Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart): Jonathan Singleton and Nick Tropeano among the #Astros Minor League players in uniform for big league game today vs. Nats.
Noooooooooo!!!!!! Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros): #Astros' Crowe, Laird, Chapman, Garcia, J. Martinez won't make team. Lo optioned.
Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart): Chia-Jen Lo optioned. Peacock, White, Barnes, F. Martinez among told they're on OD roster @brianmctaggart: Bullpen is unsettled but Astros position battles are settled. Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros): Decision b/w White, Peacock for No. 5 yet to be made. @ChronAstros: Josh Fields still has chance to make team. I'm thinking that Érik Bédard is probably going to be the #4 starter.
Surprised by Laird not making it. So, I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what the lineup is going to be. We know Altuve is leading off and Wallace appears to be in the 2-hole. Then what? Who is this teams 3-hitter? Castro? Altuve 2B Wallace 1B Castro C Pena DH Ankiel RF Carter LF Maxwell CF Dominguez 3B Cedeno SS Does that seem right? Pena strikes out way too much to be in that spot, IMO. Castro has been hitting for average and power so far this spring.
This is Lo's first year on the 40-man roster, by the way. The numbers game worked against Brandon Laird. Plus, he isn't on the 40-man roster. Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart): #Astros IF set: Jose Altuve, Matt Dominguez, Marwin Gonzalez, Ronny Cedeno, Carlos Pena and Brett Wallace @brianmctaggart: #Astros OF set: Chris Carter, Rick Ankiel, Brandon Barnes, Fernando Martinez and Justin Maxwell @brianmctaggart: So basically, the #Astros need to cut one more pitcher to get to 25 players.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Houston">#Houston</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> say Erik Bedard has made team. Will be No. 5 starter. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23MLB">#MLB</a></p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/316277527960223746">March 25, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>After White, Peacock were going for No. 5, the winner between the duo will now become <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Houston">#Houston</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a>' No. 4 starter.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/316277649804767232">March 25, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>As a smart reader points out, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> will have to make 40-man moves once Ankiel and Bedard are officially on team.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/316282831687012352">March 25, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That bullpen... I will be curious to see what becomes of it. Frankly, I like more of the arms in AAA than I do with the actual MLB team.
It's easy to get caught up in upside and potential but remember that most of the guys at AAA have zero ML experience. A bunch of those types at the ML level is a recipe for disaster.
I thought the Astros game tonight was free on MLB TV? I keep trying to watch and it shows me 90 seconds of the Astros/Nationals game from last year and then says "preview expired".
I don't know what is up with that. I'm a subscriber, so I didn't know it wasn't working. MLB just screwing Astros fans again. Nothing new.