https://blogs.fangraphs.com/framber-valdez-finally-knows-where-his-pitches-are-going/ Fangraphs article on Valdez. Provides evidence his improvement in command is legit. Valdez, Javier, and Urquidy represent a trio of affordable starting pitchers who should be able to more than capably fill the 3-4-5 slots for the next 5+ years.
This would be huge if it stays the course. Valdez just needs to throw strikes especially with his curve. 11 swinging strikeouts with curve in the zone. Next highest has 5. Javier needs to work on endurance. It has been a weird season, and hopefully he would be better with a regular spring.
If the Astros could count on 15 war/year combined out of 5 young players (Alvarez, Tucker, Urquidy, Javier, and Valdez), their window unquestionably stays wide open thru 2024.
I am pretty skeptical about how good Scrubb will be long term, but totally agree on Paredes and Taylor. Cionel Perez has always had a high ceiling and he has looked really good since he joined the team this season. I also think several other young arms in the upper levels of Houstons farm will be very good relievers if they don’t make it as starters (Abreu, Torres, Dubin, Garcia, Whitley). There probably aren’t going to be ready replacements for the aces (Greinke and Verlander) but with the rest of the pitching staff filled by young cheap arms Houston should be able to focus their financial resources to fill those 2 spots.
Pretty amazing what Jeff Luhnow was building. I will root for him again if he gets another chance. It looks like Click is in good shape for the next few years.
Kaplan got scooped....https://theathletic.com/2023032/202...whats-different-about-framber-valdez-in-2020/ On curve.... “I’m getting a little bit more movement than I was on it last year, but it’s also a matter of being able to throw it where I want in the strike zone,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “Sometimes last year I would try to throw it a little bit too hard and get a little bit too much rotation on it and I couldn’t locate it. But this year it’s really been a great pitch for me because I’ve known the exact point that I want to throw it and have been able to get the movement and the location on it that I want to get.”
Is it a forgone conclusion that JV will need TJ after the season, or are we just assuming he will based on symptoms?
It wasn’t just Luhnow. A lot of the guys involved (scouting, etc.) are still with us. Click should do well.
From AstrosCounty ... Brian McTaggart says we could see the season debut of Game 4 Hero Jose Urquidy as early as Saturday against the Angels.
