A little bit different entering a game with a 10-5 lead and no one on base than entering a game with the tying run on deck.
I can guarantee that had any reliever other than Pressly or Osuna entered the game in the 8th inning and given up a grand slam - you know...turned it hairy - Hinch would have been berated mercilessly for not bringing in Osuna or Pressly. Berkman is exactly right. Managers don’t expect to have to bring in their shut down guys in a 10-5 game BUT it was a 10-5 game with the bases loaded and the top of the order on deck. It was the right call. Just because they don’t expect to, doesn’t mean they won’t or shouldn’t.
And thats totally fair on the dont expect to part. Rondon shouldve been pulled earlier and that situation wouldve likely been avoided, but ya know Hinch likes to keep his guy in there.
SEVEN other Astros had hit HRs in their first game, right. Would be interesting to know how many of those were multi-run and/or go-ahead like Alvarez pulled. Then, Yordan pulls another multi-run the following game. Decent beginning to a career
10 - 4 game...Rondon enters Out - should he have been pulled here? And for who? Single - should he have been pulled here? And for who? Double - should he have been pulled here? And for who? Walk - should he have been pulled here? And for who? Out - should he have been pulled here? And for who? Walk - pulled
I could understand the longer leash being it was such a wide margin of a lead but Rondon didnt have it. I had faith in Devo to get the last 2 outs. He did K his first 2 batters, one including the reigning MVP. Bringing in Pressly was the main argument and a waste of ammo and wasnt necessary.
His supposed "hot" streak turned ice cold quick. Amazing how much he's fallen off since his All-star'ing.
And unfortunately Harris has the well-established track record of fading as the season goes on, and the arm starts getting more and more innings/appearances on it. I don't see any way they don't go after an arm. Any arm. We know that they have a book on identifying under-utilized relievers (which also has me concerned that some teams won't willingly deal...)
You could argue that a healthy Correa is better than Bregman. I wouldn’t, but it’s not a landslide. Main point is that our top 5 players are all interchangeable as the best player on the team from week to week and we’re missing 3 of the guys from that group. We are stacked.
Hopefully Whitley gets healthy and pitches well enough to be the 6th or 7th inning guy and they trade for a stud starting pitcher. A catcher would not hurt a thing either. I think Luhnow fills two of the three needs. Which needs would you fill if you could only fill two needs?
Starter and catcher. A starter automatically strengthens the bully because relief will be less needed and a current starter would go to relief. McHugh is also a potential option off the bench. A catcher keeps Chirinos fresh, but not sure how good the available options are.
