I think Matt Moore is the best option left too sign for the pitching staff. a middle inning option to neutralize the lefty bats of the Rangers (Seager, Carter, Lowe) and possibly Dodgers. 7-8-9 Hader, Pressly, Abreu Mids Montero, M. Moore, Coleman/40 man guy Multi-Inning/Starters Urquidy (when McCullers returns), Garcia. Probably France and another 40-man guy in the pen until they come off IL
I'm not saying it's impossible. But it would be impossible to schedule. It would be 100% altered by what happens in the games and need to be adjusted continuously. For example let's say there is a 4 game series and Brown, Urquidy, Framber, and JV are the scheduled starters and France is scheduled to pitch 3-4 innings in either game 1 or game 2 after having 5 days off. Yesterday was an off day after a bad 5 run loss where none of the leverage relievers pitched. Game 1: After 4 innings Brown has a low pitch count, pitching well, and the Astros have a 1 run lead so they keep him in for the 5th and he goes 1-2-3. The team doesn't want to pitch France unless he can get at least 3 innings if pitching well (enough) and Abreu, Hader, and Pressly are all fresh and possibly NEEDING work. With a 1 run lead this has the making of needing them, so the team decides tomorrow is France's day not today. Game 2: the team wants Urquidy to go 3-4 and France to go 3-4. Urquidy Sails through 3 with a low pitch count in a scoreless game. They send him back out for the 4th because why change? He gets them in order on 7 pitches. Going to the 5th Urquidy is pitching a shutout through 4 innings with a low pitch count in a scoreless game. They can't see taking him out so give him the 5th. The Astros score 2 but Urquidy gives up 1 and after 5 it's 2-1 Astros. Now it's a bad call to bring in France to likely only pitch an inning or two with the leverage guys likely needed to secure a win so he doesn't pitch this game either. Games 3 and 4 are started by Framber and JV and it's highly unlikely that either will not pitch at least 5 innings so France likely won't have a chance to pitch. So France now hasn't pitched in 7 days and isn't likely to pitch for at least 2 more. The Astros need to send him to Sugar Land to get a couple of starts.
Moore would be good and the Astros had interest in him in the past. No idea about this off season but another good lefty still available is Wandy Peralta. Some Yankees fans were wondering why have interest in Neris when Peralta was solid for them. Unless they just want a righty. And not a lefty but that Kenyan Middleton is still available. Good on the White Sox but was excellent with the Yankees before suffering a season ending injury. But when he struck out Correa, he was talking **** in his post game so I wonder if he hates the Astros. If cheap, take the chance on Chapman? Won't be relied on late in the game. Chapman, Coleman *,Abreu, Hader, don't they all throw 98 to a 100 mph? Crazy if that was the bullpen. But I think Nook said he's a cancer in the lockerroom. Would that kill chemistry? But then again I think Osuna was not liked by many, perhaps by everyone but on the field they were able to coexist.
Here's what I would want: Rotation: Verlander Valdez Javier Urquidy France Bullpen: Hader Pressly Abreu Brown Montero Whitley Bielak Then when Garcia and Mccullers are back, healthiest one goes to rotation and they move Urquidy and Graveman at the deadline to lower their tax payroll. Loser goes to bullpen and worst performance in pen goes to AAA. Hunter Brown in the pen adds another filthy arm. I think I would like that better than a starter this year. He can go to rotation to replace Valdez or Verlander eventually.
Brown can be a dominant bullpen arm on par with Abreu. I'd rather lock that down then gamble on a similar bad luck year as a starter. Brown is an elite bullpen arm the way France can't be.
I think Brown ran out of gas last season because of all the injuries and how Dusty was managing starters. I give Brown another year to see if he has the stamina to be a full time starter.
A bullpen arm has about 35% of the value of a starter. It’s crazy to not start someone that can start. If he can handle it you start Brown 100/100. He can always go pitch out of the bullpen in the playoffs.
In an interview with Brian McTaggart today at Fan Fest, McCullers said he is throwing from 80 feet and targeting a July return. So, his timeline aligns with Garcia’s. This also means that the Astros have six rotation options to start the season in Verlander, Valdez, Javier, Brown, Urquidy and France. I’d probably expect them to use a six-man rotation or Urquidy in a multi-inning opener type role because I wouldn’t expect them to give up on Hunter Brown as a starting pitcher this soon.
Every pitcher has a greater probability of being good in the bullpen. You simply don't give up on a potential TOR or even MOR pitcher until the potential is no longer there. Just like you don't move a bat first OF to DH and bury his glove until you are sure he can't play the OF. It's terrible team building.
Ok, so settle for your 4th starter and have one less dominant bullpen arm. Makes total sense, we have no other pitchers who can do a high 3 era...
He was a rookie last year, give the guy a break. He went from our number 1 prospect to a bust in you guy’s mind, because of the last half of his rookie season. Ridiculous.
And Dusty's insistence that Maldy catch him just in case Yainer got hurt... when Hunter was the one guy that seemed to need that comfort of a personal catcher
