Astros Thursday Minor League Recap

I really wanted to discuss the the Meszaros/Cabral/Fixler suspensions a little more since the drug in which they tested positive for was released yesterday.  They tested positive for methylhexanamine.  I did my research and was prepared to write on it until I saw on twitter that Jordan Lyles is getting promoted.  Naturally, I'm going to rant on that.

I'm like most of you in that I'm a huge Lyles fan-boy!  I want to see him succeed like the rest of you.  I also like to see guys promoted when they deserve it.  But, I also like to be slightly conservative with young arms.  I agreed with the decision to skip Lancaster and put him straight into Corpus because he is that talented and advanced for his age.  Avoiding Lancaster was smart, but it's also very aggressive.  That's why I don't want to move him on, they've already been aggressive enough with him as it is.  He's 19 at a level above what he should have started at had our Class-A Advanced affiliate was still Salem.  He probably would have been promoted with Keuchel to CC anyway by now, but now we are talking about a whole other level.  He'll likely get at least another 30 innings this season at AAA which will be more stressful innings than he's already had.  Add onto that, he'll more than likely be a Houston representative in the Arizona Fall League where he'll get another 20 innings. 

He does have excellent mechanics and doesn't have an injury history, but we are talking about the possibility of adding nearly forty innings more than his previous season's total.  Why make them more stressful?  He's only 19!  This isn't even considering the possibility of making him a September call-up which Ed Wade has already indicated is a possibility!

Editor's Note: Update on Lancaster is up, sorry it's later than I expected to get a chance to do this.

Round Rock lost 8-1

• Josh Banks (3.60)-5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2 HR
• Brian Bogusevic (.296)-1-4, 2B
• Chris Shelton (.290)-1-4, 2B, SO

Corpus Christi lost 4-1

• Jordan Lyles (3.12)-5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO-OremLK said last night that he got a few bloopers hit on him.  He's suffered from some bad luck since the beginning of July but has really progressed in that time, especially with his curve.  Apparently, that is what has earned him a promotion to AAA. 
• Albert Cartwright (.250)-1-4, 2 SO
• Koby Clemens (.254)-0-3, 2 SO
• Jonathan Gaston (.260)-0-3, 2 SO

Lancaster won 5-4

• Patrick Urkfitz (4.14)-6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO-I'm sure this is the start they expected when they put him in the rotation.  That is a solid start with only one earned run and six strikeouts.
• Kyle Godfrey (3.83)-3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO-Excellent stint out of the pen!
• David Berner (2.83)-2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO-There's a good outing for David's boy!
• Jonathan Villar (.348)-1-6, 2B, 3 SO, SB
• Brandon Barnes (.268)-1-3, 3 BB, SB
• John Curtis (.268)-4-6-Probably sulking that he didn't get the call-up.
• Andrew Simunic (.338)-0-4-2 BB, 4 SO-Jay Austin gave him a shout-out on twitter.

Lexington lost 8-3

• Tanner Bushue (4.56)-6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 2 HR-He has really struggled since his hot start.  Being that he is a fly-ball pitcher, would you rather him repeat the Sally League or move him along to the fly-ball pitcher graveyard that is known as Lancaster?
• Jimmy Paredes (.283)-1-4, 2B
• Jake Goebbert (.274)-2-4, 2B

Tri-City lost 3-2

• Carlos Quevedo (3.94)-7 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR-He can pitch the distance.
• Kike Hernandez (.283)-0-4, 2 SO
• Tyler Burnett (.292)-1-3, 2B, BB, SO
• Daniel Adamson (.281)-0-3, 2 SO
• Wilton Infante (.284)-2-3, 2 SB

Greeneville-Rained Out

GCL Astros-Off

DSL Astros won 6-5

• Jose Montero (2.32)-5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, HBP, WP-The control wasn't there for him yesterday, but he remains one of the top pitching prospects in the DSL.
• Xavier Baso (1.19)-1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
• Jose Solano (.281)-2-5, HR, 2 SO
• Luis De La Rosa (.280)-2-4, 2 SB
• Ydarqui Marte (.260)-2-3, 2B
• Franny Polanco (.233)-2-4

I know you all come to this post to see how our minor leaguers performed the night before.  But, I have consequently used the introduction as a place to put in my thoughts and rants.  So, if you all find my rants annoying and would rather not read them, let me know, I'll stop.