Maybe Jon Singleton just needed Wallace out of the picture to start performing better. We can only hope.... :grin:
Villar gets publicly blasted by his manager for his base running gaffes, yet Altuve remains publicly unscathed. Essentially picked off 11 times last year although 3 of those were characterized as caught stealing. In addition he was thrown out trying to obtain an extra base 11 times which led the AL (second in MLB).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>"Those are players are valuable to the team," Jeff Luhnow said of Marwin Gonzalez, whom Luhnow says has helped himself this spring.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/444856908386959360">March 15, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Luhnow says Appel could pitch in game in about a week; Jesse Crain, meanwhile, could be in games by second half of April, Luhnow says.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/444857649994420224">March 15, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros GM Jeff Luhnow isn't ready to say where <a href="https://twitter.com/MAppel26">@MAppel26</a> will start 2014. “More than likely Lancaster, but we’ll have to see,” he said.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/444877616223629312">March 15, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Lucas Harrell's line: 12 hits, 10 runs, 9 ER. 40 of his 66 pitches were for strikes.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/444899480337674240">March 15, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Good. The last thing this team needs is for Harrell to have an amazing spring against sub-par competition and be in the rotation. Rotation should be Feldman, Cosart, Peacock, Oberholtzer, Keuchel.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> weighing whether No. 2 prospect <a href="https://twitter.com/MAppel26">@MAppel26</a> will start the season at extended spring training. <a href="http://t.co/H1iDrKEqqA">http://t.co/H1iDrKEqqA</a></p>— MiLB.com (@MiLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiLB/statuses/444983202596147200">March 15, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another round of cuts Rudy Owens, Collin McHugh, Chia-Jen Lo, and Jose Cisnero optioned. Tyler Heineman reassigned to Minor League camp. There are now 46 players remaining in Astros camp.
Completely agree. Only disappointed he wasn't part of yesterday's cuts. I was surprised Lo wasn't given more time.
Bright spot: Jonas Dufek held his own against 3 of the Tigers' most imposing bats yesterday. He struck out Victor Martinez to open the 3rd inning, then got Tyler Collins (one of their top prospects) to fly out. He gave up a single to Torii Hunter, but got Miguel Cabrera to pop out in foul ground to end the inning. Dufek, who was drafted in the 9th round in 2011 out of Creighton, shifted to the bullpen full-time last year and really took off. He ended up getting invited to the Arizona Fall League last year and did well there, too.
Just passing along info. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> GM @jeffluhnow announced on the pregame show with <a href="https://twitter.com/raford3">@raford3</a> that Mark Appel will pitch on Friday.</p>— Steve (@SteveinLC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveinLC/statuses/445244207444152320">March 16, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Following today’s game, the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> reassigned RHP Jorge De Leon and RHP Rhiner Cruz to minor league camp.</p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/statuses/445303164665724928">March 16, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>