Davis basks in the joy of making roster
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Fifteen minutes before he was to face Chris Sale in a Saturday Grapefruit League game assumed to have bearing on his big league future, J.D. Davis was summoned inside the dugout to be told of his inclusion on the Astros’ opening-day roster.
There’s no ideal time to deliver these sorts of messages, but A.J. Hinch prefers to do so alone. Summoning one player into his office in a clubhouse of 20 or more teammates invites curious chatter among them all, eliminating the personal touch Houston’s third-year manager strives for in these scenarios.
“Shocked, man. That was emotional,” Davis said Sunday. “I was close to tearing up a little bit.”
Divulging the news allowed Davis and Derek Fisher — who captured the club’s other vacant roster spot — to play more carefree against the Red Sox.
Davis squared up a hard single that careened off Sale’s hip in his first at-bat. Fisher had two hits, too.
“I wanted them to kind of relax a little bit,” Hinch said. “I felt like that was the right time. Ideally, it wouldn’t have been right before the game, but that was the first time I’d seen (them) since.”
Davis exited the game in the sixth inning, took a shower and retreated to catcher Max Stassi’s car. At the same time, Davis’ father, Greg, was en route to a movie theater. The phone call from his elated son left his dad “ecstatic.”
Davis’ mother, Mary Jo, and brother, Ben, were in Minnesota. Ben is a backup offensive tackle on the Golden Gophers football team and recently had a knee operation requiring some extra help. J.D. phoned them both at the same time.
“My brother screamed,” J.D. said. “It was a cool moment for all of us as a family.
“I was holding it in for the last three hours, but it was a cool moment.”
Hinch reiterated the many expectations he possesses for Davis as a member of the major league club. Davis started in left field in Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Marlins in Jupiter, going 2-for-4 to raise his spring average to .373. Time at first and third base could be required, too.
Davis slimmed down this offseason to ensure such versatility was possible. He weighed 220 pounds Sunday morning, the lightest since his days at Cal State Fullerton.
“It’s just helping me be a little more versatile in the outfield, around the basepaths and maybe just a quicker step,” Davis said. “I’m still not the fastest guy, but I can still help myself be the best me for the team.”
On Sunday morning, the Astros’ last day in West Palm Beach, Hinch held a team meeting to recognize the three players — Stassi, Fisher and Davis — and three coaches — assistant hitting coach Jeff Albert, bullpen coach Doug White and bullpen catcher Michael Collins — making their first opening-day rosters.
“To have some first-timers, it’s really cool to deliver that message and remind everybody how special it is,” Hinch said. “J.D., in particular, you could see a sense of relief and a sense of pride that he’d made the team”
Gurriel takes BP off pitching machine
Yuli Gurriel exited a back field at the Astros’ sprawling West Palm Beach spring training complex to a throng of autograph-seeking fans.
“Today was the best day,” he said.
Gurriel took batting practice off a high-velocity pitching machine Sunday, a critical step in the first baseman’s recovery from hand surgery almost four weeks ago. He showed no immediate ill effects while lifting multiple balls into the gap and to the warning track.
“I’ve felt better and better as each day has gone on,” Gurriel said through a translator. “The pain has gotten less and less.”
There is still “potential” that Gurriel can avoid a DL stint, manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday. Gurriel will remain in West Palm Beach, where the team has a “regimented program” for him to follow this week in hopes he can participate in either a minor league game or a simulated game.
“The resistance off the bat is going to be closer to game speed and with the ball traveling upper 80s and lower 90 miles per hour,” Hinch said. “These next two days of hitting off the highvelocity machine will be a big test for him. That’s where the resistance will increase, and so will his (bat) speed.”
Gurriel must serve the fivegame suspension he incurred after his gesture toward Yu Darvish in the World Series. The suspension must be served independent of any possible DL stint.
Gattis OK after pitch hits him in elbow
Evan Gattis does not anticipate missing any time after taking an off-speed pitch off his elbow and exiting the Astros’ Grapefruit League finale in the third inning.
After he was hit by Marlins starter Odrisamer Despaigne, Gattis’ left elbow was swollen in the team’s clubhouse.
Gattis called the injury a “contusion” and said X-rays were negative.
He does not believe the plunking — which he said came on a 72 mph pitch — will have any lasting effects.
In 37 Grapefruit League atbats, Gattis hit .243 and produced a .675 OPS.