Last night reminded me of the KC playoff game. Keuchel gave up 3 hits out of nowhere. Game would have been easy to lose, but as is becoming usual this team showed their mettle.
You're throwing the baby out with the bath water. It was his first actual blown save. L Given the situation he was put in, and the actual contact and outs he got, it was nowhere close to a meltdown (ala Gregerson this year, or Harris last year, or Giles himself last year). Giles should have gotten that third out... either via K or with Marwin making the play. Devo is still going to get plenty of high leverage situations. If everybody else in the bullpen continues to fail, he will be the only one left standing (and the Astros won't go very far).
The situation will play itself out over time (who the closer will ultimately be). To me it's amazing we have the record we do given the inconsistencies of a lot of our pitchers (starters and the pen).
Agreed. I want them all to be on the upswing and pitching to their capabilities. Somehow Hinch has to find the perfect balance of not overworking Devo, but at the same time not holding him back for a save situation that may never happen.
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/forme...s-062511862.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw Great article about Devo here.
The main reason I don't want Devo as the closer is the "save situation that may not exist". When somebody becomes a closer these days, for whatever reason they are expected to be brought into the 9th inning of save situations only. Anything else is an insult, or viewed as improper usage. It's extremely stupid, but that's what the MLB has set themselves up with. Holding supposedly your best bullet for a theoretical situation that may or may not exist in the 9th. It leads to bizarre situations like this where Giles had only pitched 2 innings in 12 days because the right "save situations" hadn't presented itself. Our bullpen had to give up runs to create the last 2 quick save scenarios he got, or else he wouldn't have pitched in those either. This isn't about Devo not being able to close, this about using your best reliever in a way that best benefits your team, which is what we are doing with him. The second we anoint him "the closer" all that goes to s**t because this stupid setup baseball has dictates that he only be used in save situations.
I will say closers do get their fair share of high leverage situations. I like Devo where he is for the reasons you listed, but also when things are going well, Astros can have Devo one night, and the Gregorson, Harris, and Giles triumvirate the next. That shouldn't be construed to mean when things go south, I have no problem using Giles or Devo in high leverage when the other one was spent already. I do think Astros need another ToR starter that can go 3rd or 4th in rotation to have some semblance of a rest for the bullpen between Keuchel starts. Sure others will have long starts every now and then. However, for the most part, it appears that Hinch believes a well rested, highly effective bullpen that is used a lot more for McCullers, Fiers, Musgrove, and Morton starts than Keuchel starts leads to more wins. He used Giles slightly too late last night in my opinion, but for the most I am screaming for a reliever to be put in much earlier for other starters.
Keuchel pitched too long, then, of course, Giles had to add gasoline. Astros still playing very well overall. Great getting the win. Bats doing well.
Giles doesn't produce fear in hitters. Devo has the closer mentality, he looks like a closer. 20-10, I really can't complain.
I agree... I will take Devo pitching the 7th and 8th inning of a close game than just the 9th. Having said that, the Astros will need a closer if Giles doesn't pitch better. We can always get one at the deadline if necessary.
Sometimes the highest leverage situation is very apparent. Case in point, 'Stros up 2-1 in the 8th with the opposing teams 2, 3 & 4 hitters coming up. If Hinch feels his starter is done (or whoever the pitcher at that point is) he needs to go to Devo. Even if Devo gets through the 8th if he's not going back out there to pitch the 9th as well someone else is going to have to shut the things down in the 9th. As of right now (30 games in) I have no confidence in Giles or Luke. The season is still very young and to seriously contend for a WS it's going to take more than just Devo stepping up in late inning situations.
Just finished the game and read the thread. Laughing that there's 2 pages of posts up to the 9th and 8 afterwards. Giles in the 2 weeks prior to last night: 8G, 5 SV, 1 Hld, 7IP, 2 H, 1R, 0 BB, 6 K, 5 inherited runners, 0 scored. I can't say he doesn't make me nervous at times, but he's doing fine. Great win.
As high as I am on the Astros right now, I can't help but be concerned with the slow starts to games. We really need to go out and find another TOR guy. I really think we should sell the farm for Chris Archer. Our system is deep and we will be reloading a bit this year with 3 first rounders. There is no point in not going for it now with guys like McCann and Beltran at the end of their careers. One more starter so I don't have to see Musgrove or Fiers pitch is preferable.
Giles' high K-rate has to produce some level of fear. He's filthy and makes hitters look silly. His K's make him "look" like a closer and also his animation. He gets crunk. His facial expressions and other shananigans. It just looks bad when he serves it up after doing all of it. If he continues to struggle, make the change, but were 20-10 and Devo is more impactful in his current role. He's pitched 50% more innings than Ken and more than every other reliever. I still think Giles can succeed, but maybe that's more hoping he will.
