Brian McTaggart gives injury updates on Moehler and Kaz as well as some info on the stros, all in a negative light as Tag tends to do.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz officialy opens up the “negative free zone,” or as I like to call it, the anti-McTaggart zone. He does his best to shed some positivity on the Astros‘ current situation, from the major-league to the minor-league level.

Finally, head over to Astros County and join the debate on whether or not the Astros should move to the AL West. I say no way Jose.

Alyson Footer and Brian McTaggart take their turns projecting the 2009 opening day roster.  More of a given at this point.

Chron.com fan blogger Chip Bailey, takes a look at the opening day roster from last season and compares it to this season.

What’s this? Brian McTaggart says good things about the Astros? April Fools? See for yourself.

Finally, on a relatively slow news day compared to yesterday, Footer posts some pictures of some happy Astros on her blog.

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.]“

Here is your Houston Astros Media Round Up for today:

Alyson Footertalks to Houston Astros Pitching Coach Dewie Robinson about what he sees in this years pitching core. “Robinson likes the quality of this group more than the pitchers the Astros had in camp during Spring Training last year.”

There is a nice article on veteran infielder Jason Smith over at Chron.com

Brian McTaggartmakes his projection for Houston’s opening day roster and I gotta say, I think he is pretty much right. I might swap Capellan for Otiz but neither is Brandon Backe which is probably the way it is going to work out. Sorry Brandon.

Astros first round draft pick and catching prospect Max Sapp has suffered two Seizures.  For more info, check out the article at Chron.com.

Finally, Jose de Jesus Ortiz has a few columns you need to check out; De La Vara Impresses, Berkman Hits Road for Game in Sarasota, and Keep Astros Sapp in your Thoughts.

In non Astros related media, there is a good video on spring training autographs that I came across at Big League Stew that will remind you why you love baseball, just in case you forgot.

From Astros.mlb.com: 

“The Astros trimmed four from their Spring Training roster on Tuesday, optioning right-hander Brad James to Triple-A Round Rock while also reassigning catchers Jason Castro and Brian Esposito and right-hander Sergio Perez to Minor League camp. ”

No surprises here.  However, Coop had some comments about the re-assigned players:  “Castro had been real impressive here, and we felt it was time to send him over there so he could get a lot more work,” Cooper said. “James and Perez are guys we like, but they seemed to be a little overwhelmed by all this stuff.” ” -chron.com

So far Houston has only won one game in the Grapefruit League this Spring Training and people are wondering if it is time to hit the panic button. 

Before I get into what I think here is the opinion of a few Houston Astros’ sports writers:

Alyson Footer, Houston’s MLB.com beat writer, says she is “worried” in a recent post on her blog, Alyson’s Footnotes.

The fashionably negative Brian McTaggart, one of the Houston Astros beat writers from chron.com, surprisingly says it’s not time to hit the panic button…yet.

And chron.com fan blogger Chip Bailey needs Astros’ fans to tell him why he shouldn’t panic, because he is ready to.

I don’t think it is near time to panic.  Caution? maybe. Worried? sure. But definitely not time to panic. 

Houston has been outscored 31-78.  Pretty bad right? No.

This is without Carlos Lee (although he is on his way back to Florida after Panama was the first team to be eliminated in the WBC), Miguel Tejada, and Lance Berkman.  Wait, Berkman is still at Spring Training isn’t he? Well yeah, but he hasn’t traveled to hardly any of the road games.  So the potency of our line up is well…missing. 

So far, this Spring Training has been an opportunity for Houston to get a good look at their prospects and try to get their pitchers some work in. Btw, no Roy-O either.

Check back with me when Houston gets their big bats back in the lineup.  Until then, I am more concerned with Roy’s work load on team USA for the WBC.  He should have been out of that game a little earlier.

Panic time? No way.  Maybe if it were April.

Brian McTaggart from chron.com has a heartfelt story about Astros prospect, shortstop Tommy Manzella and his promotion to AAA.

Anthony DiComo of mlb.com has a story on Astros catching prospect and  Rule 5 draftee Lou Palminaso and his chances on making the club.

And Biz of Baseball has a organizational report for the Houston Astros. Interesting Read.  Thanks to Astros County for the heads up.

From astros.mlb.com:

Stros at the plate: “Brian Bogusevic hit an RBI single and Kazuo Matsui an RBI triple, providing all the early offense. Tommy Manzella then gave them a lead in the seventh inning, when he hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in pinch-runner Michael Bourn. First baseman John Gall tied the game in the eighth with an RBI single.”

Today was Brian Bogusevic’s first start.  Ed Wade said we may not have a lot of quantity in our minor league system but we do have some quality prospects.  I am starting to agree with Wade after seeing Johnson, Sutton, Bogusevic, and Castro.

Stros on the mound: “A non-roster invitee with only a slight chance to make the team, Jose Capellan nonetheless impressed, firing three shutout innings against a strong Venezuelan lineup. Capellan walked one, allowed one hit and struck out none. But Felipe Paulino, a product of the Astros’ Venezuelan Academy, allowed two runs in his two innings”

More on the Stros on the mound from Brian McTaggart from Chron.com:

On Paulino and De La Vara: “The good news for Felipe Paulino is the fact he says his arm and body felt good. But he didn’t pitch so well today against Venezuela, giving up five hits and two runs and one walk in two innings.

“My body and arm feel good, but I wasn’t feeling comfortable today and was pitching behind the count a lot,” he said. “I’m not happy. I just come here to do my job and that happened. I’m going to keep working and get ready for my next game.”

“Meanwhile, Rule 5 pick Gilbert De La Vara pitched excellent. He went two innings and gave up one hit and struck out one batter in two crisp innings. De La Vara, 24, has a 19-16 record and a 3.40 ERA in 145 career games in the minors, including 3-0 with a 2.76 ERA last year at Class AA Northwest Arkansas.”

“I try to take the same approach no matter what, whether it’s those guys, the veteran on the Venezuelan team, or the ‘B’ team,” he said. “My approach towards hitters is pound the ball down with quality pitches and throw strikes.”

De La Vara is a native of Arizona who was drafted in the 15th round of the 2004 draft. ”

On Capellan: “Astros starting pitcher Jose Capellan, a non-roster invitee to spring training, had an excellent outing today against a strong Venezuelan lineup. He pitched three innings and allowed a two-out single in the first and a two-out walk in the third, but no batters reached second base.

“I felt happy today. My fastball was working, but the curveballs weren’t working,” he said. “Some days you throw a good curveball, but today it was too high. I have to time to work on it.”

Capellan, 28, has a 5-7, 4.89 ERA in 99 career major league games with the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. He was signed to a one-year minor league contract on Jan. 14 of last year.

He’s probably a longshot to make the team, but he could put pressure on Russ Ortiz and Brandon Backe if he pitches like he did today in his next few outings.

“I’m competing to stay here on the team and working (on pitches), too,” he said. ”

Good news on Capellan and not so much for Paulino.  I really want Paulino to succeed in that I have been waiting for him to impact the club for the last three years.  However, I will gladly take a capable Capellan or Russ Ortiz over a mediocre Brandon Backe. Sorry Brandon.

Astros GFL Record: 1-5-2

A few links for some interesting columns of today:

Richard Justice looks at both sides of the Astros possibly signing Pudge Rodriguez.

Brian McTaggart gives his take on the risk of Roy Oswalt pitching in the World Baseball Classic.

Alyson Footer reports that Roy Oswalt will stand by Miguel Tejada.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz talks to Hunter Pence about the dangers of glass doors and the benefits of stickers on said glass doors.