The Dallas Keuchel thread (what went wrong, how to fix it)

Seen this in a few articles over the past couple years in articles talking about framing and other things regarding how heat maps/strike zones are being calculated with new data.

 

Here is an interesting article on the changing of zones depending on the count:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=28513.

 

Thank God we didn't sign him to an extension.

 

The real question is when do we give up on Keuchel's corner and turn it into Bregman's baseline or whatever.

 

If we offered him a 5 year 50 million dollar deal do you think he will accept?

 

Better to be consistently inconsistent than inconsistently inconsistent! Batters have always gotten borderline calls in pitchers counts in my memory...and vice versa. I am completely for removing balls and strikes from umpires if they can do it quickly as even with improvements....the umps still have to big of a gray area that is a ball in an 0-2 count and a strike in a 3-0 count.

 

Crane is not that stupid.

 

Agree. I don't think a catcher's ability to present a pitch should have any bearing on whether it is a ball or a strike. I would like to point out that if "robots" called balls and strikes....it would likely hurt the Astros more than most teams as the Astros are heavily invested in pitchers and catchers that rely on tricking umpires than on catchers that can hit and pitchers that just throw stuff past people.

 

His location is off..even a few inches would mean that few more hits or pitches each inning.

 

we should send half our team to AAA to work out kinks

 

He's hurt. It's obvious.

I would guess his back or hip.

 

While someone else mentioned it earlier, based on his BABIP and FIP he has gotten somewhat unlucky, and his numbers should improve as the year goes on. But, based on what I've seen, he does look worse on the mound in terms of control and composure. His velocity on all of his pitches (except for his changeup) are down to his rookie year measures, which might be the most alarming sight of all. Not sure what has caused this, perhaps an injury?

 

Anyone have any more opinions with Dallas? I was offered Keuchel for Kole Calhoun. Normally I'd take it but I don't think Dallas is getting his mojo back and I'm worried he's hurt.

 

Yeppers

 

Some regression was expected, but Keuchel just hasn't looked good this season. Yeah, he has looked good in games, except for a one inning. Well, unfortunately, giving up a 5 run inning is more often than not going to lead to a loss.

The BABIP of .339 and FIP of 3.83 suggest luck is not on his sided (which is probably true - statistically our fielding has not been very good), but honestly, he just hasn't look good IMO. Not controlling the zone or working counts, he often looks uncomfortable on the mound. Velocity is down to what it was his rookie season. He is also giving up hard hit balls at the highest rate of his career.

He likely won't end the season with a 5.54 ERA, but even best case scenario I don't see him finishing much higher than like a 3.8. I think it's time to start looking at McCullers as our potential ace going forward, his strikeout numbers are insane this year and he has gotten even more unlucky than Keuchel.

 

one way to fix Keuchel is to give him whatever Colby Lewis is on