Bo tried to defend leaving Zeid into bat by keeping him in for that extra batter. Is the bullpen so taxed that we can't use multiple pitchers for the final 3 innings?
Crain was never here... Albers may not be coming back any time soon... they need to find other viable options. Seems like they use Farnsworth every game.
how about just let qualls pitch multiple innings, like he has done for most of his career, not to mention since he hasn't seen the mound in days? it's like we'd have been better off if porter never named him closer.
But Porter said himself that he should still be available if the "game is on the line", not just in save situations... which is the right thing to say, but requires more skills as a manager to actually carry said moves out. I just don't know what they're trying to do to Farnsworth... there must be some analytics out there that says you need to throw him nearly every single day to get good results out of him. The main mistake was trying to get an inning+ out of Zeid... not because he's totally incapable of doing it but because you gave away an out in the top of the inning when he couldn't get a bunt down to keep him in to pitch. I don't think Zeid is "that" good.
Multiple head scratchers from porter. Always way more painful in games you should win. Quit overthinking and getting cute porter.
Losing because of the bullpen is the last thing I care about. Bullpen will improve as our pitching prospects advance through the system. Generally the "failed" prospects become your typical quality relief pitchers and the Astros have depth at pitching if nothing else. Feldman being mediocre's pretty expected. Whatever. The Astros have signed so many mediocre players over the years I really could care less at this point. The lineup is definitely too unbalanced to generate too many runs. Pitchers are really pitching around Singleton/Springer. To their credit, they are taking what they're given, which is what they should do. Both have above league average OBPs despite being rookies, which has been something that was sorely lacking with the old Astros.
Agreed! But have a look at these guys, and they're just not ready, imo. Agreed! But if they're up before they're ready, they will suck longer than necessary. Why not have them in position to succeed as they develop rather than getting crushed at a level they're clearly not ready for? It makes no sense to me. the special ones figure it out... when they're ready. Bringing up every prospect who likes like he might be a decent ML player a year early just because "the special ones figure it out" amounts to gambling. Agreed! Do you have a suggested solution that does not involve promoting a guy to ML when he's not ready?
Yes, Porter said he did not want to designate Qualls as a "closer" because that implies he is only used in 9th inning save situations. Semantics aside, I agree that this should be the case with all "closers". They should be able to occasionally pitch in the 8th inning or if there is a game situation in the 7th, come in, clean it up and worry about the 8th and 9th later. In essence, why bring in your 3rd or 4th best reliever to try and protect a one run lead or get out of a big jam, in the 7th or 8th? Oh for the days of Dotel, Lidge and Wagner.
Yes, but that team also didn't make the playoffs (where they REALLY would have been valuable). Still remember them losing that end of the season series to the Brewers... ugh.
What are you basing this on? Hell, I could just as easily say that the players they have up now are still not "ready". The reason why I call them "special ones" is that they exceed expectations, especially expectations based on minor league production. Yes, they all struggle at first... even when they meet your arbitrary definition of "ready"... I'd rather get them through that process and have them start making adjustments/improvents at the MLB level sooner rather than later, especially if the guys blocking them continue to hit below .200 and don't get on base.
The 2003 "pitcher of the year" ended up being Jeriome Robertson... anybody better, and they're in the playoffs with that lights out pen. (also featured a career year from Redding, a full season from Wade before his arm fell off, and Roy's groin finally got fixed). Of course, that did lead to the Pettite/Clemens signings, so I guess it wasn't all bad.
