Author Topic: DSL Astros 2016  (Read 4245 times)

Nate Colbert

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DSL Astros 2016
« on: June 03, 2016, 06:25:04 pm »
Season kicks off tomorrow.

Roster highlights:

Orange
  • CF Gilberto Celestino--signed for $2.25MM last year (as of now the 2nd highest bonus ever paid for an int'l player by the Astros)
  • INF Yeuris Ramirez--signed for $500K last year out of DR
  • INF Enmanuel Valdez--signed for $450K last year out of DR
  • OF Hector Martinez-signed for $300K two years ago, hit .251/.319/.329 in DSL last year
  • INF Ronaldo Urdaneta-signed for $60K last year out of Venezuela

Blue
  • OF Ronny Rafael--signed for $1.5MM two years ago, hit .180/.259/.270 last year in DSL
  • LHP Javier Navas--signed for $175K two years ago, put up a 1.62 WHIP in the DSL in 2015
  • OF Cesar Cortez--signed for $100K last year out of Panama
  • INF Juan Pineda--signed for $100K two years ago, hit .293/.406/.345 last year in DSL
« Last Edit: June 04, 2016, 06:34:06 am by Duman »

Reuben

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2016, 08:20:16 pm »
Season kicks off tomorrow.

Roster highlights:

Orange
  • CF Gilberto Celestino--signed for $2.25MM last year (as of now the 2nd highest bonus ever paid for an int'l player by the Astros)
  • INF Yeuris Ramirez--signed for $500K last year out of DR
  • INF Enmanuel Valdez--signed for $450K last year out of DR
  • OF Hector Martinez-signed for $300K two years ago, hit .251/.319/.329 in DSL last year
  • INF Ronaldo Urdaneta-signed for $60K last year out of Venezuela

Blue
  • OF Ronny Rafael--signed for $1.5MM two years ago, hit .180/.259/.270 last year in DSL
  • LHP Javier Navas--signed for $175K two years ago, put up a 1.62 WHIP in the DSL in 2015
  • OF Cesar Cortez--signed for $100K last year out of Panama
  • INF Juan Pineda--signed for $100K two years ago, hit .293/.406/.345 last year in DSL
Ouch on Rafael. Here's hoping he was injured or something. Looking forward to seeing how Gilberto Celestino does - cool name.
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Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2016, 03:36:44 pm »
Oz Ocampo ‏@OzOcampoHouston  31 minutes ago
2 Opening Day wins for @DSLAstros Blue and Orange and 2 pro debut HRs for 17yo SS/2B Enmanuel Valdez!! #Astros #DR

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2016, 10:22:20 am »
Celestino went 1-4 yesterday with a walk in his pro debut.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2016, 12:25:08 am »
Box score from the Blue game on Saturday finally showed up. Ronny Rafael, batting 7th in the lineup, went 0-4 with 3 whiffs.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2016, 04:17:15 pm »
After today's wins, Orange (undefeated) and Blue squads off to a collective 11-1 start to start the season.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2016, 02:24:44 pm »
Wins again for both squads today to drive their combined record to 15-1.

Enmanuel Valdez hit his 3rd longball of the year for the Orange. Hitting .333/.406/.741 entering play today.

Travis

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2016, 07:05:38 am »
Any idea what's changed for these teams? The last few years they've been the lowest performing Astros minor league squads, at least in terms of W-L. Is it just a case of building up a pipeline of talent and doing more scouting? Coaching? All of the above?

Lefty

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2016, 10:53:56 am »
Any idea what's changed for these teams? The last few years they've been the lowest performing Astros minor league squads, at least in terms of W-L. Is it just a case of building up a pipeline of talent and doing more scouting? Coaching? All of the above?
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Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2016, 01:40:19 pm »
Any idea what's changed for these teams? The last few years they've been the lowest performing Astros minor league squads, at least in terms of W-L. Is it just a case of building up a pipeline of talent and doing more scouting? Coaching? All of the above?

8 games into the season, I'm not sure I'd read a whole lot into what's going on right now.

Having said that, both team's pitching staffs have started off well. However, if you look at the ages of those pitchers collectively both teams' staffs are on the upper end of the age level compared to the league. So you could simply be seeing older, more experienced pitchers who are dominating younger hitters who are still adjusting to their first taste of pro ball. So as the summer goes on if you see these pitchers be less and less successful that might suggest the experience advantage was the key to their early success and not so much talent.

With more high-bonus/1st year players on the Orange squad, I tend to pay a lot more attention to that team than I do the Blue. And since those players are all hitters, I'm gonna focus more on the offensive numbers. I guess it's encouraging that the Orange leads the DSL in OPS right now but again after just 8 games that's not much of a data point.


Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2016, 09:32:02 pm »
Through the season's first two weeks, Gilberto Celestino (.279/.475/.302) and Hector Martinez (.257/.500/.571) are tied for the league-lead in walks with 16 apiece. Enmanuel Valdez (.333/.400/.711) is 7th in the league in OPS while Martinez ranks 11th.

The Orange squad leads the DSL in drawing walks with 95 thru 13 games. The Blue rank 3rd with 71. The median number of walks for all 42 teams is 53.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2016, 09:49:14 pm by Nate Colbert »

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2016, 12:38:34 pm »
22-year old recent Cuban signee 1B/OF Norberto Castellanos was recently assigned to the DSL Blue squad and played in his first game yesterday. Went 0-2 with a walk, batting 6th in the order.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2016, 10:19:57 pm »
Oz Ocampo ‏@OzOcampoHouston 52 minutes ago
Congrats to CF Gilberto Celestino, RF Jose Benjamin, RHP Ronel Blanco and Astros Blue manager @Russ_Steinhorn on making the All-Star team!

Celestino everyone knows, Benjamin turns 21 later this year and is in his 3rd year in the DSL and Blanco turns 23 in about a month.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2016, 01:27:09 pm »
The Astros released 1B Felix Lucas, who was signed for $225K back in 2013.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2016, 12:08:19 am »
FWIW, 22-year old Cuban Anibal Sierra 3-8 with 3 singles, a walk and a SB over his first 2 games with the Astros Blue squad.

La Verdad

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #15 on: August 04, 2016, 04:19:06 pm »
Yordan Alvarez, acquired in the Josh Fields deal, served as the DH for the DSL Orange team today and went 1-2 with a walk out of the leadoff spot.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2016, 04:37:16 pm by La Verdad »

La Verdad

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #16 on: August 09, 2016, 10:38:01 am »
Anibal Sierra hit his first homer for the Blue team yesterday.

Also, Yordan Alvarez went 2-4 with a walk for the Orange team.

Nate Colbert

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Re: DSL Astros 2016
« Reply #17 on: August 29, 2016, 01:26:59 pm »
The DSL season for the Blue and Orange squads wrapped up on Saturday.

As far as the high-dollar Cuban signees, 22-year old SS Anibal Sierra ($3MM effective signing cost) finished at .316/.465/.506 over 23 games with 18 walks vs 20 strikeouts in 79 ABs. 19-year old 1B Yordan Alvarez ($4MM) hit .341/.474/.500 in the 16 games since coming over from the Dodgers with 12 walks and 7 strikeouts in 44 ABs.

Other high-bonus signees who finished the year in the DSL: 18-year old OF Ronny Rafael ($1.5MM) hit just .190/.333/.262 this season after posting .180/.259/.270 numbers in 2015. 17-year old INF/DH Enmanuel Valdez ($450K) finished at .245/.342/.438 over 55 games while fellow 17-year old INF Yeuris Ramirez ($500K) batted .178/.312/.254 in 40 games.