KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Houston Astros remain a year away. Although they are going to be dramatically better in terms of talent than they were in 2013, they remain likely to battle for the worst record in baseball because the American League West rivals actually brought in high-end talent.
On the positive side, the bullpen will be a strength with veteran right-handers Chad Qualls and Matt Albers solidifying a younger crew that includes closer candidate Josh Fields and second-year reliever Kevin Chapman. Veteran righty Jerome Williams will also serve as the team’s swingman-long reliever.
Most of the excitement this spring was on the back fields of Osceola County Stadium, where some of the best minor-league talent in all of baseball has been assembled. The Astros even reassigned right fielder George Springer, who hit 37 home runs and stole 45 bases in Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Oklahoma City last year. They also reassigned right-hander Mike Foltynewicz, the potential ace or closer who throws 100-mph and has been the Astros’ best pitching prospect the previous two years.
It is no secret some of the Astros’ top decision makers lobbied to keep Springer and Foltynewicz in the majors, but the club ultimately decided to reassign them to the minors to avoid starting their major league service clock. That move prompted the Houston Chronicle to wonder if the Astros were already conceding 2014, drawing the attention of Astros owner Jim Crane.
“I’d like to see .500 this year,” Crane said. “Somebody wrote an article that, ‘It’s not even April, and we’re talking about next year.’ I’m talking about this year right now. So yeah, we think this team’s much better. We think we’ve got the bullpen shored up. We’ve had a couple guys that have shown some good promise. The starting pitching should be better, and we should get deeper into games and win a lot of those games we gave away last year.”
The Astros will also benefit from No. 1 starter Scott Feldman, a veteran who will help steady a young rotation that lacked leadership on the mound and in the clubhouse last year. The Astros blew 29 saves in 2013, so shoring up the bullpen was crucial. Shortstop Jonathan Villar, who appeared shaky, defensively, again this spring, also must continue to improve after committing 16 errors in 58 games last year.
With the exception of No. 2 starter Jarred Cosart, Fields and Zeid, the Astros’ bullpen and starting rotation is full of groundball pitchers. Villar must improve defensively because the Astros will be in trouble if they do not pick the grounders.
Cosart appears primed to have a breakout sophomore season, but Villar will surely be on double secret probation because talented shortstop Carlos Correa, 19, the top pick in the 2012 draft, appears primed to reach the majors by September or perhaps early next year. Right fielder L.J. Hoes also must get off to a strong start because Springer will likely be up no later than June to start every day. Barring injury, Foltynewicz will be up in the rotation or bullpen by June as well.
NOTES, QUOTES
–RHP Josh Zeid, who earned one save while going 0-1 with a 3.90 ERA as a rookie last year, was optioned back to minor-league camp on Monday. He entered camp with an outside chance at competing for the closer’s role, but he gave up four runs over 8 2/3 innings this spring for a 4.15 ERA over seven appearances.
–OF Adron Chambers, who was signed to a minor-league contract this offseason, was reassigned to minor-league camp. He hit .250 this spring and was not considered an option to make the club. With Chambers gone, it is clear the Astros will start the season with Robbie Grossman in left, Dexter Fowler in center and L.J. Hoes in right.
–RHP Mark Appel, the top overall pick in the 2013 draft, is expected to make his second spring appearance on Wednesday. Because he was behind while recovering from the appendectomy surgery he underwent Jan. 31, he did not make his spring debut until March 21, a day after he was reassigned to minor-league camp.
–IF Cesar Izturis, the veteran who was brought into camp to compete for a utility infielder’s spot, was released on Monday after he decided to opt out of his minor-league contract. He was informed by the Astros on Monday that he will not make the 25-man roster.
–LF Robbie Grossman, who was a rookie in 2013, has discussed a contract extension with the Astros. “I enjoy playing for the Astros,” he said. “I’m from Houston. I want to be able to play for the Astros my whole career if possible, and that’s all I have to say.”
–RHP Jerome Williams, who will make the 25-man roster, likely pitched himself out of contention for the starting rotation on Sunday when he gave up six runs in four innings in a loss to the Cardinals. The Astros will announce their rotation by Tuesday or Wednesday, but Williams is likely going to serve as a long reliever. “Obviously, I do want to start,” he said. “(But) as long as I go out and contribute any way possible to help the team win, I’m going to do it.”
–Class AAA Oklahoma City manager Tony DeFrancesco, who served as interim manager of the Astros after Brad Mills was fired in August 2012, has taken a temporary leave from his post to battle cancer back in Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center. “I am overwhelmed and truly grateful by the support of family, friends, and everyone associated with the Houston Astros organization,” DeFrancesco, 50, said. “I am very confident in my medical team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. I am optimistic for 100 percent recovery. My wife, Adriene, and I would like to thank everyone for their phone calls and prayers.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’d like to see .500 this year. Somebody wrote an article that, ‘It’s not even April, and we’re talking about next year.’ I’m talking about this year right now. So yeah, we think this team’s much better. We think we’ve got the bullpen shored up. We’ve had a couple guys that have shown some good promise. The starting pitching should be better, and we should get deeper into games and win a lot of those games we gave away last year.” — Owner Jim Crane, responding to a Houston Chronicle column stating the team is not putting its best available talent on the major-league club on Opening Day.
ROSTER REPORT
The Astros remained relatively healthy this spring. RHP Jesse Crain, who is returning from right biceps surgery, was expected to start the season on the DL. The Astros are optimistic that he will be ready to pitch by May. RHP Scott Feldman had a solid spring, winning the Opening Day start, and as expected RHP Jarred Cosart and LHP Brett Oberholtzer won the second spots in the rotation. SS Jonathan Villar showed enough polish this spring to retain his starting spot at after a rough rookie season. Jesus Guzman and Marc Krauss will likely platoon at first, but it is fair to say they must step up quickly because Jon Singleton is in the minors ready to pounce. The same can be said for RF L.J. Hoes, who has top prospect George Springer practically assured to come up in May.
ROTATION
1. RHP Scott Feldman
2. RHP Jarred Cosart
3. LHP Brett Oberholtzer
4. RHP Brad Peacock
5. RHP Lucas Harrell or LHP Dallas Keuchel
The rotation is rather average and primarily composed of groundball pitchers, but Cosart could be special. Cosart will be the No. 2 starter in his second major league season, and it will not be surprising if he is the ace by the start of the season. That is no knock on Feldman, though, because Feldman has been a godsend to this young, inexperienced rotation.
For the first time since Roy Oswalt was traded in 2010, the Astros have a legitimate leader in the rotation to set the example for young pitchers in terms of how to act in the clubhouse and on the mound. Feldman’s impact will extend far beyond the mound and for years to come.
Last year Oberholtzer became the first Astros rookie to throw two complete games since Oswalt in 2001, and he could be a workhorse for many years to come. Brad Peacock added a changeup this spring, and it should help him. It is no accident the Astros hid him in three minor-league games so he could work on the pitch without worrying about results, but he drew plenty of praise with the addition. At one point, former pitching coach Doug Brocail walked into the clubhouse after seeing Peacock showcase the changeup in a major-league game this spring and wondered out loud, “Where the hell did that come from?” Do not be surprised if RHP Mike Foltynewicz is in the majors by May, giving the Astros another quality arm who can induce strikeouts.
BULLPEN:
RHP Chad Qualls (closer)
RHP Matt Albers
RHP Josh Fields
LHP Kevin Chapman
LHP Raul Valdes
RHP Jerome Williams
RHP Anthony Bass
The Astros are likely to start the season with a closer-by-committee situation, but veteran Chad Qualls is likely to be the first to get a try at the role. Fields, who finished last season as the rookie closer, could eventually become the closer.
Right-hander Anthony Bass is another pitcher who has impressed this spring, and he beat out Josh Zeid for the final spot in the bullpen.
The Astros’ biggest improvement this year has been in the bullpen, where Qualls and Matt Albers will give the team quality veteran arms one year after the team blew 29 saves and essentially had a tryout camp after Jose Veras was traded to the Tigers in July. RHP Jesse Crain, an All-Star in 2013, signed with the club this offseason and hopes to be ready from biceps surgery by May. He will be another major asset if healthy.
Williams is expected to serve as the Astros’ swingman, providing veteran leadership in the bullpen and a long reliever whenever the starters falter.
LINEUP:
1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. LF Robbie Grossman
3. 2B Jose Altuve
4. C Jason Castro
5. DH Chris Carter
6. 1B Jesus Guzman (against LHP) and Marc Krauss (against RHP)
7. 3B Matt Dominguez
8. RF L.J. Hoes
9. SS Jonathan Villar
The Astros are likely to platoon at first base to start the season with Jesus Guzman going against lefties and Marc Krauss going against righties. On days Krauss starts, he will likely bat cleanup. Manager Bo Porter originally stated that he would go with CF Dexter Fowler, 2B Jose Altuve and C Jason Castro as his first three batters, but toward the end of spring training he began experimenting with LF Robbie Grossman lower in the batting order. Grossman might be ready to bat second and push Altuve to third with Castro hitting cleanup.
DH Chris Carter, who led the team in home runs and RBIs in 2013, hopes to lower his strikeout rate way below the franchise record and major-league high 212 he had last year.
RESERVES:
C Carlos Corporan
INF Marwin Gonzalez
OF/IF Marc Krauss
1B/DH Jesus Guzman
C Carlos Corporan could be a major asset once again, especially as the Astros try to keep All-Star catcher Jason Castro healthy. Corporan was given plenty of credit last year for his leadership skills and work with the starting rotation, playing well enough for the Astros to keep Castro fresh most of the season until a cyst in the right knee soured Castro’s season in late September.
Marwin Gonzalez was perhaps the Astros’ most valuable and versatile player of spring training. The switch-hitting infielder showed improvement at the plate and hovered in the high .400s most of spring. He also played well at shortstop, second base, third base and the outfield. Manager Bo Porter often praised his versatility.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Peter Moylan (UCL strain) was hurt in mid-March and likely to undergo Tommy John Surgery.
–RHP Jesse Crain (offseason biceps surgery) continues to work toward recovery. He might be ready to start throwing by May.
–RHP Ashe Wojciechowski (right lat strain) is expected to miss the first month of the season. The pitching prospect was not expected to reach the majors out of camp, but he had hoped to make an impression. He never pitched because of a strain.