Astros LHP Eric Berger tweeted out today that he had been traded to Oakland. According to Evan Drellich of the Chronicle, Houston will get a player to be named later in the transaction. Berger was a solid member of the bullpen in Oklahoma City last season and had a terrific winter league campaign as a starter in Venezuela last year as well.
Also, according to MiLB.com, 3B Darwin Rivera was released earlier this week. Rivera was signed by Houston out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2010 season. He played last season in Greeneville, hitting .211/.275/.303 in 40 games.
A LOOK AT THE ASTROS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Showing posts with label Darwin Rivera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darwin Rivera. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Happy Birthday - 10/27
Happy Birthday to ~
C Carlos Perez (23)
Perez was one of the players obtained in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012. He started his 2013 season with Corpus Christi, but was quickly promoted to Oklahoma City. In 91 games combined at the two venues, Perez hit .271/.332/.356 with 18 doubles, three home runs and 37 RBI. He caught 48% of all runners who attempted to steal on him during the season. He is currently playing winter ball in Venezuela for Caracas.
3B Darwin Rivera (22)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera spent the 2013 season with the Greeneville club. In 40 games, he hit .211/.275/.303.
One former Astro celebrating a birthday today ~
LHP Eric Bell (50)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the ninth round in 1982, Bell signed with Houston as a free agent in 1993. In 10 appearances for the Astros that year, he was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP.
C Carlos Perez (23)
Perez was one of the players obtained in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012. He started his 2013 season with Corpus Christi, but was quickly promoted to Oklahoma City. In 91 games combined at the two venues, Perez hit .271/.332/.356 with 18 doubles, three home runs and 37 RBI. He caught 48% of all runners who attempted to steal on him during the season. He is currently playing winter ball in Venezuela for Caracas.
3B Darwin Rivera (22)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera spent the 2013 season with the Greeneville club. In 40 games, he hit .211/.275/.303.
One former Astro celebrating a birthday today ~
LHP Eric Bell (50)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the ninth round in 1982, Bell signed with Houston as a free agent in 1993. In 10 appearances for the Astros that year, he was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Astros Minor League Depth - Third Base
Over the next few weeks as we approach Spring Training, I'll be looking at the Astros minor league depth, position by position. Today, we look at the third basemen in the organization who had the best seasons in 2012.
With the arrival of Matt Dominguez in the Carlos Lee trade last season, some of the pressure has been taken off in shoring up a position which I would argue is still the worst in the Astros system in terms of depth. The acquisitions of Bobby Borchering and Brandon Laird also helped give the Astros some breathing room at the top of the system. Borchering is still a work in progress since he struggled in his promotion to AA this season and in the Arizona Fall League this past fall, but at only 22, he has time.
Matt Duffy leads the list out of all the third basemen in OPS. As I had hoped, he turned some of his doubles power from 2011 into home run power in 2012. He's just been an all-around solid hitter since being drafted in 2011. Despite a fairly average walk rate, he has kept his OBP high in an unconventional way -- he was hit by pitches 41 times in 2012. If Duffy can keep hitting and showing that power stroke, he should be able to move quickly through the ranks, but he will have to keep proving that he can handle the position defensively.
I'll be honest. I'm not sure what to make of Jonathan Meyer. He is considered a good defender, but in his second year with Lancaster, his power numbers declined slightly and he drew significantly fewer walks. Meyer only recently turned 22 so he is definitely still young enough to make some adjustments and get to the next level developmentally, but I think 2013 will be crucial for him.
Andy Simunic is a symbol of the third base depth problem. Simunic did a terrific job in giving the Astros an option in playing third base for them and he defended at that position very capably, but he really doesn't profile as a third baseman. He profiles as the middle infielder he was drafted as. He had a very good season with Corpus, but he doesn't bring the power expected from a corner infielder.
Another symbol of the depth problem is Darwin Rivera. He had a great season with the bat for the GCL, but it was a step backward for him as he played at Greeneville the prior season and did not do well. If he shows he can hit more advanced pitching, there may be hope for him as a DH, but his poor fielding at third base to date makes it unlikely that he will stick at that position.
Which brings me to Rio Ruiz, the Astros fourth round draft pick from 2012. In my opinion, Ruiz is the real deal. He will be a good defender, a great hitter and a natural leader. He won't turn 19 until May, but I think he will move very rapidly through the system.
As a final note, there are players who did not play extensively (if at all) at third base in the 2012 season who may see some time at third base if the need arises, particularly 1B/DH Erik Castro and 2B John Hinson.
Monday: First Base
Tuesday: Second Base
Wednesday: Shortstop
Rio Ruiz - August 2012
Photo by Jayne Hansen
The embedded chart shows third basemen in the organization ranked from high to low in terms of OPS. I have noted their current age, the last level at which they played and, if they spent significant time at multiple positions, that information is included as well. I am including Brandon Laird's 2012 minor league numbers since he was removed from the 40-man roster and will likely start the season at AAA in 2013.
With the arrival of Matt Dominguez in the Carlos Lee trade last season, some of the pressure has been taken off in shoring up a position which I would argue is still the worst in the Astros system in terms of depth. The acquisitions of Bobby Borchering and Brandon Laird also helped give the Astros some breathing room at the top of the system. Borchering is still a work in progress since he struggled in his promotion to AA this season and in the Arizona Fall League this past fall, but at only 22, he has time.
Matt Duffy leads the list out of all the third basemen in OPS. As I had hoped, he turned some of his doubles power from 2011 into home run power in 2012. He's just been an all-around solid hitter since being drafted in 2011. Despite a fairly average walk rate, he has kept his OBP high in an unconventional way -- he was hit by pitches 41 times in 2012. If Duffy can keep hitting and showing that power stroke, he should be able to move quickly through the ranks, but he will have to keep proving that he can handle the position defensively.
I'll be honest. I'm not sure what to make of Jonathan Meyer. He is considered a good defender, but in his second year with Lancaster, his power numbers declined slightly and he drew significantly fewer walks. Meyer only recently turned 22 so he is definitely still young enough to make some adjustments and get to the next level developmentally, but I think 2013 will be crucial for him.
Andy Simunic is a symbol of the third base depth problem. Simunic did a terrific job in giving the Astros an option in playing third base for them and he defended at that position very capably, but he really doesn't profile as a third baseman. He profiles as the middle infielder he was drafted as. He had a very good season with Corpus, but he doesn't bring the power expected from a corner infielder.
Another symbol of the depth problem is Darwin Rivera. He had a great season with the bat for the GCL, but it was a step backward for him as he played at Greeneville the prior season and did not do well. If he shows he can hit more advanced pitching, there may be hope for him as a DH, but his poor fielding at third base to date makes it unlikely that he will stick at that position.
Which brings me to Rio Ruiz, the Astros fourth round draft pick from 2012. In my opinion, Ruiz is the real deal. He will be a good defender, a great hitter and a natural leader. He won't turn 19 until May, but I think he will move very rapidly through the system.
As a final note, there are players who did not play extensively (if at all) at third base in the 2012 season who may see some time at third base if the need arises, particularly 1B/DH Erik Castro and 2B John Hinson.
Monday: First Base
Tuesday: Second Base
Wednesday: Shortstop
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Happy Birthday - 10/27
C Carlos Perez (22)
Perez was one of the players obtained in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012. In 26 games for Lancaster, following the trade, he hit .318/.368/.409 and boasted a 47% caught stealing rate. His combined batting line for the season was .285/.360/.438.
3B Darwin Rivera (21)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera first played for the DSL Astros in 2010 in only one game. In 2011, he played in 12 games for DSL before getting promoted to Greeneville where he finished out the season. He spent this season with the GCL Astros with terrific results as he batted .310/.373/.440.
One former Astro with a birthday today ~
LHP Eric Bell (49)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the ninth round in 1982, Bell signed with Houston as a free agent in 1993. In 10 appearances for the Astros that year, he was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP.
Perez was one of the players obtained in the 10-player megatrade with the Blue Jays in July 2012. In 26 games for Lancaster, following the trade, he hit .318/.368/.409 and boasted a 47% caught stealing rate. His combined batting line for the season was .285/.360/.438.
3B Darwin Rivera (21)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera first played for the DSL Astros in 2010 in only one game. In 2011, he played in 12 games for DSL before getting promoted to Greeneville where he finished out the season. He spent this season with the GCL Astros with terrific results as he batted .310/.373/.440.
One former Astro with a birthday today ~
LHP Eric Bell (49)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the ninth round in 1982, Bell signed with Houston as a free agent in 1993. In 10 appearances for the Astros that year, he was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Happy Birthday - 10/27
3B Darwin Rivera (20)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera first played for the DSL Astros in 2010 in only one game. In 2011, he played in 12 games for DSL before getting promoted to Greeneville where he finished out the season. At Greeneville, he only hit .224 after hitting .333 in the Dominican, but he did show some pop in the bat with 14 doubles and five home runs for the season.
One former Astro with a birthday today
LHP Eric Bell (48)
Pitched in 10 games for Houston in 1993
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rivera first played for the DSL Astros in 2010 in only one game. In 2011, he played in 12 games for DSL before getting promoted to Greeneville where he finished out the season. At Greeneville, he only hit .224 after hitting .333 in the Dominican, but he did show some pop in the bat with 14 doubles and five home runs for the season.
One former Astro with a birthday today
LHP Eric Bell (48)
Pitched in 10 games for Houston in 1993
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