Happy Correa Triple-A Day!
*The Mariners have now taken over the Astros as FanGraphs' favorites to win the division, though the Astros still have a 45.4% chance of making it to the postseason.
*What the Heck Bobby shares some thoughts about Correa's promotion
*JJO talked to both Correa and Corpus manager Rodney Linares about his promotion, with a line about how Luhnow was tempted to promote him to Houston.
*"This is our top prospect - probably the top prospect in all of baseball." Tony DeFrancesco tells the Fresno Bee, who also get Joe Sclafani's name wrong and wonder if Correa will get promoted to Houston before the Grizzlies return from their road trip.
*A.J. Hinch's reasoning for why the Astros are only 8-8 at home: Because that's the way it is.
*Jed Lowrie is surprised at how much you actually use your thumbs.
*George Springer could play in a rehab game today.
*Henry Schulman looks at the history between the Giants and the Astros
*Here's a good article from Quad Cities on 2014 4th Round pick Daniel Mengden, his back injury, and his mustache.
*Corpus' Tony Kemp graduated from Vanderbilt with a degree in communications over the weekend, so now he can be best friends with Buster Olney.
*Terrifying: the Carolina Mudcats' team bus was in a wreck and flipped on its side early this morning. Former Astros minor-leaguers Andrew Thurman and Blair Walters are on the Mudcats roster.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label Blair Walters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blair Walters. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Minor League releases
This is a tough time of year as minor-league players start to get rotated out of the system. Brian McTaggart tweeted that the Astros have released:
Jean Batista - international free agent signed in 2011. Hit .287/.307/.458 in 145 games over three seasons, and only played in 95 games over 2012/2013.
Ryan Connolly - undrafted free agent signed in June 2013. He was 1-2 with a 5.22 ERA/1.67 WHIP, with 20K:12BB in 29.1IP for Greeneville last season.
Zachary Dando - 2011 32nd Round pick. In 58 games (one start), Dando allowed a 3.56 ERA/1.25 WHIP, but only threw 101IP in three seasons between the GCL Astros, Greeneville, and Tri-City.
Alex Gillingham - Acquired from Colorado in the Wilton Lopez trade. Gillingham was the Rockies' 11th Round pick in 2011, but only threw eight innings for Lancaster in 2013.
Kyle Hallock - 2011 10th Round pick out of Kent State. Hallock made 59 appearances, everywhere from Tri-City in 2011 to Oklahoma City in 2013 with a career 5.63 ERA/1.55 WHIP. He got knocked around in Lancaster and Corpus (over 6.00 ERA in both places) before allowing 17H/8ER with 6K:8BB in 19.1IP for OKC.
Parker Hipp - undrafted free agent signed in 2013. Hit .159/.280/.190 in 24 games (75 PAs) for Greeneville in 2013.
Angel Ibanez - 2012 28th Round draft pick out of UT Pan-Am. In 93 games for Greeneville in 2012/13, Ibanez hit .256/.307/.309 with 63K:25BB in 376 PAs.
Euris Quezada - Signed as an international free agent prior to 2009. In parts of five seasons with the Astros organization (never rising above Low-A), Quezada had a 5.52 ERA/1.56 WHIP, with 138K:72BB in 190.2IP.
Blair Walters - Acquired in the Brett Myers trade with Chicago in July 2012. Walters struggled at High-A Lancaster, posting a 7.37 ERA/1.79 WHIP in parts of two seasons. He did pitch one game for OKC, allowed 4H/2ER, 4K:3BB in 4.1IP.
Blair Walters:
Jean Batista - international free agent signed in 2011. Hit .287/.307/.458 in 145 games over three seasons, and only played in 95 games over 2012/2013.
Ryan Connolly - undrafted free agent signed in June 2013. He was 1-2 with a 5.22 ERA/1.67 WHIP, with 20K:12BB in 29.1IP for Greeneville last season.
Zachary Dando - 2011 32nd Round pick. In 58 games (one start), Dando allowed a 3.56 ERA/1.25 WHIP, but only threw 101IP in three seasons between the GCL Astros, Greeneville, and Tri-City.
Alex Gillingham - Acquired from Colorado in the Wilton Lopez trade. Gillingham was the Rockies' 11th Round pick in 2011, but only threw eight innings for Lancaster in 2013.
Kyle Hallock - 2011 10th Round pick out of Kent State. Hallock made 59 appearances, everywhere from Tri-City in 2011 to Oklahoma City in 2013 with a career 5.63 ERA/1.55 WHIP. He got knocked around in Lancaster and Corpus (over 6.00 ERA in both places) before allowing 17H/8ER with 6K:8BB in 19.1IP for OKC.
Parker Hipp - undrafted free agent signed in 2013. Hit .159/.280/.190 in 24 games (75 PAs) for Greeneville in 2013.
Angel Ibanez - 2012 28th Round draft pick out of UT Pan-Am. In 93 games for Greeneville in 2012/13, Ibanez hit .256/.307/.309 with 63K:25BB in 376 PAs.
Euris Quezada - Signed as an international free agent prior to 2009. In parts of five seasons with the Astros organization (never rising above Low-A), Quezada had a 5.52 ERA/1.56 WHIP, with 138K:72BB in 190.2IP.
Blair Walters - Acquired in the Brett Myers trade with Chicago in July 2012. Walters struggled at High-A Lancaster, posting a 7.37 ERA/1.79 WHIP in parts of two seasons. He did pitch one game for OKC, allowed 4H/2ER, 4K:3BB in 4.1IP.
Blair Walters:
Would like to say Thank you to the Astros Organization for giving me to pursue my dream of playing baseball. It was a good run.
— Blair Walters (@bwalters34) March 18, 2014
Monday, August 20, 2012
PreStros Morning Report: August 19
Oklahoma City (68-60)
OKC scored the last five runs of the game, erasing a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over Round Rock. Fernando Abad pitched well in his third start of the season, allowing 6H/2ER, 3K:1BB in 5.1IP. Mark Hamburger got the win - his first of the season - allowing 1H/0ER, 1K:1BB in 1.2IP. Hector Ambriz allowed four baserunners in 1.2IP, but didn't allow a run, and Jose Valdez struck out the last batter of the game for his 16th save.
Carlos Corporan led the way with a 3x4, 3RBI game; while Brad Snyder added the other RBI. Matt Downs and J.B. Shuck had a hit and a walk. Jimmy Paredes was 0x5 with 2GIDPs.
Man of the Match: Carlos Corporan
Corpus (71-54)
Corpus took a 3-0 lead in the 4th and never gave it up, winning 7-1 at Springfield. Paul Clemens improved to 2-2 at Corpus with 7IP, 6H/1R (0ER, 3K:1BB, WP, and an HBP. Alex Sogard have up two hits and no runs in 0.2IP, and Jason Stoffel got a 4-out save, his 23rd of the year.
The top four in the lineup - Austin Wates (BB, 2RBI), Andy Simunic (RBI), Jon Singleton (2B, BB), and Jake Goebbert (BB, HR, 3RBI) - had two hits each. Kike Hernandez also had two hits. George Springer managed a hit, but also three walks.
Man of the Match: Jake Goebbert
Lancaster (63-62)
The JetHawks held Inland Empire to three hits in the series finale and improved to one game over .500 with a 6-0 road win. The fifth start was the lucky one for Blair Walters, who had allowed 9ER, 5ER, 4ER, and 2ER in his first four starts, respectively. Walters threw 6IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:3BB for his first win since coming over from the White Sox in the Myers trade. Chia-Jen Lo threw 2IP, 1H/0ER, lowering his ERA to 1.26. Kenny Long walked one in 0.2IP and Andrew Robinson got the final out of the game.
Jio Mier was 2x4 with 3RBI, and Domingo Santana was 2x4 with an RBI. Grant Hogue was 1x3 with 2RBI. Delino DeShields was 1x4 with his 4th stolen base. As WTHB noted yesterday, he is now tied for the Astros' minor-league stolen base record, with 87 on the season.
Man of the Match: Blair Walters.
Lexington (67-57)
Postponed due to wet grounds.
Tri-City (43-16)
Tri-City was all over Staten Island with an 11-0 win that saw ValleyCats pitchers holding the Yankees to three hits. Joe Bircher allowed just 2H/0ER, 6K:2BB in 6IP; Euris Quezada, Scott Zuloaga, and Blake Ford threw a combined 3IP, allowing 1H/0ER, 3K:0BB.
Preston Tucker hit a 3-run homer and added another RBI while Joe Sclafani (3B, BB, RBI), Jesse Wierzbicki (RBI), Austin Elkins (2B, RBI), and Emilio King (RBI) had two hits each. Neiko Johnson drew two walks, and M.P. Cokinos and Jarrod McKinney had a hit and a walk each.
Man of the Match: Joe Bircher
Greeneville (32-27)
Burlington jumped out to a 5-0 lead and didn't look back on their way to an 8-4 win over Greeneville. Lance McCullers threw 3IP, 5H/3ER, 6K:2BB; Brad Propst threw a scoreless inning; Kevin Comer made his organizational debut, throwing 3IP, giving up 4H/1ER, 2K:1BB; Richard Rodriguez (Rich-Rod, anyone? Anyone?) allowed 4H/2ER in 1.2IP, and Michael Dimock got the last out of the game.
Terrell Joyce hit his 6th homer of the year, and Ernesto Genoves hit a 3-run shot, his 5th of the year.
Man of the Match: Kevin Comer.
GCL Astros (25-27)
Off.
OKC scored the last five runs of the game, erasing a 2-0 deficit for a 5-2 win over Round Rock. Fernando Abad pitched well in his third start of the season, allowing 6H/2ER, 3K:1BB in 5.1IP. Mark Hamburger got the win - his first of the season - allowing 1H/0ER, 1K:1BB in 1.2IP. Hector Ambriz allowed four baserunners in 1.2IP, but didn't allow a run, and Jose Valdez struck out the last batter of the game for his 16th save.
Carlos Corporan led the way with a 3x4, 3RBI game; while Brad Snyder added the other RBI. Matt Downs and J.B. Shuck had a hit and a walk. Jimmy Paredes was 0x5 with 2GIDPs.
Man of the Match: Carlos Corporan
Corpus (71-54)
Corpus took a 3-0 lead in the 4th and never gave it up, winning 7-1 at Springfield. Paul Clemens improved to 2-2 at Corpus with 7IP, 6H/1R (0ER, 3K:1BB, WP, and an HBP. Alex Sogard have up two hits and no runs in 0.2IP, and Jason Stoffel got a 4-out save, his 23rd of the year.
The top four in the lineup - Austin Wates (BB, 2RBI), Andy Simunic (RBI), Jon Singleton (2B, BB), and Jake Goebbert (BB, HR, 3RBI) - had two hits each. Kike Hernandez also had two hits. George Springer managed a hit, but also three walks.
Man of the Match: Jake Goebbert
Lancaster (63-62)
The JetHawks held Inland Empire to three hits in the series finale and improved to one game over .500 with a 6-0 road win. The fifth start was the lucky one for Blair Walters, who had allowed 9ER, 5ER, 4ER, and 2ER in his first four starts, respectively. Walters threw 6IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:3BB for his first win since coming over from the White Sox in the Myers trade. Chia-Jen Lo threw 2IP, 1H/0ER, lowering his ERA to 1.26. Kenny Long walked one in 0.2IP and Andrew Robinson got the final out of the game.
Jio Mier was 2x4 with 3RBI, and Domingo Santana was 2x4 with an RBI. Grant Hogue was 1x3 with 2RBI. Delino DeShields was 1x4 with his 4th stolen base. As WTHB noted yesterday, he is now tied for the Astros' minor-league stolen base record, with 87 on the season.
Man of the Match: Blair Walters.
Lexington (67-57)
Postponed due to wet grounds.
Tri-City (43-16)
Tri-City was all over Staten Island with an 11-0 win that saw ValleyCats pitchers holding the Yankees to three hits. Joe Bircher allowed just 2H/0ER, 6K:2BB in 6IP; Euris Quezada, Scott Zuloaga, and Blake Ford threw a combined 3IP, allowing 1H/0ER, 3K:0BB.
Preston Tucker hit a 3-run homer and added another RBI while Joe Sclafani (3B, BB, RBI), Jesse Wierzbicki (RBI), Austin Elkins (2B, RBI), and Emilio King (RBI) had two hits each. Neiko Johnson drew two walks, and M.P. Cokinos and Jarrod McKinney had a hit and a walk each.
Man of the Match: Joe Bircher
Greeneville (32-27)
Burlington jumped out to a 5-0 lead and didn't look back on their way to an 8-4 win over Greeneville. Lance McCullers threw 3IP, 5H/3ER, 6K:2BB; Brad Propst threw a scoreless inning; Kevin Comer made his organizational debut, throwing 3IP, giving up 4H/1ER, 2K:1BB; Richard Rodriguez (Rich-Rod, anyone? Anyone?) allowed 4H/2ER in 1.2IP, and Michael Dimock got the last out of the game.
Terrell Joyce hit his 6th homer of the year, and Ernesto Genoves hit a 3-run shot, his 5th of the year.
Man of the Match: Kevin Comer.
GCL Astros (25-27)
Off.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Meet the New PreStros Part II: Moar PreStros!
About an hour ago, the Astros traded Brett Myers to the Chicago White Sox for two more minor league starters and another player to be named later. Then, they claimed another pitcher from San Diego. Let's look at them all now.
Matt Heidenreich
Matt is a tall, lanky righty starter (6' 5", 185 lbs) who was drafted out of high school in the fourth round by the White Sox in 2009. He features a low 90's sinking fastball, a slightly below average, and a slider than needs development. He shows good control, but needs to continue developing his secondary pitches in order to climb the ranks. His ceiling is projected as a number 4 starter. Heidenreich has three starts at the AA level, and will report to Corpus.
Blair Walters
Walters is a lefty starter (6' 2" 200 lbs) and was drafted in the 11th round in 2011. The was the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year last season, when he went 9-0 as Great Falls took the league championship. He's struggled in five starts since being promoted to high A ball, but still shows outstanding peripheral stats. He'll need that to continue as he heads to Lancaster. He throws a 90 mph sinker, a "slutter", and a "meh" changeup and curve. He has a strong platoon split against lefties, so if he can't develop as a starter he'll likely be given a shot as a lefty specialist.
PTBNL
(Yes, this is mostly copy/pasted from yesterday.) Of course, we have no idea the details surrounding the PTBNL. It's either tied to Myers' performance in Chicago, a late-signing 2011 draft pick (can't be traded until 12 months after they sign), or a 2012 pick (doubtful this soon after the draft). What we do know is that the last PTBNL Luhnow was able to pick up turned out to be a higher ceiling outfielder from Kansas City, so there's that.
Mark Hamburger
Mark is a tall righty (6' 5" 195 lbs) and was signed after an open tryout for the Twins in 2007 after flashing a 93 mph four seam fastball. He also throws a splitter, curve, and changeup. He's a career reliever, and has five games of major league experience last season with Texas. He'll report to AAA Oklahoma City.
I pictured Luhnow's claim of Mark as going something like this.
Sources: ChicagoNow.com, Minor League Ball, South Side Sox, White Sox Gab, ESPN, Seedlings to Stars
Matt Heidenreich
Matt is a tall, lanky righty starter (6' 5", 185 lbs) who was drafted out of high school in the fourth round by the White Sox in 2009. He features a low 90's sinking fastball, a slightly below average, and a slider than needs development. He shows good control, but needs to continue developing his secondary pitches in order to climb the ranks. His ceiling is projected as a number 4 starter. Heidenreich has three starts at the AA level, and will report to Corpus.
Blair Walters
Walters is a lefty starter (6' 2" 200 lbs) and was drafted in the 11th round in 2011. The was the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year last season, when he went 9-0 as Great Falls took the league championship. He's struggled in five starts since being promoted to high A ball, but still shows outstanding peripheral stats. He'll need that to continue as he heads to Lancaster. He throws a 90 mph sinker, a "slutter", and a "meh" changeup and curve. He has a strong platoon split against lefties, so if he can't develop as a starter he'll likely be given a shot as a lefty specialist.
PTBNL
(Yes, this is mostly copy/pasted from yesterday.) Of course, we have no idea the details surrounding the PTBNL. It's either tied to Myers' performance in Chicago, a late-signing 2011 draft pick (can't be traded until 12 months after they sign), or a 2012 pick (doubtful this soon after the draft). What we do know is that the last PTBNL Luhnow was able to pick up turned out to be a higher ceiling outfielder from Kansas City, so there's that.
Mark Hamburger
Mark is a tall righty (6' 5" 195 lbs) and was signed after an open tryout for the Twins in 2007 after flashing a 93 mph four seam fastball. He also throws a splitter, curve, and changeup. He's a career reliever, and has five games of major league experience last season with Texas. He'll report to AAA Oklahoma City.
I pictured Luhnow's claim of Mark as going something like this.
Sources: ChicagoNow.com, Minor League Ball, South Side Sox, White Sox Gab, ESPN, Seedlings to Stars
Astros trade Brett Myers to White Sox
Trader Jeff! Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that Houston has traded Brett Myers to the White Sox.
2:17pm - Brian McTaggart confirms the deal
2:33pm - Astros announce Myers to White Sox for RHP Matt Heidenreich, LHP Blair Walters, and a PTBNL
2:33pm - Heidenreich will join AA Corpus; Walters is going to High-A Lancaster
2:34pm - The Astros have also claimed RHP Mark Hamburger off waivers from San Diego
2:37pm - Hamburger will join AAA Oklahoma City
2:49pm - The White Sox will pay $1 million of Myers' remaining salary this season, plus receive money towards Myers' 2013 salary or a buyout
--
Matt Heidenreich is a 21-year-old starter from AA Birmingham. He's 9-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 18 games split between High-A and AA this season.
Blair Walters is a 22-year-old starter from High-A Winston-Salem. He is 4-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 18 games split between A and High-A this year.
Mark Hamburger is a 25-year-old reliever with a 6.75 ERA in 57.1 IP split between AAA Round Rock (Rangers) and AAA Tuscon (Padres). Hamburger had a 4.50 ERA in 8 innings with the Rangers last season.
2:17pm - Brian McTaggart confirms the deal
2:33pm - Astros announce Myers to White Sox for RHP Matt Heidenreich, LHP Blair Walters, and a PTBNL
2:33pm - Heidenreich will join AA Corpus; Walters is going to High-A Lancaster
2:34pm - The Astros have also claimed RHP Mark Hamburger off waivers from San Diego
2:37pm - Hamburger will join AAA Oklahoma City
2:49pm - The White Sox will pay $1 million of Myers' remaining salary this season, plus receive money towards Myers' 2013 salary or a buyout
--
Matt Heidenreich is a 21-year-old starter from AA Birmingham. He's 9-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 18 games split between High-A and AA this season.
Blair Walters is a 22-year-old starter from High-A Winston-Salem. He is 4-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 18 games split between A and High-A this year.
Mark Hamburger is a 25-year-old reliever with a 6.75 ERA in 57.1 IP split between AAA Round Rock (Rangers) and AAA Tuscon (Padres). Hamburger had a 4.50 ERA in 8 innings with the Rangers last season.
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