<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Lance McCullers was just struck by a batted ball that appears to have hit him just above the wrist on his glove hand.</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/365281014265810945">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> McCullers is back on his feet and is going to attempt to stay in the game. The ball off the bat of Martin Peguero scored a run.</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/365281528147750915">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>SMH Midwest League tryna kill Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers</p>— Astros County (@AstrosCounty) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstrosCounty/statuses/365282278378713089">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Good outing for McCullers. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qctimes&src=hash">#qctimes</a> Lance McCullers final line 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Gerardo Sanchez now pitching for Quad-Cities. Bandits, Clinton tied 2-2</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/365289118365794304">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Our man <a href="https://twitter.com/Caller_GeorgeV">@Caller_GeorgeV</a> reports that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cchooks&src=hash">#cchooks</a> RHP David Martinez was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City after tonight's game.</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/365316745512235008">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cchooks&src=hash">#cchooks</a> P David Martinez, the MiLB co-leader in wins w/14, headed to Triple-A OKC. CC will receive LH reliever Alex Sogard from OKC</p>— George Vondracek (@Caller_GeorgeV) <a href="https://twitter.com/Caller_GeorgeV/statuses/365316872381546496">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Well deserved promotion for David Martinez. I can't believe he's been in the system for 9 years. It makes me root for him to stick in the big leagues; even if it's just in a long relief mop-up type role.
Hoping Correa makes the BA hot sheet tomorrow. 1 game left tonight and he's hitting .625 (15/24) with 5 doubles and 6 RBI since Aug 2.
I just wonder if he will get the promotion. Not too much of the season left, and they may just take him level by level. Would love to see what he could do at Lancaster.
Wednesday Stories Top prospects take the mound. Greeneville nearly blows one in epic fashion. Carlos Correa promotion watch is go... well, I suppose it's been going since the middle of July. Recap Oklahoma City was off They'll begin a 4-game series in Vegas beginning tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Asher Wojciechowski will take on Jake DeGrom. YAY 9:05 STARTS!!!!!!!!!! Corpus Christi 4, Northwest Arkansas 2 The Hooks won the series with one powerful stroke late. Mike Foltynewicz took a no-hitter into the 6th, but... that, and a scoreless tie, was broken up by a solo homer from Orlando Calixte with 1 out in the inning. Folty then plunked Cheslor Cuthbert, allowed a single to Matt Fields (the only other hit he gave up), walked Jorge Bonifacio to load the bases, and another walk to Lane Adams scored Cuthbert and knocked him out of the game. So, in 5 1/3, Folty allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. Kyle Hallock came on and immediately got a double play to end the inning. Hallock got an out in the 7th, but bowed out after allowing a hit and a walk. Carlos Quevedo came on and walked the first guy he faced to load the bases, but he got the final 2 outs of the inning. Jonas Dufek threw 2 scoreless for the win, as he gave up a hit and struck out 1. Domingo Santana hit a solo homer (19) in the bottom of the 6th to put the Hooks on the board, down 2-1. In the 8th, Enrique Hernandez came on as a pinch-hitter and swatted a 3-run homer (11) that gave the Hooks the lead, and eventually the win. Raoul Torrez was 2-4 with 2 doubles. The Hooks will look for the sweep tonight, and they'll send out Nick Tropeano for the finale. He'll take on Jason Adam at 7:05. Lancaster 8, Modesto 6 The Jethawks jumped out to a 7-2 lead after 5 innings and tacked on 1 more in the 8th, but they had to snuff out a comeback attempt in the bottom of the 9th to draw even. Delino DeShields drew a bases-loaded walk in the 3rd to tie the game at 1. Lancaster would take the lead in the inning on a sac fly from Carlos Perdomo and a groundout from Andrew Aplin. Joe Sclafani finished 3-4 with a solo homer (7) in the 4th. In the 5th, Perdomo hit an RBI single, DeShields scored on an M.P. Cokinos GIDP, and Brandon Meredith hit an RBI single. Sclafani added an RBI double in the 8th. Aaron West had 7 solid innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and striking out 5. Blair Walters threw a scoreless 8th, but didn't retire anyone in the 9th. He left with the bases loaded; everyone scored, courtesy of Tyson Perez. Walters gave up 3 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 1+ innings. Perez only got 1 out in the 9th and gave up 1 of his own on 2 hits. Kenny Long prevented further bloodshed by striking out Tyler Massey and David Kandilas to end the game. The rubber game features Brady Rodgers on the hill. He'll be taking on Jonathan Gray at 7:05 Pacific. Clinton 7, Quad Cities 5 The LumberKings used a 5-run 7th to bury the River Bandits, which was bookended by a grand slam from D.J. Peterson. Lance McCullers was perfect for 3 innings until he gave up a single to Ketel Marte to lead off the 4th. He was also hit by a line drive in the 5th just above his left wrist (see post 482). He fought through that and threw 6 fine innings. McCullers allowed 2 unearned runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7. (Maybe it's time to get Carlos Correa out of there, lest he gets hit by another pitch.) Gerardo Sanchez bore the brunt of Clinton's 7th-inning uprising, as he allowed 5 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in 2 innings. Sanchez served up the grand slam to Peterson. Dan Minor allowed 2 hits and struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th. Correa hit a 2-out double in the 1st and came around to score on a single from Danry Vasquez. He then hit another double in the 3rd; this one brought Tony Kemp home. The River Bandits didn't score again until the 7th, as Teoscar Hernandez doubled with 2 outs and scored on a Kemp single. In the 8th, Bobby Borchering hit an RBI double, then scored on an error that allowed Roberto Peña to reach. Peña was credited with an RBI on the play. Kemp, Correa, Vasquez, and Borchering all went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. In the middle game of this series, Vince Velasquez will go up against Rigoberto Garcia. First pitch is at 7:00. Tri-City 8, Williamsport 7 In the morning game, the ValleyCats earned the series win in walk-off fashion. This one got pretty interesting late. D'Andre Toney walked to lead off the 1st. He proceeded to steal 2nd (8), went to 3rd on a Tyler White single, and scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch from Julio Reyes. White moved over to 2nd and would score on a double from Conrad Gregor. In the 6th, Mike Martinez hit a 2-run homer (6). The Crosscutters scored 2 in the top of the 8th to take a 6-4 lead. The ValleyCats responded in the bottom half with 2 to tie. Those 2 runs came off a single from Jack Mayfield and a groundout from Jon Kemmer. A triple in the 9th allowed Williamsport to take a 7-6 lead, but Gregor played hero, as he drilled the winner: a 2-run homer (3) with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th. Adrian Houser went 4 2/3 and allowed 2 runs (both on a 2-run homer from Dylan Cozens) on 5 hits and struck out 8. Albert Minnis got the final out of the 5th. Tanner Bushue went 2 1/3 and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits and struck out 2. The 4 hits he gave up were all solo home runs. J.D. Osborne went 1 2/3 and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. The ValleyCats will go for the sweep. Andrew Thurman will look to bounce back from getting demolished in relief his last time out. He and Michael Feliz will take on Shane Martin at 7:00 Eastern. Greeneville 11, Bristol 10 A 9-run lead wasn't safe. But, Greeneville found a way to hang on. Somehow. Brian Holberton hit a 2-run homer (4) in the 4th to put the Appy Astros on the board first. The White Sox tied the game in the 5th, but Greeneville began to seize control of the game, and that started with a Darwin Rivera RBI double in the 6th to put them back on top. In the 7th, Chase McDonald hit an RBI single, Holberton had an RBI groundout, and Rivera hit a 2-run single. They blew it open with 4 more in the 8th. Thomas Lindauer hit an RBI double and scored on a single from Juan Santana. Tanner Mathis scored on a wild pitch, and McDonald had an RBI groundout that made it 11-2. Comfortable win, right? Frederick Tiburcio went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and fanned 5. Ryan Connolly threw 2 scoreless and gave up a hit and walked 1. Christian Garcia threw a scoreless 8th and got 1 out in the 9th. He allowed 3 runs (all inherited) on 5 walks and struck out 3. Kevin Ferguson was greeted rudely in his Greeneville debut. He got the 2nd out of the 9th (via strikeout), but he also gave up 5 runs (2 inherited) on 3 hits and walked 3. Krishawn Holley finally got that final out, but he walked 2, which allowed 2 of Ferguson's runners to score. The Appy Astros will look for the sweep at 7:00 Eastern. Enderson Franco will take on Thaddius Lowry. GCL Blue Jays 10, GCL Astros 3 Well, the Kissimmee Stros had to claw back from a 6-1 deficit, and they got put away by a 4-run 8th. Mesac Laguna hit an RBI double in the 5th and a 2-run single in the 7th. Austin Nicely went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 2. Reymin Guduan went 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Javier Lozano got 1 out in the 7th via strikeout, but he walked 3. Samil De Los Santos tightroped out of that quandry, but he got knocked around for 4 runs in the 8th. He went 1 1/3 and allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Devonte German walked 1, but got the final out of the 8th. Both teams will be doing it again in Kissimmee in a few minutes. DSL Mariners 4, DSL Astros 3 The Mariners scored 3 in the 9th to steal one from the Academy. The Academy took a 2-1 lead in the 3rd with... 2 runs in the 3rd. Brian Peña scored on a wild pitch and Arturo Michelena hit an RBI single. Peña went 2-3 and added an RBI single in the 8th. Edwin Villarroel went 5 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Cristhopher Santamaria threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed 2 hits and fanned 2. Yonquelys Martinez came on for 1 1/3 and walked 1 and struck out 2. Angel Heredia couldn't close it out. He allowed 3 unearned runs on 2 hits and walked 1.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> 2B/SS Jean Estrella has been promoted from the Dominican Summer League to the Gulf Coast League. <a href="http://t.co/lwrWz7t7Ol">http://t.co/lwrWz7t7Ol</a></p>— Jayne (@whattheheck57) <a href="https://twitter.com/whattheheck57/statuses/365500450369306626">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Houston Astros must have the fastest pipeline to the majors of any club. It must be exciting to be at AA or AAA and know its not a pipe dream that you might get a call up.
Anyone a BP subscriber? They just put up some Josh Hader stuff in their "What Scouts Are Saying" feature.
LHP Josh Hader: “Threw 92-94 for three innings before running into some mechanical issues that caused him to lose his command and control. Has a very good curveball that he gets underneath and throws from different arm slots. Has solid spin and shows multiple plane movement. Changeup at this point is average but does have some fade. Maintains good pressure points on the ball.” RHP Lance McCullers: "Hard-nosed competitor with front-of-the-rotation type stuff. He has the ability to put hitters away when he wants. I love watching this kid battle."
And drafting him allowed us to get Rio Ruiz. I'm not sure the Astros would have had enough for Ruiz if they signed Buxton. Much better value as Ruiz continues to improve as well.
What I meant was, if your in the Astros minor league system at the AA and AAA level, you have a better chance of getting a look at the major league level than in most minor league systems.
Time will tell if it was a good move. Buxton is the best player of the three. Correa seems like the real deal though, Tulo type player.
Looking at Lancaster and Quad Cities pitchers, it appears they have abandoned the tandem system and are instead going with 7 man rotations and have been doing so for a while. They have clearly separated starters and relievers. I prefer this to the tandem system, although 6 man would be better, or maybe 4 starters and 2 tandem spots if you wanna get a look at more potential starters. I'm not a fan of pitchers going every 4th day.
