Good low risk signing for the Braves. The stuff was electric, and maybe he is more mature now and they catch lightening in a bottle.
Only 2 questions. 1. Does anybody want to PLAY him? 2. Does anybody want to PAY him? Generally there is a connection. But at some point #1 makes #2 irrelevant. I loved Greinke for a couple of years, but we're still paying $12.5M/Yr deferred money which he earned, but which I thought was being covered by ARI unless that's just the deferred $ from his 2- years with the Astros.
The problem is that in order to stay competitive and "keep the window open" the bottom of the roster needs to be pre-arb guys who are rotated through their pre-FA control years. This keeps more of the roster together each year preventing several FA at once and allows the team to spend more on stars. If you aren't a star you can't be an Astro at FA salary. The Astros have been dazzling at this.
If you look at it this way, they traded Neris/Stanek/Maton for Hader and a bunch of lotto ticket hrd throwers. With the pitching they've got in the minors this was a good bet.
Maybe, but the 300 bullpen innings (a lot of them leverage) that aren't gonna be thrown by Abreu/Hader/Pressly is a ton of f**king innings to have absolutely zero clue what we're gonna get. And that's assuming the top 3 stay healthy. The fact that Tampa, the undisputed god of bullpen value creation, is one that pulled the trigger on this deal doesn't make me feel better.
So you're saying anytime the Astros use Abreu, Pressly and Hader in a game, the next day I should bet the over?
I wouldn't go that far. Then again, I'm suspicious of betting in general since the outcome isn't always based on a level playing field.
Most of those 300 innings will be pitched by the starters. Too many starters where injured or missing last season. The bullpen was left to cover too many innings while our manager refused to use long relievers for long relief. There are enough pitchers to keep a rotation full or better this season. Maybe our new manager will even pitch some relievers for multiple innings.
McCullers has top 50 SP stuff and numbers, when healthy. He was the ace of this staff in 2021 and even better over his 8 starts in 2022. People don't remember how good he is when healthy. He is not going to be in the bullpen in 2024. He will either be in the rotation or the IL. Now if 2024 becomes another lost season or he ends up hurt again maybe they decide the bullpen can keep him healthy. But in 2024 this team is MUCH better with him in the rotation and it will be a blow to him and championship hopes if he isn't there. Garcia could very well end up in the bullpen.
And Garcia lifetime ERA is just as good as Lance, most don’t realize how good he is too Luis will likely be back before Lance and the truth is how everyone in the rotation is doing will play a big role in all this too There is a lot of baseball to be played before either of those guys are ready to help
I believe the only ability most are concerned with in either Lance or Luis is availability. So no one I've heard on this board appears to be forgetting what they can do WHEN AVAILABLE!
