I agree that's it's unreasonable to expect THIS Kikuchi to continue showing up for the Astros. But Astros history has shown he should continue to be better than he ever has been before. And in order to get more than a $50M guarantee in FA, he does not need to continue to be THIS good. Just the median between this and his career stats gives him that if he stays healthy.
If Kikuchi remains this effective the rest of the season, anything <$50M total value is probably a bargain, mainly because even when he wasn’t this good, he was healthy and able to pitch bulk competitive innings. So at $50M even if he falls back into the less effective guy he was before getting to Houston, he will still have value as a BoR stabilizer.
someone talked about this last year, getting Ohtani could pay for itself just with Asian/Japanese subscriptions to an in house streaming network. Kikuchi doesn't have that kind of pull but if you get 2 really good Japanese players, maybe the math would work.
Yeah, I am. Grew up in Spring Branch though and off Memorial and Highway 6. Not really. It's mostly Ohtani over here, but most devoted baseball fans follow teams with Japanese players (Cubs, Dodgers, Padres, Tigers and now maybe the Astros). Yeah, but **** the Dodgers.
Y'all losing y'all gdamn mind. Show me a comp in the past couple of years of someone with this mediocre a career with a losing record getting paid that much money for that length of time? Prisoners of the moment doesn't even begin to describe this. Pecking order: Burnes Wheeler Fried Buehler Bieber Scherzer Verlander Flaherty Morton Cobb Severino Pivetta Means KIKUCHI
he's gonna say it at the end of the season soaked in champagne... "i literally love this team..." Houston's gotta keep showing him rockstar love though for him to be all in about the city/fans: "...and the fans and the city" You cant wait to hear it. This is our year again, pitching improbables/injuries aside... its a dynamic year with multiple storylines... vs who though: LAD / ATL / PHI...?
Joe Espada looked embarrassed after Tyler Scott gave up a 2 Run Home Run. Joe Espada really needs to stop pulling Kikuchi after 100 pitches. Kikuchi was in rhythm and getting outs in the inning, Nobody was on base. Let the bullpen pitchers get a fresh inning in the 6th instead 5 2/3 with nobody on base. Joe Espada really needs talk about this 100 pitch limit with Dana Brown. Let Kikuchi reach 110 pitches with 5 innings, instead 4 2/3 100 pitches. Kikuchi was in rhythm in the last inning, Joe pulled Kikuchi and would've lost the game, by this bad decision.
Love that so far he able to settle down after bad starts and stay calm even after all those errors. I think Framber would've gone in full meltdown mode after the first couple.
