WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — As the Houston Astros put together their rotation for this season, they're faced with a Texas-sized hole after Gerrit Cole left as a free agent to sign with the New York Yankees. New manager Dusty Baker is looking for somebody to step up and help make up for the loss. But more than likely no one player will be able to replace Cole, and Baker will need multiple pitchers or "somebodies" to take a step forward.“It's not easy to replace his quality of work, or his innings pitched,” Baker said. “So, we're looking for somebody to replace him or somebodies as a group.”Justin Verlander and Cole provided a powerful 1-2 atop Houston’s rotation last season to help the Astros win the American League pennant. Cole led the AL with a career-best 2.50 ERA and finished second in the majors to Verlander with 20 wins, also a career-best.Cole was the runner up to Verlander in Cy Young Award voting before leaving Houston to sign a $324 million deal with the Yankees. Zack Greinke,... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Josh James slowly walks slightly off the mound, turns around and fixes his gaze on the foul pole in right field.A few seconds pass before the hard-throwing Houston Astros reliever returns to the rubber and delivers his next pitch.It's a scene James repeats again and again, often when he gets behind in the count. But the 26-year-old right-hander also relies on the routine in times he needs to gather himself to finish off a batter with a strikeout.The tactic is something James learned from working with Dr. Jesse Michel, a sports psychologist who since 2017 has been the mental skills coordinator for the Astros.James is in his first full season in the majors after making his debut in 2018. The 34th-round pick had felt something was missing when he toiled in the minors before meeting Michel during spring training in 2017."If it wasn't for him I think I'd still have gotten here, but I don't know if I'd be able to be as good as I am or have the ceiling that I can have without him... [More]