Here's a recap of the Tranzactionz that have gone down in the last 15 hours:
George Springer from Lancaster to Corpus.
Delino DeShields from Lexington to Corpus (Wait. It's Lancaster.).
J.D. Martinez from Houston to Oklahoma City.
Matt Downs to Oklahoma City.
Via What the Heck, Bobby:
2B Jose Fernandez from Corpus to OKC
2B Kike Hernandez from Lancaster to Corpus
RP Kenny Long from Tri-City to Lancaster
OF Andrew Aplin from Tri-City to Lancaster
Obviously this is a much-needed shuffle at the major-league level. During this epic time of losing (June 28-present), Martinez hit .231/.277/.314 with 25K:8BB and seven extra-base hits in 130 plate appearances. Downs has hit .259/.306/.379 in the same span, with three extra-base hits and two walks in 63 plate appearances.
Moves have to be made, and it's not like the Astros are trying to find out any more about 2012.
Meanwhile, the prospects move up. DeShields, in a repeat year at Lexington (where he'll be just 20 years old next week), was hitting .298/.401/.439 with 83 steals. George Springer, who reaches Double-A in 533 career plate appearances, was hitting .316/.398/.557 for Lancaster - with 131 strikeouts in 500 plate appearances, in addition to 28 stolen bases.
Get used to it, Astros fans. There's a lot of losing left this season - though with an eye toward winning on the horizon.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
