Brad Mills has been the Red Sox’ bench coach for a while but actually managing a game is quite a bit harder. Managing in the N.L. is even harder because you have to balance a pitching staff a lot more. It will be interesting to see how Mills handles the job because on most nights he will not have the better team in 2010. Hopefully he can stay positive and get the Astros playing like the Red Sox at some point in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: C-

The Astros have signed 30-year old lefty starter/reliever Andy Van Hekken to a minor league deal. He pitched in 33 games (13 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last season for the Astros in which he was 8-6 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Van Hekken last pitched in the majors in 2002 with the Tigers. He started 5 games for the Tigers in 2002 and he was 1-3 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He is a soft tossing lefty who is a longshot to help the Astros in 2010.

Gone are Jose Valverde and LaTroy Hawkins as they both left via free agency. They have been replaced by Brandon Lyon and Matt Lindstrom and that’s not likely a good thing for the Astros in 2010. 30-year old righty Brandon Lyon will likely be the closer for the Astros at the start of the year. He pitched in 65 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last season and he was 6-5 with 3 saves, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He only gave up 56 hits in 78 2/3 innings for the Tigers last season as he was electric most of the year. Lyon has 54 career saves in the majors so this won’t be his first closers’ job.

30-year old righty Matt Lindstrom really has a rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder. But, he had a terrible year in 2009 working in 54 games (0 starts) for the Marlins in which he was 2-1 with 15 saves, a 5.89 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. The Astros hope that Lindstrom reverts back to the pitcher he was for the Marlins in 2007 and 2008. In those two years, Lindstrom pitched in 137 games (0 starts) in which he was 6-7 with 5 saves, a 3.11 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. The Astros would probably be better served with Lindstrom as a set-up man because he didn’t look too good closing last year for the Marlins.

36-year old lefty Tim Byrdak will be the Astros’ top lefty in the pen in 2010. Byrdak pitched in 76 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 1-2 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He only gave up 39 hits in 61 1/3 innings last season for the Astros while whiffing 58 batters which showed what kind of stuff he has. But, Byrdak gave up 10 homers and walked 36 batters last season and he needs to make improvements in both areas to really help the Astros in 2010.

30-year old righty Jeff Fulchino really came out of nowhere for the Astros in 2009. He pitched in 61 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 6-4 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He only gave up 70 hits in 82 innings last season as he did a good job of missing bats. Look for him to do a decent job out of the pen in 2010 for the Astros.

31-year old righty Chris Sampson had a rough time for the Astros in 2009. He pitched in 49 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season and he was 4-2 with 3 saves, a 5.04 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Sampson will likely be the long man in the pen for the Astros in 2010 and little more.

26-year old righty Alberto Arias was a nice find for the Astros last season. He pitched in 42 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season and he was 2-1 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Arias has good stuff and he will likely have another decent year in 2010 for the Astros.

30-year old righty Gary Majewski is trying to get back to where he used to be. He pitched in 37 games (0 starts) for the Reds last season and he was 1-0 with a 6.52 ERA and a 1.90 WHIP. Majewski has really been awful since leaving the Nationals in 2006. From 2004-2006 with the Nationals/Expos, Majewski pitched in 141 games (0 starts) in which he was 7-7 with 2 saves, a 3.27 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.

25-year old lefty Wesley Wright will be starting the year in AAA, but, he could help the Astros at some point in 2010. Wright pitched in 49 games (0 starts) for the Astros last season and he was 3-4 with a 5.44 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: C-

The Astros’ rotation will likely be top heavy in 2010. 32-year old righty Roy Oswalt will likely bounce back from a down 2009 as long as his back holds up. Oswalt started 30 games for the Astros last season in which he was 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He has now pitched in 283 games (271 starts) in his major league career in which he is 137-70 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. I look for Oswalt to bounce back big time in 2010 winning 15-18 games for the Astros in 2010.

31-year old lefty Wandy Rodriguez finally had his breakout season for the Astros in 2009. Rodriguez started 33 games for the Astros last season in which he was 14-12 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Rodriguez gave up 192 hits in 205 2/3 innings while whiffing 193 batters as he was really dealing up some wicked stuff in 2009. I thnk he really could be a dominating starter if he learned to pitch better on the road. Regardless, I think he will win 15+ games in 2010.

29-year old righty Brett Myers was signed on to be the #3 starter over the winter. Myers pitched in 18 games (10 starts) for the Phillies last season in which he was 4-3 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In Myers’ 8 years in his major league career he has won at least 10 games in a season five times. If Myers is healthy in 2010 I see him winning double digit games for the Astros.

25-year old righty Bud Norris is one of the Astros’ top young pitchers and he will be penciled in as the #4 starter in 2010. Norris pitched in 11 games (10 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 6-3 with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He also started 19 games in AAA-ball last year in which he was 4-9 with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Norris has a nice upside and I think he will be a asset to the Astros in 2010.

As of right now, 38-year old righty Brian Moehler would be the #5 starter for the Astros. He started 29 games for the Astros last season in which he was 8-12 with a 5.47 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. In his four years with the Astros, Moehler has pitched in 105 games (58 starts) in which he is 20-24 with 1 save, a 4.98 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The Astros would be better off if someone beat out Moehler for the starting job making him the long man in the pen.

26-year old righty Felipe Paulino will battle Moehler for the #5 job in the rotation this spring. Paulino pitched in 23 games (17 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 3-11 with a 6.27 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. Paulino has a good arm as he whiffed 93 batters in only 97 2/3 innings last season for the Astros but he gave up 126 hits and that is way too many. He needs to learn how to pitch in order to maximize his stuff.

29-year old lefty Gustavo Chacin is a longshot with a high upside. Chacin pitched in 20 games (19 starts) in AA+AAA ball last season in which he was 9-4 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Chacin last pitched in the majors in 2007 with the Blue Jays. He has pitched in 58 games (all starts) in his major league career in which he is 25-15 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.

25-year old righty Yorman Bazardo is a longer shot than Chacin. He pitche in 10 games (6 starts) for the Astros last season in which he was 1-3 with a 7.88 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: C

The Astros have released outfielder Alex Romero. Romero played in 7 games for the Astros this spring in which he was 4 for 11 (.364 avg, .728 OPS) with 1 run scored. Romero was thought to have a pretty decent chance of making the Astros’ opening day roster so this is likely a good sign for the bench depth in 2010.