Houston Astros Preview
With the third team in the AL West, I will be hacking into their roster to give a preview on it for you all to see. All jokes aside, the Houston Astros are the favorite in my eyes to win the AL West, and could possibly be the main challenger to the Cleveland Indians for a shot at the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Despite numerous trades for big name players, the Astros still have one of the best young cores along with one of the best farm systems in baseball. I don't think they will struggle out of the gate this season, and a World Series title is not out of the question.
PROJECTED ROTATION: Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Lance McCullers, Mike Fiers, Joe Musgrove
This rotation really has a chance to make an improvement on a disappointing season last year, and a Cy Young award winner just two years in Dallas Keuchel is not a one-hit wonder. He was fairly good down the stretch, and should be considered a dark horse for another Cy Young. McHugh was available for every game last season, and McCullers was having the best season of any Astros starter if not for his injuries. Mike Fiers was also a workhorse last year for Houston, and Joe Musgrove is a prospect who showed flashes of promise during the season. Brad Peacock and Charlie Morton are the main competitors, although Morton spent a lot of time on the DL last year in Philadelphia.
BULLPEN: Ken Giles (CL), Luke Gregerson, Will Harris, Tony Sipp, Michael Feliz, Chris Devenski, Charlie Morton
Due to his elongated DL stint, I have put Morton as the long reliever in this bullpen. After being traded for an enormous prospect load from Philadelphia, Ken Giles struggled early on as the closer. However, he re-earned his job and now has the inside track at closing on Opening Day. Will Harris and Luke Gregerson are some of the best unknown relievers in baseball, and Chris Devenski was excellent in 48 appearances. Tony Sipp and Michael Feliz round out the bullpen, due to their workloads of decent pitching from last year. Expect a lot of competition, though, from James Hoyt, Brady Rodgers, Jandel Gustave, David Paulino and more.
CATCHERS: Brian McCann, Evan Gattis
McCann appears to be a curious addition at first, and then you remember that Jason Castro has struggled offensively the past few seasons. He is the favorite to earn the starting job and share the position with Gattis when he is not at DH. Both catchers are run producers, and Evan Gattis led the Astros in home runs despite only having the fifth most at bats on the team. Max Stassi is the other catcher on the roster, and expect him to be in Triple-A for a while.
INFIELDERS: Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Yulieski Gurriel, Marwin Gonzalez, AJ Reed
Altuve, Correa and Bregman all have the opportunity to be among the elite at their respective positions for a very long time, and they are not going anywhere barring injury. However, the first base job is deceptively wide open. Many seem to believe that Yulieski Gurriel has the job on lockdown, and he was relatively productive in his first 130 at bats. But, Marwin Gonzalez is more than capable of playing first, and then you have young first basemen like AJ Reed and Tyler White, both former prospects still trying to find out how not to become more Jonathan Singleton's. Number seven prospect Colin Moran is also a candidate, but expect him in Triple-A for a while to give these guys more time to prove their worth.
OUTFIELDERS: George Springer, Carlos Beltran, Josh Reddick, Nori Aoki, Preston Tucker
George Springer is the center fielder, and Carlos Beltran has a job somewhere until father time catches up with him. Josh Reddick also has had the bat in the past to earn a spot in right field. As for Nori Aoki, his ability to play both corner outfield positions and be an extra leadoff hitter will likely get him a job as well. After that, Preston Tucker is the favorite for not just the fifth outfield spot, but for the 25th roster spot due to his hitting potential. He is fighting the speedy Jake Marisnick and utility players Tony Kemp and Teoscar Hernandez for the last position on the team. I'm choosing Tucker because he has the most experience and is all around the best player of the group.
LINEUP: Springer (CF), Bregman (3B), Altuve (2B), Correa (SS), Gattis (DH), Beltran (LF), Reddick (RF), McCann (C), Gurriel (1B)
The Houston Astros' website does not have Evan Gattis as a starter at either catcher, left field or DH, but I decided to put him as the DH to get the best offense-defense lineup possible. The Astros need to find a way to get him in the lineup, and after the struggles Aoki went through last year I bumped Beltran to left and placed Gattis at DH. I also am giving Gurriel the starting job too, but it's not a foregone conclusion. Even with Aoki or Gonzalez in this lineup, it is deadly from 1-9 with two potential MVP's at spots three and four. Bregman (or Gurriel) could be rookie of the year, Springer is a 30-30 threat, and the four veterans in spots 5-8 are all still hitting well. I also believe that some of the batters besides Altuve need a better batting average to do well. As far as the rotation and bullpen goes, they will need to improve to get the Astros farther than in years past. I think they had an awful year, which means they can easily do better. I think they win the AL West and approach 94 wins.
