Well whaddaya know? Pudge Rodriguez was traded to the Rangers, not sure exactly WHY they wanted him back, seeing as how they have a surplus of good young catchers and Pudge has already reached his marketable milestones.
I most certainly was NOT impressed with Pudge’s game calling skills, blocking skills (check the number of WP allowed) or his bat – he led the Astros with most negative RCAA at -19 (Brad Ausmus levels, that is.)
But I AM impressed that somehow Ed Wade talked Drayton/Tal into letting him trade a washed up guy who wouldn’t be offered arbitration for SOME warm minor leaguer bodies (last time that happened it was Mo Ensberg to the Padres for some live body – or maybe it was Jason Lane.)
So anyway, we’re getting back a 22 year old A-ball guy (and 2 PTBNL) who was the Ranger’s 10th rounder out of HS in 05. Matt Nevarez, RHP, is a reliever who, this year, has thrown 35 innings over 34 games with a 2.83 ERA/1.06 WHIP and a 4 BB/9 and a 12.9 K/9.
According to minorleaguesplits.com, he has a FIP of 2.47, BAA .184 overall; curiously enough, rightys hit him much better than leftys (don’t tell Coop – he’d have, like, you know, heart failure) with a 0.85 WHIP vs 1.13 WHIP.
This is really only his 3rd year in pro ball – he missed virtually all of 06 and 07, don’t know why, which is why he’s a little old for A ball. But youneverknow, AND we all know how the Astros prefer to leave players in the minors to overcook.
And speaking of overcook, of COURSE JR Towles isn’t coming up to the majors to take Pudge’s spot. Not unless Coop is no longer manager. Which, with any luck, will be very VERY soon.
Tags: Houston Astros
everyday I open the Hou-Chron sports page on the internet with anticipation of seeing the grandest of grand headline “Cecil Cooper Fired as Astro Manager” only to be greeted with “Astros Lose Again” or “Somebody is Hurt and to the Disabled List”
It is maddening that the grocer hasnt pulled the plug. He is a stubborn ol’ coot aint he. Well Pudge is gone, whoopee, They need to form a line out the door. We will never see either of the PTBN on the MLB team.
As far as catching goes, It should be Towles starting with Q getting 1-2 starts a week. We know what Q can do. We do not know what Towles can do. We had 1 small sample size of greatness and a small sample size of suckage so we really dont know who the REAL Mr. Towles is. It would be smart to find out if he can handle the job until the Superhero Wonderboy Castro gets here. Nothing is guaranteed so they better have a decent plan B but then again we are talking about numb-nuts Cooper and the Meddler Scarecrow. This year cant end fast enough unless they fire Coop. Then I will be recharged and energized to pay attention again. Oh well at least we have Norris to hold us over. -
BTW Lisa – Welcome back.
smile
i’d be even gladder to be back if this team wasn’t playing so dis-spiritedly
coop isn’t gonna play ANY young guy, especially not towles who he obviously hates
another example of astros stupidity – they decide they hate some young guy, bad mouth him, won’t play him and finally CAN’T trade him
either that or they hate him so much they want to make damm sure he gets stuck at AAA or quits
and of COURSE towles should be starting. Q is just awful – can’t hit (and where are all the Ausmus haters calling out Q???!!!) and can’t frame pitches to save his life – can’t block em neither.
and i do NOT want to see pudge back here next year
The Rangers a while back decided to stock up on young catchers. They had Estrada and Laird, and still went out and drafted Teagarden and traded for Saltalamacchia. They also drafted another catcher who I can’t remember that I think they traded. They realized that young catching is a great asset. Now, look at where they are and look where the Astros are. One is competing for the World Series with good catching talent, and the other is in the tank with NO catching talent to speak of. There are other factors, of course, but it’s interesting to see one organization that knows what they’re doing next to one that clearly does not.
As for the pitcher, he missed those seasons with injuries. Not sure what the nature was, but the article I read said he’d been riddled with injuries.
And the Astros are sure to tell everyone this doesn’t mean they’re throwing in the towel. I hate this overly optimistic stuff. Everyone knows their season is done. Most of us knew it in March. I don’t like that they can’t just level with everyone and say, “Yeah, we’re 10 games out and looking toward next season.”
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090818&content_id=6488036&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
Matt Nevarez was out because of a performance enhancing procedure: Tommy John Surgery.
yes Q is major suckage. We know what he can do and it aint much but dont forget about those flashy snap throws to 1B that have no chance of getting the runner. He loves those like he is impressing us with his arm…
Towles gets the Luke Scott treatment. Management doesnt like him anymore so they bury him and make sure he never gets another chance, with Houston or anyone else. Please please Drayton end the madness and fire Cooper. Like yesterday = PLEASE
omg!!!
performance enhancement!!!!!!
HORRORS!!!!!
oh wait, i forgot – we’re only supposed to say that about anything related to the use, legal or otherwise, of anabolic steroids (or anything else even remotely related, including hair regrowth products and medications for asthma) because guys only use that to break manny alexander’s prodigious batting records…