The soon-to-be 95(+)-win Astros got whooped by the soon-to-be 95-loss Marlins, 12-6. Miami put up a 5-spot in the 2nd as Collin McHugh went 2.2IP, 7H/6ER, 1K:2BB. The Astros committed three errors - two by Yordan Alvarez and one by Jack Mayfield. George Springer went 2x3. Robinson Chirinos, Tyler White, and Alex Bregman each went yard. McHugh:
Nobody likes to have lasers hit all over the park against them. The good things to take away from it are I got my three ups and downs and I got my pitch count elevated. I worked through a long inning - all things you want to have under your belt once the season starts.
*Some people don't need to be seen in t-shirts. Jeff Luhnow is one of them. I imagine Luhnow indicating that he is ready for his nightly two-and-a-half hours of sleep by changing from a blue tie to an orange one. Anyway, here's a video of Luhnow in a t-shirt talking about the expectations for the 2019 Houston Astros.
*Alyson Footer follows that up with a run-down of what to expect in 2019.
*In Footer's Notes Column, she says the SP5 battle is down to Brad Peacock and Framber Valdez.
*A.J. Hinch is not concerned with how much ass the Astros' righty relievers are sucking right now.
*Hunter Atkins asks how Tyler White fits in the 2019 Astros' plans.
*New rule changes getting implemented this year will prohibit a team from pulling a Verlander-esque deal in August. Here's a non-paywalled recap of what's happening this year, and next.
Related: Here's a good look from Mike Petriello on the (spoiler alert) 3-batter minimum for relievers.
*Nathan Eovaldi was "a little surprised" that the Astros showed virtually no interest in his services this offseason. Eovaldi:
Houston is home for me. I would have had more talks with the Astros but they just didn't want any part of it so they were out of the question. I was a little surprised it didn't go any further. Really there were no talks. I was a little surprised by that.
*No, the Astros won't be signing Dallas Keuchel.
Jeff Luhnow on Astroline: "At this point, we're so close to opening day, we're going to start with the guys we have in camp here and go from there."— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 14, 2019
If I'm Keuchel I am throwing tables against the wall, with Scott Boras between the table and the wall.
*FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel have their Top 39 Astros Prospects, complete with write-ups. It's a fun read, and you definitely should read it.
*It's still really weird to see the Astros really low on the Misery Index scale. The Rangers did not fare so well. Read this, and laugh and laugh.
*Collin McHugh mocked the White Sox (something I think we can all get behind) for their service time manipulation of Eloy Jimenez.
*Aledmys Diaz learned English by watching Ellen DeGeneres. She found out and offered an appearance on her show. What happened next will surprise you.
*Jake Kaplan revisits the infamous Steve Sparks phone book-ripping shoulder injury, which turns 25 years old today.
*Pluckers will have a spot at Minute Maid Park this season.
*Buy tickets to the USMNT v Chile game at Reliant so that I can go to a World Cup match for once in my wretched life.
*We're losing the war on corruption.
*The internet knows you better than your spouse does.
*A Musical Selection:
