Eric L. Smith covers the JetHawks for the Antelope Valley Press. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23JetHawks&src=hash">#JetHawks</a> pitching staff: Appel, Cotton, Devenski, Dimock, Hader, Hauschild, Lambson, McCullers, Minaya, Minor, Osborne, Perez, Smith (1/2).</p>— Eric L. Smith (@Eric_L_Smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_L_Smith/statuses/451055733526634496">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>More <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23JetHawks&src=hash">#JetHawks</a> pitching staff: Velasquez and Westwood. Catchers are Pena and Rodriguez.</p>— Eric L. Smith (@Eric_L_Smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_L_Smith/statuses/451055985189085185">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23JetHawks&src=hash">#JetHawks</a> IF: Correa, Kemp, Meredith, Perdomo and Ruiz. OF: Gominsky, Gulbransen, Hernandez, Scott and Vasquez.</p>— Eric L. Smith (@Eric_L_Smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_L_Smith/statuses/451056236855689216">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Steve Batterson of the Quad-City Times has a preliminary QC roster: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Bandits prelim roster: Pitchers: Brunnemann, Christensen, Cotton, Emanuel, Feliz, Grills, Gustave, Houser, Lee, ...</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/451055729353297920">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Typo in this tweet: "McInnis" is probably Albert Minnis. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Pitchers.... McInnis, Morton, Sanudo, Thurman, Walter. Catchers. Booth, Holberton, Morales</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/451056043213074432">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Bandits Infielders Elkin, Gregor, Mayfield, McDonald, Moon, White</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/451056264282247168">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Bandits outfielders Kemmer, Mathis, Phillips, Ramsay</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/451056422503985152">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Nice seeing our Single-A teams so stacked. I'll be looking forward to a few weekend getaways once some of those big Lancaster names get promoted to Corpus.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros have set their Minor League rosters. Here they are: <a href="http://t.co/ZZMgu0Csb6">http://t.co/ZZMgu0Csb6</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/451367119792267264">April 2, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> OKC PITCHERS Jake Buchanan Jose Cisnero Paul Clemens Bobby Doran Darin Downs* Mike Foltynewicz Chia-Jen Lo David Martinez Collin McHugh Rudy Owens* Jason Stoffel Nick Tropeano Pat Urckfitz* Josh Zeid CATCHERS Ryan McCurdy Carlos Perez Max Stassi INFIELDERS Japhet Amador Erik Castro* Jonathan Meyer Gregorio Petit Jon Singleton* Ruben Sosa# Ronald Torreyes OUTFIELDERS Adron Chambers Domingo Santana George Springer Austin Wates * – denotes left-hander # – denotes switch-hitter Corpus Christi PITCHERS Travis Ballew Colton Cain* Luis Cruz* Jorge De Leon T.J. Geith* Matt Heidenreich Jordan Jankowski Andrew Robinson Brady Rodgers David Rollins* Ross Seaton Tommy Shirley* Alex Sogard* Aaron West CATCHERS Rene Garcia Tyler Heineman# INFIELDERS M.P. Cokinos Matt Duffy Nolan Fontana* Enrique Hernandez Jio Mier Joe Sclafani# OUTFIELDERS Andrew Aplin* Delino DeShields Jr. Chris Epps* Leo Heras* Preston Tucker* Lancaster PITCHERS Mark Appel Jamaine Cotton Chris Devenski Michael Dimock Josh Hader* Mike Hauschild Mitchell Lambson* Lance McCullers Juan Minaya Daniel Minor J.D. Osborne* Tyson Perez Kyle Smith Vincent Velasquez Kyle Westwood CATCHERS Roberto Pena Jake Rodriguez INFIELDERS Carlos Correa Tony Kemp* Brandon Meredith Carlos Perdomo Rio Ruiz* OUTFIELDERS Justin Gominsky Dan Gulbransen* Teoscar Hernandez Jordan Scott* Danry Vasquez* Quad Cities PITCHERS Tyler Brunnemann Patrick Christensen Chris Cotton* Kent Emanuel* Michael Feliz Evan Grills* Jandel Gustave Adrian Houser Chris Lee* Albert Minnis* Zach Morton Gonzalo Sanudo Andrew Thurman Andrew Walter CATCHERS Brett Booth Brian Holberton* Jobduan Morales# INFIELDERS Austin Elkins# Conrad Gregor* Jack Mayfield Chase McDonald Chan Moon* Tyler White OUTFIELDERS Jon Kemmer* Tanner Mathis* Brett Phillips* James Ramsay*
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>FYI: Brady Rodgers and Colton Cain will be <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cchooks&src=hash">#cchooks</a> opening-day pitching tandem Thursday in Tulsa.</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/451372292275056640">April 2, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Rest of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cchooks&src=hash">#cchooks</a> pitching tandems: David Rollins (LH)/Aaron West, Luis Cruz (LH)/Ross Seaton and Tommy Shirley (LH)/Matt Heidenreich.</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/451374344266981376">April 2, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Rollins/West and Cruz/Seaton will follow Rodgers/Cain in the Tulsa series. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cchooks&src=hash">#cchooks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/451374545727782913">April 2, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Damn, those rosters are loaded! That may be far and away the best roster Lancaster has ever had. The Astros need to seriously consider "consolidating prospects" this season. They are rapidly running out of room to put a lot of these guys. I'm not talking about the top 10-20 guys. But the guys in the 30-50 range (who probably will never be quite good enough to supplant guys like Grossman, Hoes, Villar, etc., at the Major League level but who might crack another team's top 20 prospects) should be moved out in 2-for-1 or 4-for-2 type trades. Either for slightly better prospects or for . . . wait for it . . . actual decent Major League talent! I know, I know. Easier said than done. But with top talent quickly moving up the farm system, together with the likelihood that the 2014 MLB Draft will feature a lot of college guys, and it just makes sense to step up trade talks this season. Even if those trades only result in a miniscule improvement in talent from the best prospect traded out to the prospect received, it still seems like it would be worth it. Just my two cents. (From someone who admittedly knows far less about MLB front office maneuvering than on the NBA side.)
Lancaster just looks stacked. Infield is composed of players that project to be MLB replacement level or better in Correa, Kemp, Ruiz, and Meredith. OF isn't as strong, but should still hit well at Lancaster.
I think the Astros front office believes that a good portion of their prospects under perform future expectation as they also believe a good portion will over perform future expectations. Of the top 30 prospects, maybe 15 become MLB replacement level players or better. Astros really only have 10-15 MLB players that will be Astros in 2 years. I don't think it is time yet to consolidate talent. I think Astros may still try to sell some MLB guys (Qualls, Crain, Feldman, Fowler) for high upside prospects, high risk prospects at the trade deadline to make room as guys come up.
What exactly do the Astros see in Seaton that they keep giving him these opportunities. He had that solid season in Lexington as a teenager, but has consistently been bad to terrible since then. Every season, even the good one, he has given up over a hit an inning, with pedestrian K rates. Would rather give those innings to someone else given our glut of lower level prospects. To piggyback on that, why is Kyle Smith still in Lancaster? They say they want players to prove themselves at a level before moving up, and he already has. He dominated the High A Carolina League, don't see the need to force him to deal with Lancaster.
With him starting the season at AAA, he very well could be on the Cosart pathway (which would mean a promotion in July, if he's pitching well). I could also see them bringing him up for the bullpen... and transitioning him to a starting role (the Wainwright treatment).
I think Seaton is organizational depth at this point so they can give pitchers the Springer treatment.
Anyone know anything about Bobby Borchering? Was excited when we got him but he hasnt done anything since.. was he released?
Lancaster tandems Vince Velasquez/Kyle Westwood Lance McCullers/Kyle Smith Josh Hader/Chris Devenski Mark Appel/Mike Hauschild
Happy Minor League Opening Day!!!! So, what's on the docket for this first night of Minor League Baseball? OKC will be in Round Rock tonight. Rudy Owens and Mike Foltynewicz will kick off the season against the former AAA team, and they'll be taking on Ryan Feierabend. Here are the other tandems, courtesy of RedHawks PBP commentator Alex Freedman: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Opening night pitching tandem for OKC is Rudy Owens and Mike Foltynewicz. Other pairs: Buchanan/Clemens, Tropeano/McHugh, Martinez/Doran.</p>— Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) <a href="https://twitter.com/azfreedman/statuses/451387150496722944">April 2, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Brady Rodgers and Colton Cain will team up for Corpus' first game in Tulsa. They'll be taking on one of the Rockies' prized prospects, Eddie Butler. They'll also be taking on Jonathan Gray on Saturday. See post #264 for the Hooks tandems. Lancaster will be hosting Lake Elsinore tonight. Vince Velasquez and Kyle Westwood will be tonight's pairing for the Jethawks. See post #277 for the other Lancaster tandems. And finally, Quad Cities hosts Kane County, with Andrew Thurman and ???? taking on Paul Blackburn.
Anthony Boyer from the Crawfish Boxes says Nash got hurt just before the Astros broke camp. Bobby Borchering got hurt in camp (I guess) and Brandon Meredith will be filling in at 1B.
