[Official] Spring Training 2019

Maybe me and just a few others are the only ones that give a **** about watching these games

To each their own I suppose

 

I'm all for watching highlights of certain younger guys (Tucker, Alvarez)... but I really couldn't care less about what Verlander, Cole, Springer, Altuve, or Bregman do out there (good or bad).

I was more into ST at the start of the rebuild, when there were a whole lotta what-ifs... but now that the core is complete, I just want them to get through it healthy.

 

I record all spring training games and haven't watched one yet. Wont watch till they are for reals.

 

You know your team is good when the only thing the fans can fight about on the internet is the lack of free ST game on the telly.

eta: and frankly, you should have been getting your fix this weekend watching #1 LSU @ #16 Texas (the Longhorn Network is awesome for baseball season, and hoops replays the day after, and re-watching the Rose Bowl every week if you really want to, and not much else). We swept those coonasses.

eta: watch out for Cole Henry, Freshman RHP for LSU. 6'4" and lanky, came out of the pen today in the 5th, he has some serious ****.

eta3: If any of yall remember Ben McDonald #1 pick from LSU...he is a fantastic color guy and would make one hell of a something coach. He's been in the booth along with the Longhorn guys (Swindell and Moreland, Longhorn Legends) all weekend.

 

Before it even begins. Spring training means nothing. Small samples mean nothing. None of this means anything.

Great. Now that we got that out of the way, anyone got comments about these guys?

Having a good spring:

Gurriel-- .545
Dawson .462
Alvarez .400
Reddick .400
Kemp .400
Straw .389
Tanielu .375
Chirinos .364
Tucker .333
Toro .333
Springer .333
Correa .308
White .308
Fisher .286
Brantley .273
Stubbs .273
Mayfield .267

...not so much.

Stassi .214
Rojas .154
Reed .143
De Goti .133
Díaz .077

http://www.espn.com/mlb/springStats/_/team/hou

 

You can add Altuve and his .222 to the list. Finally got his first 2 knocks today.

 

9 AB minimum

Didnt mention the others (FYI).

 

I considered Armenteros to be a better prospect than Framber prior to spring training. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him win the 5th starter role which would allow Peacock to stay in long relief.

 

If Framber could ever throw strikes consistently he'd be deadly, his stuff is that good, but until then you can't use him out of the pen.

 

I noticed the lack of extra base hits, the team is slugging .406 which is 23rd. Some guys seems to be taking a bunch of pitches in the games I've caught. It early and we have nothing else to worry about but you asked.

Two guys jump out at me on that list.

Díaz .077 would they option him if he stays below .200
Reed .143 he needs to show something

 

Spring training can be relevant as a tiebreaker for guys who came into camp competing for an open spot. Otherwise they are meaningless. Diaz will not be optioned unless Houston determines they cannot begin the season with only 12 pitchers (and they don’t want to risk losing White or Kemp to waivers). And even in that scenario his spring numbers won’t make a difference.

Reed is going to AAA regardless of what he hits.

Only things worth monitoring this spring (other than health) is the performance of the young pitchers competing for the rotation and open bullpen spots: Framber, Cionel, James, Deetz, Rodgers, Armenteros, Guduan. One guy who might pitch himself into a demotion over the spring is Devenski.

 

5 big bats that might help Houston at the deadline:
Brandon Belt
Jose Abreu
Nicholas Castellanos
Justin Smoak
Edwin Encarnacion

5 SP:
Zack Greinke
Robbie Ray
Madison Bumgarner
Marcus Stroman
Michael Fulmer

5 RP:
Will Smith
Mychal Givens
Kelvin Herrera
Mark Melancon
Tony Watson

5 catchers:
Buster Posey
Salvador Perez
Welington Castillo
Yasmani Grandal
Alex Avila

 

Perez is out for the season with TJ surgery.

 

bregman breaks down his homerun from the game. Pretty interesting to watch if you love baseball. How can you not love bregman? Look at the comments he gets in his videos and you'll see why he'll be worth more then any other Astros player. Bringing casual fans from other sports back into baseball and soccer moms into watching the astros lol.

 

Weird that several players aren’t on the roster (White, Kemp, Fisher, Reed).

 

Also, interesting that they optioned Martes. That means he will not accrue service time while injured. I didn’t think injured players could be optioned. McCullers has options remaining, so I wonder if he could be optioned to gain another year of control? I guess one downside to that is you cannot free up a 40 man spot by utilizing the 60 Day DL.

 

The Astros are NOT risking Kemp and White. They have made their mark on this team with last season's performance. This mindset that those two could be on a bubble is way off base. Lunhow has made it very clear they like them very much.

Of course Reed goes to AAA. That was a foregone conclusion unless there was a rash of injuries with 1B/DH and he killed it in ST. He needs to hit for his trade value and confidence. He's turn 26 in May, clock is ticking.

Devo is an enigma. To be so dominating for a stint then it looks like he lost everything. I could see he falling out of favor but still to early with not even 2 innings of work.

 

Martes got hurt while he was in AAA, McCullers got hurt on the MLB club.