I think we need Sipp and Giles to become better, why? Because i don't think we have an ace in our staff right now, and they are going to go 5 or 6 innings per game. Right now our rotation looks like this: 1. McCullers 2. K 3. Fister 4. McHugh 5. Fiers The numbers going through the third time of the order, McCuller is filthy. Teams are only hitting .184 with an OPS of .543, that is ACE stuff. Now, why not an Ace yet? Because he is walking a lot and can't go deep into games because he gets high pitch count. K numbers third time around is .279 with OPS of .712. Those are not Ace numbers, but not awful. He has bad numbers early, second time around improves, and third time around holds his own. Now, forget about going through the lineup a fourth time, numbers are really bad. With those numbers K has become more of a 6 inning guy. Fister's numbers are really bad, .320 and .957, that means, you can't count on him going deep. If he dominates a game, 6 innings. McHugh, also struggles a lot, .340 and .874. That also means 5-6 inning pitcher. Now, here is a surprise, Fiers, his numbers are .247 and .749, so there is hope here he can be a strong 6 inning our of the 5th spot in the rotation. Feldman's numbers are .200/.492. So what are we going to do without a true ACE? Have a bunch of guys that can only throw 5 or 6 innings? Go with a rotation of 6? That means that Feliz is very important, because we are going to need 4 relievers when we are ahead after 5. In the 6th we have to start thinking relievers, especially with Fister and McHugh who struggled so much third time around in a lineup. Relievers should go this way: Harris closer Gregerson set up (8th) Giles 7th (we need this guy to really improve as our starters are not guys that will go deep into ball games) Feliz 6th inning You have Neshek should be used in all situations, as a right handed specialty reliever. Sipp, he can get right and lefties, but he needs to improve. Because Sipp is not pitching good, Devenski becomes a guy that we can use vs lefties, but Hinch is not doing that, he is only used when games are already over one way or the other. Feldman has been used as long man, or 1 inning guy, starter, spot starter, and has done a very good job, maybe the MVP in our bullpen? So what should we do? Six man rotation? It worked last year, maybe for some games? Should we have another reliever instead of Worth, who we do not use? Hoyt? This is the reason i don't like to see Feliz, Giles, Gregerson and Harris pitching when we are leading by so many runs, because we are going to need them in the future because our starters are NOT going to carry us, is the bullpen. Thats why i wanted Sipp to be used in the last couple of games, because we had big leads and we need to fix the guy. And Devenski, i really think this guy can get lefties out, maybe after Harris, he is our best option, so are we wasting great reliever vs lefties just so he becomes a long man or a guy that is going to throw 1 inning when we are winning by 8? This bullpen is what is going to carry us, last year it was the starters. Go Astros
So this is how an otherwise healthy, fun debate ends? Rather than engage, you'd prefer to take a flamethrower to the whole thing? I think it's a fascinating topic - all the ramifications and fallout of trying to trade the far and away best player in baseball. You think it's LULZ. Shame.
Let me ask you guys a question.... Let's say we make it to the Wild Card game and you have the choice of any starting pitcher on the staff. Who do you go with to start that game? Keuchel obviously isn't the same guy so far this season. McCullers is struggling. McHugh has his worst ERA in 3 years. Fiers seems like he always follows a good start with a terrible one. Fister has been the most consistent guy, but do you really rely on him with your season on the line?
Fun Fact If the Astros were to drop Worth and add a reliever, they would have only 2 reserves on the bench.
If the wild card game was tomorrow and everyone was equally healthy and rested, I'd go with McCullers becuase we shouldn't care if he can only throw 5 or 6 innings. In October - who knows.
No, it is a back and forth of basically the same things being said, so there is no point. If I continued to respond to you, it just further derails a thread, even as the game was going on.
Either they have acquired some talent in the starting rotation via trade... or with the long remainder of the season, certain pitchers start finding more consistency (or a bigger sample size of Fister to know if he's truly going to be at the same level for the rest of the year).
I'd agree with McCullers with the hope that as the season goes on he can limit the walks - as of now he has a 2.90 FIP and a 3.52 xFIP and has by far the best stuff on the staff.
Yeah, what worries me about McCullers, though, is that one inning. He's had one in basically every start (usually the 2nd inning) where he can't hit the broad side of the barn. You can tell he's working on different things, so the potential is definitely there for him to become much more consistent as the season goes on.
With the bully's dominance, I'd take 5 IP /1 R or 6 IP / 2 R from whoever started. Two guys among Springs, Tuve, and Los need to play better than their '15 postseason. Championship is within reach if 2 play better... all 3, oh my.
Correa batted .350/.381/.700 for an OPS of 1.081. Better than that is asking for a lot. Altuve needs to post better numbers, as he did not have a good playoffs and Springer needs to strike out less than he did last year.
Missed last night's game. Sad to hear we got HINCHED though not once but twice. Glad I didn't see it, sounds awful
While the starts to both of their careers have been overwhelmingly positive, to assume either and/or both will maintain their current standard is way premature. Neither has played a full season in the Majors; let alone, several seasons at this level. I think the issue here is everyone is looking at this strictly from the Astros' perspective. If you're the Angels, are you really going to trade a 9 WAR player for any package that equals less than 9 WAR? That's silly. And it illustrates what makes Trout such a potential behemoth to trade. He, singularly, is worth the Astros' three best young players (after Altuve, of course). It's a toss-up, in terms of the raw number (11.4 to 13.7). But not personnel-wise. You're giving up one player for two while, technically, decreasing your production. (Fair if you'd like to call it lateral). Having one player that's so good, he's essentially the equivalent of two really good players makes the task of building a team that much easier. Now, obviously, that is mitigated by the financial ramifications - but those are allocated by the teams themselves. There's no restrictive salary cap in baseball that would make Trout's contract problematic. And, again: he earns every penny. In fact, Mike Trout at ~4.5/$130MM is, long-term, a bargain.
Conversations evolve and remain fruitful if both/all parties are engaging. LULZ and cangregero51 shade are not prime examples of healthy engagement.
Yeah in the ALDS, he was .903 OPS overall (NY included)... which is still good, but was thinking minus that 1 great game vs KC. He was beyond hideous without that game, probably .200 OPS with 6 Ks, 0 BBs.
That is the nature of baseball. He had a hit in the 1st 3 games of the KC series, though all singles. He carried the offense in what should have been a series ending victory, but we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
He did nothing vs NYY, but his .903 OPS is acceptable. If he duplicates, one of Altuve or Springer needs to do better. We were so close last season, but Keuchel was also much better. One advantage this season is the bullpen. Sipp is worse, but Feliz offsets that fact, plus Harris is better. Feldman is healthy. Neshek and Harris don't need to be ridden like mules. Still hoping Giles comes around.
Supply and demand exists in baseball even without a salary cap. As such, cost do matter when comparing guys on all good contracts.
I believe is a great argument, and smart. People here, well, you know how they are. My comment is that Trout will command a big trade and big names going to the Angels, but i don't think we get better trading Correa and Springer for Trout.
