November 10, 2003
Editor’s note – This is the second in a series of installments of the annual Minor Opinions Prospect Report, an OWA exclusive.
Catchers
John Buck
DOB: 7/7/80. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 220. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 7th-round pick in 1998 draft out of Taylorsville HS (Salt Lake City, UT).Spring Training Comments:Still very much viewed by most in the organization as the catcher of the (very near) future for the Astros…above average skills as a receiver and enjoys universal acclaim for his handling of and rapport with his pitching staff… good situational hitter with ducks on the pond…doesn’t exhibit much patience in other situations and seemed to be intent on driving the ball instead of making consistent, solid contact…for the second consecutive year Buck’s BB totals have decreased while his K totals have increased…batting average has gone from .282 to .263 and his OBP has dropped from .374 to .314 between the 2000 and 2002 seasons…suffered a hand injury during the first series of the season at El Paso but didn’t take long for him to get over the injury and he hit well for the first couple of healthy months…seriously tailed off at the end of the season and his performance in the Arizona Fall League did not give indication he will get his offensive game back on track soon…don’t see this trend ending at the beginning of next season as reports are that Buck will be assigned to AAA New Orleans where he will see a more steady diet of nasty sliders, curves and changeups…an offensive turn-around might be more likely if he were to spend a second season in AA at age 22.
Update:
Hindsight agrees: he shoulda been held back. Oh well, we can only hope that a 2nd straight season at AAA in 2004 will cure the offensive ills that continue to ail Mr. Buck. A hand injury and offensive numbers which declined substantially from the season before had 2003 looking a lot like 2002. Only this time the injury was much more serious: a broken right hand (not suffered behind the plate like most catchers, but because he tripped over first base) on June 26 caused him to miss much of the rest of the season. In the 9 games he did play in upon his return in late August, he batted just .067 as he tried to shake the rust off.
The Utah native flashed enough defensive skills in 2003 to still be rated as one of the top prospects in the PCL at the end of the season. Is that ranking over-rated given his offensive decline? Perhaps, but we happen to know of another pretty fair defensive catcher whose offense in the minor leagues was even more checkered with batting averages of .255 (1988), .261 (1989), .236 (1990), .285 (1991), .238 (1992) and .270 (1993). And that Gold Glover never hit more than 3 homers in any of his 6 minor league seasons. Buck may never achieve the levels of success attained by Brad Ausmus, but we’re not willing to bet against him at this stage.
Kevin Davidson
DOB: 7/21/80. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 185. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 28th-round pick in 2002 draft out of Rollins College.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first with regard to Mr. Davidson: 1) he was a 23-year old playing in a league designed for much younger players, 2) he was repeating said league, 3) the Rollins College (Division II) alum was drafted in the late rounds last year after his senior season (i.e., he was drafted because he was cheap and not necessarily because he was talented), and 4) he’s a wee bit on the short side. But he’s on this list as a fringe prospect because his .977 OPS led all Astros’ minor leaguers in 2003 and, well, we’re suckers for good-hitting catchers. Let’s amend the last portion of that statement: we’re suckers for good-hitting catchers who ALSO can play a little defense. Nobody’s gonna mistake the Florida native for Hector Gimenez behind the dish but he does have solid defensive skills.
Davidson’s 2003 season was good enough to get him named by the organization as MVP of the Martinsville squad despite sharing catching duties with Jose Acosta. Given the boatload of talented young pitchers on that team who had very fine years (Mitch Talbot, et. al.), score that as an upset but well-deserved win. Among the things that impress about his season with the M-Astros is his keen batting eye, as evidenced by the fact that his walk totals exceeded his strikeout totals. Davidson got a call-up to Lexington at the end of the year and, despite the pressure of the Legends being in a battle for the playoffs, hit a 2-run shot in the only game in which he saw action. 133 at-bats in 2003 are a pretty limited sample size to judge whether or not this guy has suddenly become an offensive force. But in an organization sadly short of decent-hitting prospects, we’ll grasp at any straw we can.
Hector Gimenez
DOB: 9/28/82. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 200. Bats: S. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (7/2/99) from San Felipe, Venezuela.
Spring Training Comments:
The top position player to watch over the long haul in the Astros’ system…still very young and has work to do offensively but there’s no one who could possibly question the enormous talent this kid possesses…in a totally unprecedented move, Gimenez completely skipped rookie and short-season advanced ball in 2002 and went directly from the VZ academy to low-A ball…impressed everyone at Lexington with his mature attitude, poise and ability to handle pitchers despite a language barrier and his being the youngest player on the team (he did not turn 20 until after the season concluded)…clearly has the potential to be a legitimate power threat from the catching position…has above-average bat speed and incredibly strong wrists that allow him to turn on just about anything a pitcher can offer…swing has a natural loft to it and that possibly contributed to a high strikeout rate… most likely will be the everyday catcher for the new Salem affiliate in 2003…do yourselves a favor and keep an eye on this young man…in tandem with Buck, he gives Houston arguably the best pair of young catching prospects in all of minor league baseball.
Update:
Gimenez’s career trajectory is beginning to look a little like John Buck’s: a superior defensive catcher who’s offense declined in ’03 for the 2nd straight season. In fact, you could make a case that Gimenez’s situation is even more worrisome. His drop-off in offense has been more pronounced than Buck’s (239 points have been sliced off Gimenez’s OPS since 2001 versus “only” a 169-point reduction in Buck’s OPS during the same period). It has also come at an earlier age: Hector’s decline started at age 19 in low-A ball and continued at age 20 in high-A ball, while Buck’s didn’t surface until he was age 22 and playing at the AA level.
Of course, there’s a flip side to the above argument and that’s as a younger player the Venezuelan backstop has more time to turn things around. Whatever the case, one of the more interesting decisions the Astros brass will have to make next season is whether to slot Gimenez in as the RR catcher or send him back to Salem. Given his rapid rise through the system previously (i.e., bypassing rookie and short-season ball), we would argue for a return to Salem where at age 21 in 2004 he would still be one of the younger players in the league. That would be a disappointment for Express fans who want to see prospects and not roster filler next year (we saw enough of THOSE kinds of players in ’03), but would enhance Gimenez’s chances of undergoing a successful offensive reclamation project. Jeez, where have we heard that reasoning before? (Note: subsequent to writing this we had the chance to pose the question to Assistant GM Tim Purpura as to where Gimenez would start the 2004 season and it was confirmed that a return trip to Salem was on the docket.)
Gimenez’s catch and throw skills remain major-league caliber. He erased 39% of attempted base-stealers in 2003. Not surprisingly, Hector was named the top defensive catcher in the Carolina League in addition to being chosen as one of the league’s top 20 prospects.
1st Base
Jose Cruceta
DOB: 5/17/84. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 170. Bats: S. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (6/11/01) from Rancho Viejo, La Vega, Dominican Republic.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
The offensive leader and MVP of the 2003 Dominican Summer League team, Cruceta has now spent three years with the Astro islanders and this is the first real sign that he may turn out to be a hitter. As to whether he can field a position, your guess is as good as anyone’s. He spent the better part of 2003 playing 1B at relatively short 5’11” while showing nothing more than doubles power. If Cruceta is unable to make a transition to playing a middle infield position he could very well end up like Valentin Mendez, another decent hitter and Astro farmhand sans a defensive position – out of a job. If, however, he can repeat similar offensive numbers with Martinsville while finding a spot for his manager to toss his glove night-in and night-out, Cruceta stands a chance at becoming someone to watch for the future.
Antonio Garcia
DOB: 8/21/82. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 260. Bats: S. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (8/22/99) from Panama City, Panama.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
The insidious DAS finds its way to Panama. Turns out Antonio “El Enorme” Garcia was 20 years old instead of 19 for the better part of his first season of action in the US. Not that this is a horrible revelation but given the limited amount of time he spent on the field, one might assume he will repeat theRookie ball level at age 21. Again, this is not career-threatening nor does it necessarily move Garcia from the Prospect to Suspect list. However, it does somewhat dim his star unless he can jump to Tri-City next season and improve upon some decent numbers he posted during 2003.
On the good side of the ledger, Garcia showed a pretty darn good batting eye and patience at the plate with Martinsville. He also flashed a bit more power than expected based on past history (not his size). We had some questions about his health due to his limited appearances with the M’stros in 2003 but have been assured he is physically sound. What’s not so healthy are the reports about his defense. From what we’ve been able to gather, Garcia is not the most nimble of fielders.
The Venezuelan staff likes this man-child, though, so he bears watching.
Justin Humphries
DOB: 2/24/83. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 215. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 22nd-round pick in 2001 draft out of Episcopal HS (Richmond, TX).
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
Though the batting average doesn’t necessarily reflect it, one of the most improved hitters in the organization. Having played the recently-concluded season at just 20-years old, we believe this young man will continue to make further strides at the plate. The increase in his power numbers in 2003 was certainly welcome but the most impressive accomplishment was the plate discipline he showed in dramatically improving his walk rate over 2002. An OBP 107 points higher than his BA ain’t too shabby. Justin, who played in the 2003 South Atlantic League All-Star game, does need to extend that plate discipline into further cutting down some on his strikeouts.
The sixth-generation Aussie (dual citizenship, actually, as his mother was a U.S. citizen and he grew up in Texas) did fade at the plate in the second half of the year. After hitting .283, .308, and .330 in April, May and June, respectively, Justin batted just .228 in July and .074 in August (note that he played only 10 games in August when his season ended prematurely after suffering sore ribs in a home plate collision). Given that he played in nearly twice as many games this year as the previous two seasons combined, we believe fatigue may have largely contributed to the drop-off.
The biggest issue facing Humphries may be which position he’s gonna play. Drafted as a catcher, the fact that he’s played just 3 games at the position as a pro (2 games in 2001 and 1 game in 2002) pretty much tells you what the Astros think of his defensive capabilities behind the dish. A conversion to 1B is underway but given that he played over 60 games this season as a DH suggests that is still a work in process. Humphries does come from a very athletic family: his father was a ranked tennis player in Australia before emigrating to the States, and both his brothers played collegiate tennis. Justin himself was a tennis champion in junior high before abandoning the sport to focus on baseball. Hopefully with that kind of athletic talent and genes he can make the successful transition to first base. Humphries is also considered a hard and tireless worker and thus many in the organization believe he will eventually turn himself into a capable 1B.
Scott Robinson
DOB: 10/14/83. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 185. Bats: L. Throws: L. Acquired: 7th-round pick in 2002 draft out of Palomar College (signed prior to 2003 draft as DFE candidate).
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
If bloodlines, being in and around successful programs and playing with and against top-caliber talent counts for anything, then this guy should do well. His dad, Bruce, was a catcher who played in parts of three big-league seasons with the Yankees and the A’s in 1978-1980. His uncle, Dave, was an OF who made it to the majors with the Padres in 1970 and 1971. Scott played his senior season at Rancho Bernardo HS in San Diego, perhaps the top HS baseball program in the country. His teammates there included Phillies megaprospect Cole Hamels and another Phillies draftee Jake Blalock (who is the younger brother of Rangers phenom Hank Blalock). The Blalock boys are the nephews of Sam Blalock, the highly-respected coach at Rancho Bernardo, whose teams have churned out numerous other major league prospects. Robinson hit .425 as a senior at RB and set a school record with 50 RBIs. He also broke the school record for hits in a season
Scott played in the wood-bat Alaska League in the summer of 2001, becoming the first high-schooler to do so. He played in Alaska again the following summer and was selected the MVP of his Fairbanks Goldpanners team after hitting .337 (2nd best in the league) and leading the league with 40 RBIs. He was also selected to the All-Alaska League and All-Wood Bat teams after leading the Goldpanners to the league championship and the National Baseball Congress title in Wichita. Fairbanks is one of the top college summer league teams in the country. Its alumni include Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Dave Winfield, Jason Giambi and Tom Seaver, just to name a few.
Although drafted by the Astros out of high school, Robinson chose to go to Palomar to enhance his negotiating leverage. It worked. He batted .388 this past spring, 2nd highest on the team, with 9 longballs (tied for the club lead) while his 56 RBIs were good for 3rd in the tough California Juco circuit and ranks 2nd on the Comets all-time list. He did all this while being bothered with a sprained ankle for part of the season. The San Diego native played catcher, first base and the outfield for Palomar. Interestingly, Robinson is ambidextrous and threw right-handed while catching but left-handed when playing first and the outfield.
Given all the success he’s had in HS, junior college and in the wooden bat summer leagues, Robinson’s first year as a pro was a mite disappointing. Although his 23 two-baggers ranked among the NY-Penn League leaders, Scott slumped badly in the last month of the season for Tri-City hitting just .122 (12-98) over that stretch. You wouldn’t think fatigue would have been a factor for a guy who’s used to playing a ton of baseball over at least the two previous springs and summers. Robinson played 1B exclusively for the V-Cats (throwing left-handed as in college) and, despite the versatility he displayed at Palomar, a future position change seems unlikely.
Although his pro debut might have been better, everything about this 20-year old suggests he’s going to whack like hell in the seasons ahead. Though he only went deep 4 times for the V-Cats, the ton of doubles he hit should translate into a lotta longballs as he matures physically.
Todd Self
DOB: 11/9/78. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 215. Bats: L. Throws: R. Acquired: 15th-round pick in 2000 draft out of Louisiana-Monroe.
Spring Training Comments:
Has split time between 1B and right field during his professional career…after spending a couple of years in the short-season ranks with Auburn and Pittsfield, Self graduated to Michigan last year and broke out, eventually ending the season tied with Brooks Conrad for the team lead in XBH, RBI, and slugging percentage while leading the Battle Cats in OBP…age is his biggest issue: he played all of last year as a 23-year old in low-A ball…his advanced age does not mean he cannot succeed as he moves on, as evidenced by the rise of players like Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Keith Ginter but tell us is that there’s not much margin allowing him to take a couple of years to master each level and expect to forge much of a career in the bigs…if he does well at Salem next year, he could have a future in baseball…if he doesn’t do well, he could very quickly fall off the map.
Update:
The organization’s answer to Kevin Youkilis (if you squint real, real hard). Just about the best among the junior Astros in drawing free passes, Self doesn’t compare too well to the Greek God of Walks when you start looking at whiffs. His strikeout rate this past season was roughly the same as 2002 and that was something Purpura & Co. wanted to see some improvement in this season. Probably not a major concern given the higher walk totals. A bigger issue arises from his lack of power. Whether his future is as a 1B or corner outfielder (he played mostly, though not exclusively, at the former during 2003), this guy needs to be more of a banger. More punch, less Judy. And a few more RBIs would be nice as well. All the criticism doesn’t mean it’s time to give up on the Carolina League All-Star (particularly given some possible mitigating circumstances, as noted below). It just means that his 2004 performance at Round Rock becomes that much more heavily scrutinized when you factor in his age as well.
There may have been a mitigating factor or two which could explain why Todd didn’t come through in the power dept. this year. Self broke his left thumb on May 4 which caused him to miss a couple of weeks. It came at the wrong time as he was hitting .395 (17-43) in the immediately preceding 13 games. More significantly, though we never read any reports that suggested the thumb was bothering him at any point later in the year, his power stroke clearly was affected. Self belted 12 XBHs in the 27 games prior to the injury and just 23 XBHs in the 99 games subsequent. In other words, the Louisiana native had an XBH every 2.25 games prior to May 4 but only one XBH every 4.3 games afterwards. That wide a disparity suggests more than coincidence. Had he continued hitting at the XBH rate that he displayed pre-injury he would have finished the year with power numbers that correspond very closely to his 2002 season at Lexington. It should also be noted that Salem Memorial Stadium is a difficult place in which to go deep. What with that 20-ft. fence and all. No wonder the Avs’ club leader (Charlton Jimerson) managed just 12 dingers.
One area that Self improved substantially on in ’03 was his ability to hit lefties. Last year, he hit just .248 against southpaws. Through Aug. 23 of this season (never saw final #s), Todd was batting .345 vs. LHPs.
2nd Base
Chris Burke
DOB: 3/11/80. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 180. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 1st-round pick in 2001 draft out of the U of Tennessee.
Spring Training Comments:
2002 performance was without question the most disappointing in the entire organization…along with Tommy Whiteman, the poster child for what went wrong in not having a high-A affiliate for two years…average (at best) bat speed and silly little trigger mechanisms with his hands which actually reduce the amount of time he has to react to the ball…an offensive machine at the University of Tennessee turned into an opposite-field punch and judy hitter who was absolutely dominated by hurlers with good heat and the ability to bust him inside…a good second baseman who moves well and gets rid of the ball quickly but simply not suited for short…despite being overpowered by AA pitching, he wasn?t a K machine…very quick on the bases and in the field, he’s cocky and has consistently been very successful in all phases of the game prior to 2002…hopefully Burke was receptive to the kind of instruction he got at the FIL, implements said instruction and finds the same kind of success he’s had in the past in a repeat season at Round Rock during 2003…if he can return to making solid line-drive contact, hit the ball in the middle of the field and use his speed to be a pain on the bases, he could still emerge as the leadoff option Houston envisioned when they selected him with the 10th pick in the 2001 draft.
Update:
Whatever adjustments were suggested in the FIL evidently took as the former Tennessee All-American used his improved bat speed to increase his numbers from .264/.330/.356 in 2002 to .301/.379/.388 in 2003. He was among the Texas League leaders this season in batting average, hits, runs scored, walks, stolen bases, triples and HBPs. His strike zone management, good to begin with, improved to the point where he had as many walks as strikeouts this season. His stolen base success rate even improved, from 51.6% in 2002 (16 out of 31) to 77.3% in 2003 (34 out of 44). He was named to the TL mid-season All-Star squad, the Futures Game team, and the post-season TL All-Star team. He was also chosen in the fall as one of 30 players on the Team USA squad which is competing for a slot in the 2004 Olympics. His fielding was good enough in ’03 to get him selected as best defensive 2B in the TL in a vote by league managers. So that should have answered all the questions about this guy after his piss-poor 2002, right? Well, not quite.
Many still carp that in remolding himself as the prototypical leadoff hitter, Burke has sacrificed too much of the pop that he exhibited in college. And truthfully, we’d all like to see more than 3 dingers out of this guy. Defensively, where many saw a perfectly adequate 2nd baseman, Astros management simply saw a square peg that they would continue to try to ram into the round hole of the shortstop position. His 42 game stint at the position in 2003 wasn’t any more successful than the 43 games he played there in 2002. Hopefully, with Adam Everett having solidified the position at the major league level, the powers that be will simply allow Burke next year to focus solely on being the best 2B he can be. That is, unless they decide to continue that CF experiment…
Brooks Conrad
DOB: 1/16/80. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 185. Bats: S. Throws: R. Acquired: 8th-round pick in 2001 draft out of Arizona State.
Spring Training Comments:
Kind of grinder every true baseball fan loves…has no outstanding skill or tool…not particularly big nor does he have an outstanding pedigree…all he does is get the most out of his ability, play the game right and play it well…his fellow players voted him Battle Cat most likely to reach the majors first…for two seasons now has been a consistent, if not spectacular, producer…ranked in the top three on his Michigan squad in virtually every offensive category this past season while leading the Midwest League in runs scored and finishing third in total bases and RBI…may have a little more pop, a little less speed and not be the same kind of defender (he plays second base from short right field), but his style is somewhat reminiscent of Billy Doran…development may hit a snag soon in that a guy like Chris Burke is ahead of him…if he continues his excellent play with a fine season in Salem while Burke continues to struggle at Round Rock, it’ll be interesting to see how the organization handles the situation.
Update:
Just ignore the friggin’ Lexington stats! That’s our advice if you want to get a true picture on Conrad’s 2003 season. At the beginning of the season, the Astros made the inexplicable decision to put Jon Helquist instead of Conrad at high-A Salem. This is the same Jon Helquist who hit .238, .241 and .254 in three straight seasons in low-A ball. It musta come as a shock to all concerned when he struggled at the higher level, hitting just .183 to start the season. Reason finally prevailed after six weeks with Helquist being demoted to Lexington and Conrad being promoted from same (Helquist chose to retire rather than report). Although Brooks claimed only minor disappointment at not being promoted originally, it’s pretty obvious from the numbers he put up while at Lexington that he was bothered a bit by the snub. Once the San Diego native got to Salem he started putting up numbers more consistent with his career averages. Despite playing in 25+ fewer games than some of his Avalanche teammates, the former Sun Devil ended up leading the club in RBIs and was second in two-baggers.
An Astros official was quoted early in the season in the local Lexington rag as saying that, though Brooks had made great strides defensively over the last couple of seasons, he still needed to “increase his range, improve his arm strength, get him some quickness, and soften his hands”. Sounds like Conrad needs Dr. Frankenstein more than a fielding instructor.
Edwin Maysonet
DOB: 10/17/81. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 180. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 19th-round pick in 2003 draft out of Delta State.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
Like Kevin Davidson, Maysonet was a late-round pick as a college senior from a Division II school. The Puerto Rico native hit .348 as a junior and .384 as a senior against the likes of Ouachita Baptist and Arkansas Tech. Edwin played both SS and 2B for the Cleveland, Mississippi-based Statesmen and was known as a decent glove man. Although it’s easy to discount the success Maysonet had in college, it’s harder to write-off the numbers he put up at Tri-City after being drafted. Particularly when so few players in the system show the aptitude to draw a walk now and then and generally make a pest of themselves at the top of the order.
Maysonet mostly played 2B for the V-Cats and if one had to guess that’s probably where his long-term future lies. He and Wade Robinson (see below) might form the DP combo for Lexington next season. Low-A ball is likely to be his Waterloo, but if he is successful there then he begins to get much more interesting as a prospect.
3rd Base
Javier Meza
DOB: 3/2/83. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 172. Bats: S. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (7/2/01) from Barquisemeto, Venezuela.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
Wherever Meza played last year for Venoco – C, 3B, 2B – didn’t really matter as he managed to get himself on base and generally show marked improvement in all facets at the plate from 2002-2003. What’s unfortunate is that he did this at age 20, not 17 or 18, and he doesn’t have a defined position. Meza will turn 21 prior to the start of next season. Unless he gets an assignment to Martinsville or Tri-City and does well, the excellent OBP numbers he posted this past season will likely be the highlight of his career.
Saul Torres
DOB: 2/18/82. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 220. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (8/19/99) from Currarigua, Venezuela.
Spring Training Comments:
Played on the same championship Venoco team with Hector Gimenez in 2001 and the two combined to lead the offense of that team…started off 2002 horribly…took a big rebound at the end of the season to finish on a high note and an overall respectable performance for the year…probably the best combination of size, power and natural ability to play 3B in the system…displayed a keen eye at the plate during his first stint in the States as evidenced by an OBP number over 100 points higher than his batting average…could stand some work on his defensive fundamentals (footwork, consistent release point on throws) but agile enough to handle the hot corner and has enough of an arm to make the long toss…probably will return for another year in Martinsville or join Tri-City in 2003.
Update:
Where’s the pop? Though his total XBHs did improve from 14 in 2002 to 22 in 2003, that zero in the HR column for a corner infielder is about as welcome as the proverbial turd in the punch bowl. While the rest of his offensive numbers are awfully nice (he ranked 7th in the league in hitting), the fact that Torres was repeating the Appy League does take a little shine off of ’em. On a more positive note, one thing we always like to see is improvement at the plate as the season goes along and the 21-year old Venezuelan delivered in that respect. The 2003 Appy League All-Star hit .239 in June, .318 in July and a robust .373 in August (he ended the regular season on a 12-game hitting streak).
Torres’ defense may have improved somewhat this past season but still needs a lot of work. His fielding percentage (yes, we know how misleading that stat can be but at the same time we don’t think it’s totally worthless) had declined from .970 in 2000 to .916 in 2001 to an horrendous .859 last year (19 errors in just 46 games). Although fielding percentages for 2003 are as yet unavailable, his 18 errors in 56 games (though still awful) indicates a reversal in the negative trend.
Shortstop
Cesar Quintero
DOB: 1/7/83. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 175. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: Signed as non-drafted free agent (10/9/02) from Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
Quintero missed the first month of action in the 2003 Venezuelan Summer League. Once he joined the team, though, he served as one heck of a catalyst at the top of the lineup in his initial professional season. He possesses very good speed and decent bat control. However, like Meza, he played this year as a 20-year old in the VSL and needs to move a bit more quickly up the ladder if he is to make himself more of a legitimate prospect.
He’s worth watching, though. Anyone who can post a .445 OBP his first go-round certainly has our attention.
Wade Robinson
DOB: 1/12/81. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 165. Bats: L. Throws: R. Acquired: 12th-round pick in 2003 draft out of Louisiana Tech.
Spring Training Comments:
N/A.
Update:
A good defensive player who’s got the proverbial cannon for an arm, Robinson was a bit of a surprise at the plate for the V-Cats. Though as a senior he led his Tech squad this past spring with a .332 batting average, his career average after his first 3 seasons with the Bulldogs was just .274. Even during his senior season he didn’t exactly sparkle at the plate when facing off against top-notch pitching talent. For example, Wade went just 1-19 in 6 games against WAC rival (and eventual NCAA champ) Rice and its superb collection of hurlers. So a .300+ batting average in his first exposure to pro ball wasn’t in the forecast.
The Bastrop (Louisiana, not Texas) native was a highly durable player in college. He played in 221 games as a 4-year starter which tied another current Astros minor leaguer, T.J. Soto, for most games in a career at Tech. What he wasn’t in college was anything resembling a home run hitter: he hit a total of just 4 dingers in 4 seasons. Neither was he a speedster, managing only 25 steals in 37 attempts. The biggest concern, though, is that he didn’t show much aptitude for drawing walks with only 45 free passes over 4 years. This carried over to his Tri-City season with just the measly 9 walks in 58 games. As he climbs the ladder, we think it unlikely Robinson will continue to hit .300. He has to learn better strike zone management and substantially increase those walk totals and get that OBP into the .350+ range. If he can do that (and that’s a big if), then combined with his defensive prowess he might make it to the bigs as a utility infielder.
Tommy Whiteman
DOB: 7/14/79. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 180. Bats: R. Throws: R. Acquired: 6th-round pick in 2000 draft out of U of Oklahoma.
Spring Training Comments:
Started off 2002 horribly as he was unable to handle the 2-level jump to AA…shipped back to Lexington after barely two weeks in Round Rock, worked on shortening his stroke to cut down on the big air he was creating on swings-and-misses…paid off as he significantly cut down on his strikeout rate…the natural strength in his 6’3”, 180-pound frame will lead to power down the line so long as he makes consistent contact with the ball…continued the pattern of making good contact during his play in the 2002 Arizona Fall League…also of importance with regard to his performance in the AFL are the reports there should no longer be any concern whether Tommy can handle the shortstop duties as he sparkled in that role…the defensive questions being laid to rest combined with his physical prowess and newfound control of the strike zone lead to the conclusion Whiteman is going to be fast-tracked if he at all proves himself on the AA level…Houston has not had anything approaching a legitimate offensive weapon at the shortstop position since the too-short career of Dickie Thon… we could very well be looking at such a player in the near future in Tommy Whiteman.
Update:
Well, at least he managed to stick this time ’round in AA. Unfortunately, the Sooner-ex’s success with the Express this season was front-end loaded. After hitting .330 in April, it was all progressively downhill after that: May (.272), June (.264), July (.239) and August (.202). That doesn’t exactly provide a great deal of momentum and confidence going into 2004. Whiteman still strikes out too often (even for someone with a little bit of pop in his bat) and doesn’t draw enough walks. Perhaps Zephyrs hitting coach Gary Gaetti will be able to turn him into a more disciplined hitter next season at NO.
The Native American from Oklahoma City struggled a bit on defense this season. He led the Texas League in ’03 with 36 errors. Many of those involved errant throws. RR coach Spike Owen and other field staff worked with Tommy during the season to raise his arm slot. Not sure if there was much in the way of improvement as his error numbers in the second half (16) didn’t come down all that much from the first half (20).
Whiteman played 34 games at 3B this year, all in the latter half of the season. Whether he plays 3B or SS in the future may be a moot point as we believe the outlook for his future major league career is beginning to look as if it’s spelled “U-T-I-L-I-T-Y”. And in looking at his near-term future in the Astros organization, the letters “T-R-A-D-E B-A-I-T” also come to mind.
Next Week: Outfielders