Can't really see any logic to it unless there was some reason he thought that Yordan needed to face that Yankees pitcher for some reason. I'm not saying Dusty does everything right. I just find the specific criticism like the ones I have been replying to to be inaccurate. People were complaining about the bullpen decisions, the big mistake being not illegally using Maton twice in a game, that Yordan getting an off day cost them the game, etc. None of it makes much sense to me.
If there's concern about Pressly, it seems like you could just slot McCullers in as closer and leave the rotation alone. He's never been a high-innings guy anyway and he's going to have to work up his endurance anyway. Verlander, Javier, Framber all seem like they 100% need to stay in the rotation. Garcia and Urquidy are good backend guys. Not sure what you do with Odorizzi. Maybe use a rotating IL to give all the pitchers a 2 week vacation in middle of the season to keep them fresh.
I like that group of bullpen arms much better if you fire Maton into the face of the sun, but against all odds he was probably our best bullpen guy in the playoffs last year, so what the hell logic is there in trying to predict what is going to happen in baseball games over an extremely small sample size.
Fair enough and I agree Bullpen decisions for any manager will always be criticized, fact is most of those guys are in the pen cause they weren’t good enough to make it as a starter, so any manager is going to be “wrong” on a lot of pen decisions I find many of his lineup and other in game decisions to be infuriating. I screamed don’t pitch to Judge on Thursday…then yesterday said wait, we are gonna do it again?
Although he won’t like it, Verlander needs a break somewhere along the way. You could tell he wore down by the end of 20, now two years older and coming off a major surgery and on pace for over 200 IP, not a great mix
Looking like an arm will need to be dealt at the deadline barring injury if McCullers and Odo both come back. Who would be more valuable to keep on the roster, Odorizzi or Urquidy? I think Jake’s been throwing it a little better this year but Urquidy can eat innings under team controlled contract for 3 more years.
There is no doubt to me that Urquidy is the more valuable of the 2 to keep But he is also the more valuable of the 2 to trade. And I agree that IF both come back and are healthy one needs to be traded. The good news is that the holes on this roster are not so big that Framber, Javier, or Garcia need to be traded. There are only so many starts and innings to go around. Having 6 legitimate solid+ SP is a blessing. Having 7 is a problem, but a good problem to have. Then look at 2023: Odorizzi won't be back. Garcia, Javier, McCullers, and Valdez are in the rotation. Hunter Brown needs to be given some starts. Verlander could resign or accept option ( unlikely) Urquidy could be the #7 guy next season too even after Odorizzi leaves. It may be better to trade him now while he has the most value.
Meyers coming back along with Bregman/Yuli starting to heat up feel like 3 midseason acquisitions for this lineup.
Everyone has their own definition of ACE. For me it is any starter regularly in the conversation for the Cy Young or for first timers, still in that conversation after the 4th of July.
In a Houston - New York conference championship game I'm not really sure, but I do not think head to head records are irrelevant.
Dusty is a great person and a players manager. Dusty is a poor lineup and game manager. He can be both. But he must be all good or all bad to many.
I have two versions of ACE. One is like yours which I refer to as elite Ace. But I include thirty top pitchers as Aces or one for each team in MLB. Now often teams have more than one top thirty pitcher and often they have none. But top thirty is my definition of ACE.
Odorizzi has a player option for 2023. Astros have a buyout for about half the option. It makes his net cost a bargain. Verlander could negotiate an extension effectively upping his salary for 2023 via a signing bonus. It deserves serious consideration. If tonight's performance by Whitley indicates he's finally about to fulfill expectations, then he along with Brown are in the picture. The starting rotation in 2023 may be unbelievably Deep.
I define Ace as a top 10 SP in the game. I use the terms 1,2,3,4,5 starter to refer to a top 30, 31-60, 61-90, 91-120 or 120+ guy. JV is an Ace. LMJ (when healthy) and Framber are 1’s. Javier is probably a 2. Garcia is probably a 2. Urquidy and Odo are 4’s. The concept being if you shuffled the rosters and teams got to pick guys for the next season only where they would start in their new rotation. If everyone is healthy imo it goes: JV, Framber, LMJ, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, Odo.
Agreed. Then you have LMJ as your mid season pitching acquisition, along with Brown or (gasp) Whitley late season if needed. It’s a hell of a team.
Honestly If you could add a Luis Castello it would help dampen the loss of Verlander if he Leaves. Javier Garcia Framber McCullers Might look good on paper. But McCullers might need to move to a Closer role and with that Contract! ouch!!!!!!!! Verlander cant be immortal for ever eventually he will digress. OR he may even sign else where after this season. No point in signing him long term the short term deals are Great for him and he could be wooooed away like Toronto almost did.
