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HOUSTON ( FELDMAN )
DETROIT ( PRICE ) |
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| 965 | HOUSTON | +150 | Ov 8,-105 | +140 | Ov 7.5,-120 | | 966 | DETROIT | -160 | Un 8,-115 | -150 | Un 7.5,+100 |
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| All Games | 27-14 | +13.1 | 19-21 | 4.4 | 0.231 | 0.303 | 0.420 | 0.723 | 3.7 | 0.233 | 0.286 | 0.374 | 0.660 | | Road Games | 12-4 | +10.3 | 10-6 | 5.6 | 0.251 | 0.321 | 0.432 | 0.753 | 3.5 | 0.217 | 0.270 | 0.308 | 0.578 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 10-5 | +4.2 | 4-11 | 3.6 | 0.216 | 0.294 | 0.382 | 0.676 | 3.3 | 0.236 | 0.283 | 0.382 | 0.665 | | Past 7 Games | 6-1 | +5.1 | 4-3 | 5.3 | 0.258 | 0.335 | 0.493 | 0.828 | 3.1 | 0.228 | 0.302 | 0.360 | 0.661 | | Grass Games | 27-14 | +13.1 | 19-21 | 4.4 | 0.231 | 0.303 | 0.420 | 0.723 | 3.7 | 0.233 | 0.286 | 0.374 | 0.660 | | Day Games | 9-2 | +7.7 | 5-6 | 5.2 | 0.221 | 0.301 | 0.413 | 0.715 | 3.3 | 0.217 | 0.271 | 0.329 | 0.600 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.231 | 0.303 | 41 | 1353 | 312 | 67 | 3 | 61 | 0.420 | 175 | 141 | 371 | 39 | 250 | 29 | 23 | 35 | 19 | | Road Games | 5.6 | 0.251 | 0.321 | 16 | 585 | 147 | 33 | 2 | 23 | 0.432 | 84 | 60 | 151 | 22 | 116 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 5 | | Lefty Starters | 3.6 | 0.216 | 0.294 | 15 | 477 | 103 | 20 | 1 | 19 | 0.382 | 54 | 53 | 130 | 16 | 87 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 7 |
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| All Games | 2.20 | 0.869 | 126.6 | 33 | 31 | 80 | 10 | 30 | 137 | 11-3 | 16 | 4 | 80% | | Road Games | 2.30 | 0.954 | 43 | 12 | 11 | 27 | 1 | 14 | 39 | 6-0 | 7 | 3 | 70% |
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| All Games | 24-17 | +4.6 | 19-22 | 4.3 | 0.278 | 0.344 | 0.423 | 0.767 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.307 | 0.399 | 0.706 | | Home Games | 12-10 | -0.8 | 9-13 | 4.2 | 0.277 | 0.345 | 0.418 | 0.763 | 4.1 | 0.254 | 0.309 | 0.416 | 0.725 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 16-14 | -0.7 | 13-17 | 4.4 | 0.280 | 0.340 | 0.422 | 0.762 | 4.0 | 0.250 | 0.303 | 0.398 | 0.701 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.7 | 3-4 | 5.1 | 0.312 | 0.370 | 0.506 | 0.875 | 3.3 | 0.256 | 0.314 | 0.471 | 0.785 | | Grass Games | 24-17 | +4.6 | 19-22 | 4.3 | 0.278 | 0.344 | 0.423 | 0.767 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.307 | 0.399 | 0.706 | | Day Games | 15-4 | +10.5 | 11-8 | 6.2 | 0.317 | 0.375 | 0.516 | 0.891 | 3.5 | 0.237 | 0.291 | 0.351 | 0.642 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.278 | 0.344 | 41 | 1401 | 389 | 70 | 16 | 34 | 0.423 | 165 | 142 | 313 | 37 | 307 | 48 | 14 | 43 | 20 | | Home Games | 4.2 | 0.277 | 0.345 | 22 | 732 | 203 | 41 | 10 | 14 | 0.418 | 87 | 76 | 150 | 20 | 167 | 26 | 6 | 28 | 14 | | Righty Starters | 4.4 | 0.280 | 0.340 | 30 | 1036 | 290 | 56 | 11 | 23 | 0.422 | 121 | 94 | 225 | 24 | 226 | 34 | 12 | 32 | 11 |
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| All Games | 3.14 | 1.200 | 111.7 | 41 | 39 | 100 | 10 | 34 | 81 | 7-3 | 14 | 3 | 82.4% | | Home Games | 2.97 | 1.225 | 63.7 | 23 | 21 | 57 | 7 | 21 | 44 | 4-2 | 5 | 1 | 83.3% |
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| 5/7/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 3-2 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 1 | | 5/8/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | 0-2 | L | 115 | 8.5 un | U | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 5/9/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(R) | 6-5 | W | -105 | 7 ev | O | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | | 5/10/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | 1-3 | L | 150 | 7.5 ov | U | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 5/12/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | SAN FRANCISCO | HESTON(R) | 1-8 | L | -160 | 8 un | O | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 0 | | 5/13/2015 | OBERHOLTZER(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | HUDSON(R) | 4-3 | W | -130 | 8.5 un | U | 8 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 1 | | 5/14/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | TORONTO | HUTCHISON(R) | 6-4 | W | -105 | 9 un | O | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | | 5/15/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | TORONTO | DICKEY(R) | 8-4 | W | -115 | 8.5 un | O | 11 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 5/16/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | TORONTO | ESTRADA(R) | 6-5 | W | -115 | 9 un | O | 8 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 5/17/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | TORONTO | BUEHRLE(L) | 4-2 | W | -140 | 8.5 un | U | 6 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | | 5/18/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | OAKLAND | POMERANZ(L) | 1-2 | L | -115 | 8.5 un | U | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 1 | | 5/19/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | 6-4 | W | +125 | 8.5 un | O | 11 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 5/20/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | OAKLAND | HAHN(R) | 6-1 | W | -155 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | | 5/21/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ DETROIT | PRICE(L) | | | 5/22/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ DETROIT | SIMON(R) | | | 5/23/2015 | | @ DETROIT | LOBSTEIN(L) | | | 5/24/2015 | | @ DETROIT | | | | 5/25/2015 | | @ BALTIMORE | | | | 5/26/2015 | | @ BALTIMORE | | | | 5/27/2015 | | @ BALTIMORE | | |
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| 5/7/2015 | LOBSTEIN(L) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 4-1 | W | 105 | 9.5 ov | U | 7 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | | 5/8/2015 | PRICE(L) | KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 6-5 | W | -150 | 7.5 ov | O | 11 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 3 | | 5/9/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 2-6 | L | -150 | 8.5 un | U | 9 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 1 | | 5/10/2015 | GREENE(R) | KANSAS CITY | YOUNG(R) | 1-2 | L | +100 | 8 ov | U | 5 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | | 5/12/2015 | SIMON(R) | MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | 2-1 | W | -145 | 9 un | U | 9 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 5/13/2015 | LOBSTEIN(L) | MINNESOTA | NOLASCO(R) | 2-6 | L | -135 | 8.5 un | U | 8 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 1 | | 5/14/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | 13-1 | W | -180 | 8 un | O | 20 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | | 5/15/2015 | GREENE(R) | @ ST LOUIS | MARTINEZ(R) | 10-4 | W | 135 | 8 un | O | 17 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 5/16/2015 | PRICE(L) | @ ST LOUIS | LYONS(L) | 4-3 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 13 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 5/17/2015 | SIMON(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LYNN(R) | 1-2 | L | 145 | 8 un | U | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | | 5/18/2015 | LOBSTEIN(L) | MILWAUKEE | FIERS(R) | 2-3 | L | -115 | 8.5 ov | U | 9 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 5/19/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | MILWAUKEE | NELSON(R) | 1-8 | L | -155 | 7.5 un | O | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 2 | | 5/20/2015 | GREENE(R) | MILWAUKEE | LOHSE(R) | 5-2 | W | -140 | 7.5 ov | U | 10 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 5/21/2015 | PRICE(L) | HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | | | 5/22/2015 | SIMON(R) | HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | | | 5/23/2015 | LOBSTEIN(L) | HOUSTON | | | | 5/24/2015 | | HOUSTON | | | | 5/25/2015 | | @ OAKLAND | | | | 5/26/2015 | | @ OAKLAND | | | | 5/27/2015 | | @ OAKLAND | | | | 5/28/2015 | | @ LA ANGELS | | |
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| |  | HOUSTON: HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros moved out of the major league basement last season.
Now the question is whether Jose Altuve and his teammates are ready to contend this year or if they still need a couple of seasons to complete their rebuild and get back to the postseason.
Owner Jim Crane is confident the time is now.
''This is our year,'' he said, adding that their goal is to make the playoffs.
The Astros made a 19-game improvement in 2014 to win 70 games and snap a streak of three straight 100-loss seasons. They beefed up a bullpen that struggled last year and added more pop to a lineup that was fourth in the majors with 163 homers in 2014 in an attempt to take another step in 2015.
''These guys are all professional baseball players and they all want to win,'' general manager Jeff Luhnow said. ''We're not going to set any limitations on them. It's up to them at this point. We've done our work for the offseason.''
The Astros blew 25 saves last season, a statistic that troubled Crane more than any other number associated with his team. His first order of business this offseason was to bring in players to get that number down this year.
To that end, Houston added relievers Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. Gregerson appeared in 72 games for the Athletics last season and posted a 2.12 ERA and Neshek saw action in 71 games for St. Louis in 2014 with a 1.87 ERA.
A lineup that already had power aplenty with Chris Carter, whose 37 homers tied for second in the majors last season, and George Springer, who hit 20 in just 78 games, now has more sluggers with the addition of Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus. Gattis has hit 43 homers combined in his first two major league seasons and Rasmus has hit at least 22 home runs in two of the last three years.
That power is what excites first-year manager A.J. Hinch most about his team.
''We have a chance to be a dangerous lineup,'' Hinch said with a smile.
Some things to know about the 2015 Astros:
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALTUVE: Altuve became the first Astros player to win a batting title by hitting .341 last season. He set a team record with 225 hits, was third in the majors with 47 doubles, had 59 RBIs and tied for second in the league with 56 stolen bases.
So what does Luhnow expect the 24-year-old second baseman to do for an encore?
''He's going to be a .300 career hitter, which are few and far between,'' Luhnow said. ''So there's going to be years like with most of these great hitters where they hit .340 and years that they hit .305. In my mind Altuve is an elite major league hitter and we're going to see it year in and year out.''
SPRINGER'S SECOND YEAR: Springer, the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, hit .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games as a rookie. He injured his left quadriceps on July 20 and he didn't play again. The Astros are eager to see what the right fielder can do in a full season.
''He's got a ton of potential,'' Hinch said. ''He's a dynamic player. He can do a lot of different things in a lot of different ways. Everybody sort of sits up in their seats when he comes up to bat. I think there's a chance for him to have impact in all (areas) of the game, which is hard to come by.''
CAN ROTATION BE CONSISTENT?: Dallas Keuchel (12-9, 2.93 ERA) and Collin McHugh (11-9, 2.73) had breakout seasons in 2014, but can they perform at that level in a second year to lead the rotation? Keuchel posted ERAs of over 5.00 in both of his first two seasons before being chosen this year's opening day starter with his work last year, and McHugh had ERAs of 7.59 and 10.04 in his first two years before his success in 2014.
ANOTHER NEW SKIPPER: Counting interim managers, Hinch is the seventh manager the Astros have had since 2009. He was hired just after last season following the firing of Bo Porter, who was let go near the end of his second season.
This is the second time the 40-year-old Hinch has led a team after he managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010, when he was fired after 31-48 start. He was the vice president of professional scouting for San Diego from 2010 until August. | | DETROIT: DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers had barely finished celebrating a fourth straight division title last year when they were dispatched from the playoffs by Baltimore in a Division Series sweep. Then Kansas City - the team the Tigers fought so hard to hold off in the AL Central - rolled to the AL pennant and came within a game of winning the World Series.
It was enough to turn the Tigers into October afterthoughts for the first time in a while, and now it's fair to wonder whether Detroit's best chance to claim baseball's ultimate prize with its current core of stars has already come and gone.
''I'm not worried about what people are saying about us. I'm more worried about how we perform,'' manager Brad Ausmus said. ''I feel like this team is a winning team. This is a team that has an opportunity to win a World Series.''
The Tigers edged Kansas City by one game in the division last year in Ausmus' first season as manager, and their 90-72 record was similar enough to their previous work during this run of postseason appearances, but a three-game sweep at the hands of the Orioles snapped Detroit's streak of three straight trips to the AL Championship Series.
Then the Tigers lost Max Scherzer in the offseason, and it remains to be seen how much longer Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez can keep this team's run of success going.
Cabrera and Martinez each missed a chunk of the exhibition schedule after offseason surgery. Verlander is coming off a down year and has been displaced as Detroit's opening-day starter by left-hander David Price.
Over the past three seasons, the Tigers have fought off challenges in the division from the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Kansas City - but those teams essentially made their bids for first place one at a time. Now all three appear poised to threaten Detroit's reign.
''I think quietly, I've said for the last two or three years, I've said we have the best division in baseball. Nobody really talked about it because there weren't sexy names besides the Tigers, who had won however many straight and been to a couple World Series and had a lot of star power,'' Verlander said. ''The Royals won the pennant last year so, obviously, what I was saying wasn't just hogwash. We see all the teams in the AL quite enough, and I know that these teams are good enough to make our division one of the best in baseball.''
Here are a few things to watch as the Tigers try to make it five division championships in a row:
ON THE MEND: Cabrera had offseason surgery on his right foot and Martinez had an operation to repair his left knee. Their health is crucial, but the Tigers also are hoping for big contributions from shortstop Jose Iglesias and reliever Bruce Rondon, both of whom missed all of 2014 with injuries.
NEW-LOOK ROTATION: Scherzer isn't the only player gone from last year's starting staff. Rick Porcello was traded in a deal that brought Yoenis Cespedes to Detroit, so the Tigers had two openings in their rotation. They filled them by acquiring Shane Greene from the New York Yankees and Alfredo Simon from Cincinnati.
BULLPEN BLUES: Closer Joe Nathan is back after a rocky first season in Detroit. If the Tigers run out of patience with Nathan, Joakim Soria also returns. He was acquired shortly before the trade deadline last year, but his impact was limited, in part because of injury.
EXTRA POWER: J.D. Martinez provided a surprisingly productive bat last year after joining the Tigers, and the trade for Cespedes also gave Detroit some additional pop to supplement Cabrera and Victor Martinez.
NEW ACE?: Price is slated to start on opening day, a sign of just how much the Tigers are leaning on him after Scherzer's departure. He was acquired at the trade deadline last year, and Detroit is hoping the trio of Price, Verlander and Anibal Sanchez will make for a pretty impressive anchor to the pitching staff. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (HOUSTON-DETROIT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Astros-Tigers Preview* =======================
By JORDAN GARRETSON STATS Writer
Houston (26-14) at Detroit (23-17), 1:08 p.m. EDT
The Houston Astros have reclaimed the AL's best record with their latest surge, and much of it has come without significant contributions from their top hitter.
They'll try to get Jose Altuve going and keep rolling for Thursday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Houston (27-14) has won seven of eight while averaging 5.1 runs with 15 homers, including at least two each by six different players.
The back end of the run has come despite Altuve, who leads Houston with a .310 average, going 2 for 20 in his last five games. The reigning AL batting champion could be poised to break out after going 9 for 14 in these teams' last series, when Detroit lost two of three in Houston from June 27-29.
Plus, Altuve went 3 for 4 last season against David Price, who starts for Detroit and is coming off two subpar outings.
Houston's rotation, meanwhile, has turned in a quality start in four of five, and Wednesday's 6-1 win over Oakland gave the Astros the best 41-game start in franchise history. They haven't led a division this late since May 22, 2004.
"It's the most fun I've had in a long time," said Dallas Keuchel, who recorded his team-leading sixth victory. "There's absolutely no panic. They took the first game here and we continued to grind and make adjustments. So when we do that it's fun here and I think the guys here are expecting to win now."
Houston's 12-4 road start also matches its best ever, though it has lost nine of 11 in Detroit.
The Tigers (24-17) scored four runs during a three-game losing streak but avoided a sweep against Milwaukee by winning 5-2 on Wednesday. J.D. Martinez is batting .410 during an 11-game hitting streak after a 2-for-4 night, while Yoenis Cespedes went 3 for 3 and Nick Castellanos was 2 for 4 with four RBIs.
Detroit didn't homer for a fourth straight game, however, matching its longest drought of the season. The club tied for fourth in the AL last year with 155 home runs but is tied for 11th this season with 34.
Price (3-1, 3.40 ERA) could partially blame an early 80-minute rain delay for his shakiness Saturday at St. Louis, where he gave up three homers over 6 2-3 innings in a 4-3, 10-inning win. His previous start was worse, allowing a career-high 13 hits and five runs in 6 1-3 innings against Kansas City.
The left-hander owns a 5.58 ERA over his last five outings and has had a rough time in his last two at Comerica, giving up 12 earned runs and 23 hits over 8 2-3 innings.
He's been stellar in his last four versus the Astros, though, posting a 1.97 ERA and striking out 35 in 32 innings.
Houston's Scott Feldman (3-4, 5.06) hasn't done nearly as well against Detroit, going 1-3 in 12 games with a 7.34 ERA - his worst versus any AL team. However, he's coming off a second straight quality start, striking out a season-high 10 and allowing three runs over 6 2-3 innings to beat Toronto in a 6-5 win Saturday.
Miguel Cabrera, who has hit safely in eight straight games, is 9 for 16 off Feldman with two home runs and two doubles.
George Springer had two hits Wednesday following a 3-for-20 slump in his first seven games after returning from a concussion. He hit .375 in seven games versus Detroit last season. He's 1 for 8 lifetime off Price with a homer and six strikeouts.
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| | Last Updated: 4/19/2024 5:18:52 AM EST. |
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