Roy tossed 4 innings in his last start before the season opener, woohoo!, and Chris Johnson isn’t going out without a fight…even though, in reality, he doesn’t have a chance.

Stros at the plate: “Michael Bourn led off the third with a double, stole third and scored on a base hit by Kazuo Matsui. Darin Erstad knocked a solo homer in the sixth. Chris Johnson drove in a run with a triple in the seventh and scored on a Reggie Abercrombie sacrifice fly. ”

After looking at the box score for today’s game, it looks like Bourn was3-3 with a walk. If you are counting that is an OBP of awesomeness.  Keep it up Michael! J-Kepp was 0-2.

Stros on the bump: “Roy Oswalt pitched four innings in his final spring tuneup before Opening Day. He allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Tim Byrdak followed with two innings, during which he allowed one run on three hits. ”

Jose Valverde, Doug Brocail, and Geoff Geary all tossed scoreless frames.

Houston Astros Grapefruit Leage record: 11-17-3

From more on the game visit astros.com

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.

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.

Houston got the bats out today and defeated the Phillies 6-5.

From the all-mighty astros.mlb.com:

Stros at the plate: “Miguel Tejada logged three hits, including a solo homer in the fourth and an RBI double in the sixth. Geoff Blum’s RBI single off Ryan Madson in the sixth broke a 3-3 tie, and his double in the eighth gave Houston a three-run lead. Lance Berkman doubled in the sixth and scored on Tejada’s double. Hunter Pence logged three singles, marking back-to-back three-hit games.”

Tejada is playing like a free man.  Kazuo Matsui also had three knocks today.

Stros on the bump: “In his first outing since returning from the World Baseball Classic, Oswalt allowed 10 hits and three runs over six innings. He did not issue a walk and struck out six. LaTroy Hawkins (LaHawk!)pitched a scoreless seventh. ”

Roy said his main goal for todays outing was to throw around 100 pitches and he threw 96.  Roy should get one more start before opening day which is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!

Astros’ Grapefruit League Record: 8-16-3.  2 more wins for double digits baby.

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.

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.”"

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.

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.

Roy Oswalt was looking good today Jose de Jesus Ortiz reports from Spring Training.  On Roy Oswalt throwing BP to Reggie Abercrombie and Lance Berkman.

“Two pitches later, Oswalt and the rest of the group broke out laughing at the unmistakable sound a ball makes when it breaks a bat.

“Man,” Abercrombie yelled. “That’s a brand new bat. That’s brand new.”

Not anymore. Berkman followed Abercrombie, and Oswalt broke one of the perennial All-Star’s bats, too.”

Here is what Cecil Cooper had to say about Roy :

“Roy actually threw the ball really, really well,” he said. “He seemed to have a lot of life on his ball. His ball was moving. He worked on his changeup a little bit. Roy looked pretty good. He actually threw some breaking balls too. The slow one and the hard one. He threw the ball well. It was good for him to see that up and down (five-minute break between throwing).

“Today he threw five (minutes) and then sat down for five and went back. We’re trying to simulate a little bit of what will happen in games to try to get them ready for games. It was good. I thought he threw the ball really well. He’s on pace to be able to do his pitching for the WBC. He’s good.”

Check out his post for more.