I agree with this post. I assume you're talking about McCullers Jr? If so, I hope he can make it back and looks good coming out of the bullpen this yr and Dana trades him this offseason. Agreed about JV. Hopefully he will be fresh for the 2nd half of the season. He hasn't put many innings on his arm so far this offseason.
It's honestly a miracle we're still as in it as we are given how comically bad we've been at using money. McCullers,Abreu,Montero, and Graveman have been useless. Bregman, Hader and Pressly certainly haven't been useless, but they haven't been close to worth their money. Javier is out for the year, and Verlander will at best give us 60% of a season. To add, a lot of these underperformances were somewhat predictable when we gave them the money (or brought them in via trade) due to previous career inconsistency, age, and/or injury history. It isn't just bad luck, although it is part of it.
It sucks we aren't getting anything out of McCullers But it's hard for me to hate on a guy who gave his all to win us our first title And who is working his ass off trying to come back from two MAJOR injuries, both on his throwing side but different parts of the body. I wonder how many have made it back from both surgeries? Also not sure there are many, if any, players who love the Houston Astros like Lance does For those wishing to trade him, lololololol He sold out the right side of his body to win us a title and probably over 80% of the fan base wants him gone, but you think another team is ready to swoop in and take that contract? I love Lance Fuc*ing McCullers
If there is any justice and kindness in this world, Lance will make it back and have some level of success before he retires.
Agreed, and you cant blame him for taking the money. But if Dana can get anything in trade and more important getting out from underneath the money he should do this in a heartbeat. Now isn't the time for sentimentality.
I think it is still important to the Astros and Verlander that he get the 83 additional innings he needs for his option to vest. All of this depends on when he comes back as it's getting less and less likely that he has enough season left. If he can return in time he still has a chance. If he returns 7/23 and starts every 5th day (6th day 3 times w/ off days) he can get 14 starts and need to average just under 6 IP. If he returns 7/26 and alternates 4 days and 5 days between starts he can pitch the final game of the season on 4 days rest to get 13 starts and need to average just over 6 1/3. By my math 8/2 is the latest he can return and still have any chance. That would give him 12 starts and require him to average just under 7 innings. I fully expect him to go out for the 7th inning when he would normally be done after 6 as long as he still has a chance.
I would give 10:1 odds on Verlander’s option vesting. It’s over, he is hurt and currently has no timetable to return; he is not getting to 140.
Yes, it's held up so far -- but it's flimsy and running on fumes due to its obvious unstainable potential. Blanco, Brown, Arrighetti, Verlander (if he can even return before September), are all unproven for a full season or old AF and injured. Astros need at least two starters -- that *could come in form of 1) Bloss + Garcia, or 2) Bloss/Garcia + a source not currently on the roster, or 3) 2 new starters not on roster (if Garcia/Bloss flame out), but best believe, the current group throwing pitches is highly unlikely to continue their current success rate. They all need load management -- i.e. skipped-starts and <90 IP outings. Maybe I'm wrong and they mostly ball for a full season, but what's most probable is active load management being initiated.
And we don’t even know what part of his body is hurting I think there is a better chance that he doesn’t pitch again this year than the option vesting
I agree that's it's quite a long shot. But I don't think it's over and I still think the Astros and Verlander still have much to gain so are not giving up yet. I am looking for some kind of out of the box process. Maybe pitch him an inning on his throwing day between starts? Maybe limit him to 4-5 innings but start him every 4 days? 4 innings every 3 days? Let him throw 7+ innings every start regardless of the score? Something. I understand any alteration to his regular routine may be an injury risk, but both he and the organization may feel it's a worthwhile risk.
Sorry but that’s ridiculous. Verlander is not going to up his risk of injury by pitching in games between starts. And at this point he wouldn’t project to be worth much more than the $17.5M the Astros would be on the hook for, so they’re not going to bend over backwards to help his option vest. If anything, both the team and Verlander have aligned goals at this point: get him fully rested and fully healthy so that he can be very effective to end the season and pitch well in the playoffs.
