This was suppose to be the year that our young prospects stepped it up and showed that they could play on the big-league level. For the most part, it hasn't happened. Who has been the biggest dissapointment of the kids.
Lane's shown a bit of pop in his bat this year. Ensberg DEFINATELY has shown that 2004, NOT 2003, was a fluke. Everett still can't bat worth a damn, but his glove is what has always been his strongpoint, and he's saved a ton of runs (I'm looking at YOU Julio Lugo). Willy's got the speed and needs to get the bat on the ball just a little more in order to be an effective leadoff hitter. Burke is the only one I'm really worried about, but he seems to be making better contact the past few games, but well, we'll see how he does.
There really isn't a disappointing prospect on this team. Mainly because there isn't a single super prospect this year, with potential along the lines of a Berkman, Hidalgo, Oswalt, or a Redding. Chris Burke would be my choice, but his problem is more about opportunity than anything else. It's not easy for a guy to move to a different position, not getting consistent at-bats, and getting moved to AAA and back.
None of these guys have been given enough of a chance yet to be major disapointments. You want disapoinment, do remember these former #1 Astro picks: Jeff Juden, Ryan Bowen, Willie Ansley, Cameron Drew, Robbie Wine?
i'd much prefer griffinfan's pick of Ward. I mean, what the hell? Give a guy half a season and say he's a bust? (burke) So many guys prove their worth after 2 or 3 seasons in the L. At least give our guy 1 full one before saying he's done. Or geez, give him a full HALF season! He hasn't even started this season all the way. Burke is disappointING, but not a disappointMENT. An important difference that people aren't recognizing.
Phil Nevin and Mitch Melusky. I'm still that both were such headcases for us. Nevin turned into a really good 3B for the Padres, and I'm not sure what happened to our catcher of the future after we traded him to Detroit.
it's not just the numbers, though. it's just in watching him play. in watching him bat. this guy was a middle infielder with pop in the minors...he has absolutely no pop in his bat so far. as you said...it's early. but i've been very disappointed with what i have seen from Burke. and as Buck says...it's always Burke's name that comes up in trade speculation; that tells you what the Astros think of him.
how about eric anthony. werent big things expected of him? i think you could add gerald young to that list too
understandable. But we all said the same about morgan last year. Not to say I expect the same thing. But ensberg had that happen, everett was pretty bad when he first came up...this isn't all that abnormal. I think we just had expectations that were a little too high coming in. With this many young guys playing, to be getting great production from even one (Taveras) is what we should have hoped for, I think. And another one or 2 in time. (If teams are still willing to trade for Burke--not sure if they are or not--then that tells you what other teams still think of his talent and potential, even if he hasn't shown it yet in the ML)
Apparently no one is willing to trade for Burke. I don't know the willingness to trade anything of value for him. I know the Astros have offered him up and they haven't made a trade yet. As for the Ensberg comparison...Ensberg performed far better in his first 100+ AB's: Ensberg's 2002 132 AB's .242 AVG .346 OBP .394 SLG Burke's 2005 112 AB's .188 AVG .238 OBP .259 SLG Burke hasn't even shown flashes. That's what's concerning..that and the fact he was touted as our "best" prospect. I'm not saying this is all you'll EVER get from Chris Burke. I am saying he was overrated coming in as a prospect...and I'm getting that, as I said, not merely from the numbers he's putting up, but from merely watching him at the plate.
Yep, Burke has shown us NOTHING. NO-THING. & it's not like he hasn't had his chances. He's young ... I'll give him another year, but like Lane ... I'm gonna be pissed if these guys don't pan out when we could have gotten some immediate talent in return. Backe too. He has to step up again like he did in the playoffs. If we keep passing on trades, we could be in for a long ride for upcoming seasons.
So when's Hunter Pence going to get promoted to AA? Although I know it would never happen, I'm fairly sure that Hunter could give the Astros better production in LF than what they've been getting right NOW ... I mean what's the worst he could do? Bat .188?
