I haven’t lost faith in Chris Carter yet, but I’m starting to lean that way. So far he’s gone hitless to start the year, but it’s how he’s looked is why I’m starting to lose faith. He looks passive and apprehensive at the plate. His poor offensive output bled over to his defense as he dropped a routine fly ball.

Roy Halladay had a weird box score, giving up 5 earned runs and striking out 9 in 3.1 innings. His max velocity on his fourseam fastball was 91.7 mph, but he only threw it a handful of times. Instead, he relied more on the cut-fastball. Both home runs came on fastballs where he missed his location. When his velocity was in the mid-90s he could get away with missing his spots, but not when he’s throwing in the upper 80s. Buster Olney said his arm angle is lower, which will make him more hittable to left handed hitters because the pitches will flatten out. Halladay can still be an above average starting pitcher, but the days of being the perennial Cy Young candidate appear to be over.

Alexi Ogando looked really sharp against the Astros, striking out 10 hitters in 6 innings. His fastball averaged 94 mph, which is exactly the same speed it was in 2011 when he was starting…so the preseason hubbub about a decrease in velocity in Spring Training appear to be a thing of the past.

Joaquin Benoit started the 9th inning, but only faced one batter. Phil Coke came into the game and proceeded to get a flyout (against a left handed batter) before giving up two hits to right handed batters.

Last night Ubaldo Jimenez looked a lot better than he did last year. He was able to repeat his delivery in and out of the stretch. Now his pitching mechanics are far from ideal, but the fact he’s repeating his delivery gives me hope he can be above average pitcher.

John Axford got lit up again. Like I said on Monday, Axford probably will not last very long as the closer. Jim Henderson is the guy you want to own.

Last night Fernando Rodney blew the save for the Rays. What’s interesting is where he stood on the mound. Last year he had a great year. R.J. Anderson showed how the Rays changed his positioning on the mound could be the reason for his resurgence. In previous years he stood near the middle of the pitching rubber, but last year the Rays moved him to the edge of the left side of the rubber. However, last night he was back to the middle of the rubber.