<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Congrats to OF Preston Tucker, OF Andrew Aplin, 3B Matt Duffy and RHP Brady Rodgers on being named Cal League All-Stars! <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23JetHawks">#JetHawks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a></p>— Jason Schwartz (@jasondschwartz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasondschwartz/status/343083537295081473">June 7, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Nooooooooooo! <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23cchooks">#cchooks</a> roster move: IF Ben Orloff has left <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> organization to pursue other opportunities.</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/status/343121105483087872">June 7, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That's big of the Astros to let him go. They could easily have kept him as an organizational/bench player. I bet a lot of the organizational guys are starting to feel the prospect squeeze.
Interesting.... George Springer has been hitting 1st in the Corpus lineup for 3 straight games. Carlos Correa is getting the upper hand on Byron Buxton in their series.
Springer at leadoff is odd, but CC does have Singleton, Santana, and Maxwell betting in normal power spots. Playing CC is not a good thing right now for AA pitchers.
If Santana ends the year in CC still bating in the .250-.260 range do you think we should keep him in AA? He's still only 20 years old and I think it would be better if we slow him down a bit.
Not enough to go on. What's his final BABIP? What's his K-rate? What's his OBP? If he keeps up his pace of .258/.353/.505 then I'd bump him up. That's a great OPS for a 20y/o in AA. Let him keep seeing better and better competition and when he finally struggles then slow him down to make adjustments.
Make it 4 no hit innings with 5 Ks, but 2 walks. He also picked up the win -- after going almost a year without getting a win at all, he's picked up the win in 3 straight outings. Correa added 2 hits, including a double. Great outings in the high minors as well. Oberholtzer in AAA went 6 innings with 7 Ks, 3 hits, 3 walks, and 1 run. Villar also added 2 steals. Martinez and Folty combined for an absolute gem in AA. Martinez is now 9-0, as he went 5 innings of 1 hit, 1 walk ball with 5 Ks. Folty closed things out with 4 innings of 1 hit, 2 walk ball, plus 3 Ks. Folty's ERA is a stellar 1.08 in AA, he's averaging a K per inning, and has a WHIP of right at 1.00 - I'd say he's adjusted quite well for a 21 year old in AA. Buchanan and Martinez are now a combined 16-0 for Corpus - add in Doran, and they're 22-1. That's not even including Folty and Tropeano (having a down year), but it's a pretty stout staff that's complemented by the likes of Springer (1st in HR, OPS, RBI, 3rd in OBP, 3rd in steals, and 5th in BA) , Santana, and now Singleton.
I doubt they want him to pitch in Lancaster. Better to let him continue at QC until they feel like he is ready for AA, likely next year.
Only because he's only 19 years old, this is his first full season of pro-ball and the Astros are still monitoring his pitch count. One of the concerns when McCullers was drafted was how the Astros were going to bring him along and "build-up" his arm. The Astros will take their time with McCullers, as they will with most, if not all their prospects as they should.
Agreed the Astros will do everything they can to mold McCullers into a starter. He could be really really special. If that doesn't work out I could still see him having a Brad Lidge type impact. Kid is legit.
