*Frankie Tuesday got rocked, allowing three runs in the 1st inning against Boston yesterday afternoon in a 6-0 Astros loss.
-Martes threw 4IP, 8H/3ER, 3K:1BB
-Derek Fisher was 2x2 with a double.
-J.D. Davis was 1x3 and hit Chris Sale in the hip with a screaming line drive
-The Astros were 0x13 w/RISP.
*As predicted, Derek Fisher and J.D. Davis made the Opening Day roster. Hinch:
Davis really performed well this Spring and was arguably one of our best offensive players and earned the right to make an Opening Day roster. He swung the bat extremely well, especially against left-handed pitching.
Fisher:
It's a dream come true, and it's something you work for your entire life. To be a part of Opening Day is really special. It's my first one, and I'll definitely remember it forever.
*Kyle Tucker, Tony Kemp, and Tyler White will make the trip to Houston today (after they play the Marlins) for the final two exhibition games. Hinch, on Kemp and White:
They both deserved to be in the big leagues. But on this team and breaking camp the way we are, they just don't fit right now.
*A.J. Reed isn't thrilled about going back to Triple-A:
It was upsetting. I felt like it was going to happen, and then it didn't. That's something that I've just got to get over. I feel like I did what I needed to do in the off-season to show improvement...They say you're always playing for 29 other teams. My time will come; whether it's with the Astros or whether it's someone else, you've gotta be patient, you've gotta keep working for that next opportunity.
*The Astros took the top spot in Anthony Castrovince's Top 10 Rotations list, just a couple of days after getting the nod as MLB's best lineup, and 3rd-best bullpen.
*The New York Daily News' John Harper, who allegedly called the Astros' World Series and Jose Altuve's AL MVP award, is picking the Yankees over the Cubs in 2018, Carlos Correa to win MVP, and for the Mariners to make the playoffs.
*Brian McTaggart did a Q&A with Alex Bregman, whose sole goal is to turn up at another downtown parade this year.
*Charlie Morton: Good pitcher, good person.
*MLB.com's Matt Kelly lists five reasons why Justin Verlander could win another Cy Young.
*The Wall Street Journal says 16 Astros are being taken in the first 276 fantasy picks: The 2018 Astros are really good.
*The OC Register's J.P. Hoornstra says the era of the superteam is here.
*KHOU talks about humanitarian superstar Carlos Correa, who turned down the White House:
It was a difficult decision because it's an invitation to the White House to meet the president of the United States. As I've said before, it's an honor to be invited to such a historic place. But I also had my people in Puerto Rico who are in need and suffering and dying because they don't have food on the table, so I decided to go that way.
Keuchel, on Correa skipping the Washington trip:
It was an off-day and nobody had to go. I commend him for keeping his home country on his mind and helping them out. Whether you went or not didn't really matter. He could have been sleeping in for all I know. That doesn't bother me one bit.
*Cool story by Jake Kaplan in The Athletic about how Brad Peacock's breakout postseason helped Slim's Fish Camp in Belle Glade, Florida.
*And here's another one from Kaplan about how former NASA researcher Sig Mejdal is back in uniform in 2018. Mejdal:
I think a lot has been written about the us-versus-them, the experienced baseball people versus the analysts. But Jeff has been great. There's no confusion. We're on the same team. And if an analyst puts on a uniform with the hopes of making the organization better, to me that doesn't seem that outrageous.
You should subscribe to The Athletic.
*The Washington Post's Neil Greenberg says the only interesting races will be in the AL East and the Wild Card spots.
*Boston Guy begrudgingly thinks there's an outside chance Dallas Keuchel could win the Cy Young, and Carlos Correa could win MVP.
*Ft Worth Star-Telegram's Mac Engel:
There are many positions in this world no one should envy - garbage collector, press secretary for the White House, etc. - add Ticket Sales Rep for the 2018 Texas Rangers.
*Scary moment in Arizona as Rangers' Triple-A Hitting Coach Howard Johnson was hit in the face by a line drive while in the dugout.
*ESPN's Bradford Doolittle wrote about the slow demystification of defensive statistics.
*The great Marc Topkin wrote 20 nuggets from 20 years of covering the Rays that he previously hadn't told.
*Scott Kazmir got released by the Braves.
Tony Kemp is only 26 and will be a valuable player for years. But he's one guy who when he chooses will go right to a front office or the route to managing— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) March 24, 2018
