Despite lack of chances, Altuve gets 1st taste of left field

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A handful of curious fans, and even a couple of reporters, hugged the railing atop the left field wall at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on a sunny Friday afternoon, eager for a front-row seat to Astros legend Jose Altuve’s first Grapefruit League game in the outfield.

What they witnessed instead was six innings of Altuve standing in the outfield while biting his nails and trying to stay engaged while all the action happened on the infield, a place where Altuve used to call home. Not a single ball was hit towards Altuve’s position while he was in left field in the Astros’ 3-2 win over the Cardinals, bringing disappointment to fans and players alike.

“They were mad at me that I didn’t get any fly balls,” Altuve said of the fans at his back.

After 1,765 career games at second base since breaking in with the Astros in 2011, Altuve is moving to left field this year -- a move which has been the biggest storyline at camp. The Astros want to get Altuve off the infield to improve their defense at second base and have an opening in left field because slugger Yordan Alvarez will be almost exclusively a DH this year.

Altuve spent weeks in January and February at Daikin Park in Houston working out in left field in what manager Joe Espada called phase one of his position switch. Phase two was ramping up the intensity during morning workouts in Florida by working with outfield coach Jason Bell and tracking fly balls during batting practice.

Phase three began Friday, though the Astros weren’t able to glean too much information about Altuve’s game readiness in left.

“We were all looking forward to it,” Espada said. “Once he’s out of the game, they start hitting everything in that direction. I thought just getting out there, his positioning was good, he was moving with hitters in certain counts and he looked like he kind of belonged out there. He’ll get more opportunities out there.”

Altuve’s next opportunity in left field will come Sunday against the Nationals at Park of the Palm Beaches.

“Hopefully, next game is going to be more exciting,” Altuve said. “I felt like I was expecting a fly ball every ball. It was good to know your position, get to see where the center fielder is playing and all that stuff.”

One significant difference Altuve did experience Friday: “The distance from left field to his at-bat is a much longer run,” Espada said. “He’s got to get ready sooner leading off the game. Those are kind of the things we picked up on and just talked him through those things.”

Espada put Gold Glove finalist Jake Meyers in center field, with hopes Altuve would find out more about Meyers’ range in the gap. The manager was curious to see the routes he runs, if he throws the ball to the correct base and how aggressive he is charging balls.

“I feel like I’m going to be able to do it,” Altuve said. “I want to get some action in the games that will tell me where I am. Just keep working and we can improve.”

Altuve was originally going to play five innings on defense Friday, but wound up going back out for the sixth with hopes he’d finally get some action. Nope.

It didn’t help that Astros starter Hunter Brown, who went two scoreless innings, is a ground-ball pitcher, and Houston threw some of its most experienced relievers in Rafael Montero, Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott and hard-throwing Forrest Whitley. Only two balls were hit to the outfield in six innings.

“I was expecting one of those really high fly balls or a line drive or something, but maybe next game we’ll get it,” Altuve said.

Astros shortstop Jeremy Pe?a, who didn’t play Friday, said Altuve’s decision to move off of a position he’s held for more than a decade and switch to left field at 34 years old is a testament to his leadership and willingness to win.

“He doesn’t lead by words; he leads by actions,” Pe?a said. “He went to left field, not complaining. He shows up every single day and it’s like a kid with a brand-new toy. He shows up happy and with a smile every single day and puts in the work and runs. You see him diving out there. It’s fun to see because he still has a good spirit with him.”