Results tagged ‘ Mets ’
Astros lineup vs. Mets
Astros lineup for Wednesday’s game against Mets:
2B Jose Altuve
3B Brett Wallace
DH Chris Carter
1B Carlos Pena
C Jason Castro
CF Rick Ankiel
RF J.D. Martinez
LF Trevor Crow
SS Tyler Greene
—
RHP Alex White
Here’s video of Jose Altuve and Jason Castro talking about their hot starts at the plate:
Game 2: Astros rally to tie Mets
What happened: The Astros rallied from five runs down and scored once in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI hit by George Springer to finish in a 7-7 tie with the Mets (boxscore). The Mets were playing a split squad and didn’t have enough bodies to continue.
“It was great just to battle back and come back from an early deficit,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “The guys had great ABs and [ground] the at-bats out and really gave us a chance to win the game late in the ballgames.”
What we learned : C Jason Castro can really swing it when he’s healthy. This was the first winter Castro had to prepare for the season following his catastrophic knee injury of two years ago, and he homered in his second at-bat of the spring. Remember, he hit four homers in his final seven games of last year and has shown some pop.
“One of the things I noticed real early on in the spring by watching him catch bullpens and watching how he was moving around, he’s finally healthy,” Porter said. “He’s legs are underneath him. When your legs aren’t underneath you, it’s hard to drive a baseball. I think we’re now starting to see the Castro we all believed we were getting when we drafted him.”
What else: RHP Bud Norris battled while using just his fastball and change-up (he didn’t throw any breaking stuff). He located his pitches well and got his work in. … RHP Jose Veras missed some spots a few times, but he worked through a difficult inning. … 2B Delino DeShields Jr. made things happen with his legs when he pinch-ran at first, stole second, went to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch. He’s fun to watch. … RHP Chia-Jen Lo threw the ball well and was down in the zone consistently in the ninth inning and had an explosive fastball with late life. … OF Fernando Martinez homered in his first at-bat on Sunday. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a threat.
What went wrong: RHP Bud Norris and RHP Brad Peacock gave up homers and RHP Jose Veras struggled to find the zone at times, but it was the first time in a game for everyone that threw on Sunday so results aren’t as important as getting in the work.
“I struggled to find the strike zone the first couple of hitters, but I’m going to work at it every day and it will get better,” Peacock said. “I threw everything today. It wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, but it will get better as spring goes on.”
What they said: “The first at-bat of spring, there’s always a lot of intensity and I just tried to relax my second at-bat. It definitely helped me free up my hands a little bit. I’m trying to go through the process and build up the results will come, but I’m really focusing on just getting to where I’m comfortable heading into the season.” — C Jason Castro, who was 1-for-2 with a homer.
What’s next: Right-hander Philip Humber makes his first start for the Astros when they travel to Jupiter, Fla., to meet the St. Louis Cardinals at 12:05 p.m. CT. Humber, a native Texan who played college baseball in Houston, signed a one-year deal with the Astros after being claimed off waivers.
Who’s injured: RHP Hector Ambriz (sprained ankle) has thrown in the bullpen and could face live pitching soon. . … C Max Stassi (oblique) will travel to Philadelphia to see a specialist about a possible sports hernia.
Links of the day: Feature on Vince Coleman, the great base stealer who is in camp this year with the Astros as an outfield/baserunning instructor. The notebook has an update on health of Max Stassi, Trevor Crowe’s thoughts of coming to Houston and manager Bo Porter explaining how to defend a shift.
The day in photos
Hitting coach John Mallee talks to a player.
Matt Dominguez.
Jose Altuve and J.D. Martinez.
J.D. Martinez and Justin Maxwell.
Jason Castro and Carlos Corporan.
Bo Porter.
Jimmy Paredes.
Astros-Mets preview
The Astros open a three-game series against the Mets tonight in New York in what will be their final visit to Citi Field as a member of the National League.
Here are some tidbits:
– The Astros are 3-0 against the Mets and 36-86 against all other teams. In sweeping the Mets in Houston earlier this year, the Astros averaged six runs per game, hit .316 and posted a 2.33 ERA in 27 innings.
– No team in baseball currently features a roster with as many players on the right side of 30 than do the Astros. Houston 23 players who are 29 or younger, and the Indians, Royals and A’s have 21.
– While Jose Altuve is no higher than tied for 40th in the Majors with 68 runs scored, he’s accounted for a hefty portion of his team’s total. Altuve has scored 14.7 percent of the Astros runs this year, which is third behind Andrew McCutchen (16.9), Mike Trout (16.7) and Melky Cabrera (15.6). Michael Bourn has also scored 14.7 of the Braves’ runs.
– Brett Wallace has tended to have greater success starting than extending innings. Wallace is hitting .393 with no outs, .318 with one out and .156 with two outs.
– As long as they don’t get to two strikes, current Astros Justin Maxwell and Tyler Greene have hit over .400. Maxwell is hitting .427 with less than two strikes and .092 with two strikes, a -.334 difference that’s second in the Majors. Greene is right behind him at -.312 with a .409 average with less than two strikes and .097 with two strikes.
– Jordan Lyles has tended to pitch quite effectively through the first three innings, before then hitting a wall. He has a 2.83 ERA this year in the first three innings and an 8.88 ERA innings four and beyond. Approached another way, Lyles has surrendered a .227 (45/198) average through 45 pitches, compared to .351 (80/228) thereafter, the largest increase (+.124) in MLB (minimum 100 innings pitched).
Astros lineup Tuesday vs. Mets
Jordan Schafer, who has reached base in 23 consecutive games to start the season — two shy of the club record — is out of the starting lineup Tuesday, with Carlos Lee returning for the first time since Friday because of a sprained ankle.
Here’s the lineup:
2B Jose Altuve
SS Jed Lowrie
LF J.D. Martinez
1B Carlos Lee
3B Matt Downs
RF Brian Bogusevic
CF Justin Maxwell
C Chris Snyder
P J.A. Happ
Game 18: Bats can’t touch Dickey
Behind a dominant pitching performance from Mets knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey, the Astros lost to the Mets, 8-2, on Thursday afternoon to fall to 9-9. Here is the boxscore.
Now, onto the breakdown:
What went right: Rhiner Cruz, a Rule 5 pick from the Mets, had easily his best outing of the spring, and it came against his old team. He struck out a batter to end the fourth and strand runners at second and third, and then pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning and finished with two strikeouts.
Closer Brett Myers continues to pitch extremely well. He pounded the strike zone in his one inning of work, pitching around an error, and was at 90-92 mph on the radar gun. “He was spotting his fastball and his curveball had good depth,” manager Brad Mills said. “He was able to throw the curveball two different speeds — a hard one and a softer one, and both of them had real good depth. Obviously, he’s starting to get the feel for that because it was the same way last time.”
Henry Sosa also pitched well, allowing one hit and striking out two batters in 1 2/3 innings of work.
Not much to brag about at the plate, though the Astros did scorch some balls in the ninth inning, including a hit by Brad Snyder. Justin Ruggiano came off the bench and had a pair of hits, including a double. The only other hit was a single by Scott Moore, who also made a tremendous defensive play at third base in the eighth.
Matt Downs hit a rocket in the ninth inning that would have been extra bases had the left fielder not made an acrobatic catch at the wall.
What went wrong: The Astros didn’t manage a hit against Mets starter R.A. Dickey until Justin Ruggiano’s pinch-hit in the sixth inning. Among those going 0-for-3: J.B. Shuck, Travis Buck, J.D. Martinez, Jimmy Paredes and Jason Castro. When Dickey changes speeds like that, he’s tough to hit.
Wandy Rodriguez battled command problems all game, throwing 80 pitches in 3 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits, four runs and walked five batters and said after the game he understands he needs to pitch deeper into games. Rodriguez hasn’t had a good spring, but he did the same thing last year and was pretty good in the regular season.
Sergio Escalona, in only his second appearance of the spring because of an elbow hyper-extension, gave up four hits and four runs (three earned) in one-third of an inning.
The Astros also committed three errors: a fielding error by Paredes at third, a missed catch by Carlos Lee at first on a throw from Paredes that was a little wide and a fielding error by Moore. Ruggiano and Snyder collided in right-center field chasing a ball, but Snyder hauled it in.
What they said: “His concern comes from he wants to be out there throwing to work on things. When his pitch count gets so high early the game, those are stressful innings and I don’t want to kill him out there.” — Astros manager Brad Mills on pulling starter Wandy Rodriguez in the fourth after 80 pitches.
What’s next: Bud Norris starts when the Astros return home to face the Washington Nationals at 12:05 p.m. CT on Friday. Norris gave up five hits, five runs and four walks in his previous outing Saturday against the Yankees. Shortstop Jed Lowrie, who fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday and hasn’t played since, is scheduled to make his return to the lineup.
Injury update: Center fielder Jordan Schafer (left hand sprain) is day-to-day, but won’t play until Saturday at the earliest. … Shortstop Jed Lowrie, who fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday and hasn’t played since, is scheduled to make his return to the lineup Saturday.
Here are a few pictures from Digital Domain Park:
Jimmy Paredes and Angel Sanchez chat in dugout prior to game.
Wandy Rodriguez chills in the dugout before his start.
J.D. Martinez heads to the cage.
Travis Buck takes batting practice.
Carlos Lee signs autographs.
- Jimmy Paredes makes contact during BP.
Astros get Martinez from Mets
The Astros have won a waiver claim on former Mets top prospect Fernando Martinez, a source confirmed for MLB.com.
Widely considered one of the Mets’ top prospects from 2006-10, Martinez was billed as a power-hitting outfielder expected to be a cornerstone of the Mets’ lineup throughout this decade. But multiple injuries and an arthritic right knee have prevented Martinez from appearing in more than 82 games in any of the past three seasons.
The Astros would have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for Martinez.
Forty-seven of those appearances have come with the Major League club, though almost exclusively as a reserve. Martinez hit .183 with two home runs during those stints. He hit .260 with eight home runs in 63 games for Triple-A Buffalo last season.
Astros-Mets preview for Sunday
The Astros will try to win a series against the Mets by sending rookie right-hander Aneury Rodriguez (0-1, 5.50 ERA) to the mound for today’s series finale at Minute Maid Park, where the roof is open and it looks like another spectacular day in Houston.
This will be Rodriguez’s first start against the Mets and only the third in his Major League career. The Astros will face left-hander Chris Capuano (2-4, 4.93 ERA), who held the Astros to one earned run in seven innings for a win on April 21 in New York.
Here is manager Brad Mills’ lineup:
ASTROS
CF Michael Bourn
C J.R. Towles
RF Hunter Pence
1B Carlos Lee
2B Bill Hall
LF Jason Michaels
3B Chris Johnson
SS Clint Barmes
P Aneury Rodriguez
Astros-Mets lineup for Friday
Here are the starting lineups for Friday’s game between Astros and Mets:
ASTROS
CF Michael Bourn
SS Clint Barmes
RF Hunter Pence
LF Carlos Lee
1B Brett Wallace
3B Chris Johnson
2B Bill Hall
C Humberto Quintero
P Bud Norris
METS
SS Jose Reyes
C Josh Thole
3B David Wright
RF Carlos Beltran
LF Jason Bay
1B Daniel Murphy
2B Justin Turner
CF Jason Pridie
RHP Dillon Gee (2-0, 3.80 ERA)
Game 13: Lyles, Rowland-Smith take their turns
The Astros lost, 7-2, to the Mets on Wednesday afternoon in Port St. Lucie, where Ryan Rowland-Smith and Jordan Lyles each pitched three innings in their latest audition to win the fifth starter’s job. Both had mixed results.
Here’s the breakdown:
What went right: Jordan Lyles pitched three innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Lyles was told to work on some of his breaking pitches during one of his innings, so that has to play into the results. Those are the things people have to remember during Spring Training. It’s a time for trial and error.
Lyles looked strong and poised and made some hitters look silly, striking out Jason Bay in the first inning specifically. Three of the hits he did give up weren’t hit hard. Two of them went over the head of the second baseman, and the third was a blooper that dropped in for two RBIs.
Rowland-Smith walked the lead-off hitter in all three innings he pitched, but all things considered didn’t pitch too poorly. Walking the lead-off hitter isn’t going to win him any points with pitching coach Brad Arnsberg and manager Brad Mills.
Angel Sanchez went 2-for-3 to raise his average to .250, J.D. Martinez and Matt Downs both hit home runs. Downs is hitting .278 with two homers and four RBIs, which are both tied for the team lead through 13 Grapefruit League games.
Anderson Hernandez went 1-for-3 and is hitting .571 in limited action. He was slowed early in camp because of a back problem.
What went wrong: Fernando Abad, a candidate to be the lefty reliever, allowed two hits and two runs in one inning to raise his ERA to 13.50. Besides Sanchez and the homers hit by Downs and Martinez, the Astros had only two additional hits — Michael Bourn and Hernandez.
Brett Wallace went 0-for-4 to drop his batting average to .208 after a quick start at the plate.
What they said: “It seemed like the hitters weren’t seeing the ball real well off of him, especially early. He was trying to work on some off-speed stuff in the third inning, and I think that’s where they get some knocks as well off of him. The hits he did give up weren’t all that solid.” -- manager Brad Mills on pitcher Jordan Lyles.
What’s next: After two days of getting a better look at some of the candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Astros will give the ball to left-hander Wandy Rodriguez against the Nationals for a rare Grapefruit League night game at Osceola County Stadium. He’s expected to work about four innings, and be followed by closer Brandon Lyon, Jeff Fulchino, Mark Melancon, Jose Valdez and Wesley Wright.
Injury update: Outfielder Jason Michaels, who was scratched from the lineup in Tuesday’s game against the Red Sox in Fort Myers with back spasms, got treatment on the back Wednesday in Kissimmee and is expected to return to the lineup Thursday night. … Right-hander Bud Norris, who had his outing Monday against Washington cut short with a mild hamstring strain, threw off the mound Tuesday without complications. He’s expected to make his next start.
And now for the day in pictures:
Above: Infielder Jiovanni Mier, the team’s first-round draft choice last year, chills in the dugout at Digital Domain Park prior to team stretch on Wednesday.
Above: Astros players begin to stretch on the field at Digital Domain Field on Wednesday.
Above: Players’ gloves lined up on the dugout railing.
Above: Mets manager Terry Collins — former manager of the Astros — catches up with current Astros manager Brad Mills prior to Wednesday’s game.
Above: Brad Mills watches as J.D. Martinez poses on the field for a picture.
Above: View from the press box at Digital Domain Park, formerly Tradition Field.
Astros lineup for Tuesday; Keppinger unavailable
The Astros will try to get back on track Tuesday night against the Mets and Johan Santana, (10-6, 2.89 ERA) who hasn’t allowed an earned run in his previous two starts. He’ll start against Nelson Figueroa (3-1, 3.38 ERA), who is making his first start for the Astros and second this year.
Jeff Keppinger, who left Monday’s game with a sprained left big toe, could have a small fracture in the toe, general manager Ed Wade said. Keppinger had an X-ray and was going to undergo an MRI to further gauge the extent of the injury.
“He got an X-ray done and now they’re going to do an MRI to see what’s going on in there,” Wade said. “There’s a possiblity he’s got a small fracture. Wehther it’s an old fracture or new fracture, they’ll be able to ascertain that once he gets the MRI done.”
Here are the lineups, with Chris Johnson back up to fifth in Keppinger’s absence:
ASTROS
CF Michael Bourn
SS Angel Sanchez
RF Hunter Pence — Hitting .500 (10-for-20) in his last five games
LF Carlos Lee
3B Chris Johnson — Leads NL in batting average since All-Star break (.427)
1B Brett Wallace
2B Geoff Blum
C Jason Castro
P Nelson Figueroa
METS
SS Jose Reyes
LF Fernando Martinez
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Ike Davis
RF Jeff Francoeur
C Josh Thole
2B Ruben Tejada
P Johan Santana
Brian McTaggart
Recent Comments