Porter to study, learn from 2013 season

ARLINGTON -- After he was hired to manage the Astros nearly a year ago, Bo Porter watched each of the team's 162 games from the previous season to get a better read on the team and the players he would have at his disposal.

Porter said Wednesday he plans to watch every game from the current season on his computer throughout the offseason, taking a closer look at some of the decisions he made and trying to learn more about the players.

"There's a lot of learning materials about the players," he said. "A lot of times in baseball, because it's day to day, the next game pops up each day. You may see it, but then as you sit and watch over the course of the year, you start to see certain things. I'm a firm believer you get better at the things that cause you to lose games, it increases your chances of winning."

Porter will even compartmentalize the highlights, making clips of particular aspects of the games, such as infield errors.

"Unlike last year, I watched the games and obviously, I didn't have the notes I have now," Porter said. "So I'm not only watching the games this offseason, I'm watching the games and I have the notes and the break points, so when I look at the particular games I also know what I'm looking for."