Pence is present tense as Astros turn page

Astros: Five things to know

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Why, things are absolutely splendid at Houston's camp this spring. Marvelous, in fact.

For one thing, neither Miguel Tejada nor Roger Clemens has been tossed in jail yet, so the Astros remain set at the shortstop and in-house-legend positions.

Tall, angular Hunter Pence manages to do the job ... and do it well. (AP)

For another, there's no watching Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio erode before our very eyes because, for the first spring in two decades, neither is here as an active player. (Boxes of Kleenex will be available in the lobby for anyone in serious need of some eye-dabbing).

And finally, outfielder Hunter Pence is all healed up from that little incident where he crashed through a glass sliding door earlier this spring, took five stitches in his left knee, sliced up his right index finger and sent tremors through an organization that really doesn't need any more stressful news.

"We were really fortunate there," acknowledges new manager Cecil Cooper. "It wasn't as bad as it could have been, and he actually came back quicker than I thought. The next day he was sore and stuff, but the day after that he was ready to go.

"We all need guys like that."

The Astros are trying to find them. Under the direction of new general manager Ed Wade, they've undergone one of the most radical makeovers in club history. Potentially, six of the eight projected opening day position players were not with the club when 2007 started: Pence, Tejada, center fielder Michael Bourn, second baseman Kaz Matsui, third baseman Ty Wigginton and rookie catcher J.R. Towles.

With Bagwell and Biggio now working upstairs as Wade's special assistants, it is Pence who stands poised to become the face of this franchise for a new generation.

"No question about it," Cooper says. "He should be around for a long time for us. Bagwell's and Biggio's times are past, and he's the guy picking up the torch and going forward for us."

Now, as long as he very carefully watches where he steps while he's lugging around that torch.

It was one thing when he discovered last summer that the glass slipper fit, becoming the first rookie to lead either league in hitting at the All-Star break since 1957 and finishing with 246 total bases, most by a Houston rookie since Joe Morgan's 251 in 1965.

It was quite another when Pence smashed through a glass door he didn't realize was shut while running from the hot tub here at his spring residence.