That being said, the Astros get power from 2 traditionally non-power positions in SS and 2B. A team just needs a balance of power and guys that can get on base.
If Correa is really the guy we all think he is, he'll be willing to do whatever helps the team. If that means play 3rd because Bregman can't handle 3rd like we all hoped, then I'm sure he would be fine doing it. If he's not willing to, then he'S not really the person we thought he was.
Exactly. Forget the "3rd baseman should have power" idea. How about we get a guy that can hit better than .150 there? To me, it sounds like Moran is another Marwin Gonzales type... and if I could get another Marwin in the lineup, I'll take it in a heartbeat right now. Does that mean Moran is the answer for the future? Not really, but it seems to me he is the best option right now. Anything to get Valbuena out of the lineup.
Considering how low pro scouts have him rated, projecting him to have solid, unspectacular value would be saying they are wrong.
Quad Cities got swept in a doubleheader, but Kyle Tucker got 2 hits in both games. He's now slashing .328/.403/.448 for the Banditos.
With Gomez, Tucker and Marisnick all looking pathetic right now, you have to wonder how long until Kemp becomes an option. Not that I'm expecting a ton from him, but given the magnitude of our current struggles we need to start considering options. The top 4 in our lineup have been awesome, but there is never anything happening when they come up, and if they get on they never get brought home. I imagine Kemp could get on base at a decent clip down at the bottom of the order splitting time between LF,CF,2B and DH. I'm just not sure what to do with our current impotent trio.
Marisnick still has value as a bench player due to his defense and baserunning. And Houston is pretty much stuck with Gomez until he either turns it around or the season is over. Tucker is the player I would consider sending down, and Kemp might be a decent replacement, although I still have considerable doubts he can play CF.
With Valbuena, Gomez, Tucker, White, Marisnick, getting so much of the at bats, the Astros are tethering on another 90-100 loss season. Other than Moran and possibly Bregman getting a call up, there is little offense Luhnow can dial up. And there is no guaranteed they could adjust quickly to ML pitching, thus leave by up in the air if the status quo gives the Astros a better shot of winning now. They could catch fire and start hitting again. Preston Tucker and Tyler White were tearing up AAAPitchng, and look how ML pitching has exposed their hitting my flaws. Trading away so much of the farm for veteran ML guys really is looking bad right now. Brett Philip and Santana could really have looked like option right now, too bad they got traded away.
But neither of them are tearing up MLB pitching either. If anything, all of this merely continues the premise that not all minor league players make it. Even Bregman, who people are anticipating will force Correa to switch positions, could very well simply be a super utility guy in the big leagues. There's only a set number of all-stars any given year... most of them are the same guys year after year... and only occasionally do you get a "new" guy who breaks in and becomes one of the regulars. The Astros already have a potential trio of those guys in Altuve/Springer/Correa. Presuming more just like that is just simply unlikely. Make no mistake, they need better players surrounding them... but its also highly improbable that "all" of them will come from the farm.
Kemp would NEVER have to play CF on this team. Even if he were called up and Tucker sent down, no matter who else was in the lineup you have Springer, Rasmus, Gomez and Marisnik all on the roster still, all more than capable CFs. Kemp would just need to play a capable LF and get on base. I have no idea how well he would hit in the big leagues, but it's dang sure time to find out. Springer could play everyday in right Rasmus could play vs all RHP and most LHP Gomez could play only vs LHP, where even this year he is hitting .280 vs LHP Kemp could play vs RHP, and could give Rasmus a break vs certain LHP No idea if Kemp would be better than Gomez/Jake/Tucker, but hard to imagine him being worse
Yea Bret is having a mediocre year so far at AA in the Brewers system. Not saying I wouldn't like to have him in our system, but he certainly isn't someone we could be counting on at the big league level. Santana has been decent for the Brewers, not great...of course he has been a lot better than Gomez/Jake, but most people are
Santana, maybe. He's still a feast or famine guy (which would obviously be better than what we're seeing, but not ideal). Phillips is in AA and doing no better than a guy like DJ Fisher. Both would probably be behind Kemp on the "next man up" list for the outfield, and Bregman may lap them anyway.
Bregman just hit a 2-run double to push Corpus Christi's lead to 5-0 in the 5th. Both of his hits tonight have been doubles. Fisher, on the other hand, has a double and an RBI triple.
If Kemp struggles with the big league club its probably time for Bregman to start playing some outfield.
