Hot Stove:  A rundown of each team in the offseason and what they are looking to improve in 2012. 

Houston Astros:            The next team we will examine in the NL Central is the Houston Astros.

Projected Starting Lineup:

1B            Carlos Lee

2B            Jose Altuve

SS            Jed Lowrie

3B            Jimmy Paredes

LF            J.D. Martinez

CF            Jordan Schafer

RF            Brian Bogusevic

C              Humberto Quintero

Projected Starting Rotation:

Wandy Rodriguez

Bud Norris

Brett Mters

J.A. Happ

Jordan Lyles

Projected Batting Order:

CF            Jordan Schafer

2B            Jose Altuve

LF            J.D. Martinez

1B            Carlos Lee

3B            Jimmy Paredes

SS            Jed Lowrie

RF            Brian Bogusevic

C              Humberto Quintero

The Astros were the worst team in the majors last season by about 7 games.  They lost 106, and finished in last in the NL Central.  They were so out of it by the All Star break, that they started trading away their commodities (Michael Bourn, Hunter Pence) and building for the future.  That future is still a ways off from contending most likely.  The big moves for the Astros included getting sold to a new owner, and that new owner then hiring a new GM.  Jim Crane bought the Astros with the condition that he agrees to move them to the AL West in 2013.  So in their NL lame duck season, the Astros will continue to trot out young guys to test them against major league pitching and tinker with the lineup to see what combination can keep them from losing 100 games.  Last year’s Astros team was led offensively by Carlos Lee.  Despite how much he has come to epitomize the concept of an albatross contract and wasted money, he did hit 275 with 18 HR and 94 RBI.  Those are all good numbers.  And it likely gives him the starting spot at first to begin 2012, unless they really want to give Brett Wallace another go, moving Lee to left.  But if they are choosing between Wallace and J.D. Martizez I think they let J.D. play in left and have Lee at first.  Lee had the highest average of people remaining on the team, as Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn and Jeff Kepinger all hit over 300, but were sent off to contenders by the trade deadline.  The rest of the Astros all hovered around 100 ABs with varying degrees of success.  They set their lineup based off of that success and numbers from the minors.  I don’t know a lot about them, but they like J.D. Martinez a lot.  He’s slotted to hit 3^rd and move Lee to first so he can be in left.  They got Jordan Schafer from Atlanta in the Michael Bourn trade.  He’s had limited success in limited major league experience.  He served a suspension for PEDs while in the minors, and his career AVG over 132 ABs is 228.  But he’s got talent and stole 22 bases last season between Atlanta and Houston.  So he gets the first shot at leading off.  After that the batting order I presented is pretty liberal conjecture, as I know little about these guys.  The like Altuve and are taking a chance with Jed Lowrie.  They will probably be at second and short respectively.  But Lowrie could bat second.  Or he could play second and Angel Sanchez could be at short.  Not sure.  Jimmy Paredes probably gets the first shot at third, and I would assume hit 5^th.  These guys don’t have a lot of experience.  Next season, we should learn which guys can hit against major league pitching and which guys can’t.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see lots of these guys get sent down at some point and have more youngsters come up and take their shot.  The Astros are in full re-building mode.  And that gives them the freedom to take their time and do it right.  They aren’t going to compete in the NL ever again.  They hope taking it slow and seeing which of their hitters has real major league potential will enable them to contend in the AL as soon as possible.

As young as the Astros were last season, one area that had some veterans in the lineup was the starting rotation.  Wandy Rodriguez, who was a centerpiece of many potential trade rumors last season, led the team with 11 Wins and a 3.49 ERA.  He was the only starter not to post a losing record.  (He didn’t post a winning record either though…he went 11-11).  His ERA was nice, though not low enough to lead the team, and his other numbers where fairly average (251 BAA, 166 Ks, 1.31 WHIP).  In 30 starts, he threw over 190 innings, helping the bullpen get some rest and kept the Astros in enough games to win 11.  He’s getting up there in years and is a competent veteran.  He’ll eat some innings and lead the young guys, but there isn’t a lot to buy here.  If he has another healthy season, he could be off to another team by July.  Speaking of innings eaters, Brett Myers led the team with 216 IP and 33 starts.  After that, his numbers were forgettable.  He went 7-14 with a 4.46 ERA.  He had a commendable BB:K ratio (57:160), but gave up more hits than IP (226).  He’s another veteran who can keep you in games and eat up some innings.  He’ll probably look to do more of that this season.  If he can drop that ERA, he may be headed to another team at the trade deadline as well.  Otherwise he probably finishes his career in Houston.  Bud Norris led the team with 176 Ks.  His 6-10 record wasn’t great, but his ERA was a palatable 3.77 and his BAA was a fairly average 250.  He’s younger than the first two guys in the rotation, but at 26 has a decent amount of major league experience under his belt.  None of these guys project to be aces, but all are serviceable starters.  Norris may have a higher ceiling because of his age, but the Astros will be happy if he can continue to keep them in games, and maybe help them win a couple more this season.  The fourth starter is former Phillie, J.A. Happ.  Happ had a rough season with a 6-15 record in 28 starts.  He was looked at as a future star in Philadelphia, and eventually headed over to Houston for Roy Oswalt.  (these teams traded a lot of guys back and forth:  Brett Myers, Roy Oswalt, Hunter Pence, J.A. Happ, Brad Lidge, former GM Ed Wade).  Happ threw only 156 innings, striking out 134 and giving up 157 hits.  He is one of the young guys the Astros are hoping to build on.  But a 5.35 ERA is not at all what they are hoping for and a 265 BAA shows that hitters had a good bead on him last year.  He’s still young and figuring it out, but he needs some guidance if he’s going to improve.  The Astros need him to.  The last spot in the rotation looks to go to Jordan Lyles.  He started 15 games last season going 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA.  Hitters were clobbering him as his 285 BAA shows.  He gave up 107 hits in 94 IP, striking out only 67.  The rookie is hoping to improve this season and get more experience.  They have to like something about him as he had the 5^th most starts on the team last season.  If he can improve, they are hoping for him to be a part of the future Astros rotation as well.

2012 Prediction…The Astros were the worst team in the majors last season.  They have a chance to be that again.  If they don’t lose 100 games that will be a good start.  They are really in full rebuilding mode as they have their last season in the NL Central.  They have a long road ahead of them, and next season promises to test them all. 

Up next…Milwaukee Brewers.