The Astros are going to need some starting pitchers to step up in 2013, or it’s going to be a very, very long season. 27-year old righty Lucas Harrell will be the Astros’ #1 starter in 2013. He came out of nowhere to pitch really well for the Astros in 2012. Harrell pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Astros last year and he was 11-11 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has now pitched in 49 games (37 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 12-13 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. 28-year old righty Bud Norris is the only other starter guaranteed a spot in the opening day starting rotation. Norris pitched in 29 games (all starts) for the Astros last year and he was 7-13 with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Norris has now pitched in 98 games (97 starts) in his first four years with the Astros and he is 28-37 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. 22-year old righty Jordan Lyles, 30-year old righty Philip Humber, 34-year old lefty Erik Bedard, 26-year old righty John Ely, 25-year old lefty Dallas Kuechel, 24-year old righty Alex White and 25-year old righty Brad Peacock will duke it out for the #3, #4 and #5 spots in the rotation this spring. Lyles pitched in 25 games (all starts) for the Astros last year and he was 5-12 with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He has now pitched in 45 games (40 starts) in his first two years with the Astros and he is 7-20 with a 5.20 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Humber pitched in 26 games (16 starts) for the White Sox last year and he was 5-5 with a 6.44 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He has now pitched in 80 games (44 starts) in his first seven years in the majors and he is 16-15 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Bedard could surprise for the Astros in 2013. He pitched in 24 games (all starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 7-14 with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Bedard has now pitched in 192 games (189 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 63-64 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Bedard has been a solid major league pitcher when healthy. Ely pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers last year and he was 0-2 with a 20.25 ERA and a 3.75 WHIP. He has now pitched in 25 games (19 starts) in his first 3 years in the majors and he is 4-13 with a 5.70 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Kuechel pitched in 16 games (all starts) for the Astros last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 3-8 with a 5.27 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He also pitched in 16 games (all starts) in AAA-ball for the Astros last year and he was 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He is going to be a longshot to break camp with the Astros in 2013. Alex White will likely start the 2013 season in AAA-ball for the Astros. He pitched in 23 games (20 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 2-9 with a 5.51 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. White has now pitched in 33 games (30 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 5-13 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. The Astros hope that a chance of scenery will spark both White and Peacock in 2013. Peacock came into this season as the A’s #4 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 28 games (25 starts) in AAA-ball for the A’s last year and he was 12-9 with a 6.01 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Peacock did pitched in 3 games (2 starts) for the Nationals in 2011 and he was 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2013: D