<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I just received word that a few of the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> minor league players have been given their unconditional release. <a href="http://t.co/OBvZWgpTQ3">http://t.co/OBvZWgpTQ3</a></p>— Jayne Hansen (@JayneWTHB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayneWTHB/statuses/445899577523073025">March 18, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> These are the departed: IF Jean Batista- IFA 2010; starred in the documentary Pelotero: Ballplayer alongside Twins prospect Miguel Sano RHP Ryan Connolly- NDFA 2013 RHP Zach Dando- 32nd-round pick in 2011 RHP Alex Gillingham- Acquired with Alex White from the Rockies in the Wilton Lopez trade LHP Kyle Hallock- 10th-round pick in 2011 IF Parker Hipp- NDFA 2013 3B Angel Ibanez- 28th-round pick in 2012 RHP Euris Quezada- IFA 2008 LHP Blair Walters- Acquired with Chris Devenski and Matt Heidenreich from the White Sox in the Brett Myers trade
Did Gillingham have a career derailing injury? Seems they gave up on him awful quick. Same with Batista, they never gave him a real shot above rookie ball. Not like these guys were significant prospects, just a little peculiar. I guess cuts like these come in good farm systems.
Gillingham made just 3 appearances with Lancaster before getting placed on the disabled list. That's where he was for the rest of the season. He was a depth casualty, really.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I just got word that RHP Charles Basford, LHP Kenny Long and IF Ryan Dineen have been given their unconditional release. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Jayne Hansen (@JayneWTHB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayneWTHB/statuses/447005215997173760">March 21, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I'd like to thank the <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@astros</a> for the opportunity to play the sport I love. The memories and friendships I've made cannot be replaced</p>— Kenny Long (@Booogggie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Booogggie/statuses/447002620402868224">March 21, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Basford was acquired last season from the Yankees system for Fernando Martinez. He spent the 2013 season with Tri-City. Long was a 22nd-round pick in 2012 out of Illinois State and spent time between Lancaster and Corpus last year. Dineen was drafted in the 25th round out of Eastern Illinois and spent his 2013 in Tri-City and Quad Cities.
Kenny Long is a bit of a surprise, but his lack of stuff just didn't hold up against better competition.
Yeah they were organizational depth past their prime. Some were better than mere warm bodies but basically wouldn't have had a shot with all the legit prospect depth the Astros have now.
The crunch continues <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros release Minor Leaguers: Joe Bircher, Ernesto Genoves, Gera Sanchez, Jesse Wierzbicki, Brandon Wikoff.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/447720580499132416">March 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Bircher was the Astros' 10th-round pick out of Bradley in 2012. He spent 2013 with Quad Cities and had a rehab stint in the GCL. Genoves was an international free agent signed out of Venezuela in 2007. He was with Tri-City last year. Sanchez was signed in 2012 as an undrafted free agent from New Mexico. He split time between Quad Cities and Lancaster last season. Wierzbicki was drafted in the 24th round in 2011 out of North Carolina. He also played at both A stops last season. Wikoff was a 5th-round pick in 2009 out of Illinois. He had a solid 2011 but struggled to stay healthy ever since. 2013 was especially rough on him; Sarah Nelson is a teacher in the Corpus area and a huge Hooks fan. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart">@brianmctaggart</a> Was really rooting for Wikoff after a tragic ST accident and the loss of his mom last season.</p>— Sarah Nelson (@HooksFanSarah) <a href="https://twitter.com/HooksFanSarah/statuses/447723377680084992">March 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tough news: Astros Triple A manager Tony DeFrancesco will miss start of season because of cancer. Astros will have more details soon.</p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/statuses/447827740839141377">March 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So are the minor league guys playing any spring games right now? If so, if there a place we can track them?
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140323&content_id=69971030&vkey=pr_hou&c_id=hou HOUSTON, TX - Triple A Oklahoma City Manager Tony DeFrancesco was diagnosed with cancer earlier this month while participating in the Houston Astros Spring Training camp in Kissimmee, FL. While undergoing a physical with the rest of the staff in camp, DeFrancesco spoke to doctors about the symptoms he was experiencing. As a result, he was referred to a specialist and then diagnosed with cancer. Doctors have indicated that the cancer was detected early and are optimistic for a full recovery. DeFrancesco will undergo treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. Treatments will last approximately five to six weeks. DeFrancesco is in good spirits and is hopeful to return to the Oklahoma City RedHawks at some point in May. Tom Lawless, who served as DeFrancesco's infield coach in 2013, will be OKC's interim manager. "I am overwhelmed and truly grateful by the support of family, friends, and everyone associated with the Houston Astros organization," DeFrancesco said. "I am very confident in my medical team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. I am optimistic for 100% recovery. My wife, Adriene, and I would like to thank everyone for their phone calls and prayers." "Tony has handled this situation admirably," said Astros Player Development Director Quinton McCracken. "Tony has done a tremendous job with our players and is a credit to our organization. We know he'll tackle this and we look forward to his return to OKC. "
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Official statement regarding manager Tony DeFrancesco. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts. <a href="http://t.co/sZ4e8yl8rc">http://t.co/sZ4e8yl8rc</a></p>— OKC RedHawks (@okcredhawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/okcredhawks/statuses/447906290548084736">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> "We were obviously very saddened to hear the news about Tony, and our thoughts are with him and his family during this tough time," RedHawks President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. "Tony has been a great leader and a wonderful representative for the team on and off the field. If he approaches this hurdle the same way he approaches his job, I'm confident he will be able to overcome it and rejoin the team whenever he feels he's ready."
Great article. I guess I can stomach a few more sucky years (easy to say that now, before the start of the season), as long as when they get good... they stay good for a long time. Tampa was horribly bad for 10 consecutive years, and they haven't been bad since (and while all runs come to an end, the thought is that the foundation will have been established so that the next "drought" will only lead to a brief setback at the MLB level).
I think we've got at least 3 more years of being not competitive. This year we'll again test 100 losses. A few of our star prospects will get a cup of coffee at the big league level, but most are still a few years off. Then once they get up, we still have to compete with established, well-run organizations like Texas, Oakland and the As (not well run, but free-spending). It's still going to be a while, folks...
I still don't understand all the love for the "well run A's" . . .they have been good the last two years, but that followed 5 years without a winning record, with the same people running the team . . . I agree we will test 100 losses this year, sure do hope that 2015 starts to see great improvement though and it's not 2017 as you say before we are competitive
I think that's the expected "lull" that the good small-market teams have to endure when the replacement crop of prospects netted from trades and the draft aren't as "good". The A's were great in the early part of the decade in large part due to Mulder-Hudson-Zito. I don't care what sort of "money ball" tactics you use to play the game... you get those three pitchers at the same time, pitching all those innings for you (they were all relatively healthy their entire club-controlled years), you're going to have some major success. Took them awhile to get a team that had the replacement-level capability that the above 3 provided... and even then, they've yet to get one pitcher as good as any of the above 3.
We should be good once Correa gets called up... I figure his rookie year should be around 2021 after 2 seasons in A+, 2 seasons in AA, and 3 in AAA.
Interesting stuff in that article. Didn't know they were making efforts to lock up players during their arbitration eligible years (Robbie Grossman?) but I could see where that would provide some stability and also avoid some of the hurt feelings that the arbitration process can bring about. Is it always the case that the team president is considered above the general manager? I guess I always thought of the general manager as the boss of everyone but the owner (and it mentions that Luhnow only reports to Crane). It's something I've always kind of wondered about because I had no idea what it was that Tal Smith did, day to day.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>All indications are that Mike Foltynewicz will start season at Class AAA, and Carlos Correa and Mark Appel will start at Class A Lancaster</p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/statuses/448220428956618752">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Ravel Santana, Astros Rule 5 pick (AAA) from Yankees and one-time notable intl sign, is not in camp bc of visa issue. <a href="http://t.co/J2ILb8KOfM">http://t.co/J2ILb8KOfM</a></p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/statuses/448228944064835584">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
