Saturday, February 28, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/28

No future Astros with birthdays today, but one former Astro marks the day ~

RHP Ricky Stone (40)
Originally drafted in the fourth round by the Dodgers in 1994, Stone came to Houston as a free agent in November 2000. In 165 appearances for Houston from 2001 to 2004, he was 10-8 with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.401 WHIP over 187 innings. Stone was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2008 and beat the disease, but later lost his wife to ovarian cancer.

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Friday, February 27, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/27

Happy Birthday to ~

1B Connor MacDonald (19)
Signed in 2012 out of Queensland, MacDonald was the first Australian prospect signed by the Astros in over twenty years. He played his first professional season in 2014 in the Dominican Summer League. In 35 games, he hit .328/.442/.461.

1B Conrad Gregor (23)
Drafted by Houston in the fourth round in 2013 out of Vanderbilt, Gregor started the season with Quad Cities, but earned two promotions during the season and ended it with the AA Corpus Christi team. In a combined 124 games, Gregor hit .311/.404/.509 with 31 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, and 86 RBI.

One former Astro celebrates today as well ~

OF Carl Warwick (78)
Obtained in a trade with the Cardinals for LHP Bobby Shantz, Warwick appeared in 280 games for the Colt .45's in 1962 and 1963 with a batting line of .257/.315/.373. He was traded to the Cardinals in February of 1964 for 1B/OF Jim Beauchamp and RHP Chuck Taylor and was used as a pinch hitter in that year's World Series, going 3 for 4 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored as the Cardinals beat the Yankees 4-3 to win the series.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

An Interview with Astros RHP Eric Peterson

Eric Peterson had a season in 2014 that crept up on me. Following his first month pitching for the Greeneville Astros, he had a 7.20 ERA, but by the time the season ended, Peterson had whittled that number down to a 2.35 ERA after allowing only two earned runs during his final two months pitching out of the Greeneville bullpen. Batters hit only .209 against him for the season and he ended with a 1.087 WHIP and 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

When I talked to Peterson recently by phone, he admitted that he'd rather forget about that first month of the season and focus on what he had accomplished by the end of the season. "Obviously, I struggled in the beginning, (but) I feel like I improved a lot over the course of the season," said Peterson, citing the improved consistency of his breaking ball and better pitch location.

Peterson throws from a low 3/4-arm slot which helps him get some natural run on his pitch offerings which include a high-80's to low 90's 4-seam fastball, curveball and changeup. Peterson considers his curveball to be his best pitch, but one of his fellow Greeneville Astros pitchers praised his changeup as well.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Peterson pitch when I visited Greeneville last summer so I asked him what I will see when I do see him pitch. According to Peterson, "I throw strikes. I'm certainly not going to back down from anyone. I'm really aggressive. Sometimes I can be too aggressive and leave balls over the plate when I'm ahead in the count. I don't walk too many guys." Peterson walked only one batter in his final 12 appearances of the season.

When quizzed about what Peterson felt he needed to do in order to get to the next step in his professional development, he indicated that he thinks he locates his fastball well, but has been working on being more consistent with his curveball and the arm slot he uses with that breaking pitch. During the 2014 season, he was also working on finding the sweet spot in his times to home plate.

Peterson and his fraternal twin brother LHP Patrick Peterson spent the first two and a half years of their collegiate careers at Temple University in Philadelphia, but had to transfer to North Carolina State University for the 2014 college season when Temple suddenly cut their baseball program in December 2013. With two players in the household looking to be drafted, it was a long couple of days for the Petersons as his brother Patrick was drafted in the 23rd round by Seattle and Eric's name was called in the 37th round, leading to sighs of relief all around.

When asked what he would do if he wasn't playing baseball, Peterson said that he would likely go back to  North Carolina State and finish his degree in Sports Management with an eye toward staying attached to the game in some way.

As I always do with pitchers, I asked Peterson who on that 2014 Greeneville squad had a pitch that he would like to steal. "I would probably say (Reymin) Guduan's fastball. You can't really teach mid to high 90's fastball, so that's definitely something I wish I could have."

And what hitter would he least like to face? "I would say Sean McMullen. He always puts up good at-bats. Another guy would be Antonio Nunez because the dude battles up there, every single time. He doesn't strike out." Those two players in particular can make a pitcher throw a lot of extra pitches.

Peterson didn't have much to share with me when asked to tell something most people don't know about him, but he did mention that, although he and his brother are fraternal twins, they do look enough alike that they are often mistaken for identical twins.

Thank you for your time, Eric, and best of luck in the upcoming season.

>>>>>>><<<<<<<

Please consider purchasing my new e-book, the "2015 Houston Farm System Handbook." The book can be read immediately on your kindle, and can also be read on virtually any computer or tablet by downloading the Free Kindle Reading App.

Happy Birthday - 2/26

No future Astros celebrating today, but we have a few former Astros with birthdays today ~

3B Steve Hertz (70)
Signed by the Colt .45's as a free agent in 1964, Hertz appeared in five games (four at-bats) for Houston that season, and those five games constituted his entire major league career. He was unable to get that elusive hit in the majors. However, he went on to have a very successful career coaching for Miami Dade College. As an interesting side note, in 2007 he managed the Tel Aviv Lightning in the Israel Baseball League.

RHP Don Lee (81)
Acquired in a trade with the Angels for OF Al Spangler in June 1965, Lee pitched for the Astros in 1965 and 1966. In 16 games, he was 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.231 WHIP. Lee played in nine major league seasons for five teams.

RHP Gary Majewski (35)
A Houston native, Majewski signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2009 and only appeared in two games for Houston in the 2010 season. Since it's his birthday, I will be charitable and not post the results of those two appearances. Majewski had his most effective season in 2005 for the Nationals, going 4-4 in 79 appearances with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.360 WHIP. In three seasons for the Independent League Sugar Land Skeeters, Majewski is 18-8 with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.205 WHIP in 175 appearances.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Sample Entry from the 2015 Houston Farm System Handbook

As I hope my readers have discovered by now, I recently published the "2015 Houston Farm System Handbook," containing profiles of 257 players in the Astros minor league system. The book is available from Amazon as an e-book that can be read on virtually any device (desktop, laptop, tablet or phone) even if you don't own a kindle. Simply download the Kindle App, buy the book and enjoy!

Not every profile is as detailed as this one, but the following write-up on Tyler Brunnemann will give you an idea of the kind of information contained in the book.

I hope that you will consider purchasing this book which I have come to think of as an Astros minor league media guide on steroids. Your continued support is very much appreciated.

RHP Tyler Brunnemann

  • B/T: R/R
  • H/W: 6’2” 200#
  • Born: 8/9/91 in Garden Ridge, Texas
  • Age on 4/1/15: 23
  • Acquisition: Drafted in the 40th Round in 2013 out of Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, Texas)
  • 2014: 2nd Season; Quad Cities (A-) with an early August promotion to Lancaster (A+)








Noteworthy:
  • Held hitters to a .183/.237/.289 batting line for the season (61.2IP)
  • Held lefties to a .173/.244/.333 line


Awards/Honors/Rankings:
  • 2014 Quad Cities Midseason All-Star
  • 2014 Championship Series MVP (California League)


2014 Fall/Winter League Stats:
Australian Baseball League: 3.12 ERA and a 1.077 WHIP in 22 games (26.0IP)

Narrative:
From 40th Round draft pick (out of 40 rounds) in 2013 to MVP of the California League Championship series in 2014 is quite the journey. When Brunnemann was at Quad Cities prior to his promotion in August, both Manager Omar Lopez and Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski sang praises to Brunnemann’s work ethic. Lopez called him a “model citizen,” someone who was “on time for everything, on top of everything and applies the information.” Borkowski said of Brunnemann, “He’s going to get every ounce out of himself that he can. He competes. He prepares. He’s ready to go.” Nothing illustrates his work ethic better than knowing he dropped 40 pounds between the end of the 2013 season and the start of Spring Training in 2014.
Those intangibles have given Brunnemann early success. He won’t blow you away with his 88 to 91 mph fastball, but he will challenge you with it and spot it well. He also gets decent movement on his changeup and the curveball that he was working on in the 2014 season. But it is his delivery that sets him apart. He somehow manages to achieve good command despite a violent finish to his delivery in which he falls off the mound to the first base side, sometimes actually having to put down his glove hand to keep from falling over. The delivery provides deception and distraction to the hitter.


Excellent walk rate, excellent strikeout rate, low home run rate, good with runners on, great lefty/righty splits ... there is a lot to like with someone like Brunnemann. On paper, the odds are certainly against a 40th round draft pick without elite “stuff,” but don’t tell Brunnemann that. His intangibles will likely take him further than many pitchers who have more natural ability, but whose drive, desire and work habits don’t match his.

Postseason Stats:
  • 2013 Tri-City (New York-Penn League): 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.750 WHIP in 1.1 innings
  • 2014 Lancaster (California League): 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and a 0.750 WHIP in 6.2 innings


2014 Fall/Winter Stats:
Australian Baseball League: 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.077 WHIP in 22 games (26.0IP)

Extras:
  • Twitter handle: @TBruno35
  • A June 2014 interview with Brunnemann (includes the story of a benign brain tumor that he had removed when he was 11 years old)
  • Threw 68.6% of his pitches for strikes in the 5 games for which that information is available
  • More photos of Brunnemann

Happy Birthday - 2/25

No future Astros celebrating, but two former Astros have birthdays today ~

CF Cesar Cedeno (64)
Cedeno signed with Houston as an amateur free agent from the Dominican Republic in 1967 and played in 1512 games for the Astros from 1970 to 1981 with a batting line of .289/.351/.454. Cedeno won five Gold Gloves and earned four All-Star nods during his tenure with Houston. He also led the National League in doubles in 1971 and 1972, outfield put-outs in 1974 and fielding percentage in 1971 and 1977. He was traded to the Reds in December of 1981 for Ray Knight. Cedeno has served as Hitting for the Greeneville Astros in the Appy League for the past three seasons.

LHP Denny Lemaster (76)
Lemaster pitched for Houston from 1968 to 1971 after being acquired in a trade with the Braves along with IF Dennis Menke.  An All-Star for Atlanta in 1967, Lemaster had a 3.40 ERA and a 1.335 WHIP in 152 games (90 starts) for the Astros.

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/24

No future Astros with birthdays today, but a couple of former Astros are celebrating ~

A first round pick by the Giants in 1971, Riccelli came to Houston in a June 1978 trade with the Cardinals and pitched in 13 games for the Astros in 1978 and 1979 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.640 WHIP.

A fifth round pick by the Red Sox in 2000, Esposito came to Houston as a free agent in November 2008. He played in three games in the major leagues (two for Houston in 2010) with three plate appearances and never found that elusive major league hit. After one year of coaching in the Pirates minor league organization in 2013, Esposito was the Manager of the Pirates Short Season A Jamestown Jammers in 2014.

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Monday, February 23, 2015

Astros Off-Season Transaction List for 2014-2015

This will be my final update on the transactions (4/5/15).

Here is the Astros 40-man roster which currently stands at 40.

NEW TO THE SYSTEM
RHP Rogelio Armenteros (Cuban defector signed by Astros according to Baseball America)
RHP Angel Baez (Obtained from the Royals for cash considerations)
RHP Akeem Bostick (Obtained from the Rangers in a trade for C Carlos Corporan)
RHP Luis Castro (19-year old [turns 20 on May 11] Dominican signed on February 10)
C Hank Conger (Obtained in trade for RHP Nick Tropeano and C Carlos Perez)
1B Jared Cruz (PTBNL in the July 2014 Andrew Robinson trade with the Braves)
RHP Harlen Florencio (19-year old Dominican signed in early December)
C Luis Flores (Claimed by the Astros in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft)
C Evan Gattis (Obtained from the Braves in a trade for RHP Mike Foltynewicz, 3B Rio Ruiz and RHP Andrew Thurman)
RHP Luke Gregerson (signed as a free agent)
RHP Will Harris (claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks)
OF Jose Hernandez (18-year old [turns 19 on March 12] Dominican signed on February 10)
RHP Roberto Hernandez (signed as a free agent; also know as Fausto Carmona)
RHP James Hoyt (obtained along with Evan Gattis in trade with the Braves)
RHP Dylan James (NDFA out of West Texas A&M)
1B Dan Johnson (signed as a free agent) - traded to the Reds for a PTBNL
SS Jed Lowrie (signed as a free agent)
2B Nicolas Miranda (18-year old [turns 19 on June 12] Panamanian signed on February 10)
RHP Pat Neshek (signed as a free agent)
RHP Christian Powell (signed as a minor league free agent
OF Colby Rasmus (signed as a free agent)
3B Anthony Rodriguez (18-year old [turns 19 on July 23] Dominican signed on February 10)
LHP Maikel Sepulveda (18-year old Dominican signed on February 11)
RHP Robert Stock (signed as a minor league free agent)
RHP Dan Straily (obtained from the Cubs in trade for OF Dexter Fowler)
LHP Joe Thatcher (signed as a free agent)
RHP Luidin Toribio (19-year old Dominican signed on February 10)
3B Luis Valbuena (obtained from the Cubs in trade for OF Dexter Fowler)
C Randy Vasquez (19-year old Dominican [as of 3-13] signed on February 11)

ADDED TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER
C Hank Conger
RHP Michael Feliz (added in advance of the Rule 5 Draft)
C Evan Gattis (will be used in OF and as DH)
RHP Luke Gregerson
RHP Will Harris
RHP Roberto Hernandez
SS Jed Lowrie
RHP Pat Neshek
C Carlos Perez (added in advance of the Rule 5 Draft) - Traded to the Angels
OF Colby Rasmus
RHP Dan Straily
LHP Joe Thatcher
IF Ronald Torreyes (added in advance of the Rule 5 Draft)
3B Luis Valbuena
RHP Vince Velasquez (added in advance of the Rule 5 Draft)

OUTRIGHTED TO FRESNO
RHP Jose Cisnero - Left via free agency
LHP Darin Downs
LHP Rudy Owens - Left via free agency
IF Gregorio Petit - Traded to the Yankees
RHP Anthony Bass - Left via free agency

DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT
OF Alex Presley
RHP Alex White

PLACED ON THE RESTRICTED LIST
RHP Andrew Walter (50-game suspension for testing positive for drug of abuse)

NO LONGER IN THE SYSTEM
RHP Matt Albers - Left via free agency
1B Japhet Amador (According to Baseball America, the Astros sold their rights to Amador back to Mexico City of the Mexican League)
RHP Anthony Bass - Left via free agency
IF Bobby Borchering - Released
LHP Colton Cain - Released
RHP Patrick Christensen - Released
RHP Jose Cisnero - Left via free agency
RHP Paul Clemens - Left via free agency
C Brett Clements - Released
C Carlos Corporan - Traded to the Rangers
RHP Jesse Crain - Left via free agency
RHP Jorge de Leon - Claimed off waivers by Oakland
Delino DeSheilds - Drafted by the Rangers in the Rule 5 Draft
IF Will Dupont - Released
IF Austin Elkins - Retired
IF Jean Estrella - Released
LHP Kevin Ferguson - Released
RHP Mike Foltynewicz - Traded to Atlanta
OF Dexter Fowler - Traded to the Cubs
C Rene Garcia - Left via free agency
LHP Kyle Gehrs - Released
RHP Jandel Gustave - Drafted by the Red Sox in the Rule 5 Draft and flipped to Kansas City; claimed off waivers by the Padres; returned to the Astros
1B Jesus Guzman - Left via free agency
RHP Matt Heidenreich - Released
1B Dan Johnson - Traded to the Reds
OF Terrell Joyce - Released
1B/OF Marc Krauss - Claimed off waivers by the Angels
Ydarqui Marte - Released
RHP David Martinez - Left via free agency
OF Tanner Mathis - Released
C Ryan McCurdy - Retired
1B Yonathan Mejia - Released
RHP Chris Munnelly - Released
RHP Luis Ordosgoitti - Released
LHP J.D. Osborne - Released
OF Ariel Ovando - Drafted by the Cubs in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft; being converted to a pitcher
LHP Rudy Owens - Signed as Free Agent with Oakland
C Carlos Perez - Traded to the Angels
SS Gregorio Petit- Traded to the Yankees for a PTBNL or cash
RHP Francis Ramirez - Released
RHP Raul Rivera - Released
C Jake Rodriguez - Retired
LHP David Rollins - Drafted by Seattle in the Rule 5 Draft
3B Rio Ruiz - Traded to Atlanta
IF Juan Santana - Released
OF Jose Solano - Released
RHP Andrew Thurman - Traded to the Braves
RHP Nick Tropeano - Traded to the Angels
LHP Patrick Urckfitz - Left via free agency
RHP Aaron Vaughn - Released
RHP Jose Veras - Left via free agency
RHP Vince Wheeland - Released
RHP Kyle Weiland - Rumored to have retired; no club confirmation at this time
RHP Josh Zeid - Claimed off waivers by the Tigers

FREE AGENTS
RHP Matt Albers - Signed with the White Sox
RHP Anthony Bass - Signed with the Rangers
RHP Jose Cisnero - Signed with the Reds
RHP Paul Clemens - Signed with the Phillies
RHP Jesse Crain - Signed with the White Sox
C Rene Garcia - Signed with the Phillies
RHP Murilo Gouvea - Re-signed with the Astros
1B Jesus Guzman - Signed with the Hiroshima Carp
RHP David Martinez - Signed with the Rangers
LHP Rudy Owens - Signed with the A's
IF Carlos Perdomo
RHP Ross Seaton - Signed with the Tigers
LHP Patrick Urckfitz - Signed with the Marlins
RHP Jose Veras - Signed with the Braves

Have you purchased your copy of my new book "2015 Houston Farm System Handbook" yet? The Handbook contains information on 257 players in the Astros minor league system and should prove to be a valuable resource throughout the season.

Happy Birthday - 2/23

No future Astros with birthdays today, but several former Astros are celebrating ~

RHP Edgar Gonzalez (32)
Gonzalez signed with Houston as a free agent in August 2012 and pitched in 11 games (six starts) for Houston over two seasons. He went 3-2 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.457 WHIP. Gonzalez played in the Reds organization in 2014.

LHP Juan Agosto (57)
Agosto signed with Houston as a free agent in May 1993 and pitched in 261 games for the Astros from 1987 to 1990 and in 1993. His best season was in 1988 when he appeared in 75 games and went 10-2 with a 2.26 ERA and a 1.135 WHIP. In 1990, he led the National League in appearances with 82.

RHP Scott Elarton (39)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1994, Elarton pitched for Houston from 1998 to 2001, going 32-21 in 120 appearances (67 starts) with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.388 WHIP before being traded to the Rockies at the trade deadline in 2001 for Pedro Astacio. In 2000, he was 17-7 in 30 starts for Houston. Elarton started his coaching career in 2014, acting as Pitching Coach for the Pirates Gulf Coast League team.

2B/3B Ken Boswell (69)
A native of Austin, Boswell came to Houston in an October 1974 trade with the Mets and played in 275 games for the Astros from 1975 to 1977 after spending eight seasons with New York. His best season offensively was with the Mets in 1969 when he hit .279/.347/.381 and got his World Series ring. In 1970, he led the National League in fielding percentage as a second baseman with a .996 percentage.

C Frank Charles ( 46)
I love this story.  Charles toiled in the minor leagues and independent ball for 10 years. At the end of the 10th year, after having been picked up by Houston in the off-season, he got a September call-up, a rookie at 31.  In seven plate appearances over four games, Charles got three hits with a double and two RBI. His cup of coffee netted him a .429/.429/.571 career batting line. He spent four more seasons in the minors and independent league ball before hanging up his cleats at the end of the 2004 season when he was 35 years old.

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/22

No future Astros with birthdays today, but several former Astros celebrate ~

RHP Tom Griffin (67)
A first round pick by Houston in 1966, Griffin pitched for Houston from 1970 to 1976, going 45-60 in 199 appearances (123 starts) with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.470 WHIP. In his rookie season in 1969, he led the National League in SO/9 at 9.6 in 31 starts. Griffin's best season for Houston (arguably) was in 1974 when he was 14-10 in 34 starts. Ironically, he was also fifth in the National League in wild pitches that year. In 1980 and again in 1981, he led the National League in hit batters while pitching for the Giants.

SS/CF Eric "Cool Breeze" Yelding (50)
Yelding played for Houston from 1989 to 1992, batting .249 over that stretch. In 1990, he stole 64 bases (behind only Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson), but also led the MLB in caught stealing. In 1992, he was sent to the White Sox for LHP Rich Scheid. Yelding was a first round draft pick for the Blue Jays in 1984.

3B/2B Russ Johnson (42)
Yet another first round draft pick with a birthday today, Johnson was drafted by Houston in 1994 and played for the Astros from 1997 to 2000 before being traded to Tampa Bay for RHP Marc Valdes. His best season for Houston was 1999 when he hit .282/.358/.442 and was 1-for-1 with a walk and a double in the NLDS.

LHP John Halama (43)
Halama wasn't a first round pick like all the other birthday boys, but rather was drafted in the 23rd round by Houston in 1994.  He started 6 games  for the Astros in 1998 and went to Seattle at the end of the 1998 season as the player to be named in the Randy Johnson trade. According to Baseball-Reference, on July 7, 2001, Halama pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in Pacific Coast League history for the Tacoma Rainiers, a performance which led to his being recalled to the majors.

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Saturday, February 21, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/21

Happy Birthday to ~

LHP Bryan Radziewski (23)
Drafted by Houston in the ninth round in 2014, Radziewski spent his first professional season with the Tri-City team. In 15 games (one start), he was 2-0 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.162 WHIP.

One former Astro celebrates the day as well ~

RHP Jack Billingham (72)
Billingham came to Houston in a trade with the Expos prior to the 1969 season and pitched for the Astros from 1969 to 1971. In 131 appearances (61 starts), he was 29-32 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.297 WHIP. According to Baseball-Reference, he was a part of this trade to the Reds in 1971 ~
November 29, 1971: Traded by the Houston Astros with Ed Armbrister, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke and Joe Morgan to the Cincinnati Reds for Tommy Helms, Lee May and Jimmy Stewart.
He had his best season for the Reds in his 1973 All-Star season. That year he was 19-10 in 40 starts, pitching 293.1 innings with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.200 WHIP. Apparently, his arm didn't fall off after that workload since he went on to pitch another seven seasons in the majors.

Our good friend Appy Astros pointed out that Billingham went on to coach in the minor leagues for several years ending in 2004 as the Pitching Coach of the League Champion Greeneville Astros.

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Friday, February 20, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/20

Happy Birthday to ~

LF/DH Telvin Nash (24)
Drafted in the third round in 2009 out of high school in his native Georgia, Nash spent his 2014 season with the AA Corpus Christi team. In 84 games, he hit .227/.330/.484 with four doubles, 22 home runs and 49 RBI.

OF Rodrigo Ayarza (20)
2014 was Ayarza's first season in the Astros organization, having played the previous two seasons in the Rangers organization. In 61 games in the Dominican Summer League, he hit .274/.387/.359. He is originally from Panama.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Bill Gullickson (55)
A first round pick by Montreal in 1977, Gullickson came to Houston as a free agent in December 1989. In one season for the Astros in 1990, he was 10-14 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.459 WHIP in 32 starts. In 1991, after being released by Houston, he went 20-9 for Detroit. Gullickson came in second to Steve Howe in Rookie of the Year voting in 1979.

RHP Jason Hirsh (33)
A second round pick by Houston in 2003, Hirsh started nine games for the Astros in 2006, going 3-4 with a 6.04 ERA and a 1.567 WHIP.  He was traded, along with Taylor Buchholz and Willy Taveras, to the Rockies for Miguel Asencio and he-who-must-not-be-named in December of 2006.

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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/19

Happy Birthday to ~

LHP Kevin Chapman (27)
Originally drafted by the Royals in the fourth round in 2010, Chapman came to the Houston organization in a March 2012 trade with Kansas City. Chapman started the season in Houston and ended it there. In between he made 43 appearances for Oklahoma City, going 2-1 with a 1.28 ERA, a 1.432 WHIP and 9 saves. In 21 appearances for the Astros, he was 2-0 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.547 WHIP.

RHP Daniel Mengden (22)
Drafted by Houston in the fourth round in 2014, Mengden only made six appearances in his first professional season, four with the GCL Astros and two with Tri-City. In six games (one start), he had a 3.27 ERA and a 0.909 WHIP in 11 innings.

Two former Astros mark the day as well ~

RHP Chris Zachary (died April 19, 2003 at 59)
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent prior to the 1962 season, Zachary had a less than awe-inspiring career with Houston as he compiled a 6-16 record with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.466 WHIP in 46 appearances over 5 seasons (1963-1967), but he was only 19 when he made his major league debut.  His best season was with Detroit in 1972; in 25 appearances, he was 1-1 with a 1.41 ERA and a 1.096 WHIP.

OF Don Taussig (83)
Drafted by Houston from the Cardinals in the 1961 expansion draft, Taussig only played in 16 games for the Colt 45's in 1962 (.200 BA) after putting up a very respectable .287/.338/.447 batting line for the Cardinals the prior year.  He never got back to the majors after 1962.

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/18

No future Astros with birthdays today, but several former Astros celebrate ~

OF Brian Bogusevic (31)
Drafted in the first round out of Tulane in 2008 as a LHP, Bogusevic converted to the outfield in mid-2008. In 252 games played for the Astros from 2010 to 2012, he hit .227/.310/.346. On August 16, 2011, Bogusevic became the 26th player in MLB history to hit an Ultimate Grand Slam with a pinch-hit walk-off home run, winning the game by one run. Bogusevic played in the Marlins minor league system in 2014.

SS Rafael Ramirez (57)
Ramirez came to Houston as a free agent in January 1992 and played in 612 games for Houston from 1988 to 1992, hitting .257/.290/.335. He was an All-Star in 1984 for Atlanta.

1B John Mayberry (66)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1967, Mayberry played in 105 games for Houston from 1968 to 1971, hitting .191/.284/.342. Mayberry went on to have a 15-year major league career in which he was an All-Star for Kansas City in 1973 and 1974.

RHP Rocky Childress (53)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 21st round in 1980, Childress was purchased by Houston from Philadelphia in November 1986. In 43 appearances for the Astros in 1987 and 1988, he had a 4.02 ERA and a 1.381 WHIP.

We also with Astros Assistant General Manager David Stearns a Very Happy Birthday!!!

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

2015 Houston Farm System Handbook

My new book, available on Amazon, is available for kindle and has now been successfully tested on the kindle app for iPad. Thank you for considering a purchase!

Happy Birthday - 2/17

No future Astros with birthdays today, but two former Astros celebrate ~

LHP Mike Cosgrove (64)
A second round pick by the Astros in 1970, Cosgrove pitched in 119 games (20 starts) from 1972 to 1976  with a 12-11 record, a 4.03 ERA and a 1.515 WHIP.

IF Cody Ransom (39)
Originally drafted by the Giants in the ninth round in 1998, Ransom came to Houston in March 2006 from the Mariners. In 19 games for the Astros in 2007, he hit .229/.413/.371 before leaving via free agency that winter. On September 21, 2008, he recorded the final putout at the old Yankee Stadium. He played for Seibu in the Japan Pacific League in 2014.

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Monday, February 16, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/16

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Chris Munnelly (24)
Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of North Carolina in 2013, Munnelly spent his 2014 season pitching out of the Tri-City bullpen. In 15 appearances, he had a 3.38 ERA and a 1.200 WHIP. He walked eight batters and struck out 31 in 26.2 innings of work.

DSL Manager Johan Maya (35)
Maya played for two seasons in the Astros minor league system in 1999 and 2000. 2014 marked his debut as a Manager in the organization as he managed the Astros DSL Blue team. Maya is a native of Venezuela.

These former Astros also mark the day ~

Originally drafted by the Rangers in the second round in 1980, Henry signed as a free agent with Houston in March 1991. In 52 appearances for the Astros in 1991, he had a 3-2 record with a 3.19 ERA and 1.330 WHIP.

SS Glenn Vaughan (died December 18, 2004 at 60)
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent in 1962, Vaughan played in 9 games for the Colt .45's in 1963, hitting .167/.219/.167.

A first round pick by the Astros in 1981, Bullock played in 24 games for Houston in 1985 and 1986, hitting .174/.191/.217.

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Sunday, February 15, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/15

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Jose Rosario (20)
Signed out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2014 season, Rosario pitched his first professional season for the Dominican Summer League Astros. In 16 games (three starts), he had a 3.80 ERA and a 1.162 WHIP. He only allowed 11 walks in 47.1 innings of work.

These former Astros also celebrate the day ~

RHP Brian Williams (46)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1990, Williams pitched in 130 games (36 starts) for Houston in 1991 to 1994 and again in 1999 with a 19-17 record, a 4.66 ERA and a 1.538 WHIP.

LHP Don Arlich (72)
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent in 1961, Arlich pitched in eight games for Houston in 1965 and 1966 with an 8.10 ERA and a 2.100 WHIP.

OF Mark Davidson (54)
Originally drafted by Minnesota in the 11th round in 1982, Davidson came to Houston in a May 1989 trade with the Twins. In 175 games for the Astros from 1989 to 1991, he hit .231/.295/.318. He won a World Series with the Twins in 1987.

RHP Larry Yount (65)
A fifth round pick by the Astros in 1968, Yount appeared in only one game for Houston in 1971, but never faced a batter. His brother is Hall of Famer Robin Yount.

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Saturday, February 14, 2015

2015 Houston Farm System Handbook

Some of my long-time readers may have noticed that I haven't posted nearly as much during this off-season as I normally do. There is a reason for that, and it's not because I've been lazily enjoying my downtime.

For a long time, I've been trying to figure out how to better utilize all of the information that comes my way during a season. I generally have tons of extra information from all of the interviews that I conduct that doesn't really fit with the posts that I write on a day-to-day basis. Then, in a "Eureka!" moment, I thought to myself, "Why not put together a farm system handbook?" It seemed like a good idea at the time so I forged ahead.

I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I don't think I had any idea precisely how difficult the process would be. I feel as though I have given birth (without the epidural). I am at once as proud, as exhausted and as trepidatious as a new mother would be as well.

The other factor in writing the book was that, although the status quo applies for the time being in regard to my job, an element of uncertainty has crept into the picture. My company may very well still be around when I'm ready to retire, but the likelihood of that has lessened considerably with the untimely passing of one of the company's owners. As a result, I have started cutting back on some of my expenses. And my biggest discretionary expense is the travel I have indulged in for my minor league fix. A little income to offset some of those expenses will help me justify that indulgence.

With that said, I hope that you will considering buying my new book, the "2015 Houston Farm System Handbook." I have come to think of it as a media guide on steroids, including basic profiles on 257 players in the Astros farm system (with expanded profiles on dozens of those players).

The book contains basic stats, reports on many of the players as obtained from coaches, managers, fellow players and my own observations (among other sources), links to available interviews and video, dozens of quality player photos, a good dose of humor and much more.

It is meant to introduce you to the players with whom you may not be quite as familiar. Yes, there is information about Carlos Correa, Mark Appel and other top prospects, but you will also learn more about names you may not be quite as familiar with, such as Frankeny Fernandez, Andy Pineda, Erasmo Pinales and Carlos Pizzolato.

The book is available on Amazon, and should now be compatible with the iPad using the kindle app for iPad.



Thanks to all of you for your kindness and support over the last few years and your indulgence over the last few months. I promise that things will start getting back to normal around here very soon!

Happy Birthday - 2/14

Happy Birthday to ~

Bullpen Coach Craig Bjornson (46)
Bjornson will return to the Astros as Bullpen Coach in 2015, a position he held previously in 2012 and 2014.

Two former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

RHP Paul Clemens (27)
Originally drafted by Atlanta out of a community college in North Carolina in the seventh round in 2008, this South Carolina native came to Houston in the Michael Bourn trade in 2011. In 48 games (five starts) for Houston in 2013 and 2014, Clemens had a 5.51 ERA and a 1.520 WHIP. Clemens signed with the Phillies as a free agent in November 2014.

IF Larry Milbourne (64)
Drafted from the Cardinals in the 1973 Rule 5 draft, Milbourne played in 244 games for Houston from 1974 to 1976, hitting .245/.297/.282.

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Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/13

No future Astros with birthdays today, but one former Astro celebrates the day ~

RF Matt Mieske (47)
Originally drafted by the Padres in the 17th round in 1990, Mieske came to Houston in a June 1999 trade with the Mariners. In 116 games for the Astros in 1999 and 2000, he hit .237/.286/.384 (although he hit substantially better in 1999 than in 2000).

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/12

No future Astros with birthdays today, but these former Astros mark the day ~

RHP Don Wilson (died January 5, 1975 at 29)
Wilson pitched for Houston from 1966 to 1974.  In 266 games, he was 104-92 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.212 WHIP. In 1971, his only All-Star season, he was 16-10 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.022 WHIP and 18 complete games in 268 innings pitched. He is the only Astros pitcher to have ever pitched two no-hitters for the team. His number 40 was retired in 1976, the year after death. For more, check out his Wikipedia page.

C Chris Snyder (34)
A second round pick by the Diamondbacks in 2002, Snyder signed with Houston as a free agent in January 2012. In 76 games for the Astros in 2012, he hit .176/.295/.308. He has a lifetime caught stealing percentage of 29%. He last played in the Rangers minor league system.

RHP Tim Redding (37)
Drafted by the Astros in the 20th round in 1995, Redding pitched in 91 games (72 starts) for Houston from 2001 to 2004 with a 21-28 record, a 4.75 ERA and a 1.506 WHIP. He was traded to the Padres for Humberto Quintero in March 2005. In 2013, Redding pitched in the Independent Atlantic League and in the Mexican League.

OF Cameron Drew (51)
A first round pick by Houston in 1985, Drew played in only seven games for Houston in 1988, hitting .188/.188/.313.

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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/11

Happy Birthday to ~

OF Edwin Medina (22)
Drafted by Houston in the 33rd round in 2014, Medina split his first season between the Gulf Coast League and Greeneville. In 50 games, he hit .257/.397/.311.

Several former Astros celebrate birthdays today as well ~

RF John Paciorek (70)
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent in 1963, Paciorek had the ultimate cup of coffee in the majors.  In one game for the 1963 Colt 45's, he went 3-for-3 with two walks, scored four runs and drove in three, all at the ripe old age of 18! He ended his career with a 1.000/1.000/1.000 batting line.

RHP Matt Lindstrom (35)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the 10th round in 2002, Lindstrom came to Houston in a December 2009 trade with the Marlins. In 58 games for the Astros in late relief in 2010, he was 2-5 with 23 saves, a 4.39 ERA and a 1.650 WHIP. He was traded to Colorado in December 2010 for Jonnathan Aristil and Wes Musick. He played most recently for the White Sox.

C J.R. Towles (31)
A 20th round pick by the Astros in 2004, Towles played in 155 games for Houston over five seasons from 2007 to 2011. Although he started out with a bang in a September call-up in 2007, hitting .375/.432/.575 and breaking the Astros single game RBI record with eight RBI's in one game, he ultimately ended up with a .187 batting average at the major league level. In eight seasons at the minor league level, he had a .295/.394/.465 batting line. After a stint in independent ball, Towles was picked up by the Rangers in August 2014, playing for their AAA affiliate.

RF Ollie Brown (71)
Purchased from the Angels in March 1974, Brown played in 27 games for Houston that season, hitting .217/.260/.362. Out of 13 major league seasons, his best season was 1970 for the Padres when he hit .292/.331/.489 with 31 doubles, a triple and 23 home runs in 139 games.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/10

No future Astros with birthdays today, but a few former Astros celebrate the day ~

OF/1B/DH Lance Berkman (39)
Berkman, also known as the Big Puma or Fat Elvis, was the Astros first round draft pick in 1997.  In 15 seasons, he had a .293/.406/.537 batting line with 422 doubles, 30 triples and 366 home runs. Berkman played for Houston from 1999 to 2010, when he was traded to the Yankees for Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes. A 6-time All-Star, Berkman was named the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year. After his retirement following the 2013 season, Berkman returned to Rice University to pursue his degree and act as a student assistant to Head Baseball Coach Wayne Graham.

RHP Ryan Bowen (47)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1986, Bowen pitched in 25 games (22 starts) for Houston in 1991 and 1992, going 6-11 with a 7.01 ERA and a 1.775 WHIP.

SS Eddie Zosky (47)
Originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round in 1989, Zosky came to Houston via Pittsburgh in August of 2000. Zosky had a total of four at-bats for Houston and went hitless.

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Monday, February 9, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/9

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Daniel Minor (24)
Drafted in the ninth round in 2012 out of Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, Minor was 9-3 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.302 WHIP in 36 bullpen appearances for Lancaster in 2014. He also got the save in a combined no-hitter in May. If you back out Minor's first three appearances of the season (two of which were a bit dicey), his numbers improve to a 3.02 ERA and a 1.145 WHIP over his final 33 outings.

Two former Astros celebrate birthdays today as well ~

RHP Ramon Garcia (46)
Drafted from the Brewers in the 1996 Rule 5 draft, Garcia pitched in 42 games (20 starts) for the Astros in 1997 with a 9-8 record, a 3.69 ERA and a 1.305 WHIP.

LHP Hal Gilson (73)
Gilson came to Houston in a trade with the Cardinals in June 1968 and pitched only three and two-thirds innings in two games for the Astros that year with forgettable results.

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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/8

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Krishawn Holley (22)
Holley was drafted in the 39th round in 2010 out of high school in South Carolina. After starting the season with Tri-City, Holley spent the majority of his season pitching out of the bullpen in Greeneville, and ended it with the GCL Astros after missing several weeks. In a total of 15 appearances, he had a 6.19 ERA and a 2.188 WHIP.

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Saturday, February 7, 2015

Caribbean Series, ABL Championship Series Game 2 Recap

Results for Friday, February 6, 2015

CARIBBEAN SERIES

Puerto Rico 3, Dominican Republic 2

The Dominicans tied the game at 2 in the top of the 9th.... only to see Puerto Rico walk off in the bottom of the inning. Jonathan Villar went 0-4.

Mexico lost to Venezuela, so the tie for 2nd between the Dominican Republic and Mexico still stands. But, these two teams meet today at 12:05 Atlantic for the right to take on Venezuela in the final tomorrow.

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE

ABL Championship Series Game 2: Perth 5, Adelaide 3 in 10 innings (Series tied 1-1)

The Heat have forced a winner-take-all game 3 with this win. Tyler Brunnemann was saddled with the loss as he allowed a run (inherited runner charged to him), a hit, and walked 1 in 1.2 innings. Chan-Jong Moon hit an RBI double in the 7th which tied the game at 3. He also drew 2 walks.

Game 3 is for all the marbles. It'll start at 7:00 Australian Central Time.

Happy Birthday - 2/7

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Scott Feldman (32)
Feldman was originally drafted by the Rangers in the 30th round in 2003 and signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2013. In his first season as an Astro in 2014, Feldman was 8-12 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.303 WHIP in 29 starts.

RHP and MiLB Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski (37)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 11th round in 1995, Borkowski signed with Houston as a free agent in December 2005. In 130 games for Houston from 2006 to 2008, he had a 5.44 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP before retiring to coach for the organization. In 2014, he was the pitching coach for Quad Cities.

MiLB Pitching Coach Josh Miller (36)
A one-time Astros farmhand and scout, Miller has served as Pitching Coach for the Greeneville Astros for the last two seasons.

This former Astro celebrates the day as well ~

LHP Juan Pizarro (78)
Pizarro came to Houston from the Cubs in July 1973 and pitched in 15 games for the Astros that season with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.671 WHIP. Pizarro played in 18 major league seasons for eight different teams with a career 3.43 ERA and 1.325 WHIP. He was a two-time All-Star for the White Sox in 1963 and 1964 and he won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957.

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Friday, February 6, 2015

Caribbean Series, ABL Championship Game 1 Recaps

Results for Thursday, February 5, 2015 (and one from today)

CARIBBEAN SERIES

Dominican Republic 3, Mexico 2

Jonathan Villar, representing the Dominican Republic, is the only player in the Astros organization playing in the Caribbean Series. Omar Lopez, who will be managing Lancaster in the 2015 season, is at the helm for Venezuela and he's got them topping the table as the lone undefeated team. However, the Dominicans and Mexico are right on their tail at 2-1.

The DR dealt Mexico its first loss of the series as they scored their 3 runs in the final 2 innings of the game. Villar hit a double and drew 2 walks.

Tonight, the Dominican Republic will take on the hosts, Puerto Rico, at 6:30 Atlantic. Venezuela will take on Mexico in the early game; that one will get underway at 12:30.

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE

ABL Championship Series: Adelaide 3, Perth 2 (Adelaide leads series 1-0)

Chan-Jong Moon went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts in the #2 spot for the Bite. Tyler Brunnemann got the save by getting the final 2 outs of the game.

Game 2 of this series will take place at 7:00 Australian Central Time. This is a best-of-3 series.

Happy Birthday - 2/6

Happy Birthday to ~

3B Matt Duffy (26)
Drafted in 2011 in the 20th round out of the University of Tennessee, this Massachusetts native split his season between Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City. In 136 games, he hit .288/.336/.451 with 22 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 84 RBI.

RHP David Paulino (21)
Obtained from Detroit as the PTBNL in the Jose Veras trade, Paulino spent the entire 2014 season on the DL after having undergone Tommy John surgery.

RHP Josue Uribe (20)
Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2014 season, Uribe pitched his first season in the Dominican Summer League. In 16 bullpen appearances, he was 2-2 with a 1.08 ERA, a 1.000 WHIP and four saves.

One former Astro celebrates the day as well ~

RHP Bill Dawley (57)
Originally drafted by the Reds in the seventh round in 1976, Dawley came to Houston in a March 1983 trade with that organization. In 157 appearances for the Astros from 1983 to 1985, he was 22-13 with 21 saves, a 2.71 ERA and a 1.171 WHIP.  He made the All-Star team in 1983 as a rookie.

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Thursday, February 5, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/5

Happy Birthday to ~

LHP Colton Cain (24)
An eighth round draft pick by the Pirates in 2009, Cain came to Houston in the July 2012 Wandy Rodriguez trade. Cain started and ended the season in Corpus, making a few rehab starts in the GCL in between (after spending about six weeks on the DL). In a total of 17 games (nine starts), he had a 5.29 ERA and a 1.825 WHIP.

These former Astros also celebrate the day ~

OF Norm Miller (69)
Drafted by Houston from the Angels in the 1964 first-year draft, Norm Miller didn't exactly put up Hall of Fame numbers in his nine seasons (1965-1973) for Houston with a .240/.322/.355 batting line, but the converted second baseman (some guy named Joe Morgan had that job) does have some interesting stories to tell about his life in baseball.  His 2009 book To All My Fans From Norm Who? is more of a collection of anecdotes than a real memoir, but for any Astros fan, those anecdotes constitute a nice glimpse of the early days of the Astros organization.

OF Lee Thomas (79)
Thomas came to Houston in a February 1968 trade and played in 90 games for the Astros toward the end of his career, hitting .194/.249/.229. His best season was his All-Star year in 1962 when he played for the Angels. Thomas was the GM of the Phillies from 1988 to 1997 and was followed by some guy named Ed Wade.

Also, Happy Birthday to the naming inspiration for my blog, former Astros Scouting Director Bobby Heck.

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Astros 2015 Top Prospect Rankings

I have been remiss in keeping everyone updated with all of the Astros top prospect rankings that have come out over the last few months. Here is what we have thus far:

Carlos Correa - May 2014
Photo by Jayne Hansen


FanGraphs: 10/10/2014

1. SS Carlos Correa
2. RHP Mark Appel
3. RHP Vince Velasquez
4. 3B Colin Moran
5. 3B Rio Ruiz - Traded to the Braves
6. RHP Lance McCullers
7. RHP Mike Foltynewicz - Traded to the Braves
8. OF Brett Phillips
9. OF Domingo Santana
10. OF Teoscar Hernandez
11. RHP Nick Tropeano - Traded to the Angels
12. OF Derek Fisher
13. 1B A.J. Reed
14. LHP Josh Hader
15. RHP Michael Feliz
16. IF Nolan Fontana
17. 3B J.D. Davis
18. OF Preston Tucker
19. C Max Stassi
20. LHP Kent Emanuel
21. RHP Andrew Thurman - Traded to the Braves
22. RHP Joe Musgrove
23. 2B Tony Kemp
24. RHP Brady Rodgers
25. OF Delino DeShields - Claimed in the Rule 5 Draft
26. IF Ronald Torreyes

Baseball America: 11/24/14 [UPDATED 2/4/15]
(This is the updated list of the top 10: the full 30+ list will be coming shortly with their prospect handbook.)

1. SS Carlos Correa
2. RHP Mark Appel
3. RHP Vince Velasquez
4. RHP Michael Feliz
5. OF Brett Phillips
6. 3B Colin Moran
7. OF Teoscar Hernandez
8. LHP Josh Hader
9. RHP Lance McCullers
10. OF Domingo Santana

MinorLeagueBall.com (John Sickels): 1/27/15

1. SS Carlos Correa
2. RHP Mark Appel
3. RHP Michael Feliz
4. RHP Vince Velasquez
5. OF Domingo Santana
6. OF Brett Phillips
7. LHP Josh Hader
8. RHP Lance McCullers
9. OF Derek Fisher
10. OF Teoscar Hernandez
11. 3B Colin Moran
12. 2B Tony Kemp
13. 3B J.D. Davis
14. 1B A.J. Reed
15. 1B Conrad Gregor
16. IF Nolan Fontana
17. C Max Stassi
18. OF Danry Vasquez
19. OF Preston Tucker
20. RHP Kyle Smith

Keith Law ESPN: 1/30/15 (Insider only)

1. SS Carlos Correa (#3 on top 100)
2. RHP Mark Appel (#44 on top 100)
3. RHP Vince Velasquez (#56 on top 100)
4. 3B Colin Moran (#73 on top 100)
5. OF Brett Phillips (#76 on top 100)
6. RHP Lance McCullers
7. RHP Michael Feliz
8. OF Derek Fisher
9. LHP Josh Hader
10. 3B J.D. Davis

Baseball Prospectus: 2/4/15

1. SS Carlos Correa
2. RHP Mark Appel
3. RHP Vince Velasquez
4. OF Brett Phillips
5. OF Derek Fisher
6. RHP Michael Feliz
7. RHP Lance McCullers
8. OF Domingo Santana
9. 3B Colin Moran
10. OF Teoscar Hernandez

Jonathan Mayo's MLB Pipeline (Postseason)
This is Mayo's postseason list as updated by taking off players from the recent trades. He will be rolling out his official preseason lists over the next few weeks. However, the notes on top 100 and top prospect by position are current information.

1. SS Carlos Correa (#3 overall; #1 in shortstops)
2. RHP Mark Appel (#30 overall)
3. OF Domingo Santana (#71 overall)
4. 3B Colin Moran (#9 at third base)
5. RHP Lance McCullers
6. RHP Michael Feliz
7. RHP Vince Velasquez (#86 overall)
8. LHP Josh Hader
9. OF Teoscar Hernandez
10. OF Derek Fisher
11. 1B A.J. Reed (#5 at first base)
12. OF Brett Phillips
13. RHP Kyle Smith
14. IF Nolan Fontana
15. 2B Tony Kemp
16. C Max Stassi
17. OF Preston Tucker
18. 3B J.D. Davis
19. OF Danry Vasquez
20. RHP Asher Wojciechowski

I will update the list when Baseball America and MLB Pipeline update their lists and then I will do a consensus top 20 (or so) by putting all of the lists together.

Happy Birthday - 2/4

Happy Birthday to ~

1B/OF/C Trent Woodward (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 20th round in 2014, Woodward spent his first season playing for the Greeneville Astros. In 27 games, he hit .234/.364/.394 with seven doubles, one triple and two home runs.

These former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

OF Al Javier (61)
Signed by the Astros as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1971, Javier played in only eight games for Houston in 1976, hitting .208/.269/.208.

C/1B Chris Coste (42)
Selected off waivers from the Phillies in July 2009, Coste played in 43 games for the Astros that season, hitting .204/.259/.252. Coste won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008. He is currently the Head Coach for his alma mater, Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/3

No future Astros with birthdays today, but one former Astro celebrates the day ~

LHP Rich Scheid (50)
A second round pick by the Yankees in 1986, Scheid came to Houston in a July 1992 trade with the White Sox for Eric Yelding. In seven games (one start) for the Astros in 1992, he had a 6.00 ERA and a 1.667 WHIP.

Tweet of the Day

Monday, February 2, 2015

Happy Birthday - 2/2

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Adrian Houser (22)
Houser was the Astros second round draft pick in 2011. He pitched for the Quad Cities team in 2014, putting up a 5-6 record, a 4.14 ERA and a 1.252 WHIP in 25 games (17 starts). In his final six appearances (three starts) in August, he had a 3.00 ERA and a 1.074 WHIP, striking out 26 while walking only four batters in 27 innings of work.

Brad Peacock (27)
Obtained by Houston in a February 2013 trade with Oakland, the former 41st round draft pick appeared in 28 games (24 starts) for Houston in 2014 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.565 WHIP.

SS Adam Everett (38)
Adam Everett was a joy to watch at short during his time here in Houston. From 2001 to 2007, Everett played in 649 games for the Astros, hitting .248/.299/.357/.656.  He won Summer Olympics gold, along with Roy Oswalt, in Sydney in 2000 and was named best shortstop by the Fielding Bible in 2006. In addition to serving as a roving infield specialist for the Astros in 2014, he also filled in as the interim bench coach for the big league club in September.

These former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

SS Buddy Biancalana (55)
A first round pick by the Royals in 1978, Biancalana came to Houston in a July 1987 trade with Kansas City. In 18 games played for the Astros that season, he had one hit in 24 at-bats.

RHP Jared Fernandez (43)
Fernandez came to Houston as a free agent in December 2002 and pitched in 14 games (seven starts) for the Astros in 2003 and 2004 with a 3-3 record, 5.26 ERA and a 1.525 WHIP.

SS Ronny Cedeno (32)
Cedeno signed with Houston as a free agent in March 2013 and played in 51 games for the Astros, hitting .200/.260/.298 before being released by Houston in July 2013. He most recently played for the AAA Diamondbacks affiliate.

And a Very Happy Birthday to the inimitable @AstrosCounty whose fierce passion, incredible intellect, flawless sense of irony and fantastic humor make Astros County an everyday must for the true Astros fan. Have a great one, James!