Way more likely it was the injury we knew he had. He was awesome. He left that start with the banged up ankle, he sucked afterwards for a good while. Got it together in September. Anyone can have a couple bad starts. I assume he wasn’t healthy more than anything else.
I don't know how much longer I can hold on. Yesterday I watched Field of Dreams. Tonight I watched Bull Durham. I was ready to start The Natural when I noticed it was 2:30 in the damn morning. Will this interminable off season never end? Tomorrow I am going to buy some plywood and build something that will take up my days for a week or two. If that does not do it maybe I will raise the house up a few inches and put a new foundation under it.
Everything I've read indicates the Astros are a very hard working team. Assuming that is true, it just leaves working smarter which will improve with the return of trusting analytics over feel, intuition and whatever else has been replacing it the last few years.
I have not heard anything about that being a long term plan. He did play less with his knees and with wrist injuries, both of which affected his OF play but were not responsible for the injuries. However I have heard almost non-stop the opinions of those who demand he only play DH for their own interests acting as if Jordan was somehow FRAGILE.
Just dropped a new podcast on Breathing Orange Fire. We talk about current players with Astris ties and their chance to get in the HOF/what they still have to do to get there. listen to that and it will take you a little closer to pitchers and catchers reporting here next week.
Dana Brown said Chas is getting most of the starts in LF. That's why people are saying Yordan will mostly DH. "Meanwhile, general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday that Jake Meyer would begin the season as the starter in center field, with Chas McCormick getting most of the starts in left field." https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-2023-winter-meetings-wrap
If I were Jim Crane (and I dream that I am nightly...). I would offer Bellinger a 1/$30MM; tell him the consensus among league circles is that majority fear that '23 - and not '21-'22 - was the fluke, and if he mashes on a playoff team, he can basically name his price next offseason.
After Dusty it's hard to trust that the team will play the best lineup possible but I'm going to try to give the new regime a shot. Perhaps this is all done kind of posturing..... that's what I'm hoping for
That is the very definition of a prove it deal. But he would have to personally apologize for his ignorant and arrogant remarks fist.
I like these quotes https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-meyers-to-get-chance-to-be-astros-center-fielder: “When we want to give Meyers a day off, we’ll put Yordan in left and give him some time out there. Initially, we’d like to see what Meyers can do, see if we can get the bat going because the defense is pretty special. If you can prevent runs, that’s a big part of winning. We’re going to be comfortable with our four guys right now. We’ll rotate them the way we need to rotate them.” I like that Brown sees Chas, Tucker, Meyers, and Yordan as the 4 OFs. “So, if he turns the corner with the bat, and now his defense, it’s a pretty good player,” Brown said. “If he can’t turn the corner and he ends up being a platoon-type player, then that’s a little bit different. But right now, it’d be good to see if he can turn the corner and swing the bat.” I like that Brown is open to the idea that Meyers doesn't pan out. I defintely think trying Meyers as an everyday player is a worthwhile endeaver, but that the team isn't going to force it if it doesn't work. I'd want to get Yordan in the OF quite a bit with a RHP on the mound to give Diaz more time to rest his body away from catching to keep his bat fresh. I hated the Chas-Meyers-Julks timeshare.
A .900 OPS season at the plate for the Astros and some clutch postseason hitting is all the apology I would ever need.
Very quick analysis of Meyers 2023: wRC+: 119 vs LHP and 78 vs RHP GS: 22 vs LHP and 65 vs RHP The Astros play approx. 30% of games vs a LHSP. Let's say that's 50g. If Meyers plays exactly like he did last year eith no improvement at all but is used differently. Let's say he starts every game vs LHSP and half the games vs RHSP. 2024: wRC+: 119 vs LHSP and 78 vs RHSP GS: 50 vs LHSP and 56 vs RHSP Results is a 97 wRC+ which would he very acceptable for a CF w/ his defense. I would be quite happy.
