Happy Birthday to ~
OF Derek Fisher (21)
Drafted by Houston in the 1st round (37th overall) in 2014, Fisher has spent all but one game of his professional career with the Tri-City team. In 33 games this season, he is hitting .328/.411/.422 with five doubles, two triples, one home run, 14 RBI and 15 stolen bases.
Several former Astros mark the day as well ~
LF J.D. Martinez (27)
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University and played for the Astros from 2011 through 2013. In a total of 252 games at the major league level, he his .251/.300/.387 with 44 doubles, three triples and 24 home runs. After being released by the Astros in March of 2014, he signed with Detroit as a free agent. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.
1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.
IF Jerry DaVanon (69)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.
OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (46)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes, including his years in Japan.
SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.
A LOOK AT THE ASTROS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Showing posts with label J.D. Martinez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J.D. Martinez. Show all posts
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Tweets of the Day
Wow
— Brett Phillips (@Brett_Phillips8) January 7, 2014
Wow
— Peter Moylan (@PeterMoylan) January 7, 2014
I love college football
— Jiovanni Mier (@JioMier) January 7, 2014
Wowwwwwwwwwww
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 7, 2014
Wow!! What a crazy game!
— J.D. Martinez (@JDMartinez14) January 7, 2014
This game is amazing. Everything you could hope for in a Nat'l championship Game
— Josh Zeid (@Josh_Zeid14) January 7, 2014
this is unbelievable and I don't even care who wins
— Brett Phillips (@Brett_Phillips8) January 7, 2014
Wow
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 7, 2014
What the heck is going on in this game!!!!!
— J.D. Martinez (@JDMartinez14) January 7, 2014
Yikes this is intense
— Albert Minnis (@minnis33) January 7, 2014
Wow best championship game ive seen
— Jarred Cosart (@JarredCosart) January 7, 2014
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 7, 2014
Only got one word for that game
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 7, 2014
Wooooooooow
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 7, 2014
Jameis Winston... My god... What did u just say?
— Matt Duffy (@meduffy13) January 7, 2014
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Astros Roster Moves
UPDATE: According to this tweet from J.J. Cooper of Baseball America, the Astros protected Domingo Santana, Asher Wojciechowski and Luis Cruz from the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the 40-man roster:
Several people have indicated some surprise regarding the inclusion of LHP Luis Cruz. I'm not terribly surprised after talking with Manager Rodney Linares, Pitching Coach Don Alexander and Morgan Ensberg about Cruz in May in Lancaster. They were all quite effusive in their praise of him. And don't forget what Kevin Goldstein had to say about Cruz in this recent MiLB.com article, "I adore him."
As of mid-afternoon, the Astros have made the following moves in advance of adding players who will need to be protected from next month's Rule 5 Draft:
RHP John Ely released
IF Jake Elmore claimed off waivers by the White Sox
OF J.D. Martinez removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to Oklahoma City
IF Ryan Jackson claimed off waivers from St. Louis
There are currently 34 players on the 40-man roster. I will update this post as additional moves are made, as well as this ongoing list of all off-season Astros transactions.
As a reminder, this is what I wrote about those players who may be taken in the Rule 5 Draft if they are not protected.
Astros added OF Domingo Santana, RHP Asher Wojchiechowski, LHP Luis Cruz to their 40-man roster.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) November 21, 2013
Most surprising exclusions are RHP Jake Buchanan and C Carlos Perez. I had thought either Perez or fellow C Rene Garcia would be protected to preserve catching depth, particularly after last season's catching woes with so many injuries.Several people have indicated some surprise regarding the inclusion of LHP Luis Cruz. I'm not terribly surprised after talking with Manager Rodney Linares, Pitching Coach Don Alexander and Morgan Ensberg about Cruz in May in Lancaster. They were all quite effusive in their praise of him. And don't forget what Kevin Goldstein had to say about Cruz in this recent MiLB.com article, "I adore him."
As of mid-afternoon, the Astros have made the following moves in advance of adding players who will need to be protected from next month's Rule 5 Draft:
RHP John Ely released
IF Jake Elmore claimed off waivers by the White Sox
OF J.D. Martinez removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to Oklahoma City
IF Ryan Jackson claimed off waivers from St. Louis
There are currently 34 players on the 40-man roster. I will update this post as additional moves are made, as well as this ongoing list of all off-season Astros transactions.
As a reminder, this is what I wrote about those players who may be taken in the Rule 5 Draft if they are not protected.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Happy Birthday - 8/21
Happy Birthday to ~
LF J.D. Martinez (26)
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. In 78 games this season, Martinez is hitting .256/.280/.392 with 16 doubles and seven home runs. He is currently on a rehab assignment after having suffered a wrist injury in late July. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.
Former Astros with birthdays today ~
1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.
IF Jerry DaVanon (68)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.
OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (45)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes, including his years in Japan.
SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.
LF J.D. Martinez (26)
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. In 78 games this season, Martinez is hitting .256/.280/.392 with 16 doubles and seven home runs. He is currently on a rehab assignment after having suffered a wrist injury in late July. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.
Former Astros with birthdays today ~
1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.
IF Jerry DaVanon (68)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.
OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (45)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes, including his years in Japan.
SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Roster Moves
HOUSTON
According to Brian McTaggart, RHP Jordan Lyles and LHP Dallas Keuchel are being assigned from Oklahoma City to Houston.
OKLAHOMA CITY
RHP Jason Stoffel assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City
C Carlos Perez assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City
OF Austin Wates activated from the DL
CORPUS CHRISTI
OF J.D. Martinez assigned to rehab at Corpus Christi
C Max Stassi assigned from Extended Spring Training to Corpus Christi
1B Zach Johnson assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi
1B Rafael Valenzuela released
QUAD CITIES
3B Rio Ruiz placed on the 7-day DL (reported to be a minor back/oblique injury)
IF Brian Blasik assigned from Extended Spring Training to Quad Cities
It's a part of the process, but it's never easy. Rafy Valenzuela is one of the good guys and he will truly be missed. Thanks for the hugs, Rafy, and good luck.
According to Brian McTaggart, RHP Jordan Lyles and LHP Dallas Keuchel are being assigned from Oklahoma City to Houston.
OKLAHOMA CITY
RHP Jason Stoffel assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City
C Carlos Perez assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City
OF Austin Wates activated from the DL
CORPUS CHRISTI
OF J.D. Martinez assigned to rehab at Corpus Christi
C Max Stassi assigned from Extended Spring Training to Corpus Christi
1B Zach Johnson assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi
1B Rafael Valenzuela released
QUAD CITIES
3B Rio Ruiz placed on the 7-day DL (reported to be a minor back/oblique injury)
IF Brian Blasik assigned from Extended Spring Training to Quad Cities
It's a part of the process, but it's never easy. Rafy Valenzuela is one of the good guys and he will truly be missed. Thanks for the hugs, Rafy, and good luck.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Astros Minor League Depth - Control What You Can Control
Over the past several weeks, I've been looking at the Astros minor league depth. I'm not quite finished as I still have catchers and lefty pitchers coming out next week, but one thing is clear. The Astros minor league depth has come a long way since I started this blog in 2011.
Consider that the Astros went from having one player on the MLB Top 50 Prospect list going in to the 2011 season to having four players on the list going in to the 2013 season (and one additional player just missing the list at #102).
Consider that Astros GM Jeff Luhnow is considering piggy-backing starting pitchers at AA and AAA because the team has so many pitchers that are just shy of being major league ready (and there are more pitchers stacking up behind those).
Consider that Jimmy Paredes was moved to the outfield because Jose Altuve looks to hold down second base with the Astros for a while. Paredes in right field will be challenged by Michael Burgess who will be challenged by Domingo Santana who will be challenged by Preston Tucker who will be challenged by Ariel Ovando. And there are others in the mix as well.
A similar situation exists at center field with George Springer, Robbie Grossman, Andrew Aplin and Brett Phillips. And shortstop? Jonathan Villar, Ben Orloff, Jiovanni Mier, Nolan Fontana, Carlos Correa and others will be trying to prove themselves.
Some of these players will succeed. Some will fail. Some will struggle. Some will be blocked. Some will be traded. Some will not be promoted when they think they should be. And many of these players will become frustrated at some point in their development. Many already have. How they handle that frustration can be as important as their stats as they move through the system.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I talked to Justin Maxwell at Fan Fest last weekend about how he handled his frustration in moving slowly through the minor league system. He told me what many other players have told me before, "Control what you can control at the plate and in the field. Just focus on baseball. The rest will take care of itself."
J.D. Martinez' trajectory to the major leagues was a little different. While Maxwell's movement through the minors was slow and steady, Martinez rocketed through the system like a comet. His frustrations came after his major league debut as he struggled in his sophomore season. How much of that was due to his hand injury and how much of that was due to pitchers making adjustments to face him is hard to judge.
But Martinez begrudgingly acknowledged that moving so quickly through the system may not have been the best thing for him in his development as a player, "I would just tell everyone that you want to struggle down there. You learn about yourself when you struggle. I felt last year I learned so much just about myself and about baseball and about people and about how everything works in this game. I wish that when I was coming up through the minors I would have had that little struggle then so I would have figured out what I know now." He understood that, by putting so much pressure on himself, he "got caught in that quicksand and just couldn't get out of it."
Thankfully, Martinez feels much more prepared for the coming season. He knows what to expect and better understands how to handle things that may not always go his way. I would not count him out.
This coming season will be very interesting as we see how Director of Player Development Quentin McCracken handles the emerging depth in the Astros farm system. What will be even more interesting to me is how the players handle increased competition for spots, potential struggles, and perceived snubs. Those who control what they can control and just focus on baseball will, I expect, find that the rest will indeed take care of itself.
Consider that the Astros went from having one player on the MLB Top 50 Prospect list going in to the 2011 season to having four players on the list going in to the 2013 season (and one additional player just missing the list at #102).
Consider that Astros GM Jeff Luhnow is considering piggy-backing starting pitchers at AA and AAA because the team has so many pitchers that are just shy of being major league ready (and there are more pitchers stacking up behind those).
Consider that Jimmy Paredes was moved to the outfield because Jose Altuve looks to hold down second base with the Astros for a while. Paredes in right field will be challenged by Michael Burgess who will be challenged by Domingo Santana who will be challenged by Preston Tucker who will be challenged by Ariel Ovando. And there are others in the mix as well.
A similar situation exists at center field with George Springer, Robbie Grossman, Andrew Aplin and Brett Phillips. And shortstop? Jonathan Villar, Ben Orloff, Jiovanni Mier, Nolan Fontana, Carlos Correa and others will be trying to prove themselves.
Some of these players will succeed. Some will fail. Some will struggle. Some will be blocked. Some will be traded. Some will not be promoted when they think they should be. And many of these players will become frustrated at some point in their development. Many already have. How they handle that frustration can be as important as their stats as they move through the system.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I talked to Justin Maxwell at Fan Fest last weekend about how he handled his frustration in moving slowly through the minor league system. He told me what many other players have told me before, "Control what you can control at the plate and in the field. Just focus on baseball. The rest will take care of itself."
J. D. Martinez at 2013 Fan Fest
Photo by Jayne Hansen
J.D. Martinez' trajectory to the major leagues was a little different. While Maxwell's movement through the minors was slow and steady, Martinez rocketed through the system like a comet. His frustrations came after his major league debut as he struggled in his sophomore season. How much of that was due to his hand injury and how much of that was due to pitchers making adjustments to face him is hard to judge.
But Martinez begrudgingly acknowledged that moving so quickly through the system may not have been the best thing for him in his development as a player, "I would just tell everyone that you want to struggle down there. You learn about yourself when you struggle. I felt last year I learned so much just about myself and about baseball and about people and about how everything works in this game. I wish that when I was coming up through the minors I would have had that little struggle then so I would have figured out what I know now." He understood that, by putting so much pressure on himself, he "got caught in that quicksand and just couldn't get out of it."
Thankfully, Martinez feels much more prepared for the coming season. He knows what to expect and better understands how to handle things that may not always go his way. I would not count him out.
This coming season will be very interesting as we see how Director of Player Development Quentin McCracken handles the emerging depth in the Astros farm system. What will be even more interesting to me is how the players handle increased competition for spots, potential struggles, and perceived snubs. Those who control what they can control and just focus on baseball will, I expect, find that the rest will indeed take care of itself.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Roster Moves
Oklahoma City/Houston
C Carlos Corporan was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
LF J.D. Martinez was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
RHP Chuckie Fick was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
LHP Dallas Keuchel was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
C Carlos Corporan was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
LF J.D. Martinez was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
RHP Chuckie Fick was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
LHP Dallas Keuchel was called up from Oklahoma City to Houston.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Happy Birthday - 8/21
LF J.D. Martinez (25)
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. Suffering a bit of a sophomore slump for the Astros this season, Martinez hit .235/.308/.373 in 105 games leading to an assignment to AAA Oklahoma City. In 10 games with the Redhawks, he is hitting .205./.244/.256. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.
Former Astros with birthdays today ~
1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.
IF Jerry DaVanon (67)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.
OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (44)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes' years in Japan.
SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. Suffering a bit of a sophomore slump for the Astros this season, Martinez hit .235/.308/.373 in 105 games leading to an assignment to AAA Oklahoma City. In 10 games with the Redhawks, he is hitting .205./.244/.256. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.
Former Astros with birthdays today ~
1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.
IF Jerry DaVanon (67)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.
OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (44)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes' years in Japan.
SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Roster Moves
Houston/Oklahoma City
IF Brian Bixler was designated for assignment to remove him from the 40-man roster to make room for IF Tyler Greene who was obtained in a trade with St. Louis for a PTBNL or cash.
OF J.D. Martinez was optioned from Houston to Oklahoma City (report date not set).
IF Matt Downs was optioned from Houston to Oklahoma City (report date not set).
2B Jose Martinez was assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City.
OF Fernando Martinez is being called up to Houston.
Corpus Christi
CF George Springer was assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi.
2B Kike Hernandez was assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi.
Lancaster
2B Delino DeShields Jr. was assigned from Lexington to Lancaster, not Corpus Christi. DDJ made a mistake in the tweet he sent out early this morning. Moving him directly to Corpus Christi didn't make sense to me so I waited for confirmation before posting.
LHP Kenny Long was assigned from Tri-City to Lancaster.
OF Andrew Aplin was assigned from Tri-City to Lancaster.
Lexington
SS Chan Moon was assigned from Lancaster to Lexington.
C Jobduan Morales was assigned from Tri-City to Lexington.
Tri-City
C Cristian Moronta was assigned from Lexington to Tri-City.
OF Emilio King was assigned from Lexington to Tri-City.
GCL Astros
SS Yoel Silfa was assigned from the DSL Astros to the GCL Astros.
IF Brian Bixler was designated for assignment to remove him from the 40-man roster to make room for IF Tyler Greene who was obtained in a trade with St. Louis for a PTBNL or cash.
OF J.D. Martinez was optioned from Houston to Oklahoma City (report date not set).
IF Matt Downs was optioned from Houston to Oklahoma City (report date not set).
2B Jose Martinez was assigned from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City.
OF Fernando Martinez is being called up to Houston.
Corpus Christi
CF George Springer was assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi.
2B Kike Hernandez was assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi.
Lancaster
2B Delino DeShields Jr. was assigned from Lexington to Lancaster, not Corpus Christi. DDJ made a mistake in the tweet he sent out early this morning. Moving him directly to Corpus Christi didn't make sense to me so I waited for confirmation before posting.
LHP Kenny Long was assigned from Tri-City to Lancaster.
OF Andrew Aplin was assigned from Tri-City to Lancaster.
Lexington
SS Chan Moon was assigned from Lancaster to Lexington.
C Jobduan Morales was assigned from Tri-City to Lexington.
Tri-City
C Cristian Moronta was assigned from Lexington to Tri-City.
OF Emilio King was assigned from Lexington to Tri-City.
GCL Astros
SS Yoel Silfa was assigned from the DSL Astros to the GCL Astros.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Tweet of the Day
JD MartÃnez, un Cubano-Americano, fue el primer pelotero a sacar una bola en el nuevo estadio en "pequeño Havana"!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Q&A with Mills, Norris and Martinez
The Astros organization was kind enough to allow six of us blogger types access to sit down and ask a few questions of Brad Mills, Bud Norris and J.D. Martinez. It went very well and we have every reason to believe that we will be invited back from time to time.
BRAD MILLS
I asked Mills about how closely the organization watches those players who participate in winter ball. As examples, I used Sergio Perez who pitched 65 innings in winter ball after a full regular season at OKC and Aneury Rodriguez who probably pitched about 50 innings between the regular season, playoffs and the Caribbean Series this winter. He responded, "We keep a pretty good eye on especially the guys that are closer to the major leagues like Aneury. We didn't have any problem with him throwing down there." Since Aneury was healthy going into the off-season, he went on to say, "We wanted him to go down there and continue to throw and work on some things." They didn't watch Sergio Perez as much because he's not as close to the majors.
Mills also talked about Jose Altuve's workload over the winter as Altuve approached 900 plate appearances. He seemed a little annoyed that Altuve worked so hard over the winter, and with a hint of exasperation, he said that Altuve would be getting to Kissimmee early (he was scheduled to arrive on the 13th). I have a feeling that Brad Mills will be instructing the staff at Kissimmee to sit on Altuve until he gets there.
I also asked Mills about Brian Bogusevic. Since he clearly did well hitting against lefties in winter ball (hitting .271), I wanted to know if Mills would play him against left-handed pitchers if he wins a roster spot. In response, he said, "My thinking on that is definitely give him the opportunity to start out ... It would be my wish that I'd put him in the line-up and he'd hit .480 against both righties and lefties." He went on to offer the usual caveat that if a right-hander needs some AB's and the situation is right, he would sit Bogey from time to time, but overall I was encouraged by his assurances.
BUD NORRIS
I asked Bud about any coaches or managers in the minor leagues who he found to be particularly helpful in his development. "Everybody gives you a little tidbit here and there. You take a little bit from each and every one." At Tri-City Don Alexander helped him with his mechanics (Alexander will be the pitching coach at Lancaster this year). He credits Stan Boroski at AA for helping him with his slider. "The slider I still throw today as one of my bread and butters has been the slider I got in AA." And, of course, Bud enjoyed the chance to sit and talk with Burt Hooten (AAA pitching coach) about old school baseball. "With Burt, you had a real opportunity to understand what the old game was and how it was played."
Bud also had encouraging words about RHP Jarred Cosart with whom he's worked out this winter, "I think he has a good head on his shoulders. He has a huge bright side." On Cosart's disappointment on not getting an invite to the big league camp, Bud said, "It's good to see that people want it. It's good to see that they have that burning desire."
J.D. MARTINEZ
I asked J.D. the same question about coaches or managers that had helped him along the way. "I was fortunate. Every major league coach and manager I had was ... really good. It speaks volumes for the organization. He singled out Stubby Clapp (currently Tri-City manager), Rodney Linares (who will manage at Lancaster in 2012), Tom Lawless (now a roving infield instructor) and "Johnny Mo" (John Moses, formerly the hitting coach at Corpus, who is no longer in the organization). "Each one of them I picked something that they helped me with along the way ... Everyone has thrown me one or two things that I still use today. Give equal credit to all those guys."
J.D. showed phenomenal honesty and candor in all of his answers to us. He spoke of early doubts and how he got past those, struggling to keep weight on through the season, how he handles left field at MMP (giving full credit to Dave Clark for repetition after repetition of practice), and his unorthodox batting stance which he was tempted to change because "I feel like I look goofy when I hit." As one of the other bloggers pointed out, there was another Astro with a goofy batting stance a while back; that batting stance got him a statue outside Minute Maid Park.
Next Up ~ Some Final Thoughts on Fan Fest
BRAD MILLS
I asked Mills about how closely the organization watches those players who participate in winter ball. As examples, I used Sergio Perez who pitched 65 innings in winter ball after a full regular season at OKC and Aneury Rodriguez who probably pitched about 50 innings between the regular season, playoffs and the Caribbean Series this winter. He responded, "We keep a pretty good eye on especially the guys that are closer to the major leagues like Aneury. We didn't have any problem with him throwing down there." Since Aneury was healthy going into the off-season, he went on to say, "We wanted him to go down there and continue to throw and work on some things." They didn't watch Sergio Perez as much because he's not as close to the majors.
Mills also talked about Jose Altuve's workload over the winter as Altuve approached 900 plate appearances. He seemed a little annoyed that Altuve worked so hard over the winter, and with a hint of exasperation, he said that Altuve would be getting to Kissimmee early (he was scheduled to arrive on the 13th). I have a feeling that Brad Mills will be instructing the staff at Kissimmee to sit on Altuve until he gets there.
I also asked Mills about Brian Bogusevic. Since he clearly did well hitting against lefties in winter ball (hitting .271), I wanted to know if Mills would play him against left-handed pitchers if he wins a roster spot. In response, he said, "My thinking on that is definitely give him the opportunity to start out ... It would be my wish that I'd put him in the line-up and he'd hit .480 against both righties and lefties." He went on to offer the usual caveat that if a right-hander needs some AB's and the situation is right, he would sit Bogey from time to time, but overall I was encouraged by his assurances.
BUD NORRIS
I asked Bud about any coaches or managers in the minor leagues who he found to be particularly helpful in his development. "Everybody gives you a little tidbit here and there. You take a little bit from each and every one." At Tri-City Don Alexander helped him with his mechanics (Alexander will be the pitching coach at Lancaster this year). He credits Stan Boroski at AA for helping him with his slider. "The slider I still throw today as one of my bread and butters has been the slider I got in AA." And, of course, Bud enjoyed the chance to sit and talk with Burt Hooten (AAA pitching coach) about old school baseball. "With Burt, you had a real opportunity to understand what the old game was and how it was played."
Bud also had encouraging words about RHP Jarred Cosart with whom he's worked out this winter, "I think he has a good head on his shoulders. He has a huge bright side." On Cosart's disappointment on not getting an invite to the big league camp, Bud said, "It's good to see that people want it. It's good to see that they have that burning desire."
J.D. MARTINEZ
I asked J.D. the same question about coaches or managers that had helped him along the way. "I was fortunate. Every major league coach and manager I had was ... really good. It speaks volumes for the organization. He singled out Stubby Clapp (currently Tri-City manager), Rodney Linares (who will manage at Lancaster in 2012), Tom Lawless (now a roving infield instructor) and "Johnny Mo" (John Moses, formerly the hitting coach at Corpus, who is no longer in the organization). "Each one of them I picked something that they helped me with along the way ... Everyone has thrown me one or two things that I still use today. Give equal credit to all those guys."
J.D. showed phenomenal honesty and candor in all of his answers to us. He spoke of early doubts and how he got past those, struggling to keep weight on through the season, how he handles left field at MMP (giving full credit to Dave Clark for repetition after repetition of practice), and his unorthodox batting stance which he was tempted to change because "I feel like I look goofy when I hit." As one of the other bloggers pointed out, there was another Astro with a goofy batting stance a while back; that batting stance got him a statue outside Minute Maid Park.
Next Up ~ Some Final Thoughts on Fan Fest
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Astros Fan Fest - Fan Questions
I am currently working on a couple of posts about Astros Fan Fest that I will be posting over the next couple of days, but I thought I'd give you a sneak preview. Sarah Nelson (aka @HooksFanSarah on twitter) suggested that, since it was Fan Fest, I should ask Bud Norris and J.D. Martinez about a favorite fan memory. Here's what they had to say ~
Rather than pointing out a single fan experience, Bud talked about how he loves getting to know some of the fans by seeing the same faces over and over at Spring Training and other venues and seeing how much they love the Astros. "... Just seeing the love that these people have for the game, especially here in Houston, is a lot of fun. So, when I get to see the smiles on their face, it definitely puts one on mine."
J.D. talked about how his Mom acts as de facto president of his fan club and helps him keep on top of his fan mail with particular attention to the kids. He pointed to this recent fan interaction as one of his favorites ~
J.D. Martinez @JDMartinez14
"It was just cool because it was written in his writing and it was neat."
Coming tomorrow - Everything Old is New Again
Rather than pointing out a single fan experience, Bud talked about how he loves getting to know some of the fans by seeing the same faces over and over at Spring Training and other venues and seeing how much they love the Astros. "... Just seeing the love that these people have for the game, especially here in Houston, is a lot of fun. So, when I get to see the smiles on their face, it definitely puts one on mine."
J.D. talked about how his Mom acts as de facto president of his fan club and helps him keep on top of his fan mail with particular attention to the kids. He pointed to this recent fan interaction as one of his favorites ~
J.D. Martinez Signing autographs for my fans tonight and ran into lil Isaac! Gotta love my fans! pic.twitter.com/5Wxoar32
"It was just cool because it was written in his writing and it was neat."
Coming tomorrow - Everything Old is New Again
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Astros Fan Fest - From J.D. to J.R.
As you may know, the Astros were nice enough to grant several bloggers access to Fan Fest today. The day was a huge success and it will take a while to digest everything we heard, but I wanted to leave you with something until I can sort through it all over the next day or two. I left today with great hope for the future ...
and even greater respect for the past ...
and even greater respect for the past ...
Friday, February 10, 2012
Tweet of the Day
J.D. Martinez On our #AstrosCAREavan today look who we found! Wally is that you? Lol @brettwallace29 pic.twitter.com/VNxfI9CI
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Happy Birthday (8/21)
J.D. Martinez (24)
I think you're all somewhat familiar with J.D. now that he is a Houston Astro. Originally from Miami, FL, J.D. was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. In 317 AB's with CC this season, J.D. compiled a .338 BA. Although he hasn't been able to match that in Houston (yet), he does already have 6-2B, 5HR & 19RBI in only 74 AB's.
I think you're all somewhat familiar with J.D. now that he is a Houston Astro. Originally from Miami, FL, J.D. was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. In 317 AB's with CC this season, J.D. compiled a .338 BA. Although he hasn't been able to match that in Houston (yet), he does already have 6-2B, 5HR & 19RBI in only 74 AB's.
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