OAKLAND — It has become a ritual: A pitcher joins the Astros and the media begins speculating how quickly the team will improve him. The pitcher wonders the same thing. Shortly after he arrives, he strides into a conference room populated by members of the coaching staff and analytics department. When he emerges, eyes wide, he is shaking his head.
His introduction to Houston continues shortly thereafter, when he joins the discussions of pitching philosophy that ace Justin Verlander regularly leads. The new Astro might at that point seek out a position player, just to take a break from all that pitching talk.