Hello! Welcome to the first edition of the new Astros Beat newsletter. Brian McTaggart has covered the Astros since 2004, and for MLB.com since 2009. Ask anyone who's been around the Astros this spring who's made the biggest positive impression, and the player who undoubtedly gets mentioned the most is outfielder Pedro Leon. So much so, there's a belief by some in the organization that Leon is ready to start in center field on Opening Day, but that might be a bit aggressive. Unless he gets injured, Leon will make his Major League debut this year. He's got all the tools to be an impact player in the big leagues, both on offense and defense. Leon, the 23-year-old Cuban who's the team's No. 4-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, will probably begin the year in Triple-A, but he won't be there for long. "He's made an excellent impression," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's going to be a player. He's already a player, but he's going to be a player. I like him a lot. He's smart, he works hard, he's a no-nonsense young man. To come from Cuba, he's adjusted very, very, very well. He's so young, and we all love the kid." The Astros' center field situation remains unsettled, which only fans the flames for Leon. Baker hasn't been high on Chas McCormick so far this spring, and can they trust Jose Siri enough to play him in center three or four times a week? With Jake Meyers out for a couple of months with a shoulder injury, there's a clear path for Leon to reach the big leagues sooner rather than later. "I've got to put who I think is the best and looks ready the most to help us win from the beginning," Baker said. "It's a long year." Still, Leon has played in only 72 games of professional baseball in the U.S., including 17 at Triple-A last year. Look for him to begin the season starting in center for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, but it won't be long before he's taking the short trip up Highway 59 to Minute Maid Park. | | | START HIM UP! It appears left-hander Framber Valdez, not veteran Justin Verlander, will get the start for the Astros on Opening Day. There has been no official announcement, but Baker said earlier this week that Verlander would "probably not" start next Thursday's opener in Anaheim. That brings us to Valdez, who's lined up to start based on the days he's pitching the spring. Verlander would presumably go in the second game of the season, with Jake Odorizzi, José Urquidy and Luis Garcia slotted in after that. Remember, though, the Astros don't need a fifth starter until the second week of the regular season because they have so many off days. | MILESTONE WATCH Baker will begin the regular season 13 wins shy of reaching 2,000 for his career. That's a huge milestone. His 1,987 victories are 12th most all-time, and 10 of the 11 managers who have more wins are in the Hall of Fame. The only one who isn't is Bruce Bochy, who's not yet eligible. The Astros will open the season with a nine-game road trip before coming to Houston for their first six games at Minute Maid Park, so there's a good chance Baker will reach 2,000 at home. | INSIDE THE ASTROS VAULT April 6, 1978: The Astros faced a tough test when Cincinnati's Big Red Machine rolled into town for Opening Day of the 1978 season, and while the Reds prevailed in a tight 11-9 contest, Houston dazzled the Astrodome crowd with a triple play in the bottom of the seventh. Cincinnati's Dan Driessen struck out at the plate, and then Astros shortstop Roger Metzger caught Joe Morgan wandering too far off third base. Enos Cabell then finished off the feat by firing over to second in time to catch George Foster. | DUSTY QUOTE OF THE WEEK "There are people that said two years ago when we played those 60 games that Yuli was getting old, remember? Certain players don't get old at the same rate that other players get old." -- Baker, when asked about 37-year-old first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who won the AL batting title and a Gold Glove last year after a down 2020. | | | TRIVIA Who has made the most Opening Day starts by a pitcher in Astros history? - A. Roy Oswalt
- B. J.R. Richard
- C. Shane Reynolds
- D. Mike Scott
| | | FAMILY TIES Bloodlines run deep this year on the Astros, where several players are related to former big leaguers. The most famous one is veteran outfielder Michael Brantley, whose father, Mickey Brantley, played for the Mariners from 1986-89 and was on the Blue Jays' coaching staff from 2005-07. Gurriel's brother, Lourdes Jr., plays for the Blue Jays. Their father, Lourdes Sr., was a Cuban baseball legend. Lance McCullers Jr.'s dad, Lance Sr., pitched seven seasons in the big leagues with the Padres (1985-88), Yankees (1989-90), Tigers (1990) and Rangers (1992), and shortstop Jeremy Peña is the son of former big leaguer Geronimo Peña, who played six seasons with St. Louis (1990-95) and one with Cleveland (1996). Then there's Minor League infielder Grae Kessinger, who is the grandson of two-time Gold Glove-winning infielder Don Kessinger. His uncle, Keith Kessinger, reached the Major Leagues, too, with the Reds in 1993. And don't forget Kyle Tucker, whose older brother, Preston, played for the Astros (2015-16), Reds (2018) and Braves (2018). | | | TRIVIA ANSWER A. Oswalt. The "Wizard" started eight consecutive Opening Day games from 2003-10, which is a club record. Richard, Reynolds and Scott each started five Opening Day games. | | | FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW To subscribe to Astros beat, visit your MLB Account page, check the "Astros Beat Report" list under All League Newsletters and make sure you're following the Astros or they're checked as your favorite team. | | | |
