http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/player/1052 Recent articles about Chris Sampson en-us by Gene J. Puskar - AP 5 months ago: Houston Astros manager Cecil Cooper walks in the dugout during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh Saturday, May 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) View full size photo » A one-hour plane ride and two torn out pages of the Bill James Handbook, that’s all I have.  Perhaps it’s because I’m a grizzled veteran now, but probably ... Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:00:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Cecil_Cooper_from_take_off_to_landing/1523051 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Cecil_Cooper_from_take_off_to_landing/1523051 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Cecil_Cooper_from_take_off_to_landing/1523051 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/a/ca550ae2dc286bb74f3d182924d5d55b8898789e/small/Houston_Astros_vs_6215.jpg by Al Behrman - AP Reliever Sammy Gervacio View full size photo uploaded October 23, 2009 Your Tuesday morning special is a look at the 2009 Astros bullpen. First, though, I thought we could consider a question: Can a minor league reliever be considered a prospect? Almost all the Astros homegrown bullpen additions this decade have been starters in the minors before making the major leauge club. Guys like Billy Wagn... Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Roster_Breakdown_The_Relievers/1442652 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Roster_Breakdown_The_Relievers/1442652 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Roster_Breakdown_The_Relievers/1442652 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/b/dbc73553f9aa33de73044c3387967c4a8476afd1/small/MLB_MAY_13_aa85.jpg More photos » by Pat Sullivan - AP Former Houston Astros' pitcher Shawn Chacon isn't expected to be around the Astros for any future seasons. In fact, he has his own problems in Las Vegas right now. This is a 2008 AP photograph from Chacon's short stint with the Astros. Browse more photos » HLP or DQ may be planning a more comprehensive preview of the Bill James Astros' player projections f... Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:31:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Lets_Hope_Bill_James_Projections_for_Astros_Pitching_is_Wrong/1440299 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Lets_Hope_Bill_James_Projections_for_Astros_Pitching_is_Wrong/1440299 After being demoted to Class AAA Round Rock on Thursday night, Chris Sampson boarded a plane with the Astros to Milwaukee and then flew to Houston from Milwaukee on Friday morning. Although still a bit stunned by the demotion, he... Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:44:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Sampson_vows_to_work_with_Brocail_Hooton/988196 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Sampson_vows_to_work_with_Brocail_Hooton/988196 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Sampson_vows_to_work_with_Brocail_Hooton/988196 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg Astros reliever Chris Sampson's nightmare continues. He entered a 3-1 game the sixth and allowed the Marlins to blow it open by retiring just two of the nine hitters he faced. Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:30:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Sampson_sent_down_to_Round_Rock/984185 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Sampson_sent_down_to_Round_Rock/984185 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Sampson_sent_down_to_Round_Rock/984185 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg Chris Sampson optioned to Round Rock, Samuel Gervacio called up Richard Justice, via Twitter. My condolences to Sampson who should be sent to the DL, not AAA. Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:06:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Chris_Sampson_optioned_to_Round_Rock_Samuel_Gervacio_called_up/983351 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Chris_Sampson_optioned_to_Round_Rock_Samuel_Gervacio_called_up/983351 Astros Bullpen Management J.J. Ortiz at the Chronicle says the Astros' bullpen is shot, and blames Cecil Cooper. Although I realize that Ortiz isn't exactly a Cooper booster, I think there is some truth to what he says. Related to the bullpen, Cooper had to schedule another "closed door" meeting with a player to "clear the air"--this time with Chris Sampson.. It turns out that the overused Sampson's arm injuries continued after he was taken off the DL. This f... Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:34:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Bullpen_Management/974078 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Bullpen_Management/974078 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_Bullpen_Management/974078 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg Reliever Chris Sampson met with manager Cecil Cooper on Tuesday afternoon and may get a couple of days off. Despite spending 17 days on the disabled list, Sampson is leading the Astros' relievers in appearances and innings. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:30:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Rest_for_Sampson_Hawkins_back_from_DL/972293 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Rest_for_Sampson_Hawkins_back_from_DL/972293 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_notes_Rest_for_Sampson_Hawkins_back_from_DL/972293 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg He's doing OK...it looks like he'll miss the rest of LA series (he flew home to be with expecting wife). Extra rest. Footer on Chris Sampson via Twitter Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:43:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827134 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827134 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827134 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg He's doing OK...it looks like he'll miss the rest of LA series (he flew home to be with expecting wife). Extra rest. Footer on Chris Sampson via Twitter Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:43:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827135 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827135 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Hes_doing_OKit_looks_like_hell_miss_the_rest_of_LA_series_he_flew_home_to_be_with_expecting/827135 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP about 1 month ago: Houston Astros closer Chris Sampson celebrates after the Astros defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-5 in a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2009, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Browse more photos » How weird is it??? It's this weird. Maybe the standard pitching statistics don't tell the whole story with this group, but if we delve a little deeper I... Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:00:29 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/The_Astros_Bullpen_Two_groups_Two_different_results/727396 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/The_Astros_Bullpen_Two_groups_Two_different_results/727396 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/The_Astros_Bullpen_Two_groups_Two_different_results/727396 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP Houston Astros pitcher Chris Sampson. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Browse more photos » Fangraphs.com has an interesting statistic called run value by pitch type, which is explained here and here.  This raises the fascinating question, which Astros' pitchers are the most effective at throwing various types of pitches.  This exercise probably is best saved for the end ... Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:15:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Which_Astros_pitchers_are_throwing_the_most_effective_pitches/707092 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Which_Astros_pitchers_are_throwing_the_most_effective_pitches/707092 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Which_Astros_pitchers_are_throwing_the_most_effective_pitches/707092 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/f/7f99094048039a7f059698d8cf1193898baf4fc8/small/MLB_MAY_14_a225.jpg