What went right for Houston in 2013: Jason Castro - He had a breakout year last season for Houston in what was a glum season. Castro went .276 and featured an .835 OPS with 18 home runs. No one really saw that coming from Castro whom only had eight home runs for his entire career plus a mediocre average to go with it. Either he figured something out getting more playing time for Houston or this was just an aberration.
What went wrong for Houston in 2013: Where do you want me to start? Here's the thing about Houston. They are not supposed to be good. They want to build a farm system and make a run into a couple of years. Houston will probably be one of the best teams in the next couple years so to be critical of the pitching or hitting from the Astros. There is no reason to be negative towards this team because it is blatantly clear what's going on which is not an issue.
Key Additions: OF Dexter Fowler, SP Scott Feldman, RP Chad Qualls, RP/SP Anthony Bass, RP Matt Albers, RP Jessie Crain - Houston built their bullpen through free agency, and I am willing to bet they hope a couple of these pan out so the Astros can make a deal in July for these guys. The Feldman deal sort of puzzled me from the get-go. He is nothing more than a three starter at best. Interested to see Fowler's season.
Key Subtractions: SP Erik Bedard - Not a huge loss as he struggled in his first season with 30 or more appearances since 2006. He will be in Tampa Bay where they will work the usual voodoo magic.
What to watch: The progression of the team as a whole - Once again, this is a young team meaning we could see some players really break out leading to more wins, and a better overall play. We could also see much of the same as last year leading to Houston dragging their feet for the second straight season. The oldest guy in their starting line is at the age of 27. 27! I mean there is a lot of opportunity of things going wrong, but this is a babyface team without question.
Population: Breakout: SP Jarred Cosart - People are thinking he will regress from his 1.95 ERA in 2013 which is probably accurate because he is not that good yet Cosart is still poised to have a big season in a full-time starting role. The thing that sticks out to me is his numbers are based off 10 games. Usually teams would figure out what's going with you by that fifth or sixth start, and it appears like Cosart does enough different things to keep opposing teams guessing. I think there is a chance Cosart will have a near All-Star level season which might come back to bite me in the ass.Population: Regression: C Jason Castro - This is funny and I doubt it will be the last time that happens when we do these previews. Castro is a good player, but are we really sure he did not hit his ceiling last season. Projections say he could get the same amount of home runs, but they are looking at Castro to only average about .250 this year which is a stark contrast to what he did last season. He is projected to be the third hitter in the order this season, and that makes me feel uncomfortable.
Prospect to Watch: OF George Springer - He was the eleventh pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, and people believe he has next. Springer can play all positions of the outfield, and I would be shocked if he is not up after the arbitration period. Springer has big power as well as solid speed. If you want a sneaky pick for Rookie of the Year, this might be the pick. I like what Astros have with Springer. He could really produce for them this season.
Outlook and Prediction: A young team where the expectations should just be 'Get better than 2013 and everything will be fine.' The American League West is about as hard as a trigonometry test meaning Astros could struggle more than I think they will this season yet Springer and Cosart could provide some sunlight. I am predicting fifth in the AL West with about 65 wins.
Charlie.
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