I’m bored today, so I thought I would throw out a little Astros’ All-star related trivia to my friends. Answers are shown below, so check them at your leisure.
1. Jose Altuve is going to the All Star game for the 2nd time. Who is the last Astro who went for his 2nd time?
2. Have the Astros been represented by more pitchers or more every day players over the years? (No trick questions here – e.g. Craig Biggio made 7 All star teams so that counts as 7 in this question).
3. Which Astro made the All Star team 4 times by the season he turned 25 years old?
4. Which reliever made the most All Star teams for the ‘Stros – Dave Smith, Billy Wagner, Brad Lidge or Hal Woodeshick?
5. Besides Lance Berkman, the Astros have had four switch hitters represent them over the years. Give yourself a star if you can name three.
6. In 2000 (The year Ten-Run Field opened) – Richard Hidalgo put up .314 BA / 1.028 OPS / 44 HR / 122 RBI, Jeff Bagwell put up .310 BA / 1.039 OPS / 47 HR / 132 RBI and Moises Alou put up .355 BA / 1.039 OPS / 30 HR / 114 RBI. Who made the All Star Game and who did not?
7. Who is the oldest living Astros’ All Star?
8. Which two Astros’ All Stars have managed in the bigs?
9. The Astros have hosted the All Star game 3 times – 1968 (One Astros’ representative), 1986 (4) and 2004 (4). How many of the 9 reps can you name? 0-2 (blah), 3-5 (good), 6-8 (excellent), 9 (you should be writing this quiz).
10. Who has represented the Astros on more All Star teams – Cesar Cedeno, Jeff Bagwell or Lance Berkman?
______________________________________________________________________________________
And…here are you answers.
1. Hunter Pence was picked in 2009 and then in 2011.
2. 53 everyday players vs. 43 pitchers over the years.
3. Cesar Cedeno and he never made it again.
4. Billy (the Kid) Wagner made 3 ASGs for the Astros and then made 4 more for the Phillies, Mets and Braves. Smith made 2. Lidge and Woodeshick 1 apiece.
5. Ken Caminiti, Carlos Beltran, Kevin Bass and the thoroughly forgettable Jerry Mumphrey.
6. They all stayed home as Shane Reynolds, who finished the year 7-8 with a 5.22 ERA was the only Astro rep. No Fooling.
7. Claude “Frenchy” Raymond who is 77.
8. Larry Dierker for the good guys and Ray Knight for the Reds.
9. ’68 – Rusty Staub ’86 – Kevin Bass, Dave Smith, Mike Scott, Glenn Davis ’04 – Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltran
10. Lance Berkman with 5 – Bagwell and Cedeno made 4.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
103 responses to “The break: A little Astros’ All Star history”
Very very well done, nice way to start the morning. Gooo American League!
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It was fun to put together – glad you enjoyed it.
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How did Beltran make the NL team after only about 25 games with Houston in 2004? I see he went 1-2…which probably ties him for most hits in AS history by an Astros player…
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Interesting question Devin – according to Wikipedia he was the first player elected to the All star team for one league ( he ended up in the top 3 for OFs though already traded) to play for the other team. He was added to the squad after Ken Griffey Jr pulled out.
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did ausmus not make the all star game? if so you could add him to #8.
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Brad won 3 golden gloves for the Astros, but only made the AS in 1999 for the Tigers.
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A bonus question – at the 2004 ASG home run derby – Lance Berkman did something unusual. What was it?
Answer later today or when correctly guessed.
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Did he switch sides during a single round?
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Nah
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Hit a home run with each sideburn.
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Nope
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hit home run from both sides?
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Nope but you are thinking along the right lines
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Hit a HR over the RR tracks and on to the street
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He may have – but not what I’m thinking of.
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Dang
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Ate a Twinkie at Home plate
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I will reveal the correct answer at 1PM if not guessed by then.
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As a not so svelte fan I always appreciated the every man shape of Lance.
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he had the best nickname in ‘fat elvis’. but he didnt like it.
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WOW………MLB traders has a stinging article about the Astros, and Brady Aiken, as well as Jacob Nix. It looks VERY bad for the Astros in getting this done. BOTH sides are slinging mud at the other, and *if* Aiken doesn’t sign, it will be very difficult to bring another 1st. rounder to Houston in the future. I have no idea who is arguing about the health of this kid, but this club needs to get it together if they want to sign either one of the other two top picks. Sorry about the off topic, but I thought I might give you guys a heads up on this, since the deal has to (I think) by 4:00 this afternoon.
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Well they can sling all the mud they want – the key is agreeing to how much cash to sling – not if they love each other.
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Sorry Dan, I disagree whole heartedly. It’s not all business. Credibility, integrity, human relations, perception within the industry. Equally as important, if not more, in any successful business long term.
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daveb –
If there is actual lying and treachery going on – yes you are right. If there is a problem with this kid that was not found out until a post draft MRI – well that is another story and the Astros are well within their rights to offer less or offer something they think will get refused.
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Correction…….by the 18th. of July.
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Becky, I think it’s 4pm Friday. I would like to point out that Aiken’s “people” have not given the Astros permission to talk about Brady’s medical condition. All we get is the whining and their money-grubbing entourage complaining about the Astros. It is all a one sided attempt to sway your opinion in their favor in order to gain an advantage in negotiations. If they think the Astros are pulling a fast one, why don’t they let the Astros state their case?
Maybe because when we know what the Astros know, we may not like what we see of the Aiken camp and we may not want our team investing in an young arm that is worth a lot less than Mr. Close says it is.
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There is a lot of risk involved in signing a high schooler first and even more if there are medical questions.
A lot of this is tied to pricing the cost of risk.
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I agree, but dang tough to be a Houston fan these days. This Parsons throwing the Rockets under the bus in the media. AJ wants out of town and traded. Three sides to every story ,but man we are getting killed in court of public opinion!
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Yes Kevin – it has really stunk lately and with only the Rockets having success on the court (and a good chance they are a worse team this year) it is crummy.
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Well here is my best Daryl Morey imitation –
Yes, Chandler, just know this. You can go out and sign the best contract you can, but we will match it. We cannot lose you. So, go, do whats best for your family, but you will be a Rocket.
Wait, how much did Cuban give you? Oh. Nevermind then.
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Funny as a rubber crutch Steven!
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Sends a very bad message to Nix and Marshall……….this stinks to high heaven.
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Yeah……..I know that fellas, but it sure isn’t sending good vibes to Nix, and Marshall.
The kid might have an elbow problem, and I agree that signing a high school kid
is risky…….but now the Astros are offering him a little less than $4 million. Why offer him ANYTHING if he’s so damaged, you think it’s gonna be a mistake long term.
I smell a rat here. This debacle is giving this club a LOT of negative press, of which
we do not need right now.
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Becky, if that report is true it is because the Astros do not want him to sign anymore. They would meet the 40% requirement to be compensated with the 1.2 pick next year. Here’s the thing: there is nothing to suggest getting 1.2 in 2015 is better than having 1.1 in 2014. This is especially true in that failing to sign Aiken costs them the chance to sign the other two over slot.
As for the message to Nix and Marshall…I don’t think it sends any message. They have reportedly made offer(s) contingent on Aiken signing AND money remaining in the pool.
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1 PM trivia answer.
The big puma was a much better left handed hitter in his career (.304 BA / .995 OPS / 316 HR) than right handed hitter (.260 BA / .777 OPS / 50 HR). But he chose to do the derby right handed in order to not screw up his left handed swing and he hit 21 HRs and came in 2nd to Miguel Tejada.
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Was that before or AFTER Miggy was found to have used PED’s??!!
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The Mitchell report released in 2007 accused Tejada of supplying steroids when he was with the A’s (1997 – 2003). He was also suspended in 2013 for amphetamine use. So best guess is he did not win the derby in 2004 while on Twinkies.
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Dan Gulbransen announced his retirement in Lancaster. Very well-liked player. JD Davis promoted from Tri-City to Quad Cities this morning. One month of pro ball under his belt.
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Go JD maybe AJ next, and Fisher been looking good so far!
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Ok work with me here
JD is 3rd round pick 3B Jonathan Davis.
AJ is AJ (Andrew Reed) 2nd round pick and 1B playing very well at Tri-City
And Fisher is Derek Fisher our other 1st round pick and LF playing well at Tri-City.
Are you saying Brady Aiken who?
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I’m telling you, whether you believe it or not, that AIken’s representation is very disgruntled. They view Luhnow and Crane with disdain, and report that they are “nothing more than slimy lowballers”.
Yes, I went to high-school with Casey Close. No, I do not know him personally. But we DO have common friends. And I am telling you, through reliable sources (more than one), that Aiken is pissed. The word is that there is NOTHING wrong with his arm. NOTHING.
Close is also furious because his client will lose a year of professional development, and another year at the end of his career. That’s real money. But the man is not going to sign. He’d rather wait a year than be lowballed into playing for a franchise he despises.
This will not end well for the Luhball and the Astros fans. Mark my words.
Imagine the fall-out of this kind of message “…the worst thing that ever happened to me was being drafted by the Houston Astros”. Not good!
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I get torn talking about these things – if the Astros are being dishonest – are purposely forcing this on this kid when they know they are being ingenuous … That is wrong.
On the other hand – getting $5 million at 17 years old to play a kids game is not the worst thing to happen to anyone.
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We’ll hear much more after the game. MLB does not like controversy during the All Star festivities. I’ll withhold judgment until this all sorts out by the end of the week. But, if this organization fails to sign their number 1 pick, it looks stupid, regardless of where fingers get pointed, and Close doesn’t get any bonus points either.
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Bopert, I don’t know what you know. In fact, I don’t know what I know. But this type of bad publicity can not help the Astros. They keep stumbling over the PR machine and never seem to see it or get it right. And for me, the front office has no credibility left. If they want to exam him, and then offer less money, do it. That is not a negotiation, it is what happens every day with a “willing buyer” and a “willing seller.” Either he signs or does not. If the kid does not take the offer – then the Astros lose two or more players for at least one year. And probably never recover at least 2 of those later picks.
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Of course Close is furious. He’s not a doctor, he’s an agent. He makes money off his client. You are the perfect yoohaw for him. You hate the Astros, you hate Luhnow and you don’t know jack about elbows. You are in your perfect environment
Close is a clutz. He lost control of the whole family, didn’t have a plan for this, won’t let anybody see the medical reports because he never saw this coming. And now you are Close’s personal Chipalatta representative. Spin your poop, but I really am laughing at your puppet strings.
Oh yeah, if Crane and Alexander come up with a buyer and end up with a TV deal, you will have another crying session. Remember that some good karma gets passed on and some bad karma does, too. With all your Astros’ hate, you may end up with a little bad karma.
As for me, I would still rather have the 1.2 next year and try again for a healthy player that I only have to pay #2 slot money, than a not so healthy 18 year old pitcher that wants 1.1 money when I have already had a look at his left “moneymaker” and found it troubling. Like Boras said today, if he had represented Aiken this wouldn’t have happened. That’s a damning statement made about your “furious” agent.
The last thing I want to say is this: Aiken’s father opened his stupid mouth and told the world that the Astros offered $6.5 mil. So that came from Close’s client’s Dad. Then the Astros looked at his elbow and it all fell apart. There is no way, with those leaked facts, that any GM in baseball would do anything different, given these circumstances. You and the media and Aiken’s camp look ridiculous to people like me, and anybody else who knows baseball.
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It’s still not right. It’s a sham. The players, owners, agents, and FANS know the Lastros front office is a bad joke (turned nightmare, for the draftees). You reap what you sow. Aiken’s father has absolutely nothing to do with the ROOT of the problem.
Enjoy the ongoing mediocrity, everyone.
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In 10 years, Aiken will be the answer to a trivia quiz, whether he becomes a star or not.
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No matter how you slice it, it’s a dick move by the Lastros upper brass: http://deadspin.com/the-astros-are-trying-to-dick-draft-picks-out-of-their-1605258309/all
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One thing I am confused about, admittedly, is what I was told: the offer is $3.1mil, not $5mil. The media reports $5mil, but my buddies “in the know” say that even THAT is a lie.
What a surprise. Astro45, “no credibility” is an understatement.
He’s not going to sign. $5mil is 36% below slot. $3.1mil is a whopping 61% below slot. Wow.
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Offering $3.1 million sounds like – we have looked at your MRI and we are not interested in signing you, but we have to offer that to get the pick next season. Bizarre situation.
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Bopert, you should ask your sources about those numbers. Initially, Close reported a $6.5M bonus was verbally agreed. Then, after the HOU trip with no signing, his camp reported $5M and tipped that HOU was trying to leverage Aiken’s physical results to allow them to sign two other players at ~$1.5M each. The Astros claim they did not offer $5M after the visit, but that $3.1M was their only counter.
While it is possible Luhnow is playing chicken, there is very little reason to risk your 1.1 in this manner.
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I don’t weep for people who are ‘lowballed’ with a $3.1 million dollar offer. Must be tough to make that little. Surely must be tougher than those of us who occasionally go hungry for a couple of nights, although admittedly my job is nowhere near as tough as getting paid to toss a ball around.
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Yep Billy C – they should be singing “Don’t Cry for Me Astro Nation” – getting this kind of money is not a crime.
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That said, if Luhnow is lying about Aiken being hurt, then his ass needs to be canned like a tuna.
What I don’t understand, though…what makes this kid so special? we signed Correa and Appel, so why is there drama this time?
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I agree if this is a fabrication that is inexcusable.
The reason this is not as simple – Appel had to sign if he wanted the big bucks unless he was going to go sign with an independent club. Correa probably needed the bucks. This kid is not poor and he has college options so he has some leverage in the situation. But it sounded like they had found a middle ground until they did not.
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Billy, that’s not the point. If the Players Association is condemning this situation, well then it impacts the credibility of this organization and only makes it harder for them to sign players going forward. As I said, I’m going to withhold judgment until this things sorts out, but it’s at the very least another PR blemish for this much maligned club.
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The Players Association is the group that made sure that there are no physicals of players before the draft. That agreement is the one their representatives designed and signed. If they get involved in this they are gonna get killed because they will look as dumb as Aiken’s agent, which they probably are anyway.
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You mean the same guys who fought PED testing which has led to a lost generation of statistical giants.
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While we are speculating, it would appear that Aiken Group holds several cards. IF he refuses to sign, the Astros basically lose his slot money which starts the dominos and lose at least a couple other picks. They gain a #2 next year, which could have the same fate. The second is the Astros overpay for Aiken and pick up the other two picks. So Aiken is not only holding out for his money, he is cutting the Astros ability to give him less, and spend the balance on other picks. And I don’t like either side going to the media and saying “there is a medical issue but we can’t talk about it.” Just stop at “we have nothing to report today.”
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This is one of the strangest personnel related stories I can ever recall – especially related to how far off the numbers are from each other.
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I would like to say great thoughts and points on this – Bopert, Devin, Astro 45, daveb and Billy C. Not sure where this ends up. The Astros are thriving in PR hell and it is hard to think they will escape.
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On an All star note – Altuve batting for Cano hit one on a line to deep left and the sac fly knocked in the 5th run of the game for the AL.
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Who was the only man to manage in an All Star game while being the Astros manager?
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Phil Garner?
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Phil Garner
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Yep – Phil Garner. One season and six weeks later ….he was canned.
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Bopert……….did you hear Brady Aiken say he despised this club?
I think you need to check your facts, before you spew your venom
on this blog. Have a nice day!
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I wish I had been in this situation where you get to weigh offers of $6.5, $5, or $3.1 million to sign a contract allowing one to play baseball.
There are probably not too many Astros fans in SOCAL. At this point we already know it is all about the money. As much as I want to join the bopert bandwagon here (and last week I was firmly anti-Luhnow in opinion on this draft pick and lack of signing) I think DanP has it right: we have spotty, one sided information.
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Dan…..glad Altuve could make a play for the AS game tonight!
I was “real dang proud” of that kid tonight!
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He made a good play in the field too. Good player who reps us well.
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A little side story on the whole Aiken situation.
2012 – the Astros passed on signing the guy who was a consensus #1 in Mark Appel, who seemed to be very interested in the money as much as anything else. The Pirates took him 8th and could not sign him.
2013 – The Astros took Appel with the first overall pick and the Pirates chose a young kid – Austin Meadows with the 9th (replacement) pick. So far Meadows has been out performing Appel by a mile.
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Dan, the Astros chose Tony Kemp in the fourth round in 2013 and he’s out performed Austin Meadows. So what does all of this mean? Nothing.
It’s what they do in their major league career that matters.
Phil Nevin over Derek Jeter. That matters.
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It just means that you won’t crash over one first round draft pick even the 1-1 – a great 4th round pick can make up for a problem pick. It is an inexact science.
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Hello! Houston has entered the fray.
Tired of getting beaten up in the media, a source has told the houston comicle about Aiken’s left elbow : “He may have some (of the UCL), but not much”.
Also, yesterday, Bud Satan Selig told the media that MLB is up to date on the situation and is in agreement with the Astros.
So does anybody care that the system allows a team to invest huge money without being able to do an MRI or even be provided and MRI by an indepedent source?
Does anybody care that this congenital type defect could even have been known by people close to Aiken and that is why he hasn’t been used even as a normal high school pitcher would have been used?
Does anybody care that accusations have been hurled everywhere in this situation by one side, while the other side was muzzled, and had the pertinant info right in front of them?
I’m an Astros fan and I care.
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This makes sense to me – under this situation you don’t want him to sign so you make the qualifying offer in order to get your replacement pick and move on.
It might not be true – but it makes no sense that the Astros would do this just to save $$$ – they did not do this with Appel last season who they paid more.
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Dan, what pops into my head is that we obsessed over Carlos Rodon’s pitch counts and the possibility it would make him more likely to break down.
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The Players Association and the Owners Group agreed to the terms of the draft agreement. Indeed, the individual clubs have very limited access to medical histories of players they are investing millions of dollars in. But the Owners Group accepted these particular terms, perhaps in exchange for something else at the bargaining table. NFL clubs have access to far more medical information, allowing them to make better informed decisions as to the health of their draft picks. It seems that this particular incident might end up being the result of the collective failures of club, agent, Players Association and Ownership Group. If that becomes the case, I’m still disgusted. I’d much rather this happen to some other club, one with a television contract, one without information leaks, one than actually plays the game well.
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In my eyes listening to these two sides bicker over money is harder than listening to Dems and Reps argue. I can’t make heads or tails, and noone knows enough information to tell who is right or wrong.
In my best estimation, from the quotes I’ve seen from the Aiken camp, its apparent the kid doesn’t want to forego two years of his professional career to go to college (remember a college scholarship doesn’t make him eligible again until the 2016 draft, not next year). It would seem that there is a lot of posturing going on from both sides. I also think the Astros should have done more homework on it, and maybe drafted a position player instead.
I honestly don’t care enough, I am a here and now guy. I am more worried about Chris Carter’s K rate right now than I am if Aiken signs or not. There is a reason only 2 high school pitchers have ever been selected number 1, and they both failed in their own way. It’s risky. But if you are going to take the risk, be willing to pay for it. Just give him his slot money and hope for the best. Same with Nix. Otherwise you just look like a bunch of non home work doing idiots.
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I’m with you until the very end. If you scouted the heck out of this kid, liked his makeup, like that he was used reasonably in high school, thought he had great stuff and great control and then don’t find out about a medical problem until you are finally allowed to look – that is not a homework issue.
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Dan – I knew someone would have exception with that part. But I’ll say if your scouts are watching him pitch, they will see something. They are paid to look for it. If he is a serious prospect he has seen doctors before.
My understanding of the issue isn’t the Astros are not seeing a current problem with the elbow, rather they are arguing that the lack of size of his UCL will lead to future problems, and now wants to, as we say in the Army, cut sling load. Maybe its a fair practice, maybe teams should be allowed to examine a player BEFORE the draft if the slot is about 7 million, that’s certainly not chump change.
I am not going Bopert here – but I will say at least until the facts come out, in today’s 24 hour information age, it will look bad on the Astros to know they agreed on 6.5 mil (under slot so they could sign Nix over slot), and then they dropped the offer to 5 mil when they didn’t like what they saw, and apparently that offer is now the minimum 3.1 mil that will stop Aiken from becoming an unsigned free agent and force him into college. In one context it would seem like the Astros are bullying an uninjured player into taking less money simply because they know the kid really doesn’t want to go pitch at UCLA and the team doctor has suggested a PROPENSITY for injury, not an actual injury.
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Both sides want something here and both sides have some leverage – I guess we will see if either side blinks or if they come to a compromise.
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Yeah, you’re going Bopert here. The facts are out, You just don’t want to hear them.
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1OP: I appreciate your opinion and all the hard work for this blog, but just can’t come to the same conclusion. Now I totally agree the Astros have every right to offer any draft pick what they want to offer, up and until it is signed. Especially if conditional on passing the physical. The agreement/offer changed on the Astros end. They can do that. But there is no reason to do it in the press. Same as my opinion of the job Porter has to do. Can’t support you when you trash out a player in the papers – even those that need to be horse whipped. If they believe his value is only $1 – offer that and accept the fact he may or may not sign. As stated before, “fair market value” is what a Willing Buyer and Willing Seller agree it is. I can live with that. And if Aiken is over priced – don’t pay him. And you don’t need to justify your offer.
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Smooth leftys that throw 97 MPH and have excellent control, and NO PAIN, and NO TEARS in the UCL, and, as a result, get drafted 1.1 deserve their pay. To be weaseled by shysters is not cool.
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This all reminds me of that old commercial “I’m not a doctor but I play one on television….”
The only thing I do know is that I don’t know enough about medical stuff to chime in here. I mean did the Astros borrow Dr. Nick from the Simpsons to make this evaluation?
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Maybe we stayed at a holiday inn express last night, IDK. I’m more interested in our LF situation, but man, once you google it you realize there is more talk on this Aiken subject than there is coverage of the major league team at the moment.
I have to conclude that if it turns out there is no injury, the Astros are going to look like Bopert’s description of Crane. Of course we won’t really know for months when he actually takes the mound again, somewhere, at some level, and starts throwing heat – if he gets through that first season, whether its in California at college or at rookie ball, without injury, we will know who Luhnow is. Likewise, if he throws 40 innings somewhere and ends up on a DL or even worse on an operating table, that will also tell us a lot.
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The Marlin’s ace wasn’t injured when he threw 98 in the first inning earlier this year. Later on in the same game his arm was numb and he got pulled. A week later he had TJ Surgery. Up until he was hurting he was healthy? No, actually his UCL was giving out from throwing a baseball 98 mph.
You said you were gonna stay away for a couple of months and here you are, a week later, bad-mouthing the Astros on an Astros blog.
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I don’t believe what he is saying about the Astros. I sure did not believe he’d stay away.
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Yea, I don’t know if you are talking to me? If so, do it with a little more class.
I am as much an Astros fan as you are guy. I may not be 97 years old like you, but I’ve been following them the 41 years I’ve been on this planet. I am stating what I am seeing out there in the world, and that is 75% of the media outlets are not covering this in the Astros favor. That’s not my opinion, that’s not Bopert’s opinion, thats the media’s opinion.
It’s over opinionated blowhards like you that think you because you can quote stats on a million minor leaguers that most of them will never see success in the majors, you think that makes you an “expert.” What’s worse is when you think it makes you an expert you feel free to try and go after other people’s opinion.
Honestly, I read every day. I don’t comment every day. But I do enjoy Dan, Chip and Brian all three. I think Dave provides great insight and I value what he writes. Becky is like a little heart and soul of the blog. There are many others that have been contributing over the years that pop in and leave comments, and none of them like to try and beat on other people, they just provide their opinions. You, well, your opinions are a lot of times good ones, but some days, you just feel the need to go a little too far and suggest people need to stay away, or they aren’t true Astros fans because they don’t see it the same way you do.
I never said anything about staying away for a couple of months from the blog. Work on facts, when you don’t, you sound, well never mind.
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Steven – old pro does get a little strong some times. In this case he is quoting what Bopert said a week or so ago about going away for a few months – so he is being a little over the top but not to you.
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Driving her me I realized what bothers me the most about all this: Pedro Felix, kaz matsui, woody Williams, Brett myers, etc., down to Scott Feldman. Heck, Wandy is getting about $5 million to not pitch in HOU this year, right? I’m on board for signing him at under slot value, but think we have had to eat enough contracts that a few million more of (not my) money should have been inconsequential. Even worse, we pay guys like Carlos Pena and Jesus Guzman…
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Don’t know what the answer is – just waiting and watching the train wreck.
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On a positive note for a change, still speaking of a young lefty, what does Josh Hader have to do to get sent to CC? I know he’s only 20, but the California League is just too easy for him. Maybe they’re waiting for him to put some weight on, but there is not another guy in the league with numbers close to his, since Ben Lively got moved up.
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Did someone say it’s time to move onto how to fix LF?
http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/07/16/former-mlb-player-luke-scott-fired-korean-team-after-confrontation-manager
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Almost any breathing LF would outperform what we have had
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Crazy…he wanted to treat the injury the same way he has his entire career? Well, sh*t, son, if it’s lingered that long, obviously what you’re doing is not working! Considering his political views and general personality, I don’t know what he was thinking playing in Korea in the first place. He was as out of place as I would be at a Merle Haggard concert.
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Chip, DanP, BrianT: Just wanted to say that we appreciate all the hard work each of you do on behalf of this blog. It is always thought provoking and on occasion – stirs the pot a little. So I want to post one more thought on this draft. Apparently the Astros have an opportunity to sign at least 2, maybe 3, and even a 4th. This is contingent on Aiken’s slot. I would suggest they take their appraisal of the value of at least 2 or 3 (not just one). Assign the value to those 2 or 3 and see if they can get it done. If you underpay 1 and over pay 1 and pay correctly on a 3rd – you have had a successful draft. If you lose all 3 or 4 because you lose the slot money – you did not have a successful draft. The above posts are indicative how important “Quantity” is normally of more value than “Quality” on draft day – when prorated over time. So if you can get multiple players like you did two years ago, suck it up, shut up and sign them. I am completely lost (not on this blog) how all these people have posted for YEARS how great 1.1 pick is going to be, and now (hurt or healthy) the 2nd pick in 2015 is really better. The first pick slot value is more important than the 1st pick if you are trying to build the minors and hope you get MLBers.
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Thanks to you and all the folks who come here to read and share – the only thing that gives our writing meaning.
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Thank YOU and Chip and everyone else whose contributed!
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Your welcome Billy C – the bad news is I’m probably closer to Luke Scott politically than not – but you will have to forgive me.
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And I wanted to post this, because you are sitting at 99 comments. Good job, but, still, you got a lot of help from Brady Aiken. Here’s hoping he helps the Astros a lot more than this.
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Nice job getting us to triple digits OP.
Speaking of triple digits should we have drafted Kolek instead?
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I had openly campaigned for Rod on the last two years. The toughest thing, as a fan, about seeing your team pick HS players is that they are not easy to see beforehand. We have to take the word of the various rumor sites.
I hope Aiken’s health is not a problem going forward. I don’t see it working out for him and the team due to the way this has been handled, but who knows. I’ll pull for him as long as he doesn’t play for the Yankees.
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