Spring Training

I just realized it was Dante Bichette Jr, I had do look it it up, didn't realize he had a kid that plays ball, pretty good too from the looks of it.

If we were giving up long balls to old man bichette i would be concerned.

 

The Astros will be in Lakeland today to face the Tigers, who have kept one group home and sent another to play the Mets. Wandy will face off against Doug Fister.

After that, they'll be saying farewell to Florida and will be heading off to Corpus to play the Hooks.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jose Cisnero will start for Class AA Corpus Christi in Monday exhibition against Astros (still starting Lucas Harrell)</p>&mdash; Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/186465951057838081" data-datetime="2012-04-01T14:52:01+00:00">April 1, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Wish we had him. He'd easily be our top 3B prospect, seeing as we don't even have one in our top 20.

 

Jose Altuve has 9 walks in 59PAs this spring.

Castro with his 1st HR.

 

I looked over the last few Astros drafts: in FO's plan to build up the middle and add high-ceiling talent it appears 3B has been completely overlooked. They only drafted 1 third baseman in the top 9 rounds in the last four years (Jonathan Meyer/3rd round/'09). In '07 they used their top pick (a 3rd rounder) on Derek Dietrich, who didn't sign.

By comparison, they used four top 10 round picks on shortstop in '09 alone and three top 10 round picks on catchers in '10.

We're hitched to the Chris Johnson/Brett Wallace wagon for a few more years...

 

They also drafted Kvasnicka to play 3B, but have moved him back to C.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Astros named 5 position players who will make debuts on Major League OD roster: Altuve, Bogusevic, Castro, Marwin Gonzalez and J.D.Martinez</p>&mdash; Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/186527203901710337" data-datetime="2012-04-01T18:55:25+00:00">April 1, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Also announced: Brett Wallace optioned to Triple A.</p>&mdash; Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/186527281324376065" data-datetime="2012-04-01T18:55:44+00:00">April 1, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Wallace will play every day at 3B at OKC.</p>&mdash; Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/186527849602228226" data-datetime="2012-04-01T18:57:59+00:00">April 1, 2012</a></blockquote>
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It is what I figured. Now they just need to announce the pitchers and cut one of Buck/Shuck/Ruggiano. I'm guessing Ruggiano.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Wandy's final pitching line of the spring: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. Spring ERA, if you care about such things, 7.29.</p>&mdash; Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/186522104194285569" data-datetime="2012-04-01T18:35:09+00:00">April 1, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Lineups for tonight's exhibition in Corpus:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523Astros">#Astros</a> Starting Lineup: Shuck CF, Sanchez SS, Martinez LF, Lee 1B, Bogusevic RF, Johnson 3B, Castro DH, Snyder C, Altuve 2B, Harrell P</p>&mdash; Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) <a href="https://twitter.com/cchooks/status/186922429313060864" data-datetime="2012-04-02T21:05:54+00:00">April 2, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Hooks Starting Lineup: Villar SS, Wates LF, Hinze DH, Singleton 1B, Martinez 2B, Barnes CF, Steele RF, Wallace C, Kreke 3B, Cisnero P</p>&mdash; Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) <a href="https://twitter.com/cchooks/status/186922694552461313" data-datetime="2012-04-02T21:06:57+00:00">April 2, 2012</a></blockquote>
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That is a pretty good lineup for CC.

 

Also...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Astros have sent Jordan Lyles to Class AAA according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Team not confirming.</p>&mdash; Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/186932939009957890" data-datetime="2012-04-02T21:47:40+00:00">April 2, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Game is on MILB.TV. If you're too poor for that like I am, here's the Hooks audio link.

http://media4.aicmail.net:8080/MiLB/GameAudio/LiveStreamFlash/tex_corpus_christi_hooks

Be advised, you'll have to put up with this chopping sound...

 

Opening Day roster-related news.... we know Lyles will open in OKC. Alyson Footer, Zach Levine, and Brian McTaggart basically say the same thing here.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Also, they named 5 pitchers who will be making debuts on a ML Opening Day roster: Carpenter, Rhiner Cruz, Harrell, F. Rodriguez & Weiland.</p>&mdash; Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/186973056638525440" data-datetime="2012-04-03T00:27:05+00:00">April 3, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Both Rule 5 picks make the team.</p>&mdash; Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/186973206756859904" data-datetime="2012-04-03T00:27:40+00:00">April 3, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Astros keeping Rule 5 pick Rhiner Cruz from Mets.</p>&mdash; Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/186974002777038848" data-datetime="2012-04-03T00:30:50+00:00">April 3, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Sosa is as good as gone.

 

Astros win 6-2. I think Jose Cisnero opened up some eyes with his performance tonight.... he may have taken the loss, but he went 4 innings, striking out 5. The only blemish on his line was a solo homer to Chris Johnson, which was the only hit the Astros managed to get off him. Jonathan Villar went 1-3 as the leadoff man, Jonathan Singleton was 2-4 with an RBI playing 1B and hitting 4th, and Adam Bailey homered in the 7th off Fernando Abad. Kevin Chapman only got 1 out in the 7th, allowing 4 hits and walking 1. He was charged with 4 runs, 2 of which were runners Stoffel inherited from him.

Javier Bracamonte, the Astros' bullpen catcher, was called in as a pinch-runner for Jason Castro. He scored on the Marwin Gonzalez single. He also came to bat in the 8th, drawing a walk from Stoffel.


As for the Astros, Lucas Harrell threw 6 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 1, and striking out 4. Marwin Gonzalez had a 2-run single in the 7th off Jason Stoffel. On the other hand, Angel Sanchez went 0-2 with a K. As I mentioned earlier, CJ homered.... Hooks announcers say it nearly reached the ship channel. Justin Ruggiano is trying to make one last spirited push for the Opening Day roster by going 2-3 with a double and added a solo homer off Josh Zeid in the 9th. J.B. Shuck went 1-5 as the leadoff man, and Travis Buck was 2-3 with a double and a run scored.

And.... here is your rotation.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Astros rotation set: Wandy Rodriguez, Lucas Harrell, Bud Norris, J.A. Happ, Kyle Weiland.</p>&mdash; Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharylevine/status/187002678218461184" data-datetime="2012-04-03T02:24:47+00:00">April 3, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Lucas Harrell is our #2? Yikes, I was expecting Bud to get that slot. Oh well, not like it really matters anyway.

 

Bud would be the #2 starter, but because of the tightness in his arm it messed up the pitching schedule.

 

someone remind me where Harrell is from again. --- how we acquired him...