Berkman: New pinstripes
(c) Associated Press
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First impressions can be misleading but, for the first day of the Roy Oswalt trade, Ed Wade looks like a genius. While Oswalt struggled in an 8-1 loss for the Phillies, his replacement J.A. Happ tossed six innings of two-hit shutout ball in his Astros debut as Houston blanked Milwaukee, 5-0, before a thin Friday night crowd at Minute Maid Park.
Happ should feel comfortable given all the ex-Phillies on his new team. After giving up a double to Rickie Weeks to start the game, Happ got out of trouble and stayed in control through the rest of his 98 pitches of work. He walked four but struck out six.
Jason Michaels gave him an early cushion with a solo homer off Manny Parra. Chris Johnson hit the big blow, a three-run shot to right in the fourth. Jeff Keppinger completed the scoring with a solo shot off the Chicken Pole in the eighth.
Wandy Rodriguez (8-11), soon the only remaining player from the 2005 World Series club, will pitch Saturday's 6:05 Central start against Dave Bush (5-8). He has a chance to give the Astros their first winning month of the season.
Rodriguez will be the last survivor because Lance Berkman has accepted a trade to the New York Yankees that will be announced Saturday, pending any last-minute problems. Rumors don't agree on how much of Berkman's contract the Yankees are taking and what, if any, prospects the Astros will receive in return but Berkman seemed to be clear he won't stay in New York any longer than necessary and would try to re-sign with the Astros for the 2011 season as a free agent.
Nonetheless, the Astros are saying good-bye to the last stars from their 2005 glory and embracing a new beginning with Happ a central piece in their future. Nice start.
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