The Astros returned Gilibert De La Vara back to the Royals today per the Rule 5 Draft:

“After De La Vara, 24, cleared waivers, general manager Ed Wade offered him back to the Royals for $25,000, half of what the Astros paid when they selected him during the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings last December. ”

The team also sent down Edwin Maysonet after acquiring Jeff Keppinger (J-Kepp!), pretty much giving the back up infielder position to Jason Smith.

Here is Footer on Edwin, Jason, and the rest of the prospects:

“The Astros roster is pretty much set. Edwin Maysonet was sent down today, which means Jason Smith probably has locked up the utility infielder job. Chris Johnson is still in big league camp, but now that Jeff Keppinger is joining the club, it’s likely Johnson will start the year at Triple-A. I would expect Johnson to accompany the team home to Houston this weekend and then head to Round Rock after Saturday’s game. ”

Also from Footer’s blog, Ed Wade on Maysonet:

“He’s going to play in the big leagues for a long time. At some point, he’s going to get the opportunity to do it. I just told him, when I got here before last season, people like Tal [Smith] and David [Gottfried] and Ricky [Bennett] and others talked about Maysonet and his ability to play defense all over the place, and his bat was coming, and that’s exaclty what we saw when he was here.”

“He had a few rough spots in Spring Training defensively, but he has exceptional hands and a strong arm and great instincts. He’s going to hit enough to play a lot of games in the big leagues. Right now, with the ability to get a guy like Keppinger, I think it’s more appropriate for Edwin to go back and get those at-bats at Triple-A.”

The scoop from stros.com:

Carlos Lee…er the Stros at the plate: “Michael Bourn opened the game with a triple and scored on Pudge Rodriguez’s base hit. Carlos Lee lifted a sacrifice fly to score Rodriguez, who had advanced to third on Darin Erstad’s double. Lee drove in another run in the third with a double. Jason Smith led off the fifth with a double and scored on a Rodriguez base hit. Lee knocked a two-run homer in the seventh.”

More of this please. Thank you. Carlos could have won the game on his own with his four steaks.

Stros on the bump: “Russ Ortiz, the projected fifth starter, allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits over six innings. ”

Alyson Footer gives the 5th spot to Ortiz and I don’t think anyone else disagrees.

And the Houston Astros Grapefruit league record is: *drum roll please*

10-18-3

Double digit wins!

Astros.com: ” Lance Berkman hit in the cage and did some light throwing on Tuesday, but he’s still not ready to play in a live game.”

Sounds like Lance is improving.  Light throwing definately means progress. 

“Berkman may receive an at-bat Wednesday, but he won’t be playing in the field. If that goes well, he’ll DH on Thursday when the Astros play the Double-A Hooks in Corpus Christi. ”

Hopefully Lance will keep improving and be in good shape come opening day.  Keep your fingers crossed!

The Houston Astros have acquired Jeff Kieepinger from the Cincinnati Reds for a minor league player to be named later.  Here is the news from stros.com:

“Nearly two weeks after losing Aaron Boone for the season due to a heart ailment, the Astros found an alternative solution. Keppinger will assume Boone’s duties as the right-handed complement to Blum at third, but he’ll also receive time at short and second when Tejada and Matsui get those promised days off this season.

Keppinger, who turns 29 on April 21, hit .266 with three home runs and 43 RBIs over 121 games for Cincinnati in 2008. He struck out just once every 20.9 plate appearances, the best ratio in the Major Leagues last season.”

The strike out ratio is definitely a plus for the impatient Astros.  Keppinger, or as I am going to call him until anyone thinks of a better nickname J-Kepp, post good numbers against lefties.

“An even bigger selling point: Keppinger hit .351 and slugged .515 against left-handers last year. He logged 94 hits in 268 at-bats versus lefties, recording 17 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 35 RBIs. He drew 22 walks and struck out eight times.”

This should make for a nice platoon at third for the Astros.  Hey it’s no Wiggy but it’ll do. Heck, even Brian McTaggart thinks so. “[I agree. I think that could be a nice platoon for sure.]“

This is easily the best prediction for the NL Central I have encountered so far.  Here is what he has for Houston and where each team will finish:

“Houston Astros

• Position player WAR: 20.5
• Starters WAR: 7.3
• Closer WAR: 0.8
• Total WAR: 28.6

Lance Berkman carries the big bat for the Astros. Photo: Icon SMI

The Astros tie up a good chunk of their core value wins in two players, Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt. Together they combine for 10.6 of the 28.6 value wins from 2008. Berkman is more than twice as good as the next nearest position player, beating Carlos Lee 6.9 to 3.4 in value wins. Oswalt isn’t quite that far ahead of Wandy Rodriguez, 3.7 to 2.7, but Wandy hasn’t been consistent through this career. If anything major happens to Lance or Roy, the Astros are in big trouble.

There is some upside in two of the younger hitters, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn. Both posted very strong on-base averages in the minors, which neither of them have come close to in the majors. Pence adds power to that equation. If the two can get on base at around a .360 rate, they should bring this offense a bit closer to the Cubs. I just don’t believe there’s enough at the back of the rotation, however, to catch Chicago.”

Pretty much nails it.  Hopefully this Berkman shoulder injury is a short term deal and Roy can stay healthy.  I have a feeling Bourn is going to get on base more this season and Hunter Pence is going to be more productive offensively so maybe, just maybe, Houston can compete with Chi-town.  I’m banking on the Wild Card if anything though.

Baseball Musings’ Predictions for the end of the year:

“Prediction

Here’s how I see the six teams finishing, with my chance of their winning the division:

1. Cubs, 55%
2. Cardinals, 15%
3. Astros, 12%
4. Brewers, 10%
5. Reds, 7%
6. Pirates, 1%

The Cubs should win this division easily provided they stay healthy. Even with a couple of injuries they have enough depth to put together a very good season. The Cardinals should challenge for the wild card, but for the Astros, Brewers and Reds, they need unexpected players to post career years or some youngsters to really improve. It seems to me the excitement in the central this season will once again come from the wild card race rather than a close battle with the Chicago.”

I agree with his slotting the Astros 3rd.  I think that it is definately going to be between them and St. Louis for the 2nd spot in the division and the possible wild card in the NL.

You can read the rest of David’s post here.

Here are some tasty links for today:

Injury Update on the Big Puma from Alyson Footer over at astros.com. It’s looking like Lance is going to be ok…eventually.

Astros County takes a look at the players from Houston’s 2005 world series team. Where for art thou Morgan Ensberg?

MLB Trade Rumors gives their review of Houston’s offseason.

And Finally, Jose Lima is back! Lima Time!!

Bad day on the mound today for the Stros. From astros.com:

Stros at the plate: “Kazuo Matsui went 3-for-3 with a double, run scored and RBI and Hunter Pence went 1-for-3 with a double and RBI. Edwin Maysonet hit a solo home run to left field off right-hander Chad Durbin in the sixth inning.”

That’s two 3-3 days for Kaz in the past 3 games.  Maysonet showing some pop while vying for that back up infield position, making the decision even tougher for Coop. 

Stros on the bump: “Left-hander Mike Hampton allowed seven hits, seven runs, three walks and three home runs in five innings. He struck out three” From Brian McTaggart of the Houston Chronicle: “The Phillies hit four homers off the Astros, with Wesley Wright giving up four runs, a homer and two walks in one inning to raise his ERA to 3.60. Chris Sampson pitched two innings, allowing three hits and two unearned runs. ”

Tough day on the mound for Hampton and Houston but, those days are gonna happen, just ask Mike Hampton:

“”I’ll have one during the season, too, probably more than just one,” he said. “That’s just part of it. You try to minimize the damage as much as you can, but I made some good pitches at times and there were some times I left the ball over the plate and got hit.” ”

In Hampy’s defense, Coop says he got squeezed a little.

Houston’s Grapefruit League record: Astros 9-18-3

In an article on astros.com Alyson Footer discusses Bud Norris’ and J.R. Towles’ demotion to minor league camp.  However, much of the article is spent in praise of Norris:

“Norris didn’t pitch his way onto the team this spring, but he accomplished something just as important — he flew up the depth chart, and as soon as a need arises on the Major League level, the 24-year-old right-hander is going to be the first considered.”

Sounds like things are going well for Air-Bud.

On the drive to the town where I grew up today (liberty, tx) I went through Houston and caught an interview on 1560 with Alyson Footer. (apparently her nickname is scrunci?)  In her interview she discussed the demotion of the two prospects and went further in to detail on Towles. 

She basically said that Towles did not help himself at all with his spring performance and with Pudge on the club this year and Castro on his way J.R. may have missed his window of opportunity. 

Tough news for J.R. especially since it isn’t his fault the club handled him so poorly last season. 

For anyone who was wondering what the “community service” part of Miguel Tejada’s sentencing will be, here is a little clarification from astros.com:

“Miguel Tejada’s punishment for lying to federal investigators about performance-enhancing drugs consists of three parts: a fine of $5,000, probation and community service.

The first two elements are self-explanatory. Tejada has to pay money, and he needs to be on his best behavior for the next year if he doesn’t want to suffer more consequences for his actions.

The community service part isn’t as clear. How will he serve these 100 hours? What will he do? Where will he do it? Explanations given by Tejada and his lawyer, Mark Tuohey, suggest this portion of Tejada’s punishment will be what every Astros player is expected to contribute, community-wise, every year — only more of it.

Tejada’s program will be handled in conjunction with the Astros’ community program. He’ll talk to kids about, according to Tuohey, “baseball, baseball-related skills, educational outreach and life situations.”

“Like his colleagues in professional baseball, he is a role model for kids,” Tuohey said. “He made a mistake. I don’t view this as punishment. It gives Miguel a chance to spend time with the kids. He’s very committed to this.”

Tuohey anticipates Tejada will complete the 100 hours during homestands through the upcoming six-month baseball season. For his part, Tejada said he would gladly exceed the 100 hours.

“For me, community service is going to be all my life,” Tejada said. “I know it’s 100 hours, and for me, I don’t need to track the hours. I can do it every year, every season. It’s not like I’m going to try to do 100 hours just to do it. I do clinics with kids because I love it. I’m going to enjoy it.

“Tracking the hours, it’s not going to be a big deal for me. I want to do more than 100 hours.”

Tejada is so happy he isn’t going to jail. I do think he is being genuine in what he says about going beyond the 100 hours because that is just the kind of guy Miguel is.

So for all of you expecting to see Miguel in an orange jump-suit on the side of the road picking up trash, no dice.

By the way, Miggy went 3 for 3 with a dinger in todays game.

I’m out of town this weekend so my updates will be at weird times most likely.  Nothing like being home though.

Roy O on the WBC.

Enough of that, here are a few media tid bits/links for you to chew on:

Richard Justice takes time away from bashing Miguel Tejada to praise Michael Bourn.

David Pinto over at one of my favorite blogs Baseball Musings has an article re-enforcing his theory that Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas are twins.  I know they were born on the same day but there is a slight discrepancy that might debunk that theory.

Finally, this pitcher actually throws like a girl. Also from Baseball Musings.