Rest Of Baseball - 2013

[ice grillin you]

stop rooting for the eagles

thanks

[shorebird]

HA! I don't think so. Go stroke your RGIII bobble head.

[shorebird]

Machado 3 for 5 in a losing effort against Texas. The hits keep coming for the man.

[Dillen]

Took off from work today to watch Mark Appel pitch an 11am game in Troy, NY. Stadium was super nice, surprising for a short season-A ball stadium on a community college campus. Missed his first start over the 4th of July weekend when I was out of town, so I was psyched to go considering this is the closest to Astros baseball I'm going to get in the Saratoga/Albany region. I sat a couple rows deep on the 3rd base side and he was just filthy to watch. Was on a pitch count because they took him out after 3. Runs like a total boner. Got promoted after the game, so glad I got a chance to see him before he was gone.

[PhillyPhreak54]

He should debut next June for the Stros, ya think?

[Dillen]

Maybe later, Luhnow's really pushing this 'process' thing and not rushing anyone along. Wouldn't be surprised if he made 4 or 5 starts at high A and then gets shut down for the year. I'd say late next year at the earliest, especially because they have a lot of questions about the SP currently in AAA and AA that they'll give a shot to first.

[PhillyPhreak54]

It makes sense to bring him slowly but I figured with him being a college pitcher and a Houston native they'd want him up ASAP.

Will they deal Bud Norris?

On a side note...when did teams start this whole trading of international bonus slot money shtein? Mitchell Boggs dealt to COL for that.

[PhillyPhreak54]

http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/danbickley/2013/07/09/yasiel-puig-needs-a-lesson-in-history-and-good-manners/

Rome agrees and says "Estoy de acuerdo! no fraternizar!"

[Dillen]

It makes sense to bring him slowly but I figured with him being a college pitcher and a Houston native they'd want him up ASAP.

Will they deal Bud Norris?

Depends on who is in the rotation next year. Jarred Cosart might get a look at the end of this year and could be ready for full season next year (one of the pieces they got in the Pence to Philly deal, if anybody forgot) but he walks everybody. They have a couple guys putting up great #'s in AAA and AA, but they're 25, so they'll get an extended look in the majors soon or be let go. All of these guys are either guys who really know how to pitch with zesty stuff, or guys with great stuff and don't have a clue how to pitch. If nobody pans out and they deal Norris too, yeah, Appel by next summer could happen.

No idea if they trade Norris, really could go either way. They won't give him up for nothing though - Luhnow said the first year or two are to get volume (dumping everybody worth anything), and then get value. Pretty much just crossed that border and now into the value stage. There's a lot of suitors out there since the SP market seems pretty thin, so if they could coax a top (but not elite, after all, it is Bud Norris) prospect or two that's within a year of the majors, it'll happen.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Remind me how you became an Astros fan again??

I like what they're doing. I was skeptical earlier in the year but the plan is developing nicely. I like Bo Porter too. With the state of the AL West they could make a run in two years.

[Dillen]

Because when you're really young, not really close to any teams (Rochester NY), and think Astronauts are cool, you get a favorite team... Seriously.

Porter's a horrible in-game manager and puts out some terrible lineups, but I like his attitude about everything.

OF prospect George Springer is 2/2 with 2 HR and 4 RBI tonight again... been tearing up AAA since his promotion a few weeks ago. .311, 25 HR, 28 SB across AA and AAA. He's going be the first guy in a long list of players that have star power and need to be successful. Thought it'd be 1b Jonathan Singleton (other piece of the Pence deal with Philly) but he's eating shtein at AAA.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Interesting. What year did you begin following? You're about the same age as me right (33)?

Porter will adjust. Once he gets his feel he should grow along with the young bucks.

I read an article on Springer the other day. They're really high on him. How's Correia doing?

[Dillen]

Nah, I'm still in my mid 20's with Munson and MDS. I think my first clear baseball memory was a series vs. the Reds in 95 when Bagwell just came back from another broken hand and started wearing that padding. Reds pitcher was frustrated, drilled Biggio, then next batter hit Bagwell in the hand. Benches cleared like 6 times over that series. That's probably the year I started following closely.

Correa's doing great, he was second in his league in BA at around .325, showing a lot more patience than a 19 year old should be with a .420 OBP. Only a handful of homers but solid XBH numbers, power will come since he still physically maturing. I've only seen highlights since he's in class A in Iowa, but stories I've read say he looks like A-Rod in the field when he first started pro ball, real smooth with a lot of size at SS.

[Don Ho]

http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/danbickley/2013/07/09/yasiel-puig-needs-a-lesson-in-history-and-good-manners/

Rome agrees and says "Estoy de acuerdo! no fraternizar!"

Mark McGwire, roid rage!

Quick Gonzalez story.  We saw him in a store years ago out shopping by himself while visiting San Diego.  Dbacks were in town for a series with the Padres. Some kids recognized him and were very cool about approaching him.  He was so nice and cordial.  I was very impressed with his demeanor as he talked to everyone that acknowledged him.  My son was to young and didn't know him from Adam but I was pretty psyched to meet him.

[Rome]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVPTSbIPtco&feature=player_embedded

I'm amazed and aroused at the same time.