Out of the three, least worried about Feldman. He's not going to be lights out every start... but presuming he's healthy, we know what he's going to be capable of (5-7 innings, 2-4 runs allowed). Fister had good control last start... but his lack of speed is going to make him prone to giving up some runs eventually. Fiers is the wild card. When he's on, he's very good. When he's throwing it right over the plate, its gets hammered.
I'm actually the opposite and Fiers is the guy I'm least concerned with. Fiers is only 30, and has been a consistently above average performer whenever he's been given the chance. I'm not too concerned with Feldman either. I basically expect him to be his league average self. But he is 33, and he doesn't really have room for drop off. Any bit of a slide, and he becomes a bad starter. Fister's lack of velocity put a real damper on my expectations for him. I think he can still be a decent starter, but that now feels like his ceiling to me. I don't see any way he posts a mid-3 or lower ERA hovering around 85. Not that I was expecting those numbers, but the possibility of a big bounce back season is part of what made him such an attractive pickup. It will be interesting how they handle it when McCullers is ready. Assuming the situation hasn't sorted itself out, I think the Astros could handle it in a very unorthodox manner. I don't think they will just turn one guy into the reserve long man.
With McCullers both coming off an injury and on an innings limit, along with Feldman and Fister coming off recent injuries and being on the wrong side of 30, I think your are right that the pitching situation will work itself out. Wouldn't be surprised to see a couple more guys from the minors getting starts during the season.
[tin foil hat] Feldman or Fister is about to get an "injury" that can't be documented by X-Ray or MRI. [/tin foil hat]
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And <a href="https://twitter.com/RealCarlosGomez">@RealCarlosGomez</a> dabs in Panthers helmet because he loves <a href="https://twitter.com/CameronNewton">@CameronNewton</a> <a href="https://t.co/waSgPHaxJ5">pic.twitter.com/waSgPHaxJ5</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/719626360096854016">April 11, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/Panthers">@Panthers</a> He's made it a tradition. <a href="https://twitter.com/RealCarlosGomez">@RealCarlosGomez</a> <a href="https://t.co/skkCQo9rbp">pic.twitter.com/skkCQo9rbp</a></p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/719900583935610880">April 12, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Why would the pitchers go for that instead of going to the pen as the long man, taking the Feliz/Devinski role? Tandem starters: Fister & McCullers. Let Fister go for a time or 2 through the order, then bring in McCullers. His fastball would look to be about 120 mph after Fister's slop. [/crazy ideas]
While it is likely that they would be sent to the pen, it is not guaranteed that they are given that option. I admit it is a crazy idea that won't happen, hence the tin foil hat. I'm not sure that the Astros would like having Feldman or Fister as part of a 7-man pen, but I don't know where they would grab an extra spot for an 8-man pen.
Gattis in the lineup. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gattis is back <a href="https://t.co/ntOnQNgf6j">pic.twitter.com/ntOnQNgf6j</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/719978952157110272">April 12, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Gonna guess they give him two more rehab starts and then joins the club at the end of April. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/ajhinch">@ajhinch</a> says <a href="https://twitter.com/LMcCullers43">@LMcCullers43</a> will pitch Saturday in Tulsa for Double-A Corpus. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/719991871452241921">April 12, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I don't know about cutting the defense down by putting Tucker or Gattis in the OF. I'd rather let Gomez continue to work his way out of it while the team has elite defense back there. If you meant Gomez sitting for Marisnick, I'd be all for that--but it wouldn't solve the Tucker/Gattis issue. I'm fine with it generally if it's just a game. Tucker and Gattis should both get ABs. Definitely want to see Preston back in there tomorrow, though
Maybe true in some games..perhaps Keuchel? But Fiers is such a heavy fly ball pitcher that I don't think you can give the defense up.
My question is this... Why not just throw Gattis at the catcher position today? Needs more time? I really feel Kratz is just a waste of roster spot.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Dallas-born Evan Gattis really loves living in Houston. How much? "Now I'm like, yeah, you're kind of right: Dallas does kind of suck."</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/720021046334586880" data-datetime="2016-04-12T22:49:29+00:00">April 12, 2016</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This forum will implode (again) if Gattis has a bad game. Dreading the impending series of unintelligible posts by chimichango
It's not like a power forward sliding Over to play center or something You can't just go catch a major league game real quick
Yea but some are gonna complain no matter what happens Gattis had a horrible start last year, but then was a big part of the team being so successful
We all knew this would happen when Gattis came back. What we didn't know is that Tucker would have a 1.345 OPS in his absence. What I wish is that Gattis was capable of displacing inning-ending-Castro at Catcher and Tucker could continue at DH. Since that wont/cant happen, we have to face the fact that we might have two very good DH's that cant play at another position (without sacrificing defense at said position). We may be forced to trade one them.
