Reds' Aroldis Chapman left game with a stiff back
Joe Torre suspends contract talks with Dodgers

Tuesday Tussle: Towles and Castro duke it out for job behind plate in Houston

By Seth Livingstone, USA TODAY

Each Tuesday during spring training, Daily Pitch will examine a position battle. Today: Houston Astros catcher.

It's a battle that could go the full 12 rounds.

The Astros are taking long looks at J.R. Towles and Jason Castro behind the plate. Although Towles, 26, bats right-handed and Castro, 22, bats left, general manager Ed Wade says it's unlikely the team will go with a platoon. Veteran Humberto Quintero is expected to be the backup with the runnerup going to the minors for more seasoning.

Towles has already been that route. He's played 84 games in the big leagues during the past three seasons but hasn't been able to stick. He's managed to hit just .188 with seven homers.

Castro, a first-round draft pick out of Stanford, doesn't have that kind of experience and might not be as defensively advanced, but projects with a higher offensive upside.

Both are having strong springs. Towles is 12-for-27 (.444) with six doubles. Castro is 9-for-23 (.391).

"J.R. and Jason are both showing that they're capable of being our opening day guy," Wade says. "J.R. is obviously more experienced at this point. Jason has only a year-and-a-half of professional experience but we think he's a guy who can eventually hit .280-.285 in the big leagues with 20 homers."

Towles, who says his better conditioning has helped him at the plate, concedes that even if he emerges the victor, Castro figures to remain in the club's long-term plans.

"He's their No. 1 prospect. Obviously they think a lot of him," Towles said. "I think it's one of those things where I'm going to push him and he's going to push me."

First-year Houston manager Brad Mills said he expects to take his time making a decision.

"I expect it will come down to almost near the end (of camp)," he said.

Opening day starter Roy Oswalt isn't taking sides.

"I don't know what their plans are right now," Oswalt said. "I have no say in it. They don't ask me nothing. They put a guy back there and say, 'throw to him.' But it's good to have a relationship with your catcher. A lot of guys think you can just throw to anybody back there and they're going to do a good job.


What's Oswalt's favorite model?

"The favorite one I had is in L.A. right now," he said, referring to former Astros catcher Brad Ausmus. "But you work with what you've got and hope it comes around."

By Seth Livingstone

Reds' Aroldis Chapman left game with a stiff back
Joe Torre suspends contract talks with Dodgers