Who? I think there's one better player - Diaz - and he's starting to play with much greater regularity. We've been spoiled. Some of our line-ups in years past (I'm looking at your, gorgeous, beautiful 2019 line-up) have been cheat codes. It's not normal to have 7, 8, 9 elite position players. The vast majority of teams - even the playoff teams - have 4, 5 elite bats. Take a look. There isn't a single AL contender with more than five everyday (healthy) players with an OPS of 800+. The Astros have *six*. But, yes - patching around 7-9... that's how the other half lives. Baseball is hard; the Astros have made it look easy. This year.... we're getting a taste of it not being so easy. And I think everyone is losing their mind that it isn't easier. But... the Astros are still an elite team.
He's been starting. Pitching multi-inning relief might add to his fastball. He would refresh the bullpen in 2 weeks, and maybe Javier too
You think Julks is better than Chas? It should not take playing like the best player for 4-6 weeks to be played almost fulltime. Chas lost about 140 PAs to worse players, primarily Julks. Julks is better than Meyers, too? Meyers is the 7th-9th best hitter for the Astros depending on how you rank Dubon, Pena, and Meyers. He's also probably the best defensive player on the Astros. He's lost about 160 PAs to worse defensive OFs who are probably worse hitters (about even at the best in Dubon's case). Also, Singleton at 1B instead of Diaz has pushed Alvarez to the OF more than it should (i.e., I think Meyers's defense is a much bigger difference over Yordan, than Singleton's is over Diaz's at 1B). Diaz has probably been shorted 200 or so PAs. I get that the edge Diaz has over the players playing over him is bigger than Meyers over Julks, but that doesn't change that Meyers is better than Julks by a not insignificant margin.
Baseball is harder when you have arguably the most injuries of any team, and a manager who plays inferior players over better ones due to his feelings and gut.
You mean most managers won't intentionally bench better players excessively when they are still in their prime years? ATL plays their best players pretty consistently without the asinine Dusty asinine rules (get a day off before scheduled day offs, day off after a player is ready to play, etc. etc.)
You are right this team does not have the depth that previous ones had. But there are 6 players who are clearly great offensive players - Altuve, Bregman, Alvarez, Tucker, McCormick, and Diaz- and should play everyday except occassional days off. Then there is Pena who plays the most important and demanding defensive position at a gold glove level without terrible offense, so also needs to play everyday. That leaves 2 starting positions every game that should be managed. Abreu should start most games at 1B but Diaz should play there regularly (2-3 games per week) to get his bat in the lineup if Maldy is catching and Yordan at DH. Maldy will start most games at catcher. It's unforgivable but still the reality that must be accepted. When that happens Diaz must be 1B or DH. Brantley will probably play 2 out of 3 games in LF or DH with Meyers taking games in CF when he is out and Diaz is catching or playing 1B so Yordan can DH. Nobody else should EVER be starting unless it's to give one of the first 7 guys an off day and none of the other 4 are able to start due the their rest/matchup schedules.
This idea - that Diaz is playing now, so it is all good - is the argument that angers me the most. Diaz's value is not that he is a great hitter (he is very good, but until he learns to walk, he is not great). His value is that he is a very good hitter at a position where a) It is very hard to find a very good hitter b) We have the worst hitter in baseball His value is in playing catcher, freeing up DH or 1B for even a replacement-level hitter, which is much easier to find at those positions. It is nice that Diaz can play 1B and can DH, but that still suboptimizes the lineup.
If Brantley hits RHPs well, he should basically platoon with Meyers (Chas and Yordan sliding between CF/LF and DH/LF) with Diaz at either C or 1B. Branltey is the 1st bat that potentially is good enough to have Meyers's glove on the bench most games.
The Astros are an interesting team - extending the line up seems to be more important to the Astros than most teams. Baker cannot trot out his best player 160 games a year, but he certainly can more than he has. Really, the line up would arguably be the best in the AL had Abreu played like he normally does, Diaz had played from day one and a little better health. Baker is playing Singleton a lot - and I don't always have a problem with it if Diaz is playing every game, because Singleton has struggled but has had some flashes, also even with all his struggles, his OPS is still .700 because of the walks. If he gets his average up to even .250, he is an 800 OPS guy with a 400 OBP.
Benching Tucker vs Seattle (so Julks could play) literally cost us leading in the division right now, And that's besides all the foolery that occurred the previous 5 months. One would think Dusty was Pete Rose gambling against his team.
Tucker was sick the 1st 2 games of that series. Yes he should have started the 3rd game but Dusty can't be blamed for the 1st 2. Dusty's insistence on giving players an extra day off after they say they are ready is actually very player friendly and great over 162 games. But once it is determined that every win will be needed to secure the division (or maybe even a playoff spot) then only the medical staff should make that call.
I'd guess the Astros would be the best offense in the AL with only 2 of those three. Probably best in baseball with 2 of those 3, and Julks being a seldom used bench player instead of platooning with Chas and Meyers to start the season.
This is presuming that Altuve/Alvarez injuries still happen though, correct? I know every thread has devolved to the b**** factor... but to me, those injuries still remain the biggest limiting factors in what has transpired with the offense this season. Bregman's prolonged slumps... Abreu's fizzling (unless there are 2 outs and RISP)... Maldy/Julks/Dubon/Meyers.... Chas not playing, then having the best OPS on the team... Tucker getting an even bigger wheel-barrow to go aside Diaz's free-swinging wheel-barrow.... all of that has combined on a day-in/day-out basis to have this lineup flat-out average, with Altuve/Alvarez making it above average. Brantley (presuming he hits RHP's) makes it super-average.
Also - the last I checked, the Astros were 3rd in the AL in offense.... the issue is the pitching, that has gone from 1st in the AL all the way down to like 6th or 7th. Valdez, Javier and Brown have been at best inconsistent. Some of that is that they are beyond what their usual innings have been the last few years. Javier and Valdez have battled injuries and being over worked. Brown is essentially a rookie and has been solid but has hit some rough patches. Right now, for all the complaining about the bull pen - it is actually as solid as it has been since the last out in the WS last year..... Pressly is gassed and has had a couple bad outings - but he has only been scored on 3 times in his last 3 games. Stanek has a 2.70 era his last dozen appearances. Abreu has a .53 era his last 20 appearances. Rafael Montero has an era of 2.65 his last 20 appearances. Neris has struggled some, but his second half era is on 3.30. Graveman has an era of like 2.70 as an Astro. Maton has struggled, but he wasn't going to pitch much in the post season anyway. So while the pen isn't as dominant as last year (the most dominant pen in MLB history), it is still pretty good and pitching well down the stretch. As for the Starters, Valdez has been very up and down the last 6-7 weeks, and I am sure fatigue is some of that.... however he has also had some really impressive games, he has thrown a no hitter and then left after 7 innings recently with a no hitter....Verlander has been Verlander and shouldn't be gassed for the post season. The issue is Brown, Javier and Urquidy have been bad.....
Yes, I know. Julks was recalled Saturday and didn't start until Sunday. I wouldn't mention Tucker being benched for him if Julks didn't start the first 2 games. Tucker was available Game 3 though and it equaled a two-game swing in the standings with Seattle. Astros win that game (they lost by ONE), and they're leading the division by one game over Seattle and Arlington.
If Brantley can return healthy and hit just at last season's level ( not pre-shoulder injury all star level) it will be a huge boost to this team. (.810 OPS / 133 wRC+ vs RHP and .732 / 115 vs LHP) He won't be needed vs LHP (but won't need to be PH for) but most playoff teams have 4-5 RHSP and 0-1 LHSP. He would extend a lineup currently only 6 deep, to 7 deep vs RHP.
Bregman has been fine overall this season. His OPS is over .800 so far this season and will be a 5 WAR player. He has more walks than strikeouts and even when he has struggled, he has drawn walks and has been the healthiest player on the team. Kyle Tucker has overall been good as well, he has close to a .900 OPS and he also walks as often as he strikes out. Chas McCormick has been very good as well, however he has been robbed of at least 100-150 at bats because Baker did not want to play him. Altuve and Alvarez have been injured........ Meyers and Pena have been mediocre overall. The Astros have left a lot of offense on the table with McCormick and Diaz not playing every single day. You couple that with injuries to Altuve and Alvarez and the Astros have lost out on a lot of runs. When the playoffs come around - the line up should be better than last year.
Adding Brantley is a difference maker if he can be healthy and himself. I think hitting vs RHP was the weakness that I thought might send them to an early playoff exit. The addition of Graveman has already helped the bullpen and they are on the way to being playoff ready. Now the team needs to get the rotation ready.
