ST Game No. 5: Houston Astros vs. Toronto Blue Jays
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:00 PM CST
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PrintGrapefruit League Record for 2010 (which is meaningless anyway): 2-2
Today's starters: RHP Bud Norris vs. LHP Ricky Romero
Other pitchers scheduled today for the Astros are Tim Byrdak, Jeff Fulchino, Shane Loux, Chia-Jen Lo, Gustavo Chacin and Polin Trinidad.
The lineup, per Footer's TwitPic:
1) Michael Bourn, CF
2) J.R. Towles, DH
3) Lance Berkman, 1B
4) Carlos Lee, LF
5) Hunter Pence, RF
6) Chris Johnson, 3B
7) Jason Castro, C
8) Tommy Manzella, SS
9) Jeff Keppinger, 2B
You can listen live to the broadcast here and here.
Let the game begin!
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Up and Down first for Norris
He walked one and gave up a home run, but got out of the inning on a strikeout.
I like the lineup today. If nothing else, watching these guys bat all year would be interesting, just to see how the young guys do.
That will not, of course, be the case, in all likelihood.
It’s nice to see a Norris/Castro battery today. They could team up for a lot of years.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:33 PM CST up reply actions
Talking a little about Bud's fastball
Mention of some late life on it, along the lines of Roy O’s. Bud’s minor league groundball rate was 46% and although he hasn’t replicated that at the big league level yet, perhaps it will be able to go up in greater sample size.
It’s definitely worth watching. Milo seems very impressed with it’s late life. I might try looking at his ML Pitch FX data from last year to see what’s what.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:41 PM CST up reply actions
I think it’s possible that the sample size isn’t big enough in the big leagues to say that Bud won’t duplicate that groundball rate in the majors. However, someone wrote an article a week or so ago (Dave or Evan? I can’t recall) which showed that all of the young GB pitchers (including Bud) last year regressed in their groundball tendencies when they got to the majors. That was definitely food for thought, and made me think that perhaps big league hitters show more plate discipline / pitch identification ability and make it harder to maintain GB tendencies in transitioning from the minors to the majors.
here ya go:
http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2010/2/23/1321663/2010/2/23/1321663/bud-norris-ground-balls-and-a
The Crawfish Boxes, Astros blogging at its finest.
by Evan Hochschild on Mar 8, 2010 1:07 PM CST up reply actions
Yes, I remember that article and discussion. I wonder whether pitchers have a tendency to start out with lower groundball rates and gradually regain them as they improve, though, kind of like with their K/BB ratios? Something to think about.
Byrdak gives up a double to Hoffpauir
What’s odd about this is that Hoffpauir is at third. He hasn’t logged a major or minor league inning at third in his professional career, starting in 2002.
A two-out double increased Jays lead to 2-0
Overbay hit it over Bourn’s head. How often do you think that happens?
His fly ball rate has been going up the past few years… that can bite you, especially when you don’t have good control.
Sounds like the Blue Jays are pretty locked in right now. Will be interesting to see how the next pitcher does (assuming it will be Fulchino).
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:52 PM CST up reply actions
I just realized something
We’ve talked about infielders covering for each other a lot lately, but one thing I didn’t think about was Manzella and Feliz covering for Carlos Lee. Presumably Manzella is much faster than Tejada was (I don’t know about Feliz compared to Blum, but I would guess the same is true). More range, so maybe a few less fly balls dropping into shallow LF.
Allows Carlos Lee to play deep as he likes to do without sacrificing quite as much.
On that play to end the top of the third for Toronto, Chris Johnson raced down the 3B line to catch a fly ball in foul ground. That’s big too, covering for Lee. Two young, athletic, quick players at short and third could really help Lee’s range.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:54 PM CST up reply actions
Manzella and Feliz could be risking their health doing that (a la, Everett). I think we all noticed that Tejada frequently slowed down and let balls fall in short LF because of Carlos Lee moving like a buffalo toward him. I can’t say that I blame him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an outfielder who causes more concern on the part of infielders ranging into LF.
This catching battle is shaping up to be a good one. Castro is now 4 for 8 this spring.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:57 PM CST up reply actions
yes, pleased for both guys. Towles seems to be showing more power than Castro, and Castro seems to be showing surprising speed down the line.
And excellent defense. Gunning down Gathright is no easy task.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 12:59 PM CST up reply actions
“McDonald lays back, knowing he has time, knowing the runner.”
Oh, Carlos. Is it too late to change his nickname from El Caballo to El Bufalo? Anyone?
Maybe just for another inning, who knows what’ll happen on his next AB.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
I didn’t really know much about Daigle, but he sure is getting swings and misses right now. Looks like he had a decent 2009 at Round Rock.
I thought he might have a shot to get a callup at the end of 2009. He’s a lefty and if he proves more capable than Byrdak, we might see him break camp with the team. He’s also married to former Arizona softball pitcher Jenny Finch. When he was a rookie with Arizona, one of his teammates bought Finch’s uniform off eBay or something and made Daigle wear it on a spring road trip. Probably my favorite spring story of all time.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 1:20 PM CST up reply actions
Yep, he is. I knew that too. Trying to juggle too many things…
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 1:23 PM CST up reply actions
Changes across the board
Osvaldo Navarro in at short, Gustavo Chacin in to pitch, Yordany Ramirez in center
Oh, gosh
Chacin misses chance to get out of inning AND a good play by Berkman, doesn’t look back for toss from Berkman at first.
I am now officially excited about a single
At least it was Towles coming through again. Dude is locked in.
More changes afoot
Yorman Bazardo in to pitch, Chris Shelton at first, more changes than that but Milo is having trouble by himself. Will update when he figures it out or the box updates.
Also interesting...
Adam Loewen is the new left fielder for the Jays. He was a sign-and-follow pitcher drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and just recently switched to being a full-time hitter. Seems to be more of these guys lately, doesn’t there?
Bazardo out of jam
Bases loaded, one out, Bazardo gets out of it clean. Good for him, but not good for his chances of making the team.
I think so, since the Astros signed him as a minor league free agent before last season. He probably won’t clear waivers if they put him there.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 1:59 PM CST up reply actions
Early returns are definitely pointing to Towles
Even though Castro is having a nice spring, he’d have to look significantly better than Towles to make the team opening day, I’d think.
That’s the scenario I’d prefer. Towles is more experienced and has a better chance to succeed this season. Castro can go to Round Rock and get some good experience hitting at a high level before making the majors. Plus, Towles becomes great trade bait if the Astros so choose.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 2:02 PM CST up reply actions
I agree.
I also think Towles might have enough of a bat to play at other positions like second or even third base (.883 career minor league OPS), even though his positional value is highest at catcher. He could also platoon with Castro at C while serving as a utility guy/pinch hitter.
If he succeeds at the MLB level it opens up a lot of options.
I'm rooting for Towles
He’s suffered through a lot the past few years
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Mar 8, 2010 2:41 PM CST up reply actions
A Lou Santangelo sighting!
He’s catching for Castro. That brings the total up to six catches used so far this spring.
Thanks for all the updates
A godsend at work.
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by Stephen Higdon on Mar 8, 2010 2:18 PM CST via mobile reply actions
And the Astros score a run!
Third hit for Towles drives in Kepp. Some debate whether it’s a single and an error or a double. Either way, the young redhead has another good day.
I’m not really too bothered about wins or losses. I’m mostly just keeping an eye on the young players to see how they do, especially the positional battles at catcher and SP5.
Granted. Just trying to report the details, however meaningless, for those that don’t have access to the game. I know I really enjoyed these game threads a ton as I was in the Great White North this past weekend. Kept me up with the game while still hanging with the inlaws.
by David Coleman on Mar 8, 2010 2:58 PM CST up reply actions
Paulino
Why hasn’t he pitched this spring?
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
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0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
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Cincinnati
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0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
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Houston
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Milwaukee
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0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
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Pittsburgh
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0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
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St. Louis
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0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.3.2012 at 11:55 PM CST)
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