I know Roy is not the type, but I wish he'd cuss out the whole team in the locker room. Pitches a gem and gets no support... that sucks.
The important thing is that we haven't lost 8 straight in a row for the second time this season. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Saw the game in person, what a waste. I love Roy Oswalt, but please trade the man. I can't stand watching the rest of his career go to waste in an Astros uniform.
SportsRadioRH #Astros Opening Day C J.R. Towles sent all the way down to AA. Kevin Cash called up from Round Rock. Their offense gets worse? DAM, I know he is struggling but all the way down to AA???
SportsRadioRH Towles sent to AA so he can catch everyday, not taking playing time away from top prospect Jason Castro
JR Towles is trash and never should've made it ahead of Castro. Though someone mentioned Castro not being so hot but still. In other news, former prospect Max Sapp(Catcher, selected in 06, 1st round 23 overall) was released. From MLBTR: Sapp, 22, hit just .224/.310/.313 in 839 plate appearances, none above A-Ball. He survived a life-threatening case of viral meningitis that wiped out his entire 2009 season. Sapp received a $1.4MM signing bonus when he turned pro, and was rated as the team's 17th best prospect by Baseball America as recently as two years ago.
I don't understand the Towles move at all given the team's situation. Let him have this season to put any doubts to rest. There is nothing to lose except more games which was going to happen either way. I actually wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with his abilities behind the plate, specifically calling games. That is a catcher's number one priority. I don't think they made the move for offensive reasons because Q and Cash are also bad hitters.
As much as Towles has struggled at the plate, below is the career OPS for each catcher: Towles: .600 (.554 in 2010) Quintero: .593 (.495 in 2010) Cash: .535 (no ML data for 2010, a paltry .382 at RR) Given that Towles has the smallest sample size of plate appearances as well as his track record at the lower levels, there is little doubt that he is the best hitter of the three. That again leads me to believe that either pitchers are complaining about his ability to call games or that there is something else going on defensively that has led to this move. Nothing else makes sense given the offensive abilities of Quintero and Cash.
Maybe there is something to that. Maybe Towles does blow in calling games. It can't be that hard though. When I'm playing MLB 2010, I just throw it wherever I want regardless of where the catcher wants the pitch.
Chacin was added to the bullpen to replace Byrdak who went on the DL. It does appear we need to get ready to trade anyone and everyone. Oswalt/Wandy/Lindstrom/Myers would all be good trade chips.
I don't understand the move. What does Cash give you that Towels doesn't? Was Quintero doing that much better that he deserved the everyday gig? My positive outlook from just before the season is completely gone and I have almost no will left to even check the score, let alone watch a game. I wasn't harboring any illusions of the playoffs or anything like that, but I thought they'd at least be competitive. It now seems like that 8 wins out of 10 run was the blip and the team we saw start 0-8 and now is the real thing. Living in Round Rock, it makes it harder to know that I could go see the future, but it isn't here.
With 5 picks in the top 150, this is the most important draft in many many years. I wonder if they will go with best available or need? Do they go high school or college?
