Opening day of the 2013 MLB Season is fast approaching and odds for the Houston Astros to win the 2013 World Series are at +30000, according to Sportsbook.ag. The Astros are in rebuilding mode and it won't be easy for them as they make the move to the Tough AL West.
The Houston Astros are a team in transition in more ways than one. They have been rebuilding now for the past couple of seasons and have finished with over 100 losses each of the past two seasons. However, 2013 is a season of new beginnings as the Astros will play their first season as a member of the American League West Division.
The team was not big players in free agency and didn't do much to generate excitement among the fan base, something that has disappeared over the past couple of seasons. The front office made it clear last fall that they would not rebuild this team through free agency but rather in the farm system, which has improved significantly the past two seasons. Houston does have a few positives heading into this season, not the least of which is an energetic new manager in Bo Porter, who would like to build on a decent finish by the club in 2012. The team went 15-15 beginning Sept. 1 and was outscored by only 11 runs in that stretch.
Porter has some big league talent to work with, including righthanded starters Bud Norrisand Lucas Harrell. Norris led the league in home ERA (1.71) last season, and Harrell was second in wins among NL rookies (11). There is a distinct lack of marquee names on this club, although righthander Phil Humber, claimed on waivers from the Chicago White Sox, threw a perfect game last season. He is in the mix for one of the final three rotation spots, along with fellow veteran Erik Bedard. The bullpen, already weak, got more so when the Astros dealt closer Wilton Lopez to theColorado Rockies for 24-year-old starter Alex White during the winter meetings. The Astros added righthanded reliever Josh Fields in the Rule 5 draft.
The Astros' top position player is second baseman Jose Altuve, though they dealt away his double-play partner and one of the few remaining veterans, shortstop Jed Lowrie. Last season, Altuve batted .290 and scored 80 runs — 34 more than anyone else on the club. At 22, he should be a building block for the future. Center fielder Justin Maxwell led the Astros with 18 homers in 124 games, and his 53 RBIs were second only to left fielder J.D. Martinez's 55. Catcher Jason Castro, on the mend after knee surgery, hit .281 in his final 61 games.
This franchise is several years away from competing seriously in one of baseball's best divisions, or even finishing above .500. Player development must be the emphasis in Houston, even at the expense of winning. The Astros are committed to sticking with their promising talent, and taking the lumps that come with it.
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