Pros: Valdez is a legit #2 Urquidy is a legit #3 Tucker looks like a perennial all star candidate Paredes, Taylor and Javier are rookies who look like they will be roster fixtures for the next 5 years Suddenly our bats came alive in the postseason Cons: Verlander is done through next year We finished under .500 Through 10/6, and not taking into consideration what may or may not happen the rest of this postseason, is this season a success or a failure?
2 or 3 bad pitches all game. His evolution into a legit pitcher this year bodes well, he's always had the stuff.
Keep him in for the 7th. Have Raley ready for Olson if he gets into trouble early.... Josh James for the 8th, Pressly for the 9th. I'd be tempted to try and get two out of James if we can extend the lead and he's pitching well. I would really feel better about our pen if we could replace Sneed with Verlander, Osuna, Peacock, or Joe Smith. Any of them. This is also where Francis Martes or Forrest Whitley panning out would be nice.
84 pitches, depends on how he's feeling and what he says to Strom, Canha/Davis/Olson due up...I'd let him face Canha and then go from there, with someone ready in the pen.
Stros should hire his Dominican sports psycholigist (this broadcast is the first I'd heard of this) And I'm not kidding.
