Announced during the game today that Berkman is officially the starting CF'er & Hidalgo moves to right. I love this move. Carlos is the 5th starter; Redding pitches outta the pen. Anti-climactic announcement of the day: Ensberg is the starter at 3rd. Should be a very entertaining season.
He'll put up better numbers than Castilla, w/ a little drop-off in defense but a hell of a lot cheaper. My prediction: .275 avg, .360 OPB, .490 SLG
Even though I am not a Mlicki fan, and I think he is a crappy starting pitcher, I am glad Redding will be in the bullpen to start the season. Mlicki is an occasional effective starting pitcher, but I think he would be total crap out of the pen (don't ask me why, it's just a feeling I get). Redding I think has 'pen stuff, and he will be a good long relief guy to pick up the slack when Mlicki gets pulled in the 3rd inning of most of his games. Also, the pen is kind of shaky right now due to nagging injuries to a lot of our pitchers. Seems Wagner is the only bullpen guy who is completely healthy and has a guaranteed spot in the pen. Also, in regards to Ensberg, I think he will drive in slightly fewer runs than Castilla, with a slightly lower SLG%, but with a MUCH higher OBP. My predictions for him will be close to what Buck gave.
I don't see any reason to think this. His MLE's (the average of how minor leaguers usually translate to MLB given age, etc) are very nice. http://espn.go.com/mlb/spring2002/ensberg.html ESPN states here that he projects from .270 - .290 in terms of BA... and sine Castilla *never* knew a ball from a strike anyway, and Ensberg has a rep for excellent plate discipline... I think it's safe to assume that Ensberg will *more likely than not* be a better player than Castilla was last year. Keep in mind, Castilla was highly mediocre last year. Regarding Berkman: I'm not sure he'll make a good CF. He seems to have good instincts, and solid technique, but he lacks the speed normally associated with the position. Hidalgo might be a good bet in RF, though... since he has an absolute cannon for an arm.
You are right, haven. I knew that Ensberg had great plate discipline, and good OBP as a result, I didn't know his power was so high. So it appears Ensberg SHOULD outperform Castilla from last season, assuming his major league numbers are somewhat similar to his minor league numbers, he should produce rather well.
Seems liek this move is more indicative of what their bullpen currently looks like than anything else (as opposed to demoting Redding for a start every 5 days in AAA). Other than Wagner and Dotel, their pen isn't looking too strong (which concerns me), although those two guys can certainly hold their own if needed.
Nelson Cruz is not a bad guy in the bullpen. As for Mlicki -- this guy was unreal last year for us...particularly considering what we gave up to get him. He pitched the best-pitched game in the playoffs, during game 2. He belongs in the rotation.
Cruz is good, but he, like Dotel, Brocail, Pichardo and I think a few other bullpen guys, have had nagging injuries all spring that might stop them from being effective early in the season. We already know Brocail won't be ready by season's start. It just seems like the pen is really shaky right now, even if Dotel and Wagner are healthy to start the season.
CJ & TJ are worthless, why Gerry gave Matthews guaranteed $$$ is beyond me. The 'Stros have a pretty good group of hard-throwing relievers in the high minors: Brandon Puffer (remember this name: kid is NASTY - sidearmer throws in the low-mid 90's), Scott Linebrink, Tom Shearn, Wilfredo Rodriguez & Ricky Stone all could contribute this year. Wagner, Dotel & Cruz are locks; I'm not sure who will be joining them out of ST, but it's not all that important. Nobody finishes the season w/ the same pen that they began with. Anyone remember what our pen (& rotation for that matter) looked like at the beginning of last year? By the end of May, things will change. I think no more than 1 of the above mentioned vets (Pichardo, CJ, TJ, Brocail) will pan out & the last 2 spots will end up being filled by the youngsters.
I hope so, Buck. Personally, I was a bit saddened that Lidge was sent down. I thought he had pitched as well as any of the other "vets" in our bullpen. I guess since he has had so few innings over his minors career, they didn't want to possibly shatter his confidence by throwing him into the majors too early. I totally agree on Mathews, the guy is worthless. Hopefully, if Everett wins the starting SS job, Lugo will be traded and maybe Mathews can be sent along with him. I just hope that Hunsicker admits his mistake and doesn't keep Mathews on the opening day roster just *because* he has guaranteed money. That would be a huge mistake considering how many other pitchers we have in our system who deserve the spot over him. But history is on our side. The Astros management cut Jack Howell and Charlie Hayes in the past despite their guaranteed money, so maybe The Hun won't be hesitant with Mathews. Nitkowski has been pretty suspect too, but I have given up on him getting cut simply because he is a lefty. For that reason alone, he will be kept, which sucks. I don't believe in the situational pitching as much as most managers in the majors these days. If you have a good righty who deserves a spot over a crappy lefty, then tell the crappy lefty to go to hell.
Forgot about him. He's got better stuff than anyone on the 'Stros staff except (maybe) Oswalt. Remember Kevin Brown's slider in the '98 playoffs? Lidge throws it harder. He needs to prove he can stay healthy & pitch consistent innings for a month or two; if so, he's a lock to be called up. Hopefully his arm troubles are behind him. On Opening Day, the pen will be: Wagner Dotel Cruz Redding Matthews Linebrink/Stone (holding down a spot until Pichardo/Brocail are ready) On June 1st the pen will hopefully be: Wagner Dotel Cruz Redding (if he's not starting b/c of injury) Lidge whoever has pitched the best That's a d@mn good bully.
First of all, whatever you guys say I was a little disappointed that they just let vinny go, he was clutch.... you know clutch city ???? I liked him, and man I saw him makes some massive defensive maneuvers that were gonna have two newbies contributing at the shortstop and 3rd base... I don't know, but the pitching lineup I think should be one of the best in the league..... will see.....
Along with Brandon Puffer (and several others). The Puffer decision I absolutely do NOT understand. The guy went the whole spring without giving up an ER. Not ONE ER the entire spring, and he gets sent back down to the minors instead of staying on for a while on a major league bullpen that is VERY shaky right now? Where is the logic in that? The guy pitched a total of 7 innings, struck out 8, gave up 5 hits and 2 BBs. That is an average of one baserunner per inning, which isn't very bad considering guys like TJ Mathews are still on the freaking team. Puffer is not exactly young, either. I think he is around 25 or 26, so hopes that he will somehow develop further in the minors are pretty slim, I would think. I just don't get it.
Everett was named the starting SS today. It was announced that Lugo would be on the 25 man roster as well. Everett went 3-4 today to raise his average to .317. If he can come within 50 points of that during the resgular season AND lay the defense we have been told he can play, he'll be a good fit. Nitkowski was released.
Here's the link & story. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bb/1310424 Astros close to firming up their 25-man roster By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Finishing their workout with a sprint in the outfield Monday morning, good friends Scott Linebrink and Ricky Stone could be heard laughing from 60 feet away. Linebrink was telling Stone and T.J. Mathews about the time that he chased a former college roommate's huge lizard across an apartment. He never caught the reptile, but at least he chased it into his friend's room. There's no reptile in the apartment Linebrink and Stone share this spring, but they both are chasing the same thing -- the final spot in the Astros' bullpen. Once general manager Gerry Hunsicker released lefthander C.J. Nitkowski early this morning, Stone and Linebrink were left to fight for the final spot in the bullpen and, possibly, the 25-man roster. All the other jobs are filled, with manager Jimy Williams announcing that Adam Everett had beaten out Julio Lugo for the starting shortstop job. The Astros also reassigned catcher Alan Zinter, infielder Tripp Cromer and outfielder Chris Prieto on Monday. Hunsicker also officially placed righthanded relievers Doug Brocail and Hipolito Pichardo on the disabled list. With those moves, Stone, Linebrink and catcher Raul Chavez remain on the roster. "It's unfortunate, but we just felt like we were stronger going in another direction," Hunsicker said of Nitkowski's release. "Certainly one of the issues now that was not evident when he was signed in the off-season is the injury factors now to both Brocail and Pichardo. We have to create flexibility in our bullpen to make room for them when (Pichardo and Brocail) are ready, which means having one or two guys in the bullpen that have options." Williams already has said he won't carry a third catcher, so Chavez is serving as insurance while starting catcher Brad Ausmus nurses a tender right elbow that has kept him from behind the plate since Thursday. "There's two men left with one life vest," Linebrink said. "But I don't think anybody is going to be the first one to give it up. There's always going to be somebody pushing you. We pushed each other last year at New Orleans and we've been doing it all spring." Linebrink and Stone already have outlasted the two lefties -- Chuck McElroy and Nitkowski -- that Hunsicker brought in during the off-season to to complement closer Billy Wagner in the bullpen. Wagner and No. 5 starter Carlos Hernandez are the only lefthanders on the Astros' pitching staff. Nitkowski, 29, never got on track this spring. He was 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 10 innings over eight relief appearances this spring. "In the absence of a stellar performance (from Nitkowski) this spring, we felt like going in another direction," Hunsicker said. "There's no sense having a lefthander in your bullpen if you don't have the confidence in him to bring in, in the seventh or eighth inning of a close game to get lefthanded hitters out. We didn't feel strong enough about C.J. to overcome the other issues regarding the flexibility in our bullpen." Nitkowski, who left Osceola County Stadium without speaking to reporters after he was released, received $115,000 in termination pay. He stood to earn $700,000 this season, but the non-roster invitee never pitched his way onto the 40-man roster. "Nitkowski just didn't work," Williams said. "I know we don't have a lefthander other than Billy Wagner up there in that pen. We do have righthanders we feel can get lefties out." Stone and Linebrink offer contrasting styles. Linebrink, who has a 93-mph fastball and a good splitter, is a better bet to collect a strikeout than Stone. But Stone has a solid sinker, slider and changeup, making him a better bet to collect a double play grounder. Ultimately, the Astros must decide which quality they value most. With the short left-field porch at Astros Field, it might make more sense to have a ground-ball pitcher. Moreover, Stone's presence in the bullpen could provide a contrast to hard-throwing strikeout pitchers such as Tim Redding, Octavio Dotel and Wagner. Cruz is the only other ground-ball pitcher in the bullpen. "It's just us," said Stone, who has only given up three runs in 10 1/3 innings this spring. "I'm pretty anxious. It's almost over. It's been a long spring training for me and Scott. We've rolled together and we'll continue to roll together. We've both thrown the ball well. Whatever decision they make, I'm going to be happy. We're friends, but we're still battling." It's up to Williams and Hunsicker to decide which friend gets the call to the majors, but Linebrink and Stone say they will support each other. "We'd like to have both of us up there hopefully," said Linebrink, who is 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA this spring. "We joke and stuff and say we ought to just put the gloves on to decide who wins. But I don't think it'd ever come to that."
