Yankees and Altuve. Their boogeyman lol kinda wonder if the Astros kicked the tires when he was a free agent, but forgot 10 years 325 mill to sign with south Oklahoma.
It was good to see good Framber again… but he’s been pretty stout over the last 7 starts or so. Even the Pittsburgh start, which featured all the brain-farts and mental instability in that one inning… but his stuff was dominant for the rest (and much needed as it kept the team in the game and allowed them to comeback and win). I know every other thread has a design to “trade him” this off-season…. And I know he won’t be worth a 5 or 6+ year extension… but he’s really good, durable, a lefty, built like a tank, and has had post-season success. On paper his value is immense… but likely too good for a contending team to part with, but still unknowns that limits the possibility of a long-term extension. Short term? Could they bring Maldy back as assistant pitching coach to help placate? I do hope they kick the tires on all possible scenarios.
Oh really? Explain how he has 2 HR in his last 15 games and 5 homers over his last 30 games then. And his slash line of .314/.429/.543 over those 30 games? What a ****ing scrub! He must be injured.
I guess I'm wrong then, it was reported that he hadn't had a HR since June... pretty sure the flagship said it. My bad Oh you know what I think they were talking about HR at Minute Maid.
Yeah, it was at MMP. I can’t explain why he has been so ass at home. His road numbers are equally as ridiculous in a good way. He definitely isn’t injured though and just tired of seeing people say they think he is hiding an injury. Nothing in his past says he is the type of guy to hide one either. He’s missed plenty of time with injuries in the past.
I wouldn't recommend this due to retaliation, but Astros should definitely pitch around him more -- same wat Bochy does to Yordan. Semien (Corey's protection) has been known to kill us, but he's having a down year. Hader won't be available today. Look for a Scott-Abreu-Pressly combination in the late innings. Maybe the Stros are winning by 5, and makes everything gets easier.
Thus far, these four series vs Arluckton has featured the loser of the first game winning the final two. If this trend continues, advantage Astros. Hopefully Yordan has un-slumped from XBH'ing.
Why !!! What does Espada see in Dubon where he needs to start nearly everyday? He has been MUCH worse than Chas for 2 months. wRC+ of 56 since June 1 and 16 since July 1 (Chas is 74 and 37 respectively not to mention a better OF defender) And why give Leon 3 starts in a row and then bench him? Thats nothing. He needs at least 10 in 12 games or so just to get used to MLB.
I don’t get the amount of hate Framber gets on this board (and I know it’s not everyone). He’s averaged 200 innings the last two seasons and is on pace for 180+ this year. He’s done that with an ERA+ of like 125. Look at the state of pitching injuries and he is one of the few pitchers who has shown to be durable and his game should age well. Yes, he blows up at times, but there are very few pitchers who can reliable pitch 180+ innings at 20-30% better than league average. Those are guys that anchor your rotation and you build around them.
If he was on another team (especially one in this division) with similar numbers/performance... we'd be envious. Hell, he was the best pitcher in the 2022 WS win, including the clincher. That normally buys a little bit of leeway in terms of hiccups here/there... but this place seems to burn down during the instances that he struggles, and that's all anybody seems to remember. His age and usage thus far would be my main concerns. The Astros have clearly gotten surplus/max value from him and he'll eventually succumb to some sort of ailment/injury that sidelines him. But he's far more valuable/accomplished/durable than people here are acknowledging. And he's not just easily replaceable by any means for a team looking to contend in 2026 and beyond.
I agree with this. I was really starting to lose faith in Framber earlier this season but he has bounced back strong. His meltdowns suck. His performance in game 6 last year still bothers me. Trust is earned. He is doing really well right now. I hope it continues.
Didn’t you already come up with the scenarios that no matter what, somebody will question who the 9th hitter is given this roster makeup. there is no ideal lineup right now. There will always be a flaw. Tucker coming back (this month??) will help. Dubon, Chas, Cabbage, Leon… just flip a coin or throw a dart at this point. Or do what espada is seemingly doing and have a pseudo rotation.
It was one game. I would have been more upset if he wasn’t in the lineup. They called him up so he needs to be in there everyday, whether he is ready or not. This OF defense is weak though. Dubon has been trash at the plate too so don’t see the point in weakening the defense.
