Alyson Footer gives some personal insight to the game against the Braves today in her blog, including photos of Jeff Bagwell in uniform chatting with Lance Berkman and John Kruk.

She also talks about Roy Oswalt and his future battery mate Brian McCann on Astros.mlb.com.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz writes about the pressure on the shoulders of Michael Bourn.

Finally, Big League Stew asks where in the world is Craig Biggio.

The Astros fell to the Braves today 8-7 after their bullpen coughed up the lead.

From Astros.com

Stros at the plate: “Jason Michaels and Miguel Tejada recorded doubles off Jorge Campillo in a three-run first inning. Chris Johnson produced a third-inning sacrifice fly and then added an RBI double off Mike Gonzalez in the fifth inning”

Stros on the mound: Pretty much, Roy: “Oswalt made a successful exhibition season debut, allowing two runs and one hit in three innings. Two of the four strikeouts he recorded came at the expense of reigning National League batting champion Chipper Jones. ”

I caught some of this game in between classes at school today.  When I tuned in, the bottom of the 7th or top of the 8th, Houston was up 7-2 and Arias was on the mound.  He pitched really well and had a 1-2-3 inning.  Apparently after that Atlanta scored four off of Sergio Perez and two off of Gilbert De La Vara.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz has some nice insight to Roy and Brandon Backe’s performance: ”

“Oswaltstruck out the side in the first inning and gave up two runs over three innings with four strikeouts Thursday against the Braves. At a time in camp when starters are limited to one or maybe two innings, the veteran righthander tossed three innings and 53 pitches.

“I’m ahead of last year by a lot,” he said. “Everything feels pretty good. The ball was a little slick today. But everything felt pretty well. I’m way ahead of schedule from last year, for sure. I think I started earlier and it helped out a lot.

“To go out and throw 50 pitches your first outing is pretty good, especially getting up and down. That’s the biggest thing. You can throw 50 pitches before you come, but if you do it consistently it’s a little different than getting up and down, getting up and down, getting up and down. Today was good. You get to go out there three different times and get loose. I felt pretty well.”

In his only start before heading to the World Baseball Classic, Oswalt held the Braves to one hit, a two-run home run by David Ross in the second inning.

He walked one batter, hit another and threw 34 of his 53 pitches for strikes, finishing with a 94-mph fastball for a called third strike on Chipper Jones. He also struck out Jones in the first inning on a changeup, a pitch he has worked on this spring.

“It’s feeling better,” he said. “I’m getting a little more confidence in it.”

Jones was impressed with the changeup, saying, “The bottom fell out of it.”

That is exciting stuff about Roy.

Coop on Roy, Backe, and Arias: “Roy and Brandon both looked very, very sharp,” Cecil Cooper said. “Roy in particular was crisp. I saw a lot of life on his fastball. He actually threw some very good breaking balls too. He had some pretty good motion. And he looked like he was pretty close to midseason form.

“I thought Brandon pitched pretty well. He kept the ball down and he used his changeup. He was just going to throw fastball, changeups today. I thought Brandon threw the ball pretty well too. I was impressed with Arias too.”"

Jose de jesus Ortizof the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Astros have renewed outfielder Hunter Pence’s contract for 09 for $450,000. 

It sounds like the front office is trying to work out a deal to pay Pence more and that the deal may be worked out by March 11th.  He definitely deserves more than that.

If Pence stays in the majors the whole year, which lord help us if he doesn’t, he will be eligible for arbitration in 2010.

Richard Justice wrote a great article on Houston Astros’ relief pitcher Wesley Wright.  Check it out here.

Also, ESPN’s Jason Grey has an article on Hunter Pence.  Check it out here.

According to Alyson Footer of astros.mlb.com Miguel Tejada will not play in the World Baseball Classic.

“Tejada is apparently low on the shortstop depth chart for the Dominican team, behind Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez. It’s likely he would have been asked to play first base, a position he has never played in the big leagues.

“I heard from somebody that they’re going to make me play first base or another position,” Tejada said. “I don’t want to do that. I feel I’m a good enough shortstop for me to be playing my position. If they think that I’m not, it’s good to let somebody else play.

“I love my country and I respect my country. I don’t want to do something where I can hurt my country. If I play another position that I’ve never played, I might hurt my country. I might make an error, because I don’t know how to play first base. I don’t know how to play another position. I could do something wrong, and I don’t want to do that.”

Cecil Cooper had this to say about Tejada:

“He’s a key component to what we do defensively,” Cooper said. “He’s got to do his work. You take a person out of that comfort zone, it makes it tough for him. He’s not 22 anymore. He needs to work on things he needs to work on.”

From astros.mlb.com

Stros at the plate : “Jason Smith put the Astros on the board first, driving in Darin Erstad with an RBI triple in the fifth frame. Michael Bourn knocked a double in the sixth to drive in Drew Sutton. Mark Saccomanno tripled to lead off the seventh and scored when center fielder Roger Bernadina overthrew home plate after fielding Humberto Quintero’s fly ball. Reggie Abercrombie drove in two with a double later in that inning, and Chris Johnson knocked a solo homer in the eighth”

Stros on the mound : “Mike Hampton turned a rough beginning into a solid outing, allowing no runs over two scoreless frames. He hit the first batter he faced and walked the next two to load the bases, but he struck out Austin Kearns and coaxed a double play from Jesus Flores to end the inning. Russ Ortiz, a fifth-starter hopeful, allowed one hit over two innings”

Sounds like Hampton got off to a shaky start but settled down.  From JJO of the Houston Chronicle, Hampton on his own performance and Cooper on Hampton:

“My arm felt good,” Hampton said after throwing two hitless innings. “My body felt good. Obviously location wasn’t where it needs to be, but all in all I felt good out there. Pitches and location will come. I got through with no hits, no runs. It wasn’t pretty at times, but I got there.”

“Mike seemed to be just a little bit tentative early, missing the zone a little bit,” Cooper said. “But then after … the first three (guys) he started to pitch a little bit and was real sharp. Russ, I thought, threw the ball really well.”

Apparently Hampton’s start was delayed due to the governor of Florida running late.

Houston’s Spring Training Record 1-0-0

So far so good.

Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence all sat out of today’s game.  Berkman, Tejada, and Lee will all play tomorrow.

Here is the lineup Cooper used for the game today:

Matsui 2b
Bourn cf
Pence rf
Blum 3b
Michaels lf
Erstad dh
Boone 1b
Smith ss
Towles c

Houston will play the Atlanta Braves tomorrow at Disney starting at 1:05 ET.  Roy Oswalt will make the start.

According to Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle, Miguel Tejada may reconsider his bid to play in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic.

“At the same time, I have to realize that this is the last year in my contract and I need to work hard because I want to show all the other teams that there’s still a lot left in me. God willing, I want to start the season well to see if Houston wants me to stay here, which would be my desire.”

With Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins and Jose Reyes of the New York Mets playing for the Dominican squad, Tejada is looking like the odd man out at short.  Because he may have to play a different position than that of the one he plays for Houston, Tejada is reconsidering. 

“I think it’s more important for me to prepare to play short, because that’s what I’ll play here,” he said. “But as I’ve said, I’ve always been honored to represent my country. It doesn’t matter how I represent it, I have always loved to wear my country’s jersey and hold my country’s flag.”

Tejada said that with the Astros’ approval, he would still play in the WBC at a different position, but only if they OK’d it.

“I can’t go to the Classic to play another position when I have a team where I work and then I’d go play another position. I think for Houston it would be an honor for me to go there and play my position. Even if it wasn’t every day, but at least I’d be playing the position I’d be playing here the whole season.

“If the team accepts that I go and play another position, I’d even be a catcher. I’d play any position they’d tell me to play. But first I have to check with the team. I don’t know what decision the team will make.”

Some media links for today:

Richard Justice makes 15 “rock-solid” predictions for the Astros’ 2009 season including Roy Oswalt winning the Cy Young and Lance Berkman winning the MVP.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz gives a look-in to Houston’s intra-squad game today.

Alyson Footer writes in her Spring Training blog about her day today at Spring Training, including her having to ask Darin Erstad about his face injury.

Finally, former star of Teen Wolf Tim Kurkjian posts an Astros video on his Spring Training blog.  The way the video finishes will make any Stros fan smile.

Richard Justice discusses first round draft pick Jason Castro’s playing time this spring.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz talks to Cecil Cooper about his contract status with the team.

And finally, Dan Shaugnessy relives some great Spring Training moments while making me wish I had his job…well, if he covered Houston.

Toby Hall was considering rehab to treat his torn labrum but has decided on shoulder surgery instead.  According to Alyson Footer of astros.mlb.com  Houston has voided Hall’s contract and are looking to pin the surgery bill on the White Sox, where Hall injured the shoulder initially.

Hall’s plans for now?

“Now it gives me peace of mind, after seeing the MRI and seeing what I’ve been dealing with for the last couple of years, puts me at ease about getting it fixed,” he said. “I’m going to fly around this week and meet with a few doctors and try to narrow it down to see who’s going to give me my future.”

That narrows it down to  J.R. Towles, Humberto Quintero, and Lou Palmisano for the Astros catching job.