So just what is it about Appel that is so appealing. Well, if the comparison to Mark Pryor is true (and there is nothing that he shows that says it’s not), this kid is going to be really good. In fact, he may be better than just good. And he’s now going to be a Houston Astro. I know, sign on the dotted line kid before we all pass out from holding our collective breath here. All in all, looks like Houston just drafted an Ace of the near future.

And there ain’t nothing wrong with that at all!

But the pundits were dead certain that either Mark Appel, pitcher at Stanford, or Byron Buxton, a very talented high school OF from Georgia were going to be the next Astros pick. The last time the Astros had an overall number 1 pick, they chose Phil Nevin, so things were a bit exciting around the organization. But neither Appel nor Buxton’s name were called out, instead it was Correa.  Stretch pick? No, not really… maybe the prototypical “scout” pick if you will. But you would have thought with the reaction around the media types, the Astros just threw away the pick. From here, doesn’t look to be the case.

Later in the night, the Astros pulled another stunner. Young Lance McCullers, he of former major leaguer stock, fell all the way to the supplemental round where the Astros were able to tab him. What is unique about this pick is the noise surrounding the young man, not because of talent, but because of the choice of agent… one Scott “I’m the real Devil Lanse” Boras. McCullers probably scared away a whole slew of good organizations because of the talk of what might be his asking price. The Astros made the pick and hope to sign both Correa and McCullers based on slot money or little above without hurting themselves in the process. If they do, this may be the day everyone looks back on and says “This was the day the organization turned it all around!”

Good job Bobby Heck and new GM Jeff Luhnow!

]]> http://www.orangewhoopass.com/2010/07/29/roy-oswalt-traded/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:14:10 +0000 http://www.spikesnstars.com/?p=7687 In a move that surprises no one except maybe Astros Fans hiding in a cave for the last three months, the Houston Astros traded away one time ACE Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies for much more than a horse or a bulldozer. Indeed what Houston got back in return was J.A. Happ, a tall left handed pitcher who has basically been a promising ready for the majors #2 or #3 starter. Haap experienced elbow problems this year setting him back several months, however, Astro fans are used to this sort of thing (*cough* Paulino *cough* Norris *cough*), so no worries.

One would think though that if you’re talking ACE (even former ACE), you would get back a boat load of prospects, dinero, flowers, wine, dinner for two at Chili’s and a hat. Nope, besides Haap, it seemed like for all the world GM Ed Wade was a living example of what concourse fans believe him to be: a horse trader with no horse sense. What Wade got back along with Haap was not 18 year old first base phenom Singleton, the rumored best prospect to expect in the deal, but shortstop Jonathan Villar who might be good or might be a JAG depending on what concourse fan you talk to and then the surprise get of Gose, a speedy outfielder with top of the scale defensive skills and no bat. A poor imitation of Michael Bourn so it seemed. That got the juices flowing in the Astros fandom, at least all those who decided to care again for the time being.

Before the masses could reach the MMPUS with the torches, lynch rope, tar, and feathers though, Ed Wade flipped Gose to the Blue Jays for pudgy offensive, almost ready, okay if you have to go ahead and bring him up now, first baseman Brett Wallace. The kid with Earl Campbell thighs and lightning quick left handed bat made everyone stop in their tracks and question everything they thought holy and righteous in their world beliefs. Ed Wade made a great trade? Huh? Are you kidding me. That pretty much put the wheels in motion to find something, anything that could possibly be wrong with Brett Wallace, projected to be a better bat in the majors than take-the-mlb-world-by-storm Buster Posey. Other than the aforementioned thigh muscle mass, Wallace was deemed a first baseman with no elegance defensively. He was also derided for not walking to first base more, nevermind he runs to first pretty well on singles, doubles, and triples. Perhaps he can walk to first on his homerun trots to satisfy the fanta-geeks in all of us. Next came the coup-de-grassy knoll: the kid has now been traded four times.

*DING, DING, DING*

The world was safe again, Ed Wade is a GM with no appreciable skills to handle the job any better than… well… me! Oh, yeah, before we leave this report: Roy Oswalt failed to become the winningest pitcher in the history of the beloved Houston Astros, so if he plans to capture that record, then sometimes in the distance future maybe as a reliever he can come back to the Astros and bird-dog a win.

Cooper then added that he hasn’t decided if Backe will join the rotation or the bullpen. Earlier that day, Cooper indicated Backe would likely be a starter.

Backe says

“I’m thinking just because I went down there [to the Minor Leagues] and threw like I was a starter. … I got to 100 pitches, but I guess that doesn’t mean much,” Backe said. “I feel like I’m going to be in the rotation. I don’t know where or when. I don’t even know if they know. Until they know what’s going on and they tell me. … I think they have until Tuesday to make a decision, so it’ll be a couple of days before I find out. Hopefully by [Monday], they’ll know.”
link

 Zachary Levine of the Chron note Since he made his final start of his 30-day allowable rehab window Saturday, the earliest he could start is Friday in Pittsburgh, given the Astros’ Thursday off-day.
link

The Chronicle published this chart
Astros wins by pitcher’s starts
Rodriguez 7-2
Ortiz 3-1
Oswalt 4-5
Moehler 2-4
Hampton 2-7
Paulino 0-5

Geoff Blum, standing on the top step in the dugout and noticing that Bourn was becoming agitated, called his young teammate over and emphatically explained what had happened.

“Nobody explained it to Michael,” Blum said. “He started to get a little heated, he thought he did something wrong. I just wanted to make sure that he knew it wasn’t his fault. You try to explain the situation and just calm him down. He’s going to have to hit again. That was my main focus, to make sure he knew it had nothing to do with him.”

Curiously, it was Blum, and not anyone from the coaching staff, to make sure Bourn kept his cool.  Link

Tinker, tailor… dumbass?

When asked just 4 days ago about Bourn hitting leadoff, Cooper said “I’m not going to do it,” .  Furthermore,

“The only way I’d do it is if Matsui’s not playing. I think it helps (Bourn). It keeps the pressure off and a lot of stuff. I’m just going to leave it there. Why tinker with it?” Link

So what the hell is this from yesterday?

“It’s just a change,” Cooper said. “Just to get Matsui to relax a little bit. He has not really been the player that we saw last year. He really even struggled in Spring Training as well. I’m just trying to get him started, hopefully take some of the pressure off of him like we did with [Bourn], that’s all.

“When you’re in the No. 1 spot, you’re asked to get the team started, get them off and running offensively. If you’re hitting second, it takes a little pressure off you.” Link

The reason I do this NYCU is so we can have a record of what the Astros say about why they do what they do. This season, simply put, we are fucked. There is no consistency to what these guys say and what they do.

Sampson tweaks his back
“I went to grab [his son C.J.] while he was running by, and I kind of tweaked my lower back,” Sampson said an hour before Tuesday’s game. “It’s loosening up a little bit. I’m just going to treat it all day today (Wed.) and keep some heat on it, see if it won’t loosen up enough to possibly pitch tonight. If not tonight, then should be ready to go tomorrow. It’s not serious.” Link

Hawkins hurts his hip
Hawkins hurt his right hip backing up home plate after Alfonso Soriano hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning in Chicago on Saturday. (Watching Pence’s late sailing heave)

“I’m like, ‘Oh, I can catch that,'” Hawkins recalled. (Then he jumped, fell landed wrong and hurt his hip. Why? Game over.)

Hawkins was worked over by the club’s chiropractor on Tuesday …he’s hopeful that by Wednesday (he’ll be able to pitch.) Link

Hampton cuts his left thumb.
“It just happened in the shower,” (at Wrigley) Hampton said. “I was pumping the soap out, taking a shower and it slipped off. Cut my finger. Of course, it couldn’t be the right hand. That wouldn’t serve anybody any justice if it was the right hand. It had to be the left.”

Hampton plans to make his next start, vs. the Rangers on Sunday.
Link

Paulino watches.
Paulino will start Friday (May 22)against the Texas Rangers, and he usually doesn’t throw his bullpen session between starts until two days before the outing.

“I’m going to say he’s in the end of (the bullpen), like an emergency kind of guy,” Cecil Cooper said when asked if Paulino was available. “I really don’t want to use him. If it got to where it’s a necessity I will.” Link

Last time Paulino pitched was May 12.

And Sunday, when Footer wrote this?
Backe, who is scheduled to make his fifth rehab start on Monday. He’ll likely pitch again in the Minor Leagues the following Saturday, which will bring him close to reaching the 30-day limit pitchers are allotted for rehab assignments. This means the Astros will have to make a decision as to what to do with Backe by the middle of next week. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Cooper said. “He’s pitching well, I’ll say that.” … Link

Well, Duman noticed this in the Corpus Caller Times (May 18)

…Backe, …made his fourth rehab start (Monday) with the Hooks and tossed eight innings of five-hit ball. (he) threw 98 pitches, 74 for strikes.

…Backe returned to Houston after his stint Monday to await a decision from the Astros on when they’ll activate him.

“He’s done here,” Hooks Manager Luis Pujols said. “I told him, ‘I hope to see you again, but not here.’” Link