The winners or better yet, winner, of the April Spike and Star Award for the month of April in 2010 has been chosen. It was not a good month for the team overall, suffering some of the worse performance by the team in perhaps all it’s history. Two eight game losing streaks, un-timely hitting, lots of miscues on defense, some relief pitching gone awry, just overall lousy play. Yet through it all, at least one player emerged from it all not only performing to great standards, but displaying the hard nosed attitude and passion in doing so. Who might this player be? Well, let’s not wait any longer to honor the man.
April 2010 Spike Award Winner
Michael Bourn has been elected the deserving one of the Spike Award this month by the TalksZone citizenry. The masses have spoken and the SnS agrees, very good choice. Often it’s said that if we were to chose the one action that we would expect from a Spike winner it would be running through a wall for the team. 
Many players have reputation of doing such and some player look like they’d be the type, but with Michael, it is that he just goes out and does it night in and night out. His ability to play defense at a level that puts him in the stratosphere of the best of the best just proves he is going to be tough to beat every month as the perpetual winner of the award. Then again, if everyone played defense like Bourn, this team wouldn’t be in the dire situation it finds itself in terms of winning ballgames.
April 2010 Star Award Winner
Michael Bourn swept the SnS awards this month as he was the overwhelming choice for the Star award this month by the TalkZoners. Again, the SnS agrees with the choice as does the statistical evidence. Michael led the starters on the team in batting average in April to the tune of .311, while posting a .407 OBP and a .387 SLG percentage. 
Bourn also stole 9 bases, several of which contributed heavily to rare wins by the team who struggled offensively in April. His 23 hits in 21 games in April was impressive as he continues to use what he learned last year and applied to an everyday approach for success at the major league level. Michael did have a high number of strikeouts in April, not many of which were about being a free swinger though. He had a stretch where he looked like he was taking too many pitches in order to comply with the duties of a leadoff man and that got him behind in most counts leading to the high strikeouts. He’s seemed to have made an adjustment and remains aggressive but controlled with his approach as the leadoff man. Right now, Bourn is on pace to be the lone Astros representative in the All-Star game and if the SnS Star Award is a launching pad for said recognition, all the better.
