2016 Houston Astros Regular Season

Of course the only thing that could put a damper on opening day is the weather. Guess what? The weather in New York sucks. It's cold and the 95% chance of rain pretty much means it's going to be a miserable day in the Bronx. Now, they could rain out and play tomorrow because it's an open day. The reason there is an open day after opening day is something I can't answer why but the forecast today is just terrible coming on the heels of a winter storm that saw snow fall from the Midwest to the northeast coast. The low overnight was 37^o and tonight's overnight low is 23^o with a high tomorrow of 41^o! I don't understand why the new Yankee Stadium was built without a retractable roof given the climate in the Big Apple. I thought the same thing when they built the new Giants/Jets stadium in New Jersey. Why would you not build a covered stadium in a climate that gets really hot and extremely cold? Tuesday is supposed to be sunny but pretty cool, the high forecast to be 41^o. Why don't they have a covered stadium? Stupid yankees. Todays game will probably not begin at 11 AM EDT, 12 PM CDT and I am so disappointed. There should not be a game in an open air stadium scheduled in early April from Chicago to Boston including New York. There are plenty of stadiums that do have covers, play there. Hell, even Milwaukee has a retractable roof stadium and it's a good thing too because it's colder than brass balls there now and that is Houston's weekend destination. You know they will be able to play without having to freeze to death so, there's that. If the games are actually able to be played in New York this week I pray that nobody gets hurt. If they have to wait until tomorrow to play it will at least be sunny and Wednesday is supposed to be decent too but Thursday has rain forecast. I hope the team, the starting pitchers especially, gets out of New York without an injury. Opening day in New York--sweet (that is dripping with sarcasm).

 

Here's my opening day lineup forecast (when and if they get to play).

 

1. 2B Jose Altuve

2. RF George Springer

3. SS Carlos Correa

4. LF Colby Rasmus

5. 3B Luis Valbuena

6. CF Carlos Gomez

7. DH Preston Tucker

8. 1B Tyler White

9. C Jason Castro

 

SP: Dallas Keuchel (We knew that already)

 

If was reported on the Bleacher Report that the Astros would name who their closer would be yesterday. If the Astros made a decision they either forgot to tell the media or the media forgot to report it. My guess it will be Ken Giles. AJ Hinch has an out on this one because last season's closer Luke Gregerson missed most of the spring with a strained muscle in his chest. That would be the reason Hinch could give rather than just admit Giles was paid a lot of money to come in and close for the Astros. That would be a bit of a slap in the face to Gregerson and Hinch is pretty conscientious about respecting his veteran players.

 

Here's a link from the Bleacher Report article grading the Astros opening day 25 man roster.

 

http://climbingtalshill.com/2016/04/03/houston-astros-grading-the-25-man-roster/

Damn, I hate it when I'm right sometimes. As I predicted earlier the Astros-Yankees game has already been postponed due to bad weather according to the Yankees twitter account. There has not been an official announcement as yet but there should be one soon. The game is scheduled to made up tomorrow when sunny skies are predicted but it will be a cool afternoon game as the high temperature tomorrow is only supposed to be 41^o.

This has got to be the best week in sports for the whole doggone year. Monday is opening day for baseball for all but a few teams, the finals of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and the Masters golf tournament. 3 teams actually began the 2016 MLB season on Sunday but the lion's share of teams began yesterday. I'm glad the Astros and Yankees was delayed a day because of weather because, in all honesty, the men's final last night deserved a day of its own. Don't tell Cinderella didn't come to this dance because when it was all said and done she won the whole darn thing. 'Nova was the 2 seed in a weak South regional bracket and nobody honestly thought they would go very far. But, like the Energizer Bunny they just kept going and going and going. One of the biggest surprises of the men's tourney was the absolute beat down of Oklahoma in the semi-final game on Saturday and the game last night was contrast in styles. 'Nova is a 3 point shooting team who shot lights out over the past 3 weeks while North Carolina runs off its low post game and dominance on the boards. It all came down to one last shot by 'Nova at the buzzer to break a 74-74 tie with yet another 3 ball to win the championship. It is the first time since NC State beat Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma team that featured Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler with a last second dunk to complete the upset of the heavily favored Cougars. I'm glad Houston didn't have to lose their opening day to that game. Now today, the Astros will play their first game of the season in the Bronx on what is forecast to be a sunny but cool day. Keuchel vs Tanaka in a rematch of the AL Wild Card game last October. Nice. I've got my brand new Astros hat on and when I get off work I am going home and getting ready to go watch Lamar take on Nichols at the Beck. I want to see if the Cards can extend their current winning streak to 11 games. Baseball is in full swing now and my favorite golf tournament begins Thursday. Yep, best sports week ever.

Here we go folks. The 2016 baseball season is under way.

 

Top of the 1st

 

1. Altuve ground out 6-3 - 1 out

2. Springer flies out F-8 - 2 out

3. Correa strikes out swinging - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 0

Bottom of 1st

 

1. Ellsbury strikes out swinging - 1 out

2. Hick four pitch walk - Man on 1st 1 out

3. Rodriguez hits into a double play 4U-3 - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 0

Top of 2nd

 

4. Rasmus ground out 4-3 - 1 out

5. Gomez strikes out swinging - 2 out

6. Valbuena grounds out 3-1 - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 0

Bottom of 2nd

 

4. Teixeira flies out F-7 - 1 out

5 Beltran ground ball to center field - man on first 1 out

6. McCann walks on 5 pitches - men on 1st and 2nd 1 out

7 Headley grounds out 6-3; Beltran to 3rd and McCann to 2nd - 2 out

8 Castro doubles to left; Beltran and McCann score - Yankees 2 Astros 0 2 out

9 Gregorius grounds out 6-3 - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 2

Pretty chilly in NY today. Currently sunny and 38^o with a wind chill of 29^o.

 

Top of 3rd

 

7 Tucker lines out to left F-7 - 1 out

8 Gonzalez grounds out 3U - 2 out

9 Castro flies out to left F-7 - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 2

Bottom of 3rd

 

1 Ellsbury pops up to 3B F-5 - 1 out

2 Hicks struck out looking - 2 out

3 Rodriguez walks in 6 pitches - man on 1st w/ 2 out

with Teixeira batting Rodriguez steals 2nd on a 2-2 count

4 Teixeira walks on 7 pitches - men on 1st and 2nd w/ 2 out

5 Beltran pops out to 2nd F-4 - 3 out

 

Astros 0 Yankees 2

 

Keuchel has walked 4 batters in his first 3 innings. Little off + a little squeezing by ump. Keuchel has worked hard in the 2nd and 3rd and he's thrown a total of 60 pitches in 3 innings.

Tanaka has faced the minimum so far and the top of the Astros order finally comes back up.

 

Top of 4th

 

1 Altuve doubles to left field on a 3-2 pitch - man on 2nd no out

2 Springer on a 3-0 pitch get an infield hit to 3B; Altuve to 3rd Springer on 1st - no out

3 Correa grounds to 3B; 5-4 out at 2nd; Altuve scores; Correa on 1st - 1 out Astros 1 Yankees 2

4 Rasmus grounds softly to 2B 4-3; Correa to 3B - 2 out

With Rasmus batting Correa steals 2B on a 2-1 count

5 Gomez strikes out looking - 3 out

 

Shitty AB for Gomez. I don't like this guy but Tanaka got Rasmus and Gomez and stopped the bleeding.

 

Astros 1 Yankees 2

Bottom of the 4th

 

6 McCann looping fly ball single to center field - man on 1B no out

7 Headley strikes out swinging - man on 1B 1 out

8 Castro grounds into a double play 5-4-3 - 3 out

 

Astros 1 Yankees 2

Top of the 5th

 

6 Valbuena grounds out 4-3 - 1 out

7 Tucker doubles to right field corner; man on 2B 1 out

8 Gonzalez (pick off attempt of Tucker on 2B by Tanaka fails) strike out on foul tip; man on 2B 2 out

9 Castro grounds out to the pitcher 1-3 - 3 out

 

Astros 1 Yankees 2

 

Tanaka has had to work the last two innings and he is up to 71 pitches through 5 innings. Keuchel begins the Yankees half of the 5th with 73 pitches. Keuchel could use an easy 1-2-3 inning right here. He will have the top of the Astros batting order coming up in the 6th so he needs to sit down the Yanks here in the 5th.

Bottom of 5th

 

9. Gregorius ground out to 2B 4-3 - 1 out

1 Ellsbury grounds out to 2B 4-3 - 2 out

2 Hicks flies out to center field F-8 - 3 out

 

Astros 1 Yankees 2

 

Keuchel got just what he needed, an easy inning. He needed only 11 pitches to get the Yankees out in order. He walks off the mound with 82 pitches thrown. He probably has one more inning so Houston's offense needs to crank it up right now.

Top of the 6th

 

1 Altuve grounds out to SS 6-3 - 1 out

2 Springer grounds out to the pitcher 1-3 - 2 outs

3 Correa homers on a 1-0 pitch to right field - Astros 2 Yankees 2 - 2 out

4 Rasmus walks on 7 pitches (nice job coming back from a 1-2 count to get the walk; man on 1B - 2 out

Masahiro Tanaka relieved by RHP Chason Shreve. Tanaka's line: 5.2 innings/2 ER/1 BB/4 K's Rasmus is Tanaka's responsibility

5 Gomez taps back to the pitcher 1-3 - 3 outs (I'm sorry, I have no patience with this guy)

 

Astros 2 Yankees 2

Bottom of 6th

 

3 Rodriguez lines out to SS L-6 - 1 out

4 Teixeira grounds out to the pitcher 1-3 - 2 out

5 Beltran flies out to deep center field F-8 - 3 out

 

Astros 2 Yankees 2

 

Keuchel needed only 8 pitches in the 6th. It depends on how he feels and what A J Hinch feels Keuchel should go but he can go one more inning IMO. He's up to 90 pitches so he's right on the borderline of what his limit should be for a first start. Wind is brutal 14 mph out of the north and they still have a wind chill of 29^o.

Top of the 7th

 

The bottom of the Astros order hasn't done squat today. They need to pick it up.

 

6 Valbuena soft ground ball out to 2B 4-3 - 1 out

7 Tyler White pinch hitting for Preston Tucker (stupid move because Tucker is the only guy to get a hit from the 5 hole down to the 9 hole. I would have pinch hit for Valbuena) Tyler White singles to center field for his first major league hit; Man on 1B w/ 1- out

8 Gonzalez strikes out swinging on 6th pitch on check swing. - 2 out

9 Castro strikes out swinging on 7th pitch - 3 out (shitty AB by Castro)

 

Astros 2 Yankees 2

Bottom of the 7th

 

Keuchel comes out for the 7th inning but LHP Tony Sipp and RHP Will Harris are both warming up in the Astros bullpen

 

6 McCann strikes out swinging on 3 pitches - 1 out

7 Headley pops out to 2B F-4 - 2 out

8 Castro strikes out swinging on six pitches - 3 out

 

Astros 2 Yankees 2

 

 

Keuchel has retired 11 batters in a row and he's thrown 106 pitches. You have to feel Keuchel has done his job. If he is going to get the win the offense needs to step up. Fortunately the top of the Astros order is up.

Top of the 8th

 

Pitching change Chason Shreve is replaced by Dellin Betances.

Shreve's line: 1.1 innings/0 R/1 hit/0 BB's/2 K's

 

1 Altuve walks on 5 pitches; man on 1B no out

2 Springer flies out to left F-7 - man on 2B - 1 out

On a 0-1 count Altuve steals 2B

3 Correa grounds back to pitcher 1-3 but throwing error on Betances down the right field line. Correa safe at 1B; Altuve scores from 2B; man on 1B - 1 out Astros 3 Yankees 2

Yankees dispute the call saying runner ran in the field of play and interfered with play. Call upheld play by umps. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has announced that the game is being played under protest.

4 Rasmus walks on 6 pitches; men on 1B and 2B - 1 out

On a 2-2 pitch Correa attempts to steal 2B. Correa called out. Astros challenge the call. Call is overturned and Correa steals 2B.

5 Gomez strikes out swinging; men on 1st and 2nd - 2 outs (3rd K on Gomez today - did I mention I don't like him?)

6 Valbuena lines a single to left; Correa and Rasmus score; Valbuena advances to 2B on the throw to the plate; Astros 5 Yankees 2 - 2 out

Pitching change Betances replaced by Johnny Barbato

Line for Betances; 2/3 inning pitched/3 R; 1 ER/1 hit/2 BB's/1 K

7 White hit by pitch on the hand; men on 1st and 2nd; White stays in the game - 2 out

8 Gonzalez strikes out swinging - 3 out

 

Astros 5 Yankees 2

Bottom of the 8th

 

Pitching change; Keuchel replaced by RHP Ken Giles

Line for Keuchel; 7 innings/2 ER's/3 hits/4 BB's/5 K's

 

9 Gregorius hits HR on 2-2 pitch to right center field; Astros 5 Yankees 3 no out

1 Ellsbury strikes out swinging on 9th pitch - 1 out

2 Brett Gardner pinch hitting for Hicks; Gardner strikes out looking on 4th pitch a 95 mph fastball - 2 out

3 Rodriguez grounds out to SS 6-3 - 3 out

 

Astros 5 Yankees 3

 

Seems as though Giles got pissed off after giving up the lead off HR to the Yankee 9 hitter. Set the Yankees down in order after that with 2 K's

Top of the 9th

 

This is a situation I can see Gregerson blowing. I hope Houston gets a couple of insurance runs.

 

9 Castro strikes out swinging - 1 out

Castro had a good spring but he sucked today going 0-4 with 2 K's. Looking just like last year.

1 Altuve lined out to left field F-8 - 2 out

2 Springer strikes out swinging on 3 pitches (all sliders) - 3 out

 

Astros 5 Yankees 3

 

Bad AB's by Castro and especially Springer who chases 3 pitches off the outside of the plate. It's all up to Gregerson now----God help us.

Bottom of the 9th

 

Pitching change; Luke Gregerson comes in for Giles

Line for Giles: 1 IP/1 R/1 hit/0 BB's/2 K's

 

4 Teixeira grounds out to SS 6-3 - 1 out

5 Beltran strikes out swinging on 3 pitches - 2 out

6 McCann grounds out to 1B 3-1 -3 out

 

Astros 5 Yankees 3

 

Final line for Barbato: 1.1 IP/0 R/0 Hits/0 BB's/0 K's

Final line for Gregerson: 1 IP/0 R/0 Hits/0 BB's/1 K

WP: Keuchel (1-0)

LP : Betances (0-1)

SV : Gregerson (1)

 

2B Altuve (1); Tucker (1)

Correa 2 RBI's; Valbuena 2 RBI's

HR Correa (1) 6th inning off Tanaka 0 on 2 out

Team RISP: 2-11

Team LOB: 6

SB: Correa (2); Altuve (1)

 

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Houston has not lost an opening day game since joining the American League in 2013.

The Yankees have now lost 5 opening day games in a row.

The game was the 2nd coldest on record played by the Astros.

The Astros are tied for AL West lead with Texas by one game after one game. Just joking.

Edited April 5, 2016 by eagle eye

Yesterday's game was a testimony to the value of grit and determination. Dallas Keuchel didn't have his A game. He allowed a base runner in every inning in the first 5 innings. He made a mistake to the Yankees #8 hitter Starlin Castro who hit a 2 run double in the 2nd inning and that was after Keuchel gave up a single and a walk to set the table for Castro. It was cold and windy and the only saving grace was that the sun was out and shining brightly. During the radio broadcast the guys were talking about how the conditions affect the pitchers. About how, when it's cold and the air is dry, the baseball feels more like a cue ball and you do anything to get some moisture on your hands. Despite the fact that he struggled for 5 innings didn't deter Keuchel. He found another gear and shut down the Yankees offense in the sixth and seventh to not only get a quality start, it was a Cy Young worthy start. Two runs in seven innings of work is stellar especially when you consider the weather conditions.

The top of the Astros line up did their job. They scratched and clawed for every run they got. Of course the go ahead run in 8th was scored on throwing error by Yankees pitcher Dellin Betances who was trying to get Carlos Correa out on a dribbler up the first base line. Betances chunked the throw over 1B Mark Teixeira's head into right field with allowed Jose Altuve to score from 2B. Correa was 1-4 officially but he did reach on a fielder's choice play and he scored both times he was on base. He also had 2 RBI's in the game including a solo HR in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2. Preston Tucker was 1-2 in the game before being pulled for pinch hitter Tyler White who got his first big league hit in his first AB. White was hit on the hand by a pitch in his 2nd AB. White stayed in the game but he is listed as day to day for the time being but x-rays on his hand were negative so that is a good thing. Carlos Gomez and Marwin Gonzalez had terrible games at the plate. Both were 0-4 with 3 strike outs and Gomez especially looked lost. I expected more from Gonzalez who got the start at 1B. If I were managing I would have pinch hit for one of those guys instead of Tucker. But, it all worked out and Houston got a gutsy win in the Bronx.

The Astros send Colin McHugh to the mound this evening and the Yankees counter with Michael Pineda in a 6:05 PM CDT start. Of course a win tonight would guarantee the Astros win the opening series against the Yankees and that would be a nice way to start the season.

Did you hear that? That big ol' thud sound? Maybe it was drowned out by all the cracks off the Yankees bats. Last night's game was ugly from the git-go. 2015 19 game winner Colin McHugh was barely able to record a single out before he gave up 6 runs when he got the hook by A J Hinch. The trouble was Michael Feliz wasn't much better. He lasted 4.1 innings giving up the same 6 runs. By the end of the 3rd inning McHugh and Feliz had dug a hole the Astros bats couldn't dig their way out of because the Yankees had scored 12 runs. The Astros bats tried to get them back in the game but they didn't have enough firepower to keep up with the Yankees onslaught.

Houston jumped out to a one run lead in the top of the first then the bottom fell out. McHugh gave up six in the bottom of the frame with Feliz allowing runners charged to McHugh scoring before getting the final out. Houston tried making a comeback in the 2nd by scoring 4 runs which featured a grand slam HR by George Springer making the score 6-5 Yankees after 1-1/2 innings. In the 2nd and 3rd NY tacked on 3 more runs in each inning so by the end of the 3rd the Yanks led 12-5 and that was pretty much all she wrote. The rest of the game was an exercise in futility. When it was all said and done the Astros lost 16-6 in a game that I'm sure McHugh would love a do-over because that is definitely not the way he wanted to begin his 2016 campaign. I'm not making excuses for him because Dallas Keuchel had worse conditions but the weather was cold and the wind was blowing hard and last night it was blowing out toward the outfield whereas on Tuesday the wind was blowing in and Keuchel was a definite beneficiary of that. McHugh had trouble locating his pitches and he just didn't have his best stuff. I think he was victimized by the cold and windy conditions and stuff like that happens. I'm going on the premise that last night was an anomaly and not the rule.

One thing you hope isn't an anomaly was the night Carlos Correa had. He went 4-5 with two HR's and he's looking like the superstar he's been touted as coming into the season. Yesterday was Correa's first opening day in the bigs and, assuming he doesn't get hurt, 2016 will be his first full season in the bigs. You'd have to say he's looking good so far. Tyler White played his second career big league game last night and he made his first start in the field at 1B. Last night he went 2-4 at the plate and showed no ill effects after being hit in the finger by a pitch late in yesterday's game. Colby Rasmus bounced back after an oh-fer game Tuesday as he went 2-4. In all Houston banged out 12 hits and scored six runs but it was far too little after the poor night the pitching staff had.

The next man up for Houston today is Mike Fiers who, coming from Baltimore, should be used to pitching in cold weather conditions. At any rate he will be on the hill for Houston and RHP Nathan Eovaldi will be pitching for the Yanks as Houston looks to wrap up this first series win this afternoon beginning at 3:05 CDT.

The pitching staff was perceived as a strength coming into the season didn't show up after Tuesday, period. After Colin McHugh got bombed Wednesday along with every reliever that came in after him the hope was that Mike Fiers would be able to hold up and help the Astros win the series. Didn't happen Fiers gave up 5 runs in 5 innings and a couple of innings later the supposed savior of the bullpen, the high dollar guy that cost us former #1 draft pick Mark Appel, gave up a 2 out 3 run homer to Mark Teixeira to break a 5-5 tie and that's how the game ended giving the Yankees the opening series win with an 8-5 victory. In the final two games the Astors had double digit hits in both games and scored 6 and 5 runs and lost because the pitching staff gave up at total of 24 runs in the final two games, 16 on Wednesday and 8 yesterday. In most games you play scoring 5 or 6 runs is enough to win and Houston did that despite the fact that it took 9 AB's before Carlos Gomez got his first hit of the season or they got zero production at the plate from the catcher spot. Both Jason Castro and Erick Kratz went oh-fer for the entire series. Also the Astros scored 5 runs yesterday without the top 3 hitters in the lineup never got a hit or reached base in a way for the game and second four in the lineup carried the game for Houston. Rasmus, Gomez, Valbuena and White carried the game offensively for Houston. Let's not forget about Preston Tucker who had a hit in two AB's with an RBI and a run scored. The fact is Tyler White has come out smoking hot at the plate and yesterday was his best day yet going 3-4 with four RBI's including a 2-run HR and Preston Tucker has been pretty darn good to as he contributed the other RBI and scored a run in only 2 official AB's.

 

Early bitches:

> I have the opinion that AJ Hinch is too in love with the righty vs lefty, lefty vs righty dynamic when the opposing team changes pitchers. In both the final two games of this opening series Hinch pulled a guy with a hot bat out of the lineup because the new pitcher threw from the opposite side that starter threw from compelled Hinch to pull the batter even though the guy swung a hot bat an inserted a guy who hit from the other side. Personally, I don't pull a guy with a hot stick out of the lineup especially when the guy I'm putting in hasn't done squat for me. Tuesday and yesterday Hinch did exactly that. He pulled Preston Tucker who has been hitting the ball well since the season began and who was 1-2 with an RBI yesterday for Marwin Gonzalez who hasn't gotten a hit yet and Tuesday he pulled Tucker who was the only man in the bottom third of the lineup who had been hitting the ball for Tyler White who ended up getting his first big league hit. The trouble was Marwin Gonzalez and Carlos Gomez hadn't done anything and should have been the ones yanked rather than Tucker. This bitch is one I've had with Hinch since last year.

> WTF has happened since Houston has left Florida is crazy. This pitching staff looked pretty good in spring training and after Keuchel's gutty performance on Tuesday the pitching staff has been awful. Maybe I'm not giving the Yankees enough credit. They were a playoff team a 6 months ago. You can't judge a season by 3 games but I'd sure would have liked the pitchers come out better than what they've shown. It will be nice to get Lance McCullers back.

> I hate to keep harping on Ken Giles. The deal that allowed Houston go get him from Philadelphia was on Houston paid much too dearly for IMO and his poor spring and so-so start to 2016 hasn't exactly been what we paid for. In 2015 Giles gave up only 2 HR's all season but in just 2 appearances in 2016 he's given up two HR's. The first wasn't a disaster but it wasn't good either. It was Tuesday and Houston and Dallas Keuchel has scratched out a 5-3 lead when Giles gave off a lead off HR in the 8th inning to help NY close the gap to 5-4. He retired the Yanks in order after that so it was no harm no foul. Yesterday was different. Houston was tied 5-5 when he came on, again, in the 8th and allowed 2 base runners followed by a 3 run HR to give the Yankees the lead and eventually the win. Not good Ken.

 

This has been a week of firsts for Houston's newest first baseman Tyler White. On Tuesday he got his first major league AB and his first major league hit in that at bat. In his second AB he was hit by a pitch for the first time as a major leaguer. On Wednesday he played a position for the first time as a major league because he was a DH for the first time on Tuesday. Wednesday he got his first HR and his first RBI as a major leaguer. It was the first time he had 4 AB's in a major league game and he got his first ever multi hit game going 2-4. Yesterday White got his first 3 hit game as he went 3-4 and he had his first 4 RBI game as a major leaguer. There are a lot of "firsts" White has experienced in his first 3 games as a major leaguer but he is what has been advertised. A guy who doesn't strike out very often and guy who puts the ball in play with a little bit of power. So far after three games White is hitting a freakish .667 with an OPB of 1.811 in just 10 official AB's plus he's been on base in 9 of those 10 AB's because he was hit (get this) by the first major league pitch of Yankees reliever Johnny Barbato. He'll come back to earth at some point with some less favorable firsts but right now he has got to be riding around on cloud nine.

 

The Astros left NY and will begin a 3 gamer with Milwaukee tonight. Scott Feldman (5-5 in 18 starts with a 3.90 ERA of in 2015) will pitch for the Astros and Chase Anderson (6-6 in 27 starts with a 4.30 ERA in 2015) will go for the Brewers. It is a very early interleague series for both clubs but Houston and Milwaukee are old division rivals from the days when Houston was still in the National League.

What the hell is going on here? Our starting pitchers have SUCKED! Even Keuchel wasn't very good early in the opener in NY but at least he righted the ship and went 7 strong. Nobody else has done squat. Now, I will admit while Feldman wasn't very good early he made a bit of a comeback after the 2nd inning pitching two shutout innings after giving up 4 in the first two. 3 in the 1st and 1 in the 2nd to spot the Brewers a 4 run lead. Josh Fields came on in the 8th to give Milwaukee a 6 zip lead. Houston mounted a comeback in the 9th scoring 4 runs mainly on the strength of a Tyler White 3 run jack but the rally fell short after Colby Rasmus was called for an illegal slide into 2nd base on a Jose Altuve ground ball to 2nd base. Rasmus was out by a mile but the ball was hit too softly to get Altuve but the umps called Rasmus on the Utley rule which meant Altuve was out as well. AJ Hinch was one pissed off camper and he challenged the call but it was upheld. He was still fuming about it after the game. This incident was the 2nd enforcement of the Utley rule so far this season and in both instances it was pretty much a bogus call IMO. Houston can't get out of their own way to this point in the season and to lose to a team that is considered to be not very good is just too much to bear. You look forward to the season getting started and have such high expectations going in that for Houston to be 1-3 at this point sucks the big one.

Without rookie Tyler White Houston would have been humiliated over the past week. Yesterday's game could easily have a been 6-0 shutout if not for White's heroics. So far in 4 games White has had 13 AB's with 9 hits (no misprint--9) including 2 doubles, 2 HR's and 2 runs scored with 7 RBI's and 3 K's. The only thing White hasn't done is draw a walk but who's complaining? It sure as heck is not me. White's 9 hits broke a franchise record of 5 in 4 games by Ken Caminiti way back in 1987. Gee whiz is this kid on a streak! Too bad the rest of the team isn't keeping some sort of pace. I suppose you could Carlos Correa and Preston Tucker are doing their part but it's not enough to offset the total crap of the starting pitching so far. It doesn't help that Jose Altuve and George Springer are colder than a carp in an ice chest. Springer actually has more K's than hits so far.

Houston has made a couple of roster moves this past week. After getting carved up by the Yankees hitters on Wednesday Michael Feliz was optioned to AAA Fresno. To take Feliz' spot Houston called up P Chris Devenski from Fresno. Devenski didn't make it in time to play in any of the games against the Yankees but he made the trip to Milwaukee with the team and he actually got to pitch 3 innings in relief of Scott Feldman. He did a nice job giving up no runs on just one hit with 4 K's and no walks. That, my friends, is a quality relief appearance. Of course Josh Fields came on in the Brewer's 8th and allowed 2 more runs. I'm about done with Fields. Yeah, he can throw hard but he sucks at getting people out on a consistent basis. Sure makes all the pitchers Jeff Luhnow has been throwing away in trades seem all the more worse.

 

Doug Fister (5-7 in 15 starts and 25 appearances with an ERA of 4.19 in 2015) will try to stem the tide of bad starts tonight when he takes the hill against the Brewers. Milwaukee counters with RHP Wily Peralta (5-10 in 20 starts with an ERA of 4.80 in 2015). The first pitch is at 6:10 CDT. If the Astros beginning to the season wasn't tough enough Houston returns home Monday to begin a series with defending world champs KC Royals. If Houston doesn't clean up their act and pronto they could find themselves in a hell of hole starting the season.