HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros announced today that the club has set its 25-man, Opening Day roster for the 2005 season. The club has optioned right-handed pitcher Ezequiel Astacio, left-handed pitcher Mike Gallo, and catcher Humberto Quintero to Triple A Round Rock. The Astros also purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Russ Springer from the Express. Pitchers (11): Brandon Backe, Roger Clemens, Brandon Duckworth, John Franco (L), Chad Harville, Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt, Andy Pettitte (L), Chad Qualls, Russ Springer, Dan Wheeler Catchers (2): Brad Ausmus, Raul Chavez. Infielders (7): Jeff Bagwell, Eric Bruntlett, Chris Burke, Morgan Ensberg, Adam Everett, Mike Lamb, Jose Vizcaino. Outfielders (5): Craig Biggio, Jason Lane, Orlando Palmeiro, Luke Scott, Willy Taveras. http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASAp...tent_id=997834&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
7 infielders is a lot for a team. Zeke most probably will make his debut April 17, first time we need a fifth starter.
8 if you count Biggio, I don't think he'll play much, if at all, in the OF. I think Duckworth will be the 5th starter, not Astacio.
I hope not ... Astacio has earned a chance to be that 5th starter and Duckworth has proved to be Duckworthless the last few years. I don't care how well he did in the Spring Astacio should get the chance with a short leash
I think they will pick up a reliever like Gabe White, Kerry Lighntenburg, Amury Telmeco, Al Levine and drop Harville by Monday.
Instead of Luke Scott? From what I heard, Lamb in left was worse than Lamb at 3rd, which is hard for me to imagine. I'm pretty sure the starting OF will be Scott-Taveras-Lane.
Yea on Thursday's brodcast, Lamb really sounded like he didn't like playing the outfield and he sounded like he sucked there.
But he started in LF today versus the Royals so I wouldn't be surprised if he starts opening day. Lane was in CF and Scott in RF. Lane in the spring was pretty horrible in CF so will see if he plays there everyday. By the way Astros lost 3-0 to maybe the worst team in baseball, the Kansas City Royals. The Royals threw out a different AAA scrub pitcher each inning and the Astros made them looked like All-Stars. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=250402118
Taveras is on the roster because we do not have another everyday CF... and Lane will be getting the job to start. Willy is also a good candidate to pinch-run. The opening day outfield will be Lamb-Lane-Scott. Lane's defense won't cost us, and Lamb won't be worse than Biggio (esp. at MMP, where there hardly is a LF). Yea, they got shut-out by a AAA team tonight... but that doesn't suprise any long-time astros fans who have seen even their best offensive teams routinely shut-out by no-name pitchers throughout the last 5 years. They don't hit elite pitching, and they don't hit pitchers who are making their first starts ever... but they feast on the middle-class like no other.
1.WT cf 2.CB lf 3.JB 1b 4.ME 3b 5.LS rf 6.CBurk 2b 7.AE ss 8.BA C That's my opening day lineup. However I could put Biggio at 2b batting 2nd with Lamb in lf batting 4th or 5th.
I can't see them keeping both Taveras and Burke up and not playing either one of them. Burke will be on the bench, but I think Taveras will get the job in center.
I can (at least against righty pitchers). Burke will get plenty of playing time... you're not going to see Biggio play his usual 150-160 games, and even in the games he does play, he probably won't be out there in the late innings if we are winning. Willy right now is too raw at the plate to be an everyday player. But... he can still impact the game in a big way from the bench. He can get the bunt down, steal you a base, and play a solid outfield. He'll be everything we wanted from Glen Barker all those years... . Also, he'll be in the lineup for games against lefties, since both Scott and Lamb are lefties. I'd much rather have Lamb's left-handed bat in the everyday lineup. The guy can flat-out rake... and if we could get by with Biggio playing LF here, we can certainly do no worse w/ Lamb.
Willy will not get a chance to be a lead-off man right away. Hell, he didn't even get that chance in ST with the A group.... no way Phil does it when the games count. Adam started a lot at leadoff, but I still expect Craig to be the #1 guy when the season opens. I think Garner wanted to give Adam plenty of exposure to the spot because he'll have him bat there on games where Biggio sits and Burke plays.
You're high if you think Jason Lane won't start somewhere in the OF. Your starting OF has zero MLB experience.
Other than the expierence thing (Biggio), you're right. I think it will be Scott-Taveras-Lane on Tuesday. There will be some games where Biggio starts in LF and Burke gets the start. One of Scott, Taveras and Burke will get sent down when Berkman returns. That is, unless they decide to cut Orlando Palmeiro. Based on the last week or so of games, I think the lineup will be Everett SS Biggio 2B Bagwell 1B Lane RF Ensberg 3B Scott LF Taveras CF Ausmus C
