Checking in with Hooks LHP Reymin Guduan

I had the opportunity to see Corpus Christi Hooks LHP Reymin Guduan in action on Saturday night. He routinely hit 97 mph with his fastball and in collecting his fourth strikeout of the night, he clocked in at 98 twice. In this video, he hit 98, 97, 98, 86, 88 and 96 for strike three.

Guduan was left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft last December and wasn't claimed because, despite his impressive velocity, he has had less than impressive command in the past. However, according to Hooks Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski, Guduan has improved tremendously on that front.

Borkowski called Guduan's four strikeout appearance on Saturday his worst appearance command-wise of the young season. "That's the worst he's been so far. So, yeah, he's coming along really well throwing strikes. He was able to throw a 2-1 slider for a strike which he's going to have to do. He's going to have to throw behind-in-the-count sliders to lefties."

Reymin Guduan - April 2016

Photo by Jayne Hansen

When I mentioned how Guduan made it look so easy, Borkowski responded, "And that's what's changed. In year's past, it didn't look easy. He was high anxiety, over work. He put a lot of pressure on himself (to throw strikes). And this year he looks really relaxed. Mechanically, I haven't done anything with him here. It's just his attitude that he's a lot more relaxed, a lot more under control with himself."

Guduan won't make it through another Rule 5 draft without being picked off. But that may be a moot point. With his continued improvement, he will likely make the Astros 40-man roster and his major league debut long before the November deadline to protect players.

Happy Birthday - 2/7

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Scott Feldman (32)
Feldman was originally drafted by the Rangers in the 30th round in 2003 and signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2013. In his first season as an Astro in 2014, Feldman was 8-12 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.303 WHIP in 29 starts.

RHP and MiLB Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski (37)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 11th round in 1995, Borkowski signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2005. In 130 games for Houston from 2006 to 2008, he had a 5.44 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP before retiring to coach for the organization. In 2014, he was the pitching coach for Quad Cities.

MiLB Pitching Coach Josh Miller (36)
A one-time Astros farmhand and scout, Miller has served as Pitching Coach for the Greeneville Astros for the last two seasons.

This former Astro celebrates the day as well ~

LHP Juan Pizarro (78)
Pizarro came to Houston from the Cubs in July 1973 and pitched in 15 games for the Astros that season with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.671 WHIP. Pizarro played in 18 major league seasons for eight different teams with a career 3.43 ERA and 1.325 WHIP. He was a two-time All-Star for the White Sox in 1963 and 1964 and he won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.

Happy Birthday - 2/7

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Scott Feldman (31)
One of our newest Astros, Feldman was originally drafted by the Rangers in the 30th round in 2003 and signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2013. In nine seasons in the majors, all but one with Texas, Feldman has compiled a 51-56 record with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.370 WHIP in 234 appearances (131 starts). Feldman split his 2013 season between the Cubs and the Orioles and ended the season with a 12-12 record, 3.86 ERA and a 1.183 WHIP.

Two former Astros celebrate birthdays today ~

RHP and MiLB Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski (37)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 11th round in 1995, Borkowski signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2005. In 130 games for Houston from 2006 to 2008, he had a 5.44 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP before retiring to coach for the organization. In 2013, he will continue in his role as pitching coach at Quad Cities. Aside from baseball, Dave and his wife Jill have a passion for helping animals. They started the photo calendars featuring Astros players with pets to raise money for animal groups and encourage adoptions, and were featured in this USA today article back in October 2011 focusing on their charitable endeavors and hands-on work to help and protect animals.

LHP Juan Pizarro (77)
Pizarro came to Houston from the Cubs in July 1973 and pitched in 15 games for the Astros that season with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.671 WHIP. Pizarro played in 18 major league seasons for eight different teams with a career 3.43 ERA and 1.325 WHIP. He was a two-time All-Star for the White Sox in 1963 and 1964 and he won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.

Talking to the Quad Cities Coaches

I spoke with both Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski and Hitting Coach Joel Chimelis when I was in Quad Cities to get their take on the players that I interviewed, but I spoke with them about a few other players/topics as well and wanted to share their thoughts.

DAVE BORKOWSKI

Borkowski on Lance McCullers

He's doing fine. I think he's getting back to his old form and the ball's coming out very well. He's got a strong arm. We all know that. It's well above average. He's young. He's going to have some growing pains. That's part of it. The stuff is fine. The competitiveness is fine. The intensity. The focus. What he's trying to do is fine. He just needs to age and get better with age. He's doing well, though. He should be fun to watch. He's par for the course. He's doing what he should be doing at 19 years old.

Colton Cain under the watchful eye of Dave Borkowski

April 2013 - Photo by Jayne Hansen

Any surprises on the pitching staff?

I don't know that I'm surprised, but I've been impressed with what [John] Neely's done out of the bullpen. You know, he's got a good heavy sinker. He's just closing games and going after guys. I don't think he's given up a fly ball out this year. [Neely has a 5.00 GO/AO through 11 games.] Breaking a bunch of bats with that sinker, and he's got a good slider to go with it. I've been impressed with what he's done.

Borkowski on Tandem Pitching

You know what? It's working out pretty well right now. Honestly, I wasn't much for it early on, but it seems to be working well. The biggest thing is the three days off and the recovery -- guys are handling it fine. I think at this level, it's a good way to monitor some innings and maybe not overwork them in a game where we're trying to get them through seven and [they throw] too many pitches, so it's been good.

JOEL CHIMELIS

Chimelis on Teoscar Hernandez

I think a lot of people, the first time they see him, they start liking him a lot. The more they see him, even more so. He's got some tools. He can run. He can throw. He can hit. He's a very good player. Hitting wise, he's very simple when it comes to his mechanics. Most of these young kids get into trouble when they try to do too much. They've got to find that balance between being aggressive, but get under control. But overall, he's got quite a few tools and he's exciting to watch. We've had scouts that have never seen him that came over from different organizations, and they saw him for the first time in Spring Training, "Wow, I love that guy!" We're talking about [a prominent scout] and he says, "Wow, I love this guy. He's my man. He's my guy." It's pretty obvious he's a pretty good player.

Joel Chimelis throwing BP - April 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

On Carlos Correa and working with young hitters

I think his biggest fault is just his effort level. He tries to do too much. He knows he's got some thunder in his bat, and I think sometimes he gets too aggressive. He gets out there a little bit too far, commits to bad pitches. So we're just trying to make him trust himself, "What I'm doing is enough to drive the ball. I don't need to go out and get the ball. I don't need to lunge out there." Slowly but surely, he's going to get comfortable and confident with his ability to just relax and let the ball get to him. Because right now when he gets in trouble, the main thing is [that he is] going out there a little too far to get the ball, just lunging to the ball, drifting to the ball and as a result of that, he commits to bad pitches.

A lot of these guys, especially when they have runners in scoring position, the intensity level increases and then the mind is going 100 miles an hour and as a result, the body's going to do the same. So it's just a matter of trying to keep these guys on an even keel and just try to be consistent with that thought process. As you go up on the higher levels, those guys get better with that. They trust themselves. Less is more sometimes. Eventually it will come to a point where it's like, "I remember back in A ball in Quad Cities where they were telling me to relax and let the ball come to me. You don't have to go out and get it." Eventually it will start clicking for him. Hopefully sooner than later. And again, most of these guys are like that. They just get too antsy and they want to do too much and I keep saying, "The mind controls the body. If you're not relaxed up in the head, in your mind, your body can't do the same."

If he can control his emotions and his effort level, he's going to be more consistent. With Correa, he's going to have to keep trusting. He's going to have to keep working on that. He's capable of a lot. We have a lot of kids on this team that have a lot of ability. It's there. We've just got to find it and build it.

Getting to Know Astros Catcher Roberto Peña

Roberto Peña, a seventh round pick in 2010 out of Puerto Rico, is seen by many to be the best defensive catcher in the Astros system. But it is his bat that is getting some attention right now. Peña has hit .371/.412/.532 with four doubles, two home runs and ten RBI in 16 games for Quad Cities this season. He is currently on an 11-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 15 of 16 games.

Peña, who won't be 21 until next month, started last season with Low A Lexington but was pressed into service at High A Lancaster when catcher injuries in the system took their toll, and although he was starting to catch up to the High A level with his bat toward the end of the season, the Astros wanted him to really concentrate on his hitting, working with Hitting Coach Joel Chimelis in Quad Cities to start this season. So far, so good.

According to Chimelis, he has been working with Peña on making a minor adjustment and "right now he feels pretty comfortable with it." Chimelis continued, "Now he's hitting the ball and he's hitting it with some authority whereas before ... he'd get his hits, but it was soft contact. I wanted him to drive the ball and the position he was getting into wasn't allowing him to do that. So far, he feels pretty comfortable with [the adjustments] and he's seeing the ball great."

Ariel Ovando and Roberto Peña (R) - April 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

I spoke with Peña on Sunday about his hitting, among many other things, "I’m trying to be more balanced on my stance because I was leaning forward when I was hitting last year. I was talking to our hitting coaches, [Minor League Hitting Coordinator] Ralph [Dickenson] and Chimelis, and they put me on a plan that I can be more balanced on my stance so that’s been working a lot with me." Peña was a little disappointed to be starting the season at Low A after finishing 2012 at High A Lancaster, but he assured me, "I’ve got to still play and still play hard and do my stuff. They sent me over here to work on my hitting with Chimelis and that’s what I’m doing."

I wondered how the tandem pitching program affects the catcher. According to Peña, his preparation for games does take a bit more time, "It’s tough but we’ve got to deal with it. It’s the minor leagues. That’s our job."

Are there any pitchers on the Quad Cities staff that really stand out for one reason or another? "They’re all pretty good. I love to catch this pitching staff that we’ve got here. They throw a lot of strikes, and they throw the ball down. That’s pretty good for a catcher and for them too. If I were to name a guy, probably [Vincent] Velasquez is pretty good. He throws hard. He throws the ball down and can throw all his pitches for strikes."

I then asked him some of my random questions. On which Astros pitcher he would least like to face, Peña noted, "Probably [Nick] Tropeano. He’s filthy. He’s got a good change up, a good split, throws hard, good curveball." On who on the team makes him laugh, "Probably [Teoscar] Hernandez and [Jesse] Wierzbicki. They’re the two funniest guys on our team. [Hernandez is] quiet on the field. In the clubhouse, he’s a funny guy." On what he'd do if he couldn't play baseball, "Probably [be] an engineer. That’s what I like. I was going to go to school to study engineering."

Most people probably don't know that Peña was originally a shortstop, "I was a shortstop and when I was in Puerto Rico, [I was] getting a little big [and was told] you’ve got to move to third base or catching, but we’re going to try you at catching. And I said, 'OK, let’s go.' And I got my times [throwing to second] and my first time, my pop time to second base was 1.87 and that was my first throw, and I [thought] 'Wow!' And after, I threw a couple [at] 1.76, 1.79 and I stayed there." Which is probably why Peña has a career caught stealing percentage of 39% and is actually throwing out 67% of runners trying to steal on him this season.

Which brings us back to the core of who Roberto Peña is. He is a catcher, pure and simple, and a very good one at that. I talked to Quad Cities Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski who had this to say about Peña, "It's like throwing to a pillow back there. He's smart. He calls a great game so all you've got to do is concentrate about executing pitches. He's a lot of fun to throw to. He's energetic. I think he makes the guys focus and concentrate better when he's back there. He makes sure they're locked in and they're in the game." Chimelis added this in describing Peña, "If you don't notice a catcher, like just so quiet back there [that] you don't even know he's there, that means he's catching every ball, nothing's getting past him. That's the sign of a good catcher."

When I asked Peña to brag on himself, he told me that he tries to "call a good game, throw good, block good" adding, "If the pitcher struggles, [I] go talk to him. I’m probably average to above average with all that stuff." Borkowski would disagree with Peña's assessment of himself, "He's a very good catcher. He could probably catch in the big leagues right now."

And that brings us full circle to Peña's hitting. When I spoke with Chimelis, I theorized that Peña has what it takes to be a major leaguer and that his floor is that of a very good back-up catcher in the major leagues. But if he can hit, he can write his own ticket. Chimelis agreed that if Peña can hit .250 or .260 at every level, the sky is the limit for him and that's what they've been working on, "We're trying to put him in a position where he can have success at the higher levels, where it doesn't matter where he hits, he could compete and have some success." .371/.412/.532 ... so far, so good.

Thanks to Roberto Peña, Joel Chimelis and Dave Borkowski for taking the time to speak with me. And the best of luck to Peña as the season unfolds.

Happy Birthday - 2/7

Happy Birthday to ~

C Victor Tavarez (18)
Tavarez was just signed out of the Dominican Republic in July and has not played professionally yet.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Dave Borkowski (36)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 11th round in 1995, Borkowski signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2005. In 130 games for Houston from 2006 to 2008, he had a 5.44 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP before retiring to coach for the organization. In 2013, he will continue as pitching coach at the Low A level as the team moves from Lexington to Quad Cities. Aside from baseball, Dave and his wife Jill have a passion for helping animals. They started the photo calendars featuring Astros players with pets to raise money for animal groups and encourage adoptions, and were featured in this USA today article back in October 2011 focusing on their charitable endeavors and hands-on work to help and protect animals.

LHP Juan Pizarro (76)
Pizarro came to Houston from the Cubs in July 1973 and pitched in 15 games for the Astros that season with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.671 WHIP. Pizarro played in 18 major league seasons for eight different teams with a career 3.43 ERA and 1.325 WHIP. He was a two-time All-Star for the White Sox in 1963 and 1964 and he won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.

What Is Going On?

That is what I asked Dave Borkowski, pitching coach for the Lexington Legends, when I interviewed him on Saturday regarding the slow starts of Kyle Hallock and Tanner Bushue. On Tuesday, the club announced that Hallock and Bushue were being sent back to extended spring training. So, what is going on?

LHP Kyle Hallock was 3-4 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.216 WHIP over 13 starts at Tri-City last season. After five starts at Lexington, he is 1-1 with a 11.50 ERA and a 2.667 WHIP. When asked about Hallock's start Borkowski stated simply, "Lack of confidence," an assessment shared by Hallock himself when I posed the question to Kyle.

Borkowski noted that, although Hallock's stuff isn't overwhelming, he saw him pitch three or four times in Spring Training and really liked him and liked his approach.  "... he competed. He had no fear. He attacked the zone and pitched to contact."  What happened? "He got here and now he didn't want to throw a ball over the plate.  Deep counts, walks, and then sooner or later you've got to throw a strike and [if] it's not quality ... So if he gets the confidence, he's going to be all right."

I believe that Kyle will turn it around.  His stuff may not be overpowering, but he knew how to pitch last season and he'll figure out how to pitch again effectively.

RHP Tanner Bushue is another story. He struggled last season with injuries, but in 16 starts at Lexington, he was 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.370 WHIP. Over 6 games at Lexington this season (3 starts), he is 0-3 with an 18.82 ERA and a 3.000 WHIP. In discussing the situation with Borkowski, it is apparent that Bushue's mechanics are totally off-kilter, but from personal observation I would say that his struggles are now as much mental as mechanical.

When I asked about Bushue, Borkowski had this to say, "What is going on with Tanner? Tanner just hasn't executed.  He's been flat. He's been up in the zone. [He] didn't have the good angle he had on the ball last year when he was healthy, and his velocity is down and he's paid the price for it."  In discussing his last start, Borkowski said, "There wasn't much life there and he pitched behind. You don't throw a breaking ball for a strike, all they're going to do is sit on your fastball and when you're throwing it belt high ... they're going to hit it."

John Matlack, the roving pitching coordinator for the Astros was in Lexington while I was there and he and Borkowski were working with Bushue on making a couple of adjustments to generate a little more power and direction on the ball.

I don't think that a trip back to extended spring training will hurt Bushue at all as he works through these issues.  Getting him out of the direct spotlight should help. And at only 20 years of age, the #12 prospect in the organization (according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB) still has plenty of time to work things out.

Happy Birthday -2/7

No future Astros, only former Astros and minor league coaches with birthdays today

RHP Burt Hooton (62)
Burt Hooton was never an Astro but has been a pitching coach with the team both at the major league level and minor league level for several years now.  As a player, he was a first round pick for the Cubs in 1971.  In 15 seasons for the Cubs, Dodgers and Rangers, he was 151-136 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.243 WHIP.  A one-time All-Star in 1981, he came in second in Cy Young voting in 1978 behind Gaylord Perry and ahead of Vida Blue and J.R. Richard.  That year he was 19-10 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.089 WHIP.  Hooton had been the major league pitching coach under Jimy Williams and was fired along with Williams when Phil Garner took over as manager.  Thankfully he is still in the organization and serves as pitching coach in Oklahoma City.  In 2011, J.A. Happ had a 6.01 ERA and a 1.630 WHIP before Hooton worked with him; he had a 3.51 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP afterwards.  Just sayin'.

RHP Dave Borkowski (35)
Borkowski pitched in 130 games for Houston from 2006 to 2008 with a 5.44 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP before retiring to coach for the organization.  In 2012, he will again be the hitting coach for the Lexington team.  Aside from baseball, Dave and his wife Jill have a passion for helping animals.  They started the photo calendars featuring Astros players with pets to raise money for animal groups and encourage adoptions, and were featured in this USA today article back in October 2011 focusing on their charitable endeavors and hands-on work to help and protect animals.

LHP Juan Pizarro (75)
Pitched in 15 games for Houston in 1973