The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – INSIDE PITCH
At first, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had some reservations about an almost total makeover to his approach to hitting.
Altuve used a free-swinging approach to catapult from high Class A to the major leagues last season. The Astros spent the spring trying to get the 5-foot-6 Altuve to shrink his strike zone — or at least swinging zone — a bit.
“I thought at the beginning it would (be difficult),” said Altuve, who batted .389 in the minors and .276 in the majors last season. “Now I feel good. I love it.”
Altuve, 22, emerged from the Astros’ season-opening, six-game homestand with a .368/.435/.474 batting line. Though 19 at-bats and 23 plate appearances do not a significant sample size make, there is at least some meaning to Altuve having drawn three walks. He walked five times in 234 plate appearances in the majors last season.
“I think he’s done a real good job of trying to make adjustments,” Astros manager Brad Mills said. “It’s something we’ve worked on from day one in spring training. He’s definitely shown some improvement. His aggressiveness within the strike zone has been big.”
Mills likes the fine line Altuve has been walking between aggressive and selective. Altuve saw an average of 3.08 pitches per plate appearance last season, well below the National League average of 3.80. He averaged 4.04 pitches in his first 23 plate appearances this season — a rate that would have ranked sixth in the NL in 2011.
“No matter how fine it is, there is a line,” Mills said. “As long as you’re trying to find that line as best you can, you’re moving in the right direction.”
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MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – NOTES, QUOTES
–LHP Wandy Rodriguez exited after five innings in his second start of the season, having allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits. The Braves batted around during a three-run rally in the fourth, helped along by errors on Rodriguez and SS Marwin Gonzalez. The real tipping point in the inning, though, was a two-run double by C David Ross on an 0-2 pitch. “I wanted to throw it down in the zone, but it was down the middle,” Rodriguez said. “That was the big mistake for me.”
–LF J.D. Martinez has hit safely in all six Astros games, the only player on the team to do so. Martinez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI on Wednesday in a 6-3 loss to the Braves, lifting his average to .364.
–RF Brian Bogusevic got the night off after a 2-for-17 (.118) start. Travis Buck went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a double-play grounder before leaving for a pinch-hitter.
–CF Jordan Schafer extended his hitting streak to five games, putting his average at .348. Schafer went 6-for-13 with three stolen bases during a three-game series against his former team, the Braves.
–3B Chris Johnson went 2-for-4 Wednesday hit safely in the final five games of the home stand to put his average at .333.
–C Jason Castro is still looking for his first hit of the season after a 0-for-2 performance. Castro (0-for-11) and fellow C Chris Snyder are a combined 1-for-21.
BY THE NUMBERS: 8 — Errors the Astros have committed in six games this season. All eight errors came in the two starts by LHP Wandy Rodriguez, who had two of the misplays.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’re putting ourselves in a position to score runs. The guys are playing with their hearts, and I think the fans see that. That might have to do with some of those errors.” — Manager Brad Mills, after his team committed four errors and stranded 10 runners in a 6-3 loss to the Braves on Wednesday.
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MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–SS Jed Lowrie (jammed thumb) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He could be back as soon as he is eligible.
–LHP Sergio Escalona (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list April 4. He will miss the entire season.
ROTATION:
LHP Wandy Rodriguez
RHP Lucas Harrell
RHP Bud Norris
LHP J.A. Happ
RHP Kyle Weiland
BULLPEN:
RHP Brett Myers (closer)
RHP Brandon Lyon
RHP Wilton Lopez
RHP David Carpenter
RHP Fernando Rodriguez
LHP Wesley Wright
RHP Lucas Harrell
RHP Rhiner Cruz
CATCHERS:
C Jason Castro
C Chris Snyder
INFIELDERS:
1B Carlos Lee
2B Jose Altuve
3B Chris Johnson
SS Marwin Gonzalez
INF Matt Downs
INF Brian Bixler
OUTFIELDERS:
CF Jordan Schafer
LF J.D. Martinez
RF Brian Bogusevic
OF Travis Buck
OF Justin Maxwell
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