Author Topic: Cartwright to Phils (Read 5103 times)

astrosfan76 · « **on:** January 10, 2011, 11:57:15 am »

Per Tags/Footer/Levine/Justice tweets:

Astros traded him for LHP Sergio Escalona. Escalona was the closer for the Phillies' AA team last season and had a 3.81 ERA and 53 K's in 54 1/3 innings. He turned 26 in August, so he's not really a "prospect", but the Astros' scouts like his stuff and the club thinks he could be a situational reliever. He was DFA'd before the trade and was added to our 40-man roster.

MusicMan · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2011, 11:59:12 am »

Wade clearly believes in the guys he drafted.

Jacksonian · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2011, 12:06:01 pm »

I was wondering how he was going to fit in. I had him at 20 on the list behind Altuve and Paredes. With Altuve moving to AA this year and the likely need for a more veteran 2B at AAA as insurance on Hall (Anderson Hernandez?), esp while Kep is out, I didn't know how they were going to handle Cartwright.

Now I know.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2011, 12:11:31 pm »

I know better than to post on the TZ about a new acquisition without first looking at the Bus Ride. I learned the hard way with a couple of Cabrera's.

Ron Brand · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2011, 12:23:36 pm »

Quote from: astrosfan76 on January 10, 2011, 11:57:15 am

Per Tags/Footer/Levine/Justice tweets:

Astros traded him for LHP Sergio Escalona. Escalona was the closer for the Phillies' AA team last season and had a 3.81 ERA and 53 K's in 54 1/3 innings. He turned 26 in August, so he's not really a "prospect", but the Astros' scouts like his stuff and the club thinks he could be a situational reliever. He was DFA'd before the trade and was added to our 40-man roster.

Given the Abad / Chacin uncertainty this could be a real nice move.

BudGirl · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2011, 12:56:24 pm »

Another trade with Phillie. He never trades with any other organization.

/radio caller

VirtualBob · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2011, 04:42:28 pm »

Quote from: Ron Brand on January 10, 2011, 12:23:36 pm

Given the Abad / Chacin uncertainty this could be a real nice move.

Bingo.

Duman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2011, 05:05:41 pm »

My take on how the infields break down: (long version here)

CC:
4- Altuve
6 - Org. man (Sutil?)

Lan:

4 - Parades
6 - Villar

Lex:

4: DeShields sharing time with Henriques as DD learns to play 2nd.
6: Mier repeating.

Any thoughts?

VirtualBob · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2011, 05:22:02 pm »

Quote from: Duman on January 10, 2011, 05:05:41 pm

My take on how the infields break down: (long version here)

CC:
4- Altuve
6 - Org. man (Sutil?)

I would not be surprised to see Brandon Wikoff get a chance to see if he can handle AA pitching on a daily basis. Sutil may end up (yet again) as the AA super-sub, getting almost as many AB's as the starters while playing 2B/3B/SS and sometimes even OF. I had him pegged for a backup/utility role in AAA, but the logjam & uncertainty at the ML level make it almost certain that the ST losers will be filling the roster in Oklahoma.

Quote

Lan:

4 - Parades
6 - Villar

Exactly. With Andrew Simunic filling the super-sub role there.

Quote

Lex:

4: DeShields sharing time with Henriques as DD learns to play 2nd.
6: Mier repeating.

Any thoughts?

Again, the combination of Mier struggling last year and the influx of outside talent in the middle makes this likely. I am pretty high on Kike Hernandez, though, and I think he will at least have the opportunity to challenge DeShields for playing time. Depending on how it works out, I can see either Mier or (maybe) Hernandez getting a mid-season call to Lancaster ... maybe Kepp's return will trigger a system-wide adjustment?

OregonStrosFan · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2011, 06:09:32 pm »

Quote from: Duman on January 10, 2011, 05:05:41 pm

6: Mier repeating.

I had Mier going to Lancaster for the mental pick-me-up if nothing else. Out of the question?

Jacksonian · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2011, 06:43:03 pm »

I'm inclined to go with Wade/Heck's willingness and history of challenging talented players. I have Altuve/Villar at Corpus, Paredes/Mier at Lancaster, and DeShields/Merritt at Lex. At the end of the day though I firmly believe that their work at spring training will be the deciding factor.

Col. Sphinx Drummond · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2011, 06:55:54 am »

Quote from: Ron Brand on January 10, 2011, 12:23:36 pm

Given the Abad / Chacin uncertainty this could be a real nice move.

What is uncertain about Chacin?

Ron Brand · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2011, 08:24:59 am »

Quote from: Sphinx Drummond on January 11, 2011, 06:55:54 am

What is uncertain about Chacin?

Effectiveness, for one thing. I thought he had some slight injury issues too, but I might be thinking of shoulder stuff that happened to him earlier. They were impressed enough to bring him back as an NRI, but they released him coming off of making the minimum because he'd get a bump in pay due to arbitration, so that is a pretty clear indication of their value of him right now.

JimR · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2011, 08:59:53 am »

Quote from: Sphinx Drummond on January 11, 2011, 06:55:54 am

What is uncertain about Chacin?

why he is on the roster?

Ron Brand · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2011, 09:09:27 am »

He isn't, he's a non-roster invitee who was signed to a minor league deal.

JimR · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2011, 10:14:59 am »

Quote from: Ron Brand on January 11, 2011, 09:09:27 am

He isn't, he's a non-roster invitee who was signed to a minor league deal.

roster in a global sense, not 40 or 25.

MusicMan · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2011, 10:22:50 am »

Quote from: JimR on January 11, 2011, 10:14:59 am

roster in a global sense, not 40 or 25.

Coach is getting existential on us.

Ron Brand · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2011, 10:50:23 am »

Quote from: JimR on January 11, 2011, 10:14:59 am

roster in a global sense, not 40 or 25.

Then you have a very good question, sir. Beats me. I guess lefthanders are guaranteed employment.

He wasn't awful last year, just a spot lefty who could eat some innings here and there for a while.

I saw where someone mentioned WW as being in the situational lefty mix too. Does that mean the starting role experiment is over?

S.P. Rodriguez · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2011, 10:59:29 am »

Quote from: Ron Brand on January 11, 2011, 10:50:23 am

Then you have a very good question, sir. Beats me. I guess lefthanders are guaranteed employment.

He wasn't awful last year, just a spot lefty who could eat some innings here and there for a while.

I saw where someone mentioned WW as being in the situational lefty mix too. Does that mean the starting role experiment is over?

I share your curiosity on WW's future with the club. Anyone have insight into that? All I have is inference. The signing of Rowland-Smith, the Rule 5 draftee, and this trade. Competition is good, but sure seems like Wright is buried behind new candidates that might be more appealing to Wade/Smith.

Reuben · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:13:44 pm »

I came across BA's take on the Escalona-Cartwright trade:

" Sergio Escalona lost his roster spot when the Phillies re-signed J.C. Romero. The 26-year-old Venezuelan lefty has all sorts of situational relief potential. Escolona keeps batters honest with a low-90s fastball and has a strong, high-70s curveball as a finisher. With Double-A Reading, he held lefties to a .188/.233/.250 batting line in 96 at-bats. It was more of the same in the Venezuelan League, where lefties managed 4-for-23 (.174), all singles, versus Esclaona.

The 23-year-old Cartwright has no outstanding tool and projects as a 25th man in a best-case scenario... "

They also mention that after his breakout year at Lancaster, Cartwright posted a .571 OPS at CC in 2010.

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2011, 04:25:34 pm »

I'd forgotten about Jose Vallejo until Levine provided an update on him:

Quote

Vallejo, acquired in the trade for Ivan Rodriguez, was a fairly heralded prospect before nearly ending his career last offseason when he sliced his hand open in a kitchen accident in his native Dominican Republic.

Wade: "He was a six-year free agent, and we re-signed him, and we'll see if he can get back to the point where he was before the injury. He struggled when he came back last year (.114/.177/.133 in 36 games), and that's understandable. He was a little bit of a miracle baby last year. In talking with Dr. (Thomas) Mehlhoff, who performed the surgery, he said it would be a miracle if he played again, so I have to give a lot of credit to Dr. Mehlhoff."

He played at Corpus after returning, but played at AAA in '09. I'm guessing he'll be returning to Oklahoma City (played there with Texas), so that deepens our 2B depth even further. I can't remember the last time we had this much quality depth at any one position, especially in the middle infield. Makes Cartwright even more expendable.

http://blogs.chron.com/baseballblog/archives/2011/01/updates_on_inju.html