Since June 8, Tucker is slashing .324/.407/.529/.936 (prior to tonight's game) How much more do you want him to do?
First half 2023 vs 2022 ip Framber 111.0 vs 115.0 = -4 Javier 91.1 vs 78.1 = +13 H. Brown 94.0 vs 71.2 = +22.1 Abreu 42. vs 33 = +9.0 Maton 43.1 vs 38 = +5.1 Montero 36.1 vs 37.1 = -1 Neris 37.2 vs 38.0 = -0.1 Pressly 39.1 vs 28.0 = +11.1 This does not include WBC innings. Javier (4.0), Abreu (2.0), Neris (2.1), Pressly (3.0) Another thing to consider is that teams that did not make the playoffs had 133 days between the end of the season and start of spring training. The Astros had 102. I think the rest factor is huge. To me the biggest difference between the 2 WS teams was the fact that in 2022 the pitching staff was healthy and rested, but 2021 staff was on fumes. It all adds up to this team needing pitching help.
Agree. The Stros need a 2022 Odo-type player. Semi-cannon fodder that can give you 5-6 competitive innings and help bump the rotation 6-man and/or give a few guys some fatigue IL time. Hell, two would really help. I don't think we need a playoff starter, just another 5/6th starter til the end of the regular season. Same thing for the relievers. Acquire a few 6/7th inning relievers will a little upside and shut down a few of the back-end guys for a few weeks each.
A win today could really help with optics in the division race. With a win- the Astros would enter the ASB 11 games over .500 and either 1 or 2 games out of the division lead (which would be amazing considering the injuries, struggles at times, and the Rangers’ hot start). A win also sends Seattle into the ASB under .500. The Seattle offense has drastically regressed this season and with a stacked American League… Seattle could potentially become sellers (or at least “partial sellers”) and start looking towards next year. The Angels are on the ropes with Trout out for likely for another month. If they continue their fall- Ohtani being dealt at the deadline may not actually happen…. But it certainly becomes more logical. The Rangers are feeling the pressure. With Dana Brown being hired 2.5 months into the offseason, this trade deadline will realistically be his first opportunity to put his imprint on the team(along with the draft which starts tonight). We’re about to start getting guys back post ASB. Yordan, Urquidy, and Altuve. The troops are on the way- assuming other additions are made outside the organization, as well. The key will be staying healthy for the stretch run, having starters pitch deeper into games, getting Javier back to form. Looking forward to a fun second half and stretch run.
All true. While this is the most challenging season Houston has had since 2016, the All-Star break is coming at a very opportune time. As disappointing as things have gone thus far, things could set up very nicely going forward.
I think the Astros have found their DH. In a perfect world, Maldy would be demoted to a 25% starter but that simply is not happening so let's be real. Since the Astros demoted Salazar 6/22 leaving only 2 catchers on the roster, the Astros have played 15 games. Diaz has started 14 of them. 10 at DH and 4 at C. He moved to C after Maldy was lifted for a PH 3 times so there appears to be no issue with losing the DH. That means that when Alvarez comes back, he will likely play quite a bit of LF with Diaz at DH. That leaves Maldy, Abreu, Altuve, Bregman, Pena, Yordan, Tucker, and Diaz as starting 75% of the time. McCormick and Meyers share CF in some capacity. The 25% of games Diaz catches, Yordan will DH and leave a starting spot in LF filled by McCormick (if Meyers is in CF) or Julks.
100% agree. much needed rest and if they line it up right, some guys can get almost 2 weeks off. They can line it up to skip Javier in the Angels series and he can come back in the Rockies Series July 6 - Blanco July 7 - Brown July 8 - Framber July 9 - Bielak July 10-13 ASB Angels July 14 - Framber (on 5 days rest) July 15 - Blanco (8 days rest) July 16 - Bielak (6 days rest) Rockies July 18 - Javier (14 days rest) July 19 - Brown (11 days rest) A's July 20 - Framber (4 days rest) July 21 - Blanco (5 days rest) July 22 - Bielak (5 days rest) July 23 - Dubin (way too many days rest) Rangers July 24 - Javier (5 days rest) July 25 - Brown (5 days rest) July 26 - Framber (5 days rest) That'd be a pretty nice way to run out the first 4 series. Only one starter makes a start on 4 days rest.
Seems like that rides Framber harder than necessary and lets Dubin get too rusty. I’d probably get Dubin in there once in the first 2 series (or maybe on 7/20) and push everybody down one so that Framber never throws on 4 days rest during that stretch.
This is lined up perfectly. Not only is Framber the only starter on 4 days reast ( he has actually thrown 4 fewer innings than first half last year) but the top 3 are lined up to pitch the Rangers series.
Man, what did JP France do to you Mostly I agree though, I would take it even further and bump Javier back even more and push Frambers starts up a day. Framber could go the 19th on regular rest.
Now is the time to ride Framber a little harder IMO. A few weeks from now we (hopefully) should have Urquidy, rested Javier and possibly a newly acquired arm to go along with France/Brown/Blanco/Bielak. We would then have the depth to safely run a 6 man rotation. They've performed very admirably, but starting Blanco/Bielak/Dubin/France feels like a ticking timebomb we should mitigate as much as possible.
Oh dang. Completely wiffed on JP didn't I. Let's see how to fold him back in. July 3 - Javier July 4 - Bielak July 5 - France July 6 - Blanco July 7 - Brown July 8 - Framber July 9 - Bielak July 10-13 ASB Angels July 14 - Framber (on 5 days rest) July 15 - France (10 days rest) July 16 - Blanco (9 days rest) Rockies July 18 - Javier (14 days rest) July 19 - Brown (11 days rest) A's July 20 - Framber (5 days rest) July 21 - Bielak (11 days rest) July 22 - France (6 days rest) July 23 - Blanco (6 days rest) Rangers July 24 - Javier (5 days rest) July 25 - Brown (5 days rest) July 26 - Framber (5 days rest) Lol, actually was off on a few things. After folding France back in, noticed i had mis-counted Framber's rest. This actually has him on 5 days rest for all three post-break starts. Now everyone has atleast 5 days rest and Dubin stays in the pen.
I want to give a shout out to our AAA pitchers. We have 4 rookie starters that played in AAA last season with 3 starting there this season and we are still one of the top teams in ERA.
Bregman did turn it around for a little bit... but really scuffled to end the first half. Regardless of reinforcements, the offense needs all-star $30 million dollar players to play as such consistently to be good.
Anyone else get sad seeing Cole at times. That 2019 team was so stacked. How the **** did we not win that year sigh
