**UPDATE***
Since originally posting this, it has been reported that the Astros have dropped Chris Sampson from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Round Rock. He has three days to accept or refuse the assignment.
Back to the original post…
It passed without much notice, but there was a notable player omitted from this year’s September call ups. And it’s not Jordan Lyles.
It was so easily overlooked, in fact, that were it not for one Astros blog following Chris Sampson on Twitter and then reporting his apparent displeasure, I would have overlooked it, too. And, now that it’s been brought to my attention, this was a glaring omission from the list of September call-ups.
The Astros haven’t done right by Sampson through his whole career, and this is just the latest example. He has repeatedly shown them that he has what it takes to win, but they repeatedly played him through injuries, and he has paid the price dearly.
After impressing in a short stint at the end of 2006, Sampson earned a spot in the Astros rotation at the start of 2007. He was solid in April (3-1, 3.55) and May (1-4, 3.34), but then bad in June (2-0, 5.13). Worse in July (1-3, 6.14). He finally went on the DL in August and came back to a poor performance in September (0-0, 6.23).
He was back in the rotation in 2008, and after mixed results in April and May, they moved him to the bullpen, where his success cause them to work him like a dog. He pitched a lot, and it was often for more than one inning at a time. He pitched more than one inning in 22 of his 34 appearances in June, July and August that year. Plus one five-inning spot start. He was 3-1 with a 2.44 ERA in those months.
Sampson started to show the wear in September. He put up a 5.06 ERA in nine appearances and posted just his second blown save of the year.
He was never the same after that. At least, not for long. It became abundantly clear over the next two years that he was getting hurt and trying to pitch through it. He was great through the first half of 2009, putting up a 4-2 record with a 3.02 ERA at the break and already racking up 14 holds, despite declining each month the season went on. But he pitched just eight times after the break, putting up an 18.77 ERA before finishing the last month and a half of the season on the DL.
More of the same this season. He was one of the most reliable relievers in the league through May 22, putting up four holds against just one blown save with a 1.50 ERA. He gave up 11 earned runs over the last two innings he pitched in the month of May, then went on the DL. Came back at the end of June and July and struggled before being demoted to Triple-A Round Rock.
He’s pitched well, but not great down there, posting a 2.51 ERA.
Now, we all know that Ed Wade doesn’t believe in using September callups as a reward. He wants to call up people who help the team. But, seriously – after how hard they’ve worked Sampson (and that after years of ignoring his numbers and calling up younger, more flashy pitchers that weren’t as good), causing him to give his body up for this team, do they not owe him a little better than that?
And can they honestly not think that Sampson might have just as much to offer as most of their other call-ups? They brought up Wesley Wright, even though they already have a lefty specialist in Tim Byrdak, a solid lefty middle reliever in Fernando Abad, and a long-relief lefty who’s used in spot starts and junk time in Gustavo Chacin. They really needed Wright?
They needed Henry Villar, brought all the way up from Double-A Corpus Christi after posting totally subpar numbers (4-7, 4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP)? They needed a guy who isn’t even posting respectable Double-A numbers to come help the big club?
How about Brian Esposito – a 31-year old career minor leaguer brought up to be third catcher. Or Matt Downs – yet another middle infielder on a team that’s already loaded with them (Tommy Manzella, Geoff Blum, Angel Sanchez, Anderson Hernanez, Jeff Keppinger) who they got mid-season from the Giants, and batted .105 in 21 plate appearances for Round Rock. Between three teams this year (Fresno, Round Rock and the SF Giants), Downs is batting .242 with a .731 OPS.
Do you honestly expect me to believe that Sampson couldn’t contribute just as much as any of these?
And even if he couldn’t, you can’t convince me that the Astros don’t owe him better than that after he has gone out there and repeatedly played despite the protestations of his injured body and given them the best he could.
God go with you Sampson, and good luck finding someone to treat you better next year.
Don’t do wrong by yourself – follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/astros290
You’re a little off-base in your assessment of Sampson’s importance to the team. True, he has, at times in his career, provided a much need boost to the starting rotation and bullpen when needed. But he’s nowhere near the “world-beater” you make him out to be. At his best, he’s a mediocre 5th man in a rotation…and he’s shown that he lacks the durability to serve as such for an entire season. As for not getting called up, the Astros, despite their recent run, are not in contention. They don’t need an aging veteran long-relief guy who’s in the midst of a sub-par, injury-riddled season. A third catcher is needed in the event you have to pinch-hit for your catchers. Esposito isn’t going to put the team on his shoulders, but he allows Mills to PH for Castro in the 9th, when Castro may have already pinch-run for Quintero in the 7th. Wright needs work to prove himself as a possible starter. Downs is just another body with an average bat and a functional glove…a warm body to call off the bench. I could ramble on, but the point to my argument is that there is nothing to merit a call-up for Sampson. If the Astros needed a fastball that tops out at 90 that was properly located only 50% of the time, Sampson would be back up in the majors.
I don’t think he’s a world beater, and nothing here assessed his value to the team, either in the past or the future. I know that at his best, he’s been a solid setup guy. My only point here was that he’s given the Astros a lot, and I think he deserves better than what they’ve given him at most turns. That callup isn’t because they need him — it’s just the right thing to do. A gesture for a guy who’s given you his best and gotten very little in return beyond working his arm into the ground.
Anytime I hear someone say to a professional athlete that he deserves better, I think to myself “was this guy doing it for free?” Sampson was paid nearly $2 million over the last 4 seasons. We all know he will be picked up by another team, and even if its at the league minimum he’ll be pulling in $400k/year. C’mon, why should we feel sorry for guys who are contract players. When you have a contract, you’re a commodity which means you get traded, cut, or waived for someone bigger and better or even younger. I’m sure Sampson is a nice guy an all, but let’s not bust out a box a tissue for him. And personally, I rather see some new faces in september than more 30+ year old, injury plagued, relief pitchers even if that means giving subpar minor league hitters a chance to see what the Big Leagues are like.
Nobody works for free. It doesn’t mean that their employer can’t do a little better on their behalf. And y’all are both right — there’s nothing to be gained by calling him up. But there’s also nothing to lose. That’s kind of the point. What do the Astros have to lose by giving him another month to pitch for this team for which he’s given so much, making about league minimum the whole time? Nothing. They have nothing to lose.
I agree with you Austin for the most part. The Astros have nothing to lose by bringing Sampson up for one final month to a guy who has been so loyal to them.
Yes in a way i can see the other guys point if you look at it from a buisness point of view only, but would it hurt once in awhile for a buisness or a team to show a little compassion once in a while especially when it won’t hurt to do so.
I have always thought that loyalty was a two way street, but it doesen’t seem to be any longer in business today. From my own experiances managment still expects loyalty from there employees but seldom return any back to the employees. Sad but True.
everyone here makes a good point, the team really doesn’t need him at all right now. They are better served using this time to give some of their younger players some much needed experience so that perhaps they can contribute in the years to come. However, it would not have hurt the team in any way to show some loyalty and bring him up for the last month. The only problem is that this team has shown in the past that they don’t play someone based on loyalty, look at the messy divorce with Bags.
Good point, Chris. That comes readily to mind. Bagwell played through injuries and played well past the point that he was the kind of player you know he wanted to be. He even backloaded his contract so the team could spend money on other players to try and improve. He showed that kind of selflessness, but when the time came to pay him for services already provided, they tried to get out of it because his injury prevented him from fulfilling his contract.
I don’t think what they did in this instance was that bad, but I do like it when a team can embrace the idea that, although a business, it’s still a game, and show some heart that extends a little beyond the cold money side of things.
this team has NEVER done right by sampson
anyone remember how they treated him when they were first forced to bring up SOME warm body? he threw 7 shutout innings against the very good cubs team and his reward was to sit and get nothing for 2 weeks before being sent back down for bring back someone not as good, but who the Organization liked better
they sulked like HECK when he was good enough to pitch himself into the rotation because they didn’t want him to start
they have overused him, he tried to be macho and play through OBVIOUS injuries, they always brought him back too soon – the guy is obviously always having to try to come back for fear of losing a spot
and this team is going nowheres and yet they want a roster spot for??
prolly jordan lyles, who has NO business pitching in the majors at this time. but because fast eddie and gang need to front about how great their draftees have been (NOT) they want to show that SEE, things are SOOOOOOOO much better, we are calling up The Next Oswalt
or something
there is absolutely NO reason to call up matt downs, who is basically anderson hernandez (uck) all over again
I have always liked Chris Sampson and thought he was a good pitcher for the Astros. Injuries have been a problem with him and I hope he recovers from them.