This past wekeend, I drove down to Corpus Christi to take a look at the Astros Double-A team and ballpark. It was a great time and I promised I would give you a report when I got back.
Whataburger Field
The field is situated right along the water with a backdrop of the big, steel bridge and the USS Lexington. As the sun goes down, the blue lights of the aircraft carrier come up making a nice backdrop to the game. The same architect that designed Dell Diamond in Round Rock was used to create the Hooks’ ballpark and the inside has a very similar feel. The outside is different though opting for a battleship feel rather than the limestone which is prevalent at the Express’ home. It is a comfortable atmosphere and the breeze coming in from the water makes the climate very pleasant. Plus, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. It’s a great place to take a family trip spending the day on the beach and the night watching the Corpus Christi Hooks.
Chris Johnson and Drew Sutton
I was looking forward to seeing these two players as they are some of the top prospects in the Astros minor league system. Chris Johnson, a third-baseman, had a good night getting three hits with one being a two-run homerun in the fifth inning helping the Hooks blow open the score and win the ballgame 9-4. This kid has some great power and I look forward to seeing how he progresses in the future.
On the other hand, Drew Sutton didn’t have a great night as he got the golden sombrero with four strikeouts. He did make some good plays on the field, but I really wanted to see what he could do with a bat. There were several fans in attendance who were wearing his jersey, so I can assume that he isn’t nearly as bad as his swings were on Saturday night.
Humberto Quintero
It was a pleasant surprise to be able to see Humberto Quintero in the line-up for one of his rehab starts. He had a very good night at the plate getting two hits, one of which was a double, and one RBI. Behind the plate, he called a pretty good game and I noticed that his throws to second base have gotten faster since he joined the Astros. He has definitely been working on his speed and I would like to think that Brad Ausmus has been helping him with that. Brad was always great in that regard. From what I saw on Saturday evening, I think that Quintero is going to be ready to replace Towles very soon in the majors.
Closer of the Future?
Let me tell you about the player that impressed all of us the most. The Hooks brought out a reliever in the 8th inning that blew us away. His name is Christopher Blazek and he is a left-handed pitcher who went to The University of Vermont. This guy was throwing pitches between 90-92 mph, but it sounded much faster when it hit Quintero’s glove. He has some great stuff and I gotta think the Astros are going to hold onto him tight. A left-handed pitcher who might have closer stuff is hard to find. This season he is 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA and no saves, so he sounds like he has been in middle relief, but I think he would be a great set up guy and possibly a closer several years down the line. Keep your eye on this guy!
