HOUSTON (AP) — ring training http://www.nationalsfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-adams-jersey , not after winning 103 games and with most of their roster intact from last year’s run to the AL Championship Series.“I love this team,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “And when we show up next week if this is the roster we have, we’ve got a really good chance of accomplishing our goals this year.”Houston has its stars in place, including 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa, third baseman Alex Bregman, 2017 World Series MVP George Springer and starters Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, who combined for 31 wins and 566 strikeouts in 2018.“We have four position players that could be an MVP this year. We’ve got two pitchers that could be a Cy Young,” Luhnow said. “I think that is a pretty good starting point for a team. We’re going to have good pitchers on the mound every night. We’re going to have an offense that’s going to score a lot of runs. We play good defense. We run. We play good fundamentals. It’s a fun team to watch and they all get along with each other.”That doesn’t mean there aren’t some new faces around as pitchers and catchers get ready to report to spring training Feb. 13.NEW LOOKThe Astros did lose a few key players this offseason. Their biggest losses were starters Charlie Morton, who made his first All-Star team last season, and 2015 AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel. Their departure will allow Collin McHugh to return to the rotation after pitching in relief for the first time in his career last season Brandon Kintzler Jersey , and leaves an opportunity for a young player to snag the fifth spot in the rotation.Also gone is utility player Marwin Gonzalez. One of the longest tenured Astros, Gonzalez had been with the team since 2012 and was the team’s jack of all trades, appearing at every position except pitcher and catcher in his seven seasons in Houston. The Astros signed Aledmys Diaz to take over Gonzalez’s role, but manager A.J. Hinch said he’ll also ask first baseman Yuli Gurriel to move around the infield to help out.Houston’s two most important offseason acquisitions were adding left-handed starter Wade Miley and outfielder Michael Brantley. Miley will take Keuchel’s spot in the rotation and Brantley will provide at upgrade in left field.ROOKIES TO WATCHThis veteran team won’t have a lot of rookies on its opening day roster, but a pair of young pitchers will be vying for the fifth spot in the rotation. Josh James and Framber Valdez both made their MLB debuts late last season, but will still be considered rookies this season because of their limited work last year. The left-handed Valdez was 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in eight games with five starts last season. James performed so well after a September call-up that he made Houston’s playoff roster. The 25-year-old, whose fastball routinely hits 102 mph, could also be an option in the bullpen.THEY’RE SETWhile the Astros have plenty of strengths, their most stable area should be the middle infield with Altuve, Correa and Bregman all expected to be healthy after dealing with injuries late last season. Bregman was the MVP of last year’s All-Star game in his first trip to the event in a season where he set career highs with 31 homers and 103 RBIs and hit an AL-leading 51 doubles. The Astros expect Altuve and Correa to return to form after solid, but not stellar Tanner Roark Jersey , 2018 seasons.THEY’RE NOTCatcher could be a shaky spot for the Astros after Houston didn’t re-sign veteran Brian McCann. Houston added Robinson Chirinos in the offseason and he should start, but Max Stassi, who started 88 games last season, will need to improve to solidify the position.ON DECKCompetition for the fifth spot in the rotation should be interesting and could go down to the wire. The Astros open the season with a four-game series at Tampa Bay starting on March 28. ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch does not expect Lance McCullers Jr. to rejoin the starting rotation this season when he returns from a forearm injury.Hinch said Sunday it is unlikely McCullers, who is 10-6 with a 3.93 ERA, would be able to rebuild his stamina to the point where he could start.“I guess never say never ’cause once you get on the mound and get going things can progress a different way, but I think the focus will be and probably should be shorter stints,” Hinch said.McCullers has been on the disabled list since Aug. 5, one day after he left a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers early because of a muscle strain.Hinch also said McCullers’ rehabilitation program was being slowed down because of a “continued lack of progress,” but he is still targeting September for him to resume throwing off the mound.“We knew it was September until we were going to consider doing anything. Then we thought we could be a little bit more aggressive with him Khris Davis Jersey , but we’re going to put that on pause and just have him do a throwing program,” Hinch said.“He’s feeling pretty symptom-free. I think his throwing has been fine, but kind of the re-evaluation of him, we’ve decided to push it back.”Hinch is not sure how he will structure his rotation down the stretch without McCullers. Left-hander Framber Valdez could be an option to start after allowing one run in 4 1/3 innings to earn the win in his major league debut at Seattle on Tuesday. The Astros could also take advantage of September call-ups to address the vacancy.“As the rules change where we can expand the rosters, you could see a spot going to somebody that steps up and takes the ball and is very reliable for every five days. You could see that spot change. You could also see us be creative with the bullpen and have a bullpen day every now and then,” Hinch said.But Hinch is wary of being too experimental given how closely contested the AL West is.“We’ve got to continue to put really good pitchers out there and not be too much trial and error because of the race that we’re in, but I could see it being used a lot of different ways. My preference would be for somebody to step up and throw the ball very well and have our normal rotation,” Hinch said.