Sosa quickly becoming strong option for 'Stros

Looking at the line and box score from the Astros' series-opening 9-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday may bring visions of an offensive battle to mind. That would not be wrong in the big picture, but it was the Astros' starting and closing pitching that made a major contribution to the victory as well. Mark Melancon put the game in the books with a 1-2-3 9th for his 20th save. The other end of the game made that possible. Henry Sosa got it started. He's starting to look like a man who may just develop into a very good starter. His earned run average is still above the mid 4s and he does walk too many and even on occasion gives up too many hits. At the same time his, 95-mph fastball and sharp slider are major league. He has really had only one poor start even though individual innings in some have not worked out well. Sosas stuff is the difference. He is very, very close to being a potentially dominant starter. Up to joining the Astros, his negatives out weighed his potential mainly because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was in the San Francisco Giants system. The Giants system is loaded with pitching. There was always someone just a little more further along in the eyes of the Giants development people. Thankfully for both Sosa and the Astros Houston was able to pry him away from the Giants as part of the Jeff Keppinger trade in July. After pitching a few weeks in the Astros' system he was summoned. No one with the Astros has regretted that move. While young offensive players J.D. Martinez, Jose Altuve and Jimmy Paredes have gotten the most notice by being in the lineup, most games the call of Sosa may have been even more important to the big picture and future of the team. That is because if the Astros are going to show significant improvement in 2012 the real onus is on the pitching. There is no question Bud Norris and Sosa have the power arms. Norris is close to becoming a solid star. But he is not there yet. Sosa is further behind. Both because of those arms though could be very, very good. Both have to be able to go deeper in games with effectiveness. Both need to be joined by three other starters to make a deep rotation. If both Wandy Rodriguez and Bret Myers are here next year that would take care of two slots. Both of them know how to pitch and can go deep into games. If they are dealt during the offseason, the Astros would have to rely on more arms like Sosas from the system. Thanks to the deals Ed Wade made during the summer those arms may exist. Experience does not. Even the best pitchers need time to adjust to the major leagues. Sosa is in the middle of that right now. His earned run average is still too high. His record is still sub .500. He wouldnt be starting for most contenders right now. Yet there is something there. He has shown that with the Astros. Everything Henry does is fast. He throws fast and he works fast. He says he does the latter not to give the hitters time to think about what and where his next pitch might be coming from. As for his pitches he does need a slightly bigger repertoire. Right now he offers mostly just fast balls and sliders. He doesnt have a slow curve and rarely uses his slower changeup. He could use one or both to be even more effective. Maybe its natural he is not strong with those slower offerings. Henry Sosa doesnt like to do anything slow.