Dubin is fine as a multi inning back of the pen guy. If he ever gains command he's got a chance to be so much more. His stuff is really good.
Remember when Alvarez of the Mets was competing with Diaz in the rookie catcher race last year? Alvarez .243 6 HR 28 RBI .705 OPS Ouch
So with this Bregman situation, to get Caratini into the lineup Diaz has to play first. We probably sustain that 2 out of every 3 games. At some point Diaz has to catch semi regularly. Bregman please get that elbow right. This is certainly not an optimal situation with Alvarez manning left field every night.
Yeah, true.... IF things happen like you said. The problem is Bregman. We don't expect league-average from him at 3B, neither offensively nor defensively -- so his replacement will most likely be a downgrade. Astros also do not want Yordan in LF on a regular basis. If Bregs is DH'ing, Yordan is playing defense. Astros can still the championship as currently constructed (if Tucker returns) -- but Bregman's injury decreases the chances because we're forced being more dependent on unproven players (Whitcomb or whomever plays 3B) and risking more injury by Yordan playing the outfield and prob getting lesser defense than the average LF. Hopefully Bregs can play 1B more than DH -- Astros need more flexibility at DH for many reasons.
Agreed with most of this. The Stros dont want Yordan to play LF, but they usually win when he does. There are roughly 40 games left Yordan should be playing LF in 30 of them. Is Yordan some fragile dude that gets hurt at the drop of a hat? I haven't seen this and for the record I dont think he should be playing LF more than about 100 games per season. He should be playing LF regularly in the playoffs and at the end of the season against the Guardians. You're also correct that Whitcomb is a down grade from Bregs. That's even more reason to put the best lineup on the field as possible. That means more Yordan in LF. Agreed about Bregs playing 1B and giving Espada more flexibilty. But I want to know what the many reasons are that Yordan cant play 100 games a year in LF? Especially since he's said in the past he likes playing OF.
This could be your post season lineup: 2B Altuve 1B Bregman LF Alvarez C Diaz RF Tucker SS Pena DH Caratini CF Meyers 3B Whitcomb Bench: Singleton, Dubon, McCormick, Gamel
I really haven't followed the Astros as closely this season as I have in the past 10. But there are so many names I don't recognize, they have to be doing something right to be in the hunt, much less in the lead.
The problem is exacerbated by the necessity to keep Crushtini's bat in the lineup. If you're like me and want Yordong, BregTheMang, Yainer, and Crushtini in the lineup every single day, it means Yordong has to play LF every single day. Even though I don't like the prospect of that at all, it's the only possible way to get them all in there now that BregTheMang can't play 3B.
did you already forget that he had both knees operated on, and missed an entire season before he was even 25? There are concerns about his knees continuing to worsen as he ages. He can play there… he takes pride in working hard to be better there… but that much wear/tear will eventually lead to more problems. (That’s always been expected ever since the knee conditions were discovered). or you can optimize him now… and possibly hasten it. He’s also had leg issues as of this season that relegated him to longer DH stints, so this is not a “theoretical” issue.
He's fine, the surgeries were successful. Football players have these type of injuries at age 25 or younger and go on to have double digit year careers in a sport that's much more conducive to re-injury. He can handle 100 games a year in LF.
Question about Breggy, if he can't play 3rd because throwing can aggravate the elbow, what happens when Breggy has to throw someone out at home or second? I get that its less frequent, but it will happen. I`m still not buying the whole, "he slept on it wrong", I dont trust the FO or the player to tell us the truth but who sleeps on their arm wrong and then can't play the field the entirety of the year.........these injuries are frustrating Anyway, great win last night and Spaghetti is looking like the real deal, we could have a surplus of pitching next year
It’s not “normal” for 20 something year olds to require knee surgeries due to genetic conditions that will get the best of him at some point. Run him out there as much as you want… but they’re trying to prolong his career with DH use, and try their best to avoid a Yao Ming type arc. Everytime you see him at second base flexing his knees after running the bases, you should constantly remind yourself that he’s never going to be 100% from a joint standpoint. I fully expect you to now put your head in the sand and not acknowledge any of this and stick with your opinion based on “football players”… carry on.
Yao Ming is a terrible comparison. We're talking about 100 games a year not 162 games a year. You make it out that if he plays OF 100 games a year he's going to shorten his career by 5 years. I dont buy this line of thinking. Carry On.
Jeff Bagwell 2002-2004. Couldn’t throw the ball 3 feet. Still played nearly every game till he finally had to shut it down. Had they had the DH position in the NL back then, he probably never would have had the surgery and the Astros would have gotten possibly one more + year of him at the plate.
