Astros Spring Roster We are a little more than a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Astros spring camp in Kissimmee, Fla. There are currently 61 players on the spring roster, including 21 non-roster invitees. Below is the current spring roster, with non-roster players listed in italics: PITCHERS (22 on 40-man + 6 non-roster) 58 Fernando Abad (L) 68 Juan Abreu 28 David Carpenter 63 Xavier Cedeno (L) 72 Paul Clemens 73 Rhiner Cruz 71 Jorge De Leon 66 Enerio Del Rosario 21 Zach Duke (L) 52 Sergio Escalona (L) 30 J.A. Happ (L) 64 Lucas Harrell – Livan Hernandez 69 Arcenio Leon 59 Wilson Lopez 41 Jordan Lyles 37 Brandon Lyon 39 Brett Myers 20 Bud Norris 60 Lance Pendleton 62 Aneury Rodriguez 43 Fernando Rodriguez 51 Wandy Rodriguez (L) 65 Henry Sosa 67 Jose Valdez 74 Henry Villar 56 Kyle Weiland 53 Wesley Wright (L) CATCHERS (3+1) 15 Jason Castro (L) 22 Carlos Corporan (S) 55 Humberto Quintero 18 Chris Snyder INFIELDERS (8+8) 27 Jose Altuve 12 Brian Bixler 93 Delino DeShields Jr. 16 Matt Downs 70 Marwin Gonzalez (S) 13 Diory Hernandez 23 Chris Johnson 45 Carlos Lee 4 Jed Lowrie (S) 46 Scott Moore (L) 38 Jimmy Paredes (S) 36 Angel Sanchez 75 Jonathan Singleton (L) 3 Joe Thurston (L) 76 Jonathan Villar (S) 29 Brett Wallace (L) OUTFIELDERS (7+6) 95 Brandon Barnes 19 Brian Bogusevic (L) 6 Travis Buck (L) 11 Jason Bourgeois 9 Jack Cust (L) 77 Jake Goebbert (L) 50 Fernando Martinez (L) 14 J.D. Martinez – Justin Ruggiano 1 Jordan Schafer (L) 47 Brad Snyder (L) 8 J.B. Shuck (L) 94 George Springer
One of the (very) few positives of having such a poor team is that it makes for an interesting spring training. There are a number of position battles that will likely come down to who plays better in the spring. The outfield in particular will be interesting to watch, especially now that Lee is basically a first baseman. Bogusevic, Buck, Bourgeois, Cust, J.D. Martinez, Ruggiano, Schaefer and Shuck are all guys that either have some big league experience or are guys that the team would like to get ABs (J.D., Shuck). Then, of course, there is also the chance that Fernando Martinez shows the ability that made him a top prospect.
I think this team will be a lot better than people think. I like the additions of Snyder and Ruggiano to the bench. Lowrie is a stud. Reports on Chris Johnson sound like he's going to be a force and if Altuve, Martinez and Paredes can improve upon their rookie years we will really be in business. Singleton will be a September call up. Pitching depends on Happ pitching like he did the last two months of the year, Myers bouncing back and upping his trade value and Lyles and Norris taking steps forward. Cosart could come up after we deal Wandy and/ or Myers. Bullpen has a lot of competition. First time I've been excited about the future of the Astros in a long time.
chris johnson sounds like he's going to be a force, why? what did i miss? also, is castro supposed to be 100%?
Make or break for Johnson. If he loses the 3B battle with Paredes, I can see him getting DFA'd somewhere down the line. Hopefully Castro regains his form pre-injury. I think they'll put him in OKC to start off so he can get back into game shape.
Agree about CJ. He is either going to step up and shine or he is likely going to find himself elsewhere before the season is done.
Blind Comparison Player A Age 27 Pos 3B Player B Age 27 Pos 3B MLB Stats Player A PA 391 OBP .317 SLG .424 OPS .741 K/BB 2.5 HR Rt 29 AB's Player B PA 790 OBP .308 SLG .417 OPS .725 K/BB 6.1 HR Rt 41 AB's Triple A Stats Player A PA 810 OBP .335 SLG .452 OPS .787 K/BB 1.9 HR Rt 30 AB's Player B PA 776 OBP .327 SLG .464 OPS .792 K/BB 3.6 HR Rt 28 AB's All Minors Player A PA 1839 OBP .359 SLG .478 OPS .837 K/BB 1.5 HR Rt 33 AB's Player B PA 1907 OBP .318 SLG .432 OPS .751 K/BB 3.3 HR Rt 33 AB's Spoiler Player A is Matt Downs, player B is Chris Johnson. Downs is coming off a great MLB season, and has never been given a shot in the Bigs. His rates would suggest he is much more likely to have success than CJ, he should be given the chance, at least an everyday platoon between 2nd and 3rd base.
I saw that coming. I'm pretty sure Paredes will be our starting 3B, and I think CJ will have a tough time making to roster.
I think Castro starts in AAA OKC. More for player development reasons though. Quintero and Snyder are both good catchers. They will give the Astros the luxury of allowing Castro to have one more year of development before becoming the Astros everyday catcher. I would not be surprised to see Castro and Q leaving next year's spring training as C1 and C2. (I don't the Astros paying Snyder 4 large to be C2.) Wade was rushing players through the system last year to save his *ss. Luhnow should have job security for the next two to three years, so he can wait until the players are ready to move them up.
Max Sapp is out of baseball. Not only was his career pretty underwhelming, he also had a really nasty bout with meningitis that pretty much ended it. Also, he wasn't exactly released on the best of terms. http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/spo...r-astros-#1-pick-grieving-after-being-releasd http://www.astroscounty.com/2010/05/max-sapp-aint-doing-so-hot.html
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/..._id=hou&partnerId=aw-6125450871329354695-1032 Spoilered for length. Spoiler
Maybe I am used to WadeBall, but is anyone else excited to see where Juan Abreu ends up? 12 strike outs in under 7 innings of work last year? A couple of dominate pitches and back of the bullpen capabilities at the least. Trading Melancon could be great as a result of getting a full time SS that can give you some offensive pop as well as a hopeful prospect for the rotation. We aren't going to be prominent for a couple years at best, so I would love to see this guy come into form in the later innings. Could be a huge asset down the road or even a better Melancon with better trade value. Let the youngsters play.
Astros invite Garcia, Chris Wallace to Major League camp as non-roster players Stephen Goff Houston Astros Examiner Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow announced on Saturday morning that catchers Rene Garcia and Chris Wallace have been invited to Major League Spring Training camp as non-roster players. Garcia, 21, hit .242 with a homer, 27 RBI and 11 doubles over 297 at-bats in 86 games for Class A Advanced Lancaster last season. He was selected by the Astros in the 35th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Colegio Sagrada Familia (Alta, PR). It marks the second consecutive Spring Training in which he'll officially join the Astros for Major League camp in Kissimmee, Fla. Wallace, 23, combined to hit .271 with 20 homers and 78 RBI over 102 games with Class A Lexington and Double-A Corpus Christi last season. He finished third behind Kody Hinze and Adam Bailey among all Astros minor leaguers in home runs and RBI over the 2011 season. The University of Houston product was selected by Houston in the 16th round (483rd overall) of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. Wallace told Examiner.com that it's exciting how he continues to climb the Astros' minor league ladder, yet the local product says there are a few improvements still needed in his overall game. "I would say I have progressed really fast from college to right now," Wallace said. "I have worked really hard this offseason with Dr. Gene Coleman at Minute Maid Park. I have figured a lot of things out in my swing since college. It's happening at the right time. I've got to keep getting better. There are a few things I need to improve behind the plate. My throwing is still something that needs to get better. I'm working on it, so it will get to where it needs to be. I'm looking to put myself in good position for this season. I am going to continue to work really hard." The additions of Garcia and Wallace puts the Astros' Spring Training roster for Major League camp at 63 (23 non-roster invitees). Houston's pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first Spring Training workout on Monday at Osceola County Stadium.
They're back ... After meeting the new boss, Astros hit field for spring training KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Twenty-eight pitchers and six catchers have turned and coughed and begun the Astros’ 50th anniversary season. All the pitchers and catchers were on-time arrivals for their report date and physicals this morning and by 10 a.m. Eastern Time, hit the field for the first of six workouts before the full squad shows up on Sunday. Owner Jim Crane and CEO George Postolos made an appearance for the first day. Crane spent a few minutes in manager Brad Mills’ office and then conducted a team meeting in the weight room before the pitchers and catchers hit the field. Now begins what is mostly drudgery of getting arms back to game shape with every-other-day bullpen sessions, lots of throwing from flat ground and the ubiquitous and tedious pitchers’ fielding practice. The first full-squad workout will be Sunday, though many of the position players are already accounted for and taking advantage of the facilities. The Astros begin Grapefruit League spring training games March 3.
I've been waiting for this day since the last out against the cardinals. Time to put all the off field nonsense away and just play ball.
[rquoter]Astros manager Brad Mills shed some light on his outfield situation Monday, saying Brian Bogusevic will be given a look in center field because of his athleticism and the presence of Jack Cust and Travis Buck in right field. Bogusevic started most of the games in right after Hunter Pence was traded last year. Battling Bogusevic for playing time in center are Jordan Schafer and J.B. Shuck, as well as Jason Bourgeois. ... Mills said they’re looking for Bogusevic to step up and be a starter. “His ability gives him the opportunity to be able to play center or right, but we want this guy to step up and be an everyday starter for us and there’s reason he won’t be able to,” Mills said. “We all saw what he can do at times last year.” Cust will play in left and right and will get some ground balls at first base. Top prospect Jonathan Singleton will also get some time in the outfield, Mills said. Regarding Schafer, Mills said: “He seems like he’s on a mission.” —— Mills said veteran Livan Hernandez will start the team’s Grapefruit League opener Saturday against Washington, his former team. Left-hander J.A. Happ will start Sunday against the Nationals in Viera, Fla. The rest of the rotation remains up in the air.[/rquoter]