6-7 in a 13 game stretch against the 4 current playoff teams. 12-9 over a tough 21 game stretch. Could have gone better, or worse. An acceptable result all things considered. Now we enter a stretch against some very awful competition. Team really needs to make some hay over the next month to give ourselves some elbow room.
Based on run differential the Astros are clearly the top team in the majors, and we won't be playing Marisnick down the stretch, nor will we have such bad luck in one run games. The future will be good.
Yep...2 bad games in April ballooned his ERA. Pitchers will not be unscored upon. Smith is on a good roll since May. If you can't see that, you're not looking.
June 7th, 2017 HOU 42 18 .700 ----- 331 229 .662 SEA 30 30 .500 12.0 287 282 .508 LAA 30 32 .484 13.0 248 266 .468 TEX 27 32 .458 14.5 280 281 .498 OAK 26 33 .441 15.5 247 306 .403 June 7th, 2018 SEA 38 23 .623 ----- 267 246 .537 HOU 38 25 .603 1.0 309 191 .707 LAA 35 28 .556 4.0 288 253 .559 OAK 31 31 .500 7.5 275 272 .505 TEX 27 37 .422 12.5 270 331 .408 -------------------- ---------------------- ------ Yep, our division has definitely gotten better , everyone else but Arlington
He gave up 10 runs in 9 innings in April and it was 5 bad outings that month. Then, he was removed from any high leverage situations. He has really been a huge dissapointment so far this year.
You were the one that brought up ERA. I brought up his 2 bad outings in April that ballooned the ERA. Take away the 2 bad April outings and his ERA is a much more respectable 3.00. Since May 1, he has pitched in 12 games. 8 of those games were 1 or 2 run games. Not sure how those don't qualify as high leverage. Clearly if you look at his overall season, he has been disappointing. Starting with May, he has been good.
And hadnt been used in high leverage since he was terrible (with 5 bad outings, not 2) in April. He was bad again last night. He sucks. And I just love the argument that he’s good except for the games he’s sucked.
Well...first off...one of those April outings you are referring to was in March. I said two bad outings in April (a 4 run and a 2 run) inflated his ERA. I never said he didn't have other bad outings in April. I would much prefer him to be pitching the way he has been since the beginning of May than have the two months reversed. Every pitcher is good except when he isn't. The key is how many times he is good and how many times he is bad and the fact of the matter is over the past month+ he has given up one run in two separate games and has been good. Simple question - how do you rate his May performance? I rate his April performance bad and disappointing.
Rondon and Smith have gotten on track since their early season inconsistency. Part of it has been more regular work, since starters are no longer throwing near no-hitters and near complete games. This may be one of the latest bullpen coalescing's I've seen for any Astros team expected to contend... with still likely more moves to come... but they do have some good pieces that can get the job done.
Forgot to address the leverage part. What do you define as high leverage? Here are some of the games he has pitched in since his bad April: June 2nd, pitched in the 9th inning of a game they were down by 1 run - not high leverage? May 29th, pitched in the 7th inning of a game they were winning 5-3 - not high leverage? May 27th, pitched 2 of the extra innings in a tie game - not high leverage? May 14th, pitched in the 8th inning of a game they were trailing 2-1 - not high leverage? May 9th, pitched in the 7th inning of a game they were winning 2-1 - not high leverage? May 7th, pitched in the 9th inning of a game they were trailing 3-1 - not high leverage? May 5th, pitched in the 7th inning of a game they were trailing 3-1 - not high leverage?
I rate his may performance as irrelevant because Hinch wasnt using him in high leverage. Coming in in the 7th, 2 runs down, and only because Harris and co. pitched 2 or 3 nights in a row. Clearly, Hinch lost a little faith. Of course pitchers have bad games and he has had quite a few. His ERA is in the trash and not because its an illusion. When I watch him pitch, i cringe. He does suck. Hope he turns it around.
I wonder what the availability of the guys ahead of him was in those games. Clearly, he is behind devo, peacock, giles, mchugh and Rondon. He didnt fall that far because he wasnt sucking. Those last 2 are not high leverage in my opinion, being down by 2 runs. Who was available? Gotta throw someone out there.
I wish every single reliever the Astros have would suck the rest of the season the way Smith sucked in May. They would win the AL going away. But, as you say, May is irrelevant (because his performance doesn't fit your narrative). And, for the most part, he has been used all season exactly as they intended when the signed him. A guy to bridge the gap (if needed) in the 6th - 8th innings.
His ERA is 5.49 He is the 4th or 5th option out of the pen. I don’t have a narrative other than he has had a poor season. Are you a big Joe Smith fan? You’re doing a lot of work to say nothing. He stinks.
No...he does not currently stink and hasn't since April. He had a poor April. He stunk in April. Fortunately baseball is a 6+ month season. To make a determination on a player based on a month of performance is ridiculously short sighted.
This is the truth. And ERA isnt a very good stat for evaluating a guy who has thrown just 19 innings. JUST FYI
