As for Kluber…. His FIP was only 3.50 compared to an era of nearly 4.50. He also had his control amazingly return, he only walked one batter per 9 innings, the best in baseball. However he was giving up more contact and his strikeouts were down…. I guess he could give the Astros 150-175 competitive innings.
Maybe the scouting department know a way to help him. They have improve many pitchers that they've targeted over the years.
More than likely Kluber would be superfluous like Odorizzi because I don't think we need to invest in another pitcher safety net. However assuming he's fairly cheap it's never a terrible idea to play it as safe as possible with pitching depth, particularly if you think he has something you can unlock.
Kluber's fastball was down to 89 mph last year edit...I guess he's only throwing his fastball for 1.2% of his pitches now. 15 quality starts out of 31 starts isn't bad at all. If he can go 5-6 innings and only give up a 2-3 runs then that could work with this offense.
I don't understand a single thing about a Kluber signing. I don't need to experience the Odorizzi debacle all over again.
What was a "debacle" about Odorizzi ? He was a league average starter who saved the good pitchers some innings for when we needed them. We stayed really healthy and he ended up being unnecessary but a superfluous starter is hardly some awful problem.
26.3% But, if Contreras is going to largely take Brantley's ABs, and it's between him and a natural OF for our extra bat, then it's more appropriate to compare to Brantley, Benintendi, Conforto, etc. It sounds like, if signed, Contreras + Maldy would both start a healthy majority of games.
Kluber: I would not be surprised if, in part, he is reaching out and seeing if he can hop on for another chance at a ring as his career is nearing the end. Crane said you can never have enough pitching, and we were very lucky with health last year. Could also be a sign that JV is probably gone (though I'd rather sign him than Contreras, keep the pick, and go after someone on the trade market).
Yes! As a long time lurker (but everyday reader) on this site, I have blocked a few dozen idiots over the years, and I now have a near 100% success rate in having no clue as to what people are getting all riled up about, because I have already blocked whomever the original poster is (it's almost always repeat offenders). This has tremendously improved my enjoyment of this board, and I really wish all websites offered this feature, because god knows every single one has their morons/trolls/bigots/political crazies/etc. Go Astros!!
You noted: 1. Can never have too much pitching. 2. Lucky with health, so insurance. 3. Sign that JV is gone. I'll add 4. JV signing is uncertain 5. Crane likes the 6 man rotation. 6. Crane wants trade material protection. Our best trade value are young pitchers. So if one was part of a trade package for say, a Centerfielder or LF/DH type, he would still have a much cheaper short term solution to maintaining the 6 man rotation. In some ways it is an Odorizzi type move, but I actually didn't hate the move as much as many. For example, he might not have vetoed the Urquidy for Contreras deal if he had an Urquidy replacement aboard. But only he knows what he is thinking. I do know from that he is focused on TOTAL VALUE and not a trade just for the desired player at any cost.
How will the shift restrictions affect Altuve? Last year, Altuve has a great offensive year, but his dWAR fell to -1.2. Without delving into the details of dWAR, will the new rule expose a lack of range among 2B in general? If Jose does even worse without shifts (and I'm not forecasting either way), would it be time to consider him as the Primary DH and find a 2B with better range? It might affect our targets if the numbers guys have already calculated probable outcomes. As for Yordan, there seems to be a chasm between those who consider him too fragile to be the primary LF and those who see him in that role with occasional breaks playing DH. I like playing GM, but it feels like the difference between juggling 3 balls and 5 with the shift restrictions making comparisons with the immediate past seasons less meaningfull.
But they’re also likely skeptical that LMJ/Javier/Urquiddy/Brown can handle the full load of a seasons worth of pitching.
I had the thought that trading Urquidy for a long term cost controlled bat (or an elite lefty reliever) might make sense even if they don’t sign Verlander, because they can likely sign a player who can replace Urquidy’s 2023 projections pretty cheaply; Cueto or Kluber fit that description.
Verlander gave us 175 innings in the 2022 regular season and the front office will be looking to replace those innings somehow. Hunter Brown and Lance McCullers are the two obvious choices to fill the void (relative to innings pitched in 2022). The most innings Hunter Brown has pitched in his professional career is 106 (in the minors). McCullers has an injury history. If we do want to use a 6-man rotation, then I can see adding an innings-eating starter. If we want to utilize the more conventional 5-man rotation, then an additional starter is a luxury that we don't need. Some of why we used a 6-man rotation last year is to relieve pressure on Verlander, which may no longer be necessary. Misael Tamarez is a young name to watch who might debut with the Astros next year... he has moved rapidly through the system to Sugar Land last year and is only 22 y/o. Starting Rotation F Valdez C Javier L McCullers L Garcia J Urquidy H Brown Next Options F Whitley B Bielak M Tamarez
