Where does Correa fit amongst Al ROY candidates? And if he hits 15-20 homeruns and drives in 30-40 over the last two months?
So who is the best shortstop in baseball? <script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?playerBrandingId=4ef8000cbaf34c1687a7d9a26fe0e89e&adSetCode=91cDU6NuXTGKz3OdjOxFdAgJVtQcKJnI&pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:13363999&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true"></script>
If he continues to play as well as he has, he's the favorite. Starting late won't hurt him because none of the guys that were here earlier did anything special. Devon Travis in Toronto is having a really good year, and figures to be his top competition. Lance McCullers would probably be his top competition, but he's probably not gonna pitch enough innings to warrant big consideration.
1) he's going to be used out of the pen in the playoffs--that much is clear. You go with 3 and sometimes 4 starters in the playoffs...Keuchel, Kazmir, McCullers, potentially McHugh or Fiers. VV might be equivalent to the last 2 as a starter, but he is more valuable than either of them out of the bullpen. 2) he's going to have an innings limit. So is McCullers. My guess is they'll swap the 2 out at some point...unless the bullpen is able to hold up with 1 less man (i.e. if Keuchel, Kaz, McHugh, Fiers, Feldman let McCullers rest for about 7-8 days, can the bullpen hold up with 1 man less? If so, maybe you don't need to swap them) 3) He has options left. I'm guessing McHugh/Fiers/Feldman don't. And the reality is that, as a young guy, you can at least understand this. If one of those other 3 guys were sent down (even if they had options), it would be a much bigger confidence blow I think. With those 3 things in place--and knowing that we needed to clear a spot on the pitching staff--I think VV to the minors was the only move that made any sense.
Eh, not when you can get by with the pitchers as is. Even in a vaccum, would rather have a bench bat than not have one, if you can have either choice. And obviously his lack of options would mean DFAing him vs. just optioning a pitcher
I've been as big of a supporter of Carter as anyone on this board But he is not bringing us much of anything right now And as for not needing another pitcher. I generally would agree 12 is enough, but Hinch seems to have gotten used to having 13 and is using the pen as if he does. Going into last night both Gregerson and Neshek has thrown 3 nights in a row. First time Neshek has had to do that this year. They were both not available and while they are available tonight, it would make 4 games in 5 nights which isn't something you typically want your relievers doing at this point in a year. Then Fields is thrown out there last night for one batter, which might not seem like a lot but if he throws today now that will be his 3rd game in a row also. Now if they aren't going to be willing to use VV out of the pen much at all, then that is one thing. But AJ is going to have to use the pen a tad bit differently moving forward. Now obviously we still have 6 starters, I would think they want Keuchel and Kazmir at least to throw on a regular rotation. Will one of the others go to the pen? I would think one of them would have to, can't see a 6 man pen when we have been used to having 8
Demoting him wasn't my question, it is obvious why he was demoted. It was the right thing to do. The things I questioned were 1.Why AA instead of Triple A 2.He just worked 124 innings in 2013 and he isn't close to that number. His innings cap shouldn't come into play. 3.If the Astros are in fact counting on him as a playoff bullpen arm then they should keep him in Houston and use him as a reliever. The need to limit VV's innings just doesn't seem like an issue to me. McCullers is already at his career high, so limiting him is an obvious need. But Velasquez is still well short of his reaching his career high, much less going over.
Remember that VV has had arm troubles and groin problems in the past, so maybe they want to be extra careful with him.
That's all I can figure, and if that's the case I don't agree with it. Injury prone is injury prone, babying somebody doesn't help. Inning's limits should only be used for stretching guys out past a career high, like we are doing with McCullers. Or for guys coming off major surgery. VV had major surgery, but he has pitched 124 innings in a season since then. It doesn't make a lot of sense to set an innings limit short of a number somebody has already achieved. It seems like you will perpetually be chasing your tail trying to get a guy ready to pitch 200 innings.
I should add, I have faith in the organization. If they do something they have a good reason. I would just like to hear what it is.
Ray i believe is pitching better than stuff. He has a very good fastball, but not great secondary pitches, plus he does not have a great change up. This would be my lineup: 1. Altuve 2b 2. Gomez rf but yes, he will play cf 3. Correa SS 4. Tucker LF 5. Gattis DH 6. Lowrie 3b 7. Gonzalez 1b 8. Conger C 9. Marisnick cf I want good defense for McHugh, thats why Gattis is not playing LF and Carter DH. Second, i have Tucker playing because he his lefties, and RAy is not a guy that kills lefties. Actually, I don't even mind Castro playing and hitting against this pitcher. And guys, when we have a lefty pitching, and we have to think twice using CC, then he has no business on being in the club
They know he is a major league caliber pitcher already, so they don't need to evaluate him based on competition. Also, Corpus is closer to Houston.
Tucker has actually been horrible vs LHP. .188 with a .443 OPS vs Lefties, .296 with a .924 OPS vs RHP. Now long term, obviously he needs to be able to hit both if he will ever be a regular. But with his defense being so bad, I don't think you can regularly put him in there vs LHP right now. Granted, Rasmus and Jake are both really bad vs LHP also, but at least both of them are plus defenders. Carter, even in the last couple of years when he was much better overall, has only been minimally better vs lhp than vs rhp. He is really only good for working the count and taking pitches right now. Marwin has hit over .300 vs LHP from the beginning of .2014 to now. If he is willing to not be lazy then i'd say he should be the 1B vs LHP. He is hitting well right now, but there is ZERO excuse for jogging to 1B the other night, ZERO.
Cool story and he seems like a great guy. He is also hot as you can get right now!! Wish his mom would have had someone teach him to throw though, lol
