Astros Crawfish Boil: March 21, 2023

Welcome to the official beginning of Spring.

March 21 is the official first day of Spring, and we’re now only nine days from Houston’s actual season opener, against the Chicago White Sox. I don’t know about you, but I’m always happy when it’s time for Spring Training to roll around. I also always get bored with Spring Training long before it’s over. Blame our culture for my short attention span, but after the novelty of seeing our guys on the field again wear off, I just want to start watching the games that count in the standings.

Houston Astros News

Opening Day, Fan Fest among events surrounding Final Four in Houston (chron.com)

1 Houston Astros Trade that Will Begin to Hurt This Year (climbingtalshill.com)

Houston Astros: Jeremy Peña now a celebrity, but he doesn’t act it (houstonchronicle.com)

Julks’ bases-clearing double (mlb.com)

Astros 2023: Now what? (chipalatta.com)

Houston Astros to sell gold-trimmed gear to commemorate 2022 World Series title (houstonpublicmedia.com)

Jose Altuve injury: Mauricio Dubon, David Hensley poised to fill void (beaumontenterprise.com)

Nimmo has hopes for opener; Altuve could be out for a while (wyomingnews.com)

Mattress Mack’s $1 million March Madness bet still alive in Louisiana (theadvertiser.com)

AL West News

Seattle Mariners fans relieved as outfielder Jarred Kelenic pulled from Spring Training game with minor quad tightness: “Thank god he wasn’t traded” (sportskeeda.com)

Mariners Spring Training: Aaron Goldsmith breaks down 3 M’s standouts (sports.mynorthwest.com)

Have Texas Rangers struck gold in form of starting rotation? (dallasmorningnews.com)

Jacob deGrom ‘not his best’ for Rangers, still nightmarish to face (dallasmorningnews.com)

What is it like for Japanese media to cover Shohei Ohtani? (latimes.com)

Why Moreno decided not to sell the Angels (mlb.com)

Oakland Athletics Roster Projection: Where things stand as the Cactus League season winds down (athleticsnation.com)

Allen, Díaz remain in competition for A’s shortstop role (mlb.com)

MLB News

American MLB fans welcome Cuban bullpen catcher as he becomes first-ever player to defect during the World Baseball Classic (sportskeeda.com)

MLB Twitter reacts to veteran pitcher Zack Greinke implying he gave up spring training hits to work on pickoffs: “Galaxy brain Greinke” (sportskeeda.com)

Philadelphia Phillies release pitcher Mark Appel (cbsnews.com)

With injuries mounting, should MLB send their best players to the World Baseball Classic? (firstcoastnews.com)

Ohtani stars as Japan beat Mexico to reach World Baseball Classic final (france24.com)

Matt Joyce, Denard Span join Rays broadcasts on Bally Sports Sun (ballysports.com)

The Nationals’ rotation had a mostly bleak week at spring training (washingtonpost.com)

Astros Birthdays

Kenedy Corona, who turns 23 today, has gone five-for-16 in Spring Training this year with Houston. The Venezuelan outfielder also stole a base, and will probably start the season at the Double-A level with the Corpus Christi Hooks.

Pidge Browne was a 33-year-old-first baseman and US Navy veteran who went 21-for-100 in 65 games with the inaugural version of the Houston Colt .45s. A 14-year pro-baseball veteran, 1962 was Browne’s lone season of major league play.

LF Tommy Davis played 18 seasons in the majors, from 1959 until 1976. Between the second half of the 1969 season and the first half of the 1970 season, he played in 81 games for the Houston Astros, hitting .271 with four homers and 39 RBI.