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General Astros thought and opinion.Sunday, August 19, 2012
Mills let go in inevitable move
In a move that has seen support for both parties, Brad Mills was fired last night by the Astros. GM Jeff Luhnow also went straight Drayton-style and canned hitting coach Mike Barnett and first base coach Bobby Meachem.
Let's not feel sorry for the now deposed skipper. He did get his chance to manage a major league club after years of proving his leadership worth in the minor leagues and alongside Terry Francona in Boston. The club hired him only after Manny Acta turned down the offer in 2009 to take the Cleveland Indians managerial position.
In a move at least a year overdue, the Astros decided to enter a partial sell-mode, and pie off veterans Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman in 2010. Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn traveled east a year later, and the real blood-letting came earlier this summer.
Jeff Luhnow traded 25% of the major league roster, in what was regarded as a "second 2012 draft" for the Astros. Those transactions stripped the team of real relevance, minus maybe All-Star Jose Altuve. Mills was left to peacemeal a roster together from the scraps left to him by the front-office.
Mills had his warts, too, mainly giving middling veterans the chance at regular playing time over more promising talent. Was it his fault veterans like Scott Moore, Matt Downs and Steve Pearce were on the major league roster in lieu of calling others up?
The Arizona alum leaves the Astros with a 171-274 record during the 2010-2012 seasons.
Let's not feel sorry for the now deposed skipper. He did get his chance to manage a major league club after years of proving his leadership worth in the minor leagues and alongside Terry Francona in Boston. The club hired him only after Manny Acta turned down the offer in 2009 to take the Cleveland Indians managerial position.
In a move at least a year overdue, the Astros decided to enter a partial sell-mode, and pie off veterans Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman in 2010. Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn traveled east a year later, and the real blood-letting came earlier this summer.
Jeff Luhnow traded 25% of the major league roster, in what was regarded as a "second 2012 draft" for the Astros. Those transactions stripped the team of real relevance, minus maybe All-Star Jose Altuve. Mills was left to peacemeal a roster together from the scraps left to him by the front-office.
Mills had his warts, too, mainly giving middling veterans the chance at regular playing time over more promising talent. Was it his fault veterans like Scott Moore, Matt Downs and Steve Pearce were on the major league roster in lieu of calling others up?
The Arizona alum leaves the Astros with a 171-274 record during the 2010-2012 seasons.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Don't cry for Brett Wallace
I tweeted this statement August 9:
"brett wallace's performance
tonight definitely justifying the decision to sit him tuesday and
wednesday"
That statement is presumably
directed towards Brad Mills, whose lineup decisions have come under heavy
criticism over the last 18 months. Under Ed Wade's regime, it was
assumed Mills acted on his own in sitting Wallace in favor of a right-handed
replacement.
When Jeff Luhnow replaced Wade in
December, it was assumed Wallace would get his chance when Carlos Lee and his
contract were moved. Lee was traded to Miami on July 4, and Wallace was
expected to take over first base. That chance in turn went to third
baseman Chris Johnson (before his trade to Arizona), and now utilitymen Matt
Downs, Scott Moore and Steve Pearce, all of whom were minor league signings or
waiver claims by the Astros over the past two years.
So why is 'the man' keeping Wallace
down? I don't think the decision lies completely with Brad Mills.
The Cardinals made Wallace their
first-round pick in 2008, as a third baseman out of Arizona State.
Oakland acquired him as part of the Matt Holliday trade in 2009, and he landed
in Houston (through Toronto) as a result of the Roy Oswalt trade in July,
2010. Between then, he was moved across the diamond to first base, which
remained his primary position until this spring, when the Astros experimented
with Wallace at third base. He saw time at first base, third base and
shortstop during his roughly three months at AAA Oklahoma City.
In that time the Astros recalled
Scott Moore, and claimed Steve Pearce off waivers.
How has the starting lineup looked
since Wallace's recall on July 28?
|
Wallace only
|
1
|
|
Wallace and Moore
|
3
|
|
Wallace, Moore and Pearce
|
6
|
|
Wallace and Pearce
|
1
|
|
Pearce and Downs
|
2
|
|
Pearce and Moore
|
1
|
|
Pearce and Downs
|
2
|
|
Total Wallace starts
|
11
|
|
Games since July 28
|
15
|
While Wallace hasn't started every
game, he has started 11. Moore has started at right field, third base and
first base while Pearce has started at first base and right field. Wallace
is getting playing time, just not the absolute everyday starting spot many
Astros fans yearned for.
This sounds like the Astros, at
least now, envision Wallace as no more than Moore or Pearce, with maybe
slightly higher upside. Jeff Luhnow likely scouted Wallace as a member of
the St. Louis front-office, so he might know the upside and downside to his
game more than anyone. If he believed
Wallace was clearly the better option over Moore or Pearce, it would likely be
displayed on the field. Wallace, Pearce and Moore are likely fighting between themselves for spots on the 2013 roster.
This is squarely in line with the “throw
it against the wall and see what sticks” philosophy that the Astros front
office has displayed, whether it be with major league roster or in trade. Collect as many assets as you can, regardless
of pedigree. The best performing of the
groups will be seeing the field. Those
that aren’t could fall by the wayside.
That might not be fair, but it could
be effective.
So while Brad Mills daily lineup
machinations might leave a bit to be desired, it might not be entirely his idea
to platoon Wallace.
find me on twitter: @steveinLC
Friday, August 10, 2012
Springer and Deshields get promoted.
George Springer has been promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi, according to Lancaster play-by-play broadcaster Jason Schwartz. Earlier this morning, Delino DeShields announced through his official twitter page that he has bypassed High-A Lancaster, and will join Springer in the Hooks starting lineup.
Springer, hitting .316/22/82 with 28 stolen bases at Lancaster, will join recent acquisition Robbie Grossman and minor-league veteran Drew Locke in the Hooks outfield. A strikeout rate of 26.2% must improve, and his .955 OPS could even off a bit removed from the California League. Springer's glove could slot him in centerfield, but that position is occupied by Grossman. This three-week stint should give Springer a nice kick-start in 2013.
Delino Deshields Jr. will bat at the top of the JetHawks lineup. Repeating Lexington in 2012, Deshields has enjoyed his greatest professional accomplishment. Second in the entire minor-league system with 83 stolen bases, and also sports a slash line of .290/10/52 with a .401 OPS. He has already set career highs in home runs, RBI and walks, while also named a South Atlantic League All-Star in June.
The promotion of Springer was expected by the beginning of 2013, so it didn't come as a big surprise. Deshields could have been expected to at least finish the year with the JetHawks, and see a promotion to Corpus Christi sometime in 2013.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Astros targets for PTBNL from White Sox and Jays
The Astros still have two players coming their as a result of the Toronto and Chicago trades of the last two weeks. Keep an eye on some of these names as we wait for the official announcements.
Toronto:
Anthony DeSclafani (RHP - A Lansing) - The University of Florida product has put up better numbers out of the bullpen for A-level Lansing in 2012 (30K in 24.1 IP/1.48 ERA/.904 WHIP) , but has pitched exclusively as a starter the last six weeks. The Astros are in need of power bullpen arms, and he could make an interesting conversion to reliever.
John Stilson - (RHP - AA New Hampshire) - Drafted out of Texas A&M in 2011, Stilson has already advanced to the AA level for the Jays. Luhnow has had an eye on Texas-area talent in trade (Colton Cain, Robbie Grossman), so Stilson could be a target to head south for the summer.
Jeremy Gabryszwski (RHP - Rookie-level Bluefield) - Another local product (Crosby, TX), has crafted a nice start to 2012, with a 2.38 ERA and only three walks in 34 innings pitched.
He would be more of a long-term project, but the wait could be fruitful if he maintains his current career path.
Chicago:
Jhan Marinez - (RHP - AAA Charlotte) - Marinez has settled into the Charlotte 'pen this year, averaging almost one strikeout per inning. The Astros could be looking for immediate help in the bullpen in 2013, so Marinez seems like a very real option.
Scott Snodgress (LHP - A Winston-Salem) - The White Sox wasted no time in getting Snodgress into their system after drafting him in the fifth round out of Stanford in 2011. He rewarded their faith by posting a 3.34 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP over 59.1 IP. Snodgress could be added to the plethora of left-handed arms Jeff Luhnow has acquired in 2012, to include Rudy Owens, Rob Rasmussen and Kevin Chapman.
Jared Mitchell (LH OF- AAA Charlotte) - Though his strikeout rate is a bit high, Mitchell is showing a nice speed-power combo at the upper levels of the Chicago system. With the parent team's outfield in flux, Mitchell would make a nice option to start in right field sometime in 2013.
some statistical analysis culled from baseball-reference.com and mlb.com.
visit me on twitter: @steveinLC
Toronto:
Anthony DeSclafani (RHP - A Lansing) - The University of Florida product has put up better numbers out of the bullpen for A-level Lansing in 2012 (30K in 24.1 IP/1.48 ERA/.904 WHIP) , but has pitched exclusively as a starter the last six weeks. The Astros are in need of power bullpen arms, and he could make an interesting conversion to reliever.
John Stilson - (RHP - AA New Hampshire) - Drafted out of Texas A&M in 2011, Stilson has already advanced to the AA level for the Jays. Luhnow has had an eye on Texas-area talent in trade (Colton Cain, Robbie Grossman), so Stilson could be a target to head south for the summer.
Jeremy Gabryszwski (RHP - Rookie-level Bluefield) - Another local product (Crosby, TX), has crafted a nice start to 2012, with a 2.38 ERA and only three walks in 34 innings pitched.
He would be more of a long-term project, but the wait could be fruitful if he maintains his current career path.
Chicago:
Jhan Marinez - (RHP - AAA Charlotte) - Marinez has settled into the Charlotte 'pen this year, averaging almost one strikeout per inning. The Astros could be looking for immediate help in the bullpen in 2013, so Marinez seems like a very real option.
Scott Snodgress (LHP - A Winston-Salem) - The White Sox wasted no time in getting Snodgress into their system after drafting him in the fifth round out of Stanford in 2011. He rewarded their faith by posting a 3.34 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP over 59.1 IP. Snodgress could be added to the plethora of left-handed arms Jeff Luhnow has acquired in 2012, to include Rudy Owens, Rob Rasmussen and Kevin Chapman.
Jared Mitchell (LH OF- AAA Charlotte) - Though his strikeout rate is a bit high, Mitchell is showing a nice speed-power combo at the upper levels of the Chicago system. With the parent team's outfield in flux, Mitchell would make a nice option to start in right field sometime in 2013.
some statistical analysis culled from baseball-reference.com and mlb.com.
visit me on twitter: @steveinLC
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