[Astros] Spring Training Thread

I'm pretty worried about Bagwell as well now. I am pulling for the guy, but this is just not looking good.

 

I like that too, except for the comment about the Astros getting old. Berkman, Ensberg, Lane, Burke, Oswalt, Backe, Lidge, Taveras, plus prospects in waiting. They were getting old 2 years ago..I think they past that point after last season.

 

Surgery.

 

Yeah no kidding. People were saying the same crap back in 2002--after his last surgery.

Back in the other thread there was a link to the Astros of '86 and all of them except two fat relievers were bone thin. You know, the same thing could be done for basketball teams and even football teams. Everyone is bulking up today far more than 20 years ago, due both to legal supplements and illegal supplements.

 

So, Bagwell was off the day before this game, played two innings of the game you were at, and didn't play at all against the Yankees. It's not looking very good...is it?

 

Bagwell doesn't seem to be as confident about his ability to play...could this be a sign the end is coming?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/3742437.html

 

All spring long I've expected that Bagwell would be unable to go, as much as I hoped for the opposite.

You know, what we need is for those hacks at the Houston Comical to put a "Bagwell's Career" tombstone on the front page of the sports section tomorrow. Maybe some of the magic would return?

One of the things I was looking forward to most after 2000 was seeing Bags hit his 500th, all of them in an Astros uni. Now, odds are we won't even witness #450.

 

He played about 5 or 6 innings. DH'd ... went 0-2 with a walk, then headed to the locker room. I was excited to see him. He was like 10 feet from as he walked by. It's the first time I ever saw him in person, & I ended up feeling bad for him. He had a dejected look on his face, & & I don't think it was from going 0-2. It was more than that.

I know we shouldn't pity him & stuff, because he's had a great career ... but it still sucks.

Like I said, I hope I'm proven wrong. Hopefully the shoulder comes around soon.

 

The Chronicle has an article about Bagwell going on the disabled list to start the season. It seems like a done deal. I guess that means he's not ready to retire just yet.

 

Zeke was optioned to minor league camp today.

And then there were 3.

 

Bagweel already agreed to have surgery to remove some bone spurs in his shoulder according to ESPN so it's looking more and more like he won't play this year.

Honestly he looks like a shell of the man he used to be a few years ago. I hate to see it because i grew up watching this guy with Biggio as the staple of the team and now it's all slowly coming to an end.

 

Does anyone have this DVD?



Is it any good? http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2210789&cp=1452353

 

Yeah, it's sad indeed. There is an article about it on Astros.com

 

Notes: Astacio, Scott among eight cuts

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The 38th day of Spring Training was just not a very good one for the Houston Astros.

The big news on Saturday, of course, was Jeff Bagwell's announcement that his career is likely coming to an end. But prior to that revelation, eight players received the news that they were cut from big-league camp and sent to the Minors.

Right-handers Ezequiel Astacio, Joe Valentine and Dave Borkowski, outfielders Josh Anderson, Charlton Jimerson and Luke Scott, infielder Danny Klassen and catcher Hector Gimenez were cut from the roster, which now stands at 31.

The biggest surprise was Astacio, who began camp as a candidate to win the fifth starter job. He was one of only three hopefuls with big-league experience, but an inconsistent spring led to his demotion.

That leaves Taylor Buchholz, Carlos Hernandez, Fernando Nieve and on a more marginal level, Steve Sparks as the final candidates to win a roster spot. Sparks, a knuckleballer, will be considered for long relief.

"They said I wasn't consistent," Astacio said. "They wanted to give more of a chance to Nieve and Buchholz. But they don't want to forget me."

Manager Phil Garner emphasized he loves Astacio's stuff and isn't looking for the right-hander to learn a new pitch. Spring Training is coming to a close and Garner is running out of innings to allot to pitchers. In that respect, Garner hopes Astacio will take advantage of a starting position at Triple-A.

"I hoped that we could have brought him along a little better," Garner said. "I always fashioned myself as knowing a little something about pitching. When I get a guy that I think has a pretty good arm and we can't get him right on track, I feel like I failed a little bit. In his case, if he can get the ball over the plate early in the count and then off the plate later in the count, he'll be successful in the big leagues.

"We see inconsistency there. We'll see a couple of good pitches, and then he'll leave one over the plate. Then he starts getting picky. We need to have him consistent and we'll have him back here pitching. He's a guy that could be a bullpen answer for us, or he can start."

In Scott's case, it's a numbers game. The Astros have room for five outfielders, and Scott is behind Willy Taveras, Orlando Palmeiro, Jason Lane, Preston Wilson and Chris Burke, who will see time in the outfield and infield.

"It's tough news to take," Scott said. "It's a tough situation to be put in. There's nothing left to prove in the Minor Leagues, obviously. It's a lose-maintain situation. If I go down there and do well, I'm supposed to. I did last year. If I don't, it's a lose situation. It's a hard thing to be put in a situation where there's not much benefit from that aspect."

Said Garner: "We really like Luke and, ironically, the last two at-bats he had in Tampa the other night were absolutely the best swings I've ever seen him swing. It was a little less mechanical and very fluid. That, for me, is a swing that can produce a lot of good results."

 

Sad to see Luke Scott back in the minors...the guy is just itching for an impact at the major league level.

I am going to go out on a limb and predict that Wilson will either not produce or get hurt and Scott will be starting in the outfield by May.
-Which could be a blessing in disguise.

 

So when do we hit the Panic Button on Backe?

Or at least the "Concern Button"?

 

I already said it earlier in this thread... Backe pitches equivalent to the importance of the game.

In ST, he is awful... in the regular season, he is so-so... and in the playoffs, he is lights out.

 

Sorry, I guess I should've searched this thread to see what you said before I posted.

Historical trends are fine, but giving up 4 bombs today and however many last outing makes me a tad concerned. At least this deep in ST.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by guys like Pettitte and Oswalt already looking in midseason form.

 

Mr October Jr, Cy Backe