In today’s intrasquad, Ortiz reports, Catcher Lou Palmisano, the Rule 5 pick the Astros acquired in December, hit a monstrous two-run home run to left off Clay Hensley.
Palmisano is competing with Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles, who struck out in his first at-bat, for one of the two catching spots up for competition this spring.
Headline, “Palmisano leads in competition at catcher”
Headline “Darin Erstad Death Watch”
Jose de Jesus Ortiz blogs at Feb. 23, 2009 08:23 AM
A day after he was hit on his cheek bone near his right eye during outfield drills, Darin Erstad is heading for X-rays at a local hospital. He suffered the injury when he missed a sinking line drive fielding balls off a machine.
Feb. 23, 2009, 4:37PM
Astros outfielder Darin Erstad suffered a small fracture on his right cheekbone, X-rays revealed Monday, but is not expected to miss any significant playing time. Link
Feb. 23, 2009, 11:09PM
A day after he was hit on his cheekbone near his right eye during outfield drills, Darin Erstad went to a local hospital for X-rays that revealed a small fracture near the eye. He suffered the injury when he missed a sinking line drive fielding balls off a machine….
Erstad won’t won’t participate in today’s intrasquad game or lift weights for a few days, but he has been cleared for all other baseball activities. Link
Footer blogged
Darin Erstad was amused when a couple of us reporter types rushed over to talk to him about the ground ball that bounced off his cheekbone yesterday, forcing him to have a precautionary x-ray taken, just to be sure nothing was wrong. said Erstad “I went to blow my nose last night and I said ‘Uh, I better check this out.” Link
Look at me, I’m a Chron “Reporter”
Oswalt …swears he’ll be done when his contract expires in 2011. The club holds an option for ’12, but Oswalt has repeatedly said when the deals runs out in ’11, so will he.
That would be an unusually early retirement for a Major League star, and Berkman believes Oswalt will stick around. “…. Even if Roy hangs them up for a year, I predict a comeback after a year’s absence.” Link
Which potentially becomes “Unnamed sources tell this reporter that one veteran leader accuses another veteran of lying about his career intentions. Could this mean he’s thinking about playing for another team? More details after the veteran blows his nose.”