The Astros have recently recalled 25-year old righty swinging catcher J.R. Towles with the idea of getting a good look at him. He won the starting job out of spring training for the Astros last season but he didn’t hold it too long as he couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag. Towles has played in 10 games for the Astros this season and he is 3 for 26 (.115 avg, .322 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 1 RBI. He has now played in 78 games in his career with the Astros and he is 38 for 212 (.179 avg, .575 OPS) with 23 runs scored, 5 homers and 29 RBIs. This could be Towles last chance with the Astros who appear to be running out of patience with him.

Darin Erstad and Jason Michaels have both been pathetic this season. Erstad has played in 67 games this season for the Astros and he is 13 for 82 (.159 avg, .487 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 1 homer and 5 RBIs. Michaels has played in 51 games for the Astros this season and he is 12 for 70 (.171 avg, .533 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 5 RBIs. The days are likely numbered for Erstad and Michaels if they don’t start hitting the ball soon.

When the Astros traded five players for Miguel Tejada last season they were expecting his usual power numbers. But, his first day as an Astro was the same day he was named in the Mitchell Report. He has turned into a singles hitting shortstop and that’s not what the Astros bargained for. He has played in 28 games for the Astros this season and he is 33 for 115 (.287 avg, .674 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 0 homers and 8 RBIs. Tejada has now played in 186 games in his career with the Astros and he is 212 for 747 (.284 avg) with 105 runs scored, 13 homers, 74 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. It appears that the Orioles pulled a fast one on the Astros two winters ago.

One has to really take notice that Miguel Tejada was a prominent player in the Mitchell Report over the winter and he suddenly lost his power swing. You have to wonder if that is coincidence or if Tejada’s power was all synthetic. He has played in 153 games for the Astros this season and he is 175 for 612 (.286 avg, .738 OPS) with 90 runs scored, 13 homers, 65 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. His homer and RBI totals are the lowest since 1998 when he was with the Oakland A’s. The Astros should have known better than trading for anyone the day before the Mitchell Report came out. I’m sure the Orioles knew his name was going to be in it as they are probably still laughing about this trade.

The Astros catchers’ are both hitting terrible this season and the team can’t afford to go with these guys much longer. Rookie J.R. Towles was supposed to be the answer behind the plate for the Astros based on his strong showing last September. But, he has truly been awful with a bat in his hands. Towles has played in 39 games this season for the Astros and he is 16 for 109 (.147 avg, .567 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 4 homers and 13 RBIs. Veteran Brad Ausmas hasn’t played well enough to take the job away from Towles. Ausmas has played in 25 games for the Astros this season and he is 13 for 66 (.197 avg, .494 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs. The Astros should look to make a trade for a young catcher like Cleveland’s Kelly Shoppach or Seattle’s Jeff Clement.