Could Gilbert compete for a starting OF spot in spring training next year? He sure feels like a Bregman-esque fast mover.
It is possible. He will very likely be promoted soon and if he dominates AA for 200+ pa he will be ready for the majors.
The problem with Whitley at this point is that he hasn't put the pieces together. That sounds simple or obvious, but his pitch choice and sequences are terrible. He would be a prime candidate for the bullpen, except he does the two things he cannot do in the pen - give up homers and walks. He has had some bad luck with his fielders, but he doesn't need any more excuses at 25 years old. The only hope in the pen is that if he goes an inning or two at a time, he can play up his stuff. I am not anywhere as smart as Miller and the pitching hive brain that the Astros have - but he was supposed to throw 3 pitches, and he is throwing 5....... get him down to 2-3 pitches that are effective and make him a set up man and possible closer.... if he does well, they can always renew his future out of the pen........ I just think he doesn't need to be throwing 5 pitches, he needs to talk to Kevin Gausman and ask him how going down to two really good pitches has helped him........ Whitley isn't Satchell Paige, he doesn't need to try and fool everyone.
You didn't ask me - but yes. Brown moves guys very fast when justified..... Gilbert just needs to keep the K's under control.
I said the same a month ago but if you look deeper, it’s more than that. He is dialing his fastball up 98-100 mph but his placement in the zone has sucked and he has gone too it too often when behind in the count. He also has gotten too cute again, throwing 5 different pitches and he inevitably doesn’t have command of all 5 and that has caused him to fall behind in the count or leave the ball across the plate. It is extremely frustrating because they don’t want him throwing 5 different pitches. They want him to keep it really simple and rely on the pitches he has that are dominant- 2-3 pitches.
Small Sample Size, but Joey Loperfido in 42 PA has an OPS north of 1.400 with only 6 Ks. Man looks like he's wasting his time in Corpus.
Man we are so stacked in the outfield. If Garcia needs surgery, I would start looking to go ahead and secure a starting pitcher. Hensley can go back down, because Dubon becomes our reserve infielder. How is this for our playoff lineup? Against LH: Altuve 2b McCormick LF Alvarez DH Bregman 3b Tucker RF Pena SS Abreu 1b Myers/Dubon CF Diaz C Against RH: Altuve 2b Brantley Dh Bregman 3b Alvarez LF Tucker RF Abreu 1b Pena SS Meyers/Dubon CF Diaz C
Jose Fleury @ Salem: 4 IP, H, BB, 8 K Spencer Arrighetti with his best outing so far: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Matijevic hearing up again. Wouldn’t mind if they DFA’d Enoli and sent down Salazar so they could send up JJ.
I was surprised he wasn't claimed when he was DFA. He'd easily be an everyday 1B/LF/DH for any one of half a dozen crummy teams (A's, Tigers, Marlins, Royals, Nats, Rangers). He is at his floor as a league average bat with limited defensive value which makes him a AAAA player, but he still has some ceiling to adjust and be a high k 25 HR bat. Poor man's Kyle Schwarber.
With the caveat that these things are not all that accurate, Loperfido has performed so well in AA that his projected wRC+ has jumped from like 73 to 95 already.
In an ideal future, Loperfido has a >950 ops in AA on 6/15 with >200 pa and <22% k rate. At that point, he would project as likely to be an impact everyday major league player, and would probably be the logical replacement in the event of any serious injury to any outfielder, 2B, or 1B on the Astros’ roster. It is possible that Houston will have 4 players who project to be everyday caliber big leaguers who will be ready for opening day 2024: Loperfido, Whitcomb, Barber, and Gilbert. I am also optimistic about Pedro Leon’s potential to improve over the course of this season (I am not as bullish on Korey Lee or Justin Dirden). The pitching is sketch in terms of likely impact arms in the near term, which is a bummer because that’s really what they need right now, but on the position player side they appear to be in excellent shape.
I think this year looks to be a lightning in a bottle year or an incredible FA signing (ala Verlander) for the stretch run. I would be looking for someone that can play 1b in case Abreu doesn’t get straightened out, Diaz to catcher full-time, and trading some of our glut of outfielders and Urquidy for a starter. Diaz is the biggest head scratcher to me. He should be in the lineup regularly at 1b, DH, or catcher. I loved Hensley last year, but he needs to go back down as soon as Altuve is back. I would elevate Gilbert immediately to AA. If he is killing it there, then Myers, McCormick, Barber, or Leon would all be expendable in a trade for a stud starting pitcher.
JJ Mat is the most 4A hitter I've seen in a long time: slow bat, big holes in it Who was the 1B back in the day who constantly raked in AAA but could never get a shot in the Bigs? eta: just thought of him, Roberto Petagine
