Post by bstros on Apr 18, 2007 7:49:19 GMT -5
Albers was waiting for this chance
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Righthander Matt Albers didn't waste any energy sulking after the Astros optioned him to Class AAA Round Rock immediately after the final exhibition game. He was more concerned with excelling with the Express to be ready when he got an opportunity.
Albers earned his promotion late Monday night, and he joined the Astros on Tuesday to prepare for his start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"Obviously, you want to make the big club out of spring training, but going to Triple-A is not the end of the world," Albers said. "You have to go down there and go ahead and keep pitching well. ... An opportunity came. I just wanted to let them know that I'd be ready when that opportunity came. If I had to wait until September, that's what I would have done — kept battling."
Albers and fellow righthander Fernando Nieve were the top two candidates to be recalled, and Albers was more effective at Round Rock. Albers, who jumped from Class AA Corpus Christi to the majors last year, was up twice last season. He hopes to build on the lessons he learned in his previous two promotions.
"Once you get in a groove out there, you can zone in a little bit better, get locked in and be able to throw strikes," he said. "You can't teach experience. You've just got to go through your ups and downs. ... I definitely wasn't disappointed not to get called up to start the season off."
Hard to figure
It's pretty clear Lance Berkman is not pleased with the folks who made the Astros' schedule. The Astros already have been rained out or snowed out in Chicago and Philadelphia. And after playing a two-game set against the Florida Marlins at home, they're headed to cold Cincinnati for a two-game set before playing a three-game series at Milwaukee's Miller Park.
"I think the schedule makers are coming under a lot of scrutiny this year," Berkman said. "They seem to do some pretty ridiculous things, and this is one of them. We're a warm-weather team with a roof, and we're gone (on the road) almost the entire month of April. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
Considering all the rainouts throughout baseball this year, Berkman doesn't understand why the majority of the games in April aren't played in stadiums with roofs or in warm-weather climates like California, Texas, Atlanta and Florida.
"It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out a way to get those early-season games in a warmer environment," he said. "Everybody should have a home opener, but after that, go to warmer cities. The thing that's ridiculous about this year is that in the first month of the season we're in cold weather, and in the last part of July and early August, when it's really hot, we'll be in Atlanta and Florida."
Here's to you
Astros manager Phil Garner signed the lineup card he used Monday night and presented it to Bruce Froemming, who set the record for continuous service as a major league umpire at 37 years and 12 games.
Froemming was the first base umpire Monday when the Astros beat the Marlins 4-3.
Sampson eager to face Dunn
Astros righthander Chris Sampson will start tonight for the first time since he was pulled with a tender left calf after five scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 10.
"My leg's doing just fine, no worries," he said.
Sampson is excited about facing his good friend and offseason workout partner Adam Dunn, the Porter native and New Caney High graduate who plays for the Cincinnati Reds.
"I'm ready to face my buddy Adam," Sampson said. "It'll be kind of weird seeing him over there. It would be funny playing for some bragging rights during workouts."
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Righthander Matt Albers didn't waste any energy sulking after the Astros optioned him to Class AAA Round Rock immediately after the final exhibition game. He was more concerned with excelling with the Express to be ready when he got an opportunity.
Albers earned his promotion late Monday night, and he joined the Astros on Tuesday to prepare for his start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"Obviously, you want to make the big club out of spring training, but going to Triple-A is not the end of the world," Albers said. "You have to go down there and go ahead and keep pitching well. ... An opportunity came. I just wanted to let them know that I'd be ready when that opportunity came. If I had to wait until September, that's what I would have done — kept battling."
Albers and fellow righthander Fernando Nieve were the top two candidates to be recalled, and Albers was more effective at Round Rock. Albers, who jumped from Class AA Corpus Christi to the majors last year, was up twice last season. He hopes to build on the lessons he learned in his previous two promotions.
"Once you get in a groove out there, you can zone in a little bit better, get locked in and be able to throw strikes," he said. "You can't teach experience. You've just got to go through your ups and downs. ... I definitely wasn't disappointed not to get called up to start the season off."
Hard to figure
It's pretty clear Lance Berkman is not pleased with the folks who made the Astros' schedule. The Astros already have been rained out or snowed out in Chicago and Philadelphia. And after playing a two-game set against the Florida Marlins at home, they're headed to cold Cincinnati for a two-game set before playing a three-game series at Milwaukee's Miller Park.
"I think the schedule makers are coming under a lot of scrutiny this year," Berkman said. "They seem to do some pretty ridiculous things, and this is one of them. We're a warm-weather team with a roof, and we're gone (on the road) almost the entire month of April. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
Considering all the rainouts throughout baseball this year, Berkman doesn't understand why the majority of the games in April aren't played in stadiums with roofs or in warm-weather climates like California, Texas, Atlanta and Florida.
"It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out a way to get those early-season games in a warmer environment," he said. "Everybody should have a home opener, but after that, go to warmer cities. The thing that's ridiculous about this year is that in the first month of the season we're in cold weather, and in the last part of July and early August, when it's really hot, we'll be in Atlanta and Florida."
Here's to you
Astros manager Phil Garner signed the lineup card he used Monday night and presented it to Bruce Froemming, who set the record for continuous service as a major league umpire at 37 years and 12 games.
Froemming was the first base umpire Monday when the Astros beat the Marlins 4-3.
Sampson eager to face Dunn
Astros righthander Chris Sampson will start tonight for the first time since he was pulled with a tender left calf after five scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 10.
"My leg's doing just fine, no worries," he said.
Sampson is excited about facing his good friend and offseason workout partner Adam Dunn, the Porter native and New Caney High graduate who plays for the Cincinnati Reds.
"I'm ready to face my buddy Adam," Sampson said. "It'll be kind of weird seeing him over there. It would be funny playing for some bragging rights during workouts."