Part two of the trade value- we go from #12 in trade value in the Astros org to everyone else. It’s not short. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Jh4J9ynNF3rlbtAmt4nC6?si=6WY6w3nKT1KCSZzabhLgJQ Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8...ft-part-2?ref=dm_sh_IVWEBuy1NCgW6qEMMO1ZPFMhi Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...n-astros-podcast/id1683955456?i=1000622586547
Spot of good news in the frustration of the loss. Javiers 4 seam velocity was back up to 93.5, it only had 12 inches of drop and generated 42% swing and miss, those are much closer to the numbers we expect from the invisiball. By comparison over the last 2 months or so its been around 92.5, with 14 inches of drop generating around 20% swing and miss. His spin rate on his breaking balls also showed significant uptick, but oddly his 4 seam spin rate remained static. His numbers were actually trending up in his last start, but they were still short of his typical numbers. Hopefully this is a sign that he's pulling out of his dead arm period, or an issue was identified. Either way Javier being back would be bigger than any deadline pickup.
I don’t know how to explain this, but I’ve noticed Peña has a tendency to try too hard and make things too flashy. I first noticed this when I went to a game and watched him in warmups earlier this year. He tries to force being twitchy with his glove/hand transfers, and wouldn’t you know it, he had an error that game on a simple transfer. Now I can’t I see it and he does it all the time. I think that’s kind of how he approaches hitting too—twitchy all or nothing power swings…I mean, I know he’s a quality player, but for whatever reason that approach kind of irks me and wish he would let the game come to him rather than forcing it..,maybe I’m completely wrong but that’s kind of what it looks like to me—he tries so hard. I guess we’ve been spoiled with Correa, and god knows Houston was a SS barren for so long prior, so maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill…but just something I’ve noticed that I can’t unsee. Can’t believe I’m saying this after last October but I don’t hate selling high on Peña if we can get a meaningful return.
Yep. Dude chases and whiffs. This season he is a 8 or 9 hole hitter on a contender: a guy who is playable for his defense and who can hit the ball hard every once in a while.
Something seemed to also fire him up during the inning where he hit guys and walked guys to load the bases with nobody out. Found an extra gear and stayed there throughout the rest of the game. Hopefully that was more mechanical than simply adrenaline as the latter is fleeting. Agree, if this was not simply “fatigue” related, he should hopefully continue to hone in on whatever corrected mechanics they’ve spotted. I still stand that he needs to further commit to getting in shape this off-season and do something to try and maintain stamina.
Wish he hit the ball harder every once in a while. Has he really overcompensated so much to look for the slider that his numbers against fastballs have become awful? Or is he hoping pitchers will see that and eventually start throwing him more and more fastballs (playing the really loooong game).
6 for 19 in his latest move back to the two hole I know most of y’all hate it and expect it to end at any moment But reality is the guy has been a great offensive player batting 2nd and a terrible one batting lower in the order And the sample size grows and grows
Yes, they do. Badly. That said, that answer (assuming it came today) is a bit of a non-sequiter since the opposing pitcher isn't a lefty and I doubt the question was about how to get Diaz in the lineup against lefties. The Astros have had no issues playing Diaz and Maldanado together the last month though without a 3rd catcher, so the question itself was dumb too.
If batting against lefties is why Yainer isn't playing against lefties, it would seem reasonable people would assume if a catcher had an advantage over RHPs as big as that, that player should play against RHPs. Edit: Diaz's surface stats suggest Maldy is better against LHPs. xwOBA suggests Diaz is hitting the ball well against LHPs.
Batting 2nd Pena - .267 avg, .325 OB%, .791 OPS, 5 HRs and 13 RBIs in 26 games. Averaged over a season that's about 28 HRs and 78 RBIs
Astros remaining schedule CLE 3 @ NYY 4 @ BAL 3 LAA 3 @ MIA 3 SEA 3 BOS 4 @DET 3 @bos 3 NYY 3 @Tex 3 SD 3 OAK 3 @KC 3 BAL 3 KC 3 @ SEA 3 @ AZ 3 20 games against the AL East. This isn't like the past 7 yrs where they're running away with the Division and Dusty can play the long game giving regulars multiple days off trying to keep them fresh for the playoffs. Every game counts. There's NO guarantee that they'll even make the playoffs.
