*Bovada pegs the Astros as 13/2 favorites to win the AL Pennant this season, behind the Red Sox (9/4) and Indians (7/2). They're odds-on favorites (6/5) to win the AL West.
*NumberFire has three burning questions about the Astros.
*Dallas Keuchel threw a 39-pitch simulated game yesterday, facing three minor-leaguers three times each. He struck out four and said he was ready to start a game. Hinch:
I thought today was the most comfortable that I've seen him, really this entire offseason and into the spring.
*Keuchel will make his ST debut on Sunday.
*Jeff Sullivan: The single best sign out of Astros camp.
*Carlos Correa will play 3B for Puerto Rico.
*SABR looked back at J.R. Richard's 15-strikeout debut for the Astros in 1971. #Retire50
*You can click through this slideshow to see who Jake Kaplan thinks will make the Opening Day roster.
*Delino DeShields said the Astros weren't pushing him through the minors:
I was in a situation in Houston where they weren't really pushing guys. After all the good years that I did have, it was slow for me even though I felt like I was contributing on a high level. I felt like I was ready to go. For me being 21 years old, it was kind of discouraging.
*Tim Brown: Meet the guy with the worst job in sports.
*Meet the last great ticket scalper.
*The Astros will play the Mets at 12:05pm Central, with Charlie Morton making his second start.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
