The Astros' two call-ups, Chris Johnson and Tommy Manzella, are coming to Houston today for the game with Atlanta, where they will most likely sit on the bench and talk to Edwin Maysonet about Waterloo Records and Chuy's.
Regardless, what can we expect? Who knows! But let's take a look at their 2009 seasons...
SS Tommy Manzella
The 26-year old shortstop posted a .289/.339/.417 line in 133 games (580 PAs) at Round Rock this season. His K:BB ratio was 2.475 (99K:40BB), only one strikeout per 5.85 PAs - not a lot. Dude can field, too, committing 13 errors in 564 chances for a .977 fielding percentage.
This is a much better season in his second go-around at Round Rock than last year, where he posted a .219/.273/.567 line, an improvement of .070/.066/.150.
3B Chris Johnson
Johnson, still 24 (until October 1), will get his first crack at the Bigs as well this month. And like Manzella, fared much better in Triple-A than last season. In 104 games (412 PAs) he hit .281/.323/.461, despite missing some time with a broken hand on an HBP. He struck out 90 times, compared to 21 walks. He's been more aggressive at the plate. Look at his strikeouts/plate appearance each of the last three seasons:
2007: 79 strikeouts in 517 PAs = 6.54 PAs/K
2008: 86 Ks in 431 PAs = 5.01 PAs/K
2009: 90 Ks in 412 PAs = 4.61 PAs/K
Yet his numbers from 2009 are an improvement in his first full season at Round Rock. In 107 PAs (30 games) in 2008, Johnson hit .218/.252/.287, an OPS improvement of 196 points.
Is it possible that we'll see an infield of Berkman, Maysonet, Manzella, and Johnson at some point in the next 25 games? If it happens, you can bet AC will be there with a live blog...
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
