Minor League Players of Month for May

The Astros player development has named the following Players of the Month for May: Oklahoma City: LHP Xavier Cedeno, IF Mike Hessman, OF Brad Snyder; Corpus Christi: RHP Ross Seaton, IF Jonathan Singleton, IF Andrew Simunic; Lancaster: RHP Tyson Perez, OF George Springer, IF Jonathan Meyer; Lexington: LHP Luis Cruz, IF Matt Duffy, C Roberto Pena. These awards are chosen every month by the field staff of each team.

Triple A Oklahoma City

LHP Xavier Cedeno, Pitcher of the Month: 1-0, 0.63 ERA (1ER/14.1IP), 14 SO, .184 (9×49) opponents avg. in 11 appearances in May

IF Mike Hessman, Offensive Player of the Month: .338 (24×71), 16 R, 3 2B, 8 HR, 17 RBI, 12 BB in 23 games in May

OF Brad Snyder, Defensive Player of the Month: 36 games in the OF, 1.000 FP (0E/59TC)

Notes: Xavier Cedeno has compiled a 2-0 record to go along with a 0.42 ERA (1ER/21.1IP) and 20 strikeouts in 17 overall appearances this season at Oklahoma City…had his contract purchased by Houston on May 29 to take the roster spot of the DL’d LHP Fernando Abad…has held Triple A lefties to a .029 (1×34) batting average this year…Mike Hessman was named the PCL Player of the Week after going 9×17 (.529 average) with five homers and three doubles over five games during the week of May 14-20…Brad Snyder has not committed an error in 59 total chances and 36 games in the outfield…has played 22 games in right field this season.

Double A Corpus Christi

RHP Ross Seaton, Pitcher of the Month: 3-1, 2.70 ERA (11ER/36.2IP), 16 SO in 6 starts in May

IF Jonathan Singleton, Offensive Player of the Month: .281 (27×96), 20 R, 3 2B, 7 HR, 24 RBI, .400 OBP in 27 games in May

IF Andrew Simunic, Defensive Player of the Month: 45 games, 37 at 3B, .979 FP (3E/142TC), 96 assists this season

Notes: Ross Seaton posted a 3-1 record with a 2.70 ERA during six starts in May…had quality starts in each of his final five outings in the month…Jonathan Singleton, who was acquired by the Astros organization as part of the Hunter Pence deal, blasted seven homers to go along with 24 RBI and a .400 on-base percentage during the month of May…he was named the Texas League Player of the Week after his 12-hit (12×24), four-home run week over six games from May 21-27…the lefty has hit at a .358 (44×123) clip with nine home runs against right-handed pitching this year…Andrew Simunic has put up a .979 fielding percentage in 45 games this season…in 37 games at 3B has committed just three errors.

Class A Advanced Lancaster

RHP Tyson Perez, Pitcher of the Month: 3-1, 3.90 ERA (14ER/32.1IP), 20 SO, 5 BB, 1CG in 5 starts in May

OF George Springer, Offensive Player of the Month: .324 (36×111), 26 R, 3 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 7 SB, .382 OBP in 26 games in May

IF Jonathan Meyer, Defensive Player of the Month: 50 games at 3B, .957 FP (7E/164TC), 107 assists this season

Notes: Tyson Perez has started five games this season, all in May, and has posted a 3-1 record with a 3.90 ERA (14ER/32.1IP)…was named the California League Pitcher of the Week for May 14-20 after hurling a one-run, two-hit complete game at Inland Empire…athe17th-round pick in 2011 won his first three starts of the season with Lancaster…George Springer scored 26 times, collected 14 extra-base hits and swiped seven bags with Lancaster during the month of May…last year’s 11th overall pick was named the California League Player of the Week during his 12×23 (.522 average), five home run tear in seven games during the week of May 7-13…Jonathan Meyer has been named a Defensive Player of the Month in the Astros system for the sixth time in his four-year career and the second time this season…has posted a .957 fielding percentage in 50 games as Lancaster’s everyday third baseman.

Class A Lexington

LHP Luis Cruz, Pitcher of the Month: 4-0, 1.85 ERA (8ER/39IP), 33 SO, 10 BB .235 opponents avg. (35×149) in 6 starts in May

IF Matt Duffy, Offensive Player of the Month: .343 (37×108), 18 R, 11 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 11 BB in 28 games in May

C Roberto Pena, Defensive Player of the Month: 32 games at C, .990 FP (3E/312TC)

Notes: Luis Cruz went undefeated (4-0) in six May starts, posting a 1.85 ERA…has posted quality starts in six of his eight total starts…Cruz currently ranks T-2nd in the South Atlantic League with 63.1 innings pitched…Matt Duffy hit safely in 21 of his 28 games in May…has hit at a .316 (66×209) clip with eight homers this year…Roberto Pena has committed just three errors in his 32 games at catcher this season.

Martinez called up by Astros, Buck to DL

The Astros placed outfielder Travis Buck on the 15-day disabled prior to Saturday’s game against the Reds and called up outfielder Fernando Martinez from Triple-A Oklahoma City, general manager Jeff Luhnow said. Martinez was expected to be in uniform for the game.

Buck hit .216 in 33 games with the Astros and hasn’t been available to play for a couple of days because of an injury to his right heel, which had him in a protective boot on Friday.

Martinez, considered one of baseball’s top prospects from 2006-10, was claimed off waivers by the Astros in January. He was batting .319 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 51 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, with a .374 on-base percentage and .532 slugging percentage. Like Buck, he’s a left-handed hitter.

Martinez, 23, spent the majority of the 2011 season at Triple-A Buffalo, but did have a brief stint with the Mets. In 63 games with Buffalo, he hit .260 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. He hit .227 in 11 games for the Mets with a home run, which came May 13 at Minute Maid Park off Astros pitcher Bud Norris.

Martinez also had brief stints with the Mets during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, appearing in a combined 36 games in that span. He has a .274 career average in six Minor League seasons after being signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 2005 at 16 years old.

Astros send Happ to mound to try to stop skid

The Astros send J.A. Happ to the mound on Friday night at Minute Maid Park against the Reds to try to snap a six-game losing streak, which is their longest of the season. Here is Houston’s lineup:

CF Jordan Schafer

2B Jose Altuve

SS Jed Lowrie

1B Carlos Lee

3B Chris Johnson

RF Brian Bogusevic

LF J.D. Martinez

C Chris Snyder

P J.A. Happ

Here are the pitching match-ups for the weekend:

Friday: LHP J.A. Happ (4-4, 4.37) vs. RHP Mike Leake (1-5, 5.47)
Saturday: LHP Wandy Rodriguez (4-4, 2.49) vs. RHP Mat Latos (4-2, 4.58)
Sunday:TBA vs. RHP Bronson Arroyo (2-3, 3.59)

Here are some pre-series tidbits:

  • Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie has swung the bat well with the bases empty this season, but he’s struggling in some key spots. He’s hitting .313 with bases empty, .243 with runners on, .204 with runners in scoring position and .105 with runners in scoring position and two outs.
  • Astros left-fielder Carlos Lee has seen over 200 plate appearances this season, but he’s struck out only 10 times. That’s one strikeout for every 20.3 plate appearances, which is the best ratio in the league.
  • Astros starter J.A. Happ has held opponents to a .166 batting average with runners in scoring position and two outs (second-lowest among active starting pitchers with a minimum of 200 opposing at-bats and 50 career starts), .211 with runners in scoring position, .247 with runners on base and .259 with the bases empty.
  • The Reds had the fourth-lowest staff ERA in the Majors in the month of May at 3.29, trailing the Angels (2.99), Rays (3.14) and Dodgers (3.25).
  • The Astros got very good pitching at home in the month of May, but not so much on the road. Houston arms were 11-5 with a 2.76 ERA at home and 2-10 with a 5.10 ERA on the road in the month of May.
  • Both the Reds and Astros saw dramatic increases in their power output in May. The Astros hit 14 homers in April and 26 in May, and the Reds hit 19 homers in April and 34 in May. The Astros’ 26 homers in May were the most for the team in a single month since hitting 26 in July, 2010.
  • The Reds are 33-16 against the Astros since 2009, out-homering Houston, 60-37, in that span. Houston starters have a 5.18 ERA in that span against the Reds, compared to 3.08 ERA by Reds starters.
  • Reds first baseman Joey Votto is hitting .355 in his career against the Astros, which is the third-highest average against Houston in the Astros’ franchise history (minimum 200 plate appearances). Kenny Lofton hit .373 and Bake McBride hit .361.

Astros lineup Friday vs. Reds

Here is the Astros lineup for Friday’s game:
CF Schafer
2B Altuve
SS Lowrie
1B Lee
3B Johnson
RF Bogusevic
LF Martinez
C Snyder
P Happ

Astros try to snap 5-game skid

The Astros will send Bud Norris (5-1) to the mound on Thursday night at Coors Field to try to snap a season-high five-game losing streak and avoid getting swept in four games by the Rockies. The Astros (22-28) are 6-18 on the road.

Norris is 4-0 with a 1.17 ERA in May, leading all Major League starters in ERA for the month.

Here are some Astros tidbits:

– The Astros hadn’t reached double-digit hits in 21 of 22 games before bashing out 41 hits in the first three games of the series against the Rockies. The Astros are hitting .342 as a team with four walks and 22 strikeouts in the first three games of the series against the Rockies. they’ve scored 18 runs and hit four homers.

– The Rockies are hitting .357 as a team against the Astros in the first three games of the series with eight home runs. Astros pitchers are 0-3 with an 8.17 ERA in the first three games of the series.

– The Astros’ bullpen has slipped to fifth in the NL in ERA at 3.22, trailing Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Washington.

– The Astros and Rockies are two of five teams in the NL to have yet to throw a complete game, joining Chicago, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.

– Astros LF J.D. Martinez is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with one homer and six RBIs in his last seven games.

– Astros RF Brian Bogusevic is hitting .179 (5-for-28) in his last 10 games.

– Tonight will make career game No. 2,000 for Astros 1B Carlos Lee.

– Catcher Jason Castro hitting .253 (18-for-71) in his last 22 starts with four doubles, one triple, one home run and 10 RBIs.

Astros-Rockies preview

The Astros, coming off losing two of three games at the Dodgers, will try to get it going on the road today with a rare doubleheader in Denver against the Rockies. Here are the pitching match-ups:

Monday (Game 1): LHP Wandy Rodriguez (4-4, 2.14) vs. RHP Juan Nicasio (2-2, 4.38)

Monday (Game 2): RHP Jordan Lyles vs. RHP Alex White (1-3, 5.32)

Wednesday: RHP Lucas Harrell (4-3, 3.72) vs. LHP Christian Friedrich (2-1, 5.09)

Thursday: RHP Bud Norris (5-1, 3.14+) vs. RHP Jeremy Guthrie (2-3, 5.31)

  • The Rockies are 11-8 all-time on Memorial Day, the third-best winning percentage in baseball on that day.
  • Over the past two seasons, the Rockies and Astros have combined to score 12 runs per game.
  • The Astros are 9-0 this year when scoring four or more runs. No other team in baseball is undefeated when scoring four or more runs.
  • Rockies starters have averaged 5.4 innings pitched per start this year, which is the worst average in the NL. Only the Royals and Twins are getting less innings out of their starters.
  • To that end, the Rockies have posted a team ERA of 8.22 ERA in the fifth inning of games this year. That’s the worst in the Majors.
  • Jed Lowrie is hitting over .300 with zero or one out this season but hasn’t had the same production when it’s down to the last out of the inning. He’s hitting .309 with zero or one out and .171 with two outs.
  • Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is one of just four NL players currently leading his team in all three Triple Crown categories. The others are Adam LaRoche of Washington, Andrew McCutchen of Pittsburgh and David Wright of the Mets.
  • Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez has put up some impressive numbers in the early innings this season. He has posted a 1.50 ERA in the first three innings of his starts this year.

Astros-Dodgers preview

The Astros (21-23) go for four wins in a row tonight with a tough assignment against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, who have the best home record in Major League Baseball. Here are some notes:

  • Los Angeles took the first two games between these teams in 2012, but Houston won the last one, 12-0, on April 22. The 12 runs were the most Houston has ever scored when shutting out the Dodgers.
  • Houston hits the road coming off a successful home stand where it won six of eight games, including the last three. The Astros will be looking to snap their four-game losing skid. They have scored a total of eight runs in those losses.
  • After hitting .254 as a team in April, the Dodgers are at .286 so far this month, which is the second highest in the majors.
  • Lucas Harrell is 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA at home this season, but 0-3 with a 5.60 ERA on the road. He is still looking for his first career road victory (0-4, 5.27 ERA).
  • Clayton Kershaw is allowing 6.13 hits per nine inning spitched this season – tied for sixth lowest among starting pitchers (minimum 3.09 BFP/team G).
  • Elian Herrera’s .346 (9-for-26) average since his MLB debut on May 15 is the third-highest by any rookie in the Majors (minimum 25 at-bats). He enters this weekend with a five-game hitting streak.
  • The Astros have lost the last four games at Dodger Stadium, getting outscored 15-1 in that time. In that span, the Astros have been out-homered 5-0 and have posted a 3.33 ERA, compared to 0.32 for the Dodgers.
  • Both the Astros and Dodgers have shown marked improvement in their win percentage when compared with last season. The Orioles have the biggest improvement in winning percentage from 2011 to 2012 (plus-.196), followed by the Dodgers (plus-.173) and the Astros (plus-.131).
  • The Dodgers are off to one of their best starts through 44 games since moving to Southern California in 1958. With the next chart as a barometer, there’s a pretty good chance Los Angeles will win the NL West – not to mention reach the World Series. The Dodgers’ best record through 44 games is 33-11, done five times in franchise history: 1888 (Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers), 1899 (Brooklyn Superbas), 1952, 1955 and 1977.
  • Lucas Harrell will be facing the Dodgers for the first time tonight, hoping that his defense can play a little better behind him than it has thus far in 2012. Harrell has allowed seven unearned runs, which is the most among NL pitchers. Dodgers pitchers Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly have each allowed six unearned runs. The Astros have committed at least one error in each of Harrell’s last six starts.
  • Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie has committed four errors this year, all with Lucas Harrell on the mound.
  • We may see more than a few hits by Carlos Lee in this series with the way he’s batted on the road over the last five-plus weeks. He’s hitting .410 on the road since April 19, which is the third-highest in the Majors in that span (minimum 40 plate appearances).
  • Lee strikes out every 19.1 plate appearances, which is the best ratio in the Major Leagues. Second is Marco Scutaro (16.3). Lee has struck out just nine times this season.
  • The pitcher most likely to retire Lee in this series (strikeout or not) will be on the hill for the Dodgers in Game 1. Clayton Kershaw has been the NL’s best pitcher since the beginning of last season – especially when taking the mound at Dodger Stadium. He ranks first at home in the Majors in wins (15), ERA (1.67) and opponents’ batting average (.191) since the start of the 2011 season. Kershaw is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two career starts vs. the Astros at Dodger Stadium.

Lee, Martinez talk about win over Cubs

Here is Astros first baseman Carlos Lee and left fielder J.D. Martinez reacting to Wednesday’s win

Biggio enjoying role with the Astros

Craig Biggio, the Astros’ all-time hits leader who’s eligible for Hall of Fame induction next year, said Wednesday he’s looking forward to continuing his role with the organization as a special adviser to general manager Jeff Luhnow.

Astros owner Jim Crane told KRIV-TV in Houston on Wednesday he had completed a deal with Biggio to keep the long-time Astros star in the organization. Biggio has served as a special assistant to the GM since retiring following the 2007 season.

“What we’re doing now is the same thing we were doing before, getting out to the Minor Leagues and seeing the kids a little bit and at the beginning of the year going to Spring Training and getting to as many Astros games as I can and just try to be around as much as possible and lend a hand whenever it’s possible,” Biggio told MLB.com from Florida. “This is something we’ve been doing for the last four years.”

In addition to his duties with the Astros, Biggio is the head baseball coach at St. Thomas High School in Houston and has won two private school state titles. When he’s not coaching the kids, he’s been visible around the ballpark.

“I get the opportunity to get to at least half the games, and whenever they’re on the road you watch the games and you go out to the Minor Leagues whenever you can,” Biggio said. “When you’re around you see things, and when something needs to be said you pass it along. It’s fun and it’s part of the deal. We’ve got a lot of coaches in place and the more good people you have in the organization, the better.”

Crane hopes to keep former Astros star Jeff Bagwell in a similar role.

Schafer returns as Astros battle Cubs

The Astros try to make it two in a row over the Cubs tonight at Minute Maid Park. Here is the Astros’ lineup, which includes the return of Jordan Schafer:

2B Jose Altuve

SS Jed Lowrie

RF Justin Maxwell

1B Carlos Lee

LF J.D. Martinez

3B Chris Johnson

C Chris Snyder

CF Jordan Schafer

LHP J.A. Happ

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