<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lancaster manager Omar Lopez told OF Brett Phillips after All-Star game he's going to Corpus Christi.</p>— Brian McTaggart ⚾️ (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/613622963217149952">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> I assume it will be announced later today/tomorrow that Reed is joining him. It would be surprising for him to stay at Lancaster with the way he is playing. I'm not sure having Gregor there would stop Reed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good job by the Astros getting Francis Martes from Miami last year. Up to 97, abv-avg changeup. Looking good in MWL: <a href="http://t.co/1CMdM7hLCS">http://t.co/1CMdM7hLCS</a></p>— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenBadler/status/613418635495911424">June 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Gregor probably won't be too much of a roadblock for Reed.
With Colin Moran back at 3rd, that leaves the Hooks with 7 guys for 5 lineup spots, and that's before adding Phillips and Reed. I would imagine a little house cleaning is on the horizon and we will see somebody traded for whatever we can get for them. Gregor and White at 1st base Teoscar Hernandez, Leo Heras, Danry Vasquez, Jon Kemmer, and Brandon Meredith in the OF. Hernandez has had an awful year, but he goes into the rule V next year. He's the biggest prospect of that bunch. Other than him, the rest are pretty much fringy prospects and shouldn't really be stopping anybody.
So then who is Luhnow considering trading for a top flight starting pitcher? Kemp/Moran/Wojciechowski?
They should release Heras or try him at 2B. Meredith is on the DL currently. I don't see a problem for Phillips. Having Moran/White/Gregor hurts Reed for sure, as I'd like to see all of them getting ABs. You could move one to AAA, but it is arguably more crowded there.
I seriously doubt you are getting a Top Flight starter for that. Kemp has been awesome, but i'm not sure the baseball world shares the view that most of us Astros fans have on him. I mean i'm sure most GM's would like him, but not as the center piece of a deal for an ace.
No wonder the Cardinals coveted the Astros algorithms.... There is so much quality in the system you don't know which way to turn. Somebody is doing things right. Gone are years past when minor league depth consisted of overhyped role players (or too much wishful thinking about guys potential). Wow, a lot of guys are hitting their stride towards regular ML starters and position players.
Like Hunter Pence and Jose Altuve? Even guys like Jordan Lyles eventually panned out enough to get something of value for him. Can't say the same about Willy Taveras and Jason Hirsch though. In the end, even with all this depth, they're not all going to make it... and the bigger (or "overhyped" names), are eventually the ones who have the best chance to stick. The difference is, with minor league depth... you can package a lot of the "filler" to obtain viable needs at the big league club (while hanging on to the "special" ones that have the better chance of making it). Even the Cardinals eventually package prospects for established players... but they also have a good track record of having minor league guys able to step into utility roles when needed, which is another big benefit of "depth" (and you're sort of seeing that now with the Astros, with their parade of young OFers that are able to step in and contribute).
Depends, because I don't think it is crazy to expect Kazmir for a package like that. Cueto probably commands more than that, but I'm not sure I'd give up substantially more. I hope we don't trade Kemp, just because I'm fearful that he is underrated. I think a deal for Hamels would have to start with Appel (or McCullers/Velasquez), but I'm not too keen on dealing for a player that doesn't necessarily want to be here.
Good to hear about Appel being promoted. He just needs to keep focused on pitching. Right now he looks like a middle or back of rotation pitcher. But he has the potential to be a # 2 pitcher.
Bostick to High A. Another lottery ticket watch. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another promotion: RHP Akeem Bostick <a href="https://twitter.com/AB10ThePhenom">@AB10ThePhenom</a> is going to Lancaster from Quad Cities.</p>— Brian McTaggart ⚾️ (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/613787487991824384">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Extra EXTRA special because we got him in a trade for a guy we DFA'd the day before. We planned on cutting the guy, and ended up maybe landing a legit pitching prospect from a division rival for him.
Rogelio Armenteros, a defector from Cuba who signed with the Astros last offseason, threw 5 shutout innings for Tri-City tonight, allowing 3 hits and striking out 7. Tri-City and Brooklyn are tied at 1 heading into the 8th.
Jon Kemmer is having a fine year in Corpus. He just hit his 9th home run of the season. Now, I have no idea how much of this is him being buoyed by a .378 BABIP, and he's also striking out a lot more (almost 30% after finishing 2014 at just under 20%). Also, 41% of the flyballs he's hit this season have left the park. He could be a nice late-round find from 2013 who could find himself in Houston. Or.... he could flame out in Fresno.
Breaking: Joe Musgrove issued a walk. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A return to the form he showed in his first Double-A appearance for Joe Musgrove tonight: 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cchooks?src=hash">#cchooks</a></p>— Chris Blake (@ChrisCBlake) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCBlake/status/613900794539212800">June 25, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tony Kemp is human. He went hitless tonight. He did however throw a guy out at home while playing CF.
