So obviously there's a split-squad game tonight between the Astros and Hooks, but there was a game against the Braves, as well. Basically meaning that three Astros squads took the field today.
Against the Braves today, we got a chance to see SP-in-waiting Bud Norris start, and he did well:
Norris: 4IP, 5H, 1ER, 4K
Perez: 4IP, 2H, 1R (0ER), 1BB, 2K
Musser: 1IP, 1BB
And even better than that, the Braves basically played their OD squad: Jones, Escobar, Infante, McCann, Francoeur, Johnson. This was a major-league club, and while the bats didn't do much (1 run on 10 hits), the Astros' pitching staff was excellent. The ever-gracious Norris said this:
"I know they're in a hurry to get on their plane so they were swinging early at strikes, but at the same time I just wanted to attack and throw strikes and thought I threw the ball to the zone very well, which was good."
If that's true, that's reprehensible.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
