Details forthcoming. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Wilton Lopez to the Rockies. More to come. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/276172086400139265" data-datetime="2012-12-05T03:52:11+00:00">December 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Possible haul??? I'm hoping for someone like Tyler Matzek. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Rockies would look to send two young pitchers to Houston for Lopez, a proven setup man. Parker Frazier would not be in deal</p>— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) <a href="https://twitter.com/TroyRenck/status/276165445961261056" data-datetime="2012-12-05T03:25:47+00:00">December 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
White was the 15th overall pick in 2009. He and Drew Pomeranz came to the Rockies in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade with the Indians. He split time with AAA Colorado Springs and the Rockies this year. In the minors, he went 3-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 11 games, all starts. With the Rockies, he didn't fare as well, going 2-9 with a 5.51 ERA in 23 games (20 starts). Gillingham was an 11th-round draft pick in 2011 out of Loyola Marymount. He spent the season in Low-A, with Asheville. In 19 games, all starts, he went 6-8 with a 3.66 ERA, throwing one complete game. In 123 innings, he allowed 122 hits (5 homers), 58 runs (50 earned), walked 28, and struck out 83. Playing in the most extreme hitters' park in the South Atlantic League, he had a 3.29 groundout/flyout ratio (2.44 groundball/flyball ratio) and allowed a 60.5% groundball rate
I remember Alex White had some success a few years ago in Cleveland. Seems like he could be a solid back end of the rotation type. It will be interesting to see Gillingham climb through the system. Hopefully he has more upside than just organizational depth.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a>' Luhnow said this was one of two moves he hinted at earlier today. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23MLB">#MLB</a></p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/276187757393625088" data-datetime="2012-12-05T04:54:27+00:00">December 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Given the plethora of starting pitchers we have, I have to think the "other move" will be a trade of Bud Norris.
Seems like a good buy low. In 2011 White entered the year as the #47 prospect in baseball by Baseball America. He's been bad in Colorado, but I think that's the one place pitchers can get a mulligan for their performance. Should be interesting to see what Norris can fetch.
The astros are gonna have to purge a lot of minor league starters. By my count, since the draft last year we have added 15 pitchers who should be at Low A or higher this year. That only leaves spots for 10 holdovers. Not as though any great prospects are getting squeezed, but still when you send home as many arms as we're going to this offseason. Luhnow is clearly taking the spray approach, if you can't get a blue chippers just acquire as many good arms as possible, a few are bound to pan out. I'm in favor of this approach, not much to work with so get what you can.
Astros lost their closer and what did they get back? Alex White has yet to prove that he is anymore than a AAAA pitcher. White has to be the centerpiece of this trade. If White fails, this trade will be bust. Alex Gillingham is a low A prospect. Gillingham making it to The Show is less thana 50-50 proposition. I suspect that Luhnow's deep statistical analysis of Alex White must have show a lot of promise.
In fact.... White was scouted extensively by the Cardinals before the 2009 draft. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Cardinals">#Cardinals</a> nearly drafted Alex White, Luhnow said.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/276181618572533760" data-datetime="2012-12-05T04:30:03+00:00">December 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Three years ago, White was a No. 1 pick Luhnow wanted in St. Louis. Reasonable his career can still point upward.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/276195011278823424" data-datetime="2012-12-05T05:23:16+00:00">December 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Maybe if no deal for Norris is made, they consider him for closer? I don't think I'm the only one that thinks he would be successful in that spot.
There has been some fan talk of going to 6 man rotations. That would add a few spots. Luhnow has said that he believes only in merit based promotions (thus Delino DeShields and Mike Foltynewicz had repeat low A last year). Some of the prospects in the lower levels may very well run out of time if they lagging in their development, since the influx of players from trades.
We currently have 12 starters on the 40-man roster. I think there are good odds that Bud is dealt or moved to closer. Harrell White Lyles Humber Kuechel Looks to be the rotation. Cisnero Cosart Seaton Owens Clemens Oberholtzer Musick (not on the 40-man) All spent time in the OKC rotation last year, and really belong there or on the ML roster. Luhnow said Cosart would be under consideration to be our closer, and Clemens could certainly be moved to the pen as well.
120 loss season here we come!!! Three 1-1 picks in a row!!! Good times. Seriously... At some point, Luhnow has to decide that winning games at the MLB level is meaningful. Luhnow now has his senior management positions in place. Luhnow has a sizable budget for free agents for _this coming year_. You gotta think that 120 loses is not his goal for next year, more like 90 loses. If you trade Bud for prospects and replace him with what is left in the FA market in January, I do not see a positive WAR situation.
It's basically what the Nats did. Get enough of them and you fill up your system with talent. If you can hit on 25 players you go to the playoffs.
They wouldn't be replacing Bud with what is left on the market, it would be internal. We don't need more starters unless we are going to let somebody go.
If Alex White pitches for the Astros, he'll be the first pitcher in Astros history to wear a single digit as his number
