The Pecan Park Eagle

Jose Altuve, 2B, .341
American League 2014 Batting Champion
~ The only man close to a sure thing in 2015 ~

After finally putting the plug on the jug of those three consecutive 100 plus loss seasons (2011-13) in 2014 and coming up the AL batting champion in the presence of the wonderful little second baseman with the big bat, Mr. Jose Altuve, , the Astros are starting to talk again through their strategic chieftains like a club that is ready to make a serious move on climbing back into the role of AL pennant contender, but that’s still a mile or two down the road.

Without television coverage in our Direct TV neck of the woods for two full seasons, we found ourselves seeing fewer games at the ballpark too over the past two seasons. That’s  fewer games per season in 2013-14 than at any other time we’ve lived in Houston and been attending professional baseball games since 1947.

The result – or maybe I should amend that “one result” is that I know less about the cub and their prospects than at any earlier time in my history – and – from other people I’ve talked to lately about this experience – I am far from alone out here in that regard. Once I get past the names Altuve, Springer, Singleton and Carter among the firm to tentatively projected starters for 2015, I could not possibly pick out most of the others in a police lineup.

This morning, I just had time enough to piece together what I think is a fairly possible starting Astros offensive lineup for 2015, give a take a few trades – or a change based on their performances this coming spring. And, not even getting into pitching and defense, the people I see here need to really pick up their games for the Astros to make a serious run at improvement in 2015. I didn’t have time to add the Runs and RBI numbers for these nine offensive “starters,” but a couple of things jump immediately to mind:

(1) Once the opposition pitches to Altuve, they have worked their way through the heart of the Astros order; and (2) the rest of the guys strike out way too much and also fail to hit for average. Marisnick almost doesn’t count. His .272 BA was a short time figure for the Astros after a miserable shorter start for Miami at .167.

What’s the deal? Are these guys that bad as contact hitters? Or has anyone ever tried teaching them the strike zone – and the hard t impart wisdom to watch out for all those pitchers out there who still understand Warren Spahn’s philosophy about pitching – even if they don’t know who Warren Spahn was?

“Hitting is timing. ~ Pitching is upsetting a hitter’s timing.”

Hopefully, Jose Altuve can stay in the greatness zone that looks so natural to him – and the rest can either learn to play the game at a higher level – or give way to others who can.

Here are some basic stats about the Astros starters who this morning found their way into our Pecan Park Eagle Discovery Zone;

2014 Houston Astros Sometimes Starters and Their Stats

Leave a comment on your own observations about the offensive challenge tha faces the 2015 Astros. I’s never too early to start the Hot Stove League.

And have a nice sunny, cool Tuesday in Houston, everybody!