Dallas Keuchel is pitching 5th in the rotation after Vince Velasquez (former Astros who has a career 4.95 ERA and .413 winning %). Oh how the mighty have fallen.
In Keuchel's last couple of years here,it felt like you could tell how his start would go based on his max velocity in the first inning. 91? Look out for a complete game shutout (if he hits 92, look out!) 89-90? Quality start 87-88? Lucky if he makes it to the 5th Margin for error with a fastball in the 80s is just really, really low.
While I'm not a huge fan of Niko he is nowhere near robel as a player. Niko Goodrum is a solid major league player. Baez is washed though, what a waste lol
Obviously it is early... my biggest problem thus far has been Goodrum's defense. He struggled in spring training and has an error already. I'm not sure I want him as the backup SS over Diaz and that is disappointing.
But their former pitchers (outside of Cole) would barely get through 5 games without being injured or shelled.
Musgrove threw as many innings as Cole last year. Sandoval made 14 starts and had a decent ERA. Hauser averaged more than 5 inn/start over 26 starts with a 3.22 ERA. Guys excluded due to too old or pure sucking VV kind of sucked, but he made 20 something starts. Keuchel and Lyles predated the 2014 cutoff but they didn't pitch well either. With Hader in the pen, I'm confident one could assemble the not worst team in baseball with Astros castoffs.
The staff ace for the Pirates has a career 5.36 ERA. The years of winning has really jaded Astros fans on what a horrible team is really like.
I thought the Pirates got relegated? And if any team's fans over the age of 12 should remember what a horrible team is really like, it's the Astros.
Gerrit Cole Ripped by Yankee fans. https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/arti...QdDjH3voy5g52JuT4EANXUW4DccL1cIaRAZnYa7b2Oue4
