[cough] strawman [cough] Astros have made plenty of mistakes like Feldman. The Astros have not had an excessive number of pitching busts to suggest tandem pitching is hurting player development. Appel is one bust if you are not willing to give him more time. I still think he has a decent shot of making majors.
So those minor league teams and their baseball... pretty neat. Gregorio Petit: should this guy be given a chance to play short stop? I am willing to give Villar more time (age, defense, decent pop), but this guy has been good so far this year. After a slump at the beginning of the year, he has a .996 OPS over his past 24 games and 6 errors in 57 games at SS. He doesn't strike out (or walk really) and is coming off of a decent 2013 minor league campaign. Petit would be another place holder for Fontana in the short run or Correa in the long run, but the guy seemingly deserves a look. If Villar struggles, I wouldn't mind seeing a lot more of Marwin and this guy. But, then again, that 4 game hitting streak of Villar and his one extrabase hit this month may get the monkey off his back...
I never said I wouldn't give them credit for anything... but to always give them the benefit of the doubt right now is a little presumptuous. To jump on anybody who offers the slightest bit of criticism of the front office, and their tactics/strategy is taking it a little too far. As far as the tandem system goes, you can probably admit that the front office likes it more than the players do... and yes, there hasn't been any "busts" (other than possibly Appel), but I don't think you can say its vastly improved anybody's development either as well. Again, still experimental... but I don't think it will catch on widespread simply because of how vocal people (other front office/scouts/pitchers) have been against it.
Yeah... not really sure why people love to point out how "I almost blocked you!" as some sort of veiled threat that you're a menace to society. Its funny because the only people really posting here (in a MINOR league thread about a MLB team that hasn't been relevant for 6 years) are going to be the 'diehard' fans, who tend to be as optimistic/homerific/fanboys as possible.... not sure why I'm trying to win arguments against that, as I should know better. Then again, guys like you, bobrek, joejoe, even buck tend to be more even-keeled... and I'm happy to continue the discussions without the threat of being "put on blocked status".
From WTHB, The Rookie League Greeneville Astros will start their season on Thursday at home. The Gulf Coast League Astros will start their season at home on Friday in Kissimmee.
...but you basically portray (this is how it seems to me) everyone else as always give them the benefit of the doubt right now and jump on anybody who offers the slightest bit of support of the front office, and their tactics/strategy. If I come off as attacking it is because I felt attacked. I apologize if you have felt attacked from me.
Way too early to draw a conclusion one way or the other concerning the tandem system. Ultimately I suspect it won't have anything more than a marginal effect.
Funny, I see it as the other way... anybody criticizes the stashing, there's 10 people supporting the front office because everybody else is doing it (or they go full denial and say "there is no stashing, player is not ready"). Anybody criticizes the tandem system, there's the endless replies of how it never hurt anybody. Anybody criticizes the Appel pick, or the decisions in where he was placed to start his career, and we get right back to where we started. I DO support this front office... I wish I could work for them, I'd fit right in with my laptop/ipad/copy of baseball prospectus. Its a think-tank environment where they are trying to set the trends and be as innovative as possible. I do think they've slightly gotten a bit too much credit for rebuilding a system via sucking as much as possible, but that being said, I'm happy the system is where it is. Also, Pallilo mentioned the other day that they could be getting a reputation of being a little too congratulatory/full of themselves, for being "cutting edge" or "smarter than everybody else"... obviously I don't mind a bit of arrogance (hell, that's who I am).... but you do need to prove a little bit before you go full Morey on them. It is possible, however, to overall support something, but not agree with every single decision/tactic/strategy. I've already mentioned how I love the ability to sign players before they make their MLB debut, and use the leverage of a potential call-up to get them to sign (even though despite what everybody says, its a much better deal for the team than the player). I also love the draft strategy of ensuring the top pick can be signed for less, in order to spread around more slot money in the later rounds.
nick, there's a reason damn near everyone disagrees with you. you're a pessimistic contrarian. you could probably count on one hand the amount of times you've actually agreed with someone without having to throw out any caveats. i'm by no means an expert on anything minor league related so i can't speak to the merits of a lot of what you discuss but your sole m.o. from this outside observer is that of a devil's advocate. it gets quite old.
There are generally two sides of the coin. I've looked at some of my posts and I could have worded them differently.
Case in point: I posted that I longed for the days of Dotel, Lidge and Wagner. His response was: "Yes, but Tthat team didn't make the playoffs".
Concerning "stashing"; it is what the Cubs, Twins, Pirates and many other teams are doing because it is smart. Why the tandem system? There really isn't enough information to give much of an opinion one way of another. The Appel pick is fair game, I didn't like it and while it is early in both players careers, it is fair to say the Astros wouldn't take Appel if they could have a redo. The only issue I have with criticism around the pick is that many people do not keep in mind that the MLB draft is a crap shoot. A great pick or terrible pick does not define a front office. How have they gotten too much credit for rebuilding a team by sucking as much as possible? They received a lot of criticism for years. The Cubs are doing the same thing... if they start seeing progress, you better believe they will get as much or more praise than the Astros. Concerning arrogance..... Astros fans cannot hold a candle to most fans... and if you are saying the front office is arrogant, I don't get that at all. You want to see arrogant, look at Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein. You point out the negative way more than the positive. Overall I like your knowledge and posts but I can see how you could rub people the wrong way.. no worries, I am called an "a$$hole" more than anyone on this site, so no worries.
Wow... glad to see enough people actually pay attention to what I write to be rubbed the wrong way by it. I'm not here to go out of my way to be a devil's advocate... but at the same time I don't normally post what I "agree" with or am "happy with" because I find its not really post-worthy, and doesn't lead to much discussion. I like to educate... or at least present the alternative viewpoint if that's what I believe in. Pessimist? hardly... but in a room full of optimists, I can see how that's seen. I just think being with a bunch of yes-men or posting to say "I agree" doesn't really further much insight or discussion... gets everybody thinking the same exact thing...
