Put Caratini in for Singleton and there's your lineup. Also I would platoon Gamel/Whitcomb in LF when Tucker gets back. But to your point, that lineup is good enough to make the playoffs, particularly with the pitching they've been getting lately. Just gotta get Espada to do a beeter job of managing one run games. For some reason I've got a sinking feeling Espada's being bad in tight games is going to comeback and bite this team in the butt.
Taylor Rogers is still good, I think. Guessing he's on waivers because he makes more than SF is willing to pay for a guy to pitch regular season games only.
He's under contract for next season at $12 million I believe. With that said, would Houston have any interest? Not sure if he's still available but a cheaper option might be Drew Smyly. Mutual option for next year or $2 million buy out.
Here's the way I'm looking at things lining up for playoffs.... Game 1: Framber / high leverage relievers Game 2: Verlander 4 innings / Kikuchi 5 innings Game 3: Blanco / high leverage relievers Game 4: Brown / Arrighetti All things go as planned, none of the relievers have to go back to back days. If you get a 16 inning game scenario you can lean on Brown or Arrighetti late and fill in with bullpen game 4. Bullpen Hader Pressley Abreu Neris Scott Ferguson That's 12 pitchers. Figure: Altuve Bregman Yordan Tucker Diaz Gamel Pena Meyers Singelton Bench Dubon Caratini Whitcomb McCormick Salazar I could see argument for Aledmys over McCormick just for position depth.
I like getting Whitcomb more PAs in case he goes Evan Carter. Don't like Caratini being overused. Would not want to risk relying on Salazar because Caratini pulls a hammy or something. 7 game series I think he catches twice and dhs once.
What would you consider being overused? There's about 30 games to be played in the playoffs. I would think that using Caratini in those 30 games and having Salazar as the backup C would be something you should like because it gets the best bats on the field. Total there will be 30 games in the regular season and if every series went 7 games 30 in the post season. How many of these games do you want Caratini playing in? Also with 2 outs and the game on the line, who would you rather have at the plate Caratini or Singleton? The only reason the Stros are in this situation is because Dana didn't go out and get a MLB avg bat at the deadline. So the team has to take some risks to makeup for Dana's lack of action.
I posted about a week ago that the Cardinals told Pham that they would release him if that is what he wanted. Yeah - as I posted, the Astros have so degree of interest in Pham. I don't know if that has changed now that Tucker is making progress. Robbie Grossman is also available. Pham is capable of getting hot for a month or two and being an above average corner outfield bat at times - I personally hope that they get him.
Not saying he can't pinch hit. Just pointing out making him an everyday player increases the chances of suddenly being thin at catcher. I think a lot depends on matchups. If he's at DH that means Yordan is in left and Gamel is on the bench. Gamel may cool off (likely) but good bet he's a better bat than Caratini. I'm fine with Caratini at 1B in an emergency but not intentionally for a playoff game.
I'm not sure there's a need for an average bat. We kind of have that. If you ignore small sample size for Gamel and Whitcomb, they have 9 hitters with ops+ over 100. Most lineups have 4 or 5.
I don't mind bringing in competition for Ferguson. If you figure 6 starters all making the playoff roster, then Hader, Pressley, Abreu, Neris, and Scott; that leaves just one spot open. Figure that's likely Ferguson... so If he can't be better than Ferguson there's no room....
I wouldn't mind him. I saw Pham get some insanely clutch hits with the D-Backs last post-season run. He'll be below average to mediocre throughout the course of a long season but has the ability to rise to the occasion in big moments. This will allow them to also stop playing Dubon so much in the outfield.
Put Caratini or Diaz at 1b and the other at catcher if you want your best bats in the lineup. Put Yordan at DH, with Gamel in LF and Tucker in RF if you want to put your best lineup on the field in the playoffs. It's not like Singleton is any better defensively at 1B than Diaz/Caratini are. Caratini is hot with the bat and I'm a believer in riding the hot hand. Look at the runs scored when Diaz and Caratini are in the lineup.
