*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.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label Mock Draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mock Draft. Show all posts
Monday, June 6, 2016
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Sunday Morning Hot Links
*A.J. Hinch thought that, with two strikes, Michael Feliz could put David Ortiz away. He couldn't. Loss.
Yeah, I think it's easy now [to second guess]. You walk a guy with two strikes and the odds are still in your favor, the percentages are still in your favor that things are going to go fine. If you'd like to replay it, I'd happily walk him, sure.
*Boston manager John Farrell was surprised Hinch didn't walk Ortiz:
I think we were a little surprised that they wouldn't (walk him). They might look to expand the strike zone, and if they walk him they have the right-hander on deck.
*The Astros made sure that SI could all breathless and sweaty about Ortiz.
*Every time Ortiz got to second base Correa asked him why he was retiring.
*Carlos Gomez was given a "mental and physical day" off yesterday. Gomez:
It's a tough moment right now, but I have confidence and believe in myself that I'm better than that. I don't know what's wrong with me right now.
*The editor of the Houston Chronicle apologized for the way Brian T. Smith quoted Gomez in that one article:
With regards to quoting Carlos Gomez: We sincerely apologize for any offense that was taken. Our writers are encouraged to AP style rules...I reviewed the rules myself after this arose and found the guidelines on quotes to be less than adequate for a community like ours, full of immigrants from all over the world, and for whom English is often a second language.
You know BTS: always been a slave to them AP Style Guidelines...
*Gomez told ESPN Radio that he felt Smith quoted him the way he did in order to ridicule him.
*George Springer is loving playing near home.
*Ken Giles is pitching with more confidence.
The hard work is paying off now and I have more confidence in my mechanics now. They're more in tune, and I'm going to keep on doing what I'm doing.
*Giles also talked about how not to talk to a reliever.
You can't tell someone he got his ass kicked. It's the worst thing you can possibly say to somebody, especially a young guy. There's no way he should feel he got demolished because he's not good enough. You should never, ever think that way.
*Alex Bregman felt comfortable getting his first start at third base.
I feel like I'll be very comfortable here really soon - really, really soon. I'm pretty comfortable there already, but I feel like in a few days I'll be very comfortable there.
Luhnow emphasized that they didn't want to promote Bregman to Double-A AND have him get used to another position:
We didn't want him to switch positions or have him try a new position while he was getting accustomed to a higher level. It's pretty clear he's been able to fit in well at that level offensively, and we figured now's a good time to at least try out some alternatives.
*Joe Musgrove's Triple-A debut: 5IP, 5H/1ER, 5K:2BB.
*MLB.com's latest mock draft is out, and has the Astros looking at high school arms like Ian Anderson out of Clifton Park, NY.
*Washington Post: How Stephen Strasburg's extension came to be.
*Peter Gammons got salty early on a Sunday:
Yeah, I think it's easy now [to second guess]. You walk a guy with two strikes and the odds are still in your favor, the percentages are still in your favor that things are going to go fine. If you'd like to replay it, I'd happily walk him, sure.
*Boston manager John Farrell was surprised Hinch didn't walk Ortiz:
I think we were a little surprised that they wouldn't (walk him). They might look to expand the strike zone, and if they walk him they have the right-hander on deck.
*The Astros made sure that SI could all breathless and sweaty about Ortiz.
*Every time Ortiz got to second base Correa asked him why he was retiring.
*Carlos Gomez was given a "mental and physical day" off yesterday. Gomez:
It's a tough moment right now, but I have confidence and believe in myself that I'm better than that. I don't know what's wrong with me right now.
*The editor of the Houston Chronicle apologized for the way Brian T. Smith quoted Gomez in that one article:
With regards to quoting Carlos Gomez: We sincerely apologize for any offense that was taken. Our writers are encouraged to AP style rules...I reviewed the rules myself after this arose and found the guidelines on quotes to be less than adequate for a community like ours, full of immigrants from all over the world, and for whom English is often a second language.
You know BTS: always been a slave to them AP Style Guidelines...
*Gomez told ESPN Radio that he felt Smith quoted him the way he did in order to ridicule him.
*George Springer is loving playing near home.
*Ken Giles is pitching with more confidence.
The hard work is paying off now and I have more confidence in my mechanics now. They're more in tune, and I'm going to keep on doing what I'm doing.
*Giles also talked about how not to talk to a reliever.
You can't tell someone he got his ass kicked. It's the worst thing you can possibly say to somebody, especially a young guy. There's no way he should feel he got demolished because he's not good enough. You should never, ever think that way.
*Alex Bregman felt comfortable getting his first start at third base.
I feel like I'll be very comfortable here really soon - really, really soon. I'm pretty comfortable there already, but I feel like in a few days I'll be very comfortable there.
Luhnow emphasized that they didn't want to promote Bregman to Double-A AND have him get used to another position:
We didn't want him to switch positions or have him try a new position while he was getting accustomed to a higher level. It's pretty clear he's been able to fit in well at that level offensively, and we figured now's a good time to at least try out some alternatives.
*Joe Musgrove's Triple-A debut: 5IP, 5H/1ER, 5K:2BB.
*MLB.com's latest mock draft is out, and has the Astros looking at high school arms like Ian Anderson out of Clifton Park, NY.
*Washington Post: How Stephen Strasburg's extension came to be.
*Peter Gammons got salty early on a Sunday:
NL scout:"Foltynewicz command improved twofold in a year." Shut out KC. Sat 96.8-98.4. Remind us why Astros traded him...— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) May 15, 2016
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.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Mayo's Mock Draft
Jonathan Mayo posted his first Mock Draft for next month's amateur draft. In said draft, Mayo has Carlos Rodon going to the Astros with the 1-1 pick.
A slow start left Rodon's status as the top pick in question, and one of the big high school pitchers below could still be Houston's choice, but here's saying the N.C. State lefty has done enough to reclaim the spot.
Meanwhile, Rodon stays atop Baseball America's 2nd Mock Draft of the Spring.
Industry opinion appears to favor Aiken as the top prospect in the draft, and he’s the rare high school player with a long-enough track record to earn the No. 1 selection. But Rodon’s trend lines continue to point in the right direction, and the Astros’ big league struggles likely bring pressure to speed up the rebuilding process in Houston. Rodon’s talent is worthy of the No. 1 pick, and so is the buzz factor he would bring.
Manuel says Rodon's "top-shelf" slider gives him more upside than Aiken.
A slow start left Rodon's status as the top pick in question, and one of the big high school pitchers below could still be Houston's choice, but here's saying the N.C. State lefty has done enough to reclaim the spot.
Meanwhile, Rodon stays atop Baseball America's 2nd Mock Draft of the Spring.
Industry opinion appears to favor Aiken as the top prospect in the draft, and he’s the rare high school player with a long-enough track record to earn the No. 1 selection. But Rodon’s trend lines continue to point in the right direction, and the Astros’ big league struggles likely bring pressure to speed up the rebuilding process in Houston. Rodon’s talent is worthy of the No. 1 pick, and so is the buzz factor he would bring.
Manuel says Rodon's "top-shelf" slider gives him more upside than Aiken.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Brady Aiken at the top of Law's 1st Mock Draft
In the Insider-only mock draft, ESPN's Keith Law has HS LHP Brady Aiken out of San Diego at the top of his mock draft. We don't pull much from pay-sites, but Law has Aiken, Rodon, and Alex Jackson in the mix for 1-1. He does mention how the Astros wouldn't mind pulling a 2012, and drafting someone at 1-1 who might not ask for as much money in order to maximize their overall haul (remember the Astros also have picks at #37 and #42).
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Hot Draft Links
Here are some hot draft links for you while we wait to see what the bullpen has in store in the 9th inning of this game with the Tigers:
*Carlos Rodon is still 1-1 on John Manuel's mock draft for Baseball America.
*Insider-only, but Keith Law has Brady Aiken at 1-1, then Rodon, then Kolek.
*East Carolina's Jeff Hoffman (at one time a potential 1-1) will undergo Tommy John surgery.
*Carlos Rodon is still 1-1 on John Manuel's mock draft for Baseball America.
*Insider-only, but Keith Law has Brady Aiken at 1-1, then Rodon, then Kolek.
*East Carolina's Jeff Hoffman (at one time a potential 1-1) will undergo Tommy John surgery.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Keith Law's new Mock Draft has Colin Moran at the top
Keith Law's (Insider-only) Mock Draft has UNC 3B Colin Moran at the top of the list for the Astros. Once again, we don't pull from pay-sites, but he has Bryant still in play with Gray and Appel as "options."
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Mock Draft update
A couple of Mock Drafts for your reviewable pleasure in advance of next Thursday night's (June 6) amateur draft:
Baseball America's Jim Callis: Jonathan Gray.
Rumors persist that the Astros might prefer to redistribute bonus-pool money by striking a deal with one of the hitters, and owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have been spotted scouting Moran. Most industry sources, however, continue to believe the choice will come down to Gray or Appel, whom Houston also considered with the No. 1 pick last year.
Scout.com's Kiley McDaniel: Mark Appel.
This week, I've been hearing the Astros current posture is "exploring every alternative to Appel" and the buzz coming out of Houston matches the deliberate, measured approach they took last season to keep everyone in the dark, maximizing their negotiating leverage with misdirection and hoping one of their targets blinks.
Baseball America's Jim Callis: Jonathan Gray.
Rumors persist that the Astros might prefer to redistribute bonus-pool money by striking a deal with one of the hitters, and owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have been spotted scouting Moran. Most industry sources, however, continue to believe the choice will come down to Gray or Appel, whom Houston also considered with the No. 1 pick last year.
Scout.com's Kiley McDaniel: Mark Appel.
This week, I've been hearing the Astros current posture is "exploring every alternative to Appel" and the buzz coming out of Houston matches the deliberate, measured approach they took last season to keep everyone in the dark, maximizing their negotiating leverage with misdirection and hoping one of their targets blinks.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Mock Draft time!
Three notable Mock Drafts have come out today, so let's see what they think the Astros will do three weeks from today.
Keith Law:
Insider-only, so we won't pull anything other than the mention that "Industry Sources" believe the Astros will go with Gray as it may take less to sign him than Appel. He also says to keep a line on UNC 3B Colin Moran.
John Sickels:
Mark Appel - Gray seems to have little more momentum at this point, but I'll buck consensus slightly and slot Appel here on the theory that he makes a late charge and/or Gray slumps just a hair.
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo:
Jonathan Gray - Gray has separated himself this year, along with Mark Appel, whom the Astros didn't take a year ago.
Keith Law:
Insider-only, so we won't pull anything other than the mention that "Industry Sources" believe the Astros will go with Gray as it may take less to sign him than Appel. He also says to keep a line on UNC 3B Colin Moran.
John Sickels:
Mark Appel - Gray seems to have little more momentum at this point, but I'll buck consensus slightly and slot Appel here on the theory that he makes a late charge and/or Gray slumps just a hair.
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo:
Jonathan Gray - Gray has separated himself this year, along with Mark Appel, whom the Astros didn't take a year ago.
Friday, October 5, 2012
2013 Mock Draft
Through the Fence Baseball has an eight-month head start on the June 2013 draft, posting a mock draft today.
Their pick? Austin Meadows, a 6'4" 200lb outfielder out of Grayson HS in Loganville, Georgia.
It's a solid choice - ESPNHS profiled him last June as a potential #1 overall pick in 2013. ESPNHS wrote:
Meadows has all the hallmarks of a first-round pick. The left-handed center fielder is a five-tool talent with the size, speed and athleticism of a Josh Hamilton and the sweet swing of an Andre Ethier. Put it all together, and it's easy to understand why he's projected as a first-rounder.
Here's a prospect video on Meadows.
Their pick? Austin Meadows, a 6'4" 200lb outfielder out of Grayson HS in Loganville, Georgia.
It's a solid choice - ESPNHS profiled him last June as a potential #1 overall pick in 2013. ESPNHS wrote:
Meadows has all the hallmarks of a first-round pick. The left-handed center fielder is a five-tool talent with the size, speed and athleticism of a Josh Hamilton and the sweet swing of an Andre Ethier. Put it all together, and it's easy to understand why he's projected as a first-rounder.
Here's a prospect video on Meadows.
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