Sunday, July 31, 2011

Super Domingo Tranzacciones!

Holy Hannah. Just because Wandy wasn't traded doesn't mean there wasn't a big-time overhaul of the team today.

Here's what went down:

Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace have been sent to Oklahoma City. Jimmy Paredes - who came over with Mark Melancon in the Berkman/NY trade last July - is your new third baseman, coming straight up from Corpus. Of the six Hooks to ever jump Triple-A, three have been in the last two weeks (Altuve, Martinez).

Carlos Lee is your presumed 1B as Brian Bogusevic has been called up from OKC.

Sucks for both of them, but it's probably for the best. They've both had terrible stretches in the last two months, and with Mills flip-flopping on whether to put them in the lineup, they can go to OKC to get their heads right.

Johnson's OPS, by month (w/BABIP in parentheses):
April: .531 (.231)
May: .714 (.290)
June .801 (.370)
July .578 (.347)

Wallace, same thing:
April: .988 (.471)
May: .719 (.299)
June: .657 (.340)
July .433 (.261)

It's scary that Johnson's .578 OPS was propped up by a .347 BABIP, same thing was Wallace's June.

Paredes isn't exactly lighting up Corpus. First, his primary position is 2B. At Whataburger Field, he's hitting .312/.346/.455, with 44K:10BB. On the road, he's hitting .224/.249/.393. In July, it's a .282/.315/.504 line, with five of his ten homers coming this month. In his last ten games, he's hitting .220/.233/.317.

Can't help but feel as though maybe the Astros are reaching on Paredes. Anderson Hernandez has played 41 games at 3B for OKC, and is hitting .353/.430/.447 in July. Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer the Astros give Paredes a shot, but it just seems odd.