ESPN: Oswalt, not Clemens, to be Astros' Opening Day starter

[CubsFan1982]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2010575

Clemens will be No. 3 starter
Associated Press

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Roy Oswalt was chosen as the Houston Astros' opening-day starter for the third straight year, a minor upset pick over seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens.

Oswalt, the NL's only 20-game winner in 2004, will be on the mound when the Astros open the season at home against St. Louis on April 5. Andy Pettitte, Clemens and Brandon Backe will follow Oswalt in the Astros' rotation, with a fifth starter to be chosen later in spring training.

"It's an honor for sure," Oswalt said Friday. "It doesn't matter whether you pitch first or last ... you've got to perform when you get out there."

Oswalt, Pettitte and Clemens also were the Astros' top three starters at the beginning of the 2004 season.

Astros manager Phil Garner said he decided to stick with last year's rotation because he liked having a left-hander like Pettitte to stick between two hard-throwing right-handers like Oswalt and Clemens.

Pettitte, 32, is trying to rebound from an injury-plagued season that included three trips to the disabled list because of elbow problems. He is scheduled to make his spring debut for Houston against Cleveland on Saturday, the first time he'll face opposing batters since having season-ending surgery in August.

"I'm very comfortable that he's going to be OK," Garner said. "We'll continue to have setbacks here and there ... but that's the nature of the beast. When you come back from this, you're going to have good days and you're going to have days that you're going to struggle."

Clemens will begin his 22nd major league season in the Astros' third spot for the second straight year. His first start will come against Cincinnati on April 8. Clemens, 42, was thought to be a favorite for the top spot since he went 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA over 33 starts last year, winning his first NL Cy Young. He's made 13 opening-day starts in his career.

"I like Clemens in the middle of the lineup," Garner said. "It's pretty flattering to have a seven-time Cy Young guy that's actually your No. 1 starter pitching in the third slot."

Backe has made only nine regular-season starts in the majors, all after being called up from Triple A New Orleans in August. He went on to make three postseason starts, including a scoreless eight-inning start in Game 5 of the NL championship series against St. Louis.

The Astros are trying to choose the fifth starter from a group of pitchers that includes last year's No. 5 starter Tim Redding, Pete Munro, Carlos Hernandez, Dave Burba and top prospect Ezequiel Astacio.