After spending the past week looking at everything from starting pitching, to the probable bullpen , to what Houston’s 2010 infield will likely look like, it’s time to take a deeper glance at who the Astros will have roaming the outfield next season.
The outfield is one place where Houston actually has a load of talent, with a trio of stars manning the outskirts of Minute Maid Park.
From veteran Carlos Lee, to the speedy Michael Bourn, to future legend Hunter Pence, all three Astros' outfielders are All-Stars in the making.
Will they all make the All-Star team in 2010? We’ll have to wait and see, but let’s go ahead and breakdown the potential outfield for next year’s Houston Astros.
Houston Astros 2010 Probable Outfield Starters
With the new year right around the corner, it’s now time to take a closer look at Houston’s probable outfield next season at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros have a trio of talent returning from last year's squad to roam the walls, and all three are potential All-Stars in 2010.
With two youngsters that will likely be the future of Houston, along with a veteran who is likely in his final year as an Astro, next season should be interesting with the talent that abounds in the outfield.
Carlos Lee, LF
Last season, Lee was second on the team in batting average with a .300 average (behind former-Astro Miguel Tejada, who batted .313) along with a team-leading 102 runs batted in, 26 home runs, and 35 doubles.
Appearing in 160 games with Houston in 2009, Lee was a workhorse for the Astros and will aim to help lead the squad again in 2010. Unfortunately, this is likely Lee’s last year in a Houston uniform.
Michael Bourn, CF
Bourn, Houston’s speedy center fielder, returns for another season with the Astros after batting .285 last year in 157 games. Bourn also had a team-high 61 steals for Houston in 2009, along with 27 doubles and a team-leading 12 triples.
With Bourn’s pure speed and athletic ability to both run the bases and patrol the outfield, I expect the young center fielder to have a remarkable 2010 season.
Hunter Pence, RF
Pence is a name you should never forget, and there’s no doubt that he’s a future Houston Astros icon. I know Pence is still extremely young, but the 2009 All-Star right fielder just gets better and better every season.
Last year in Houston, Pence batted .282 through 159 games, driving in 72 runs, hitting 25 home runs, and 26 doubles. Pence was also second on the squad in 2009 in triples, garnering five last season.
Pence aims to return in 2010 with another suburb performance as the young right fielder will strive to make the All-Star team for the second consecutive season.
Houston also re-signed outfielder Jason Michaels for the 2010 season, giving the Astros a reliable option coming off the bench. Michaels and his key position with the team will be discussed in the bench preview of this seven-part series.
Although a lot could change between now and March, it’s a high probability that the aforementioned names will be the guys roaming the outfield next season for the Houston Astros.
The fifth installment of this seven-part series on the Astros Grapefruit League is slated to be published in just two short days (Dec. 30). In part five, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the probable catchers for the 2010 Houston Astros.
Houston Astros Seven-Part Series: Archives/Future Previews
1. Starting Pitching (published Dec. 22, 2009 )
2. Bullpen (published Dec. 24, 2009 )
3. Infield (published Dec. 26, 2009 )
4. Outfield (published Dec. 28, 2009)
5. Catchers (ETA: Dec. 30, 2009)
6. Bench (ETA: Jan. 1, 2010)
7. Coaching/Management (ETA: Jan. 3, 2010)
Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com
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