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Astros Musings: The Regular Season Awaits
By Cody Poage
Meaningful baseball for the Astros is right around corner following a relatively quiet Spring Training.
Musing #1: Carlos Correa experiencing a sore neck…argh!
The Astros may or may not have a healthy Correa for Opening Day this Thursday in Tampa. Cue the collective groans from the fanbase.
More from AJ Hinch on Carlos Correa's sore neck: "We'll see if he can play on Thursday. We don't think it's a long-term issue. I don't love the fact that we've had to scratch him a couple days and he's heading into the season having not played for a few days." pic.twitter.com/gLC2W4wh7C
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 26, 2019
On the plus side, it doesn’t sound like the team is too concerned at this juncture. Still, it is rather disheartening to see a player who battled through a troublesome back ailment hit with a similar injury before the season starts.
Musing #2: The young arms are looking good
To close out Spring Training, the Astros played two exhibition games this week against the Pirates at Minute Maid Park. Houston won the first contest on Monday to a score of 12-9 while dropping the second game Tuesday 5-1. While these games literally mean nothing in terms of how the regular season goes, the Astros used the two games for their young arms to show off their stuff.
- Forrest Whitley: 3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 67 pitches-43 strikes
- J.B. Bukauskas: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 63 pitches-30 strikes
- Corbin Martin: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 SO, 63 pitches-35 strikes
I have a feeling that we will be seeing at least one of those three pitchers up in the majors by June. Heck, all three could make an impact as early as this year.
Next. Astros: Who is this Nick Tanielu tearing it up this Spring?. dark
Musing #3: Opening Day this Thursday, people!
As most of you already know, the Astros open their 2019 season in Tampa on Thursday. It’ll be a potentially strong pitching matchup between the top starters in the AL last season based on Cy Young voting: Justin Verlander and Blake Snell. While I know some fans like to see all of the home runs and offense to start the season, sometimes there is nothing better than a potential pitchers duel to open the season right. Well, right in my mind.