Baseball may not be on the hearts and minds of many right now, but it will be in the next couple of months.
In part one of this series of seven on the Houston Astros baseball team, we took an in-depth look at the potential pitching rotation for next year’s team.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer glance at the bullpen hopefuls and what the future may hold in terms of setup and closer roles.
By the beginning of March, America’s Pastime will begin getting into full swing as Houston heads to the Grapefruit League for their annual Spring Training.
With a pair of relievers being picked up at the winter meetings (Matt Lindstrom and Brandon Lyon) the Astros enter the upcoming ST with numerous choices as far as who will be coming out of the pen in 2010.
Houston Astros 2010 Probable Bullpen
It’s really hard to say how many players will be available for the bullpen come Opening Night 2010, but here’s a quick glance at who’s available, with those likely to make the final cut appearing towards the top of this list.
Bare with me as this will most likely be the longest of this seven-part series, especially since we will be discussing over a dozen potential pitching candidates (as briefly as possible).
Matt Lindstrom, RHP
Houston didn’t pick this guy up at the winter meetings without an intention of using him in 2010. At 29 years old, Lindstrom has MLB experience closing in Florida, and I’d bet that he will likely be the Astros closer next season (at least come Opening Day). Career stats for Lindstrom include an 8-8 record with a 3.88 ERA, 144 strikeouts, and 20 saves.
Brandon Lyon, RHP
Lyon was also a big Astros acquisition at the 2009 winter meetings after Houston lost a trio of stars, including former closer Jose Valverde, reliever LaTroy Hawkins, and infielder Miguel Tejada. If I were to guess, I’d place Lyon in the setup role with Lindstrom as the closer to start the season.
Last year in Detroit, Lyon garnered a 6-5 record (in 65 games for the Tigers) with three saves; Lyon also played with Arizona in 2008 and was a solid closer for them, collecting 26 saves with a 4.70 ERA as a Diamondback.
Jeff Fulchino, RHP
Last season, Fulchino had an impressive showing in Houston with a 6-4 record and a 3.40 ERA over 61 games (along with 71 strikeouts). I see Fulchino as a solid middle to late game reliever, likely being called from the pen in the sixth or seventh inning.
Alberto Arias, RHP
Arias posted a 2-1 record with a 3.35 ERA for the Astros in 2009, appearing in 42 games. With highly effective numbers last year for Houston, I’d expect to see Arias make the final bullpen cut for next season’s team.
Tim Byrdak, LHP
Byrdak posted a 3.23 ERA over 76 games with the Astros last season, garnering a 1-2 record with 58 strikeouts. Like Arias, Byrdak also had sparkling ERA numbers last year in Houston, and I bet he’ll be back in the pen in 2010.
Chris Sampson, RHP
Sampson went 4-2 with a 5.04 ERA last year in Houston. A former starter for the Astros, Sampson appeared in 49 games in 2009 while picking up three saves in six opportunities. Most likely, Sampson will again be a powerful presence in Houston’s bullpen.
Samuel Gervacio, RHP
In 29 games with Houston last year, Gervacio mounted a 1-1 record with a dazzling 2.14 ERA and 25 strikeouts. He should absolutely be back in the pen mix in 2010.
Wesley Wright, LHP
Although there hasn’t been a whole lot of hype surrounding Wright this offseason, the left-handed throwing and right-handed batting reliever went 3-4 with Houston last year and a 5.44 ERA (in 49 games). Depending on what happens during Spring Training, Wright could very well find himself as a key player in the Astros 2010 bullpen.
A Few Others Worth Mentioning
Although it’s unlikely these last few guys will make the final cut, their names seem to pop up almost every March. Here’s a quick breakdown of a trio of up-and-coming talent in regards to Houston’s potential pitchers.
Polin Trinidad, LHP
Anytime you have a possibility of adding a solid lefty to the pen, you’re going to at least take a good, long look. If Trinidad can impress at ST, he may find himself in an Astros uniform in 2010.
Yorman Bazardo, RHP
Bazardo actually appeared in 10 games with Houston last year, going 1-3 with a 7.88 ERA; he also started six games for the Astros in 2009. If he puts up solid Grapefruit numbers, he may be called to the pen for help next season.
Wilton Lopez, RHP
Like Bazardo, Lopez also spent a brief amount of time with the Astros last year. Lopez played in eight games for Houston, starting two while going 0-2 with a 8.38 ERA. Though a long shot, Lopez could come into ST and make a big enough impression to land him in the majors.
Others Relievers Being Invited to Spring Training
There are a handful of remaining relievers that will be part of the Houston Astros Grapefruit League in March, including Fernando Abad, Evan Englebrook, Matt Nevarez, Jose G. Valdez, and Henry Villar; plus non-roster pitcher invitees Gustavo Chacin, Roy Corcoran, Casey Daigle, Gary Majewski, and Ryan Sadowski.
Check back soon for the third preview of this seven-part series on the Astros Spring Training team and what may be in store for Houston in 2010. In part three, we’ll be taking a closer look at the probable starting infield for next year’s club.
Houston Astros Seven-Part Series: Archives/Future Previews
1. Starting Pitching (published Dec. 22, 2009 )
2. Bullpen (published Dec. 24, 2009)
3. Infield (ETA: Dec. 26, 2009)
4. Outfield (ETA: 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
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments