Arizona @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( May 4, 2010 ) Arizona 1, Houston 0
Brett Myers gave up offensive talent and a chance for another World Series ring for stability.
The right-hander pitcher left the only organization he had ever known, the two-time defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies, to sign with the Houston Astros in the offseason.
He no longer has Chase Utley and Ryan Howard and the rest of the bashing Phillies in his lineup, but Myers also doesn’t get played with like a yo-yo based on closer Brad Lidge’s performance and availability.
After making at least 31 starts between 2003 and 2006, Myers role on the Phillies’ staff flipped-flopped the last three seasons between starter and reliever - which is not always easy on the body and mind.
So the 12th overall pick in 1999 draft made his way to Houston with the guarantee of being a starter. Myers will take the mound Wednesday at Minute Maid Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won the first two games of the four-game set.
The stability has been great for Myers, but the support hasn’t.
Myers has an ERA of 3.82, which would be the best of his career if it was the same at the end of the year, but he has just one win in three decisions after five starts.
The Astros have been shut out four times already and are 0-15 in games where the offense has scored three runs or less.
In other words, the offense has been sputtering just a wee bit but Myers has done his job for the most part. He faces a Diamondbacks’ offense that has been testing nearly every pitcher that faces them.
Despite being without two regular position players - catcher Miguel Montero and left fielder Conor Jackson - the Diamondbacks have been scoring enough runs to be an elite team, only to be let down early on by the bullpen and more recently the rotation.
The lineup features the April Player of the Month in Kelly Johnson, two top-three home run hitters (Mark Reynolds and Johnson), two top-five RBIs leaders (Chris Young and Reynolds) and three of the top nine in runs scored (Stephen Drew, Justin Upton and Reynolds).
Hoping the offense has another outburst waiting in the wings, is right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, who has been a pleasant surprise for the Diamondbacks. He wasn’t signed until after spring camp started, but has pitched as well as anyone on the staff.
In three of his five starts this season, Lopez has given up two earned runs or less.