Results tagged ‘ spring Training ’
OF Martinez among those in camp early Thursday
Among the position players who reported to camp early Thursday were infielders Scott Moore, Joe Thurston and Diory Hernandez and outfielder Fernando Martinez, a former top prospect with the Mets.
Widely considered one of baseball’s 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.
“I’m really happy to be here, to be on a team and have new competition,” Martinez said. “My whole career I played for the Mets, and right now I have a new home and I feel very grateful to be here.”
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.
“I have to work hard, and if I play very good here they could give me the opportunity to play in the Majors this year,” Martinez said.
Martinez has one option remaining, so if he doesn’t make the Major League roster he could begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma.
Also, manager Brad Mills gave no hints about who his closer might be, but he said a decision could be made within the week. More details on that later. For now, enjoy some pictures from the morning:
Lance Pendleton leads a group of players onto the field.
Astros catchers stretch on the field.
Astros pitcher Wesley Wright awaits morning stretch.
Strength and conditioning coach Gene Coleman gets ready to lead the pitchers in stretch.
Positions players keep trickling in for Day 3
More than two dozen positions players were already in camp by Wednesday and working out together on the back fields at Osceola County Stadium. They took batting practice when the pitchers and catchers were done and even did defensive drills. That was a welcomed sight for manager Brad Mills.
“It’s nice to see them here and ready to go, and now they’re able to get some work done and enjoy themselves,” Mills said. “It’s good to get it done.
Some of the players, such as infielders Brett Wallace, Chris Johnson and Angel Sanchez, were working out in Houston prior to coming to spring camp. Non-roster invitee Travis Buck got to Kissimmee at the start of February to familiarize himself with the new surroundings.
The position players aren’t required to report until early Sunday – prior to the first workout – but Mills said all of them should be on site by Saturday.
For all the news from today’s workout, check out my notebook.
Here are the photos of the day:
Burt Hooton, Doug Brocail and John Matlack converse. They've combined for 328 Major League wins.
Henry Sosa works on his bunting.
First base coach Bobby Meacham feeds the pitching machine.
Chris Wallace works on blocking balls in the dirt.
Brett Wallace signs an autograph on way to batting cages.
Wandy Rodriguez fields a ball during drills.
Former first-round picks Delino DeShields Jr. and George Springer head to the batting cage.
Brett Myers fires a pitch in the bullpen.
GM Jeff Luhnow observes pitchers throwing.
Jose Valdez stretches out his arm.
Delino DeShields Jr. plays catch with Jimmy Paredes.
Astros hit the field for Day 3
In his morning gathering with the media on Wednesday, Astros manager Brad Mills told reporters he wished he had some news, but then backtracked. No news at this point in camp means no one is injured, and through two days of pitchers and catchers working out everybody remains in once piece. It won’t continue, but for now the Astros are healthy.
Mills did say the team doesn’t plan to have an intra-squad game like it’s had in years past a day or two prior to the first Grapefruit League game of the season.
“We decided that wouldn’t really benefit us that much,” Mills said. “We’re going to have that be a full day [of workouts] the day before we start playing games. The main thing is that is our pitchers really weren’t getting out of it what we’d like them to get out of it.”
Here are some pictures from the morning:
Astros catcher Chris Snyder does an interview in the morning.
Livan Hernandez walks to the field for the workout.
Zach Duke demonstrates his golf swing while awaiting stretch.
Astros get a look at more new pitchers
The second day of pitcher and catcher workouts went off without a hitch, with Astros manager Brad Mills getting his first look at pitchers like Rhiner Cruz, Livan Hernandez and Paul Clemens when they threw in the bullpen for the first time.
“Watching the guys throw, that’s always the biggest thing,” Mills said. “I thought Rhiner Cruz threw the ball really well. I thought Bud Norris threw the ball well and Paul Clemens, too. Livan’s command of his pitches was pretty impressive. The guys are doing the things to get themselves ready. Today was a much better day. Guys knew better where to go and what to do.”
General manager Jeff Luhnow was impressed with Clemens, who came to the Astros in the Michael Bourn trade.
“He’s got a big arm,” he said. “We’re going to develop him as a starter. My philosophy for the better arms is until they prove to us they don’t have three pitches and don’t have command to start, we’re going to start them, and it looks like [Clemens] has got everything he needs.”
Let’s get right to the photos:
Brad Mills hits rag balls to the pitchers.
Catchers lined up in the bullpen.
Side-armer Rhiner Cruz fires a pitch as GM Jeff Luhnow and special assistant Mike Elias watch.
Lucas Harrell throws a pitch with a bunch of folks watching.
Bench coach Joe Pettini hits a rag ball at the pitchers.
Lucas Harrell gets some tips from pitching coach Doug Brocail.
Paul Clemens fires towards home plate.
Mike Kvasnicka and roving Minor League catching instructor Danny Sheaffer.
Chris Snyder and Bud Norris shake hands after working together for the first time.
Carlos Corporan prepraes to swing in the batting cage.
Duke to get a look as a starter
Before Astros pitchers and catchers hit the field early Tuesday for the second day of workouts, manager Brad Mills said left-handed pitcher Zach Duke, a non-roster invite to camp, would be looked at as both a starter and a reliever. Duke will make a couple of Grapefruit League starts, Mills said.
“We’re going to see what he’s able to bring to the table,” Mills said. “We’re going to give him a chance to start a couple of games, but he’s also pitched out of the pen, and when you have a lefty like that with his experience is an opportunity he might be able to earn a spot in the bullpen as well.”
Duke is 48-74 with a 4.56 ERA in his career, mostly with the Pirates. He’s pitched in 181 games, including 168 starts.
Much more to come later, but enjoy a couple of morning photos:
Astros coaches Dave Clark, Milt Thompson and Bobby Meacham await the workout.
Kyle Weiland plays catch with Jordan Lyles.
Zach Duke warms up with a game of toss.
Players trickle into camp in Kissimmee
There is no official “reporting” date to Spring Training as there has been in years past, but several players were at Osceola County Stadium on Sunday — one day ahead of the first workout for pitchers and catchers.
J.A. Happ and fellow starting pitcher Bud Norris were among a handful of players to seize the opportunity to get on the back fields and play catch. Also working out Sunday were pitchers Lucas Harrell, Fernando Rodriguez, Wesley Wright, David Carpenter, outfielder Jake Goebbert and catcher Jason Castro.
Other who were in camp Sunday: Chris Snyder, Jack Cust, Zach Duke and Jorge De Leon.
“There’s going to be a lot of competition for positions, but it’s always going to be good just to see everybody again,” Happ said. “It’s good to have a little time off, but after so long everybody is going to be ready to get going again.”
The Astros will have 63 players in camp this year, including 23 non-roster players. The pitchers and catchers will take their physicals prior to Monday’s workout.
“We’ve been in Houston so long, champing at the bit,” said infielder Brett Wallace, who reported well ahead of the Feb. 26 first workout for position players. “Getting in last night and getting the chance to get in there, it’s like reality that it’s about to start. I think we’re all excited to get going this year.”
The Astros have more jobs up for grabs than any camp in recent memory. The top three spots in the rotation are decided, with Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers and Norris returning, and Carlos Lee (first base), J.D. Martinez (left field), Jose Altuve (second base) and newcomer Jed Lowrie (shortstop) likely to be in the Opening Day lineup.
“We’ve got to come in here and be positive, and that’s our No. 1 priority,” Norris said. “A lot went on last year besides playing baseball that kind of had us living in limbo land with the ownership, but finally we got that settled and I’m sure [new owner Jim] Crane is going to have an opportunity to talk to us and we’re going to have an opportunity to talk to him. It’s a fresh start. That’s what we needed.”
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Veteran relief pitcher Brandon Lyon, who underwent surgery last year to repair the detachment of his right biceps tendon and to also mend a tear in his labrum, was understandably eager to get to Kissimmee. Lyon has been throwing off the mound at home and said he comes to camp with no limitations.
“I’ve thrown a few times off the mound, which is kind of rare for me coming into Spring Training,” he said. “I usually don’t throw too much, but I felt like I had to throw a couple of times and get on the mound and see where I’m at. I’m actually pretty happy where I’m at. I feel like I’m ahead of where I usually am right now.”
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Catcher Jason Castro, who missed all of last season with a serious knee injury and underwent foot surgery two months ago, reported to camp on Sunday in good shape. He underwent surgery Dec. 9 to remove the sesamoid bone from his foot after injuring it playing in the Arizona Fall League and sat out all of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a large tear in the meniscus and having a reconstruction of the right ACL.
“I feel really good health-wise,” Castro said. “I’ll be ready to go. That’s a big reason why I’m excited. I wasn’t sure how the whole rehab process was going to go, but everything has gone really well. That makes me even more excited to get going, knowing I’m healthy.”
Here are some photos from Sunday:
Astros jerseys are lined up in the clubhouse.
More jerseys ready to go.
The pristine field at Osceola County Stadium.
A line of home plates awaiting catchers. They'll be manning them on Monday.
Lucas Harrell, David Carpenter and Fernando Rodriguez stretch.
Jason Castro plays catch as Brett Wallace awaits a throw.
Brandon Lyon and J.A. Happ play catch.
Mills already at work in Kissimmee
Astros manager Brad Mills, who arrived at the team’s Spring Training complex in Kissimmee, Fla., on Monday, was roaming around the back fields at Osceola County Stadium on Wednesday morning, taking in the start of a sunny, 80-degree day in central Florida.
Mills said several players were already at the facility working out, including Travis Buck, J.B. Shuck, Henry Sosa, Humberto Quintero, Angel Sanchez and Brian Bixler. Pitchers and catchers will work out collectively for the first time Monday, and the first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb.26.
“I wanted to get down here and check out the complex and walk around it and make sure everything is ready for us when we start on Monday,” Mills said. “We’ve got about seven or eight guys working out and taking BP and stuff on the field, and I thought I’d walk around and say hello and see how they’re doing. It’s kind of neat. The fields are in pretty good shape, and it’s beautiful.”
Mills expects the remainder of his coaching staff to arrive on Friday, and the staff will have meetings on Saturday and Sunday in advance of the start of camp. Mills, entering his third year as manager of the Astros, has been talking frequently with new bench coach Joe Pettini, who joins the Astros this year after 10 years in St. Louis.
“We’ve spent a lot of time on the phone going over a lot of things,” Mills said. “I think the [Spring Training workout] format is going to change because he’s done things differently. I don’t expect any problems at all. Joe and I have talked many times on the phone and it’s all gone really well.”
Astros spring roster
We are a little more than a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Astros spring camp in Kissimmee, Fla. There are currently 61 players on the spring roster, including 21 non-roster invitees. Below is the current spring roster, with non-roster players listed in italics:
PITCHERS (22 on 40-man + 6 non-roster)
58 Fernando Abad (L)
68 Juan Abreu
28 David Carpenter
63 Xavier Cedeno (L)
72 Paul Clemens
73 Rhiner Cruz
71 Jorge De Leon
66 Enerio Del Rosario
21 Zach Duke (L)
52 Sergio Escalona (L)
30 J.A. Happ (L)
64 Lucas Harrell
– Livan Hernandez
69 Arcenio Leon
59 Wilson Lopez
41 Jordan Lyles
37 Brandon Lyon
39 Brett Myers
20 Bud Norris
60 Lance Pendleton
62 Aneury Rodriguez
43 Fernando Rodriguez
51 Wandy Rodriguez (L)
65 Henry Sosa
67 Jose Valdez
74 Henry Villar
56 Kyle Weiland
53 Wesley Wright (L)
CATCHERS (3+1)
15 Jason Castro (L)
22 Carlos Corporan (S)
55 Humberto Quintero
18 Chris Snyder
INFIELDERS (8+8)
27 Jose Altuve
12 Brian Bixler
93 Delino DeShields Jr.
16 Matt Downs
70 Marwin Gonzalez (S)
13 Diory Hernandez
23 Chris Johnson
45 Carlos Lee
4 Jed Lowrie (S)
46 Scott Moore (L)
38 Jimmy Paredes (S)
36 Angel Sanchez
75 Jonathan Singleton (L)
3 Joe Thurston (L)
76 Jonathan Villar (S)
29 Brett Wallace (L)
OUTFIELDERS (7+6)
95 Brandon Barnes
19 Brian Bogusevic (L)
6 Travis Buck (L)
11 Jason Bourgeois
9 Jack Cust (L)
77 Jake Goebbert (L)
50 Fernando Martinez (L)
14 J.D. Martinez
– Justin Ruggiano
1 Jordan Schafer (L)
47 Brad Snyder (L)
8 J.B. Shuck (L)
94 George Springer
Spring Training tickets on sale Saturday
Individual tickets for 2012 Astros Spring Training home games will be available for purchase by the public on Saturday , beginning at 9 a.m. CT.
The Astros open the 2012 Grapefruit League season at home on March 3 vs. the Washington Nationals at 12:05 p.m. CT at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla. This year marks Houston’s 28th season in sunny Kissimmee. Workouts for pitchers and catchers in Kissimmee, which are open to the public at no charge, begin on February 20.
Tickets, which are priced the same as last spring, can be purchased in several ways: online at www.astros.com; at the Osceola County Stadium box office (home games only); by telephone at 1-800-745-3000 and in person at Florida Ticketmaster outlets (home and road games). The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET and on all game days.
Osceola County Stadium ticket prices for individual games are: $24 for Dugout Box Seats, $22 for Outfield Box Seats, $20 for Upper Reserved Seats and $15 for Outfield Reserved Seats. Please note that tickets to any of the four premium games (Phillies, Cardinals, Yankees and March 27 game vs. the Tigers) are $3 higher per ticket.
PROMOTIONS
The 2012 spring schedule once again includes giveaways and promotions for fans of all ages. On March 6 vs. the Mets, the first 2,000 fans will receive an Astros Visor, and on March 13 vs. the Phillies, the first 2,000 fans will receive an Astros Drawstring Backpack. Both giveaway items are compliments of Holiday Inn Main Gate East.
Following the three Astros Sunday home games (March 11, 18, 25), the Kids Run the Bases promotion will give kids the opportunity to run the bases . The Astros are also offering Value Days for fans on several dates. A ‘2 for $28’ special offer will be available on four dates (March 6, 18, 23, 28) and includes two outfield reserve tickets, two hot dogs and two Coca-Cola fountain drinks for $28. Additionally, the popular ‘All You Can Eat’ promotion is back and will be offered on the following four dates: March 5, 9, 15, 30.
ATTRACTIVE SCHEDULE
The Astros Spring Training schedule includes 15 home dates, with eight of those games landing on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, making it convenient for Houstonians traveling to Florida in March.
Two popular opponents, the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, will visit Kissimmee on March 5 and 6, respectively, and will be followed by the Toronto Blue Jays (Friday, March 9) and A.L. Central Champion Detroit Tigers (Sunday, March 11). The Astros will then host the five-time defending NL East Champion Philadelphia Phillies on March 13 and the Blue Jays again on March 15. The Mets return on Sunday, March 18, followed by the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals (March 20) and the Nationals on Friday, March 23. Another division rival, the Pittsburgh Pirates, will be in Kissimmee on Sunday, March 25, followed by the Tigers (March 27), the Miami (formerly Florida) Marlins (March 28) and the Braves, who return for the second time on Friday, March 30. The Astros wrap up their Spring home schedule by hosting the AL East Champion New York Yankees, who will make their one visit of the Spring on Saturday, March 31.
TICKET INFORMATION, SPECIAL OFFERS, PRICES REMAIN SAME
Season tickets for Florida Spring Training games can be purchased now by calling 321-697-3201. Season ticket prices for all 15 games, which includes free parking, are as follows: $330 for Dugout Box Seats, $300 for Outfield Box Seats, $270 for Upper Reserved Seats and $225 for Outfield Reserved Seats.
Also available for purchase is the “Getaway Weekend Plan,” which includes tickets to all five Saturday and Sunday home games and is priced starting at $90 (includes free parking).
So long from Florida
The Astros played their final Grapefruit League game of the season Monday against the Phillies in Clearwater. The club will fly to Oklahoma City on Tuesday morning for a night game against its new Triple-A club later that night before returning to Houston immediately after the game.
After an exhibition against the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park, the Astros will work out Thursday in Houston before flying to Philadelphia, where they will open the 2011 season at 12:05 p.m. Friday.
The long wait until Opening Day is finally over.
“Since last year, we were all ready and excited for the season to start, and Spring Training was the beginning of that,” first baseman Brett Wallace said. “We’re getting close to the games finally counting. We’re excited about the way the team’s coming together. We’re ready to play games that count and get to Philly and get it underway.”
The Astros will wait until Thursday to make their final roster cuts, and they have quite a few decisions to make. Who will start at shortstop? What will they do at catcher if J.R. Towles is hurt? Who will get the final couple of spots in the bullpen? The uncertainty at catcher at shortstop is a product of injuries to starters Jason Castro and Clint Barmes.
“You always want to be strong up the middle and coming into camp we were very strong up the middle,” Astros manager Brad Mills said. “You lose your catcher and shortstop, but [Angel] Sanchez played really well for us last year and we know [Humberto Quintero] has done well. We’re going to wait and see how Towles is. We have more than adequate guys to fill in and do a good job.”
Note: This will be my final blog from Florida. I’m flying home to Houston later today, and will take a few days off before joining the team in Philadelphia on Thursday. Thanks for all your readership this spring, and you can bet Tag’s Lines and MLB.com will have the latest on the Astros all season long. Houston, hello!
Brian McTaggart
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