<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Here's where you can listen to the Rule 5 Draft live this morning: <a href="http://t.co/hwK8dltVAo">http://t.co/hwK8dltVAo</a> - Starts at 9 a.m. ET</p>— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBDraft/statuses/411129915526750209">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> select LHP Patrick Schuster from Triple-A of the D-backs with first pick.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411134284653555712">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Schuster should go to Padres as part of the Bass deal yesterday. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411135352095526912">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>With first selection of Triple-A phase of Rule 5 Draft, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> select OF Ravel Santana of Double-A Trenton of the Yankees.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411137440057786368">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rays&src=hash">#Rays</a> take RHP Enderson Franco from Astros' Double-A roster.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411138904268341248">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> take LHP Carlos Vazquez of Mets' Double-A roster.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411139478044934145">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>With first pick of Double-A portion of Rule 5 Draft, Astros select LHP Blaine Sims from Braves.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411141301996769280">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Blaine Sims, who the Astros just plucked from the Braves in the Rule 5 Draft, throws a knuckleball.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/411141599066722305">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It was good to see that the Astros didn't lose any prospects in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 draft. But, I'd suspect that the Astros will be more susceptible to losing quality talent in the years to come. As stacked as they are, and new young talent being brought in every year, it's bound to happen. So, the Astros better be bold and make assessments on their prospects when they can. I think that moves like trading Lyles and Barnes are what they'll have to do more often. Albeit talented, Lyles needed a change of scenery; who know one day he could become an all-star, but same can be said of Fowlers. And in the world of "here an now", Fowlers has experienced more success in his brief MLB experience at a premium position in CF.
I'm actually pretty surprised no other team poached Carlos Perez from the Astros. He struck me as a guy worth taking a flyer on as a backup C. Oh, well. Good for the Astros that they get to hold onto him.
I don't understand it either. In a league where most backup catchers can't hit anyways (and for that matter a good portion of the starters), I think it makes a lot of sense to take a quality defensive catcher in the Rule 5.
Blaine Sims has been awful thus far, but knuckleballers are notorious for their pitch suddenly clicking under the right coach. Maybe Steve Sparks (I know he wasn't amazing) can take him under his wing. I don't know if there's been a major league lefty knuckleballer in the last ten years.
Ravel Santana, 21 (22 on May 1), was rated as the #7 prospect in the Yankees system entering the 2012 season, but he suffered a really bad ankle injury in the GCL in 2011 and didn't look very healthy in 2012. Santana did not play at all in the 2013 season. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsantan001rav&div=div_standard_batting"></script> Vazquez, a Mexican who turned 22 on September 3, bounced between the Mexican League and the Mets organization in 2011 and 2013. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dvasque005car&div=div_standard_pitching"></script> Sims hasn't quite solved Class A Advanced just yet, but a lefty knuckleballer? Well, I'm a little intrigued. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsims--001bla&div=div_standard_pitching"></script>
Santana videos: He did not play in 2013 due to a broken wrist. From BA <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aIqFQSzAbK8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> In a GCL game (2011) <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zoaLRRKW6t8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> RBI double vs. Williamsport (2012) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/25GseF4sstw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Only video I found of Sims was from his Carolina League debut in 2011. Pre-knuckleball? <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/odHUkHvJYxQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Haven't found anything on Vazquez yet.
