros will take on Ben Bracewell at 7:00.

California League South Division Mini-Series: Lancaster 17, Rancho Cucamonga 11

W- Jose Luis Hernandez
L- Michael Boyle

Series tied 1-1.

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell 2 (3; 2-run in 4th, solo in 6th), Christian Correa 2 (2; 3-run in 1st, solo in 8th), Trent Woodward (1, 2-run in 1st), Marc Wik (1, solo in 3rd), Jamie Ritchie (1, 2-run in 6th)

The Hangar lived up to its name on Thursday as both teams combined to send 11 balls out of the park. Lancaster whacked seven home runs to force a deciding game 3 tonight.

The JetHawks took flight with 8 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and responded to a 5-run 5th from Rancho with 6 runs in the final 3 innings. Everyone in the lineup had a hit and scored a run; Keach Ballard, who pinch-ran for Marc Wik, did not have a plate appearance.



It wasn't the finest outing for Jose Luis Hernandez, who allowed 8 runs on 11 hits (solo, 2-run, and 3-run homers) and struck out 6 in 5 innings, but he was the beneficiary of generous run support. Scott Weathersby struck out 1 over 2 scoreless innings. Chris Murphy allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 8th, and Juan Carlos Santos allowed a 3-run homer to Noah Perio, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Akeem Bostick will get the start in the deciding game 3. He'll face Adam Bray at 6:35 Pacific.

Thursday's Stars

Trent Thornton, RHP, Corpus Christi
6.2 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Antonio Nuñez, IF, Corpus Christi
Walk-off RBI single in 9th

Aaron Mizell, OF, Lancaster
3-5, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI, 3 R

Christian Correa, C, Lancaster
3-5, 2 HR (2), 4 RBI, 2 R

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

Results for Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Corpus Christi and Lancaster begin their chase for a title.

Texas League South Division Series: Midland 6, Corpus Christi 2

Midland leads series 1-0.

W- Joel Seddon
L- Francis Martes

CC home runs: Nick Tanielu (1, solo in 6th)

The Rockhounds drew first blood in the series thanks to a pair of 3-run innings. They opened up the scoring with 3 in the 3rd and put this game out of reach with 3 more in the 9th inning.

Meanwhile, the Hooks were left to rue the countless missed opportunities they had; they finished 1-15 with runners in scoring position and left a staggering 15 men on base.

Nick Tanielu put Corpus on the board with a solo homer in the 6th inning, and Garrett Stubbs added an RBI single in the 7th. Tanielu (solo HR), Stubbs (RBI, SB), Drew Ferguson (2B, 3B, R), J.D. Davis, and Roberto Peña all finished with 2 hits,

Francis Martes had a bare minimum quality start, allowing 10 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6. Ryan Thompson was the first man out, and he allowed a hit over 2 scoreless innings. Kevin Comer recorded 2 outs in the 9th, 1 via strikeout, but he also allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 2 hits and walked 1. Jacob Dorris recorded the final out of the 9th with a strikeout and also allowed a hit that allowed the runner he inherited from Comer to score.

In game 2 of this series, Trent Thornton will take on Corey Walter. First pitch is at 7:05.

California League South Division Mini-Series: Rancho Cucamonga 4, Lancaster 3 in 16 innings

Rancho Cucamonga leads series 1-0.

W- Gavin Pittore
L- Alex Winkelman

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell (1, solo in 3rd)\

The JetHawks broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the 8th, but the Quakes re-tied the game in the bottom half. 15 zeroes later, Rancho walked off with the win to get on the board in the mini-series.

Aaron Mizell led off the 3rd inning with a home run to open the scoring. Osvaldo Duarte doubled to lead off the 5th and came around to score on a Johnny Sewald single, and Jamie Ritchie ripped an RBI double in the 8th. Sewald went 4-7, while Ritchie finished 3-6, and Mizell and Trent Woodward had 2 hits apiece.

Brock Dykxhoorn pitched 7 innings, and the 2 runs he allowed came on a pair of solo homers. He allowed 2 other hits, walked 2, and struck out 7. Kevin McCanna was the first man out of the Lancaster bullpen, and he allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Andrew Thome followed with 3 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 2. Alex Winkleman went 1.1 innings and allowed the winning run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2.

Game 2 of the mini-series will be in Lancaster and will start at 6:35 Pacific.

Wednesday's Stars

Nick Tanielu, IF, Corpus Christi
2-5, solo HR (1)

Brock Dykxhoorn, RHP, Lancaster
7 IP, 4 H (2 solo HR), 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Andrew Thome, RHP, Lancaster
3 IP, 3 H, 2 K

Johnny Sewald, OF, Lancaster
4-7, RBI

Getting to Know Astros LHP Ben Smith

The headline reads Astros playing long game with rehabbing Draftee Smith. But no one realized how long it would take for 2014 17th round draft pick LHP Ben Smith to finally make it back to the mound. After a year of rehab, Smith was assigned to the rookie league Greeneville team in June 2015, but he never made a start that season. Shortly after arriving in Tennessee, Smith was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma. One day shy of two years from the day he signed with the Astros in 2014, he pitched his first professional inning for Tri-City in the New York-Penn League on June 18, 2016.

Ben Smith - August 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

Of Smith, Greeneville Pitching Coach Bill Murphy told me, "He's a competitor. He's got good stuff. He has a tremendous focus and relentless effort to get better every single day. People like that are going to be successful. He's a very special person." Murphy went on to talk about Smith's calm demeanor and down-to-earth personality, traits that were very evident in my conversation with him last week in Greeneville.


Smith told me that seeing the doctor who had diagnosed him with Burkitt lymphoma in the stands for one of his outings this summer was probably the most memorable experience of his summer.

Smith was once regarded as a highly-ranked prospect. Now that he has his feet back under him, look for him to work his way back on to some of those prospect lists. After all he's been through, I wouldn't bet against him.

Thank you for your time, Ben, and best of luck to you in your career and in your life.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, September 5, 2016

Bidding farewell to another Minor League season....

Fresno 4, Sacramento 3

W- Albert Minnis (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- Tyler Rogers (1-1)
S- Brendan McCurry (3, 16 season)

Fresno home runs: D.J. Fisher (5, 21 season; led off game)

The Grizzlies will finish 2016 with a 73-70-1 record. The tie occurred on May 30 against Colorado Springs; both teams needed to catch flights out of Fresno, so they agreed that no inning could start after 2:30 Pacific that day. Since the game was tied after 2:30, the game ended in a tie.

Both teams scored a run in the 1st inning; Fresno's came in the form of a D.J. Fisher home run to lead off the game. Both teams also scored 2 runs in the 8th inning; Jon Kemmer ripped an RBI double and Alejandro Garcia hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Danny Worth to score. The difference in this game was a run in the 9th for the Grizzlies. Fisher scored the first run of the game... and he scored the last run of the game on a single from Worth. Fisher and Worth both finished with 2 hits.

It was a bullpen day for the Grizzlies. Aaron West and Chris Cotton started it off with 3 innings; West allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4, while Cotton allowed a hit and walked 1. Albert Minnis allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 1 in 2 innings, and Brendan McCurry walked 1 in a scoreless 9th.

The Grizzlies will open the 2017 season at home against Reno on Thursday, April 6.

Corpus Christi 4, San Antonio 2

W- Eric Peterson (6-3, 7-3 season)
L- Daniel McCutchen (1-2)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (23, grand slam in 9th)

The Hooks only had one scoring play and only scored in one inning, but it turned out to be enough for them to come out on top in their season finale.

Cy Sneed allowed 3 hits and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. Michael Freeman was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen, and in 2.1 innings, he allowed a run, which was an inherited runner charged to him, a single, walked 3, and struck out 2. Eric Peterson went 1.2 innings, and the one hit he allowed was a 2-run double that broke a scoreless tie. He also walked 1 and struck out 1.

J.D. Davis only had one hit, but it was a grand slam in the 9th that put the Hooks in front. Drew Ferguson, James Ramsay, and Ramon Laureano (2B, SB) all had 2 hits in the game. Laureano will finish the season with 43 stolen bases.

Corpus Christi will begin its playoff road with the Texas League South Division Series against Midland beginning on Wednesday.

Inland Empire 8, Lancaster 4

W- Grayson Long (2-1)
L- Framber Valdez (0-1, 4-5 season)

Lancaster home runs: Osvaldo Duarte (7, 10 season; solo in 1st), Kyle Tucker (3, 9 season; solo in 4th), Christian Correa (3, 4 season; solo in 5th)

The JetHawks were foiled in their bid to sweep their final series of the regular season.

Three of their four runs came via the solo homer; Osvaldo Duarte opened the scoring by whacking one in the 1st. Kyle Tucker launched one in the 4th, and Christian Correa smacked his in the 5th inning. Duarte also drove in the only Lancaster run that wasn't the product of a home run with a groundout in the 9th.

Framber Valdez went 5.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Chris Murphy allowed 3 unearned runs on 3 hits and walked 1 in 2 innings, and Ralph Garza Jr. allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 2 over the final 1.1 innings.

The JetHawks will take on Rancho Cucamonga in the South Division mini-series. Game 1 will be in Rancho on Wednesday.

Quad Cities 12, Burlington 1

W- Justin Ferrell (5-6)
L- Erik Manoah (0-1)

QC home runs: Pat Porter (9, inside-the-park 2-run in 7th), Dexture McCall (9, solo in 9th)

The Banditos scored 10 runs in the final 3 innings to turn what was a 2-1 game into a laugher. They will finish the season with a 61-78 record.

Everyone in the lineup scored a run. Quad Cities really blew this one wide open with 7 runs in the top of the 7th inning.



Matt Bower went 4.2 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3, and Justin Ferrell struck out 5 over 4.1 perfect innings for the win.

Connecticut 10, Tri-City 1

W- Locke St. John (6-7)
L- Jorge Alcala (0-1, 3-3 season)

TC home runs: None.

The ValleyCats fell behind the eight-ball early thanks to a 3-0 deficit after the 1st, and then the Tigers buried them with 7 in the 5th.

After Ronnie Dawson hit a double in the 9th, Taylor Jones spoiled the shutout with an RBI single. Alex De Goti finished 3-3.

Jorge Alcala went 4.2 innings and allowed 9 runs (2 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him) on 8 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Erasmo Pinales was the first man out of the bullpen, and in 1.1 innings, he struck out 3, allowed a run of his own on a bases-loaded walk, one of two walks that he issued in his outing, and a single that allowed the runner he inherited from Alcala to score. Tyson Perez allowed a hit and struck out 2 over the final 2 innings.

And so.... that puts an end to the 2016 regular season in the Houston Astros minor league system. Corpus Christi and Lancaster will carry the Astros' flag into the Minor League Baseball playoffs, and they'll start their playoff journeys on Wednesday.

Monday's Stars


J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi
Go-ahead grand slam (23) in 9th

Photo by Tammy Tucker
Cy Sneed, RHP, Corpus Christi
5 IP, 3 H, 4 K

Alex De Goti, IF, Tri-City
3-3, BB

Quad Cities River Bandits: W 12-1 @ Burlington
Dex McCall: 4-6, 3B, solo HR (9), 3 RBI, 3 R; finished 2B shy of cycle
Pat Porter: Inside-the-park 2-R HR (9), 3 RBI
Marlon Avea: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Matt Bower: 4.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Justin Ferrell: W (5-6), 4.1 IP, 5 K