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Kieschnick an Astro

By Jeff Sackmann

Houston gave Brooks a minor league deal, and our favorite P/PH/DH/LF will be headed to double-A Corpus Christi.  Could be entertaining if he gets to bat much, as the Texas League is notorious for inflating batting stats.  Since Brooks has put up crazy power numbers all over organized baseball, he ought to thrive there.

Then again, I can't imagine the Astros have signed him just to be organizational fodder.  If he's got anything left in the arm, the Astros bullpen could use the help.  On the Astros Major League roster now are Russ Springer and Chad Harville, neither of whom are about to become the next Brad Lidge.  For that matter, John "I'm not quite as old as Terry Mulholland, but I can't get as many guys out" Franco is on the team, and he's one nasty slider away from the DL and retirement.  So Brooks has a chance.

Check out the poll!

Update [2005-4-8 0:35:41 by Jeff]: In case you were wondering exactly why Kieschnick may have signed with the Astros, or why he was sent to AA instead of AAA, this probably has something to do with it. Kieschnick is from Corpus Christi, and the stadium there even has a picnic area called "Kieschnick's Korner."

"Our pass list just got a little larger," said Hooks General Manager Ken Schrom. "Seriously, this is going to be huge," Schrom added, "to have Brooks here for the start of [the] inaugural season couldn't have been scripted any better."
Corpus Christi opens their season on the road against San Antonio tomorrow, and will play their home opener on the 17th. Rest assured, Brew Crew Ball will bring you incessant updates on Brooks's progress.

Update [2005-4-8 3:45:34 by Jeff]: A comment at BrewerFan.net asked whether Kieschnick might be involved in the ownership group of one of the Astros minor league franchises. Turns out that yes, Kieschnick, among other current players, is a minority investor in the Ryan-Sanders Baseball group, and has been for about 9 months:

Several more prominent names, including two major-leaguers, have joined Houston Astros teammates Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Craig Biggio as minority investors in the group that owns the Round Rock Express and the Corpus Christi Hooks.

Reid Ryan, president of the Ryan-Sanders Baseball group, said Wednesday that among the newest investors were Astros second baseman Jeff Kent, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brooks Kieschnick, former major-league manager Don Baylor, and former Astros standouts Terry Puhl and Billy Doran.

"It's exciting because a lot of these guys live in or were local to Austin or Corpus Christi," Ryan said. "It's great because the fans in Round Rock and Corpus Christi, and fans of the Astros, will know these names."

Poll

When Brooks comes back to Milwaukee as an Astro, which of the following is most likely happen?

This poll is closed

  • 62%
    Kieschnick will hit a home run off of Sheets
    (5 votes)
  • 12%
    Sheets will hit a home run off of Kieschnick
    (1 vote)
  • 25%
    Doug Melvin will realize the error of his ways and acquire Kieschnick for a PTBNL
    (2 votes)
  • 0%
    The PTBNL will be Rick Helling
    (0 votes)
8 votes total Vote Now

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