The Astros wrap up their nine-game homestand tonight against...
*28-year old, 6'7" 250lb RHP Josh Johnson.
*As a high-schooler in Oklahoma, he helped Jenks HS win two state championships.
*He was drafted in the 4th Round of the 2002 draft by the Marlins, 18 picks ahead of the Astros, who took Mark McLemore.
*Johnson broke out in 2006, joining the rotation in May and posting an 11-5 record with a 3.03 ERA - falling five innings short of qualifying for the NL ERA title, where he would have finished behind Roy Oswalt's 2.98 ERA.
*Johnson underwent Tommy John surgery in 2007, and returned eleven months later.
*On May 29, 2010, Johnson held the Phillies to 7H/1R (0ER), 6K:1BB in 7IP. This is notable, as the Phillies' Roy Halladay made the start, and posted a line of 9IP, 0H/0ER, 11K:0BB for the perfect game.
*This will be Johnson's 7th start of the season. And in 31.1IP, he has allowed 47H/23ER, 26K:12BB for a 6.61 ERA/1.88 WHIP.
*2012 is the second time in his career - and the first since the 2007 TJ season - that Johnson has been 0-3 to start the year.
*In his last two starts (vs. Arizona, @ San Diego), he has combined for 8IP, 16H/11ER, 9K:5BB.
*Johnson has allowed eight extra-base hits (7 doubles, 1 triple), but no homers this year.
*Marlins catcher John Buck blames Johnson's struggles in 2012 on the "sharpness of his pitches."
*Johnson is 0-3 in his career (4 appearances, 3 starts) against the Astros. In 17IP, he's allowed 20H/11ER, 13K:10BB. The Astros, Giants, and Cubs are the only NL teams Johnson has never defeated. The three homers he has allowed at Minute Maid tie him with Wrigley for the away stadiums in which he has given up the most jacks.
*Current Astros have only faced Johnson a total of 18 times (15 if you don't take pitcher PAs into it). carlos Lee is the only current Astro to have hit a homer off Johnson. Chris Snyder, who will be catching Lucas Harrell tonight, is 1x5 against Johnson.
*The Astros send Lucas Harrell to the mound tonight, who is coming off a Win against St. Louis on Friday night, when he allowed 7H/3ER, 3K:2BB in 5.1IP - needing 105 pitches to get it.
*This will be Harrell's third start at Minute Maid Park this season. In two starts in Houston this season, he has allowed a .583 OPS, whereas he has allowed an .873 OPS in four away starts.
*In his last two starts against the Reds and Cardinals, Harrell has walked a total of three batters, equal to or less than the walks allowed in each of three successive starts from April 13-23.
*The Astros are 2-4 in Harrell's starts this season.
*On April 13 at Miami, Harrell allowed 7H/4ER, 2K:4BB in 4IP, needing 85 pitches (51 strikes) to get through 12 outs.
*Current Marlins have a .438/.550/.500 line against Harrell from 2010-12.
*When the batter gets ahead of Harrell, they have a .368/.529/.684 line. When he's ahead, or the count is even, it's .578 and .563, respectively.
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We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
