iOOTP Dynasty: Houston Astros

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Ediwin Encarnacion (Toronto) picked up the AL player of the week honors- .500, 6 HR, 14 RBIs. He torched the Astros for four home runs in the three game series. Yasiel Puig (Doders) put up a .474 average with three home runs and six RBIs for the NL Player of the Week honors.

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Astros sign pair of relievers to minor league deals

Jair Jurrjens and Brian Omogrosso both signed minor league deals as I made an effort to strengthen my bullpen. Jurrjens, 28, posted a 4.91 ERA in just 7 1/3 innings of work for Baltimore in 2013. I'm hoping he can return to his 2011 form, where he had a 2.96 ERA over 23 starts with Atlanta.

"Well, I have to say I'm flattered by the way you (Houston) chased me," Jurrjens said. "I'm going to enjoy being a member of the Astros. Let's go win a championship!"

Omogrosso, 29, went 0-2 with a 9.37 ERA in 16 1/3 innings in 2013 for the White Sox. It was a complete disaster compared to his 2012 season, where he held a 2.57 ERA over 21 innings. He was never fully healthy in '13, Baseball America reports.

"“(The pain) persisted throughout the whole season, for the most part,” Omogrosso said. “I tried to pitch through it because I’ve had such a long history with injuries, and I really couldn’t afford to be sidelined... It finally got the point where I couldn’t bend my arm. I never bounced back.”

Omogrosso had to have surgery to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies from his elbow. However, he's now at 100% and gladly signed a minor league contract.

“Ultimately, I want to get back to where I was in 2012, if not better,” Omogrosso said. “I’m just looking to compete and show those guys I haven’t missed a beat."

Both are currently in the minors, but could earn a call up soon.

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Astros transactions: Crain off of DL, Oberholtzer demoted

The Astros optioned starter Brett Oberholtzer to regain command of his stuff. He had made two starts and was hammered both times, allowing five home runs and 13 hits for an awful 1.60 WHIP. Recent free agent acquisition Clayton Richard takes his spot as the No. 3 starter in the rotation and will make his Houston debut against the White Sox.

Closer Jesse Crain also made his return from the disabled list, where he was out with a shoulder injury. He retakes the closing role, with Kevin Chapman moving back into the middle relief role. Reliever Anthony Bass was optioned to the minors.

Finally, Jair Jurrjens has quickly been recalled from the minors after just one day to fill a middle relief role.

Complete List:

Optioned Brett Oberholtzer
Activated Jesse Crain from DL, Optioned Anthony Bass
Recalled Jair Jurrjens

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Game 14: Houston (9-4) vs. Kansas City (4-8)
Clayton Richard (first Houston start) vs. James Shields (1-2, 5.23 ERA)

Kansas City 4, Houston 2

Richard gave up two runs in the sixth and the Astros offense struggled against James Shields and saw their three game winning streak come to an end at the hands of Kansas City. L.J Hoes and Matt Dominguez had RBI singles but Richard gave up four runs and Houston couldn't comeback.

WP: J. Shields (2-2)
LP: C. Richard (0-1), 6.1 IP, 7H, 4R, 3K
SV: G. Holland (3)

Record: 9-5

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Game 15: Houston (9-5) vs. Kansas City (5-8)
Brad Peacock (0-0, 6.00 ERA) vs. Bruce Chen (0-2, 3.29 ERA)

Houston 5, Kansas City 0

Houston scored four runs in the third, two coming on a home run from Jason Castro as Brad Peacock was stellar on the mound. L.J Hoes added a pair of RBI doubles and the Astros had no problem with Kansas City, 5-0. Matt Albers added three shutout innings and Albers and Peacock combined to strikeout 10 Royals.

WP: Brad Peacock (1-0), 6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 4 K, GS 68
LP: B. Chen (0-3)
SV: M. Albers (2)

Record: 10-5

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Game 16: Houston (10-5) vs. Kansas City (5-9)
Scott Feldman (1-0, 0.84 ERA) vs. Brett Myers (1-1, 3.29 ERA)

Houston 4, Kansas City 0

Chris Carter hit a two-run home run and Scott Feldman shutout the Royals in a 4-0 win. Jason Castro and Alex Presley added RBI doubles to back Feldman, who gave up just seven hits and walked only two for the second straight shutout by the Astros pitching.

WP: S. Feldman (2-0), 9 IP, 0 R, 7 H, 2 K, 73 GS
LP: B. Myers (1-2)

Record: 11-5

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Standings Update:

Seattle Mariners (11-5, -)
Houston Astros (11-5, -)
Los Angeles Angels (7-8, 3.5 GB)
Oakland Athletics (6-10, 5 GB)
Texas Rangers (4-12, 7 GB)

Surprising to see Seattle at the top, then again Houston has had quite the season. The Mariners are hitting an impressive .285 at the plate, second only to the White Sox and Yankees. The Astros do have a better ERA, 3.44 to 3.89. Minnesota leads the American League with a 3.11 mark.

AL Leaderboards

Home runs: Edwin Encarnacion, 8 (Chris Carter T-2nd, 6)
Stolen Bases: Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose, 6
Doubles: Jacoby Ellsbury, 9 (L.J Hoes T-2nd, 7)
Strikeouts: Mike Napoli, 23 (Chris Carter 3rd, 20)

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Game 17: Houston (11-5) at Oakland (6-10)
Jarred Cosart (2-0, 3.80 ERA) vs. Jesse Chavez (0-1, 3.65 ERA)

Oakland 6, Houston 2

Jarred Cosart gave up just one run over six innings, but Kevin Chapman blew a one-run lead as he gave up a go-ahead two-run single to Yoenis Cespedes in the seventh. Coco Crisp added a three-run home run in the eighth off of Matt Albers as the bullpen collapsed in a 6-2 loss. Jason Castro and Matt Dominguez drove in the two runs with a pair of RBI singles.

WP: D. Otero (2-0)
LP: K. Chapman (1-2) BS (2)
SV: F. Abad (1)

Notes: Chapman blew his second save after Cosart was good over six innings as he walked just three and gave up only four hits.

Record: 11-6

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Hanson and Marquis sign, Williams optioned

The Astros signed middle reliever Tommy Hanson to a one year, $500,000 contract to try to bolster the relief corps. Hanson was immediately placed on the active roster and to make room for him, the Astros optioned Jerome Williams.

Williams had a 6.10 ERA over two starts and had given up 12 hits- three of which were home runs- in just 10 innings of work. Hanson posted a 5.42 ERA as a starter for the Angels last year, striking out 56 in 73 innings of work. Houston looks to move him to the bullpen as a long relief option.

Another signing- 35 year old middle reliever Jason Marquis, who posted a 4.05 ERA with San Diego in 2013. The Astros signed him to a minor league contract and look to use as a part of a trade with a different team.

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In case you missed all the transactions, here's a basic rundown of my pitching depth chart.

Rotation
1. Scott Feldman
2. Jarred Cosart
3. Clayton Richard
4. Lucas Harrell
5. Brad Peacock

Bullpen
Kevin Chapman
Dallas Keuchel
Tommy Hanson
Jair Jurrjens
Matt Albers
Josh Fields
Jesse Crain (closer)

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Game 18: Houston (11-6) vs. Oakland (7-10)
Clayton Richard (0-1, 5.68 ERA) vs. Dan Straily (1-0, 2.28 ERA)

Oakland 7, Houston 4

Clayton Richard and the Astros bullpen collapsed in the later innings, dropping their second straight, 7-4 to Oakland. Richard walked six and couldn't escape the sixth, giving up five earned runs to raise his season ERA to 6.75. He walked back-to-back runners with the bases loaded and gave way to Tommy Hanson, who gave up a bases-clearing double in his first Houston appearances. Jair Jurrjens then gave up a RBI double but settled down over 2 1/3 innings of relief. Lone bright spot was a two-RBI day from Jason Castro.

WP: D. Otero (3-0)
LP: C. Richard (0-2), 5.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 0 K. 29 GS
SV: L. Gergerson (3)

Debating trading Richard for some prospects, if possible.

Record: 11-7

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Game 19: Houston (11-7) at Oakland (8-10)
Brad Peacock (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Tommy Milone (0-3, 8.10 ERA)

Oakland 5, Houston 0

Brandon Moss hit a two-run triple in the first inning and Oakland picked up a series sweep of Houston with a 5-0 shutout victory. Peacock threw seven innings and gave up all five runs and wasn't given any offense to work with as the Astros managed just five hits and left seven runners on. They also struck out nine times as Tommy Milone dominanted them, coming just one out away of a complete game before being pulled.

WP: T. Milone (1-3)
LP: B. Peacock (1-1), 7 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 K, 44 GS

Record: 11-8, 2nd place

Side note- Adrian Beltre (Texas) and Freddie Freeman (Atlanta) picked up player of the week honors.

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Game 20: Houston (11-8) at Seattle (12-7)
Scott Feldman (2-0, 0.59 ERA) vs. Felix Hernandez (3-0, 3.38 ERA)

Houston 3, Seattle 1

Dexter Fowler hit a two-run single and Scott Feldman outdueled Felix Hernandez to snap a three game skid with a 3-1 victory over Seattle. Feldman gave up just one run on five hits over eight innings, while Jesse Crain picked up his first save of the season. Chris Carter added a RBI single.

WP: S. Feldman (3-0), 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R
LP: F. Hernanez (3-1)
SV: J. Crain (1)

Record: 12-8, T-1st

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Game 21: Houston (12-8) at Seattle (12-8)
Jarred Cosart (2-0, 3.29 ERA) vs. Erasmo Ramirez (1-1, 5.56 ERA)

Seattle 2, Houston 0

Kyle Seager broke a scoreless pitchers duel with a solo home run in the seventh and added a RBI double as Seattle downed Houston, 2-0. The Astros managed just four hits and provided no run support for Cosart, who made his best start of the season. He struck out eight over eight innings, giving up just two runs on six hits. Ramirez struck out nine over eight scoreless as he had no problem with the Houston lineup.

WP: E. Ramirez (2-1)
LP: J. Cosart (2-1), 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 8 K, 69 GS
SV: F. Rodney (5)

Record: 12-9, 2nd

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Game 22: Houston (12-9) at Seattle Mariners (13-8), Gm 3 of 3
Clayton Richard (0-2, 6.75 ERA) vs. Chris Young (1-1, 3.66 ERA)

Seattle 6, Houston 4

Josh Fields gave up a two-run double to Corey Hart in the seventh, breaking a 4-4 tie and allowing the Mariners to take the series. Chris Carter hit a RBI single to raise his season total to 17, but Clayton Richard gave up four runs (just two earned) over five innings.

WP: C. Furbush (2-1)
LP: J. Fields (1-1), 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB
SV: F. Rodney (6)


Record: 12-10
Houston dropped two games behind the first place Mariners and are now 4-6 over the last ten games. They have a 2.5 game cushion on third-place Oakland and are a half game out of a wild card spot.

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Game 23: Houston (12-10) vs Oakland (10-12), Gm 1 of 4
Brad Peacock (1-1, 4.26 ERA) vs. Dan Straily (1-0, 2.48 ERA)

Houston 5, Oakland 3

After being swept by Oakland in their last meeting, the Astros bounced back behind a strong start from Peacock and timely hitting to pick up a 5-3 win in the first of four against the A's. Peacock gave up just one run over six innings to lower his season ERA to 3.60 and Dexter Folwer drove in two runs to bring his season total to 7, including a solo home run, his third of the year.

WP: B. Peacock (2-1) 6 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 3 K, 52 GS
LP: D. Straily (1-1)
SV: J. Crain (2)

Record: 13-10, 1.5 GB

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Desperately wanting to improve my rotation, I traded Clayton Richard and Matt Dominguez as well as prospects Tony Kemp and Delino DeShields, Jr. to the Toronto Blue Jays for a trio of prospects, Mitch Nay, D.J. Davis and Aaron Sanchez.

Sanchez, Toronto's #1 overall prospect (BA), has standout stuff and is lauded as an intelligent student of the game with a quiet aggression on the mound. He has a celing as a No. 2 starter and has high potential for three pitches- a fastball, a curve and a changeup. He struggles with control right now but looks to improve in the minor leagues.

After Sanchez, Davis and Nay are the Blue Jays No. 3 and 4 prospects. Davis has a lean, wiry build with good strength in his hands and forearms, quick-twitch athleticism and top-of-the-scale speed (BA). He's projected for a ways down the road but could become the Astros regular center fielder.

Nay is a third basemen who also will take time to develop. He has the potential to a middle-of-the-order hitter with power and on-base ability. The combination of Nay, Correa, Altuve and Singleton in the infield as starters a few years out is a dangerous thought.

Losing Dominguez is not ideal, but he's hitting just .188 through the first 22 games this season. Parting ways with Kemp and DeShields, Jr. is unfortunate but neither ranked in the top 10 orginizational rankings, and Kemp wasn't going to have a spot at second with Altuve firmly entrenched there.

Getting rid of Richard was actually a bonus, as he has given up 11 earned runs and 21 hits in just 17 innings of work, along with a 9:5 K/BB ratio.

All three prospects will start in the minor leagues. Brett Oberholtzer was promoted from the minors to fill Richard's vacant rotation slot.

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Olt traded for, becomes new starting third basemen

With Dominguez out, I turned and swapped prospect Max Stassi for Chicago Cub third basemen Mike Olt. Stassi was behind three catchers in my minor league system, so it was a logical trade to make. Olt is slotted in the lineup in the midst of a cold streak- he's hitting just .161 with two home runs, six RBIs and three runs.

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As much as it pains me, I traded away Davis almost instantly. Cleveland apparently had their eye on the speedy center fielder and Chris Antonetti sent me a trade almost immediately. He offered up his own No. 3 prospect, Trevor Bauer.

Bauer, a right-hander from UCLA, has had a up and down pro career. He was drafted by Arizona, but traded to Cleveland as he wore out his welcome. He relied too heavily on his breaking stuff in 2013, struggled to command his fastball and constantly fell behind in counts. He still has excellent potential and ranks near the top in stamina and could be a frontline arm.

I pushed Antonetti to try to get the most out of Davis, ultimately settling on first basemen Jesus Aguilar, the No. 14 Indians prospect. In order to get him, I had to throw in middle reliever Andrew Thurman. Thurman wasn't going anywhere in my minors, so it was a strong trade.

Aguilar has a lot of power potential- up there with the likes of Jon Singleton and Domingo Santana. Aguilar's physical strength has never been doubted, though it took him some time to craft a swing that would turn that strength into true home run power. His plate discipline has improved as well. He is limited to first base or DH defensively but his bat should get him up in the majors sooner or later.

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Injuries have hit. Harrell is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder problem, he's being replaced by Trevor Bauer until he gets back. Hopefully that will be soon, because I want Bauer to spend this season in the minors improving. Barring a noticeable improvement in his control, he'll only make two starts.