Astros Acquire Theron Geith from Rays

First off, my apologies to the readers for not getting this story out sooner. Over the weekend, the Astros received LHP, Theron Geith from the Tampa Bay Rays as the player to be named later in the August 31 deal that sent Ben Francisco to the Rays, thus completing the deal. Geith, a 23 year old lefty, posted a 2.98 ERA and 49/11 K/BB ratio over 54 1/3 innings at High-A Charlotte this season. Geith was originally drafted in the 49th round of the 2009 draft but chose not to sign and was then a 39th round selection of the Rays in the 2011 draft. He profiles as a bullpen arm at the major league level.

This was yet another Jeff Luhnow deal of turning nothing into something. I don’t mean that disrespectfully towards Ben Francisco but he had no future on the Houston Astros. Luhnow flipped him for someone who would, at the very least, be able to compete to earn a spot in the Astros future. Whether or not Geith makes it to the big leagues as a serviceable bullpen arm or if he withers in the minors for a while is up to him.

Geith put up pretty good numbers for a reliever this year so my guess is that he will begin the 2013 campaign with AA Corpus Christi, likely taking over the role Kevin Chapman is going to leave behind as the left handed specialist in the bullpen. (Chapman will likely be promoted to AAA Oklahoma City.) Part of Jeff Luhnow’s mission this year was to re-stock the farm system and this trade has been no different as he added yet another young player in Geith.