Results tagged “carloslee”

Houston, today is the greatest day known to man. It's Opening Day!

With one year under his belt, Astros manager Cecil Cooper is ready for the 2009 season to begin. After a rough first half which saw the Astros at 6-12 to start the season, Cooper and his team got hot after the All-Star break to go an best 42-24 while just missing a Wild Card birth by 3.5 games. We can all thank Hurricane Ike and Bud Seling for that. Houstonist caught up with the Astros skipper at Thursday's Baseball Writers Association of America Awards Dinner to talk baseball. Coach, with spring training just right around the corner, how exciting is it for you this time of the year? Well, it's extremely exciting. We want to make a stronger showing than we did a year ago and we think we have a chance to do that. It's pretty exciting to get there (spring training) knowing that I'll pretty much have the same team that I had a year ago and we'll be familiar with each other knowing we can just go out and play baseball. What was the difference between the first half and second half of last year? It was a rough start, but the team rebounded for a strong second half finish. Well, I think number one, they got used to our style of doing things. Then I think everybody's role was really determined a little bit better and then I thought the biggest key was that Carlos Lee got hot and Roy Oswalt became the Roy Oswalt that we all know and love. The interview continues after the jump.

On Saturday, the Astros offense took a major blow. Carlos Lee suffered a broken pinkie finger which will require season ending surgery. Today, the Astros pulled off a four game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds which puts them one game under .500 as they return to Texas for a seven game series against the San Francisco Giants (49-66) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (60-58).

A week after the pitchers and catchers arrived, the Astros' position players are due in Kissimmee today. Some, including Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn, and Kaz Matsui, have already arrived to get a jump on the rest of the team. Others, like focal point Miguel Tejada, arrived on time today. Like we did with the pitchers and catchers, we'll take a look at the guys out in the field and see where things lie.

The revamping of the Astros roster is starting to look more and more like an episode of Extreme Makeover. Today, the Astros announced that they've reached an agreement with the Baltimore Orioles for former MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada in exchange for (deep breath): Luke Scott, Matt Albers, Troy Patton, Dennis Sarfate, and Lou Costanzo. Patton, Sarfate, and Albers are all young pitchers with some major league experience; Patton was the Astros' most experienced and highest-rated...

This past week was a study in contrasts for Houston sports fans: the Texans were idle but the Rockets played host to the most-watched basketball game in the world; the Astros made a trade that ended the Houston career of one of our biggest anti-heroes while the Dynamo set the stage for what may be Houston's first championship dynasty since the Rockets' run in the 90's. Let's take a look at what the blogs were...

While most of the baseball world was focused yesterday on the races for the final playoff spots, including the Mets historic collapse in the NL East, as usual, Craig Biggio was just doing his job, just like he's done for the past 20 years. But for the first time in 20 years, Biggio won't be going back to work today. For those of us who grew up in Houston, Biggio is just as much a...

Astros pitcher Brandon Backe, in his second start of the season after Tommy John surgery, threw 97 pitches in his strongest outing since being injured last year. Showing a lot of the fire and self-criticism he's known for, Backe was not pleased with his showing, telling Astros.com: I was lucky, fortunate enough to make good pitches in big situations when the game could have gotten out of hand," he said. "But for the most...

In hopes to discourage the use of performance enhancing drugs among high schoolers, a local campaign featuring four prominent local athletes kicked off today. The campaign, called “Be Smart. Stay Drug Free” was spearheaded by Dynamo president and general manager Oliver Luck, and features Dynamo midfielder Brian Ching, Astros left fielder Carlos Lee, Rockets forward Tracy McGrady, and Texans tackle Eric Winston. The campaign arrives on the heels of the recently passed Senate Bill 8,...

The second half is underway and the Astros find themselves flat on their face. After a promising 7-4 home stand before the All-Star break, the Astros were hoping for some form of hope coming out of the gate. Instead, the lowly Washington Nationals sent the Astros to their fourth consecutive loss and 15 games under .500. Astros starter Woody Williams (4-11) was hanging onto a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning...

Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt has been named to his third consecutive NL All-Star appearance. Oswalt, who is 7-5 with a 3.52 ERA, was summoned to replace injured Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz. Oswalt, who was called up to the Astros in 2001, holds a lifetime record of 105-52 with a 3.09 ERA with a .669 winning percentage, best in the NL since that time. Oswalt led the NL in wins in '04 and...

After a historic Thursday night in which Craig Biggio collected his 3,000th hit, the newest member of the elite club garnered the Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week for June 25-July 1, 2007. Biggio batted .444 (8-18) for the week, which included two runs and RBI. His five hits on Thursday, which gave him a total of 3,002, were the most hits in a game for a player who...

Although Carlos Lee was selected as the Astros' lone representative for the 78th annual MLB All-Star game, Houstonians can change that. Roy Oswalt was selected as one of five National League players vying for the final spot. For the season, Oswalt is 7-5 with a 3.42 ERA. His season has had its ups and downs with the Astros defense and bullpen blowing more than its share of games. On Tuesday, Roy pitched seven solid...

Houston Astros left fielder Carlos Lee was selected to the 78th annual MLB All-Star game which will take place on Tuesday, July 10 at San Francisco's AT&T Park. Lee, who is now a three-time all-star, currently leads the National League with 68 RBI and has been everything the Astros have dreamed of so far. Along with Lee's NL-leading RBI total, El Caballo is currently sporting a .293 average with 15 home runs and 22...

The road to 3,000 continued at Minute Maid Park, Texas as Craig Biggio came into Thursday night's contest only three hits away. In the third inning while facing Aaron Cook with a 2-2 count, Biggio lined a single into center field for career hit 2,998. Biggio would return to the plate in the fifth inning and would smack an Aaron Cook curve ball to Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins, who then overthrew first baseman...

Astros trying fail to stand on rockie ground There is no denying that the Astro’s have hit (what we hope is) their low this season. On Tuesday, both Lance Berkman and manager Phil Garner were ejected from the game after Carlos Lee was intentionally appeared to be hit by a pitch from the Colorado Rockies Manuel Corpas. Luckily the Astros managed a 2 run ninth inning rally to win that game and end a...

The Astros 2007 free-fall continued at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday as they dropped their 10th consecutive loss by losing to the Reds 4-3. The Reds attacked Wandy Rodriguez (2-5) for three first inning earned runs that would put the Astros anemic offense against the wall. Reds center fielder Norris Hopper got the game started on a lead off double and then scored on Alex Gonzalez's single for the 1-0 lead. Ken Griffey Jr....

Carlos Lee belted a walk-off home run in the 10th inning off Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to give the Astros an amazing 6-5 come from behind victory Tuesday night. The comeback trail began in the eight inning as the Houston team was down 5-3 with two outs. With Carlos Lee on first, rookie sensation Hunter Pence stroked a high fly ball toward the left field Crawford Boxes just punching the foul pole to give...

Wandy Rodriguez and the Houston Astros left Minute Maid Park victorious after a 5-2 win in front of 37,230 Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Rodriguez (1-3) pitched five solid innings allowing only four hits with three strikeouts to record his first victory since July 2, 2006. Carlos Lee put the 'Stros on the board in the the first inning on a RBI single scoring Craig Biggio. The D-Backs would answer back in the...

Hey, hey! How about those Astros? With the game winding down with two outs in the eighth inning, the Houston team punched in five runs to give Chris Sampson (2-0) a much deserved victory. With Orlando Palmeiro on second with two outs, Lance Berkman single him in to knot the game up at 2-2. Carlos Lee then reached base on a walk which prompted the Reds to a pitching change and the Astros summoned Mark...

It's days like these that make Carlos Lee worth every cent of his $100 million contract. Lee proved his worth as he hammered a career high three home runs, including a grand slam, to go along with six RBI. With the Astros down early 3-0, Lee was faced with a 0-2 count from Phillies starter Brett Myers before he jackhammered his next offering from Myers over the right field wall for a solo shot...

Well hello, Houston! It's the greatest day in America: Opening Day 2007! Spring Training is over, the roster is set and now it's time to play ball. The Astros' main concern last year was hitting. Heck, it was pathetic, but Uncle Drayton broke out the checkbook, signed power hitter Carlos Lee for a cool $100 million and added utility player and 2006 All-Star Mark Loretta. Also new to the team are a pair of native...

With 4 days until Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros start the 2007 season, we are holding back the “giddy.” While this spring had some highlights (Jason Lane, .260, 5HR’s & newbie Carlos Lee .370), concerns abound in the pitching department. With the loss of Andy Pettitte and presumably Roger Clemens, the Astros are looking for newly acquired veterans Jason Jennings and Woody Williams to shoulder the load. While its never the perfect indicator...

Your favorite home team and ours, the Astros, is finally making the most of the offseason. Reports yesterday say that GM Tim Purpura has made offers to outfielders (and power hitters, more importantly) Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano. Last year our 'Stros were last in the NL with a team batting average of .255, just one indicator of the trouble they've had offensively over the last several years. Lee played for the Brewers and the...