Yardbarker: Doug Brocail

Pitching depth in 2010

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:32:39 -0500

One thing you couldn't have accused the Astros of just before the 2009 season was having a great deal of pitching depth. Wandy Rodriguez had improved in 2008, but it was unknown whether he could continue the trend after just one really good year. The bullpen had been (in part) anchored by such luminous names as Doug Brocail and later the previously-mediocre LaTroy Hawkins. Randy Wolf had been let go, and the starting rotation depended on several injury-prone pitchers...

Cecil Cooper from take off to landing

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:00:27 -0500

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 ...

Houston Astros decline option on Doug Brocail, add coaches

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:53:27 -0500

The Astros added several coaches to new manager Brad Mills' staff Friday.

Friday Roundup: All the links fit to print

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:32:33 -0500

More photos » by Bob Levey - AP Happy trails, Doug Brocail. Browse more photos » What's that, you say...a discussion question and a links post, all in the same day? How do you find the time? I'll answer that with a question of my own: It's Friday...would you rather be researching and writing an incisive and well-informed piece about something, or plowing through Season Three of LOST while at w...

Members of Coaching Staff named; Brocail's option declined for 2010

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:08:39 -0500

Members of Coaching Staff named; Brocail's option declined for 2010 Bobby Meacham (1st base) and Al Pedrique (3rd base) will be our on field coaches next season. The Astros will pay $250,000 to buy out Doug Brocail's option for 2010. The probable Type B Free Agent will most likely not be offered arbitration either.

Astros Roster Breakdown: The Relievers

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:21 -0500

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...

September Call Ups: Veterans, Veterans and more Veterans

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:52:06 -0500

September Call Ups: Veterans, Veterans and more Veterans Per Brian McTaggart's Twitter feed, the Astros will welcome Aaron Boone, Doug Brocail and Wes Wright today. In case you hadn't heard, Ed Wade is on the record as saying the organization was not going to promote a player just so he could have a token cup of coffee. He was looking for players who he thought could contribute to the team playing out this final stretch of games. Plus, a player like Chris Johnson (who is mas...

Mike Hampton And Doug Brocail Pitch Batting Practice To The Cubs

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:03:13 -0500

Well, I turned on the game just in time to catch the Hampton starting to pitch the bottom of the first. Here's how it went: - Reed Johnson singles on the 6th pitch, a FB below the knees on the outside corner.- Riot takes a pitch CLEARLY on the plate, called a ball, then hits a cutter that didn't into left for a double.- DLee hits an inside FB just above the knees to Pence for a sac-fly. Pence throws home, doesn't get the runner and Riot goes to third. Cubs 1, Stros 0: One out - Ra...

Astros' Boone To Have Heart Surgery

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:16:50 -0500

Aaron Boone of the Houston Astros will have open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve.
Boone made the announcement Wednesday, saying he has known about his heart condition since college but tests after his routine physical determined he needed surgery. It is not an emergency, but doctors indicated the procedure was needed.

He said doctors told him he could play baseball when he recovers, but he’s not sure whether he will.

An emotional Boone ((pictured, thanks Rob Carr/AP))delivered the news flanked by general manager Ed Wade and manager Cecil Cooper and in front of a somber room filled with teammates and Astros officials.

“It definitely hits home, but I’m doing well with it,” Boone said. “I feel like I’m fairly educated on it now. I have a strong faith and a great family and friends and teammates. I really am doing well and I’m ready to tackle this thing and get it behind me and get on with life.”

Wade said a local doctor who did the team physicals and team physician Dr. Jim Muntz worked together to conduct tests on Boone because they knew of his condition.

“Unfortunately the test results came out indicating there was an acceleration of the condition that Aaron has been dealing with for a number of years,” Wade said.

He has a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital defect where the valve has only two cusps to manage the flow of blood through the heart, as opposed to the normal three. The surgery has not been scheduled, but Boone expects to set a date for the procedure later this week.

Cooper rubbed Boone’s back as he expressed his concern for the player.

“As a baseball family we’re here to support Aaron, as you can see by all the teammates and front office personnel we have here,” Cooper said. “And anything he needs we’re going to be there to help him out.”

Boone said he feels fine, but that he’s never had symptoms of the problem.

The third baseman signed with the Astros in the offseason after spending last season with the Washington Nationals. Now, the 36-year-old isn’t sure if he’ll ever play for Houston, or any other team, again.

“I think about it a little bit, but at the end of the thought or the end of the day it’s about getting this and we’ll see where I am a month from now, two months from now, three months from now,” he said.

He’ll make decisions on his future after he recovers and can research and talk with athletes who have returned to play after heart surgery. He mentioned getting in touch with Golden State’s Ronny Turiaf, who had a similar procedure and currently plays in the NBA.

If he wants to talk to someone closer, he can look across the clubhouse to reliever Doug Brocail. Brocail did not have open heart surgery, but underwent two angioplasties on his heart in 2006 during which four stents were installed.
“You want the guy here, but there’s life after baseball,” Brocail said. “(I told him) Get this done for you and your kids and if you play baseball again, so be it. If you don’t, get it fixed so you can have a normal, healthy life.”
Boone has also played for Cincinnati, the New York Yankees, Cleveland and Florida in his 12-year career.

Morning Extras: When The Spectrum Goes, Where Go Its Tenants?

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:20:36 -0500

When logging on to Sixers.com yesterday I was greated with a lovely photo asking me to meet the Sixers Dancers. It seems the Sixers need to do something to get people in the stands, and close up encounters with the dance team may translate to a few more courtside sales. Hey, lonely men can ...

The pen missed Bert.....Brocail

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:54:08 -0500

Roberto "Bert" Hernandez pitched for the Mets in 2005, the then 41 y/o reliever did a serviceable job making 67 appearances with an ERA of 2.58. But Omar traded for Bert in 2006 not for what he could do on the mound but what he could provide in the pen. Aaron Heilman had his best run in the second half of 2005 when he posted an ERA of 0.68 as a reliever and directly attributed his success to his relationship with Bert. Heilman wasn't the only one Hernandez rubbed off on and when...

Is There Anything Cecil Cooper Can't Screw Up?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:52:59 -0500

Reliever usage is one of the few actually impactful decisions a manager makes for his team. Like just about everything in his job description, Cecil Cooper has botched this one too -- poor Doug Brocail.

2nd 10 Game Recap: Finding Solid Ground

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:28:24 -0500

An in-depth analysis of the 2008 Astros statistics, along with intelligent analysis of what the numbers can tell us.

"The Streak" -- Miguel Tejada, Dave Trembley and Respectability, Plus the Sancitity of the Game...

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:07:27 -0500

Once again, the Baltimore Orioles will probably make the news, if they have not already, because of the stunt by the team this afternoon. As "The Oriole Way" has gone the way of the dodo bird and Cal Ripken is retired and gone, the team has never been looked at the same way. It WILL NOT change after today, in fact, it may be worse now... Well, last night Miguel Tejada got drilled in the wrist thanks to a Doug Brocail pitch and was take to the hospital for a check-up. He was...