I caught part of the pre-spring training breakdown of the Astros on XM Inside Pitch the other day.
Bud Norris was the guest interview. Seemed like a decent guy. He wants to be the staff ace, which I guess he probably will be, by default if nothing else. Kept referring to his new manager as "Porter". It didn't sound like he was being disrespectful or anything. Maybe, like Morrissey or Dio, Porter prefers to be referred to by his surname.
Jim Bowden was kinder about the starting pitching than I would have been. Norris-Harrell-Cosart can be a solid 1-2-3, Lyles has a chance to be a serviceable back of the rotation starter. He expects nothing from Humber and/or Alex White. I didn't hear mention of Keuchel.
The only guy Bowden really likes in the current offense is Altuve; he said Lowrie is a competent MLB starter, though his best position is probably 2B, not SS, but of course that won't happen. He should be trade bait again this year as the deadline nears. Dominguez has the glove to start at 3B now, the question is if he'll hit enough. He was adamant that there is no reason why Wallace cannot hit MLB pitching, he doesn't know why he hasn't consistently yet. He intimated that one cause might be how Wallace was put in and out of the lineup under Mills, sent down and brought back up, etc. Bowden said now is the time for Houston to find out if Wallace is the real deal once and for all. They have nothing to lose by sticking him out there for 150 games, 500-600 plate appearances. If he does what it sometimes looks like he can do, they have a quality bat at 1B. If not, they can close the book on him and move on.
Both Bowden and the other guy (Paulsen? ... Casey Stern was off) said the team we'll see on the field this year is not the team that will one day return the franchise to respectability. These are all mostly transitional players. Some of them are former prospects in other organizations who didn't pan out (White, Dominguez, etc.) Some might work out, some not. Just about any veteran guy who is having a good year will be traded for more prospects. Luhnow will have to continue in this manner until he finally gets together the team he is trying for. Needless to say, that team might be a few years from now, soonest.
The consensus was it would be another really tough season for the Astros (and their fans), particularly in this division.
None of this is news to anyone who follows the team. Their show is geared to a national audience, who likely don't hear much about Houston beyond how pitiful the franchise has become. Still, it was a little dismaying to me, to hear it. I suppose I am not quite as detached from the team as I'd thought at the denouement of last season - it kind of hurt my heart to think they are likely in for another 100+ loss campaign, and perhaps several more.
I am guessing I will only be keeping up peripherally in 2013; but deep down I hope all the national pundits (and I) are wrong, that it won't be as bad for the Astros and Astros fans as people think.
