31-year old lefty starting pitcher appeared to breakout last season for the Astros. Rodriguez pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Astros last season and he was 14-12 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. But he has looked nothing like the pitcher he was last season for the Astros in 2010. He has pitched in 13 games (all starts) for the Astros this year and he is 3-9 with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. He has walked 30 batters and he has given up 91 hits in only 72 1/3 innings for the Astros this year. Rodriguez might turn from a piece of the Astros’ future to part of the impending Fire Sale coming up next month.

Where to start? The Astros pitching staff is getting drilled so far this season. The starting rotation is 0-3 with a 5.66 ERA and a 2.08 in their first four starts of the season and that is pretty awful. I think they will be better the second time around because it’s a talented bunch. But the bullpen stats minus Matt Lindstrom and Brandon Lyon are pathetic. The bullpen has pitched in 13 games (minus Lindstrom & Lyon) in which they are 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP. Middle relief could be a problem all year long for the Astros. The Astros need to start pitching better because it doesn’t look like they are going to score a ton of runs this season.

24-year old righty starting pitcher Bud Norris was the Astros’ #2 rated prospect in the system coming into this season according to Baseball America. He pitched well enough in the minors to earn his chance with the Astros. He has pitched in 10 games (9 starts) for the Astros this season and he is 5-3 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Norris has whiffed 51 batters in 49 2/3 innings so far for the Astros showing that he has the stuff to make it. A strong finish this season will likely help Norris all but lock up a spot in the starting rotation with the Astros in 2010.

It’s amazing that 37-year old righty starting pitcher Brian Moehler still has a job based on how he has pitched this season. He has started 11 games for the Astros this season and he is 4-4 with a 6.43 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. Moehler has allowed a stunning 74 hits (12 of which are homers!) in only 56 innings this season for the Astros. The most amazing thing about the Astros’ pitching staff if that they don’t have anyone better than Moehler to replace him with.

37-year old righty starting pitcher Brian Moehler was lucky he was hurt or the Astros might have just sent him home. He has a grade one medial collateral ligament strain in his right knee. He has started 2 games for the Astros this season and he is 0-2 with a 27.00 ERA and a 4.25 WHIP. He has allowed a stunning 15 hits in only 4 innings this season for the Astros. They will likely tell him to take his time coming back as he won’t likely be missed by the Stros’.