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Astros Need a New Closer

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by rockets94-95, Jul 23, 2019.

  1. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard

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    A save percentage below 85% is not good... and Pressly was injured, but has been solid otherwise.
     
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  2. Major

    Major Member

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    Why? It's just when he had a 3 bad day stretch. After that, he was outstanding for the next 2+ months until today. Why isn't May 28th an inflection point?
     
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  3. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Osuna’s save percentage is not much different this year than for his career (if I remember correctly). Today is the first time in nearly 11 weeks that he has given up more than one run in an appearance.

    I’m not saying Osuna is Chapman in his prime, but I am not thinking the sky is falling like some seem to think.
     
  4. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Why? June was Osuna’s best month wasn’t it?

    Osuna has struggled in day games for some odd reason this year.
     
  5. rockets94-95

    rockets94-95 Member

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    That would be Texans-like. These are the Astros.
     
  6. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...un-9th-O-s-bring-woes-to-Roberto-14296907.php

    “It was a tough day,” Osuna said. “The guys did a great job coming back and getting the lead. They expected me to get the job done. Not being able to do that is always a bad thing.”

    Osuna has yielded 10 earned runs in his last 10 appearances. His ERA since May 24 — spanning his last 26 innings — is 5.19.

    Hitters are hunting Osuna’s first-pitch fastballs. His four other pitches are not often utilized equally. Jace Peterson pulverized a first-pitch fastball for a leadoff double in Sunday’s ninth inning. Six of the seven pitches Ruiz saw were changeups, including the last four.

    “I’d say we went too many changeups there. That could be my fault,” catcher Robinson Chirinos said. “I thought we were going to get swing and miss against the changeup. Last one, it was more like middle in, and the guy put a good swing.”

    Osuna’s past cannot, and should not, be forgotten. He allowed one earned run in his first 21 appearances and carried a 1.98 ERA into June. The righthander entered Sunday with the third-lowest WHIP of any American League reliever.

    But the present cannot be cast aside.

    “Definitely didn’t have the stuff today,” Osuna said. “It was just one of those days that I didn’t have the stuff. I made mistakes, and I paid for it.”

    In the top of the inning, Givens hit Alex Bregman between the shoulder blades with a 1-2 pitch.

    After Osuna’s pitch behind Sisco, home-plate umpire Sean Barber walked to the grass and issued warnings to both benches. Chirinos conversed with the arbiter. Eventually, the duo joined Osuna for a chat.

    “We were trying to go up and in, and it seemed like (Osuna) pulled it down and in,” Chirinos said. “But that’s where we were trying to go against Sisco all day — up-and-in fastball.”

    Asked if the pitch was intentional, Osuna responded, “Absolutely not. Like I said, I didn’t have the stuff. I was wild. I missed a lot of pitches. Most of them were (not) in the location I wanted. It was one of those days.”

    Hinch echoed similar sentiments. Why, he asked a reporter, “would we hit someone in a two-run game?”

    Last August against the Angels, Osuna faced a similar situation against Shohei Ohtani. He threw behind the Japanese phenom after Altuve was hit by a pitch earlier in the game. Former Angels manager Mike Scioscia was ejected while arguing the pitch’s intent.

    After that game, Osuna denied the throw was purposeful, although placing Ohtani aboard did not matter much. The Astros held a five-run lead that day.

    Putting Sisco on first was another matter entirely. He represented the tying run. Ruiz then arrived as the winning man.
     
  7. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
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    Blown saves happen, but it's supposed to happen less often with Osuna. This guy was once super elite, but we might be adding him to minuscule list of pitchers (Kazmir) who worsened after joining us.

    Very disappointed with this guy's production.

    His playoff vs BOS still irks me. Dude surrendered a damn GS.
     
  8. Major

    Major Member

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    Prior to today, his ERA and WHIP each year as an Astro have been lower than his overall time in Toronto and lower than any single season he had prior to joining us. His blown save % is better than with Toronto as well. It might just be that people's expectations were out of whack.
     
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  9. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
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    Except the playoffs, but yeah, I'm surprised about the regular season.

    He's more "prime" now, so he should be better. Astros coaching staff is better, so he should reciprocate.
     
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  10. eliefor3

    eliefor3 Member

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    you mean like how they benched Springer when everyone was saying he should be benched in the world series and the guy they replaced Springer with became world series MVP?
     
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  11. eliefor3

    eliefor3 Member

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    It a different feel when it comes to being a closer, we all know this. We have tried putting the absolute dominating 8th inning reliever as closer and more times than not, they have bombed. It is not a automatic that pressely will do in the 9th inning what he has been able to do in the 7th or 8th inning
     
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  12. PhiSlammaJamma

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    Hard to argue with this. Like Osuna, but there comes a point where the numbers don't lie. Strom needs to undo that sinker equation for him. And if that don't work, demotee the dude a few innings. We have time to make a decision. And we have a closer in waiting if needed. But we have a good formula and I hate to break it this late in the season.
     
  13. vince

    vince Member

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    Seems like the league figured him out. Which sucks royally, this would complicate the quest for a World Series title....
     
  14. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    There is a little difference between 8th and 9th as hitters are less willing to chase in the 9th, but this is usually overstated. It isn't automatic that Pressly would be a great closer. Diaz has an ERA over 5 this year after having an ERA under 2 last year. As such, it isn't automatic that a great closer stays a great closer. If pitchers can get swings and misses in the zone in the 8th, usually, they can close.

    That said, Pressly in the 8th or 9th doesn't matter much. Hinch is very good at getting his 8th inning guy in situations that are more important to winning than the 9th (this year being a slight exception). Personally, I like that Hinch can deploy Pressly as needed over handcuffing him to the 9th.
     
  15. CinematicFusion

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    I have to believe things will turn around for Osuna. He has the stuff, he needs to get his rhythm back.

    Before yesterday hitters were 0-25 on his changeup.
    They went back to the well too many times with that pitch and he missed with location.

    Need to get him right. When he is on... he is darn good.
     
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  16. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    Who is the closer in waiting? The only other truly experienced closer on the roster is Rondon.
     
  17. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    You'll always be looking for a new closer. The best of our generation (Kimbrel) is fresh off a terrible postseason and has had mixed results since leaving ATL (still good, but only dominant in one season).

    Looks at Kensley Jansen this year & last. There are no Mariano Riveras. Blown Saves will always happen, especially in this HR derby environment.
     
  18. eliefor3

    eliefor3 Member

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    I disagree, bases on just Astros history alone. We have tried putting 8th inning guys in for 9th and have not seen same results. There is MUCH more pressure in the 9th than there is in the 8th because the offense cant bail you out (on road games) if you mess up in the 9th. That makes it a whole new ball game
     
  19. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    Astros history is also littered with closers that fall apart after they were a good closer the year before. Also, closers were 8th inning guys before they were closers typically so some 8th inning guys make the leap. 8th inning guys also routinely fall apart as 8th inning guys. Devo just a few seasons ago was one of the greatest relievers in the game and he melted down without the pressures of the 9th inning.

    After Billy Wagner, the best closer in Astros history is probably Lidge. Lidge never melted down under pressure. Oh wait...

    Relievers just aren't consistent. If a guy goes from the dominating the 8th to the 9th and sucks, it is because he couldn't handle the pressure. When a guy goes from the dominating the 9th to sucking in the 9th, fans ask for a new closer. Closer doesn't even need that many bad appearances for fans to ask for a new closer. When is the last season that there hasn't been a thread on Clutchfans asking for a new closer?

    Sure, there are a few guys that can get by with getting guys to chase in the 8th that wouldn't be successful in the 9th, but for the most part, you want guys that can get strikes in the zone in the 8th and the 9th.

    edit: Also, generally speaking closers are better than 8th inning guys. As such, one would expect 8th inning guys to cave more in the 9th as there was a reason they were in the 8th in the first place, historically speaking. For a 8th inning guy like Pressly, not sure the Astros have had many that didn't have at least one good year as a closer. Though, I see no on the field reason to have Pressly close at the moment.
     
    #99 Joe Joe, Aug 12, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2019
  20. Madmanmetz

    Madmanmetz Member
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    This is so dead on. Remember in 2017 the weakness in Giles mental fortitude was exposed as teams finally started to get to him. We were told Kimbrel, Chapman, and Jansen (had 1.32 ERA) was unbeatable. Astros got to them all.

    Any pitcher can struggle at any point.

    Osuna is 24 years old with with 142 saves at 85% save rate in his first 5 seasons.

    Mariano Rivera (The gold standard) in his first 5 seasons had 129 saves at a 85% save rate.

    The Astros need to fix Osuna but he can be serviceable as long as he doesn't punch himself in the face.
     
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