GCL Astros hit the field

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GCL Astros hit the field

Sports

Wednesday, 23 June 2010 12:27

News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan

Gulf Coast League Astros’ first baseman Ryan Ditthardt makes firewood out of a bat in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Marlins.

Houston’s youngest players toil in heat

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

The Houston Astros’ Gulf Coast League team, made up mostly of its newest draft class and players from its Dominican Summer League, began its second season Tuesday at Osceola County Stadium.
It was a good start, as the Astros downed the Florida Marlins’ GCL entry, 4-3. Catcher Roberto Pena, the highest 2010 draft choice (seventh round) to start the season on the roster, had a two-run double.
The Gulf Coast League, a “Rookie League” and the lowest rung of the minors, plays a 56-game schedule through the end of August. The indoctrination to professional baseball begins quickly, as the games are played at noon.
Omar Lopez is back as the manager and has a very important job as the first member of the organization to advise, acclimate and evaluate the young talent.
Former Toronto Blue Jays minor-leaguer D.J. Boston returns as the hitting coach, and Hector Mercado, who pitched in parts of four seasons (1993-96) with the Osceola Astros and Kissimmee Cobras, is the new pitching coach.

Last year, in the GCL’s return to Kissimmee after a 10-year hiatus, the Astros struggled at the plate, hitting .225 as a team, and finished 18-38.
“We had six infielders, and two got hurt so we had to bring in free agents to play,” Lopez said. “Last year, the team was still coming in and the younger guys had to adjust by playing. The difference this year is that we had a mini-camp about four or five days earlier and we had most of the team here.”

Starting pitcher Francis Ramirez, who threw five innings of two-hit ball, fires one to the plate.

The team, like last year, will be young even by Gulf Coast League standards. The starting pitching rotation will entirely be 17 (Luis Ordosgoitti) or 18 years old (Mark Jones, Danil Del Rio, Jose Perdomo, Francis Ramirez, who threw five innings of two-hit ball Tuesday).
Pena, the catcher, is 18. Other draftees on the roster include third baseman Mike Redinger (11th round pick), outfielder Jordan Scott (14th), second baseman Joshua Magee (18th). They are all 18 years old, and played on Tuesday. Shortstop Jose Fernandez, at 17, got his first professional hit, a triple.
Lefty pitcher Jeremiah Meiners (40th round) comes out of college (Francis Marion) and is like an elder statesman in the clubhouse; he’ll turn 22 in August.
“We’ll see the same challenges, teaching guys just coming out of high school,” Lopez said. “They swung aluminum bats, but I can see in batting practice that they’re already familiar with swinging a wood bat. They’re learning younger that if they think they’ll be drafted they start to work with it.”
One of the biggest challenges for new professional baseball players — aside from adjusting to the Florida heat during games — is practicing and playing while constantly being watched and evaluated, and finally turning a game they’ve played for a long time into a job.
“My philosophy is just asking for their best effort every day,” Lopez said. “The coaching staff has to show that same approach and know when to push them. Sometimes we mix up the daily schedule to keep them focused.”
The team will play either in the main stadium or on the cloverleaf fields behind it, based on complex demand. The Astros next games are against the Cardinals (today), Nationals (Monday) and Mets (Wednesday) at noon, weather permitting.