I agree with this, though he has still been a below average hitter against LHPs including home and away each of the last 4 years with 3 being unplayable against lefties. To me, I see a platoon LHB that would need to fight off Marwin, Fisher, Moran, and Tucker for PAs against RHPs. The last three, I could see them faltering.
Where do we get that bullpen help? I think the two guys that represented potential significant upgrades are gone (Davis & Morrow). Sure we can still get a better lefty, but that wasn't our bullpen's major problem.
If those two points are true, it is logical to conclude the MLB ready guys have current and short term value from point 1, but not as much long term value from point 2. Teams that want current and short term value at expense of long term value are contenders like the Astros and not teams that are rebuilding. Most of the AAA guys have 6 years left of club control. I have a hard time seeing the Astros prioritizing 2024 and later seasons over 2018-2023 seasons.
I'll just leave this here. https://www.mlb.com/news/marwin-gonzalez-makes-great-throw-in-alcs/c-258513782
I bowled a 244 once. I also holed out a sand shot once. Just because Marwin made a couple of nice plays in left field does not make him a good left fielder. Why didn't you post the video where he misplayed a routine single and allowed the runner to score when he shouldn't have?
OF defense can often simply be about experience. Something like judging balls can only be learned with time. If Marwin played SS in the majors you can all but guarantee he's been in the middle of the diamond his entire life. Maybe he can be a good OF in time, but right now he sucks. Frankly, it's better for him financially to be an infielder most of the time if possible, our infield is unusually talented so he's blocked.
i'm surprised that most of us are on the exact same page here. Leads me to hope/assume that we're not going to be surprised. Either Luhnow does what we expect, or CarGo finds more $ or years elsewhere.
Things tend to get a little less controversial, on sports message boards, after a team wins it all... just as it should be.
Just wait until.... - Springer slumps in the leadoff position - Giles gets saves while having a WHIP greater than 1 - Hinch brings in the wrong reliever - Altuve gets picked off
Opinion, speculation and conjecture revolve around perception. When your team is back in the pack, there is always a tendency to focus on whats wrong or what could be better. When your on top, the tendency is that all is well. Criticism is at a all time low regarding everything Astros right now. But dont anybody be surprised when that changes once the season begins, unless we blow everybody away right out of the gate.
Except for all of the new Astros fans that will follow the regular season more closely and not realize they will probably lose 60+ games. And that they will get shut out and occasionally blasted by bad teams. They will go into hitting and pitching slumps. They’ll leave guys on base in scoring position with less than two outs. Shoot....how many gave up on them down 3-2 to the Yankees.
what will really be interesting is if we see some previous emotional yo-yos turn into "calm down, it's just 1 game" voices after a championship
Just more fun to look forward to in April (of course it will be doom and gloom if they finish spring training with less than a .500 record).
we need to acquire all spanish players. Thats how we won the chip. Imagine if the rockets had prime scola, delfino, rubio, najera??
Would love a Carlos Lee as DH. I have a bobblehead in the garage somewhere of Lee on a horse. Good guy.
