Astros do a solid

The Astros gave 40th Round pick Buddy Lamothe a wheelchair-accessible van prior to last night's game against the Brewers.

Drayton:
"It's exciting for the Astros to reach out to someone that experienced hardship just a few weeks ago. We had him throw out a first pitch a few weeks ago, and I got to meet him and his mother and his girlfriend and sister. I just saw their courage and I asked his mother what the most difficult part was, and she said mobility.

Solid.

ABC covers Lamothe

Here's some national coverage by ABC of the Astros drafting Buddy Lamothe, and the visit by area scout Rusty Pendergrass. Good stuff.

Anyone know if the Astros drafting Lamothe means they're covering his medical expenses?

Nice gesture by the Astros

40th Round pick Buddy Lamothe was honored over the weekend, according to Zach Levine:

Buddy Lamothe, the paralyzed San Jacinto College player whom the Astros drafted in the 40th round, was presented with an Astros jersey, hats and baseballs signed by Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence.

Astros area scout Rusty Pendergrass and the San Jacinto coaches made the trip to Austin, where Lamothe, a Vermont native, is hospitalized after being severely injured in a swimming accident in May.

Pendergrass had been scouting Lamothe before the injury and had him at 94 miles per hour on the radar gun in Lamothe’s last outing before he was injured."

Buddy Lamothe determined to pitch again

Here's something that I would spend a 1st Round Christmas pick on: Buddy Lamothe pitching again:

San Jac head coach Tom Arrington:
"He's really looking forward to creating an environment to give him the strength and help him get back to pitching...Buddy is a strong-willed young man that is going to fight to overcome his tragedy."

Feeling Donate-y?

Then you can donate to 40th Round pick Buddy Lamothe's medical expenses.

Within this article we learn that Lamothe may be transferred to outpatient care in "the next few weeks."

The Astros didn't draft Buddy Lamothe for the notoriety

Ed Wade would like to make it very clear that the Astros didn't draft 40th Round pick Buddy Lamothe for the notoriety, says KHOU:

"We thought it would be something that would pick the kid’s spirits up and make him feel good. It’s something he can talk about for the rest of his life. We hope that this is part of the progress he is going to make on a lot of different fronts. I’m sure there will be an opportunity for us to get him out to the ballpark and say hello to him first hand."

With their 40th Round pick...

...The Astros select 6'3" 225lb Buddy Lamothe, a RHP out of San Jacinto College (North).

Back in May, Lamothe was injured in a swimming accident, where he fractured his vertebrae, and is paralyzed.

His old AD called the move a "tremendous honor."

Best of luck to him in his recovery.