The Houston Astros are back at work
The Houston Astros, who are expected to contend in the American League (AL) West again this year, will open Spring Training on Feb. 28 in Kissimmee, Florida. Riding high on expectations, this young ball club could make for a fun and memorable 2016 season.
Left-handed ace Dallas Keuchel, the AL Cy Young winner, leads the way for this deep Astros starting rotation. In 2015, Keuchel, a 6’3”, 210lb. rookie dominated opposing hitters winning 20 games and remained undefeated at home. In the offseason, Keuchel raked in $7.25 million which set the record for a one-year deal for first-time arbitration-eligible players.
Although the Astros’ pitching staff proved to be one of the best in baseball during the 2015 season, they fell short in the 2015 American League Divisional Series, losing to the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. This loss highlighted some weaknesses in the bullpen, which have since been addressed in the off-season. With more experience now under their belt, the Astros will be back in full force and looking for blood.
The Astros’ offense is poetry in motion. From outfielder Colby Rasum’s energetic and intense at-bats, who tied the record for most post season homeruns in a series, to Carlos Gomez, whose terrifying hacks could leave the ballpark in the blink of an eye.
Jose Altuve has been the rock of this team for the last four seasons and continues to be the glue that holds the Astros together. The all-star second baseman won batting titles in back-to-back years and is also mentoring one of the brightest spots in the Astros lineup, Jose Corea.
Corea, the Astros’ second baseman and AL rookie of the year, will be coming into camp with high expectations to pick up where he left off. Corea’s Houdini-style defense leaves batters shaking their heads, while the natural simplicity of his swing frustrates pitchers around the league.
The youth of the players is led by second-year manager and runner-up coach of the year A.J. Hinch. He hopes to put it all together this season and return to the playoffs and ultimately return to the World Series in 2016.
