Willy

Taveras

Taveras, 22, hit .335 with two home runs, 27 RBIs and 55 stolen bases in 103 games for Round Rock. He led the league in steals and was eighth in hits (137) and third in on-base percentage (.402). He came to the organization March 31 as part of the trade that sent Jeriome Robertson to Cleveland. He’ll be used as a pinch-runner for the Astros.

Taveras is 21-for-58 with three walks this month, but that was his first stolen base in August. He’s hitting .338 with 11 steals since the start of June.

The Astros are reportedly shopping Taveras, with the Rockies being one of the teams interested. That they’ve started the center fielder in each of the last three games could mean they were showcasing Taveras. His value would go up with the Rockies as he’d likely play more, but the Coors Field-effect doesn’t seem to be generating the boost it has in year’s past. He may also end up a fourth outfielder if traded, so Taveras owners will have to sweat out the next day of deals.

Taveras has now started 13 straight games for the Astros. He’s recorded a hit in all 13 of the games and has reached base 26 times during that span, so he’ll continue to play regularly for the foreseeable future. Mixed leaguers in need of speed can pick him up.

Pena looked dominant when he was rearing back and firing 96 mph heaters, but he took something off both pitches that were hit out. Lamb’s solo shot was a no-doubter that broke a 6-6 tie. Tavares then dumped his first homer of the year into the left-field bleachers, giving him three hits on the night. Arizona came back with a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Astros held on to stay four back in the wild card. Taveras figures to keep getting more playing time in center field with Chris Burke having cooled off. Mixed leaguers desperately in need of steals might want to take a chance on him.

The streak matches the longest in Houston history, first done by Jeff Kent in 2004.

Taveras also walked and stole his 25th base of the season in the contest. The 27-game streak is a club record, with Taveras batting .340 during that strech. He’s also added 11 steals during that stretch, so Taveras is a must in mixed leagues while playing well.

Garner also has Lance Berkman starting in the outfield for just the second time this season, Mike Lamb playing first base and batting fifth and Preston Wilson in the seventh spot behind Brad Ausmus. Jason Lane is absent for a second straight game even though he’s been a better player than Wilson this season. Taveras in the leadoff spot is the best news here. It’s always made more sense to bat him in front of Biggio. Actually, hitting him seventh or eighth would be even better, but if he’s going to be at the top of the lineup, it makes more sense for him to steal bases in front of Biggio than Berkman and Morgan Ensberg.

Taveras also tripled, walked and stole two bases in what was just his third start in the last two weeks. The Astros are thrilled with what Chris Burke has done as a regular, so unless they’re willing to put Craig Biggio on the bench more frequently (highly unlikely), Taveras is going to remain a bench player until he becomes trade bait next month.

“I just need a chance to get back in baseball. That’s what I love, I love to play baseball,” said Taveras, who hasn’t played in the majors since 2010 and didn’t play professionally this year. “It hurt to watch the games on TV. I definitely want a chance to get back to baseball and go from there.” Now 30 years old, he’ll likely have to settle for a minor league deal.