I wonder that too, very surprised to see JD, Dallas and Cedeno still at AA also. Wonder if the whole organization is in a holding pattern until Crane takes over and gives the go ahead on multiple fronts.
We have our answer and its a good one... . http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog...s-sign-venezuelan-shortstop-arturo-michelena/ From a few days ago... BenBadler
Ovando got a bigger contract... and he's younger/even less proven. Somebody saw something special in him. DD Jr just got slot money.
Pretty sure DD Jr got above slot money even if it was just by a little bit. Guy didn't sign until a couple of weeks before the deadline.
Semantics.... he was going to be a multi-millionaire no matter what, and if the Stros didn't pick him, they'd make somebody else they drafted a multimillionaire (or risk looking terrible). The Stros had to outbid other teams for Ovando.... he was basicaly a free agent. Stros didn't have to pay him all that money... but did anyways.
Robinson Cancel's RBI groundout in the 1st was the only offense for OKC as they were defeated by Memphis 5-1. Brad Hennessey went 3 1/3 innings, allowing 5 hits (2 homers) and 3 runs, striking out 1. Corpus got drilled 17-5 by Tulsa. The Drillers ran off 6, 3, and 6 from the 2nd-4th to pull ahead 15-3 after the 4th inning. Jose Altuve had a solo homer in the 1st. J.D. Martinez went 2-4 with an RBI. Erick Abreu allowed 7 runs (6 earned) off 8 hits in 2 1/3 to get the loss. He walked and struck out 1. Lancaster was swept in a doubleheader with Modesto, losing 4-3 in game 1. RBIs were provided by Grant Hogue, Jio Mier, and Kody Hinze. Hinze's RBI was a solo homer, his 22nd. Jake Buchanan allowed 3 runs off 8 hits in 8, walking 1 and striking out 5. Kirk Clark allowed the Nuts to score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. In game 2, they were held to 1 hit as they lost 4-0. Mike Ness allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (1 homer) in 5 innings, walking 1 and striking out 4. Lexington took a wild one 11-10 over Hagerstown. Adam Bailey and Enrique Hernandez both went 3-5 with a double, a homer, 3 RBI, and scored twice. Bailey's homer, his 15th, was a solo job in the 5th. Hernandez picked a great time to hit his 1st homer of the year, a 3-run homer in the 8th to give the Legends an 11-9 lead. They scored 4 runs that inning, the other run coming off a ground rule double by Bryce Lane scoring Tyler Burnett. Telvin Nash went 1-4 with 2 RBI. Ben Heath and Burnett also drove in a run each. The Suns got 1 back, but the Legends finally sealed the deal. Mike Foltynewicz went 4 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and walked 4 without recording a strikeout. Murilo Gouvea didn't really pitch very well, allowing 5 runs in 3 innings, but he got the win in relief. If there's a mass promotion upon us, Adam Bailey should be on his way up. He's done more than enough to warrant a promotion to Lancaster. Had Nash stayed healthy, he probably would have found himself on the move as well. Tri-City finally broke their scoreless streak in the 3rd inning tonight with a Justin Gominsky RBI single. They were scoreless in the 1st and 2nd, so that was a 27-inning drought. Exceptional? Anyway, Gominsky drove in 2 runs as the ValleyCats lost 7-4 to Vermont. Miles Hamblin and Bubby Williams scored on an error in a 3-run 4th inning. Nick Tropeano allowed 2 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings, fanning 4. Kris Bueno got the loss, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) in the 5th, striking out 1. Kyle Hallock made a relief appearance in the 6th, allowing an unearned run, a hit, walked a man, and struck out 2. He threw 7 innings and struck out 11 the previous night against Lowell. The ValleyCats failed to score after the 4th, so they've restarted their drought, which stands at 5 innings. The long-anticipated return of Ariel Ovando finally came for Greeneville, and he wasted no time making an impact on the game. First at-bat, he doubled, and was stranded there one batter later. Then, he had a 2-run single in the 4th, part of a 6-run inning. In all, he went 3-5 with a double and 2 RBI. 5 others (Jordan Scott, Ruben Sosa, Jose Monzon, and Ronald Sanchez) drove in a run as the G-Stros rode that 4th inning to a 7-4 win over Danville. Chris Lee allowed 1 run on 3 hits in 4 innings, walking 1 and striking out 7. Jamaine Cotton got the victory in relief, going 4 innings, allowing 3 runs (all in the 8th) on 5 hits, walking 2, and striking out 5. Jeremiah Meiners got his 1st save, working a perfect 9th, striking out 2. The Gulf Coasters mounted a furious rally that just fell short, losing 8-6 to the Mets. They scored 3 in the top of the 9th before bowing out. Jose Fernandez and Justin Shults drove in 2 apiece. Fernandez went 3-5 and scored 3 times. Michael Feliz allowed 8 runs (3 earned) in 3 1/3 to get the loss. The bullpen shut down the Mets the rest of the way. The Academy's game with the Dodgers was postponed.
They didn't have to pick Deshields and then, consequently, cough up all the money in order to get him into the fold. They also supposedly picked him at eight because Toronto at 11 was going to pick him and the Rays had major interest at 17 meaning there was no chance he'd be there for the Astros at 19. They were in love with Deshields and picking him at 8 over Sale and other guys proves they believe he has a very high ceiling. They see something "special" in him. When you say "someone saw something special in him(Ovando). DD Jr just got slot money", it comes off as saying anyone who gets drafted and paid slot or slightly above is zip compared to the kids in Latin America getting paid big bucks in an open market. I'm not following your logic whatsoever. If Deshields would have been in the open market last year maybe we would've paid even more money for him and you'd be saying that he is "special" because of that?
I'm not holding anything against DD Jr... I'm just saying that the Astros would have paid that money to anybody they would have drafted at that spot... maybe not the exact amount, but close. They have not been "big spenders" in the international market for some time... Ovando represents that. He's not somebody the Astros were "obligated" to sign or negotiate with like a draft pick. He was essentially a high-priced free agent... who is even more unproven than a draft pick. Tell me who deserves more anticipation/expectations.... a high priced free agent or a draft pick? I'm looking forward to following both of their progress' closely... just anticipating more promise from Ovando than DD Jr.
he's just saying that the ovando signing was an out-of-character move for the stros to make, and it has him excited because it's an indicator that they are extraordinarily high on the guy. and he's saying that you are going to draft and pay your 1st round draft pick their slot money regardless (i understand that you aren't forced to sign them), so the potential that they see in DD isn't as readily apparent as it is by giving a 16-year old kid a few million on the open market, which is something they've never done before.
No, you just made some dumb blanket statements about some of our prospects being too old (23-24 is too old now? give me a break) or too raw (i guess they can be too young too!) but as long as they have a little hype with a big contract, thats the only reason to get excited!
Jeez, calm the f down. I just said why I'm more interested in Ovando and Altuve over the others. Obviously I care about the entire system. And, yes, I am not excited about JD Martinez given his age and where he's still at. Until he proves himself otherwise, he seems to be Chris Johnson 2.0.
I get what your saying but on JD, the guy is 23 in AA with an OPS of nearly .900 with excellent plate discipline, should be AAA. Pretty sure he will be there shortly or with the big club in September...24 in the bigs is about right. Chris Johnson showed power but horrible plate discipline and a poor OBP.
In an ideal world, he'd be here already.... if there wasn't a ****** blocking his way. The sad thing is, he'd likely produce at an equal (if not better) rate than Lee has for the last two years... at a much cheaper rate. He could be a regular everyday player... but not so sure about future all-star/franchise player capability. The organization needs more future stars... or else they're going to be spinning their wheels. They need guys BETTER than Hunter Pence and Jordan Lyles. Better than Jason Castro. They need more than just everyday players.
They either need guys better than Pence and Lyles, or they need to to have a lot more of those types. If they had a Pence level player at 6 positions, then I think they would be quite alright. The problem is that Pence is their best player, he's merely a good player, not exceptional, and they don't really have anyone else on the team close to that level. The offense is actually pretty average. The pitching is where it all goes to hell.
OKC couldn't get the offense going, as they lost 2-1 to Memphis. J.B. Shuck had the only RBI. Wesley Wright allowed 2 runs (both off homers) off 3 hits (solo homers in the 1st and 2nd), walking 2 and striking out 4. Corpus used 2 grand slams and Dallas Keuchel to demolish NW Arkansas 16-3. Chris Wallace hit the 1st salami in the 1st, where the Hooks scored 6 in the top half. J.D. Martinez blasted the other in the 6th to pour it on. The slams constituted their RBIs. The game was never really in doubt, as everyone scored a run, and Jacob Goebbert, Jonathan Gaston, and Jimmy Van Ostrand each drove in 2. Jimmy Paredes went 3-6 with a solo homer in the 2nd and scored 3 times. The blast was his 6th of the season. Jose Altuve went 2-4 with a double and scored twice. Keuchel improved to 7-6, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits (1 homer) in 7, walking 2 and striking out 4. Keuchel's ERA now stands at 2.62, which leads the Texas League and 5th when including all 3 Double-A leagues. His WHIP is 1.12, 2nd to Arkansas' Matt Shoemaker. Among all Double-A pitchers, that number ranks 8th. That should give you an idea of how well Dallas Keuchel has done this season, despite pitching for the Texas League's worst team, and one of AA's worst, for that matter. Yes, although his strikeout rate probably leaves a little to be desired, he's done a fine job for the Hooks. Andrew Robinson had a solid outing against Modesto, going 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, walking 2 and fanning 4. However, he was charged with the loss as Lancaster fell 2-1. Jio Mier drove in the only run. Kody Hinze had a hat trick. Jose Thompson had 2 hits. Lexington allowed 4 runs in the 6th to Hagerstown to ensure that they would be losing this one, which they did, 8-2. Tyler Burnett got the only RBI from a groundout. Enrique Hernandez scored on an error in the 7th. Ruben Alaniz was all over the place, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, and 5 walks in 5 1/3. He struck out 2. Tri-City's bullpen had an epic fail, blowing a 6-3 lead in the 9th to lost 7-6 to Vermont. 5 guys drove in a run (Miles Hamblin, Matt Duffy, Zach Johnson, John Hinson, and Bubby Williams), with Hamblin leading the way. He went 4-5, doubled twice, and scored three times. Juri Perez went 4 1/3, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) and 7 hits, walking 1 and striking out 3. Ebert Rosario was responsible for the failure, getting 2 outs, both via strikeout. He allowed 3 runs on his own, but Travis Smink allowed the winning hit, with that run charged to Rosario. A 3-run 1st for Greeneville was all they needed to come out on top in their series opener against the Elizabethton Twins, winning 3-2. Chase Davidson started the show with an RBI single, then Ernesto Genoves sent one out for a 2-run homer, his 2nd. Ariel Ovando suffered the hat trick. The 18-year-old Venezuelan, Luis Ordosgoitti, continues his impressive start to the season, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits in 5 1/3, fanning 6. In 3 starts, he's 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings, striking out 16, compared to only 2 walks. Random: Elizabethton had 2 Europeans in the lineup tonight: Max Kepler, an 18-year-old outfielder from Germany, and Matej Hejma, a 21-year-old outfielder from the Czech Republic. The Gulf Coasters were off, and the Academy was postponed.
Zero clue what the Stros are doing with Dallas, JD and Cedeno. I hope they are convinced that these guys will be up in September and are just waiting or that they are convinced Pence, Bourn, Wandy and/or Myers are going to be dealt so just waiting for the spots to open. Either way, these guys have no business at AA at this point.
Great to hear and now that CC lineup looks rather nice. C - Wallace 1B - Hinze 2B - Altuve 3B - Parades SS - Villar RF - JD Martinez CF - Gaston/Steele LF - Goebbert Utility guy - Wikoff Now I would like to see JD promoted to OKC and Wates to CC eventually too.
Before anything about the Lancaster Effect and Jonathan Gaston emerges, a look at Kody Hinze's home/road splits shows that they are pretty consistent with each other. Home (37 games): 45-135 (.333), 41 runs scored, 7 doubles, 11 homers, 34 RBI, 35 BB, 34 K, .471 OBP, .630 slugging, 1.101 OPS Away (41 games): 45-141 (.319), 20 runs scored, 11 doubles, 11 homers, 35 RBI, 35 BB, 39 K, 1 SB, .458 OBP, .631 slugging, 1.089 OPS
