Krauss excited to play in favorite childhood park

CLEVELAND -- Growing up just a few hours west of Cleveland near Findlay, Ohio, Astros outfielder/first baseman Marc Krauss was a huge fan of the Indians. And with teams as good as the ones the Indians were putting on the field, that meant plenty of trips to then-Jacobs Field.

"We came to the Jake back in the day a lot, my family and I," Krauss said. "Probably four or five times a year to watch them play. It was a lot of fun back in those days. They had a lot of good teams."

Krauss was able to play in the Astros' September series in Cleveland during his rookie season in 2013, hitting .455 (5-for-11) over the four games while enjoying the surreal feeling of playing in the same park he grew up visiting so often.

"Last year, it was a lot of fun," Krauss said. "Could hear people all over the stadium whenever I was out there or up, cheering me on. It's definitely a great feeling having all the support being able to come watch you in person."

As for where Krauss is at in his second trip to Cleveland as a professional, he's hitting .276 (8-for-29) with a home run and three RBIs in August entering Friday. But more imporant, he's drawing walks, too; four to go along with seven strikeouts. For Krauss, who always maintained a high on-base percentage in the minors, it could be a sign that he's turning the corner.

"I think one of the main things when you break into the Major Leagues is, all the pitchers obviously are the best in the world," Krauss said. "So a lot of them can control the ball better. They're going to come after you. In the Minor Leagues and you're walking a lot, having a good eye, that means something.

"So when you get to this point, you have to do the same thing to these teams, to get some respect. You really have to kind of earn that title of being an on-base [hitter], earning your walks."