Standing up to the Goon, Wade on the first 10, Wiggy’s gutting it out, Roy predicts!

Posted on April 11, 2008 by pravata in News You Can Use

GM Ed Wade didn’t have a problem with Brandon Backe standing up for teammate J.R. Towles and not backing down from Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols during Wednesday’s confrontation in batting practice.

“I like competitiveness; I like fire,” Wade said. “You can probably take sides on both ends of it. I wasn’t crazy about the slide, but that’s part of the game. …I like when teammates stick up for one another. There’s no harm in any of it in my opinion. Here’s a guy that has enough belly to step up and say what he felt.”
Link

The GM on the season so far

Astros Acquire Minor Leaguer Oyervidez, Release Gordon

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Duman in From the Bus Stop

Wednesday, the Astros acquired Jose Oyervidez, who prepped at McAllen Rowe High, from the Padres for future considerations. Here is a summery of his history in the Padres:

Oyervidez went from the rookie league straight to Double-A – skipping two levels in the minors – before seeing his progression end during the past three seasons. Oyervidez had Tommy John surgery in 2004 that wiped out his entire season, then had to repair damage in his right elbow that ended his 2007 season with the San Antonio Missions after six starts on the mound.

Ricky Bennett seemed excited about the acquisition:

“He has a great arm,” Bennett said. “I think a guy can become stagnant when he stays in one (minor league) organization for so long. Our scouts are familiar with him, familiar with what he’s done in the past. And he has the makings of a good pitcher, and we got him with the intentions that he’ll be with us in the big leagues pretty soon. We think he has that type of potential.”

He is assigned to AA Corpus Christi and to make room on the roster, Brian Gordon is released.

Gordon, Minor Transactions, Oyervidez

Express On The Bus, CC Loses HR Derby, Salem Loses Late, Legends Continue To Struggle

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Duman in From the Bus Stop

Round Rock:

The Express got rained out and their flight got canceled. They were like many other travelers impacted by American Airlines wiring inspections. So, the AAA boys got reminded of life at the lower levels with an 830 mile bus ride from Omaha.

We had to make a decision to just get on the bus,” said Express chief executive Reid Ryan.

The Austin Paper this morning has a story about Lance Niekro and growing up in the Astros’ clubhouse.

Reid Ryan recalled that Niekro, who had a surprisingly deep voice for a 6-year-old, once hunted down his father in the clubhouse. The young Niekro was on a mission to warn his dad to eat the clubhouse spread because mom was cooking meatloaf at home.

“Every time I look at Lance, I get a smile on my face,” Ryan said. “I think it would be a real neat story if he made it back to the big leagues.”

Corrado, Iorg, Minor Game Recap, Sutton, Trinidad

Hunter Pence’s talking bobble head

Posted on April 10, 2008 by pravata in News You Can Use

Q: If your bobblehead doll could talk, what would it say?
Spaz: We didn’t get dressed up for nothing.
Link

99 Problems (But Pitching Ain’t One)

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Andyzipp in Off Day

Ed: Okay, great. Dermatitis. Thank you Lance. I’ll make sure that’s covered. Okay, now. Who wrote this “hysterical” one? Anal fissures?

Kaz: That’s a real thing.

Ed: Yeah, but no one here has it.

Kaz: (glances at camera) Someone has it.

Endless Jake whining, Pitching around the Goon, Sampson was sick and Towles will catch

Posted on April 10, 2008 by pravata in News You Can Use

The game was delayed a few minutes in the bottom of the sixth inning while plate umpire Joe West waited for ballpark personnel to change the rolling advertising panels behind the plate.

Cardinals second baseman Aaron Miles said he was having trouble seeing the ball against the white backdrop, which manager Tony La Russa said was turning to black when the Astros were in the field.

“That’s against the rules,” La Russa said. “They were very hard-headed about changing it. I kept thinking they’re messing with the wrong guy. You don’t mess with Joe West.”
Link

On pitching to The Smirking Goon