Houston Astros

It's your first major league start. Your entire family is watching. All eyes are on you. Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers knew this would be a moment to remember for the rest of his life.

So, he came prepared.

The Carlos Correa countdown is on. The Houston Astros—check that, the AL West-leading Houston Astros, who sport the best record in the American League at 18-8 entering play Tuesday—suddenly find themselves in a position where promoting their young shortstop and No.

To say the Houston Astros have been bad since arriving in the American League West is an understatement of Texas-sized proportions.

In 2012, the year the Astros ditched the senior circuit, they lost 111 games. It was their third consecutive 100-loss season. 

Last year, Houston finished 70-92, enough to avoid the cellar but still 28 games off the pace.

The Houston Astros weren't the favorites to win the AL West for this year's MLB season. However, with the acquisition of Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus during the offseason, Grantland.com projected that the lineup would generate a little more pop than in 2014.

The expectations placed on George Springer have never been higher. 

As a college player at Connecticut, they were already on the rise. After the Houston Astros drafted him 11th overall in 2011, those expectations again grew, and by the time he finished his second full minor league season in 2013 with a .303/.411/.600 line to go with a 1.010 OPS, 37 home runs and 108 RBI, he was a potential star.

Houston Astros outfielder George Springer made his anticipated big league debut on April 17 last year. Springer, Houston's first-round pick (11th overall) in 2011, was thrown into the fire immediately and struggled a bit from the start.

Houston Astros star prospect Mark Appel is battling for a spot on the team's 25-man roster and stated he is now able to pitch after deailing with an injury during spring training.

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Let's be honest. None of us will be shocked if a surprise playoff contender emerges in the 2015 MLB season. In this two-wild-card, high-revenue era, it's the sort of thing that's bound to happen.

Hoping to take advantage of a talented player who has struggled with consistency throughout his career, the Houston Astros reportedly have an agreement with free agent Colby Rasmus. 

The Astros' system took a hit last season with the graduations of George Springer and Jonathan Singleton to everyday players in the major leagues, and the organization’s failure to sign draft picks Brady Aiken and Jacob Nix cost them two of the class’ premier high school arms. Yet, it’s still a system that’s loaded with potential impact talent, from top to bottom.