Fiers and Feldman are both league average or better starters, they are fine as your 5th and 6th starters. I'm guessing Feldman is the likely bullpen swingman who is virtually guaranteed to make plenty of starts as the year goes on. Fiers has a career 3.61 ERA, and a 3.73 FIP. Leake has a career 3.88 ERA and a 4.21 FIP Gallardo has a career 3.66 ERA and a 3.75 FIP I don't see why people consider Leake and Gallardo as so much better than Fiers. Granted they do have longer track records, but I have seen nothing to think Fiers can't post similar numbers to them, on a much lower salary. His spot in the rotation shouldn't be in doubt IMO. Musgrove and Feliz could fight their way into a rotation spot during the year depending on how they handle AAA.
Agreed. The Astros gave up a lot to have Fiers added in the deal for Gomez and he is under team control for years. I don't think his spot in the rotation should be questioned at this point.
I don't have much faith in Feldman as more than a 6th starter. Fiers has great velocity change between 4 seam, change, and curve. There is a small chance, 10 % maybe, he becomes something a lot better than he was with Astros focus on tunneling and pitch velocity. Probably won't change FIP much, but he could become a consistent FIP beater.
I love draft picks but Gallardo has had an era average around 3.50 in his career on hitter friendly parks. In Houston he maybe a sub 3.00 era due to Astros pitching coach and control climate in Houston. Astros farm system is still loaded as far as hitters. Pitching, Astros can sign free agents and hitters can come through our farm system. One top 20 pick won't break our farm system. But...I'll leave it up to Luhnow since I trust what he and the organization are doing until I feel otherwise. Only blunder you can question was them drafting Appel. But he has been traded for a closer who has the potential to be ELITE. Only reason I can think of for not drafting Kris Bryant over Appel was because Bryant had gotten bust it twice about mar1juana used and Astros didn't know if that was going to continue go be a problem in the Majors.
I would add career numbers are usually not the best comparison. He has lost a little velocity, but it appears from Brooks Baseball, he's using his sinker more as it is a GB machine to offset lower Ks.
Seems like both sides could benefit from a 1-year deal, a la Rasmus from last year, to re-establish market value.
Congrats lance!! The chemistry between Correa and lance is remarkable. if anyone thinks that chemistry isnt a vital role in any team success is r****ded! Great to see the young studs all get along outside the park. doubt howard/harden get along like the chemistry on the astros
Guess you didn't see the Step Brothers Quote.. the Rockets have more chemistry than a periodic table.
I sure hope their chemistry isn't that important because only 2 of those young studs are still with the organization. But I'm sure the reason Correa is so good is because he hangs out with McCullers. Trade one of them and they are just scrubs.
The only chemistry you need on the baseball team is between pitcher and catcher. Chemistry only makes the clubhouse more fun after wins, but doesn't really make much of an impact on the field. Basketball and Football are different stories, as their successes are based on one another.
I think chemistry in baseball does matter. It helps on defense, especially between 2B & SS. Players can help each other by sharing information with each other. There is also something in every profession to be said for enjoying the people you work with.
I'll say chemistry likely helps some, but just behaving as a professional can mitigate lack of chemistry in most places. Chemistry is typically only really important once a team has the right players. Knucklehead avoidance is likely more important than chemistry...unless you have a team full of knuckleheads already..and then it likely doesn't matter.
Teams that play together longer, play better. That's been the Royals mantra and they've had the majority of that team come up through the farm
I'm thinking outside of the box here, but I'd LOVE if we traded for Matt Holliday. Holliday has been taking reps at 1B this offseason. STL is looking to move him to the infield to prolong his career. Holliday would fit perfectly in our lineup, especially at 1B. He's coming off a down year, but has been one of the most consistent hitters in the league for the past decade. He's 35, but I'd give him the reins until Reed is ready. Then, you could slide Holliday to the DH slot. He'd cost a pretty penny, even at his age, STL will not give him to Luhnow for cheap. But depending on the price, Holliday could be exactly what we need.
STL rarely trades a player for prospects or unknowns. They'd probably just be ok with keeping him and letting him play out his contract, given the fact that he's on a pretty affordable contract and is still likely to be a productive hitter.
