Thomas B. Shea - Getty Images
HOUSTON, TX - JULY 20: Second baseman Jose Altuve. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)
I have seen a comment or two asking for an update on Astros' fall and winter league performance. Since I was curious to look up those stats for the Dominican, Venezuelan, and Arizona off-season leagues, it doesn't hurt to expand this to a story. As most of you know already, off-season league stats should be taken with a grain of salt. The Arizona Fall League has some top prospects as well as a few suspects. The Dominican and Venezuelan winter leagues are mixed bags, in terms of the quality of players. And of course the sample sizes are quite small. Still, it's nice to see how Astros' prospects are performing in the off-season.
Jose Altuve, Jimmy Paredes, Brian Bogusevic, and Jay Austin are among the hitters who have gotten off to great starts. Among the pitchers, Sergio Perez also has gotten off to a nice start. Dallas Keuchel has pitched quite a bit in the Arizona Fall League with some mixed results. Several of the pitchers have been used as relievers, and the sample sizes are quite small at this point.
Hitters (ordered by OBP) Minimum 10 at bats
(Lg., AB, OBP, OPS)
Altuve, V, 37, .395, .909
Austin, A, 23, .393, .741
Hernandez, D, 36, .390, .807
Castro, A, 15, .368, .635
Bogusevic, D, 35, .368, .826
Wallace, D, 32, .357, .670
Navarro, V, 41, .354, .744
Hinze, A, 42, .354, .783
Paredes, D, 10, .349, .837
Goebbert, A, 41, .261, .651
Notes:
Castro's batting average is only .200, but he has walked 4 times.
Brett Wallace has a 32% strike out rate and a 25% walk rate.
Most HRs: Hinze and Goebbert with 2 each.
Most Triples: Altuve with 3.
Pitchers (Ordered by ERA) Minimum 8 IP
(Lg., ERA, IP, BA-against, K, BB)
Perez, V, 1.32, 13.2, .286, 17, 5
Keuchel, A, 4.50, 16, .238, 10, 0
A. Rodriguez, D, 5.19, 8.2,.265, 9, 2
Stoffel, A, 7.00, 9.0, .286, 10, 10
0 recs | 35 comments
Thanks for the update. I’m glad that the group of hitters listed are all doing well in their respective leagues. I was hoping that Hinze would show something so his stock would rise, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. As more time goes by it is seeming like Hinze was a player who beat up on the younger pitching in A ball and benefitted from Lancaster.
I wish Wallace would strikeout less.
I am surprised about Sergio Perez’s performance so far, but I’m sure weaker competition and small sample size has something to do with it, and his stats will average out. I don’t know that much about him except for the fact that he hasn’t really posted high strikeout rates.
Dallas Keuchel is holding his own it looks like. In one of the games he started he got 10 groundball outs in 5 innings pitched. The experience should be good for him.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Looking at the high strike out rates for the pitchers, it definitely makes you wonder about the competition. Of course, it’s also a very small sample size. In the course of looking up the information, I noticed some quotes from a Rockies’ prospect who is on a hot streak in the AFL. He said something like, “I decided to be myself and just go up there and take my hacks and show what I can do.” It made me wonder if some fall/winter league players are more prone to “hack away” in order to try get some attention from their home team…and if they swing and miss, well that’s a strike out.
clack - October 27, 2011
Could be. Hopefully that’s what Wallace is doing as well. Although the walk rate is nice, the strikeout rate is discouraging.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
I'm hoping that with the high walk AND strikout rate, that means he's being selective and swinging for the fences
After all, the biggest gripe about him last season was lack of power, despite a body that could project tons of it. Maybe the hitting coaches suggested a change in approach? Couldn’t hurt…
CRPerry13 - October 27, 2011
Could be. It’s hard to tell yet, given the sample size. But Wallace has 1 HR in his 32 at bats so far.
clack - October 27, 2011
mmm...that's not a very good pace for a hitter-friendly league.
CRPerry13 - October 27, 2011
Very nice and insightful comment CR. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Some things are just better left unsaid.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
??
bizarre response
Brad E - October 27, 2011
How did you go back in there and add a comment after it was blank.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
What?
CRPerry13 - October 28, 2011
Could have been my mistake. Your first reply to Clack was showing blank on my phone. The response didn’t show until later.
conroestro - October 28, 2011 via mobile
haha
Now it all makes sense. I thought your reply was weird also, but I wasn’t going to say anything.
CRPerry13 - October 28, 2011
I know that Fall stats don’t mean much, but Bogusevic hit a homerun last night, and his stat line looks good. He could still surprise some people. Next year will be an interesting year for him.
Then again it very well could be weaker competition as well with him.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
I don’t think he’s done developing. Obviously we’ll find out next year what the Astros may have with him.
Timothy De Block - October 27, 2011
Hopefully its more than everyone expected.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Bogey needs to be given the RFer job stress free being run out there 5 or 6 days a week. I really think if he is not being bounced up and down every 3 weeks that he can settle in and be very productive.
Nado2036 - October 28, 2011
Thanks for posting this.
PeteyNhtown - October 27, 2011
Thank you much
Baseball is back baby!
Its Gonna Happen - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Watching the world series right now.
I have a huge issue with pitchers throwing to bases. This should be a set play from the manager. “Because you’re all uncoordinated buffoons, just throw it to first base.”
Seriously. How can they be this bad. I remember when I was a little kid in little league our 6 year old year was coaches pitch. So a coach would throw to you but you had a little league player fielding the position. This is what should happen in the NL. Eff the DH I need the DF.
MadMartygan - October 27, 2011
Cards’ defense has been bad. Without Berkman, they wouldn’t even be in the game.
clack - October 27, 2011
Epic fail by the Rangers.
Feliz gives up a tying 2-out, 2-R triple to Freese (on a 2-2 count, noless).
mike_o - October 27, 2011
Wow...
Hamilton retaliates with a 2-R homer in the 10th!
mike_o - October 27, 2011
And Berkman ties the game in the bottom of the 10th.
clack - October 27, 2011
Clutch performance their by the Puma to keep alive.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Berkman is clutch….always has been a great playoff batter. This is an exciting game
Woodlands'stro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Freese hits a HR in the 11th. The World Series will have a game 7.
clack - October 27, 2011
This has shaped up to be a pretty impressive series.
conroestro - October 27, 2011 via mobile
Absolutely classic.
This is good for baseball in general. I think we just witnessed one of the very best games in the World Series ever.
Wow. Way to go Berkman!!!
YohannDookeyblue - October 28, 2011
It was exciting
especialy the last four innings or so
but gosh it was sloppy.
Berkman led that team tonight.
Joe in Birmingham - October 28, 2011
Was there anyone else thinking this when Berkman was batting, “Please don’t let the Astro make the final out.”
ntn - October 28, 2011
I was definitely rooting for Berkman to come through.
I think it helps that he left on good terms. I will always root for Berkman, Pence, and Bourn when therethe not playingthe the Astros because they were class acts and handled the trades well. Roy Oswalt on the other hand, maybe not so much. I still like the guy, but wish he would have approached that a different way.
conroestro - October 28, 2011 via mobile
Off-topic.
This article in deadspin is a fantastic read. It’s nice to read an article that reminds me that writing isn’t a dead art among journalists.
clack - October 27, 2011
Wow, that was a good one. Thanks for posting it. Scary that there are actually people like this in the world.
CRPerry13 - October 28, 2011
winter baseball and free agents
these astro winter league players…need to show they can hit in the bigs…i guess this helps them improve….altuve is not major leaguer….no idea how to bunt…. re free agents…old guys… silly to give contracts stretching past 37 yr ag e or so…i would offer one or two yrs…at high price… take it or leave it… astros should decide if maybe they can make run this yr…probably not, need another rebuilding yr and shoot for a .500 season….magnus
Mike HJALM - October 31, 2011
Do you know how to write a full sentence Mike? Geez. lol my old eyes cant stand to read your
posts have the time. Btw, of course Altuve doesnt know how to bunt because they never asked him to in the minors since he could he hit.
StrosSouth - October 31, 2011
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