Says who? Tony LaRussa? It’s one thing if you have Rivera, Smoltz, prime Gagne, prime Hoffmann... when somebody is overwhelmingly better than everybody, and has the moxie to do the job, it’s his. I agree that a guy like that is invaluable. Nobody knows if the Astros have a guy like that now. Devenski being the second coming of those guys would make things a lot easier... but some guys just don’t take over at that spot as expected (think Harris in 2016), and its an even longer road back for them to be usable again if they fail as the ninth inning only guy. (Unlike Giles, Devenski has proven himself to be a valuable bridge guy who can pitch multiple innings). Plenty of season to figure it out. And they’ve already established the precedent that the post season can end up being entirely different in this regard.
No dammit, say the actual pitchers. We've had this same conversation before. They like to know when they need to be ready. The 8th-9th is a different animal, you can believe them or not, Ripley don't care. I know and I agree that it sounds like a great idea in theory. So you tell me then...what was the last great "bullpen by committee" in the regular season? Or the last great team that used one?
Bullpen by committee did alright in the WS. In fact it saved our ass! Face it we don’t have that go to guy right now, why do you insist on forcing one in that position? Who gives a **** if it’s not the norm this team is built on not the norm.
Barf. The regular season and the playoffs are not the same thing. Look up the 2002/3? Red Sox. Bill James talked them into it. Sounded good, like I've said. Beane, Ricciardi, Epstein, all thought it was a brilliant idea. It crashed and burned like the Hindenburg and they scrapped it by the All Star Break, iirc. Nobody has really tried it since, despite unlimited budgets and deep farm systems. Why do you think that is?
The game progresses. Remember when a starting pitcher went 9 innings? That some crazy **** huh? Who knows one day we may look back and say “remember when they had a set guy for closer”? It would be nice to have that go to guy but it’s not reality. We aren’t going to closer by committee intentionally but by necessity. Devo had his struggles last year and to force him into being “the guy” may set him back but if by setting him up to be “the guy” come playoffs by being one of the guys throughout the season then maybe that’s the way to go. Also I’m still not counting out Peacock.
There's no reason for a team like Houston this year to think like you are. Right now they have 5 set up guys and no closer. You cannot go through a season like that. I would be absolutely gobsmack-shocked if that is the case in July: one guy will be the guy, or they will go get the guy. Devo is great, you *can* actually pitch him anytime; Peacock is great, but he can give you multiple innings; Harris, Smith, Rondon are just situational, 1 inning guys; I love McHugh, he could/should be a starter somewhere but we'll need him to start a dozen games or so this year Giles is Giles Sipp is who knows what at this point They are lacking a hammer in the pen. Giles kinda ****ed us there. I guess that leaves Hoyt? I'd also say, if this is your argument then you have paid zero attention to the pitching/bullpen usage trends in MLB for the past many years. The game does progress, you may not have noticed.
The Astros beat 3 teams in the playoffs that had top closers and closed out two Game 7s with McCullers and Morton. The Astros are going to be fine.
Don’t act like the 9th inning only guy is the only way games have ever been finished. You’re better than that. If Devo runs away with the role, great. If not, they’re going to have to stick with the hot hand or matchups any given night where it remains a somewhat close game. Good teams figure this out...mostly happens organically. Bullpen “roles” are evolving as we speak, with the Astros being front/center of the development.
So, my wife got us two tickets to tour the stadium and attend batting practice sitting behind home plate. Does anyone know if we get a chance to get autographs or anything like that? Also, if anyone has done the tour, how was it? This is our first time doing it.
Per MLB Network In 20 years of pitch-tracking, Cole struck out the most batters (14) on the fewest pitches (93). He also sets MLB record for most Ks in first three games with a new team. Randy Johnson owns 2nd and 3rd.
Exactly. 8 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Actually I think 5 runs were scored in the first inning alone.
It looks like Marwin is turning the corner. He's only struck out once in his last 25 ABs, and he's had 4 hits and 6 walks in that time as well. That's much better than how he started the season.
Of the guys struggling offensively so far this season, Springer and Marwin took strides in the right direction last night. Jake and Gattis, not so much.
I don't know if there's anything to this, but just something I noticed -- Derek Fisher got off to a great start last year and mashed for about his first 50 ABs with the big league club. Then he fell off a cliff for 100 ABs in 2017 and hasn't recovered his old form yet. I went back and looked at some of those early ABs by Fisher from June last year and at that time, he was keeping his right leg fairly straight as he stood at the plate and swung the bat. Feet were positioned mostly east-west and as he swung, his feet basically pointed in the same direction. Whereas now, in his strikeout-happy form, he is bending both knees and pointing his feet out toward third base. As he swings, he twists his body in such a way that his feet end up at a weird 90 angle to each other that almost looks painful. Fisher's problems can't be the result of age-related decline or something like that. He's young enough to change bad habits (or return to old, good habits). If a guy with his speed could stick on the roster, that would be great, especially if Jake goes down a path of becoming unrosterable.
I'm betting that when Kerry Wood struck out 20 Astros, he got the first 14 on less than 93 pitches. He threw 122 to strike out 20. But, they probably don't count it that way.
