Troy Patton is going to the show.

[Coach]

houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070823&content_id=2166076&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou


Notes: Patton to get start on Saturday
Twenty-one-year-old prospect to start against Pirates
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com

HOUSTON -- The Astros were considering many candidates to fill in as a spot starter this weekend, but left-hander Troy Patton won out in the end.
The club announced after Thursday's game that the 21-year-old top prospect will be called up in time to face the Pirates at Minute Maid Park on Saturday. A corresponding roster move will be announced after Friday's game.

"I like his stuff," manager Phil Garner said of Patton, the Astros' ninth-round pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. "I like his ability to compete. He's got good control, he has good pitches. This is an opportunity for him to come up to the big leagues and get his feet wet."

Patton is 4-2 with a 4.59 ERA over eight starts for Triple-A Round Rock. He was promoted midseason from Double-A Corpus Christi, where he was 6-6 with a 2.99 ERA over 16 starts.

Patton, who turns 22 on Sept. 3, struggled in his two most recent outings, allowing six runs over five innings on Aug. 19 and four runs over six frames on Aug. 14. Prior to those games, however, he threw seven shutout innings on Aug. 8 and allowed two runs over seven frames on Aug. 2.

"We've done a good job of moving him along this summer," Garner said. "He stepped away from Double-A to Triple-A and this is a logical step. It's important that we're careful with him. Young players can compete out there. As long as their heads are right, they can compete. We'll just be careful with him and make sure he stays healthy."

In other pitching news, Roy Oswalt is expected to return to the rotation on Wednesday, after an 11-day layoff due to a strained left oblique muscle.

The right-hander is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday and another one Sunday, and is 100 percent sure he will make his next start against the Cardinals on Aug. 29, his 30th birthday.

"I'll be ready," he said.

[mikeinsa]

I do not think that Troy is ready but I think this is a great move. I wonder though about the impact that calling him up before September 1 has on his arbitration process. Specifically will this cause him to be a super 2?

[Coach]

I missed the game last night. Obviously Gutierrez's stats were not good. Did he look as bad as his stats indicated?

[jbarron]

admin said:

I missed the game last night. Obviously Gutierrez's stats were not good. Did he look as bad as his stats indicated?

After the first inning, he wasn't bad. He just left too many pitches in the middle of the plate in the first when they got 5 runs. He still looks better than Jennings.

[Coach]

If he did all that in the frst inning, it may well have been related to nervousness. I hope he has a better outing next time. If he and Patton can do well until the season ends, it will give us some hope for next year.

Vega, what's the run down on Patton? How many pitches does he throw? What is his out pitch? How hard does he throw?

[chandler44]

I'll step in and answer some of that for ya.

From what I've seen personally this year, he really doesn't have an out pitch. He throws in the 87-91 range for his fastball. He's highly touted, but in neither of the games I saw did he ever dominate like I had hoped.

[hembo36]

well he's a friend of one of my sisters..want his cell #? ;D
anyways, i do rememebr seeign him pitch in high school and he wasnt even the best one out there that day..having said thati guess he has made some adjustments if he is starting saturday at the major league level..he is a good kid from what i hear

[vega51]

Patton was suppose to be a number 2 starter, now looks more like a number 4, maybe 3.

He needs to improve from this year because so far Hirsh looks like a better pitcher than Patton.

[astrobuddy]

Then the Astros are in trouble because Hirsh isnt very good.

[dennis2112]

vega51 said:

Patton was suppose to be a number 2 starter, now looks more like a number 4, maybe 3.

He needs to improve from this year because so far Hirsh looks like a better pitcher than Patton.

How do you compare a pitcher who has not pitched in the major leagues to one that has?

Hirsh may well have had better numbers in the minors but there is no way to tell how Patton will pitch, good or bad...yet.

[vega51]

Hirsh WAS our number 1 prospect, Patton 2.

Hirsh is PROJECTED to be a number 3 starter.

IF Patton becomes a number 4 starter instead of a number 3, then you can say Hirsh is better.

For the other "person" yes, Hirsh is bad NOW because he is not an ASStro, lmao

When he was here he was the BEST prospect in baseball, lmao

Hey, Tulo is gaining big time on Pence.

[vega51]

Then the Astros are in trouble because Hirsh isnt very good.


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, would you tell me the whip for Oswalt and the whip for Hirsh??

Also, would you like to give me whip for Jennings???