*The Astros beat the Mets 12-2. Charlie Morton threw 3IP, 0H/0ER, 4K:1BB. Tony Sipp allowed 5H/2ER in 1.1IP. Ken Giles struck out the side in the 8th. On the offensive side, A.J. Reed hit his 2nd homer of the spring, Teoscar Hernandez hit his 1st homer of the spring. Yulieski Gurriel was 2x3 with 2RBI. Brian McCann was 2x3.
*Charlie Morton sat 94-97mph, and everyone wonders if that velocity is sustainable. Morton:
Check back with me in June - see if I'm doing it. Because I've had spring trainings where I was throwing hard, and come June, July, that went back down.
A.J. Hinch:
He's come out with really plus stuff across the board and has been able to utilize it. It's been good to see him get in, be in the strike zone and utilize the movement on his pitches, but do it basically in the mid-90s.
*In 3IP so far this Spring, Sipp has allowed six hits and two walks. Hinch:
It's still March 8th and he's got plenty of time to get himself ready.
*Luhnow talked to the NY Post's Joel Sherman without specifics about a potential deal for White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana:
Houston GM Jeff Luhnow would not discuss (Quintana) specifically with me, but said the prices are such on high-end starters that "it would be sacrificing too much for the next two to 10 years to (address) right now.
*The Astros are playing Tyler White all over the place, wanting to see how versatile he is. White, on his 2016 season:
I had never been through a real struggle. It was good to feel that. I had to learn how to get out of that.
*Jon Bernhardt: Is George Springer a real-life post-hype sleeper?
*Will Harris got back on the mound for the first time in eight days.
*James Hoyt hasn't pitched much because of arm/lat soreness.
*Check out the promotional giveaways at Minute Maid this season.
*How will managers signal for an intentional walk?
*Boston Globe: Not all Spring Training stats are meaningless.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
