Christmas Greetings from Chipalatta

Without our loyal readers we are nothing here at Chipalatta. So we hope that you and your family have a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy new year!!

Here is a little silly gift to all of you…

I’m dreaming of a Tyler White Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the transistors glisten and children listen
To hear Gene Elston and Loel
I’m dreaming of a Tyler White Christmas
With every lineup card AJ writes
May your dreams have Terry (Puhl) and (Wesley) Wright
And may there be no west coast games at night
I’m dreaming of a Tyler White Christmas
Just like the ones with Biggio
Where Jeff Luhnow has a vision and winning’s a mission
And we dream of Derek Bell and Sambito – Joe
I’m dreaming of a Tyler White Christmas
With every home run Springer hits with might
May your dreams have Larry Anderson and no fights
And may all your players be better than Tyler White

Hope you have a great day!

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16 responses to “Christmas Greetings from Chipalatta”

  2. A few moments ago I commented on your Texans’ write-up on BRB.

    I did laugh out loud on your song rewrite. Good job! 👍

    To everyone here, Happy Holidays!!

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  3. Overheard from another Dan (Fogelberg):

    Saw Gerrit Cole down at the H.E.B,
    while buying wine for New Years’ eve.
    I told myself it shouldn’t bother me,
    but I couldn’t help but grieve.

    I hardly recognized his face at first;
    his beard was shaved, his face was lean;
    he saw me staring so he turned away,
    and sorted through the tangerines.

    Looked in his basket and saw taco shells;
    I couldn’t help but crack a smile;
    but then I saw his frozen pizza choice,
    the box read clearly: “New York Style”.

    Just for a moment it was 2004;
    and Carlos Beltran had my heart;
    why do our heroes always choose New York?
    preferring pinstripes over stars?

    [cue the saxophone, and a tearful rendition of ‘ Auld Lang Syne’.

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  4. Merry Christmas everyone. More importantly, peace and good health as we enter 2020. Thanks for being here!

    Dan, giving Nephew the headline, I think that’s significant. I have a feeling he’s going to redefine himself as a baseball player in 2020.

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  7. So, I have some Boxing day questions concerning Astros.
    * Since Francis Martes just turned 24, what does he offer to the Astros? He has very little MLB time, just lost an entire season to injury and has had other problems. Does this former highly ranked prospect have a future here?
    * Nick Tanielu tore up the Grapefruit League last spring. The Astros did not protect him and nobody picked him up in the draft. Is he a one-spring wonder?
    * The Astros have at least 10 young pitchers in the minors who strike out batters like it was nothing. Are any of these pitchers able to translate into major league pitchers? Do you want me to list them.
    * You refuse to trade your #1 prospect. Yet, after he’s torn up AAA, you won’t make room for him in your outfield and you may have to stick him back in AAA so that he doesnt waste his major league time sitting on the bench. What are you gonna do with Kyle tucker and Josh Reddick?
    * Your star SS gets trampled by his own masseuse, misses three months of the season and is hurting in playoff games, but calls up his GM to ask about trade rumors during his honeymoon. Can this situation get more awkward?
    * Jose Urquidy changed his name and became a better pitcher. Can we find another minor league pitcher who is willing to change his name and become a decent #5 starter for us?

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    • I’ll take a swing.

      *Martes will definitely be looked at in ST! He’ll enter a similar role as last Spring with Rodgers, who battled through various trials for a few years. As you recall, up until his very last start in W Palm Beach, Brady Rodgers had a shot at SP5 on Opening Day.

      *Nick “Lu” Tanielu (Tan-ee-ay-loo) — his father used to chase him with a truck, and told him if he slowed down running on his way to school in the dark, he’d run him over. He’s one tough dude, who is similar to the organization as Mayfield and De Goti; solid depth.

      *The 14 pitchers who will get a shot at SP4 and SP5 —
      Peacock Urquidy Valdez Abreu Martes Emanuel Whitley Javier Armenteros James Sneed Ivey Bielak C Perez. I think Javier and Whitley will be ready, but the Astros will probably find one reliever and have Biagini roster’d.

      *The Astros #1 priority should be to trade Josh Reddick. There is NO question Tucker was held back *within* Super Two/service time, because of Reddick’s salary and the emergence of Alvarez. Tucker should be the everyday RF next season. (cont.)

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    • The other player who dropped Hernandez from his name, OP? You know, it’s his mother’s maiden name, Abraham Hernandez-Toro; and Jose Luis-Hernandez Urquidy. No. 5 starter mentioned above. I have several in the minors I’ve written about who could also be called up.

      *Aaand Carlos Correa. Bottom line is he’s still extremely inexpensive, and he had some huge, highlight reel plays for us. I suggest our expectations are too high for a guy who suffers from a bad back. You remember how good Scott Rolen was, or could have been.. we were in talks in November with NYM, but the scenarios come up with surrounding Rosario and prospects — that’s not going to cut it for a talent like his. Our best hope is to nurse his back when needed, and strengthen supporting muscles (similar to JJ Watt perhaps).

      We saw last season we have Bregs, Diaz, Straw and Mayfield, who were all handy replacements. Jeremy Pena should show well this Spring, and be ready by 2021. Nova, Santana, Kessinger, Joe Perez, Nathan Perry, Korey Lee all have a few years to go.

      CJ Stubbs is going to burst onto the scene next season, however. I would start him in AA, and let him play every position on the field, including mop-up pitching.

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    • I can tell you about Boxing Day. Plenty of splashing in the warm sea. All up and down the beach, folks are barbecuing chicken legs and drinking local soursop and sorrel drinks, mostly spiked. The jelly man with the sharp cutlass is lobbing the tops off coconuts. Then there’s moonshine too and plenty of cold beer. For the record, the expats do most of the real boozing. Vendors selling ice cream. There’s a band to the left and a DJ playing Lizzo down a ways on the right. At dusk, there will be more fireworks. I’m right in the middle, working. The AC has quit blowing cold in unit 1B1, which is an arrival later today and the AC man is over in SK getting whacked at Carnival. Finding a technician this afternoon might be tougher than a 5th starter for the Astros.

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