Grapefruit League record (thought meaningless): 6-6
Today's starters: LHP Wandy Rodriguez vs. RHP Jason Marquis
Other pitchers scheduled for today are Tim Byrdak, Gustavo Chacin, Roy Corcoran and Wilton Lopez.
Lineups for today, courtesy of Zach Levine's Twitter:
1) Michael Bourn, CF
2) Kazuo Matsui, 2B
3) Hunter Pence, RF
4) Carlos Lee, LF
5) Chris Shelton, 1B
6) Chris Johnson, 3B
7) Tommy Manzella, SS
8) Humberto Quintero, C
9) Wandy Rodriguez, P
Listen to the game here. If you are in the Houston area, you can listen to the game on 790 KBME.
0 recs | 76 comments
Bourn and Matsui on the corners in the 1st, and Pence drives in a run.
clack - March 17, 2010
If only the Astros could play the Nationals every game
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
probably a lot of teams could say that.
The one thing that Nats fans are looking forward to this year: when Strasburg is called up.
clack - March 17, 2010
Shelton off to a bad start
Error in the top of the first inning.
Struck out with baes loaded in the bottom of the first
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Chris Johnson with 3 run double.
clack - March 17, 2010
Have to like the power he’s displayed this spring. I hope he has a great year at Round Rock and improves his ISO enough to overcome his weaknesses.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
Chris Johnson
Two-out Double with bases loaded.
Nice story about Chris Johnson and his dad in the Red Sox game by the way
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Q with double and RBI.
Marquis, the Nats’ big pitching free agent, not looking so good. The one thing that always bothered me about Marquis is that he is prone to these terrible innings from time to time.
clack - March 17, 2010
He’s an extreme GB pitcher with a very poor K/BB ratio. Remember me saying I’m not a fan of those types of pitchers? That’s why :)
OremLK - March 17, 2010
I have to say that the Red Sox show some class. Francona switches Ron Johnson from the first base coach to third base coach, so that he can be near his son when Chris is on defense. The Red Sox organization surprises Ron Johnson last season by paying for a trip to MMP to watch his son’s ML debut with the Astros.
clack - March 17, 2010
I could like the Red Sox
if not for their fans.
The organization does a lot of right things.
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Quintero doubled
Johnson scored
5-0
Starting pitching (Wandy) batting in the first inning always a poistive (if it’s your team doing the batting) .
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
1-2-3 second inning for Wandy. Not really particularly noteworthy…other than it’s always good when you don’t allow any base runners.
clack - March 17, 2010
Bourn with his second hit today. Nice to see, given that he had been slumping. Milo points out that he has had two consecutive opposite field hits. When he has been interviewed about his improvment last year, Bourn pointed to his willingness to go the other way.
clack - March 17, 2010
second walk today for Matsui. Another trend you like to see.
clack - March 17, 2010
Matsui should steal
OremLK - March 17, 2010
Well, nevermind then!
OremLK - March 17, 2010
Carlos Lee with long drive which brings in another run.
clack - March 17, 2010
sac fly RBI for Shelton as Matsui comes in to score.
clack - March 17, 2010
7-0 after two innings
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
After 2 innings, Astros lead 7-0.
clack - March 17, 2010
If you wanna hang out youve got to take her out
cocaine.
Way to go, Ron! Cooper may have done a ton of bad things for the Astros, but at least he…well….you can see where I’m going with this.
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
Maybe Washington is a bodybuilder
or steroids user
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
i just saw the comments in David's article this morning
concerning steroid use. interesting stuff.
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
Great
Now We will have people claiming all managers in the 2010 decade did cocaine… It will be said that it gave them the advantage of being able to prepare better for opposing teams… Bigest scandal since the steroid era is about to begin…
Z-Dub - March 17, 2010 via mobile
Question of the day
How will the Rangers management react?
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
apparently
they’ve already said they’re going to keep him around
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
Ranger were impressed with the way that Washington responded, apparently. He fessed up to the coke usage before his results came back and he didn’t make excuses. This is a good answer for Washington to give to reporters asking for details on the incident:
However, if you’re the Rangers, I think you have to be especially concerned about this if your manager is overseeing a recovering addict like Josh Hamilton. Hopefully they don’t go out together socially.
clack - March 17, 2010
Homerun by
Willie Taveras
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Willy Taveras goes deep. HR just over Carlos Lee’s glove. Milo’s voice breaks into different octaves with surprise.
clack - March 17, 2010
Kaz has two walks
in two at bats. Nice.
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
Elijah Dukes
Did you guys see he had been released.
Astros aren’t interested in case you were wondering.
Timothy De Block - March 17, 2010
Given Wade’s predilection for good “clubhouse personalities,” that’s not surprising. It will be interesting to see what other teams will do, in terms of picking him up. The Nats are being close mouthed about the reasons for letting him, calling it a “baseball decision.” But I’m sure GMs have to wonder, in the back of their mind, whether Dukes had another bad incident which no one is talking about.
clack - March 17, 2010
I typically like to believe in second chances for people, however I’m not discounting the possibility of an incident happening. I believe he is a hold over though from the previous regime so this may just be cleaning out some of the old parts.
Timothy De Block - March 17, 2010
Dukes is 25
not really an “old part”
Part of the Nationals fans rage centers on Dukes not getting enough at-bas to improve.
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
I wasn’t trying to refer to him as old, but someone who was in place before the current regime took charge.
Timothy De Block - March 17, 2010
With only limited research
my sense is it is not an off-field incident, but that Dukes is seen as a clubhouse cancer.
The Nationals fans are totally stunned. They don’t buy the “performance based decision” explanation.
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Yes, I have a hard time believing the performance related explanation. He may be having a bad spring in terms of hitting, but so do a lot of players, and we all know about sample sizes, etc. For a young cheap player, still under team control and with options remaining, with Duke’s talent level and recent high level offensive performance, this is not a typical baseball decision. Most teams would continue to hold onto the young player, even if it means sending them to the minors.
clack - March 17, 2010
Homerun
Josh Willingham.
Astros 7 Nationals 2
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Riveting commentory
On the theory of wanting to be .500 and players not wanting to do to well in spring training.
Timothy De Block - March 17, 2010
Tim Byrdak pitching
He really, really, really needs a good outing.
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
And he gets one. Good for him. Would still probably rather have somebody else, but then again, I like all our other lefties as potential starters.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
A little surprised Chris Johnson wasn't cut?
A lot of the NRIs were just outrighted or released. Wonder if Mills is pushing to have Johnson on the big league team?
OremLK - March 17, 2010
CJ's dad
is calling in a favor..hehe
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
What are the chances
That they put Feliz on 1st and Johnson at 3rd or viceversa If betrkman can’t go on opening day?
Z-Dub - March 17, 2010 via mobile
Interesting possibility.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
hmmm...
i haven’t heard that idea…although i think shelton is wade’s “kinda guy”.
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
I believe he made it all the way to the last cuts last spring, so cutting him on the first cut this year wouldn’t be very prudent. Plus I imagine you want to evaluate his performance against some tougher competition as more and more minor leaguers and NRI are cut.
Timothy De Block - March 17, 2010
our minds are thinking the same way…
clack - March 17, 2010
I agree gents....
jano4 - March 17, 2010
I think the Astros still really, really want Chris Johnson to work out as a prospect. They probably want to keep him around so that Mills can continue to evaluate him. I doubt that it means they will keep him on the roster. So far, Johnson is doing what he needs to do to impress.
clack - March 17, 2010
I would like
For Johnson to get a shot even if it’s just a few days while Lance is down (hopefully he’s back sooner)… I know he doesn’t project to be that good but we’ll never know if he can hit big league pitching unless he’s given more of an oppurtunity..
Z-Dub - March 17, 2010 via mobile
Can someone give me Wandy's line for today
thanks…
jano4 - March 17, 2010
4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 2 HR
OremLK - March 17, 2010
nice K:BB
Evan Hochschild - March 17, 2010
Very.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
thanks..
great K/BB good to see Wandy rounding into form….
jano4 - March 17, 2010
Only bad part was the two homeruns
Drayton McLane oserved both came off high pitches
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Hopefully Johnson ...
Is feeling the heat from Feliz signing and knows he better put up or shut up. We need him to produce this year, and make the bigs….
jano4 - March 17, 2010
Just got his second hit of the day
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Michaels with a no doubter HR. He is having a good spring.
clack - March 17, 2010
He needs a better start than last year
Z-Dub - March 17, 2010 via mobile
Score update??
jano4 - March 17, 2010
Still 10-2, bases loaded nobody out (I think).
OremLK - March 17, 2010
Geez....
Sure is a much better spring than last year….
jano4 - March 17, 2010
Now 11-2 with two out on a sac fly by Bourgeois.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
Roy Corcoran pitched an easy 1-2-3 inning (for the Astros)
11 Nationals in row retired
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Wilton Lopez pitching the ninth
First batter (Maxwell ) singled
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Wilton Lopez into pitch and he gives up two consecutive hits to start 9th. But he does have a really big lead.
clack - March 17, 2010
Runners on second and third - one out
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Two outs
pop up to catcher
Eric Bruntlett batting (3 strikeouts today)
Flied to Center (Sullivan)
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Game over
Astros ST record: 7-6
OremLK - March 17, 2010
ASTROS WIN 11-2
Nats missed Elijah Dukes (and Ryan Zimmerman).
Joe in Birmingham - March 17, 2010
Just a note:
After today’s blowout, the Astros are now second in Spring Training OPS for all of Major League Baseball. On the flip side, we are 26th in ERA.
Not that it matters, but I found that interesting.
OremLK - March 17, 2010
what is the ERA for the Nats? It seems like they are losing every game as a blow out. No, I don’t think the pitching/hitting rankings mean much at this point. Teams are using lots of pitchers in each game, many of whom will never make the 25 man roster, and it seems like the pitchers are still trying to find their control and feel for pitches this early in the spring.
clack - March 17, 2010
You’re right, they’re in last place in ERA by a large margin with 7.92.
Ours is 5.65 and we’re now in 25th after some other games completed.
Link
OremLK - March 17, 2010
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