Friday, April 1, 2011
Posted: 9 a.m.
CSNPhilly.com
2010 Records
Phillies: 97-65 (First in National League East)
Astros: 76-86 (Fourth in National League Central)
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Starting PitchersPhillies: Roy Halladay is the reigning NL Cy Young winner and regarded as one of the best pitchers in the game. Last season Halladay pitched 250.2 innings with a 2.44 ERA and a 21-10 record. He threw a perfect game against Florida on May 29 and a postseason no-hitter against Cincinnati on Oct. 6.
Astros: Brett Myers, a member of the 2008 Phillies, will start off the season for the Astros. Myers was a workhorse for Houston last season, going for 223.2 innings. He had a career-best 3.14 ERA and pitched his way to a 14-8 record.
Storylines
This is a highly-anticipated opener for the Phillies. With the Nightmares on Broad Street (Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton), the Phillies may have the best staff in franchise history.
Still, there are question marks with the Phils' lineup. Second baseman Chase Utley, normally the three-hole hitter, is out with knee tendinitis. Also, closer Brad Lidge is out 3-6 weeks with a strained right rotator cuff.
News
Last season, the Astros were much like the 76ers this season. They had an awful 17-34 start. But midseason trades of Oswalt and Lance Berkman, both fixtures in Minute Made Park, sparked some success and the team finished 59-52.
On another note, there will be plenty of familiar faces around the diamond during Friday's matchup. The Astros' roster boasts five former Phillies.
Whos hot?
Ben Francisco had the best spring of any Phillie in 2011. He hit .361 with five homers, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Ryan Howard had comparable numbers. Howard hit .278 with five home runs, five doubles, 14 RBIs and scored eight runs.
Jason Michaels, the former Phillie, was the hottest Astro in spring training. Michaels hit .405 with two homers and five RBIs on 17 hits.
Head-to-head
The Phillies have an all-time record of 273-259 against the Astros.
Last season, the Phillies swept the Astros in their second series of the season. The Phillies outscored the Astros in that series, 19-7.
When the teams met again in late August, the Astros swept the Phillies in four games. In this series the Astros outscored the Phillies, 15-7.
2010 team leadersPhillies: Howard is still batting cleanup for the Phillies. Last season Howard hit .276 and led the Phillies with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs.
Astros: Hunter Pence is the main run producer in Houston. In 2010 he led the Astros in home runs (25) and RBIs (91) while hitting .282.
InjuriesPhillies: Utley (knee), Lidge (rotator cuff), Brian Bocock (wrist), Domonic Brown (wrist) and Brian Schlitter (flexor pronator) are all on the 15-day disabled list.
Astros: J.A. Happ (side muscle) is day-to-day. Clint Barmes (hand), Alberto Arias (shoulder), Jason Castro (knee) and Jeff Keppinger (foot) are all on the 15-day disabled list.
Related: Salisbury: No guarantee, but Phils should flourishBuy Phillies Gear