Whiskers On A Stache - An Astros Fan Blog

"There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with..."

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:39:31 -0500

“There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.”

- “Coach Finstock,” from “Teen Wolf”

Predicting the 2013 Houston Astros Opening Day Roster

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:09:02 -0500

We’re 10 days from opening day and, while battles are still being fought for some positions, most of the dust has cleared and players have begun to emerge as favorites for a coveted 25 man roster spot. Below, I have listed the players I believe will make the 2013 Astros team with a few short sentences as to why. I have also listed a few players at the bottom who will likely not make the team.

Starting lineup:

Second Base) Jose Altuve: He was an All-Star last year and is one of the youngest players on the team. He’s hitting .353 this spring and has been confirmed as a lock to make the team by manager Bo Porter.

First Base) Brett Wallace: Although nobody still knows if Wallace is good enough to be an MLB regular, he’s hitting for average (.308) and power (2 home runs) this camp. He’s even taken a few walks to boost his OBP to .357.

Designated Hitter) Carlos Pena: He’s at the tail end of his career, and maybe not needed on a roster chock-full of corner infielders, but he’s looked quite good so far with 4 home runs and a 1.020 OPS. Oh, yes, and let’s not forget his $2.9 million contract is the highest paid on the team.

Left Field) Chris Carter: A key piece of the Jed Lowrie trade, Carter—by all accounts—has made a smooth transition to his unnatural position of left field. His 18 strikeouts lead the team, but he’s taken 6 walks and hit 4 home runs for a healthy .893 OPS.

Center Field) Justin Maxwell: Not the best start for “J Max.” He’s hitting .186 with 1 home run and 13 punch-outs. Still, he’s one of the most athletic players on the roster and proved his worth last season by posting a WAR of 2.3—all for the league minimum salary.

Right Field) Rick Ankiel: Astros GM Jeff Luhnow and manager Bo Porter have experience with Ankiel from his playing days with St. Louis and Washington. He’s a non-roster invitee, and was originally intended to compete for a backup outfield spot, but he’s been easily one of the best offensive players during camp and has likely played his way in to a starting role.

Catcher) Jason Castro: The top draft pick for the Astros in 2008 has dealt with injuries over his limited career, but he’s healthy now and has show incredible offensive prowess in camp. His 5 home runs are tied for first and he’s sporting an unreal 1.550 OPS.

Third Base) Matt Dominguez: He’s had a reputation for having a solid glove and iffy bat, but he’s been just fine during March. His .314 average, 3 home runs, and 1.057 OPS have solidified his spot at the team’s opening day third basemen.

Shortstop) Tyler Greene: This has not been a particularly good spring for Greene, who’s posted a .154 average and .518 OPS. He likely wins the starting role, though, due to the fact his biggest competition, Jake Elmore, hasn’t done enough to wrestle the job from him.

Bench:

Infield) Marwin Gonzalez: Truth be told, he probably deserves to be the starting shortstop (and he could still end up being named it), but for now he’s the team’s backup infielder due to his solid glove work.

Outfield) Brandon Barnes: Many folks, including myself, have looked at this as one of the last opportunities for Barnes to show he’s worthy of an MLB roster spot. Surprisingly, Barnes has taken the chance and run with it. He’s hitting .344 and has shown excellent power with 4 home runs in camp. Like Maxwell, he’s extremely athletic and can play all three outfield spots well.

Outfield) Fernando Martinez: Will he be suspended for his name being included in records of Biogenesis, the Miami wellness clinic? Nobody knows for certain. Martinez hasn’t let the controversy faze him by hitting for average (.333) and power (.542 OPS) this spring. He gets the edge over J.D. Martinez due to the fact he’s an out of options player (meaning the Astros can’t demote him to the minors without the chance of losing him) and because his lefty bat is nice to have off the bench.

Catcher) Carlos Corporan: Has any Astros player improved more than Corporan over the past couple of seasons? He’s hitting a robust .370 for the spring and went deep twice yesterday against Detroit. There hasn’t been much competition for the backup catcher spot, but Corporan has looked impressive.

Starting rotation:

#1 Starter) Bud Norris: He’s already been named the opening day starter by Bo Porter. Efficiency and walks are two of his biggest deficiencies, but he’s generally been consistent.

#2 Starter) Lucas Harrell: Another player who has been penciled in by Porter is Harrell at the two spot. He’s only improved since he’s arrived in Houston and has looked excellent during camp with a 2.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 18 innings.

#3 Starter) Phil Humber: OK, who saw this coming? Humber has been the best Astros pitcher this spring with a miniscule 1.29 ERA and .64 WHIP. If he pitches half as good during the season, his $850K salary for 2013 will look one of the biggest bargains of the off-season.

#4 Starter) Brad Peacock: There are two players fighting for this spot—Peacock and Alex White. Both have looked good (and bad) at times, but Peacock has been the more consistent of the two with a solid 3.68 ERA over 14.2 IP.

#5 Starter) Erik Bedard: Bedard is the other non-roster player that makes the team (besides Ankiel) and he does so for a couple of reasons: 1) He’s a lefty. 2) He’s a veteran who has experience pitching in the AL West. Injuries have always been an issue with Bedard and this year has been no exception—he’s only pitched 6 innings. Still, he has a track record that says he can be effective and the team could use his experience.

Bullpen:

Long man) Alex White: White has been inconsistent over his limited career and this spring has been no exception. Still, he has some of the best stuff on the team and would be a decent long-relief option should the team need him.

Middle Relief) Hector Ambriz: He’s had a good spring (3.38 ERA and .94 WHIP over 5.1 IP), but more importantly he’s one of the few relievers in camp on the current 40 man roster (meaning no corresponding roster move would be necessary for his inclusion).

Middle Relief) Wesley Wright: The former Rule 5 draft pick has really cemented his role as the team’s best lefty specialist. His numbers during camp haven’t looked good (a 9.00 ERA and 3 walks over 6 IP), but that’s not enough for him to lose the job.

Middle Relief) Xavier Cedeno: He pitched very well for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and has also looked good in limited time with Houston this month. His inclusion gives Bo Porter a second lefty option out of the ‘pen.

Middle Relief) Josh Fields: The 2012 Rule 5 pick was expected to be a solid relief choice and so far he’s proven his worth. Walks have been an issue during camp (6 over 7.2 IP), but he’s been good at limiting the damage.

Setup Man) Chia-Jen Lo: I’m not sure anyone expected it to take this long for Lo, originally signed by the Astros as an international free agent in 2008, to make his MLB debut but it appears that time is now. Lo has a sparkling 2.35 ERA to go with 8 Ks over 7.2 IP.

Closer) Jose Veras: He’s just returning from pitching on the championship winning DomincanRepublic team in the World Baseball Classic. Walks have been an issue with him over his career, but he’s been fine in limited time in camp with 6 Ks over 3 IP. He’s also the most experience reliever on the team.

Players not making the cut:

Infield) Brandon Laird: Laird has been incredible this spring with 5 home runs and an 1.150 OPS. Unfortunately, Laird is a non-roster invitee who’s limited to a corner infield spot (in an already crowded infield) and because of that he’s unfairly the odd-man out.

Infield) Nate Freiman: Freiman, the second 2012 Rule 5 draft of the Astros, has been solid but unspectacular this spring. Like Laird, he’s fighting for a spot in a very crowded corner infield/DH. Since he is a Rule 5 pick, he must remain on the 25 man roster all season long. The Astros will likely return him to San Diego or they could potentially work out a trade that would allow him to be demoted to the minors.

Outfield) J.D. Martinez: His .340 OBP has been welcomed, but he hasn’t outplayed his biggest competition, Fernando Martinez, for a backup outfield spot. J.D. also has minor league options left (a luxury Fernando doesn’t), so this probably doesn’t work in his favor.

Outfield) Trevor Crowe: Crowe has played very well during camp, but doesn’t make the cut due to his exclusion from the 40 man roster. With the team already having to make some difficult cuts due to the likely inclusion of Rick Ankiel and Erik Bedard, they will be extremely hesitant to potentially lose anymore players than they need to.

Pitcher) Edgar Gonzalez: Gonzalez is really an ideal candidate for the back-end of the rotation or as the long man in the bullpen. He’s pitched extremely well this spring with a 1.80 ERA and 8 Ks over 10 IP. Unfortunately, Gonzalez is another non-roster invitee, so he’ll likely start 2013 at OKC.

Above: Manny Sanguillen baseball card using a 1974 Topps...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:23:59 -0500

Above: Manny Sanguillen baseball card using a 1974 Topps template.

Happy birthday to three time all-star, Panamanian baseball great, & BBQ proprietor Manny Sanguillen! He turns 69 today.

"Whenever I slid, I always dusted myself off. Because if you look like you’re safe, the umpire..."

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:44:51 -0500

““Whenever I slid, I always dusted myself off. Because if you look like you’re safe, the umpire thinks you’re safe. If you slide and then look at it him like, ‘What is it?’ He’ll say, ‘You’re out!’ So looking safe is a big part of it. One time, I slid into second, Ozzie Guillen was covering the base. It was a real close play, but I just started wiping. The ump goes, ‘Safe! Safe!’ Ozzie yells, ‘Why?’ The ump says, ‘I don’t know!’””

- Former Kansas City Royal Willie Wilson on the art of stealing bases, from “Grand Theft Baseball.”

What would World Baseball Classic themed bookmarks look like if...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:06:10 -0500

What would World Baseball Classic themed bookmarks look like if such a thing existed?

Above: Dock Ellis baseball card using a 1971 Topps...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:43:53 -0500

Above: Dock Ellis baseball card using a 1971 Topps template.

Today, March 11th, would’ve marked Dock Ellis’s 68th birthday. Though he’s most famous the 1970 “LSD no-no,” few know about his post-baseball career working as an activist and counselor at drug treatment facilities and prisons. A documentary on his life is currently in production. You can see a trailer and read about it here and here.

Jose Cruz baseball card using a 1979 Topps template.

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:44:11 -0500

Jose Cruz baseball card using a 1979 Topps template.

Here it is, folks. Your Ron Paul highlight reel from the 1983...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:10:03 -0600

Here it is, folks. Your Ron Paul highlight reel from the 1983 Congressional Baseball Game.

The money quote of the night belongs to Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank :

“I would add that he’s probably one of the best gynecologists that you’ll find out on this ball field today. Without question.”

Uhh…yeah.

Houston Astros Anagrams – Part III

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:42:16 -0600

See past versions here and here.

Bo Porter – Probe Rot, Robot Rep, Retro Bop.

Chris Carter – Starch Ricer, Rich Craters.

Brad Peacock – Ace Backdrop, Packed Cobra, Crab Cake Pod, Baked Cop Car, Pack Coed Bra, A Bad Cock Rep, Brad Apecock.

Che Hsuan Lin – Launch Shine, Unleash Chin, Aliens Hunch, Shh…I Unclean, He’s In A Lunch.

Erik Bedard – Bearded Irk, Baked Rider, I Barked Red, I Bred Drake, Rad Beer Kid

Justin Maxwell – Ax Men Just Will, Us Want Jell Mix, Swam In Jell Tux, Me Law Jinx Slut, We All Jinx Smut.

Nate Freiman – Animate Fern, Trainman Fee, Anti-Freeman, Ain’t Freeman, A Tan Firemen, Fart In Enema, Eaten In Farm, Ant Men Afire, Team Ran Fine.

Matt Dominguez – Tamed Gizmo Nut, Mud Zit Montage, A Dozen Mitt Mug, Tug Zone Dammit, Omit Nutmeg Adz.

Alex White – Whale Exit, A Wet Helix, Taxi Wheel, The Wax Lie.

Tyler Greene – Re-entry Glee, Tree Greenly, Leery Regent

Colorized press photo of Jim Bouton, c. 1969.

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:57:19 -0600

Colorized press photo of Jim Bouton, c. 1969.

Rickey!, c. 1987. Original press photo available from eBay...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:35:08 -0600

Rickey!, c. 1987.

Original press photo available from eBay seller “lexibell.”

Carlos Pena baseball card using a 1977 Topps template.

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 07:01:43 -0600

Carlos Pena baseball card using a 1977 Topps template.

Bud Norris baseball card using a 1948 Leaf template.

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:00:53 -0600

Bud Norris baseball card using a 1948 Leaf template.

Erik Bedard baseball card using a 1975 Topps template.

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:01:01 -0600

Erik Bedard baseball card using a 1975 Topps template.

#TheLegendofBoPorter

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:34:05 -0600

Bo Porter went to the Virgin Islands and now they are called the Islands #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 12, 2013

Bo Porter once pitched a perfect game. With a beach ball. #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

Bo Porter once robbed a home run from the Green Monster in Fenway Park #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

McDonalds serves breakfast past 10:30 for him #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

Bo Porter’s WAR is infinity #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

Bo Porter has a 1982 Chevy Silverado that runs on a mixture of blood and piss. #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

PEDs take Bo Porter. #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

Bo Porter once showed me a video of him making love to my wife. It was the most beautiful video ever. #TheLegendofBoPorter

February 13, 2013

while at the University of Iowa he played all 11 defensive positions at once. Hawkeyes 14-0 over Michigan.#thelegendofBoPorter.

February 13, 2013

Babe Ruth got his inspiration from Bo Porter posters in the locker room #TheLegendofBoPorter
— John Burgess (@StrosDude9) February 13, 2013

photo: The Houston Chronicle

Bo Porter baseball card using a 1961 Fleer template.

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:21:11 -0600

Bo Porter baseball card using a 1961 Fleer template.

An Open Letter to Houston Astros Owner Jim Crane

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:54:03 -0600

Dear Mr. Crane,

I’m writing you today as a concerned fan. I was on Twitter this morning and I read some very disturbing information. Well, just see for yourself:

#Houston #Astros owner Jim Crane: “The team the last five years has lost money.” #MLB
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) February 9, 2013

Now, I know I probably wasn’t the only person who will told you this, but I kind of saw this coming. You know that price you paid for the team back in 2011? $680 million? That was a lot of dough! And, sure, you got Major League Baseball to knock $70 million off of that price as a bribe…err…compensation for switching leagues to the American League, but I can understand how you might’ve gotten in over your head here. It’s not always easy to make money in this day and age with a damaged asset like the Houston Astros. Heck, Drayton McLane, who many of us affectionately refer to as “Uncle Drayton,” left the team in a shambles for you. He didn’t spend any money at all on draft picks and, when he finally did open his coin purse, he spent it all on expensive free agents who weren’t good enough to make this team a contender again.

Mr. Crane, I feel your pain. I know how you’ve worked hard for everything in your life. I know about how you took that $10,000 loan from your sister in 1984 and eventually built that in to EGL (Eagle Global Logistics, Inc.), a company with 400 facilities and 10,000 employees worldwide. I know that using the profits from selling your stake in that company, you were able to spin that off in to even more successful ventures like Crane Capital Group and Crane Worldwide Logistics, LLC. I know how, in 1996, you were named Forbes’s “Houston Entrepreneur of the Year.” You’re a very savvy and smart business person, Mr. Crane. But owning a pro sports franchise? Well, that’s a pretty tough way to make your living.

Then there’s that whole Comcast Sports Houston debacle. It’s not really going as you had planned, is it? Nobody—other than Comcast cable subscribers—seems to carry it and because of this you’re falling even deeper in to debt. Hey, I get it…Kevin Eschenfelder’s salary doesn’t pay itself.

The good news, though, is that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. You see, down here in Texas, we’re a very friendly bunch of folks. We’re willing to lend a helping hand to our neighbors when they need it most and, by golly, I think that time is now. I’ve decided that we, the fans, are going help you and your organization get back in the black by taking collections that we will later give to your organization. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I can promise you it isn’t. There’s just one tiny, little eensy-weensy catch.

Now, I know you would never do anything so devious as to lie to the public about your financial situation to help try and win support for your sagging sports network, so all I’m asking for in return is for you to release the financial records for the Houston Astros organizations from the past five years. Let’s show everyone how much money you have lost, so there won’t be skeptic in the bunch. Also, it’ll give us fans a better idea of how much cash we’ll need to help you fund raise.

Thank you, Mr. Crane. I know you’d be understanding. We’re here to help you and I look forward to receiving those financial documents back from you soon!

Kindest regards,

Stephen E. aka “@kevinbassstache”

Good news! Those cool Houston Astros batting practice caps,...

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:17:26 -0600

Good news! Those cool Houston Astros batting practice caps, which were unveiled last December on the sports uniform blog Uni Watch, are now officially for sale at the Minute Maid Park team store.

Info/Photo: Mike Acosta (@astrostalk on twitter)

In October 1982, an exhibition series was played at Jamshil...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:11:00 -0600

In October 1982, an exhibition series was played at Jamshil stadium in Seoul, South Korea between the MBC Blue Dragons and an “MLB” team, which was actually comprised of minor leaguers from the Atlanta Braves/Chicago Cubs organizations. Oh, yes, and I almost forgot…A couple of other American baseball players came, too.

The following comment was left on the Youtube video by Ron Grout, one of the “MLB” players in the series.

The purpose of the trip was this….the Korean professional league had only been in existence for a few years and they wanted to play an American professional team to see how good they were. The Braves couldn’t take the big league team so they put a group of AAA AA players together to play the Koreans. We took Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams with us to draw bigger crowds. It was a great time. I think we won 5 games and they won 4, not sure. Finally, great pay…my name is Ron Grout.

Check out the 16:14 mark when a 51 year old Ernie Banks gets an at-bat!

A very big h/t to Dan (@mykbo on twitter) for posting this incredible video!

Caption: ‘ANDY LAWSON’ DOESN’T MAKE...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:58:07 -0600

Caption: ‘ANDY LAWSON’ DOESN’T MAKE IT—Jim Bouton, New York television sportscaster who pitched 91 winning games for the New York Yankees in 1963, disguised himself as prospective rookie “Andy Lawson” Wednesday and went to the Yankees’ mid-season tryouts. Coaches said Bouton, shown in his disguise, just didn’t have a major league arm.

Photo: Associated Press, 1973. Available from Ebay seller: “lexibell-store”