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HOUSTON ( KAZMIR )
TEXAS ( MARTINEZ ) |
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| 977 | HOUSTON | -155 | Ov 9.5,+100 | -155 | Ov 9.5,+100 | | 978 | TEXAS | +145 | Un 9.5,-120 | +145 | Un 9.5,-120 |
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| All Games | 60-48 | +8 | 50-53 | 4.5 | 0.246 | 0.308 | 0.430 | 0.738 | 3.7 | 0.239 | 0.294 | 0.378 | 0.671 | | Road Games | 22-30 | -7.1 | 24-25 | 4.4 | 0.243 | 0.297 | 0.400 | 0.697 | 4.1 | 0.248 | 0.309 | 0.380 | 0.689 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 38-27 | +11 | 35-27 | 4.9 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 0.448 | 0.759 | 4.0 | 0.238 | 0.294 | 0.380 | 0.674 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.4 | 4-3 | 5.4 | 0.277 | 0.328 | 0.496 | 0.824 | 4.0 | 0.252 | 0.300 | 0.407 | 0.707 | | Grass Games | 60-42 | +14.4 | 48-50 | 4.6 | 0.249 | 0.311 | 0.437 | 0.748 | 3.7 | 0.238 | 0.292 | 0.375 | 0.668 | | Night Games | 41-31 | +6.9 | 32-36 | 4.5 | 0.246 | 0.306 | 0.435 | 0.741 | 3.7 | 0.240 | 0.293 | 0.383 | 0.676 | | Division | 27-19 | +7.1 | 23-21 | 4.8 | 0.247 | 0.317 | 0.436 | 0.753 | 3.8 | 0.239 | 0.297 | 0.380 | 0.678 |
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| All Games | 4.5 | 0.246 | 0.308 | 108 | 3614 | 889 | 185 | 12 | 152 | 0.430 | 460 | 325 | 952 | 79 | 671 | 77 | 55 | 94 | 60 | | Road Games | 4.4 | 0.243 | 0.297 | 52 | 1846 | 448 | 94 | 5 | 62 | 0.400 | 214 | 143 | 471 | 43 | 346 | 31 | 28 | 43 | 33 | | Righty Starters | 4.9 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 65 | 2189 | 551 | 114 | 5 | 102 | 0.448 | 302 | 188 | 566 | 48 | 398 | 41 | 32 | 48 | 40 |
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| All Games | 2.67 | 1.021 | 313.3 | 101 | 93 | 230 | 31 | 90 | 303 | 19-17 | 28 | 13 | 68.3% | | Road Games | 3.30 | 1.190 | 142 | 58 | 52 | 115 | 12 | 54 | 128 | 9-9 | 11 | 7 | 61.1% |
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| All Games | 53-53 | +15.6 | 48-52 | 4.5 | 0.254 | 0.313 | 0.409 | 0.721 | 4.8 | 0.266 | 0.329 | 0.427 | 0.756 | | Home Games | 22-29 | -6.2 | 24-22 | 4.5 | 0.263 | 0.327 | 0.419 | 0.746 | 5.4 | 0.276 | 0.339 | 0.440 | 0.779 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 18-23 | +2.5 | 22-18 | 4.2 | 0.234 | 0.295 | 0.374 | 0.669 | 5.8 | 0.287 | 0.356 | 0.452 | 0.808 | | Past 7 Games | 6-1 | +6 | 3-3 | 6.1 | 0.321 | 0.379 | 0.508 | 0.887 | 4.7 | 0.256 | 0.295 | 0.468 | 0.763 | | Grass Games | 50-49 | +15.2 | 44-49 | 4.6 | 0.255 | 0.314 | 0.413 | 0.727 | 4.8 | 0.268 | 0.330 | 0.427 | 0.758 | | Night Games | 41-36 | +17.4 | 36-38 | 4.5 | 0.258 | 0.314 | 0.420 | 0.734 | 4.7 | 0.262 | 0.325 | 0.422 | 0.746 | | Division | 16-26 | -5.1 | 22-17 | 3.9 | 0.241 | 0.296 | 0.385 | 0.682 | 5.5 | 0.283 | 0.348 | 0.442 | 0.790 |
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| All Games | 4.5 | 0.254 | 0.313 | 106 | 3636 | 922 | 187 | 22 | 111 | 0.409 | 443 | 313 | 837 | 64 | 737 | 79 | 83 | 105 | 55 | | Home Games | 4.5 | 0.263 | 0.327 | 51 | 1742 | 459 | 99 | 11 | 50 | 0.419 | 218 | 164 | 369 | 25 | 372 | 43 | 40 | 56 | 34 | | Lefty Starters | 4.2 | 0.234 | 0.295 | 41 | 1425 | 333 | 67 | 5 | 41 | 0.374 | 164 | 123 | 357 | 14 | 293 | 22 | 33 | 49 | 25 |
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| All Games | 4.68 | 1.420 | 342.3 | 186 | 178 | 345 | 49 | 141 | 298 | 16-15 | 29 | 12 | 70.7% | | Home Games | 4.64 | 1.443 | 184.3 | 99 | 95 | 195 | 26 | 71 | 141 | 6-8 | 8 | 6 | 57.1% |
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| 7/22/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | BOSTON | KELLY(R) | 4-2 | W | -140 | 8 un | U | 8 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | | 7/23/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | BOSTON | MILEY(L) | 5-4 | W | -130 | 7.5 ev | O | 10 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 7/24/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 4-0 | W | -110 | 8 un | U | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | | 7/25/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | 1-2 | L | 130 | 8 un | U | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 7/26/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 1-5 | L | -115 | 7 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 | | 7/28/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | 10-5 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | | 7/29/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | 6-3 | W | -130 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | | 7/30/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(R) | 3-0 | W | -130 | 7.5 ov | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | | 7/31/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | ARIZONA | DE LA ROSA(R) | 4-6 | L | -135 | 8 ev | O | 8 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 2 | | 8/1/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | ARIZONA | HELLICKSON(R) | 9-2 | W | -205 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | | 8/2/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | ARIZONA | RAY(L) | 4-1 | W | -145 | 8 un | U | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 0 | | 8/3/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 9-12 | L | -125 | 9 ev | O | 13 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 1 | | 8/4/2015 | STRAILY(R) | @ TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 3-4 | L | 100 | 9.5 ov | U | 6 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 8/5/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | | | 8/6/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ OAKLAND | BROOKS(R) | | | 8/7/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | | | 8/8/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ OAKLAND | CHAVEZ(R) | | | 8/9/2015 | FIERS(R) | @ OAKLAND | BASSITT(R) | | | 8/11/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | BUMGARNER(L) | | | 8/12/2015 | | @ SAN FRANCISCO | | |
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| 7/22/2015 | PEREZ(L) | @ COLORADO | DE LA ROSA(L) | 10-8 | W | 145 | 10.5 un | O | 10 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 7/24/2015 | LEWIS(R) | @ LA ANGELS | TROPEANO(R) | 4-2 | W | 130 | 8 un | U | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | | 7/25/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | @ LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 7-6 | W | 140 | 7.5 ev | O | 9 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 1 | | 7/26/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ LA ANGELS | HEANEY(L) | 7-13 | L | 175 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 9 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 0 | | 7/27/2015 | HARRISON(L) | NY YANKEES | NOVA(R) | 2-6 | L | +105 | 10 un | U | 5 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 1 | | 7/28/2015 | PEREZ(L) | NY YANKEES | CAPUANO(L) | 5-21 | L | +110 | 9.5 un | O | 3 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 0 | | 7/29/2015 | LEWIS(R) | NY YANKEES | TANAKA(R) | 5-2 | W | +155 | 9 un | U | 11 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | | 7/30/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | NY YANKEES | SABATHIA(L) | 7-6 | W | +115 | 9 ev | O | 12 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0 | | 7/31/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | SAN FRANCISCO | BUMGARNER(L) | 6-3 | W | +155 | 9 un | P | 10 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 8/1/2015 | HAMELS(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | HESTON(R) | 7-9 | L | -135 | 9 un | O | 13 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | | 8/2/2015 | PEREZ(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | LEAKE(R) | 2-1 | W | +100 | 9.5 un | U | 8 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | | 8/3/2015 | LEWIS(R) | HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | 12-9 | W | +115 | 9 ev | O | 15 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 0 | | 8/4/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | HOUSTON | STRAILY(R) | 4-3 | W | -110 | 9.5 ov | U | 10 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | | 8/5/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | | | 8/7/2015 | HAMELS(L) | @ SEATTLE | MONTGOMERY(L) | | | 8/8/2015 | PEREZ(L) | @ SEATTLE | IWAKUMA(R) | | | 8/9/2015 | LEWIS(R) | @ SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | | | 8/11/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | @ MINNESOTA | | | | 8/12/2015 | | @ MINNESOTA | | |
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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. | | TEXAS: When Yu Darvish pitched only one inning this spring before season-ending elbow surgery, the Texas Rangers were already off to an ominous start.
The Rangers lost their ace even before what they are still hoping will be a comeback season.
''There is no way to spin that, other than it's a tough deal for us. He's one of the best pitchers in the game,'' general manager Jon Daniels said this spring. ''That being said, it's one guy. It's not 17. Good teams and good organizations have had similar news at similar times before and found a way. That's got to be our mentality.''
Texas had 22 different players spend time on the disabled list last season, including Darvish missing the final seven weeks with elbow inflammation before needing Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery this spring.
The aching result for the Rangers was the American League's worst record (67-95) and their most losses since 1985, ending an impressive four-year run of 90-win seasons with their only two World Series appearances (2010-11).
Darvish was 10-7 and an All-Star again before getting sidelined last season.
As for the top of the rotation without him, the January trade to get local pitcher Yovani Gallardo proved even more important. Gallardo, who can be a free agent after this season, started the last five season openers for Milwaukee.
Derek Holland, who didn't pitch until September last season after knee surgery, had a strong finish. Shoulder soreness slowed the left-hander this spring, but that likely set him up to start the home opener April 10 against Houston, in the fifth game of the season.
Also among the injured in 2014 were slugger Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo, the big offensive additions before last season.
Fielder had missed only one game the previous five seasons with Detroit and Milwaukee before being limited to only 42 games and three home runs in his Rangers debut because a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery. Choo played 123 games, but his on-base percentage dipped from .423 in 2013 for Cincinnati to .340 before operations late last season for a bone spur in his left elbow and torn cartilage in his left ankle.
''There's no telling what this ballclub can do,'' new manager Jeff Banister said. ''They've yet to have an opportunity to play together. Let's hope they get a really strong shot of playing together for 162-plus (games).''
Here are a few things to know about the Rangers, who open the season April 6 at Oakland:
CLOSING TIME: Neftali Feliz is back in his World Series role for the Rangers as their closer after an ill-fated and injury-plagued attempt to be a starter. The right-hander was 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA in eight games (seven starts) in 2012 before Tommy John surgery. Feliz was 2-1 with 13 saves in 14 chances with a 1.99 ERA in 30 relief appearances after rejoining the Rangers last July, just before Joakim Soria was traded.
BELTRE'S IMPACT: Third baseman Adrian Beltre is going into his 17th major league season, his fifth with the Rangers and signed through next season. ''He's the heart and soul of this club,'' Banister said. ''A shining light in the storm, that's what he was last year. ... Do yourself a favor and watch that last at-bat he put together in 2014.'' Determined not to be the final out of the season, Beltre went from an 0-2 count to getting a single on the third straight slider thrown after that.
LEFT OF CENTER: With pretty much every other defensive position set, Jake Smolinski and Ryan Ruo entered spring as candidates in left field. Both showed promising glimpses in short stints in their major league debuts the second half of last season. Ryan Ludwick, who made his major league debut with Texas in 2002 and played for five other teams the past decade, was a non-roster invitee who could play left. Michael Choice, who got 35 of his 55 outfield starts in left last year, was the early man out when optioned to the minors in mid-March. Choo moves from left to right after Alex Rios departed in free agency.
MISSING WORK: The 26 different DL stints for the Rangers last season amounted to 2,281 days lost. That was 833 more than Arizona, who had the second most, and more than double any other American League team. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (HOUSTON-TEXAS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Astros-Rangers Preview* ========================
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer
Houston (60-47) at Texas (52-53), 8:05 p.m. EDT
Scott Kazmir's July was among the best in baseball history so it's not a big surprise that he now leads the league in ERA.
The AL West-leading Houston Astros just want him to help them snap their four-game road skid.
Kazmir looks to extend his shutout streak as the Astros face the Texas Rangers in the finale of this Lone Star Series on Wednesday night.
In five starts last month, Kazmir (6-5, 2.10 ERA) went 2-0 with a 0.26 ERA, the third-lowest for July in major league history.
"This month, being able to use all my pitches and being able to have a feel for them in any count, that's been the key," Kazmir told MLB's official website.
The left-hander has displayed that dominance with the Astros (60-48), tossing 14 2-3 scoreless innings over two starts since being acquired in a trade with Oakland.
He's closing in on the longest shutout streak by a Houston starter since Carlos Hernandez went 17 innings from Aug. 18-29, 2001.
Kazmir limited the Los Angeles Angels to three hits over 7 2-3 innings in a 3-0 win Thursday.
"I felt good every time I went out there," Kazmir said. "Every pitch I was throwing, it felt like I was able to hit the spot I wanted to and just keep hitters off balance. I was able to attack the strike zone early and expand later on, and that gave me success."
Kazmir is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 21 innings over three starts against the Rangers (53-53) this year but this will be his first with Houston.
The Astros have dropped 10 of 11 on the road, including four in a row after falling 4-3 to Texas on Tuesday.
Carlos Gomez is 8 for 23 in five games since moving to Houston in a trade from Milwaukee. The center fielder has four hits in this series, connecting for a solo homer and an RBI double on Tuesday.
He's a .400 hitter in 11 games in Arlington.
The Rangers are back at .500 after winning six of the last seven at home following a 1-12 stretch there. They're two games back of Toronto for the second wild-card spot.
"Five hundred is not where we want to be," manager Jeff Banister said. "It's just a number we've got to get to (in order) to go where we want to go."
Banister gives the ball to Nick Martinez (6-6, 4.01), who is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three starts against Houston and will be pitching on his 25th birthday.
The right-hander earned his first win in seven starts Friday, allowing two runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 6-3 victory over San Francisco. He went 0-4 with a 7.01 ERA in his six prior outings.
"I was able to locate (the inside fastball) for effect and for a strike," Martinez said. "I don't throw 95, so I can't just live outside. I have to throw inside so I can keep guys on their toes on both sides of the plate."
Martinez has had a tough time with Jose Altuve, who is 4 for 10 with three doubles off him.
Texas' Josh Hamilton is 7 for 19 with two homers against Kazmir.
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| | Last Updated: 5/4/2024 1:28:39 PM EST. |
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