http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/player/4065 Recent articles about Michael Bourn en-us by Pat Sullivan - AP How well can these two guys evaluate talent with a month of games that don't count? View full size photo » Richard Justice recently opined on his blog that the Houston Astros are going to take a 'wait-and-see' approach to top prospects Jason Castro and Chris Johnson. Neither will have a job locked up going into spring training and will need solid performances there in order to make th... Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Spring_Training_Enough/1623204 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Spring_Training_Enough/1623204 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Spring_Training_Enough/1623204 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/b/4be8179f4e4a4f0a17fb91e786c046420257064b/small/PicImg_Keeping_it_in_4a66.jpg by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP Some people can't leave well enough alone, Michael. View full size photo » Astros fans probably aren't going to have all that much to cheer about in the coming seasons. We've come to accept that. Accept the losing, accept the fact that Drayton McLane, Jr. is still pulling the strings. It comes with the territory. This week's announcement that our own Michael Bourn has won... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Just_when_you_thought_it_was_safe_to_feel_good_aboubt_Michael_Bourns_Gold_Glove/1556597 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Just_when_you_thought_it_was_safe_to_feel_good_aboubt_Michael_Bourns_Gold_Glove/1556597 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Just_when_you_thought_it_was_safe_to_feel_good_aboubt_Michael_Bourns_Gold_Glove/1556597 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/1/515421b243337d071450ad93800071b01aab2ebf/small/MLB_JUN_01_e54a.jpg More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP This was the coolest picture of Bourn I could find. Browse more photos » That's right ladies and gents, an Astros player took him some awards season hardware.  I have to admit, I was a little suprised when my phone lit up with a text from HLP informing me that Michael Bourn had won himself a gold glove.  Why? I don't know.  It makes sense, but I... Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:12:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Thursday_Morning_Astros_etc_Round_Up_Michael_Bourns_big_day/1550586 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Thursday_Morning_Astros_etc_Round_Up_Michael_Bourns_big_day/1550586 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Thursday_Morning_Astros_etc_Round_Up_Michael_Bourns_big_day/1550586 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/4/14d9b522664c9b3167b2e3fe57b7235cbe167785/small/MLB_JUN_11_e05e.jpg More photos » by Paul Beaty - AP NL Gold Glove winner Michael Bourn snags a fly ball. MB ranked 4th in UZR for all NL OFs, and 5th in UZR/150...A legitimate winner of the Gold Glove. Refreshing. Browse more photos » From potential bench player, to actual ballplayer. Out of of TCB dog house, and onto our list of bright spots. Call it what you will, reason it however you wish, Michael Bourn proved just ab... Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:47:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_OF_Michael_Bourn_wins_National_League_Glove_Glove/1546783 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_OF_Michael_Bourn_wins_National_League_Glove_Glove/1546783 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Astros_OF_Michael_Bourn_wins_National_League_Glove_Glove/1546783 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/5/05c7a552259ff5259d906f37b93d77c805ca649f/small/Astros_vs_Twins_d112.jpg Source: Bourn Wins Gold Glove The web site "True Blue LA" claims to have inside information on the NL Gold Glove winners. Michael Bourn is a gold glove winner in the outfield, according to that web site's list. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:08:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Source_Bourn_Wins_Gold_Glove/1545244 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Source_Bourn_Wins_Gold_Glove/1545244 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Source_Bourn_Wins_Gold_Glove/1545244 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/f/df57a0a1d401ea016e0abf7775738ae67186606c/small/MLB_JUN_11_bb80.jpg Other than Michael Bourn and Wandy Rodriguez, one of the best under-the-radar stories of the Astros 2009 season was the major league debut of Bud Norris.  It wasn't quite sparkling, marred by a four game slump, but his other six starts showed a lot of promise, especially his 13 shutout innings against the Cardinals.  And even when he was struggling, he showed great composure on the mound, except perhaps in the August 23rd game against Arizona when he only lasted a single inn... Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:38:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Reflection_Bud_Norris_and_his_rookie_season/1352140 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Reflection_Bud_Norris_and_his_rookie_season/1352140 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Reflection_Bud_Norris_and_his_rookie_season/1352140 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/c/8cc30543c0a605f7c7ec0c22a4a7661004c70722/small/PicImg_MLB_APR_19_745d.jpg by David J. Phillip - AP View full size photo uploaded September 9, 2009 My opening statement in this debate can be found here, and DQ's response and opening statement can be found here. Value. Isn't that what we all want in a baseball player? Someone who can be productive in any given capacity, but at the same time be relatively cost effective. There are a lot of players in MLB who contribute a great deal to their respective ... Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:01:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/HLP_states_his_case_Michael_Bourn_as_the_Astros_team_MVP/1143956 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/HLP_states_his_case_Michael_Bourn_as_the_Astros_team_MVP/1143956 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/HLP_states_his_case_Michael_Bourn_as_the_Astros_team_MVP/1143956 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/e/5ecca837391d5460034fa8d70f0c5ad9d7a05929/small/MLB_MAY_13_2b1c.jpg Twas a Dog Day afternoon - literally. It was hot and moistly still outside the ballpark and hot and mostly empty INside the ballpark on the first - bring your Dog to the ballpark - game. No Dogs in the seats, at least not yet, and no guys Dogging it on the basepaths or anywheres else. It was Da Bull's 6th birthday Thursday (GAWD kids grow up so fast - seems like it was just yesterday he was a baby who couldn't stop saying blllllllll, and now he just talktalktalks) so Saturday, it was... Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:14:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hot_Dawg_Astros_Sweep_Phillies_As_Pence_Drives_in_the_Tying_Run_And_Bourn_Drives_In_The_Game_Winner/1130095 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hot_Dawg_Astros_Sweep_Phillies_As_Pence_Drives_in_the_Tying_Run_And_Bourn_Drives_In_The_Game_Winner/1130095 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Hot_Dawg_Astros_Sweep_Phillies_As_Pence_Drives_in_the_Tying_Run_And_Bourn_Drives_In_The_Game_Winner/1130095 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/1/515421b243337d071450ad93800071b01aab2ebf/small/MLB_JUN_01_e54a.jpg by David J. Phillip - AP View full size photo uploaded September 6, 2009 Consider this my opening salvo in an upcoming debate between myself and DQ, which asks this question: who has been the Astros MVP in 2009: Michael Bourn or Wandy Rodriguez. You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him: Michael Bourn has been a terror on the basepaths in 2009. More important than his 52 stolen bases is how he's stealing them. His ... Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:01:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_is_the_Astros_2009_team_MVP_HLPs_Opening_Statement/1126780 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_is_the_Astros_2009_team_MVP_HLPs_Opening_Statement/1126780 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_is_the_Astros_2009_team_MVP_HLPs_Opening_Statement/1126780 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/0/e02170da4a3b57eb407be63c1d36953f335fbae4/small/MLB_JUN_02_d207.jpg Bud Norris, The PCL Pitcher Of The Year, started his 7th ML game, this time with JR Towles catching him. I know he had skipped a start, but there was one significant difference today - he walked NOBODY and had all but one of his borderline pitches called strikes, ESPECIALLY the high strikes. It wasn't that Wally Bell had a giant strike zone neither - check out pitches 4 and 6 which Valverde threw to Stairs with Quintero catching. And Ruiz didn't get almost any low borderline pitches o... Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:01:32 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Steals_2_Bases_On_Pickoff_Throws_To_Support_Bud_Norris_apos_4th_Win/1125882 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Steals_2_Bases_On_Pickoff_Throws_To_Support_Bud_Norris_apos_4th_Win/1125882 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Steals_2_Bases_On_Pickoff_Throws_To_Support_Bud_Norris_apos_4th_Win/1125882 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/b/3b3d17177aad8f6bc2807e67352334632a08a95c/small/MLB_JUN_01_725c.jpg More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP Browse more photos » We had a nice discussion going yesterday about Michael Bourn, vis a vis Fangraphs re-examining the Brad Lidge/Bourn trade of 2007. I specifically liked the point made about Michael's slugging percentage improving in the future. His .367 BABIP portends of a 2010 where his batting average is most likely going to decline, but that doesn't mean he will... Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:00:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Discussion_Day_Two/1053155 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Discussion_Day_Two/1053155 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Discussion_Day_Two/1053155 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/4/14d9b522664c9b3167b2e3fe57b7235cbe167785/small/MLB_JUN_11_e05e.jpg More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP . (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Browse more photos » I think most Astros' fans who watch Michael Bourn play center field think he is a superlative defensive player.  Based on watching most of his games, I agree.  But a funny thing happened on the way to Bourn's defensive rating.  His Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) for 2009 is -1.6.  This is worse... Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:48:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Bourn_better_than_his_UZR_rank_indicates/912731 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Bourn_better_than_his_UZR_rank_indicates/912731 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Is_Bourn_better_than_his_UZR_rank_indicates/912731 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/4/14d9b522664c9b3167b2e3fe57b7235cbe167785/small/MLB_JUN_11_e05e.jpg Yeah, I know. I'm having a Good Ol Time with the headlines here. But how often do leadoff guys with no power get walked? Answer - when Darin "groundout" Erstad is batting second. Yes, you read that right. Erstad and his .125 BA in the 2-hole. No Pence, no Blum (hurt leg last night) and Kata at second. I guess that is why SOME crappy hitter had to go in the 2-hole, or you would have 3 straight outs at 7,8,9 hole. Poor Coop was forced to play Maysonet, something he's been avo... Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:31:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Receives_His_First_Intentional_Walk_Of_His_Astros_Career/747368 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Receives_His_First_Intentional_Walk_Of_His_Astros_Career/747368 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/Michael_Bourn_Receives_His_First_Intentional_Walk_Of_His_Astros_Career/747368 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/6/c6a3480df9d24051c09d49c2abfb054b98f600ae/small/MLB_JUN_01_60dc.jpg