Astros Acquire Keppinger, Opening Day Roster Basically Set

Opening Day is Monday, and the Astros are almost done whittling down their roster as Spring Training winds down. Following the loss of Aaron Boone to season-ending heart surgery, the 'stros acquired Reds infielder Jeff Keppinger to fill out the right-handed side of their third base platoon (with Geoff Blum). The Geoff-Jeff show isn't going to replace the stellar production that the team got from Ty Wigginton last year, but it won't be a black hole in the lineup, either.

Elsewhere, Russ Ortiz had a strong outing against the Braves yesterday, solidifying his grip on the 5th starter role. Ortiz and Jose Capellan are the two remaining candidates, but Ortiz's veteran experience and Spring Training consistency have made him the presumptive heir. Behind Roy Oswalt, the starting rotation isn't flashy, but is full of guys like Wandy Rodriguez and Mike Hampton who seem perfectly capable of turning in 10+ wins and a sub-5.00 era, which doesn't sound so great until you think about Brandon Backe as the alternative.

The Astros' other yet-to-be-determined roster spot is the utility infielder role, for which Jason Smith appears to be the front runner. We know you're all waiting with bated breath to see who gets to pinch run and play on days when Kaz Matsui's butthole is hurting again, so we'll keep you posted when the 25 man roster is made offical.

Opening Day is April 6, at Minute Maid Park.
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photo: Flickr user bluishorange