Towles, Valdez, Arias Removed From 40 Man Roster

This article has been linked in some of the threads, but it's worth a front page appearance. Given the 40 man roster crunch faced by the Astros going into the off-season, and the need to return players from the 60 day DL, we can expect some difficult roster cuts. Towles is the most noticeable name, and he will become a free agent. Alberto Arias' good season as a reliever seems like a distant memory now, but I would still hold out hope for his return to the Astros.

8 months ago clack 18 comments 1 recs |

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Towles, well Im gonna miss him.

If i were Arnold Rothstein id pay Ryan Braun all the money he
wants to stop going on homer streaks against the poor Astros....

am i the only one?

by ccislanders on Oct 14, 2011 8:18 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/astros/status/124559880718778368

by man07 on Oct 14, 2011 8:57 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Hopefully Towles gets a chance to catch on somewhere else.

I’m surprised it took them this long to cut loose Arias, though.

The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world.

by Stupendous Man on Oct 14, 2011 9:21 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Arias has been on the 60 day DL, so he wasn’t costing the Astros a roster spot up until the point that he had to taken off the DL. He has been rehabbing in Florida…or at least that’s the last I heard.

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

He was on the 60 day DL for most of the last two years, right? I wonder what it took for them to realize that he wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon.

The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world.

by Stupendous Man on Oct 14, 2011 9:51 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

He had two surgeries, if I recall. He came to spring training this year and continued to have pain throwing, and had to have the second surgery. After rehabbing for that surgery, he may well be ready to resume his career, for all I know. I certainly hope that’s the case. Based on a vague recollection, my impression is that the time frame has been extended because the Astros tried to avoid surgery each time by hoping that rest/rehab would be adequate.

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 10:06 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Also, I think the Astros had to pay for his surgeries anyway…so why wouldn’t they keep him on the DL?

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I wonder if you can even cut a player in that situation.

by MadMartygan on Oct 14, 2011 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Mixed Emotions on Towles

Towles always did pretty well at the minor league level, but never could translate that to big league success. A big part of that burden lies on the player, but the other part I attribute to the front office.

He never had a full season (because of injuries or demotions) to establish himself on the Astros and, largely because of a flukish September 2007 and the retirement of Brad Ausmus, he already had a tremendous burden placed on his shoulders when he arrived in 2008.

Once Jason Castro in 2010, it’s pretty clear that Towles’s days were officially numbered.

For whatever reason, Towles never really seemed to fit in on the team. He never had the full support of those around him (whether it be his pitchers, coaches, and the front office) the way that Castro has either.

I guess the thing I’m most disappointed about is that the Astros had a top prospect on their hands, but instead of giving the guy a chance to work through slumps or trade him (!), they just let him languish in the minors.

by ToyCannon on Oct 14, 2011 9:50 AM CDT reply actions

I think there is still a chance that he will blossom as a hitter somewhere. In fact, if I were a GM for most any ML team, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring him in as a NRI. But I think his weak catching skills make it more difficult to protect him on the Astros roster. As I recall, Mills and Wade wanted Towles to work out at 1st base and 3d base, which could be an indication that they thought his best chance of sticking with the team would be as a utility player.

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

On a different note

Dallas Keuchel went 4IP 0ER 2H 3K while collecting the win last night against Mike Trout and Bryce Harper’s AFL team.

by lawson3 on Oct 14, 2011 12:09 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Keuchel has been overshadowed and pushed down the depth chart...

…as a result of our recent pitching aquisitions. But, he had a good year in AA, and is young enough to remain a legitimate prospect. He still looks like he can be a serviceable back rotation starter.

The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world.

by Stupendous Man on Oct 14, 2011 3:27 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

My only reaction to this news...

…is that I hope they do something useful with those empty 40-man roster spots.

by CRPerry13 on Oct 14, 2011 1:34 PM CDT reply actions

They’ve got Castro and Escalona returning from the 60 day DL. The Astros also have several prospects to protect from the Rule 5 draft. Also, normally you would like to have a couple of open slots in case there is someone interesting to draft in the Rule 5.

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Astros go after a cheap catcher in free agency as a backup plan to Jason Castro in case he’s not ready for everyday reps or to safe guard against another Castro injury. I would hate to see another year where Corporan gets as many atbats as he did this year.

by conroestro on Oct 14, 2011 2:11 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

What makes you think Q won't be re-signed?

by ToyCannon on Oct 14, 2011 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Ed Trade

Oops, I meant Ed Wade

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

by BustaPozee on Oct 14, 2011 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions

I think it’s an open question whether they sign Quintero. They probably will. But given the supposed tight payroll constraints, Wade could decide that Q’s couple of million of dollars he would get in arbitration is not affordable. Of course, that’s less than the cost of signing a decent catcher in free agency.

by clack on Oct 14, 2011 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

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