With the big league season underway with the Houston Astros hosting the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park, here are 5 questions to discuss involving the Astros.
How much of an improvement can the Astros make in 2014?
For a team coming off a record 111 loss season, there is presumably only one way to go – or else start wading into territory reserved by the ‘62 Mets. The team at least has upgraded the roster, starting with the revamping of a bullpen that blew 29 saves in 2013. The additions of veterans Chad Qualls, Matt Albers, Anthony Bass and Jesse Crain (when healthy) will hopefully add stability to the pen, and protect leads in the late innings.
Dexter Fowler, Robbie Grossman and George Springer (when he is called up) should be a better outfield than what the Astros trotted out the previous year. The starting pitching staff has potential with Scott Feldman at least providing veteran leadership to youngsters like Jarred Cosart and Brett Oberholtzer, but it will be key to see if Lucas Harrell can rebound from a disastrous 2013 and return to the promise he showed in 2012.
That being said, this team will be fortunate to get to the 70 win mark, which would be a 19 game improvement from their 51 win total from a year ago. This Astros team is all about the future, so moving in the right direction is paramount.
What young players might make an impact with the Astros this year?
The obvious one is George Springer, who will be making his Major League debut with the Astros in the near future. Whether that is April if he tears up AAA or June because the Astros may want to avoid the “Super Two” status, he will get the call to the Big Leagues hopefully before the next U.S. presidential election.
Jon Singleton is another to watch, as he was set back by his drug related suspension last year and never got into a groove in 2013. If he can get his bat going at Oklahoma City and the Astros continue to experiment at 1B on the big league level, then Singleton could find himself with a real opportunity to play on an everyday basis when called up to the bigs.
As for pitchers, Mike Foltynewicz is the exciting prospect in waiting, because he has the triple digits fastball and the skill set of a #1 starter. He still needs fine-tuning on becoming a better overall pitcher instead of just a hard thrower, but he will be thrilling to watch when he finally gets to Houston.
What is the future of Jason Castro with the Astros?
The 2014 season was the first year of arbitration eligibility for Jason Castro, nicely timed after an All Star season where he hit .276 and had a .350 OBP for a C. Other teams inquired about him in the offseason, but the Astros were not interested in dealing him, with Astros GM Jeff Luhnow telling MLB.com that “we really feel he’s a player we can’t be without at this point.”
The Astros would typically want to lock up a player like Castro to a long-term extension, but other factors could come into play. He has missed time due to injuries over the past few years, and there are also catchers like Max Stassi and Tyler Heineman in the system, who have impressed at the minor league level.
It is worth monitoring over the course of the season, as Castro could sign a long-term extension during the season as Altuve did last year, or he could draw interest if made available to other teams at the trading deadline.
What is the future for Jonathan Villar with Carlos Correa waiting in the wings?
In spring training, the opinion was almost universal of how impressive Astros top prospect Carlos Correa was, showing a maturity and professionalism beyond his 19 years. It is only a matter of time before he takes the reins at SS, and the Astros hope he will be a Biggio-like rock in the Astros infield for many years to come.
But in the meantime, what does this mean for the guy holding the position of Correa? Villar appears to be like the seat-warmer at the Oscars, keeping the seat occupied until the star arrives. In 58 games with the Astros last year, Jonathan Villar hit .243 with a .321 OBP. He did show the speed he had in the minor leagues (where he stole 193 bases in six seasons) and he does have some extra-base pop, so this year will be key for him to show the organization what he can do, either to shift him to another spot when Correa is ready or move him to another organization entirely.
Can 2013 #1 Draft Pick Mark Appel pitch in the big leagues in 2014?
The Astros’ #1 draft pick from last year will start at Class-A Lancaster, but he has a chance to make a meteoric rise up the organization. He already is a polished pitcher with his above-average fastball and a good changeup and slider.
The Stanford grad had a 3.79 ERA and a 1.184 WHIP in 38 innings pitched last year between Tri-City and Quad Cities. Although he was slowed by appendectomy surgery in February, he made starts at the end of spring, including the last exhibition tune-up at Minute Maid Park.
With the Astros in a rebuilding situation, it is not inconceivable he could get called up later this summer, and certainly during September callups, so keep an eye on his performance and progression through the minor leagues in the early months of the season.
-R.G. Seal
