How about the Mets trade the Astros a SP to lessen the chance JV throws another 83 innings? Saving them 17.5M?
Blue Jays just put Kiermaier on waivers but he is on roster and currently playing. Of he gets claimed they will take him off the roster. If he isn't they can release him or keep him. How many Astros players should they try this with? Montero? McCullers? Anyone else?
Don't most teams place A LOT of players on waivers for that exact purpose? I don't think that's changed much in the last 20+ years. But yes, all "overpaid" or past-prime players can get put on (LMJ, Montero). Nobody will claim them.
Right now I would bet that Verlander is our September addition to the pitching staff. There is no way he pitches in July and I would say it is at best 50/50 that he pitches in August. At this point I think he and the Astros know this and that the option isn't going to vest. So their thinking is just rest him for September (4-5 starts) and the playoffs. As for next year, I would be willing to bet that the Astros (or any team) can pretty much sign JV for what the Astros were going to have to pay if it vested. The cost of re-signing him is plummetting by the day.
I agree that Verlander is saving his strength for late Aug or early Sept. Not a terrible idea. I would also say that, until the playoffs, limit him to 80 pitches a start. Then see if he can let it rip and dominate in the playoffs. He’s 41. Expecting him to be able to go hard for more than 10-12 starts in a row is foolish. 5 or 6 starts to ramp up for the playoffs and see what he can do as a 4th starter once we are there. Maybe hold him out of the 1st round even. I could also see him coming out of the pen in the postseason, if needed. I am hoping that Garcia comes back nastier than ever but that may not happen until next year. I think we need to acquire an innings eater for the stretch run.
Holding him out of the first round is like keeping Cole in the bullpen in a game 7... there may not be a tomorrow. 6 man rotation is how to keep everyone fresh with Ronel and Arrighetti nearing career highs in innings. And Ronel played winter ball...
It's too bad Yainer's playoff experience was so limited last season. ELEVEN games available, yet he started ZERO at his position -- and the guy who replaced him served a 425 OPS and allowed almost every runner to advance bases at will.
I agree about save JV's bullets for the stretch run, playoffs. I don't agree with how you want to go about saving the bullets. JV pitching out of the bullpen or 80 pitches, Nope.
Can JV throw 115 pitches? 120? 125? I think the best use of him is longer outings spread further apart.
Maybe over 100 is extreme but he has pitched 7 innings 3 times this year and all 3 were w/ less than 100 pitches. His last 2 were both only 5 ip and over 100 pitches. Clearly he wasn't right. His numbers show that he is better during pitches # 75-99 than he is #51-75. I think the best thing the Astros could do is give him 5 days rest between all starts but try to get 7-8 innings per start.
He's always been around a 15-20 pitch per inning guy. I would have him throw 90-100 pitches and 5-6 innings.
