The future of the Houston Astros is starting to take shape. Finally. After so much clamoring from the fan base to start seeing some of the young guy called up, general manager Jeff Luhnow has responded. After Sunday’s blowout loss to the Seattle Mariners to complete the three game sweep, designated hitter Carlos Pana and shortstop Ronny Cedeno were sent packing. The Astros are prone to either sign cheap free agents who nobody else wants (Jason Michaels, Carlos Pena, Ronny Cedeno, Hector Ambriz, Chris Snyder, Pedro Feliz, Matt Kata, Kevin Cash, Justin Maxwell, and the list goes on and on and on) or call up some washed up minor leaguer who is well past his prime. Not in the recent past as Luhnow finally has recalled two key parts of a soon contending whole. Those two keys are Jarred Cosart and Johnathan Villar.
We’ve discussed Jarred Cosart multiple times on this blog, so I wont bore you with him again. Although there is nothing boring about him, mind you. Lets meet Johnathan Villar. Villar came over in the 2010 Roy Oswalt trade with the Phillies and has widely been considered the Astros shortstop of the future. Villar hit .278 in Triple A OKC with eight homeruns and a .342 on base percentage. Villar projects as a top of the lineup hitter with plus speed, as evident last night when he made his Major League debut. Last night, Villar went 1-4 with a bunt single, stolen base, and a run scored. His speed and plus defense ability was on full display, and has Astros fans excited.
Tonight at Minute Maid Park, you can go see Jarred Cosart make his home debut and Johnathan Villar play some slick shortstop behind him against the Oakland Athletics. Come on, what else do you have to do that’s better?
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=hou
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