re: DAT: 6/9-6/12: Astros take 3 of 4 from Diamondbacks. TB in for 3 next

If Grossman keeps hitting, we won't see Santana.

And regarding the bullpen, the lefties aren't the problem. Sipp and Downs have been good.

But we will eventually have to deal with Williams, Fields, Farnsworth and Owens. I could easily see Trop, Buchanan, Chapman, Folty and Alex White all taking turns at 3 of those spots.

The 4th spot belongs to Crain as soon as he is ready

I would be happy with a struggling Castro especially considering what we have had the past 20 years.

in the last 7 days, RobbieG is hitting .385 with a .500 OBP. and somewhat of a platoon.... Yes, small sample size, but nonetheless.

This is a very important week for the Astros as the schedule picks up considerably in difficulty after the Rays with a series against the Nats, Braves & Tigers each coming up (with another series with the Rays mixed in). Then in mid July we have a run of A's, Marlins (not a pushover this season), A's again, then Blue Jays.

So mid June to the end of July will be a difficult stretch.

:debbiedowner:

No doubt

Jim Callis has Astros as one of 6 teams that made best draft impression...

quote:

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2. Astros. Houston had the top pick for an unprecedented third straight season and made good use of it by taking the consensus top prospect, Cathedral Catholic High (San Diego) left-hander Brady Aiken. With two more first-day choices, the Astros snagged two of the better college hitters available when Virginia outfielder Derek Fisher (supplemental first round) and Kentucky first baseman/NCAA Division I home run leader A.J. Reed (second), fell further than expected.

Houston began Day 2 by adding Cal State Fullerton first baseman/right-hander J.D. Davis and Texas A&M righty Daniel Mengden, two solid college performers in the third and fourth rounds. They later picked up some upside righties in Los Alamito (Calif.) High's Jacob Nix (fifth round), Fresno State's Derick Velazquez (seventh) and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M's Dean Deetz (11th). By agreeing to terms with Aiken for $6.5 million, a record for a high school arm but still $1,422,100 below his assigned pick value, the Astros may have enough extra cash to sign Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) left-hander Mac Marshall, once viewed as a potential first-round pick at one point. The Astros have not confirmed a deal is in place.

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Rest of the article for those interested

Kris Bryant is crushing AA....

BTW what do you think is going to happen with our DH Chris "K Man" Carter? I mean he has 67 strikeouts and a .194 batting average but he has games like yesterday where he sluggs a grand slam, 4 RBI's , and a couple of runs. Other games he strikes out 4 times and does nothing. Do you see his the DH for the rest of the season?

If he finishes June with under 100 strikeouts, that is marked improvement from last season

He's striking out less this year than through 56 games last year (32% to 38%) but that's about the only area he's improved in.

Through 56 games

2013: .225 .304OBP 4 doubles 1 triple 12 homers 32RBI

2014: .194 .291OBP 11 doubles 1 triple 10homers 27RBI

His BAbip this year is .236 while league average is somewhere around .300. Carter's BAbip last year was .311 and .283 for his career. So that suggests he's been a bit unlucky this year when he puts the ball in play. Combine that with the decrease in strikeouts and it would suggest, he (in theory) could get hot soon.