Houston Astros hope for productivity to seep through in spring training
The Houston Astros are looking for change in the coming season and it’s interesting to see where their pursuit of glory will take them in 2011. The chase for victory will hit a new mark when the spring training starts off in February. There are considerations
being made in who plays where, in terms of formational positioning.
General Manager, Ed Wade, seems to be content with the winter break spending session that has seen former free agent, Bill Hall, make his way to the club. The only negative impact on the roster has come in the form of Matt Lindstrom moving over to the Colorado
Rockies. The recent changes in the roster means the club is looking at how the current squad members will combine in the spring training. For Wade, the period is highly critical to success in the coming season.
"At this point, we're pretty much in the mode of just getting ready for Spring Training," Wade said. "We've got arbitration issues we continue to deal with, and we'll continue to pay attention to other opportunities to improve that might present themselves,
but by and large we're anxious to get to Spring Training and see where we are."
Apart from Hall, there has been the move for shortstop, Clint Barmes, moving to the middle of the infield. Ryan Rowland is another player in the mix who has come to add the side in its endeavours. There are five arbitration eligible players on the roster
though. Wandy Rodriguez, Hunter Pence, Jeff Keppinger, Michael Bourn and Barmes are the players in the fix. The club will look to negotiate deals with them soon when the time comes.
The Astros are looking at a payroll which could cost $13 million less than last year’s opening day. The figure is measured to be around $80 million.
"I think we've gotten better in the middle infield on a couple of fronts, and I say that against the backdrop that Keppinger did a real good job for us last year," Wade said. "We needed to improve run production, and what Hall and Barmes bring to the table
was important. And from a defensive standpoint, Barmes profiles as a guy who's going to save our pitchers a lot of runs. That helps us in that fashion and makes our pitching better, because we think our defence will be better."
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