Houston Astros Baseball

A HOUSTON ASTROS BLOG

Back from All Star Break!

Written by Baqqs on 2:32 PM

Back from All Star Break!


The Astros are back after a few days off for The All Star festivities.

these next few weeks should be exciting as The Astros are definitely sellers and may move multiple players for prospects. This is the most exciting time of year for bad teams, and The Astros are a bad team.

Possible players to be traded:

- Bourn
- Pence
- Wandy
- Myers
- Lopez
- Kepp
- Lee* Crossing Fingers

In any case, keep an eye out - the players we get back from these potential trades should be the nucleus of a good Astros team in the next few years.


All Star Break Reminds Me How Stupid Selig Is

Written by Baqqs on 4:35 PM

All Star Break!!!


This week marks the ridiculous tradition known as The MLR All Star Game. No, the game isn't ridiculous, nor the players, but the implication of the game having legitimate meaning.

The winning league of tonight's game will determine home field advantage of the world series. There are too many problems with this idea to list them, but let's all play along and pretend that the players are playing harder for their league than they would normally.

Selig = dumbass.

Astros Lose Again

Written by Baqqs on 10:08 AM

So what else is new? The Astros lose again! This time in heroic fashion. For the first time this season The Astros managed double digit runs, with a season best extra base hit output, but were still able to lose.

It's games like these where you wish there was a trophy for being the "best" at losing. If you do create one, I would call it, "The Astro."

Brandon Lyon Out For Season

Written by Baqqs on 11:30 AM

This news marks the end of your very down season regarding Lyon. Houston GM Ed Wade required quite a bit of flak for signing Lyon to some three-year, $15 million deal two winters ago. That was followed by a relatively rocky beginning, as the 35-year old right-hander had to immediately go on those with disability list and miss the beginning of the 2010 season with a cysts in his throwing shoulder. Signed as the closer heading into that season, Lyon was changed early on by Matt Lindstrom.

Lyon has been excellent in his setup part, throwing efficiently and not quitting runs. Unfortunately, Lindstrom couldn't hold onto the closer's role because of injuries and wildness, leaving the door open for Lyon to slide back into the ninth inning. He took advantage and closed the season strong, preserving 20 games by the end associated with 2010.

More Info

Astros Draft Springer

Written by Baqqs on 9:30 PM

via: Fox Sports Houston

True to their word, the particular Astros selected the player they believed has been the best available at their position in Monday’s draft, taking UConn center fielder George Springer with the 11th overall pick.


He’s the first outfielder selected by the Astros within the first round, not including extra picks, since 1988 when the membership took Willie Ansley. It might have been attractive to take a pitcher in what is believed to be a pitching-rich write. But Springer, a 21-year-old junior, is known as a terrific athlete with the possible ways to become a five-tool major leaguer. "He's a plus runner, he's a plus center fielder, he's got plus power and that we believe he's going to hit too," Astros scouting director Bobby Daylights said.

"When you get a combination of speed and power, that's a very attractive thing to have.Inches On Monday night Springer and also the Huskies were playing Clemson in the Clemson Localised championship game. Springer, who baseball bats and throws from the correct side, batted .350 with 12 home runs, 76 RBI and also 30 stolen bases inside 63 games this season as well as was named the Big Eastern Player of the Year. "One would anticipate that a player that has some school experience, as he does, in a very high level would shift at a somewhat more rapid pace" than the usual high school player, General Manager Ed Wade said.

"That said, we simply saw Jordan Lyles (a high college pick) make his major league debut at age Twenty. Guys will determine their very own pace." While signability having a college player is not as high risk as with a high school player, getting any first-rounder to signal and in the system quickly remains a challenge, Wade said. This past year, the 11th pick of the draft was high school drink pitcher Tyler Matzek, who got a $3.Being unfaithful million signing bonus from the Rockies.

"These days the way this stuff runs with players in the first round, you have to expect that it is long process," Sort said. "It's just the way that this particular operates anymore. The guys that get signed quickly and get away quickly are few and in between." Springer played secondary school baseball at Avon Old Farming in New Britain, Conn., and was a 48th-round pick of the Baby twins in 2008. Springer became a high-level prospect while playing for your Huskies, although some scouts have questioned their swing at times. Nevertheless, the majority of scouting reports predicted in which his power and speed would obtain him drafted in the middle of the first round or sooner.

And it's believed that Springer can remain in center field, a premium defensive placement. "There's work to be done for your pet to become a true center fielder,Inches Heck said. "He has the tools and athletic tools to get it done. It's now up to us inside player development to address the relevant skills part of it. If he happens to move to a corner... that was section of our discussion as well... there is a comfort that his offense plays at both 4 corners."

Astros sign Tilghman to Minor League contract

Written by Baqqs on 2:23 PM

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros announced today that the club has signed right-handed pitcher Jack Tilghman, who was pitching for the Texarkana Gunslingers of the Continental Baseball League, to a Minor League contract. The announcement was made by General Manager Ed Wade.

In order to acquire Tilghman, the Astros first purchased his contract from Texarkana of the CBL and then subsequently signed him to a Minor League contract.

Tilghman, 21, is 3-2 with a 1.30 ERA (6ER/41.2IP) and 13 saves for Texarkana this season, including 57 strikeouts and 19 walks. He leads the CBL in both saves and appearances in 2008. Tilghman was signed as an undrafted free agent by Philadelphia in 2007 and spent last year with the GCL Phillies, finishing 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA (4ER/13.2IP) in seven appearances.

Scouted and signed by area scout Rusty Pendergrass, the 6-2, 205-pound Tilghman is a native of Telford, PA, and played collegiately at Walters State CC in Tennessee.

Paulino Set Back

Written by Baqqs on 2:22 PM

CHICAGO -- Right-hander Felipe Paulino was slated to make two relief appearances this week for Triple-A Round Rock, but after experiencing shoulder tightness in his first game on Tuesday, that plan is on hold.

Paulino pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowed a hit and a walk and struck out one before exiting the game prematurely. He didn't have a reoccurrence of the nerve issue that knocked him out of commission in Spring Training and later forced him to the disabled list, but his recent shoulder issue is cause for concern.

Paulino, 24, will be examined by team medical director David Lintner on Thursday.

"It's just to make sure he's still OK," assistant general manager Ricky Bennett said. "It's more precautionary than anything else. The good thing is the nerve issue he was dealing with seems to be a non-issue at this point."

According to Bennett, Paulino hit 97 mph on the radar gun, which is encouraging.

"His command was OK, too," Bennett said. "He's been out for a year, so from that standpoint, that was positive."

Paulino, who was in the running for a starting spot in Spring Training before he was injured, was scheduled to pitch again on Friday. The club will wait to hear from Lintner before deciding the next course of action for Paulino.

Another rehabbing pitcher, right-hander Paul Estrada, is scheduled to make his first appearance of the season after rehabbing a shoulder injury. Estrada, 25, was slated to pitch in relief for Double-A Corpus Christi on Wednesday.



Astros 2008 Schedule

No Time For Blog. Firefighting!

Written by Baqqs on 3:33 PM

Unfortunately, My Astros Blog will have to take a back seat to my career. The good news is that The Astros stink so it will be a little easier to not watch.

Thanks to all who kept up with the blog and sorry for the delayed response.