Troy Taormina – USA TODAY Sports
It’s a testament to strong coaching when a team ripe with losses can still find confidence in their youngest players. But that’s exactly what the Houston Astros have.
For instance, manager Bo Porter only allows his team to wear jeans if they win a series. Coming off a Game 1 win against the Oakland Athletics, Jarred Cosart was scheduled to take the mound.
Cosart knows full well what his team tends to do when he takes the mound. The team averages 1.5 runs behind him and the bullpen can rarely hold that 1.5 run lead, as he has yet to give up more than 2 runs in any of his starts.
Yet Cosart came into the park Wednesday and told pitching coach Doug Brocail that they’d be wearing jeans on their road trip to Anaheim.
And he was right.
Bo Porter has to motivate himself to maintain confidence for these young guys. It’s a tough thing to do when you’re looking two to three years down the road for your next shot of success.
But Cosart knows what he’s been doing.
Since 1962, there have been 660 pitchers who have had their first six MLB appearances as starters. Cosart’s ERA is sixth lowest among those 660. That’s a lot of pitchers, with Cosart near the top.
With plays like Robbie Grossman‘s home-run-stealing catch and Jonathan Villar‘s steal of home earlier this year, coupled with Cosart’s consistent dominance, confidence may have a firm grip among the younger players on this team.
It’s a great thing to see and a great testament to the resolve of these guys to keep trucking despite the lack of results. Hopefully they can keep it up for the next couple of years.
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