Innerestin' Luhnow comment recently: We don't have a leadoff hitter, maybe Kemp can be that guy next year if we can find a place for him to play. This would piss off however many gravytrain Stros fans are left, but I would trade Altuve this offseason if they have a replacement at 2B with comparable defense, a solid bat, and better OB skills.
Fields should fare pretty well at Coors... while breaking balls don't break, fastballs tend to have more zip/rise to them. #SCIENCE
Fields is the mannnn, no Quallssss late in games, the 2 righties in the 7th and 8th are Fields and Neshek, and lefties Thatcher and Sipp. NO QUALLS
It's obviously not a given. Nobody said its a given. This is assuming he's healthy. If his injury hasnt fully healed, then he wont be healthy and he wont bat like he is capable of batting.
1. Kemp 2b 2. Correa ss 3. Springer rf 4. Gattis dh 5. Rasmus lf 6. Carter 1b 7. Lowrie 3b 8. Marisinek cf 9. Castro c Valbuena will hit 7th, until Lowrie is back, and if Altuve continues to struggle with the leg, then Kemp could be the option, we don't want Marwin playing too much outhere.
Trade Altuve for what? Guy is dirt cheap and just won the batting title and led the league in steals. He's injured and in a little slump. The kid will be raking his brains out again soon enough, relax. Talk about some what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mf'ers.
Good call, let's move Springer out of the leadoff spot, where's he's been flourishing, to get Tony Kemp who has never played a single game in the majors up there.
What *is* in Ash's pocket? Is it as completely creepy as when Milo continually verbally ogled Yvette Caceras (sp?) on the radio?
Im definitely not for making a knee jerk reaction to how Altuve has hit recently....buuuutttt, since this is the first year that Im actually watching the games on a daily basis, I do have to say that Im disappointed in his approach at the plate. He just hacks away with very little discipline. That aspect of his game, I just flat out dont like. He had a career year last year and it's unlikely he can come close to replicating that. With the power we have in the lineup, we need someone that is an OB machine...hits & walks...not just hits, specially if they are coming at a 0.290 clip. We'll see how he finishes out the season, but if he's not going to be hitting above 0.300, then we have room for improvement there.
With Altuve at a .305 BAbip, I think it is safe to say that he will creep back up when healthy. The dude just needs some time off to get well. You'll be thankful we have him come October.
Or DH him and play someone at 2B, or DH someone who can be a solid top-of-the-order guy. I dunno. The top of the lineup is broken as it stands right now, I was just talking about options going forward into next year. Altuve is not untouchable. He's just not *that* good.
I understand your point however Springer has power. Kemp's numbers in the minors are pretty staggering. He has a .409 on base, 153 walks with 143 strikeouts in 1216 plate appearances. Also, 82 steals in 115 attempts. Those numbers are exactly the kind of lead off hitter we need on this team.
