*I don't really want to lead off with this but Jim Crane says MLB "explicitly exonerated" him in their investigation, for the expressed purpose of leaving him out of any lawsuits that proceed against the team he owns in the event that the Astros, do in fact, continued to get sued.
*Evan Gattis said he had retired from baseball, and you should absolutely listen to the podcast where he announced it.
*So did 2014 2nd Round pick A.J. Reed. Chandler Rome:
The Astros did not summon Reed for a September call-up in 2017 or 2018. His weight and conditioning were often problems. Frustration grew visible. Houston designated him for assignment last July to clear a spot for pitcher Jose Urquidy on the 40-Man roster.
As a junior at Kentucky, Reed hit .462/.588/.962 (read that again) and had a 2.83 ERA in the same season. That's insane. That 2014 Draft was...hoo-boy. Picks through the 1st 10 Rounds:
Brady Aiken, Game 5 Hero and Current Toronto Great Derek Fisher, A.J. Reed, Current Mets Great J.D. Davis, Current Oakland Gret Daniel Mengden, Jacob Nix, Brock Dykxhoorn, Derick Velasquez, Bobby Boyd, Bryan Radziewski, Jay Gause.
It turns out that the prize of the Astros' 2014 draft was either Josh Big Flames James, the 1006th selection of the draft, who has put up a 0.8 fWAR, or Ramon Laureano, who has posted 5.9 fWAR...for Oakland, because the Astros traded him to Oakland for Brandon Bailey, who will likely be in Triple-A this year.
*Click this MLB.com link to see how Ryan Pressly has the nastiest 10" in baseball.
*Baseball-Reference is using OOTP21 to simulate the 2020 season. The Astros are 2-4.
*Minor-Leaguers will get $400/week until at least May 31, plus medical benefits. It's literally the least a $10 Billion industry can do.
*GQ: Inside the poisoning of a Russian double-agent.
*The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal: Victor Martinez's audacious dream is within sight.
*I have attended precisely one Leeds United game in person. It was this one, a Champions League game against Lazio, with my dad. You can see how I'd be hooked. There's a "What Happened To Leeds United" Astros County post coming in the next few days.
*I highly recommend you to watch Icarus, which is available on Netflix. It's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.
*This is one of my favorite books of all-time.
*"Cocaine, Speed, and Gallons of Jack Daniel's." The last Rock n Roll Superstars were...Korn?
*Check out this three-part series from ProPublica called "Blood Will Tell." It will take you all afternoon. Then, when you're done with that, read this follow-up, which broke Tuesday.
*Learn something:
*A Musical Selection:
*Another Musical Selection:
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label June Draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label June Draft. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Everyone shut up about Kris Bryant
Note: I borrowed heavily from this piece I wrote back in April 2015 about Appel, Bryant and the 2013 draft. Also, please do note that I got an awful lot of help with some quotes and screencaps from Caleb Traylor.
Well Jon Heyman, you've done it again:
Kris Bryant's continuing deeds keep raising the question why the Astros didn't grab him with the No. 1 pick. "Kris Bryant and Buster Posey were probably two of the easiest picks for No. 1 of anyone in the last (decade)..." one rival exec notes.
This is a remarkable piece of amnesia and revisionist history. Some background, if you will:
Thanks to their 55-107 record in 2012 - the 2nd of three straight 100-loss seasons, each of them more loss-y than the last - the Astros had the #1 overall pick in the draft. In retrospect the 2012 draft stands out as the best of the Luhnow era, with the Astros getting Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers and future trade pieces Rio Ruiz, Brett Phillips in the first ten rounds, though that perspective can change based on what shakes out in later drafts whose players haven't significantly impacted the team.
2013 was the Astros' 2nd shot at the 1-1 pick. The Pirates had selected Appel with their 8th overall pick in the 2012 draft, but he had elected to go back to Stanford for his senior season, and another chance at that $5m+ signing bonus.
Jim Callis' final mock draft the day before the 2013 draft had the Astros taking Jonathan Gray and the Cubs taking Appel.
Jon Heyman - the same one who allowed a rival exec to revise history - put Appel at the top of his very own rankings the day before the 2013 draft. Bryant was 2nd.
Of course the Astros selected Appel. With the next pick, the Cubs selected Kris Bryant over Jonathan Gray, who went to the Rockies with the next selection. Noting "conventional wisdom," MLB.com's (former Chicago Tribune's) Phil Rogers said that Appel and Gray were expected to go 1-1 and 1-2, with uncertainty if Bryant would be selected ahead of Moran, Meadows, and Frazier.
Want to see Mark Appel's list of school records and achievements at Stanford?
• Stanford Record Book - career strikeouts - 372 (1st)
• Stanford Record Book - career innings pitched - 377.2 (4th)
Stanford Record Book - career wins - 28 (6th)
• Stanford Record Book - single-season strikeouts - 130 - 2013 (t-10th)
• Stanford Record Book - single-season strikeouts - 130 - 2012 (t-10th)
• 2013 First Team All-America (Louisville Slugger)
• 2013 Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 2013 Dick Howser Trophy finalist
• 2013 Senior CLASS Award finalist
• 2013 Diamond Sports Pitcher of the Year semifinalist
• 2013 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist
• 2013 First Team All-Pac-12
• 2013 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (May 27)
• 2013 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (March 5)
• 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (March 4)
• 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (March 11)
• 2013 NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week (March 5)
• 2013 Baseball America Midseason Top Pitcher (April 4)
• 2013 MLB.com Top Prospect
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Perfect Game)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Louisville Slugger)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (NCBWA)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Baseball America)
• 2012 NCBWA Pitcher of the Year
• 2012 First Team All-America (Collegiate Baseball)
• 2012 First Team All-America (NCBWA)
• 2012 Second Team All-America (Baseball America)
• 2012 First Team All-Pac-12
• 2012 NCAA Stanford Regional Most Outstanding Player
• 2012 Golden Spikes Award finalist
• 2012 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist
Well Jon Heyman, you've done it again:
Kris Bryant's continuing deeds keep raising the question why the Astros didn't grab him with the No. 1 pick. "Kris Bryant and Buster Posey were probably two of the easiest picks for No. 1 of anyone in the last (decade)..." one rival exec notes.
This is a remarkable piece of amnesia and revisionist history. Some background, if you will:
Thanks to their 55-107 record in 2012 - the 2nd of three straight 100-loss seasons, each of them more loss-y than the last - the Astros had the #1 overall pick in the draft. In retrospect the 2012 draft stands out as the best of the Luhnow era, with the Astros getting Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers and future trade pieces Rio Ruiz, Brett Phillips in the first ten rounds, though that perspective can change based on what shakes out in later drafts whose players haven't significantly impacted the team.
2013 was the Astros' 2nd shot at the 1-1 pick. The Pirates had selected Appel with their 8th overall pick in the 2012 draft, but he had elected to go back to Stanford for his senior season, and another chance at that $5m+ signing bonus.
It was pretty clear before the draft that the Astros had "narrowed" their 2013 1-1 pick to Stanford's Mark Appel, University of San Diego's Kris Bryant, Oklahoma's Jonathan Gray, North Carolina's Colin Moran, and high schoolers Austin Meadows and Clint Frazier.
Keith Law said in April 2013 that the 1-2 would be Appel and Gray. Appel was still at the top of his board in June. Baseball America didn't have Bryant at the top of their board, either.
It should be noted that Baseball America's Aaron Fitt said he would take Kris Bryant over both Appel and Gray, simply because of Bryant's "special power bat." So you're the only one who gets to shout at the world about how dumb they are, Aaron Fitt.
Keith Law said in April 2013 that the 1-2 would be Appel and Gray. Appel was still at the top of his board in June. Baseball America didn't have Bryant at the top of their board, either.
It should be noted that Baseball America's Aaron Fitt said he would take Kris Bryant over both Appel and Gray, simply because of Bryant's "special power bat." So you're the only one who gets to shout at the world about how dumb they are, Aaron Fitt.
Then-beat writer Bryan Smith tweeted on May 22 that the pick was really between Appel and Gray, but that the Astros wouldn't actually decide on a pick until everybody got together in Houston.
On May 30, MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote in a mock draft that there were "whispers regarding Bryant and Moran, but Gray is still the pick."
The day before the 2013 draft, Mayo wrote that Appel "had a better season as a senior and it seems likely he will hear his name called in one of the first few picks." However, Mayo wrote, "while there has been more buzz about Moran than Bryant in discussions regarding the top picks, in some ways it is Bryant who better fits the profile of a No. 1 overall pick."
The day before the 2013 draft, Mayo wrote that Appel "had a better season as a senior and it seems likely he will hear his name called in one of the first few picks." However, Mayo wrote, "while there has been more buzz about Moran than Bryant in discussions regarding the top picks, in some ways it is Bryant who better fits the profile of a No. 1 overall pick."
Jim Callis' final mock draft the day before the 2013 draft had the Astros taking Jonathan Gray and the Cubs taking Appel.
Jon Heyman - the same one who allowed a rival exec to revise history - put Appel at the top of his very own rankings the day before the 2013 draft. Bryant was 2nd.
Of course the Astros selected Appel. With the next pick, the Cubs selected Kris Bryant over Jonathan Gray, who went to the Rockies with the next selection. Noting "conventional wisdom," MLB.com's (former Chicago Tribune's) Phil Rogers said that Appel and Gray were expected to go 1-1 and 1-2, with uncertainty if Bryant would be selected ahead of Moran, Meadows, and Frazier.
Want to see Mark Appel's list of school records and achievements at Stanford?
• Stanford Record Book - career strikeouts - 372 (1st)
• Stanford Record Book - career innings pitched - 377.2 (4th)
Stanford Record Book - career wins - 28 (6th)
• Stanford Record Book - single-season strikeouts - 130 - 2013 (t-10th)
• Stanford Record Book - single-season strikeouts - 130 - 2012 (t-10th)
• 2013 First Team All-America (Louisville Slugger)
• 2013 Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 2013 Dick Howser Trophy finalist
• 2013 Senior CLASS Award finalist
• 2013 Diamond Sports Pitcher of the Year semifinalist
• 2013 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist
• 2013 First Team All-Pac-12
• 2013 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (May 27)
• 2013 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (March 5)
• 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (March 4)
• 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (March 11)
• 2013 NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week (March 5)
• 2013 Baseball America Midseason Top Pitcher (April 4)
• 2013 MLB.com Top Prospect
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Perfect Game)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Louisville Slugger)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (NCBWA)
• 2013 Preseason First Team All-America (Baseball America)
• 2012 NCBWA Pitcher of the Year
• 2012 First Team All-America (Collegiate Baseball)
• 2012 First Team All-America (NCBWA)
• 2012 Second Team All-America (Baseball America)
• 2012 First Team All-Pac-12
• 2012 NCAA Stanford Regional Most Outstanding Player
• 2012 Golden Spikes Award finalist
• 2012 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist
Rogers noted in an article about Bryant that Cubs Senior VP of Player Development Jason McLeod that the Cubs had serious questions about Bryant's ability to hit. But in a one-on-one meeting with Bryant, the Cubs were sold. McLeod:
By that point, we'd already met with Jon Gray and Mark Appel. We felt like Kris, of the three, was just someone who was probably the most equipped to step into this type of market and to handle the expectations of being the No. 2 overall pick.I
Still, Rogers at the time echoed "conventional wisdom:"
By skipping Appel last year, they wind up with Carlos Correa (who is a real stud) and Appel, a year older and more polished. Impressive.
Of course we can go back now and see that picking Bryant would have been more beneficial to the Astros than picking Appel was. But you can hardly call the Astros stupid for taking Appel. We're humans, and humans are dumb. Fans are dumber than regular humans, too. We look back and lament picking Nevin over Jeter. Jio Mier over Mike Trout. You can even lament the decision to pick Appel over Bryant. These things happen. They happen to a lot of teams. There will always be a player the (insert team) should have taken. But to say that that Kris Bryant was the easiest 1-1 pick since Buster Posey is laughable, at best. That "rival exec" is a moron.
Still, Rogers at the time echoed "conventional wisdom:"
By skipping Appel last year, they wind up with Carlos Correa (who is a real stud) and Appel, a year older and more polished. Impressive.
Of course we can go back now and see that picking Bryant would have been more beneficial to the Astros than picking Appel was. But you can hardly call the Astros stupid for taking Appel. We're humans, and humans are dumb. Fans are dumber than regular humans, too. We look back and lament picking Nevin over Jeter. Jio Mier over Mike Trout. You can even lament the decision to pick Appel over Bryant. These things happen. They happen to a lot of teams. There will always be a player the (insert team) should have taken. But to say that that Kris Bryant was the easiest 1-1 pick since Buster Posey is laughable, at best. That "rival exec" is a moron.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
2016 Draft Link Dump: Rounds 3-10.
It was a whole lot easier to write about the draft when I had a job in the summer that allowed me to cheat them out of labor so I could put together a post on each draftee. Times have changed, but here's a link dump for each player the Astros drafted. (The links for 1st Round pick Forrest Whitley and 2nd Round pick Ronnie Dawson can be found here).
3rd Round: Jake Rogers - Catcher from Tulane, hit .261/.384/.403 this season. Stole 13 bases in 14 attempts. Threw out 16 of 27 baserunners. Grew up as a Rangers fan, but "I'm a big Astros fan now. It'd be fun to beat up on them a bit."
4th Round: Brett Adcock - Lefty junior pitcher from the University of Michigan. 256 career strikeouts are 5th in Michigan history and his career 3.09 ERA is 7th-lowest in school history. Went 7-5 with a 3.22 ERA this season. Threw 78.1IP, 52H/28ER, 100K:62BB with a .190 BAA.
5th Round: Abraham Toro-Hernandez. "The Bull" - a nickname I made up. Switch-hitter, drafted as a 3B, but played infield at Seminole State Community College and catcher in high school. Grew up just outside of Montreal and speaks English, Spanish and French. Hit .439 with 20 homers, 86 RBI and can throw 92mph. His college coach thinks he could catch in the Majors.
6th Round: Stephen Wrenn, junior center fielder out of the University of Georgia. Son of All-ACC 1B and 2nd Round pick by the Indians, Steve Wrenn. Broke three bones in his face in pre-season after a flyball grazed his glove and popped him the coconut. Career .292 average with the Bulldogs, starting all three years. Hit .324 as a sophomore with eight homers, 28 RBI and 28 stolen bases as a sophomore. Stole 56 bases as a Bulldog.
7th Round: Tyler Buffett, junior righty reliever out of Oklahoma State. Threw 67.1IP, 59H/25ER, 66K:29BB, .236 BAA with no homers allowed. Two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.
8th Round: Nick Hernandez, junior righty reliever grew up in Missouri City (Dulles HS), drafted out of the University of Houston. Called getting drafted by the Astros a "dream come true." Threw 51.1IP, 27H/8ER (1.40 ERA!), 67K:11BB this season with a .154 BAA. Signed for less than slot.
9th Round: Ryan Hartman, a senior lefty pitcher out of Tennessee Wesleyan College. Threw 98IP, 62H/7ER, 129K:12BB (!), a 0.64 ERA and a .176 BAA. Led Division 1 baseball in earned runs and ERA. Signed with the Astros.
10th Round: Dustin Hunt. Senior righty starter out of Northeastern University. Threw 86IP, 68H/26ER, 93K:27BB this season. 54 of those 68 hits were singles. Said getting drafted by the Astros was "the best feeling I've ever had." Signed with the Astros.
3rd Round: Jake Rogers - Catcher from Tulane, hit .261/.384/.403 this season. Stole 13 bases in 14 attempts. Threw out 16 of 27 baserunners. Grew up as a Rangers fan, but "I'm a big Astros fan now. It'd be fun to beat up on them a bit."
4th Round: Brett Adcock - Lefty junior pitcher from the University of Michigan. 256 career strikeouts are 5th in Michigan history and his career 3.09 ERA is 7th-lowest in school history. Went 7-5 with a 3.22 ERA this season. Threw 78.1IP, 52H/28ER, 100K:62BB with a .190 BAA.
5th Round: Abraham Toro-Hernandez. "The Bull" - a nickname I made up. Switch-hitter, drafted as a 3B, but played infield at Seminole State Community College and catcher in high school. Grew up just outside of Montreal and speaks English, Spanish and French. Hit .439 with 20 homers, 86 RBI and can throw 92mph. His college coach thinks he could catch in the Majors.
6th Round: Stephen Wrenn, junior center fielder out of the University of Georgia. Son of All-ACC 1B and 2nd Round pick by the Indians, Steve Wrenn. Broke three bones in his face in pre-season after a flyball grazed his glove and popped him the coconut. Career .292 average with the Bulldogs, starting all three years. Hit .324 as a sophomore with eight homers, 28 RBI and 28 stolen bases as a sophomore. Stole 56 bases as a Bulldog.
7th Round: Tyler Buffett, junior righty reliever out of Oklahoma State. Threw 67.1IP, 59H/25ER, 66K:29BB, .236 BAA with no homers allowed. Two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.
8th Round: Nick Hernandez, junior righty reliever grew up in Missouri City (Dulles HS), drafted out of the University of Houston. Called getting drafted by the Astros a "dream come true." Threw 51.1IP, 27H/8ER (1.40 ERA!), 67K:11BB this season with a .154 BAA. Signed for less than slot.
9th Round: Ryan Hartman, a senior lefty pitcher out of Tennessee Wesleyan College. Threw 98IP, 62H/7ER, 129K:12BB (!), a 0.64 ERA and a .176 BAA. Led Division 1 baseball in earned runs and ERA. Signed with the Astros.
10th Round: Dustin Hunt. Senior righty starter out of Northeastern University. Threw 86IP, 68H/26ER, 93K:27BB this season. 54 of those 68 hits were singles. Said getting drafted by the Astros was "the best feeling I've ever had." Signed with the Astros.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Day 1 MLB Draft Links
1-17: Forrest Whitley
The Astros selected 18-year old 6'7" RHP Forrest Whitley out of Alamo Heights HS in San Antonio. His fastball can hit 97mph with three other plus pitches and a commandable changeup.
Scouting Director Mike Elias:
Forrest is a power pitcher. He's anywhere from 92-97 with his fastball. We feel it's an explosive fastball and one that gets by hitters' bats easily, and he's exhibited outstanding command given how hard he throws in his career.
More Elias:
To get a pitcher of his size and stuff with not only the fastball velocity but also three other plus pitches...we think it's a terrific pick at this spot in the draft or really any part of the draft.
*He was pitching in the state semifinal game for Alamo Heights (which they won). This season he was 9-1 with a 0.34 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 68IP. That is unfair and he should be reprimanded for bullying hitters.
Nolan Ryan went and watched him pitch, with every other talent evaluator in the organization, and the consensus is that he's like Josh Johnson, or Mike Scott.
*Whitley struck out 15 of the top-ranked Calallen Wildcats, who had won 23 games in a row, in the opening game of the Region IV-5A semifinals.
*Whitley, before the draft:
It's in the back of my mind, obviously. Right now, it's baseball, and I'm focused on winning a state championship...I think (getting drafted) is going to happen, but it is what it is. I'm just going to have to deal with it. I've got to go out there and get my team a win.
*His head coach, Jason Thompson, wasn't concerned about sending Whitley out to pitch on the night he might get drafted:
I have zero concerns about that. That kid has managed everything that's been thrown his way. He is going to get drafted. He knows that. His focus is going to be on us winning the game on Thursday.
*In tonight's semifinal Whitley struck out 11 batters in 6.2IP on 123 pitches.
---
With their 2nd pick (#61 overall) the Astros selected lefty 21-year old 6'2" 225lb OF Ronnie Dawson, a junior out of Ohio State. This season he was a first-team All-Big Ten player, and the #8 Big Ten player to watch according to D1 Baseball. He was in the top ten in the Big Ten in eleven different offensive categories.
*He hit .577 in the Big Ten tournament, and was the first Buckeye in history to hit 40 doubles, 20 homers, and 40 stolen bases in his career, and hit a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning against Michigan State, and was the Big Ten Tournament MVP.
*Dawson hit .331/.419/.611 for the Buckeyes with 43K:37BB in 257 PAs, with 25 doubles and 13 homers. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts.
*Dawson was a Louisville Slugger 3rd-Team All-American.
*In his assessment, John Sickels wrote of Dawson:
His best tool is above-average raw power. He also has a strong throwing arm that would fit well in right field, though he's been mainly in left field in college. His running speed is average but he is intelligently aggressive on the bases and is an adept stealer.
*Dawson was going to be a football player before he tore his ACL and became a bat-boy for the Columbus Clippers. Ohio State coach Greg Beals:
The bat is awfully gifted. There's a lot of 'natural' to his bat. Ronnie takes a lot of swings and works very hard on his game...the majority of his work has been done defensively. He has made himself into a very good defensive outfielder. (He has) an average arm, but he goes and gets the ball off the bat very, very well.
In his collegiate debut, Dawson went 4x4 with a homer and a double.
The Astros selected 18-year old 6'7" RHP Forrest Whitley out of Alamo Heights HS in San Antonio. His fastball can hit 97mph with three other plus pitches and a commandable changeup.
Scouting Director Mike Elias:
Forrest is a power pitcher. He's anywhere from 92-97 with his fastball. We feel it's an explosive fastball and one that gets by hitters' bats easily, and he's exhibited outstanding command given how hard he throws in his career.
More Elias:
To get a pitcher of his size and stuff with not only the fastball velocity but also three other plus pitches...we think it's a terrific pick at this spot in the draft or really any part of the draft.
*He was pitching in the state semifinal game for Alamo Heights (which they won). This season he was 9-1 with a 0.34 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 68IP. That is unfair and he should be reprimanded for bullying hitters.
Nolan Ryan went and watched him pitch, with every other talent evaluator in the organization, and the consensus is that he's like Josh Johnson, or Mike Scott.
*Whitley struck out 15 of the top-ranked Calallen Wildcats, who had won 23 games in a row, in the opening game of the Region IV-5A semifinals.
*Whitley, before the draft:
It's in the back of my mind, obviously. Right now, it's baseball, and I'm focused on winning a state championship...I think (getting drafted) is going to happen, but it is what it is. I'm just going to have to deal with it. I've got to go out there and get my team a win.
*His head coach, Jason Thompson, wasn't concerned about sending Whitley out to pitch on the night he might get drafted:
I have zero concerns about that. That kid has managed everything that's been thrown his way. He is going to get drafted. He knows that. His focus is going to be on us winning the game on Thursday.
*In tonight's semifinal Whitley struck out 11 batters in 6.2IP on 123 pitches.
*Whitley doesn't know yet whether he's going to honor his commitment to Florida State or sign with the Astros.He still has one more game with Alamo Heights, but Forrest Whitley tried out an @astros look on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/a7Lmt5olTP— Danny Davis (@aasdanny) June 10, 2016
---
With their 2nd pick (#61 overall) the Astros selected lefty 21-year old 6'2" 225lb OF Ronnie Dawson, a junior out of Ohio State. This season he was a first-team All-Big Ten player, and the #8 Big Ten player to watch according to D1 Baseball. He was in the top ten in the Big Ten in eleven different offensive categories.
*He hit .577 in the Big Ten tournament, and was the first Buckeye in history to hit 40 doubles, 20 homers, and 40 stolen bases in his career, and hit a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning against Michigan State, and was the Big Ten Tournament MVP.
*Dawson hit .331/.419/.611 for the Buckeyes with 43K:37BB in 257 PAs, with 25 doubles and 13 homers. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts.
*Dawson was a Louisville Slugger 3rd-Team All-American.
*In his assessment, John Sickels wrote of Dawson:
His best tool is above-average raw power. He also has a strong throwing arm that would fit well in right field, though he's been mainly in left field in college. His running speed is average but he is intelligently aggressive on the bases and is an adept stealer.
*Dawson was going to be a football player before he tore his ACL and became a bat-boy for the Columbus Clippers. Ohio State coach Greg Beals:
The bat is awfully gifted. There's a lot of 'natural' to his bat. Ronnie takes a lot of swings and works very hard on his game...the majority of his work has been done defensively. He has made himself into a very good defensive outfielder. (He has) an average arm, but he goes and gets the ball off the bat very, very well.
In his collegiate debut, Dawson went 4x4 with a homer and a double.
With the 17th Pick in the MLB Draft the Astros select high school RHP Forrest Whitley
In the baseball's version of Christmas, the Astros just added 6'7" 250 pound Forrest Whitley from San Antonio Texas. Oh, and he's coming out of high school. I pinged subber10 at the Crawfish Boxes for his reaction and here's what he has to say:
"Big strong body. As he fills out his fram and gets stronger his low 90s will get more consistent and into the mid90s. Good mechanics especially considering his size."
He loves the pick.
During his profile video after the selection it was mentioned that he models his pitching style after Jose Fernandez.
I will be scoring the interwebs for links. Refresh regularly and feel free to drop any links you can find in the comment section below.
2016 MLB Draft Profile: Forrest Whitley, RHP, Alamo Heights HS (TX) by leistomania409 - Crawfish Boxes
Forrest Whitley's Twitter account
Forrest Whitley is pitching in the state semi-finals the same night as the draft - Alamo Heights' Whitley remains calm in busy time by David Hinojosa - San Antonio Express-News
He's already got a Wikipedia page
2016 MLB Draft: Forrest Whitley, RHP, San Antonio, Texas by John Sickels - Minor League Ball
Forrest Whitley Tosses a No-Hitter Against McCallum by Travis Recek - Time Warner Cable News Austin
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Baseball America Forrest Whitley archive
Facebook (I'm starting to feel like a stalker)
Jim Callis analysis over at MLB.com:
"In four years of high school, Whitley went from a sub-6-footer with a mid-70s fastball to 6-foot-7 and throwing in the mid 90s. He did a great job of improving his conditioning heading into his senior season and it paid off with improved stuff, including a power curveball and a promising changeup to go with that heat."
"Big strong body. As he fills out his fram and gets stronger his low 90s will get more consistent and into the mid90s. Good mechanics especially considering his size."
He loves the pick.
During his profile video after the selection it was mentioned that he models his pitching style after Jose Fernandez.
I will be scoring the interwebs for links. Refresh regularly and feel free to drop any links you can find in the comment section below.
2016 MLB Draft Profile: Forrest Whitley, RHP, Alamo Heights HS (TX) by leistomania409 - Crawfish Boxes
Forrest Whitley's Twitter account
Forrest Whitley is pitching in the state semi-finals the same night as the draft - Alamo Heights' Whitley remains calm in busy time by David Hinojosa - San Antonio Express-News
He's already got a Wikipedia page
2016 MLB Draft: Forrest Whitley, RHP, San Antonio, Texas by John Sickels - Minor League Ball
Forrest Whitley Tosses a No-Hitter Against McCallum by Travis Recek - Time Warner Cable News Austin
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Baseball America Forrest Whitley archive
Facebook (I'm starting to feel like a stalker)
Jim Callis analysis over at MLB.com:
"In four years of high school, Whitley went from a sub-6-footer with a mid-70s fastball to 6-foot-7 and throwing in the mid 90s. He did a great job of improving his conditioning heading into his senior season and it paid off with improved stuff, including a power curveball and a promising changeup to go with that heat."
Thursday Morning Hot Links
The Masked Marvel has the recap of the Astros' first win in Arlington since April 2015.
*Hinch:
Obviously, we're thrilled to get a win here. This has been a tough team for us matching up. There's no reason to celebrate unless we can start to back it up a little bit more. Certainly a sense of relief to get a win after a couple tough losses.
*Hinch:
These games here, they're crazy. Obviously, we know it can be done now in this ballpark, so it's a good win for us. A lot of guys did well, from the first hitter all the way to Will Harris at the end closing the door. It was a good team win. A lot of guys did a lot of good things.
Fister, who is 5-0 since the beginning of May, and the Astros have won each of his last eight starts:
A lot of it is just keeping the ball down. I've struggled with that in the past, and that's kind of been a focus in the bullpen sessions and especially executing in the game. But having the defense that we do, that allows me to go ahead and pitch down and try to get those ground balls and really let those guys run them down.
Altuve, who drove in the Astros' 2nd and 3rd runs (and then TOOTBLANd trying to get to 3rd):
We try to not pay attention to the noise about the way we play against the Rangers. This is a win like any other one. Wins are always important. At the end of the day, no matter who you're playing, you've got to get the win.
*Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Carlos Correa's MLB debut.
*After Tyler White's ridiculous opening week of the 2016 season, since April 15 he's hitting .163/.246/.301. Which means A.J. Reed is getting closer to a Houston call-up. Luhnow:
He's getting closer. No question about it. There are certain things that we're definitely looking for that will give us confidence that he's going to consistently deliver up here. But I don't think we're that far away.
*It's Draft Day! The Astros make their first two picks this evening on MLB Network. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo have the Astros taking Univ of Illinois RHP Cody Sedlock and Mississippi State RHP Dakota Hudson, respectively. But it certainly looks as though college pitching is where the Astros are looking.
*Vincent Velasquez left yesterday's start with tightness in his biceps after facing one batter. His first two fastballs registered 86 and 87.
*Root Sports caught some crap yesterday for their StroPoll:
*Before you go:
*Hinch:
Obviously, we're thrilled to get a win here. This has been a tough team for us matching up. There's no reason to celebrate unless we can start to back it up a little bit more. Certainly a sense of relief to get a win after a couple tough losses.
*Hinch:
These games here, they're crazy. Obviously, we know it can be done now in this ballpark, so it's a good win for us. A lot of guys did well, from the first hitter all the way to Will Harris at the end closing the door. It was a good team win. A lot of guys did a lot of good things.
Fister, who is 5-0 since the beginning of May, and the Astros have won each of his last eight starts:
A lot of it is just keeping the ball down. I've struggled with that in the past, and that's kind of been a focus in the bullpen sessions and especially executing in the game. But having the defense that we do, that allows me to go ahead and pitch down and try to get those ground balls and really let those guys run them down.
Altuve, who drove in the Astros' 2nd and 3rd runs (and then TOOTBLANd trying to get to 3rd):
We try to not pay attention to the noise about the way we play against the Rangers. This is a win like any other one. Wins are always important. At the end of the day, no matter who you're playing, you've got to get the win.
*Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Carlos Correa's MLB debut.
*After Tyler White's ridiculous opening week of the 2016 season, since April 15 he's hitting .163/.246/.301. Which means A.J. Reed is getting closer to a Houston call-up. Luhnow:
He's getting closer. No question about it. There are certain things that we're definitely looking for that will give us confidence that he's going to consistently deliver up here. But I don't think we're that far away.
*It's Draft Day! The Astros make their first two picks this evening on MLB Network. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo have the Astros taking Univ of Illinois RHP Cody Sedlock and Mississippi State RHP Dakota Hudson, respectively. But it certainly looks as though college pitching is where the Astros are looking.
*Vincent Velasquez left yesterday's start with tightness in his biceps after facing one batter. His first two fastballs registered 86 and 87.
Remember, the reason Vince Velasquez is in Philly is the Astros' concern that he wouldn't stay healthy. Phillies originally wanted McCullers— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) June 8, 2016
*Root Sports caught some crap yesterday for their StroPoll:
But I'm inclined to think that it was a joke given the previous day's StroPoll had to do with two options for your favorite band being "Guitars" and "Music."An "inside baseball" #StroPoll for you, @Astros fans! Which offensive stat is most important to a hitter's value?— ROOT SPORTS SW (@ROOTSPORTSSW) June 8, 2016
*Before you go:
The Yankees are the only team that hasn't had a 1st-round pick reach the majors this decade. https://t.co/rLLomuiXea pic.twitter.com/bK47RCAylo— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) June 8, 2016
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Tuesday Morning Hot Links
*The Masked Marvel has your recap of the heart-breaking loss to the South Euless Rangers.
*Mike Fiers:
I can't give them too much credit this game. There were a bunch of bloop hits. They battled me on some pitches. But we just played bad baseball. That's pretty much what it comes down to.
*If the Astros don't play like the 1919 White Sox in the 1st inning, somehow not covering first base TWICE, then this game is a different story. Or maybe when the Astros had Springer and Altuve up with one out and the bases loaded and didn't get a run out of it. Or maybe when some Voodoo Methodist shaman came and sacrificed a goat on the field for the Grapevine Mills Rangers.
*Ken Giles - who deserves next to none of the blame for this loss - is ready to throw down:
It has to be a double-play ball. It got caught in my glove a little bit. I was still able to get the out at second, but not the double play. But still, we played sloppy since the game started. A couple of situational hitting spots we missed, a couple of ground balls, we didn't get to a base and stuff like that, and we ended up losing the game.
*Hinch talked about the closer-by-committee role.
*Evan Gattis' resurgence at the plate might be attributed to a return to catching.
*Luhnow feels like they're picking in the second round of the draft because of how long they have to wait.
*In a story that just feels appropriate given the circumstances of last night's loss to West Grand Prairie, the Astros former VP of Human Resources had his 2005 National League Championship ring stolen out of a safe he forgot to bring in from his car.
*RIP Evan P. Grant's nipples, who died from him tweaking them too hard.
*Mike Fiers:
I can't give them too much credit this game. There were a bunch of bloop hits. They battled me on some pitches. But we just played bad baseball. That's pretty much what it comes down to.
*If the Astros don't play like the 1919 White Sox in the 1st inning, somehow not covering first base TWICE, then this game is a different story. Or maybe when the Astros had Springer and Altuve up with one out and the bases loaded and didn't get a run out of it. Or maybe when some Voodoo Methodist shaman came and sacrificed a goat on the field for the Grapevine Mills Rangers.
*Ken Giles - who deserves next to none of the blame for this loss - is ready to throw down:
*Correa, who bobbled what should easily have been a routine, inning-ending double play in the bottom of the 9th and allowed the situation for Punchy Odor to win the game for the Greater Texarkana Rangers, does deserve some of the blame, and says the rest of the team should share in that blame, as well.A very frustrated Giles: "We're going to go out there tomorrow and put them to the ground."— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) June 7, 2016
It has to be a double-play ball. It got caught in my glove a little bit. I was still able to get the out at second, but not the double play. But still, we played sloppy since the game started. A couple of situational hitting spots we missed, a couple of ground balls, we didn't get to a base and stuff like that, and we ended up losing the game.
*Hinch talked about the closer-by-committee role.
*Evan Gattis' resurgence at the plate might be attributed to a return to catching.
*Luhnow feels like they're picking in the second round of the draft because of how long they have to wait.
*In a story that just feels appropriate given the circumstances of last night's loss to West Grand Prairie, the Astros former VP of Human Resources had his 2005 National League Championship ring stolen out of a safe he forgot to bring in from his car.
*RIP Evan P. Grant's nipples, who died from him tweaking them too hard.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Monday Morning Hot Links
*The Astros prevailed over the hated A's yesterday, sweeping the three-game series at home. Cockroach has the recap. The Astros have gone 11-2 since the last time they played the Rangers.
*The Rangers swept the Mariners in Arlington and the Angels beat the Pirates, meaning the Mariners and A's were the only AL West teams to lose yesterday. The division looks like this:
East Fort Worth: -
Seattle: -3
Houston: -7
Anaheim: -8
Oakland: -9.5
*FanGraphs has the Astros at 43.5% to make the playoffs, raising their playoff odds by 22.8% since getting swept by South Oklahoma.
*Check David Nuno's postgame interviews with Correa, Marisnick, and Hinch regarding their optimism heading into Northwest Duncanville.
*Hinch:
It's not a surprise to me, it's more we're playing our brand of baseball and being rewarded for it with some wins. We've been playing good baseball. There's nothing we can't do on the field. We have a lot of confidence now. We don't feel that nervous energy when you fall behind.
*Richard Justice notes that the Astros are 0-10 in their last ten games in Northeast Mansfield.
*The Astros hope that Carlos Gomez's first homer of the season will spark his confidence. Gomez would like to show you the callouses on his left hand as evidence of how hard he is working:
Sooner or later, it had to pay off. Because it's not like I'm chilling at my locker and doing nothing. Look at my hands. This is a sign that I am working my ass off every time.
Carlos Correa got his 100th RBI in his 156th game, setting the franchise record for quickest to 100 RBIs - two games quicker than Hunter Pence.
*Will Harris got his first save of the season yesterday, and Hinch said they're easing off Gregerson as the only 9th inning guy on the team. Just so you know, and you probably do, but Will Harris this season has thrown 26.2IP, 15H/1ER, 29K:4BB. That's a 0.34 ERA/0.72 WHIP.
*Quad Cities has dropped 14 1-run games and are now 23-33. Manager Omar Lopez was pissed about Sunday's loss and held a team meeting:
It's these guys' careers. If they are tired of playing or are frustrated, I told them to let me know, we can tell the organization that if they are not committed to competing the right way...this is a team game. It's not tennis or ping-pong. They have to be in it together. We spend a lot of time putting information to give them to help them. It's all part of our preparation, but if they do not use it, if they do not go to the plate with a plan and execute it, these are the results. If they do not want it, there are 70 guys in the organization looking for an opportunity to be here.
*The Astros are expected to sign 16-year old Dominican shortstop Freudis Nova for about $1.5m. Nova had a deal for about $1m more with Miami, but tested positive for a steroid and Miami backed away. They're also expected to sign Venezuelan catcher Yorbin Cueta for over $1m.
*It looks like Minute Maid Park will be the host of some first round games in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
*For the second straight Mock Draft, Keith Law has the Astros taking a college pitcher - this time it's Pitt RHP T.J. Zeuch.
*A man with a mullet tackled a man in a tank top at Minute Maid.
*.187-hitting Prince Fielder wasn't happy about sitting for two straight games against Seattle.
*The Dodgers decided to eat $35m and DFA Carl Crawford and his .185/.230/.235 slash line. Not for nothing, but Carlos Gomez - even after his first home run of the season and a double - is hitting .191/.247/.279. Three active Astros have more strikeouts than they do total bases: Gomez (53K:38TB), Castro (50K:48TB), and Marisnick (25K:23TB).
*A Marlins minor-leaguer stabbed another Marlins minor-leaguer in a prank.
*The Rangers swept the Mariners in Arlington and the Angels beat the Pirates, meaning the Mariners and A's were the only AL West teams to lose yesterday. The division looks like this:
East Fort Worth: -
Seattle: -3
Houston: -7
Anaheim: -8
Oakland: -9.5
*FanGraphs has the Astros at 43.5% to make the playoffs, raising their playoff odds by 22.8% since getting swept by South Oklahoma.
*Check David Nuno's postgame interviews with Correa, Marisnick, and Hinch regarding their optimism heading into Northwest Duncanville.
*Hinch:
It's not a surprise to me, it's more we're playing our brand of baseball and being rewarded for it with some wins. We've been playing good baseball. There's nothing we can't do on the field. We have a lot of confidence now. We don't feel that nervous energy when you fall behind.
*Richard Justice notes that the Astros are 0-10 in their last ten games in Northeast Mansfield.
*The Astros hope that Carlos Gomez's first homer of the season will spark his confidence. Gomez would like to show you the callouses on his left hand as evidence of how hard he is working:
Sooner or later, it had to pay off. Because it's not like I'm chilling at my locker and doing nothing. Look at my hands. This is a sign that I am working my ass off every time.
Carlos Correa got his 100th RBI in his 156th game, setting the franchise record for quickest to 100 RBIs - two games quicker than Hunter Pence.
*Will Harris got his first save of the season yesterday, and Hinch said they're easing off Gregerson as the only 9th inning guy on the team. Just so you know, and you probably do, but Will Harris this season has thrown 26.2IP, 15H/1ER, 29K:4BB. That's a 0.34 ERA/0.72 WHIP.
*Quad Cities has dropped 14 1-run games and are now 23-33. Manager Omar Lopez was pissed about Sunday's loss and held a team meeting:
It's these guys' careers. If they are tired of playing or are frustrated, I told them to let me know, we can tell the organization that if they are not committed to competing the right way...this is a team game. It's not tennis or ping-pong. They have to be in it together. We spend a lot of time putting information to give them to help them. It's all part of our preparation, but if they do not use it, if they do not go to the plate with a plan and execute it, these are the results. If they do not want it, there are 70 guys in the organization looking for an opportunity to be here.
*The Astros are expected to sign 16-year old Dominican shortstop Freudis Nova for about $1.5m. Nova had a deal for about $1m more with Miami, but tested positive for a steroid and Miami backed away. They're also expected to sign Venezuelan catcher Yorbin Cueta for over $1m.
*It looks like Minute Maid Park will be the host of some first round games in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
*For the second straight Mock Draft, Keith Law has the Astros taking a college pitcher - this time it's Pitt RHP T.J. Zeuch.
*A man with a mullet tackled a man in a tank top at Minute Maid.
*.187-hitting Prince Fielder wasn't happy about sitting for two straight games against Seattle.
*The Dodgers decided to eat $35m and DFA Carl Crawford and his .185/.230/.235 slash line. Not for nothing, but Carlos Gomez - even after his first home run of the season and a double - is hitting .191/.247/.279. Three active Astros have more strikeouts than they do total bases: Gomez (53K:38TB), Castro (50K:48TB), and Marisnick (25K:23TB).
*A Marlins minor-leaguer stabbed another Marlins minor-leaguer in a prank.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Sunday Morning Hot Links
*The Masked Marvel has the recap of yesterday's extra-innings walk-off win over the A's. The Angels, Twins, and Mariners all lost, with Seattle's loss coming at the hands of West Dallas. That puts the AL West as such:
Rangers: -
Mariners: -2
Astros: -7
Angels: -8
A's: -8.5
*The Astros are 27-30. Since getting swept by the Rangers they are 10-2. The Astros now have a 41% chance to make the playoffs via FanGraphs, a 31% chance to make the playoffs via Baseball Prospectus, and FiveThirtyEight still isn't as sold as the other two with a 24% chance to make the playoffs.
*Still, Gregerson blew yet another save opportunity in the 9th - his 5th of the season in 18 attempts, most in baseball - and all since May 11. It was his second consecutive blown save, and he has allowed at least one run in three of his last four outings. Gregerson:
A lot of times I'm putting the ball almost right where I want it - down in the zone and good locations. Sometimes, you're just getting beat and I'm just trying not to get too frustrated with myself because I know that I'm making the pitch I want and right now, it's just not coming my way.
*Baseball America's John Manuel told the Chronicle that it's a good year to not have high draft picks, and zeroed in on Virginia's Matt Thaiss as a player that would fit Luhnow's M.O. and would fill a catching need in the organization. Lots of good quotes in this one.
*The Astros put Tyler White's car in center field during batting practice as a prank. Tyler White was not happy, especially when he couldn't find the keys and Carlos Gomezbunted into it hit it with a towering fly ball. Keuchel:
As long as you don't take it out of context, it's all fun and games and it makes you a little bit stronger. So (White) is one of the guys we like and we'll continue to get on him a little bit, and it will make him tougher.
*Sonny Gray will come off the DL and pitch today against the Astros.
*Chad Qualls is the active leader for most wins in relief.
*Noted terrible person and Marlins team president David Samson explained how they broke the news of Muhammad Ali's passing.
*Jerry Izenberg: I called Ali my friend.
*Jose de Jesus Ortiz writes that Baylor should have been more like Uncle Drayton.
*Jurgen Klinsmann's optimism from the Colombia game might screw the US over against Costa Rica.
*The Little League team with Kevin Love and Klay Thompson.
Rangers: -
Mariners: -2
Astros: -7
Angels: -8
A's: -8.5
*The Astros are 27-30. Since getting swept by the Rangers they are 10-2. The Astros now have a 41% chance to make the playoffs via FanGraphs, a 31% chance to make the playoffs via Baseball Prospectus, and FiveThirtyEight still isn't as sold as the other two with a 24% chance to make the playoffs.
*Still, Gregerson blew yet another save opportunity in the 9th - his 5th of the season in 18 attempts, most in baseball - and all since May 11. It was his second consecutive blown save, and he has allowed at least one run in three of his last four outings. Gregerson:
A lot of times I'm putting the ball almost right where I want it - down in the zone and good locations. Sometimes, you're just getting beat and I'm just trying not to get too frustrated with myself because I know that I'm making the pitch I want and right now, it's just not coming my way.
*Baseball America's John Manuel told the Chronicle that it's a good year to not have high draft picks, and zeroed in on Virginia's Matt Thaiss as a player that would fit Luhnow's M.O. and would fill a catching need in the organization. Lots of good quotes in this one.
*The Astros put Tyler White's car in center field during batting practice as a prank. Tyler White was not happy, especially when he couldn't find the keys and Carlos Gomez
As long as you don't take it out of context, it's all fun and games and it makes you a little bit stronger. So (White) is one of the guys we like and we'll continue to get on him a little bit, and it will make him tougher.
*Sonny Gray will come off the DL and pitch today against the Astros.
*Chad Qualls is the active leader for most wins in relief.
*Noted terrible person and Marlins team president David Samson explained how they broke the news of Muhammad Ali's passing.
*Jerry Izenberg: I called Ali my friend.
*Jose de Jesus Ortiz writes that Baylor should have been more like Uncle Drayton.
*Jurgen Klinsmann's optimism from the Colombia game might screw the US over against Costa Rica.
*The Little League team with Kevin Love and Klay Thompson.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Saturday Morning Hot Links
*The Masked Marvel has the recap of the violent and glorious 12-2 win over the A's. The Rangers beat the Mariners, the Angels beat the Pirates, and the Twins lost to the Rays. So the Astros are tied with the Angels for 3rd, 6.0 back of the Mariners, and 7.0 back of the Rangers.
*Carlos Correa hit a 440-foot triple, and our boy Daren Willman says that 93% of the balls hit that far leave the park.
*Jason Castro is still running a fever, hence all the Catchis love.
*Tony Kemp keeps playing his way into the Astros' lineup. Hinch:
He's very disciplined in his approach...and he can be a pest up there. So his ability to get on base is something that we've always liked throughout his minor-league career and if he gets up here and can hit at the bottom of the order and set the table for the top of the order, he will be very valuable for us.
*Jonah Keri writes about the unconventional choice of Springer hitting leadoff, and the resulting surge for the Astros.
*Richard Justice says that the Astros go as Springer goes.
*FanGraphs has a very in-depth interview with Lance McCullers regarding mechanics and pitching.
*The Astros will have just under $6,000,000 to spend on next week's draft. The Astros are linked to a number of college pitchers with the 17th overall pick.
*Jeff Passan: A Kansas high schooler's 157-pitch outing explains everything that's wrong with youth baseball.
*Vanderbilt is trying to cope after the death of pitcher Donny Everett.
*The Marlins scooped the world on Muhammad Ali's death.
*Robert Lipsyte's obituary of Muhammad Ali in the New York Times is fantastic. So is the one written by SI's Richard Hoffer.
Before You Go:
*Carlos Correa hit a 440-foot triple, and our boy Daren Willman says that 93% of the balls hit that far leave the park.
*Jason Castro is still running a fever, hence all the Catchis love.
*Tony Kemp keeps playing his way into the Astros' lineup. Hinch:
He's very disciplined in his approach...and he can be a pest up there. So his ability to get on base is something that we've always liked throughout his minor-league career and if he gets up here and can hit at the bottom of the order and set the table for the top of the order, he will be very valuable for us.
*Jonah Keri writes about the unconventional choice of Springer hitting leadoff, and the resulting surge for the Astros.
*Richard Justice says that the Astros go as Springer goes.
*FanGraphs has a very in-depth interview with Lance McCullers regarding mechanics and pitching.
*The Astros will have just under $6,000,000 to spend on next week's draft. The Astros are linked to a number of college pitchers with the 17th overall pick.
*Jeff Passan: A Kansas high schooler's 157-pitch outing explains everything that's wrong with youth baseball.
*Vanderbilt is trying to cope after the death of pitcher Donny Everett.
*The Marlins scooped the world on Muhammad Ali's death.
*Robert Lipsyte's obituary of Muhammad Ali in the New York Times is fantastic. So is the one written by SI's Richard Hoffer.
Before You Go:
This picture of Ali after having knocked out Cleveland Williams at the Astrodome takes my breath away. pic.twitter.com/JoVdYk8dNc— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) June 4, 2016
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Wednesday Morning Hot Links
*Evan Gattis and the Astros avoided arbitration with a possible two-year contract.
2016: $3.3m
2017: $5.2m with team option for a $100,000 buyout.
*BP released their PECOTA projections yesterday, and have the Astros at 88-74 - four games better than the 2nd-place Grand Marniers.
*"This is the best team in the AL West this year. They might hold that title for quite a while."
-Will Leitch
*Colby Rasmus is ready to "go out there and beat some folks, win some ballgames, chest-bump with these guys, and eat some gummy bears." And, oh yeah, he's become a clubhouse leader.
*Carlos Correa shows off Puerto Rico in his piece for The Players Tribune. He also signed an endorsement deal with Adidas.
*McTaggart took a look at the lineup, rotation, and bullpen.
*The Astros will have fun in the mornings, work in the afternoon at Spring Training.
*Jeff Bagwell will be in Kissimmee on A.J. Hinch's invitation over the first weekend in March.
*Thanks to an actually decent record in 2015, the Astros will have $8,062,700 to spend on the June draft and international players in 2016 - about $11m less than the Reds and Phillies. WHEN WILL THEY SPEND!!!1!?/?
*A.J. Hinch went golfing with the Dolphins' new head coach.
*In ESPN's pre-Spring Training Power Rankings, we're used to scrolling down to find the Astros. Today we scroll down so we can see the write-up...at #3.
*The Astros are shifting their scouting plan to accommodate lower draft picks.
*FanGraphs' KATOH system ranks the Astros as the 2nd-best farm system in baseball.
*"How about starting every inning with a runner on first base? How about starting each inning with a different count? Instead of three outs an inning, how about five batters? What if players are required
to steal?"
*Joel Sherman says baseball needs timeouts.
*Former Astros in the Milwaukee Fighting' Stearns organization: Chris Carter, Jonathan Villar, Jacob Nottingham, Domingo Santana, Josh Hader, Brett Phillips...
*The Barves really like what the Astros and Nationals are doing with their Spring Training site.
2016: $3.3m
2017: $5.2m with team option for a $100,000 buyout.
*BP released their PECOTA projections yesterday, and have the Astros at 88-74 - four games better than the 2nd-place Grand Marniers.
*"This is the best team in the AL West this year. They might hold that title for quite a while."
-Will Leitch
*Colby Rasmus is ready to "go out there and beat some folks, win some ballgames, chest-bump with these guys, and eat some gummy bears." And, oh yeah, he's become a clubhouse leader.
*Carlos Correa shows off Puerto Rico in his piece for The Players Tribune. He also signed an endorsement deal with Adidas.
*McTaggart took a look at the lineup, rotation, and bullpen.
*The Astros will have fun in the mornings, work in the afternoon at Spring Training.
*Jeff Bagwell will be in Kissimmee on A.J. Hinch's invitation over the first weekend in March.
*Thanks to an actually decent record in 2015, the Astros will have $8,062,700 to spend on the June draft and international players in 2016 - about $11m less than the Reds and Phillies. WHEN WILL THEY SPEND!!!1!?/?
*A.J. Hinch went golfing with the Dolphins' new head coach.
*In ESPN's pre-Spring Training Power Rankings, we're used to scrolling down to find the Astros. Today we scroll down so we can see the write-up...at #3.
*The Astros are shifting their scouting plan to accommodate lower draft picks.
*FanGraphs' KATOH system ranks the Astros as the 2nd-best farm system in baseball.
*"How about starting every inning with a runner on first base? How about starting each inning with a different count? Instead of three outs an inning, how about five batters? What if players are required
to steal?"
*Joel Sherman says baseball needs timeouts.
*Former Astros in the Milwaukee Fighting' Stearns organization: Chris Carter, Jonathan Villar, Jacob Nottingham, Domingo Santana, Josh Hader, Brett Phillips...
*The Barves really like what the Astros and Nationals are doing with their Spring Training site.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Wednesday Morning Hot Links
For the most part, things have (publicly) settled down with the Astros after the Ken Giles trade. Still, I think we can rustle up a few things of interest...
*Of the 42 markets with an MLB, NBA, and/or an NFL team, Grammarly ranked Houston 29th in terms of "most grammatical mistakes per 100 words," with 12.70.
I actually think this is because Grammarly doesn't understand what "cHRis carter" meant.
*Alex Speier: Giles, Kimbrel deals show relief doesn't come cheap.
*Phillies GM Matt Klentak said the Astros' offer was too good to pass up.
*This Marc Hulet FanGraphs piece says that the failed physical was (allegedly) Derek Fisher.
*While working out the details of the Giles deal, the Astros were in on Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Jake McGee, Brad Boxberger, and Craig Kimbrel.
*The Astros are not on Jonathan Papelbon's no-trade list. Good, it would be fun to have a guy in the clubhouse who might choke you at any point.
*Ted Berg has a good writeup of Mark Appel and the effectiveness of the MLB draft.
*Former Astros announcer Dave Raymond will help out on the Rangers tv and radio broadcasts.
*Of the 42 markets with an MLB, NBA, and/or an NFL team, Grammarly ranked Houston 29th in terms of "most grammatical mistakes per 100 words," with 12.70.
I actually think this is because Grammarly doesn't understand what "cHRis carter" meant.
*Alex Speier: Giles, Kimbrel deals show relief doesn't come cheap.
*Phillies GM Matt Klentak said the Astros' offer was too good to pass up.
*This Marc Hulet FanGraphs piece says that the failed physical was (allegedly) Derek Fisher.
*While working out the details of the Giles deal, the Astros were in on Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Jake McGee, Brad Boxberger, and Craig Kimbrel.
*The Astros are not on Jonathan Papelbon's no-trade list. Good, it would be fun to have a guy in the clubhouse who might choke you at any point.
*Ted Berg has a good writeup of Mark Appel and the effectiveness of the MLB draft.
*Former Astros announcer Dave Raymond will help out on the Rangers tv and radio broadcasts.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Monday Morning Hot Links
It is June 8, my friends. Correa Day. All Correa's Day. Draft Day. Monday. However you want to label it. With the Astros getting Villar'd yesterday, the Astros have a 3.5 game lead and a 48.5% chance of winning the division, with a 61.8% chance of making the postseason.
*Luhnow talked about the reasoning behind promoting Correa:
Our team could use the spark right now. We haven't been playing our best baseball over the past few days and hopefully Carlos can add something that's been missing. We have to try and do everything we can to maintain our division lead and get this team to the postseason, and if calling up Carlos Correa helps us do that, that's what we're prepared for.
*In that previous link, Luhnow said he did talk with Jed Lowrie about bringing Correa up:
It's probably 33 games between now and the All-Star Game and you assume Jed's going to be back after the All-Star break, so that gives us a good amount of time to see how Carlos is doing and we'll determine at that point where everybody fits.
*Corpus manager Rodney Linares:
Carlos is going to be a good player for a long, long time. He's going to help us win championships, and he's also going to be a great ambassador for our game.
*ESPN's Christina Kahrl, on Correa's call-up:
This becomes just the most recent example of a team going young while also going for it, with examples like the Cubs this year, the Diamondbacks when they called up Paul Goldschmidt to solve their first-base problem en route to the 2011 postseason or the Braves bringing up Andruw Jones for the stretch run in 1996. It's a thing.
*The Astros close the book on the 2014 draft and get ready to open the 2015 draft. Luhnow:
We've been out scouting, we've been talking to advisors, players, parents, etc. I think more than anything, the fact that the Astros' plan seems to be coming together, and it's starting to work and make some sense, I think is drawing more interest to players potentially signing with us. So I think we're in a pretty good spot.
*Cole Hamels is, diplomatically, happy in Philadelphia.
So we close with the two lasting images of Jonathan Villar's tenure:
Good night, sweet prince.
*Luhnow talked about the reasoning behind promoting Correa:
Our team could use the spark right now. We haven't been playing our best baseball over the past few days and hopefully Carlos can add something that's been missing. We have to try and do everything we can to maintain our division lead and get this team to the postseason, and if calling up Carlos Correa helps us do that, that's what we're prepared for.
*In that previous link, Luhnow said he did talk with Jed Lowrie about bringing Correa up:
It's probably 33 games between now and the All-Star Game and you assume Jed's going to be back after the All-Star break, so that gives us a good amount of time to see how Carlos is doing and we'll determine at that point where everybody fits.
*Corpus manager Rodney Linares:
Carlos is going to be a good player for a long, long time. He's going to help us win championships, and he's also going to be a great ambassador for our game.
*ESPN's Christina Kahrl, on Correa's call-up:
This becomes just the most recent example of a team going young while also going for it, with examples like the Cubs this year, the Diamondbacks when they called up Paul Goldschmidt to solve their first-base problem en route to the 2011 postseason or the Braves bringing up Andruw Jones for the stretch run in 1996. It's a thing.
*The Astros close the book on the 2014 draft and get ready to open the 2015 draft. Luhnow:
We've been out scouting, we've been talking to advisors, players, parents, etc. I think more than anything, the fact that the Astros' plan seems to be coming together, and it's starting to work and make some sense, I think is drawing more interest to players potentially signing with us. So I think we're in a pretty good spot.
*Cole Hamels is, diplomatically, happy in Philadelphia.
So we close with the two lasting images of Jonathan Villar's tenure:
Good night, sweet prince.
Happy Carlos Correa Day (plus Day 1 Draft Primer)
The Astros recently announced that Carlos Correa will join the Astros in Chicago in time for the first game of the series against the White Sox. Correa will join the Astros at the expense of Handsome Jake (Buchanan), who will be optioned to Fresno. Because Correa is not on the 40-man, a corresponding move will also have to be made, and Deduno to the 60-man is one possibility.
Correa joins the Astros nearly exactly three years after he was drafted first in the 2012 draft (3 years, 4 days to be exact). Correa played in short-season / rookie league ball that year, then Lo-A Quad Cities in 2013 and Lancaster in 2014. His season in Lancaster ended with a broken leg - it was initially reported as a broken tibia, but more recently has been reported as a broken fibula. Regardless of the exact bone broken, it was a break in the sense that it was reported that the ankle ligament took a bit of bone off the bottom of the leg, which is unlikely to be a career threatening injury without some kind of serious and rare complication.
Correa's travels in 2015 are well documented. He burned through the Texas League, raking to the tune of .385/.459/.726 in 133 plate appearances, then he continued his solid season in AAA Fresno, hitting .266/.336/.447 in 107 plate appearances. Correa has a combined 18 stolen bases between the two levels, with one caught stealing. He has 10 home runs - seven in AA. He seems to have cooled off lately, but a counter-argument is that he was probably ready for the Majors in Spring Training, and didn't really need to head to AA.
Regardless of what the numbers say, the Astros clearly think that he is ready. The super-two deadline has likely passed, partly thanks to the early promotion of prospects like Kris Bryant and Houston's own Lance McCullers. The Astros could also use a spark - they seem to have hit a flat point in their season - and if Correa gets off to a hot start, Valbuena could be the one displaced when Jed Lowrie returns.
The irony is that just as the Astros promote one minor-league shortstop, they are highly likely to draft another tomorrow. Tomorrow is the Rule 4 draft - and the first 40-odd picks will be made tomorrow. As any reasonable Astros fan knows, they have picks two and five, which puts them in a stunning position because no team has had two draft picks that high. The linked article explains that teams in a similar position (i.e. two early draft picks) have done pretty well out of those picks, but that the Astros are even better placed than pretty much every team in history because they have four of the first 46 picks along with two of the first five picks.
Complicating this, however, is industry consensus that the top of the draft is weaker than in most years. I listened closely to Kiley McDaniel and Jim Callis over the weekend, and they agreed that this year seems to be a poor year to be picking early. Both pundits wonder whether there is a player worth five or six million in this draft, and both speculated as to where the consensus top hitter and pitcher would go if they were in the 2014 or 2016 drafts. So while the Astros may have an amazing opportunity, the draft class may not be in their favour - perhaps. It's a draft, so we probably won't know for 8 years or so.
The top three picks seem to all be three shortstops, which is how they relate directly to Correa's promotion. All three seem to have the glove to stay at short, and all are significant offensive producers. Dansby Swanson from Vanderbilt seems to be rated at the top of most draft boards - probably including the Astros' - and if he slides past the Diamondbacks, he probably won't get to number three. No one really knows what the Diamondbacks are going to do, but the consensus seems to be that Swanson is the choice here, although cutting an under-slot deal with someone in the 10-20 range (á la Carlos Correa in 2012, without the 10-20 range bit) remains a possibility. That player may be Tyler Stephenson, a catcher from Georgia. If Stephenson's name is read out first, then celebrate, Astros fans, because the Astros are going to get an opportunity to select the player they really want.
The other two shortstops are Alex Bregman from LSU, and Brandan Rodgers, a high school shortstop from Florida. Bregman is first on the board at minorleagueball.com, and Rodgers was the closest thing to a consensus top prospect heading into the 2015 draft year. He has done little to quieten the hype, but has also not really excelled.
There are a couple of other factors at play here, and much depends on the D-backs' selection. The Astros may not take a shortshop with the second pick if Arizona takes someone like Stephenson, because they know that one of the three shortstops will still be there when they choose at number five. Another whisper is that one of the college shortstops will be taken at two, because the Astros want to choose a high schooler at 5 - such as Mike Cameron's son Daz, or Preston Tucker's brother Kyle. Another whisper is that Daz Cameron is demanding 5 mil as a draft price, and is prepared to slide if teams won't meet that demand. One comment that I heard over the weekend is that Cameron could slide to 37, whereupon the Astros could snaffle him, and save enough with the first two picks to sign Cameron for five-large. Also watch out for Andrew Benintendi, a college outfield sophomore, as the number 5 pick if the Astros choose Brendan Rodgers at number 2.
Couple of other stories will also bear watching. Perhaps Brady Aiken's medicals are better-than-expected, and most articles that I have read project him to go to the Dodgers at 24 at lowest. Mac Marshall is a second- or third-round talent (#146 on minorleagueball.com), and seems keen to have a relationship with the Astros, so perhaps they get him the second time around. And not many polished pitchers, so any arms the Astros may take early (in their first two picks) are probably projects, and may be picked because of what it allows the Astros to do later in the draft.
So the circle of life continues. The Astros will promote one shortstop, and will have ample opportunity to draft another shortstop tomorrow. Talent be damned - perhaps the draft class is not as strong as what it has been in previous years, but nothing can be done about that. Regardless, the Astros have a unique opportunity to add some serious talent to the organisation in the next few days. Jeff Luhnow made his name in baseball clocking a couple of drafts for the Cardinals, and the 2012 draft for the Astros certainly looks pretty good at the moment. Hopefully the same will occur in 2015.
Whatever happens, it will be interesting.
Correa joins the Astros nearly exactly three years after he was drafted first in the 2012 draft (3 years, 4 days to be exact). Correa played in short-season / rookie league ball that year, then Lo-A Quad Cities in 2013 and Lancaster in 2014. His season in Lancaster ended with a broken leg - it was initially reported as a broken tibia, but more recently has been reported as a broken fibula. Regardless of the exact bone broken, it was a break in the sense that it was reported that the ankle ligament took a bit of bone off the bottom of the leg, which is unlikely to be a career threatening injury without some kind of serious and rare complication.
Correa's travels in 2015 are well documented. He burned through the Texas League, raking to the tune of .385/.459/.726 in 133 plate appearances, then he continued his solid season in AAA Fresno, hitting .266/.336/.447 in 107 plate appearances. Correa has a combined 18 stolen bases between the two levels, with one caught stealing. He has 10 home runs - seven in AA. He seems to have cooled off lately, but a counter-argument is that he was probably ready for the Majors in Spring Training, and didn't really need to head to AA.
Regardless of what the numbers say, the Astros clearly think that he is ready. The super-two deadline has likely passed, partly thanks to the early promotion of prospects like Kris Bryant and Houston's own Lance McCullers. The Astros could also use a spark - they seem to have hit a flat point in their season - and if Correa gets off to a hot start, Valbuena could be the one displaced when Jed Lowrie returns.
The irony is that just as the Astros promote one minor-league shortstop, they are highly likely to draft another tomorrow. Tomorrow is the Rule 4 draft - and the first 40-odd picks will be made tomorrow. As any reasonable Astros fan knows, they have picks two and five, which puts them in a stunning position because no team has had two draft picks that high. The linked article explains that teams in a similar position (i.e. two early draft picks) have done pretty well out of those picks, but that the Astros are even better placed than pretty much every team in history because they have four of the first 46 picks along with two of the first five picks.
Complicating this, however, is industry consensus that the top of the draft is weaker than in most years. I listened closely to Kiley McDaniel and Jim Callis over the weekend, and they agreed that this year seems to be a poor year to be picking early. Both pundits wonder whether there is a player worth five or six million in this draft, and both speculated as to where the consensus top hitter and pitcher would go if they were in the 2014 or 2016 drafts. So while the Astros may have an amazing opportunity, the draft class may not be in their favour - perhaps. It's a draft, so we probably won't know for 8 years or so.
The top three picks seem to all be three shortstops, which is how they relate directly to Correa's promotion. All three seem to have the glove to stay at short, and all are significant offensive producers. Dansby Swanson from Vanderbilt seems to be rated at the top of most draft boards - probably including the Astros' - and if he slides past the Diamondbacks, he probably won't get to number three. No one really knows what the Diamondbacks are going to do, but the consensus seems to be that Swanson is the choice here, although cutting an under-slot deal with someone in the 10-20 range (á la Carlos Correa in 2012, without the 10-20 range bit) remains a possibility. That player may be Tyler Stephenson, a catcher from Georgia. If Stephenson's name is read out first, then celebrate, Astros fans, because the Astros are going to get an opportunity to select the player they really want.
The other two shortstops are Alex Bregman from LSU, and Brandan Rodgers, a high school shortstop from Florida. Bregman is first on the board at minorleagueball.com, and Rodgers was the closest thing to a consensus top prospect heading into the 2015 draft year. He has done little to quieten the hype, but has also not really excelled.
There are a couple of other factors at play here, and much depends on the D-backs' selection. The Astros may not take a shortshop with the second pick if Arizona takes someone like Stephenson, because they know that one of the three shortstops will still be there when they choose at number five. Another whisper is that one of the college shortstops will be taken at two, because the Astros want to choose a high schooler at 5 - such as Mike Cameron's son Daz, or Preston Tucker's brother Kyle. Another whisper is that Daz Cameron is demanding 5 mil as a draft price, and is prepared to slide if teams won't meet that demand. One comment that I heard over the weekend is that Cameron could slide to 37, whereupon the Astros could snaffle him, and save enough with the first two picks to sign Cameron for five-large. Also watch out for Andrew Benintendi, a college outfield sophomore, as the number 5 pick if the Astros choose Brendan Rodgers at number 2.
Couple of other stories will also bear watching. Perhaps Brady Aiken's medicals are better-than-expected, and most articles that I have read project him to go to the Dodgers at 24 at lowest. Mac Marshall is a second- or third-round talent (#146 on minorleagueball.com), and seems keen to have a relationship with the Astros, so perhaps they get him the second time around. And not many polished pitchers, so any arms the Astros may take early (in their first two picks) are probably projects, and may be picked because of what it allows the Astros to do later in the draft.
So the circle of life continues. The Astros will promote one shortstop, and will have ample opportunity to draft another shortstop tomorrow. Talent be damned - perhaps the draft class is not as strong as what it has been in previous years, but nothing can be done about that. Regardless, the Astros have a unique opportunity to add some serious talent to the organisation in the next few days. Jeff Luhnow made his name in baseball clocking a couple of drafts for the Cardinals, and the 2012 draft for the Astros certainly looks pretty good at the moment. Hopefully the same will occur in 2015.
Whatever happens, it will be interesting.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Baseball America's Mock Draft
Baseball America released their second mock draft this afternoon, and here's who they have the Astros taking:
1-2: John Manuel says the Astros really like Carson Fulmer, but projects the D'Backs to take him with the 1-1. In this mock draft, Manuel has the Astros taking Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, who sounds like he would be more at home at dinner with Jay Gatsby.
1-5: While Vandy pitcher Walker Buehler (a character from William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying") is a sleeper pick here, Manuel has the Astros taking Preston Tucker's brother Kyle, an outfielder from Plant (FL) High School.
As an aside, Manuel has Brady Aiken going to the Dodgers at 1-24.
1-2: John Manuel says the Astros really like Carson Fulmer, but projects the D'Backs to take him with the 1-1. In this mock draft, Manuel has the Astros taking Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, who sounds like he would be more at home at dinner with Jay Gatsby.
1-5: While Vandy pitcher Walker Buehler (a character from William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying") is a sleeper pick here, Manuel has the Astros taking Preston Tucker's brother Kyle, an outfielder from Plant (FL) High School.
As an aside, Manuel has Brady Aiken going to the Dodgers at 1-24.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
McDaniel on Brady Aiken
Kiley McDaniel, lead prospect guru at Fangraphs, just published his early primer for the 2015 Rule 4 Draft. His comments on Brady Aiken, who he ranked number 24, were particularly interesting. Quote:
McDaniel seems to think that the details of what happens will probably become clearer prior to the draft. I am a little less sure - from my much less knowledgeable position, that is. Aiken's camp will probably fire off favourable medicals to interested teams, but medical ethics being what they are, confidentiality agreements will restrict the flow of information going to teams outside of what Aiken's camp provides. Aiken's camp could troll the medical profession for reports that minimise or lessen the scale of the problem, if they wish. Anyone who leaks any significant piece of detailed information that comments on the extent of the problem would be liable to be sued. The amount that could be paid in damages would range from the amount of money that Aiken would miss out on in the draft to something approaching the cost of a fairly lucrative contract.
The ultimate determination of whether the Astros were justified in doing what they did is still years away from being clear. But in the Court of Public Opinion, they have already been convicted and sentenced via portrayals that they are simply an evil organisation that was only interested in saving a million or two. As I have said before, few retractions from the more critical of the commentators are likely to be published. This whole situation was a nightmare for all concerned - especially Aiken - but the Astros have taken a bath in the public eye, and I don't think that was necessarily justified.
"Aiken is a massive question mark at this point. He has that #1 overall ability in him and he’s recovering from Tommy John surgery, so many fans just assume he’ll go from a top 3 pick to a top 10-15 pick and that’s that. There is persistent, consistent and detailed buzz coming from many sources that there is more to Aiken’s injury than just a clean surgery like Erick Fedde, Jeff Hoffman or Lucas Giolito from recent years
"I won’t repeat the specific rumors, but the worst versions of it say there are career-threatening issues at play, while others say it’s merely an increased risk of further injury going forward. All 30 teams will get Aiken’s medical before the draft, the details will likely leak to the media and the answers that no one has at this point will come out before decisions have to be made. Either these rumors are bunk and Aiken will go 7th-10th overall as some expect, or he’ll get taken off a bunch of draft boards altogether and I’ll be forced to rank him somewhere around 40, with no telling where he’ll go or how much money he’ll get. I decided to split the difference and put him him in between those two possible scenarios."This represents another data-point in what we think may have been behind the decision to renege on his contract. Aiken's UCL was not damaged at the time of the draft; he was able to physically have Tommy John Surgery; the said surgery was reported to have been successful; but another anatomical problem may exist which means that Aiken may not ever get back to throwing how did prior to the draft.
McDaniel seems to think that the details of what happens will probably become clearer prior to the draft. I am a little less sure - from my much less knowledgeable position, that is. Aiken's camp will probably fire off favourable medicals to interested teams, but medical ethics being what they are, confidentiality agreements will restrict the flow of information going to teams outside of what Aiken's camp provides. Aiken's camp could troll the medical profession for reports that minimise or lessen the scale of the problem, if they wish. Anyone who leaks any significant piece of detailed information that comments on the extent of the problem would be liable to be sued. The amount that could be paid in damages would range from the amount of money that Aiken would miss out on in the draft to something approaching the cost of a fairly lucrative contract.
The ultimate determination of whether the Astros were justified in doing what they did is still years away from being clear. But in the Court of Public Opinion, they have already been convicted and sentenced via portrayals that they are simply an evil organisation that was only interested in saving a million or two. As I have said before, few retractions from the more critical of the commentators are likely to be published. This whole situation was a nightmare for all concerned - especially Aiken - but the Astros have taken a bath in the public eye, and I don't think that was necessarily justified.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Brady Aiken's TJS
I remember where I was when Brady Aiken was drafted by the Astros. I was driving between two of my work sites listening to Robert Ford and Steve Sparks via Gameday at the exact moment the draft was happening. Aiken was my preferred pick prior to the draft, mostly because there had been a bit of negative publicity about Carlos Rodon and his reliance on his slider, and partly because I could see him in the Bigs in 2016 or 2017. Anyhow, after one joyous yell, one fist pump, and one near collision with a car driving the other way, I settled in to fantasise about Clayton Kershaw Mk II and what it would mean to the Astros for the rest of my travels.
Stuff, of course, started to go awry pretty much straight away. Aiken visited Houston, no deals were announced, then whispers about there being a problem emerged. The deadline for signing got closer, and the pundits seemed to say that perhaps there may be a problem, but that it would be highly unusual for something not to be worked out. The deadline passed, Aiken stayed unsigned, and the Astros took a bath in the media, losing Mac Marshall and Jacob Nix in the process.
I wrote a little bit about Aiken and his situation in the aftermath of the whole cluster-fudge. Re-reading the article, I think it holds up pretty well over time. The details around what was said were clearly important: Close and Aiken claimed that he had no symptoms and therefore wasn't sick, the Astros obviously saw something else that they didn't like, and the available information seemed to point to an unusual situation that perhaps related to Aiken's ability to have effective rehabilitative interventions in the future.
I thought - at the time - that a fair amount of time would need to lapse to tell who was "the winner" in this situation. (Disclaimer: there is no winner, but the issue really is whether the Astros actions were justified). Regardless, I didn't expect this to shake down so quickly. Aiken's recent start was - to the best of my tiny amount of knowledge - the first time that he threw in a game since the draft, and he lasted all of 13 or so pitches.
It would be tempting for an Astros fan to get all cock-a-hoop about Aiken's failed run-up to the 2015 draft, and declare the Astros "the winner" at this point. But, not so fast. This wasn't about currently being injured. The information that we had appeared to be about his ability to successfully rehabilitate, and with pitchers, elbows are always worth looking at.
Now Aiken has already had TJS, so he is clearly able to have the procedure. But there are a lot of recovery milestones between having the operation, and successfully throwing fastballs in the mid-90's and snapping breaking pitches for strikes. So the next 12 months will be hugely important for Aiken and his rehabilitation, and the year-or-two after that will go a long way toward proving Aiken's ability or inability to stay healthy.
Regardless of the intensity of a fan's affiliation with the Astros, I would hope that no one is wishing for Aiken to have come to the end of his career.
I also need to point out that the Astros simply cannot afford to whiff on these number-one picks. And in the middle of 2014, it certainly looked like they had screwed up the 2013 draft, with Appel throwing meatballs in Hi-A, and Kris Bryant mashing while he raced up the minor league ladder. With Appel and Bryant, things look a little more even now, but with Dominguez posting an OBP of .260 in mid-2014, Bryant would have looked pretty darn good in getting a cup of coffee.
I have two other brickbats to throw. This is the first time I have visited the Players' Tribune. I am not impressed, and won't be adding it to my compulsory reading list. It looks like a fancy looking forum for athletes to post whatever unmitigated rubbish they want, with no filtering or capacity for anyone to question or present any counter-arguments. Because athletes are always right, and journalists are horrible when they question what they say. This is why the Players' Tribune exists. Gah!
Of course, the second brickbat is directed toward the press. Lots of cheap copy that vilified the Astros around the time of the whole debacle was printed, painting them as a ruthless or incompetent organisation that blackmailed a poor, innocent high-schooler whose only crime was to have dreams of greatness. Bad, evil Astros!! Crushing dreams since Luhnow employed a phalanx of robot number-crunchers to rid baseball of the human side.
I plan to count the number of articles in the press that acknowledge their previous missteps, or thoughtfully revisit their articles from July and August of last year. I am confident that nothing like that will occur - because that is not how most of the press works. They need to fill columns and sell copy - and it doesn't matter who gets in the way, but up-playing the drama of the story often gets to sell more. Every story needs a villain, the Astros fitted the bill nicely, and the narrative about the Astros and their incompetency / ruthlessness / whatever gets to gain traction.
If you haven't already visited Constable's Rage-venture post, please do so now.
Stuff, of course, started to go awry pretty much straight away. Aiken visited Houston, no deals were announced, then whispers about there being a problem emerged. The deadline for signing got closer, and the pundits seemed to say that perhaps there may be a problem, but that it would be highly unusual for something not to be worked out. The deadline passed, Aiken stayed unsigned, and the Astros took a bath in the media, losing Mac Marshall and Jacob Nix in the process.
I wrote a little bit about Aiken and his situation in the aftermath of the whole cluster-fudge. Re-reading the article, I think it holds up pretty well over time. The details around what was said were clearly important: Close and Aiken claimed that he had no symptoms and therefore wasn't sick, the Astros obviously saw something else that they didn't like, and the available information seemed to point to an unusual situation that perhaps related to Aiken's ability to have effective rehabilitative interventions in the future.
I thought - at the time - that a fair amount of time would need to lapse to tell who was "the winner" in this situation. (Disclaimer: there is no winner, but the issue really is whether the Astros actions were justified). Regardless, I didn't expect this to shake down so quickly. Aiken's recent start was - to the best of my tiny amount of knowledge - the first time that he threw in a game since the draft, and he lasted all of 13 or so pitches.
It would be tempting for an Astros fan to get all cock-a-hoop about Aiken's failed run-up to the 2015 draft, and declare the Astros "the winner" at this point. But, not so fast. This wasn't about currently being injured. The information that we had appeared to be about his ability to successfully rehabilitate, and with pitchers, elbows are always worth looking at.
Now Aiken has already had TJS, so he is clearly able to have the procedure. But there are a lot of recovery milestones between having the operation, and successfully throwing fastballs in the mid-90's and snapping breaking pitches for strikes. So the next 12 months will be hugely important for Aiken and his rehabilitation, and the year-or-two after that will go a long way toward proving Aiken's ability or inability to stay healthy.
Regardless of the intensity of a fan's affiliation with the Astros, I would hope that no one is wishing for Aiken to have come to the end of his career.
I also need to point out that the Astros simply cannot afford to whiff on these number-one picks. And in the middle of 2014, it certainly looked like they had screwed up the 2013 draft, with Appel throwing meatballs in Hi-A, and Kris Bryant mashing while he raced up the minor league ladder. With Appel and Bryant, things look a little more even now, but with Dominguez posting an OBP of .260 in mid-2014, Bryant would have looked pretty darn good in getting a cup of coffee.
I have two other brickbats to throw. This is the first time I have visited the Players' Tribune. I am not impressed, and won't be adding it to my compulsory reading list. It looks like a fancy looking forum for athletes to post whatever unmitigated rubbish they want, with no filtering or capacity for anyone to question or present any counter-arguments. Because athletes are always right, and journalists are horrible when they question what they say. This is why the Players' Tribune exists. Gah!
Of course, the second brickbat is directed toward the press. Lots of cheap copy that vilified the Astros around the time of the whole debacle was printed, painting them as a ruthless or incompetent organisation that blackmailed a poor, innocent high-schooler whose only crime was to have dreams of greatness. Bad, evil Astros!! Crushing dreams since Luhnow employed a phalanx of robot number-crunchers to rid baseball of the human side.
I plan to count the number of articles in the press that acknowledge their previous missteps, or thoughtfully revisit their articles from July and August of last year. I am confident that nothing like that will occur - because that is not how most of the press works. They need to fill columns and sell copy - and it doesn't matter who gets in the way, but up-playing the drama of the story often gets to sell more. Every story needs a villain, the Astros fitted the bill nicely, and the narrative about the Astros and their incompetency / ruthlessness / whatever gets to gain traction.
If you haven't already visited Constable's Rage-venture post, please do so now.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Thursday Morning Link Dump
*Here's an interesting report from Evan Drellich on redrafting Brady Aiken or Jacob Nix in 2015, and that the Astros won't lose their top two draft picks next year.
*The Rangers don't have any questions regarding Delino DeShields' work ethic. Neither did the Astros.
*Trey Hillman is excited.
*The Rangers don't have any questions regarding Delino DeShields' work ethic. Neither did the Astros.
*Trey Hillman is excited.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Astros and Jacob Nix reach settlement
The Astros and unsigned 2014 5th Round pick Jacob Nix have agreed to a settlement of an undisclosed amount, according to multiple media reports.
To recap just what the hell this is about:
The Astros drafted Brady Aiken with the #1 overall pick, and then drafted friend, fellow UCLA commit, and fellow Casey Close client Nix with their 5th Round selection. The Astros and Nix had agreed to a $1.5m bonus contingent on Aiken's $6m signing. Then the Astros "found" Aiken had a teeny-tiny UCL and tried to renegotiate (or, drop the bottom out of) Aiken's bonus. Aiken and Close told the Astros, whose bedsheet and comforter were decidedly soaked with fecal matter, to piss off. When the Astros realized they'd be on the hook for the full pricetag of the 1-1 pick, they couldn't sign Nix. So, through no fault of his own, Nix lost out on becoming a teenage millionaire. And the world was understandably pissed.
Now, both Aiken's and Nix's college eligibility is up to the NCAA (which is akin to having your fate decided by a drunk with a combover at the roulette table), because their eligibility has been compromised by having Close obviously represent them.
The only bright side? It seems as though the Astros won't have to forfeit their 1-2 and 1-5 pick in 2015. Why would they have to do that? Because if they were on the hook for Nix's $1.5m deal, that would put them over their bonus pool by such a percentage that the penalty is to forfeit the top two picks in the following draft. So it seems as though by making this agreement, the Astros aren't going to lose the "benefit" of not signing Aiken, after all.
What a freaking train wreck that was.
To recap just what the hell this is about:
The Astros drafted Brady Aiken with the #1 overall pick, and then drafted friend, fellow UCLA commit, and fellow Casey Close client Nix with their 5th Round selection. The Astros and Nix had agreed to a $1.5m bonus contingent on Aiken's $6m signing. Then the Astros "found" Aiken had a teeny-tiny UCL and tried to renegotiate (or, drop the bottom out of) Aiken's bonus. Aiken and Close told the Astros, whose bedsheet and comforter were decidedly soaked with fecal matter, to piss off. When the Astros realized they'd be on the hook for the full pricetag of the 1-1 pick, they couldn't sign Nix. So, through no fault of his own, Nix lost out on becoming a teenage millionaire. And the world was understandably pissed.
Now, both Aiken's and Nix's college eligibility is up to the NCAA (which is akin to having your fate decided by a drunk with a combover at the roulette table), because their eligibility has been compromised by having Close obviously represent them.
The only bright side? It seems as though the Astros won't have to forfeit their 1-2 and 1-5 pick in 2015. Why would they have to do that? Because if they were on the hook for Nix's $1.5m deal, that would put them over their bonus pool by such a percentage that the penalty is to forfeit the top two picks in the following draft. So it seems as though by making this agreement, the Astros aren't going to lose the "benefit" of not signing Aiken, after all.
What a freaking train wreck that was.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Have the Astros signed Brady Aiken yet?
The deadline? to let the Commissioner's office know that teams have signed their draft picks WAS at 7/18/2014 4pm Central. Here is a running update of updates.
UPDATE: UMMM, so this is interesting.
We shall see
UPDATE: 4:15pm: Report that the Astros did not sign Aiken, Nix, or Marshall
UPDATE: UMMM, so this is interesting.
The expectation from those close to the negotiation is that Brady Aiken will end up making a deal with the Astros around the Nix hearing.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) August 21, 2014
More details http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/08/astros-could-still-reach-deal-with-brady-aiken.htmlWe shall see
UPDATE: 4:15pm: Report that the Astros did not sign Aiken, Nix, or Marshall
(https://twitter.com/keithlaw/status/490243272904699904)
4:13pm: Jim Callis reports a source who said Marshall did not sign with Houston (https://twitter.com/jimcallismlb/status/490242739200884739)
4:00pm: waiting on word
3:55pm: No
3:50pm: No
3:40pm: No
3:30pm: No
3:00pm: No
2:30pm: No
2:00pm: No
2:30pm: No
2:00pm: No
1:30: No
1:00pm: No
12:30pm: No
12:00pm: No
11:22am: No
11:00am: No
10:30am: No
10:00am: No
9:30am: No
9:00am: No
8:30am: No
8:00am: No
12:00pm: No
11:22am: No
11:00am: No
10:30am: No
10:00am: No
9:30am: No
9:00am: No
8:30am: No
8:00am: No
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