Astros IF Alex Todd Retires

Cites Growing Unhappiness with Part-Time Role

JAN 30^th, 2013-As mentioned on Jayne Hansen's site WTH Bobby?, Houston Astros minor-league IF Alex Todd has chosen to retire from the pro ranks. This came as quite a shock to me (and, as I'm sure, to a number of other Astros fans), until I spoke to him about his decision.

“It was just time...I didn't want my hatred of not playing everyday to ruin my love of the game”, Alex told me. “I'm working for a start-up doing sales and finishing up my degree (now)”, he added.

“(Things are) not all planned out, but I'm excited about it”.

Say what you will about his decision; you have to respect that the game means enough to him that he's willing to abandon this dream in order to follow another.

Alex was a 27^th round pick by the Astros in 2011, reaching Class A+ Lancaster last season. He never played more than 54 games for any one team, and totaled only 76 games in 2012 between Class A Lexington and the aforementioned Lancaster squad. For his career, he batted .260 with 5 homers, 47 RBI, 25 doubles and 71 runs scored in 125 total games played. 

Player Interview: Mitchell Lambson, LHP, Houston Astros (MiLB)

Lambson in a bullpen session (Houston Astros
Spring Training, 3-4-2012)

MAY 4th, 2012-I recently had the opportunity to speak with a young man who is as enthusiastic about the game of baseball as any player I've ever known (and definitely more so that some). That player is former ASU standout and 2011 Houston draftee LHP Mitchell Lambson, who made his debut with the New York-Penn League's Tri-City ValleyCats, last year (stats).

Let's get right to it, shall we?



1. During your time in this year's Spring Training, what would you say has been your greatest challenge?

Spring training was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.  It was my first spring training this year so I'd say the biggest challenge was being in a new place and figuring out what spring training is about.  I had plenty of help from my Tri-City teammates as well as help from new teammates I met at spring training to get the hang of things, and I had a great time meeting all the staff and players.

2. When you were drafted by Houston in the 19th round of last year's draft, what was the first thought that went through your mind? Did you have a notion as to where you might be drafted?

Lambson in pitcher's fielding practice (Houston Astros
Spring Training, 3-4-2012)

I immediately felt honored and pretty excited when I got drafted last spring.  It was my dream since I first started playing t-ball when I was 4 years old and to be a professional baseball player.  Getting drafted was a special moment for myself, my family, and all of my coaches, friends, and teammates who helped me to get drafted.

3. You've garnered quite a few honors in your time in amateur baseball. Is there one in particular of which you are the proudest, and why? 

I would say playing in the College World Series was the biggest honor in my amateur baseball career.  For one, it was such an awesome team achievement to reach the CWS.  I feel blessed and very grateful I got to be on two teams that made it to Omaha, as well as another team that was one win away.  Playing in the CWS was also a dream of mine since I first watched games at Rosenblatt on ESPN.  One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Arizona State was because I knew I would have a great shot at making it to the CWS.

4. You were able to play on the same Arizona State team with your brother, Mark, who had a strong showing in 10 games (23 2/3 IP) in 2011. How do you feel you compare with him, both ability-wise and in terms of personality?

Houston wasn't digging the long hair look.
Lambson reacted accordingly.
(Houston Astros Spring Training, 3-7-2012)

Playing with my brother Mark at ASU was awesome and something we will both be able to look back on and cherish forever.  My brother and I are very competitive and we have been pushing each other to be better as long as I can remember.  I try and set the bar as high as I can to push him and more times than not he beats me, (although I'll never admit that to him).  I think we are similar in our ability and we both have similar pitching styles.  The only difference really is I'm a lefty and he's a righty.

5. While in Spring Training this year, what would you say has been your favorite part of your time in practice? 

I haven't been a hitter since back in my high school days, so when they let the pitchers bunt or take a few swings in the cage during spring training practice I really enjoyed the chance to swing the bat again.  Hitting is much harder than I remembered though.  I really enjoyed all aspects of practicing during spring training and I enjoy the opportunity to get out on the ball field and play everyday.


6. While pitching for Tri-City in 2011, what was the hardest part or the most difficult adjustment you had to make in your first year in pro ball?

The biggest adjustment for me when I got to Tri-City was learning to play everyday.  The pro ball schedule is a grind and it took me some adjustments to keep my body and arm in shape to play everyday.  I love playing the game though so while playing everyday was a tough adjustment at times, it was also a fun process.

7. What would you say has been your most memorable moment in pro ball, thus far?

There have been a lot of fun moments so far in pro ball and I've met a lot of great friends and teammates, as well as getting the chance to learn from some of the best baseball coaches around.  I would say just having the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing professional baseball is the best part though, I wouldn't trade it.

8. Among the players you've met thus far, who has made the greatest impression on you, both in the Astros organization and on opposing teams?

I've learned from a lot of different players, getting to play pro baseball has given me the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the game.  I try and take something from everyone I play with to adapt to my own game so that I can try and get a little bit better everyday.

9. Have you set any specific goals for yourself going into the 2012 season?

Going into the 2012 season I want to establish myself in the Astros organization as a potential MLB prospect.  My way of achieving this is more about fine tuning my own game and getting better everyday than anything else.  I can't control where I play necessarily, but I can work hard to be a better pitcher everyday and I believe that if I do that then I will continue to move up through the minor league ranks and eventually make it to the big league club.  It is a process though and I know it isn't going to happen overnight, so committing myself to get better each and everyday is my goal.

10. How do you deal with the long bus rides on road trips? 

 I enjoy listening to music and watching movies on long road trips to help pass the time.  But I would say that getting to hang out with my teammates and getting to know them better is one of the best parts about long trips in the minors.

11. Do you do anything special to prep for a game? So many baseball players are superstitious; would you consider yourself part of that group?

I don't do anything too crazy before games, I just like to get into a good routine that prepares my body and mind to pitch in the game.  I would say my biggest superstition is to not step on the chalk, one of the golden rules of baseball.  

12. Can you give us a quick rundown of your pitches? Are there specific situations in which you might drastically change the way you pitch to a batter?

I throw a four-seam fastball, change-up, curveball, and slider.  I don't change the way I pitch to any hitter, I just try and stick to my strengths of locating pitches and changing speeds to get hitters out.  I try to have the ability to throw any pitch at any time in the count in order to keep the hitters off balance and guessing.

13. If you weren't a professional baseball player, what would you most like to be? 

My passion is baseball and I love the game, so if I wasn't a professional I would most likely find a job that keeps me around baseball and connected to the game.  I would love being a pitching coach later on in life if I got the opportunity.  

Player Interview: Adrian Houser, RHP, Greeneville Astros (Short-Season, Appalachian League)

“Hopefully,” he said, “be better than Roy Halladay.”

-Adrian Houser, when asked about his career aspirations

FEB 14^th, 2012-When you aim, aim high. Adrian Houser has done just that.

The 2^nd round pick of the Houston Astros in last year's June Amateur Draft may one day reach that goal. Whatever he accomplishes in his pro career, it's likely that he'll deflect a lot of the credit.

“The talent is mine, but the glory is His”, reads the Twitter profile of this young righty, and it's the kind of sentiment that's seen so rarely these days. Of course, different people see it different ways: when Tim Tebow kneels in the end zone, it's seen by many as pretentious and false humility, for example. But I'll leave that debate to the religious-minded folks. For now.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

Drafted out of Locust Grove HS in Oklahoma, Houser saw barely a handful of games in the GCL before his promotion to the Appy League, where his numbers (for the most part) mirrored his performance in the Gulf. Two of his friends, Archie Bradley and Dylan Bundy, were also drafted, only slightly ahead of Houser. He found out about his selection via text message while visiting his ailing grandfather in the hospital on Tuesday.

From the Tahlequah Daily Press:

“I didn’t even see it,” Houser said when asked what his first reaction was to seeing that he had been drafted. “I was actually at the hospital and some of my friends texted me and called me said, ‘congrats.’ And I was like, ‘on what?’

“That’s when they said, ‘you’ve been drafted by the Astros.’ And I couldn’t really talk, but I was really excited.”

It's fitting that this young man should react that way. At first glance, he appears to be the reserved and unassuming type. He doesn't even have an agent (as far as is known by this writer), but does have 'financial advisers'. As well he should; second round draft picks don't exactly get minimum wage, you know.

Some additional info from Ultimate Astros, who have a pretty good writeup on Houser, themselves:

Houser was a three-sport athlete at Locust Grove, pitching on a Class 4A state championship team as a senior (10-1, 0.62 ERA, with 28 walks and 125 strikeouts in 62 innings. The repertoire of the 6-4, 205-pound Houser includes a two- and four-seam fastball, a knuckle curve he learned from his father, a slurve and a changeup he rarely threw in games as an amateur.

With a little of the cold, hard facts behind us, let's get to the young man, himself:

First, I'd like to congratulate you on your 2^nd round selection and welcome you, in my own small way, to the Houston Astros.

The first that caught my eye was that you learned the knuckle-curve from your father. What was his athletic background? Did he encourage you to be a pitcher when you were younger?

My dad played football and baseball during high school.  He was the first All-Stater in school history. He did so in football. He came close to being one in baseball also.  He had a chance to play college football, but decided to stick with baseball. He played a few years of college baseball.  When I was younger he didn't encourage one way or the other. We just worked and practiced on both.

The Diamondbacks drafted Archie Bradley, while the Orioles picked Dylan Bundy, two friends of yours. Do you have any special recollections of facing them on the diamond? How would you describe each of their pitching styles as compared to yours?

I've always thought about all three of us making it to the Big Leagues and playing one another some day because we've know each other since we were about eight years old and played ball together until our high school years.  It would be really cool to pitch against them in the future.  I can't really describe their pitching styles because I haven't seen them pitch in several years. I think we each have things that are different and some things are the same.

Knowing, at least in a general sense, where you stood when compared to other local talents, where did you see yourself going in the draft? It's OK to be honest. :)

To be honest I saw myself going anywhere from the first round to the tenth round in the draft.  I just didn't know where I was going to fall in between there.

Have you ever thought about what you would do with your life if you weren't playing baseball (knock on wood)?

I really never gave it much thought on what I'd do if I wasn't playing baseball (knock on wood).  I've always wanted to play Major League Baseball, even when I was five, and that's all I've ever really thought about doing.  Baseball is really all I've ever known.  I love to play it and love the game.  I hope to be playing for years to come.

Was there one coach from your earlier playing days who particularly sticks in your mind, and if so, why?

The one coach that sticks in my mind and always will is my dad.  He coached me since I was seven years old all the way until high school and he even helped coach the last two years of my high school years.  He sticks in my mind because he has always been there for me and has always pushed me to be better then I was the day before.  He is also the one that taught me how to be competitive and compete in every thing that I did.  I'll always be thankful for what he's done for me.

How hard has it been to adjust to life in the minors? Have there been any memorable moments for you, so far?

It hasn't been real had to adjust because the summer before the draft I spent almost the whole summer on the road playing baseball and away from my friends and family.  I got to see them a little more than I do now, but it hasn't been all that hard.  The hardest part is not getting to hangout with my friends every day of the summer.  There have been a few games that I've pitched good in, but nothing really memorable so far.  I'm sure there will be though.

Has there been one specific adjustment you've had to make now that you're facing pro players as opposed to high schoolers?

The biggest adjustment I've had to make is to make sure that I hit my spots and don't miss.  In high school I could miss every now and then and get away with it, but in pro ball if I miss too many times I'll pay a price for it.

What normally goes through your mind right before a start? How about while you're on the mound?

It's hard to describe what goes through my head before a start.  I try to stay as relaxed as I can and try not to get tensed up about the game. Once I start getting loose and ready for the game I think about the hitters I'm going to face and how I should pitch to them.  When I am on the mound I think about just throwing to the glove, hitting my spots, staying relaxed and focused, not letting the things around me bother me.

If there were one thing you could change about pro baseball, anything at all, what would it be?

I don't believe I would change one thing about pro baseball the way it is now.  I just have to play the game I love.

If you could pass on some advice to the younger players, what would it be?

I would have to say to dream big and work hard for those dreams to come true. You have to dream BIG but act BIGGER.  Don't let people tell you that you can't do something because you can if you work for it.  People that say you can't should be the ones to motivate you even more to prove them wrong and that you can do it, but you should already be motivated to make your dreams come true yourself.

Player Interview: Brandon Culbreth, RHP, GCL Astros

 "It's crazy. It will hit me when I am at the airport about to board the plane. It hasn't hit me that I am a professional baseball player." 

-Brandon Culbreth, shortly after he was announced as the 8^th round pick of the Houston Astros

JAN 17th, 2012-Remember the days before TiVO?

There was a time, not so long ago, when there were no such things as DVRs or TiVO boxes. No pause button for live TV, no skipping commercials. And if you stepped away for a moment, you were gonna miss whatever happened. A bathroom break, ill-timed, and J.R. is stiff as a board, already.

If you weren't born while Gerald Ford was in office, you might not get that reference. Tough. Google it.

Most of us never had to concern ourselves with missing anything terribly important, in situations like that. Situations that changed our lives in ways slightly more meaningful than missing the new Twilight trailer. Like hearing your name announced on a live broadcast as a newly-drafted professional baseball player. But I digress. (ed. note-fortunately we have the Internet; the MLB Draft was 'live' online, and of course the  Draft isn't televised) My point is, there's something to be said for being "in The Moment", "being there", "showing up" or whatever you want to call it. From time to time, The Moment has a habit of sneaking up on you, so it really is true that half of life is just showing up. 

Brandon Culbreth nearly missed his Moment. Turns out Nature called before the Houston Astros.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down with Brandon and talk to him about his experiences in pro ball as a newly-drafted member of the Astros:

I'd like to start by asking you about the day of the 2011 Draft. After having sat through hours of names being called, did you nearly miss your name being called because of a “prior obligation”?

Haha yes I did, on day two of the draft Mom had asked me to stay by the computer all day just in case my name was called. I expected to hear my name in the 40th or 50th rounds so i wasn't too focused on day 2. But seconds after Greg Holts (UNC) name was called i was making a B-line for the bathroom and on my way i heard "8th round pick the Houston Astros select Brandon Culbreth 250th pick overall". Very surreal. Phone blew up after that.

-While the Astros drafted you as a pitcher, you also played third base and OF for Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina. Would you have any preference as to how you are utilized by Houston, if you had final say on the matter?

Haha no sir, I can't hit. I think pitching is the right fit for me. 

-You played your first three seasons at Ronald Reagan High School in Pfafftown, then transferred to FCD and played under coach Andy Partin. Both schools are part of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District. Was there any specific reason behind the move?

Better coaching and better competition. I owe all of my accomplishments to Partin and the team of Dirtbag coaches. Some had to do with grades but i wont get into that haha. It was a better fit for me and turned out to be the best decision of my life. 

-As far as learning experiences in amateur ball are concerned, what lesson would you say will serve you best, now that you're a pro?

Learned that baseball is a failure sport. Your going to fail way more than you succeed but you have (to) overcome those failures. Also, not to take anything for granted because you never know when your last game will be.

-According to Baseball America's scouting report, you were sitting in the high-80's with your fastball at the time the report was written. As of late summer 2011 you were hitting the mid-90's. Coach Partin attributes the time you devoted in the weight room to your jump in velocity. Do you feel like you were able to make changes to your mechanics or your approach in general that contributed to this increase, or would you credit your time hitting the weights most of all?

Most was the weight room but also the extra year of high school helped me mature and realize that I wanted baseball more than anything and i was going to work my ass off to become the player i wanted to be. I stopped all the partying and stayed out of trouble and it turned my life around.

-Had you not been drafted, you were planning to attend N. C. State. Do you feel your transition to pro ball will be significantly more difficult because you are making the jump straight from high school?

Tough question because I didn't attend college but it's nice not having to find that even mix of workouts, baseball, and schoolwork. Pro ball, I can strictly focus on baseball.

-Are there certain aspects of pitching that you are finding more difficult to master than others?

Throwing strikes! haha. Ask any of my coaches...I can't do it. I still have so much to learn about the game but I feel I've improved a lot since starting pro ball.

-What one experience would you say stuck with you the most from your brief time in the Gulf Coast League in 2011?

My first day in extended, (a) Dominican player walks up to me and asks if I'm "mericon". I thought he said are you American so I answer "si". All the (Dominican players) went nuts. Later learned "mericon" means gay.

-If you could pass on some advice to younger pitchers, what would that be?

Don't let anyone get in the way of your dreams. Hard work pays off.

-If, God forbid, your plans fell through and you had to become something other than a baseball player, what would that something be?

Don't jinx me. Personal Training.