Astros’ Chris Carter arrives in camp, says left field isn’t his ideal position

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A week ago, Chris Carter had been penciled in as the Astros’ starting left-fielder. The only problem: Carter’s barely played the position during his 106-game, three-year career and he acknowledged Friday he’s much more comfortable playing first base.

Carter was technically on schedule, but acknowledged he took his time getting to Kissimmee because he had to take care of everything from life arrangements to shipping his car after being acquired by the Astros in the Feb. 4 Jed Lowrie deal.

“I get the call saying I’ve been traded, so I had to change up a few things,” said the 26-year-old Carter, who’d been working out in Las Vegas and was used to spring training in Arizona with Oakland. Carter’s addition gave the rebuilding Astros a build-up at first base, with Brett Wallace, Carlos Pena, Nate Freiman and Carter – who hit 16 home runs and 39 RBI in just 218 at-bats for the A’s last season – able to play the position.

The Astros were expected to enter their Feb. 23 spring training-opener at Philadelphia with Wallace at first, Pena at designated hitter and Carter in left. The former Atheltic said he’s only played about 30 games in left, though, and first-year Astros manager Bo Porter said Carter’s ability to realistically play the position will be evaluated throughout a seven-week spring training.

I believe we'll see some much needed power out of our corner outfielders this year if we start Chris Carter in left field and Rick Ankiel in right field.

I'm less concerned with Chris Carter's defense because Minute Maid Park is only 315 feet to left field. Less ground to cover. We once started the very slow-footed Daryle Ward, who was probably the slowest player in all of baseball at the time, back in 2002. And he played an okay left field during all of the home games. It was pretty awful for road games though.

And Chris Carter is very athletic, much faster than Daryle Ward by comparison. I think he'll do a fine job playing left field for the Astros despite his lack of experience. It's kind of funny he is named Chris Carter, just like the former Vikings and Eagles hall of fame wide receiver. I just want to say, "all he does is catch Touchdowns" or "come on, man!"

Erik Bedard hoping to restart career with rebuilding Astros

While the Astros tweaked their revamped 2013 roster and Bedard weighed all of his signing offers – including a potential deal with his home-country Toronto Blue Jays – the Ontario winter produced some seriously sub-zero temperatures. "I felt cold and lost for the first time in my career this off-season. My experience with the Pirates last season left me contemplating retirement. I love Toronto and all of Canada but the Houston heat and humidity down there in Texas sold me while I visited some friends in the area. I also knew that team gave me a better opportunity to pitch every fifth day," said Bedard.

Erik Bedard, 33 years old, knew the upcoming season was crucial to his career. In Baltimore, the 6-1, 200-pound lefthander had been one of the most promising young pitchers in the game, going a combined 28-16 from 2006-07 with 392 strikeouts in 378 1⁄3 innings and finishing fifth in the 2007 American League Cy Young voting. Since then, he has gone just 23-30, including a 7-14 mark and 5.01 ERA with Pittsburgh in 2012, which resulted in his being released by the Pirates at the same time a club with 20 consecutive losing seasons began another late-season nosedive.

Bedard believes he still has plenty left in the tank and is hoping to reward the Astros by solidifying a spot in their starting rotation this spring. "It's nice to be in Houston where I can restart my baseball career. Philip (Humber) has already welcomed me here and shown me around the city before we came to camp, and we are going to be room mates as the two older veterans on this pitching staff."

"Carlos Correa is our shortstop of the future but he's only 18 years old right now and at least another year or two away"

Hey sorry to bust your balls man, but Correa is probably destined for 3B, which is fine because he will have legit 30 hr power

I think you guys did well in the Lowrie trade, he would have hit FA before Houston is competitive and you got a few solid guys plus a potential great arm in Peacock

You may be right. He's quickly growing and may be "too big and too strong" to play shortstop. Only four more days until the Astros play the Phillies in their spring training opener on Saturday, February 23. I'll probably listen to every game on the radio at noontime.

A lot of fans don't care that much to follow spring training games but when you're the worst team in baseball and coming off two straight 100-plus loss seasons, I think this time of the year means a lot more. Having a chance to see the young prospects play and try to make the team. And this will be the only time of the year we're close enough to all the big boys in the AL West division race. I expect the Angels or Athletics to run away with it. I wish Lance Berkman well with the Rangers though. I think we can stay close to Seattle record wise for a while. At least until July.

The Astros actually had a decent record up until mid June last year. They had definitely over-achieved for two-and-a-half months. Their record at that time was similar to the Tigers and Giants. The two teams who went on to play each other in the World Series.

March 1 tickets on sale.

I can't wait to see some games at Minute Maid Park against the Angels, Athletics, Mariners, Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Tigers, White Sox and Red Sox to name a few.

LOL, we're going to lose most of them but it's kind of fun seeing them play American League baseball. Finally having the chance to use the DH for most of the year. I never did like seeing the pitchers having to bat and risk getting hurt hitting or running the bases. Carlos Hernandez comes to mind. A once promising Astros prospect back in 2001.

We've played the Rangers enough times in Interleague play for over a decade now. It's not really a "new feeling" facing them.

Can't wait till the season starts, although we will more than likely finish with the worst record, It will be great to see some of the young up and coming prospects.

Chris Carter and Rick Ankiel both intrigue me. They can offer us some decent power in left field and right field if we start both of them right now. Our corner outfielders of the future are Ariel Ovando (6'4, 190 and 19-year-old left fielder) and Domingo Santana (6'5, 228 and 20-year-old right fielder), but both of them are still a few years away from the big leagues.

Hopefully Carter and Ankiel can help fill the gaps until then. Just like Carlos Pena and Brett Wallace will do for us at first base and DH. The Astros have some flat out monsters in the minors. Guys who are all huge and still growing. They should be playing for the Rockets.

Even center fielder George Springer (6'3, 200 and 23 years old), first baseman Jonathan Singleton (6'2, 235 and 21 years old) and shortstop Carlos Correa (6'4, 190 and 18 years old) are big guys. I can't wait until all five of those previously mentioned guys are starting in LF, CF, RF, 1B and SS (or 3rd base if Austin is right).

The Astros are loaded and stacked with position players in the minors. Even our one weakness at catcher was solved in that Jed Lowrie trade to Oakland when we acquired 21-year-old catcher Max Stassi. It was merely icing on the cake after also getting Brad Peacock and Chris Carter.

We have the first overall pick in the 2013 draft this June for the second straight year. If we finish with the worst record again and pick first overall in the 2014 draft that wouldn't be a bad thing. Our minor league farm system went from ranked dead last in all of baseball just four years ago, to top five in all of baseball right now. A few more years of "high picks" in every round will only fuel the organization to success even more.

That's true. having the 1st draft pick isn't all bad, i just want to see us relevant again soon LOL