Juice, he's been asking about Brandon Meredith. There's been no word on where he's going, but I suppose he will start off in Lexington. I see quite a few guys from the 2011 Draft heading there, so I guess he'd probably start off there too.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Not the greatest day there ever was for the Astros, the plate ump or the weather in Houston. But the Dow is up. 4-1 Mets.</p>— Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/185506718673936385" data-datetime="2012-03-29T23:20:22+00:00">March 29, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Livan Hernandez just gave up a grand slam to David Wright on his 44th pitch of the inning. 8-1 Mets. Pitching change.</p>— Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/185508076865069057" data-datetime="2012-03-29T23:25:46+00:00">March 29, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lowrie and Schafer, perpetually injured players, that shockingly still get hurt once they are wearing Astros unis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>The Astros released right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez from his minor league contract today.</p>— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/185760233476456450" data-datetime="2012-03-30T16:07:45+00:00">March 30, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So would the rotation be: 1. Wandy 2. Bud 3. Happ 4. Weiland 5. Lyles or 1. Wandy 2. Bud 3. Happ 4. Weiland 5. Harrell?
Harrell is older, is having a solid spring, and may be more ready than Lyles. Lyles may also benefit from a year in AAA under pitching coach Burt Hooton's tutelage.
Astros release Livan Hernandez, go with youth in rotation Posted on March 30, 2012 at 11:17 am by Zachary Levine One day after a rough outing against the Mets, Livan Hernandez has been released by the Astros, who will instead go with a younger rotation. Hernandez, a veteran soft-tossing righthander who was seen as the successor to Brett Myers in his potential to eat more than 200 innings, had a minor league deal, so his release does not affect the 40-man roster. Lucas Harrell pitched well on Wednesday and Brad Mills hinted that he could get a shot, but the five who have been taking most of the starts have been opening day starter Wandy Rodriguez, plus Bud Norris, J.A. Happ, Kyle Weiland and Jordan Lyles. <hr/> Mills goes along with trend of scarce use of long relievers Posted on March 29, 2012 at 9:59 pm by Zachary Levine PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — It was a fairly normal spring training question about the Astros’ desire or need to have a long man in their bullpen, and Brad Mills answered it with a much more interesting question. “What are you considering long?” It’s a fair semantics question, to which the answer might vary generationally. To some who grew up in a certain era, the long reliever is dead — after living some of his best years in the late 1970s and early ’80s. The five-man rotation was still on the way, and pitchers were no longer going nine, leaving bullpen innings to be filled with much less specialization than exists today with seven-man bullpens. At the long man’s peak in 1982, the average National League team was throwing a reliever at least three innings in 35.7 games, more than one in every five. By 1992, that number was halved, with the average NL team sending a reliever out for three-plus 17.1 times. By 2002, it was 12 times, and by last year, it was 6.8 times, barely once a month. While Brad Mills didn’t kill the long reliever (he swears he was out to dinner at the time and has witnesses to back it up), he’s certainly helping to shovel dirt on the coffin. Since 1950, nobody used the long man less than the 2011 Astros, who went to Aneury Rodriguez for 41⁄3 innings once and never let another reliever even complete three. Two other teams — the 2011 Mets and 2010 Diamondbacks — were tied for the record, and the recentness is no coincidence. “It’s rare that guys go longer than two innings now,” said Mills, who maintains that was always particularly difficult in the National League, where more than two innings usually means an at-bat for the pitcher’s spot. “It’s important to have a guy that can give you some innings … and I think we do have those guys. And I think we do have those guys who can maybe go a couple innings and then come back and maybe give us an inning the next day.” Candidates at the ready The need for a true long man, as in the old days, would help the causes of pitchers like Lucas Harrell and Henry Sosa, who have not figured in the rotation race so far but are capable of starters’ innings. Harrell pitched five outstanding innings in a win Wednesday over the Marlins, while Sosa started for the Astros last year after being acquired in the Jeff Keppinger trade with San Francisco. Both could still make the team, and the fact they are out of options helps. Each would have to be sent through waivers should he not make the club, with any other team able to pounce for $20,000. The death of the true long reliever doesn’t mean the Astros will be looking for seven sprinters in the bullpen. “You look at the way our bullpen is set up right now, there are a lot of guys that pitch generally one inning, and we need guys to be able to pitch more than one inning,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “Whether we have four guys that can each pitch two-plus or one guy who can pitch four every couple of days, I’m not sure what our ultimate configuration is going to be. But you expose yourself to some risk if you have five starters and a whole bunch of one-inning guys.” Some pitchers these days aren’t even one-inning guys. At the height of the game’s platoon specialization last year, the Astros’ two best lefthanders — Wesley Wright and the now-injured Sergio Escalona — combined for 70 appearances and just 392⁄3 innings. Starters can open door The mix of these extreme short men and those with the profile to get hot, get cold and get hot again may change throughout the year. “You have to see how many innings our starters are giving and if a guy like that is extremely necessary,” Mills said. “If a starter or two are struggling, especially back-to-back, then it makes it a little bit tougher.” And that’s when there could be the return to at least an extremely modified version of the long reliever. zachary.levine@chron.com twitter.com/zacharylevine
Speaking of Harrell... <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Favorites for Astros rotation: Wandy, Norris, Happ, Lyles, Weiland, but Brad Mills hinted not to count out Lucas Harrell.</p>— Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/185762980808491011" data-datetime="2012-03-30T16:18:40+00:00">March 30, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Average age of roster drops 35.6 years. RT @<a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine">zacharylevine</a>: Astros have released Livan Hernandez.</p>— Astros County (@AstrosCounty) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstrosCounty/status/185763981456179200" data-datetime="2012-03-30T16:22:39+00:00">March 30, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Man, I'd really rather have Weiland/Harrell/Lyles all in the rotation instead of Happ. It's too bad that doesn't seem possible, barring injury... not so sure why the staff is so attached to Happ.
I questioned the signing in the first place, so naturally this makes me happy. Though I know I'm not alone here in thinking Lyles could use some more seasoning and confidence building at AAA.
I'm hoping Harrell gets the 5th spot. There are no pitchers I want to get rid of, so I send down anybody with options remaining.
Yes. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-in-reply-to="185499793710264321"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/Subber10">Subber10</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/native_astro">native_astro</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/LEXthePEX">LEXthePEX</a> He's going to be in extended spring training, so my guess is back in Tri-City to start.</p>— Bryan Trostel (@The_Batguy) <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Batguy/status/185500741560057856" data-datetime="2012-03-29T22:56:37+00:00">March 29, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I agree. Happ's a #3 in number only. Weiland and Harrell as the #4/#5 starters, with Lyles waiting in OKC to get the first crack in case one of them fails. I expect Weiland to supplant Happ at the #3 spot, whether it's by Happ having another epic fail, or getting flipped for prospects after a good first half of the season. On another note, I'm really liking the OKC rotation in the event Jordan Lyles starts off there. 1. Lyles 2. Clemens 3. Sosa 4. Dallas Keuchel 5. Aneury Rodriguez
And looks like Livan's quickly found another home. That didn't take long. http://espn.go.com/mlb/spring2012/s...braves-get-livan-hernandez-houston-astros-cut
Some notes heading into tonight's game. http://brianmctaggart.mlblogs.com/2012/03/30/astros-pregame-tidbits/
kind of was looking forward to watching him battle with us, but, now that we have a real front office in place, i don't think i'll be critical of any moves they make anytime soon. curious as to why they signed him in the first place though. seemed to pitch more or less as good as could have been expected.
