The trash-talk among baseball players about their NCAA men's basketball tournament picks is a rite of passage in Spring Training. Few things break up the monotony of a six-week camp like March Madness. Some players are true to their schools, others root for teams near their hometowns, and some just pull for the frontrunner. The Astros have several players who plan on keeping a close eye on the 2023 tournament bracket over the next few weeks because their alma maters are in the field. That list includes a player who attended a school that garnered a No. 1 seed (Houston) and another whose school is a No. 16 seed (Southeast Missouri State). I asked some Astros players about their alma maters' chances in the NCAA Tournament: |
Corey Julks, outfielder, University of Houston (No. 1 seed, Midwest Region): "I think they've got it as long as they play the way they've been playing, even coming off a tough loss [Sunday in the American Athletic Conference title game]. I'm looking forward to the next game against Northern Kentucky. We're going to start there and get that big W and just ride that wave." Justin Dirden, outfielder, Southeast Missouri State (No. 16 seed, South Region): "Obviously, going in as a mid-major, it's always going to be a battle, but I think they definitely showed some good stuff this season and definitely have a good chance of getting there and doing something about it. It should be fun to watch. They're definitely in my bracket." C.J. Stubbs, catcher, USC (No. 10 seed, East Region): "I like us early. We got Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis, who have a lot of experience in the tournament. I think we've got a Sweet 16 appearance coming. I think we win the first round, win the Round of 32 and then we're in the Sweet 16 and we'll see what happens from there. But I'm going to be rooting for them." Ryne Stanek, relief pitcher, Arkansas (No. 8 seed, West Region): "I want them to win. It's been a little up and down towards the end of the season, but they've got a lot of talent and I think they can make a deep run. We'll see." David Hensley, utility infielder/outfielder, San Diego State (No. 5 seed, South Region): "I always like to be optimistic. I think they have a good team this year. They're playing well and won the Mountain West Conference. They had a pretty good season overall and showed some flashes of greatness, I think, and some games they wish they could have had back. I've always got to root for them, I know. I've got them into the Final Four. I think they're going to upset [No. 1 seed] Alabama." |
At Spring Training in 1991, no Astros player knew more about college basketball than outfielder Kenny Lofton. Lofton, who made his big league debut with the Astros later that year, backed up Steve Kerr on the 1988 University of Arizona team that made the Final Four and was a starter on the 1989 team that advanced to the Sweet 16. |
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"Roy Campanella really helped me a lot when he told me to try to go through Spring Training without a strikeout, so you can find out where the head of the bat is. In Spring Training, you're going to get jammed because you and your bat are not one -- you don't know where the bat head is. That's why you've got to take batting practice and hit and hit and hit to find out how to manipulate the bat head to where the ball is at the proper angles. I never made it." | |
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• Astros general manager Dana Brown, in a Q&A this week, dropped some hints about what the 26-man roster might look like on Opening Day. Brown talked about outfielder Justin Dirden, left-handed reliever Matt Gage and more. • On Monday, I made a few observations about the first month of Astros camp. • About three weeks after he revealed he was going to miss the start of the regular season, Lance McCullers Jr. provided an update and a diagnosis of his injury. • Colleague Benjamin Hill and I put together Minor League ballpark guides for Houston's four full-season affiliates. Each guide provides ballpark highlights, from concessions to seating options to in-game entertainment to mascots, and takes fans through each facility's surrounding area, encompassing the best places in town to eat and drink, nearby tourist attractions and more. |
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CATCHING UP WITH PEDRO LEON |
Pedro Leon, the team's No. 8-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, had two plate appearances in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals -- his first game action since he injured his hernia in winter ball. The injury led to offseason surgery that ruled out Leon coming to Major League camp. Leon, now healthy, is in Minor League camp with the Astros and coming off a season in which he slashed .228/.365/.431 with 17 homers and 38 steals last year at Triple-A. He made 52 starts in center, where he flashed a terrific arm, plus 33 games in right and 23 games in the middle infield. Astros director of player development Sara Goodrum said Leon will be focused on center field and some second base this year. Here's a Q&A with Leon. Q: What happened with your groin and how did you get injured? Leon: "The injury happened in winter ball out in Puerto Rico. After I injured it, we ran a couple of tests and decided it was fine for me to get surgery and it wasn't something too major, and I wouldn't miss a lot of time. We did that and recovery is going well." Q: What are your goals for Spring Training and into the season? Leon: "I think the goal for me every single time is just continue working on my weaknesses, continue to work on my craft, and obviously the ultimate goal is play at the highest level and make it to the Majors." Q: What positions do you expect to play the most this year? Leon: "That's one of those things that's not one of my decisions. For me, I'm willing to do whatever is asked of me and be a team player, and the biggest thing this year is to win. I'm willing to do whatever I'm asked." Q: Where do you think you've made the most strides offensively? Leon: "I think the biggest thing I've improved is just having a little bit more experience now, and I can go up there and have a plan when I'm going up to hit." |
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