Astros might have to get creative with starting pitching in opening week https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...er&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral
Sometimes, Dusty just makes things harder than they are. Many teams have dealt with only having 3 backup position players. Dusty....well it is just unthinkable for him to do that for two days while the guys that missed time due to health and safety protocols and Odorizzi are stretched out. With schedule it seems like Odorizzi and Javier can piggyback starts except for April 5th until April 24th as only 4 starters are needed due to off days rest of the month. April 4th send Toro (or other position player with options down), call up Garcia to pitch behind Odorizzii. April 5th send Garcia down and bring up Abreu (or Conine, or Solomon, or whoever else is next in line) to pitch behind Javier. April 6th, send down whoever and recall Robel or Dawson for 8 days (or how many ever it is) until Toro can come back up.
Surely they can get Odorizzi and Javier up to 40-60 pitches by opening day. Then just have 2 long men (from Bielak, Abreu, Garcia, Ivey, Solis, and Solomon). Which means probably starting with 3 bench guys regardless of Baker’s preference. Also means maybe optioning Taylor or Paredes for the first couple weeks of the season.
Haven’t seen anyone else confirm this, but I think 50% to start off in April is a pretty solid number. Can’t wait to attend some games this year.
At the very least, I want to be vaccinated first. Really want to go to a game (and to see some live music) but not feeling it until I get the shot(s).
I've gotten the 1st round, but the vaccine isn't 100% after both rounds. I'm not so worried about myself, but I don't want to isolate after a game and I don't want to bring it inside my family circle.
AL West TEAM ODDS Oakland Athletics +120 Houston Astros +125 Los Angeles Angels +400 Seattle Mariners +4000 Texas Rangers +4500 https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2139293 Really?
Even their write-up recognizes how silly that is and that it might include an irrational dislike for the team or belief that it was all trashcan related. Meanwhile Vegas Insider has Astros as favorites (https://www.vegasinsider.com/mlb/odds/futures/). But if the Score wants to offer weaker odds, take the money and run!
And of course, which organization is the only one cited by name? Based on accusations by the guy whose spin rate increased dramatically in his contract year. And accusing the guy now on the Yankees (Cole mentioned but after Verlander and without acknowledging his current employer). The NY Post keeps churning out fantastic content.
MLB's attempts to crack down on foreign substances are outlined in a memo obtained by ESPN. Among the plans: - Increased monitoring by compliance officers - Inspections of baseballs taken out of play that will use a third-party lab to check for substances - Spin-rate analysis Compliance officers will monitor dugouts, clubhouses, tunnels, batting cages and bullpens. They will take a random sample of balls, and the lab will search not just for the substances themselves but the type being utilized. Statcast data will compare spin rate to career norms The memo, first reported by @Joelsherman1 says: “Players are subject to discipline by the Commissioner’s Office for violating the Official Baseball Rules regardless of whether evidence of the violation has been discovered during or following a game.” Teams are warned that employees are not allowed to handle foreign substances, tell a pitcher how to mask them or interfere with the collection of game-used balls. MLB has said it wants to crack down. This is a broad-sounding effort whose efficacy will be interesting in practice.
Man, he's still owed 27 million dollars. I guess they hope they can find a taker willing to eat a lot of it.
That $27M is a bitter pill to swallow, but it shows they are getting serious about trying to win again. I think the Rangers just got a bit better.
