Yainer’s k rate is pretty concerning as we are getting close to a meaningful sample size for him. Same for Walker and (to a lesser degree) Yordan. I am very encouraged by Pena so far.
Last night sucked but on the whole I am encouraged. Wesneski is looking like a dude - Clean Car! Thank you Miller and Murphy for the detail. You know Altuve, Paredes, Yordan, Walker, and Diaz are going to hit. The offense is going to be about finding reasonable offense from the other 4 positions. I'm cautiously optimistic about Pena taking a step up and Rodgers and Meyers figuring something out. That would leave onlyvRF, and those candidates are probably the most talented, offensively. Bullpen are volatile by nature. Find 7-8 who have good stuff and makeup and hope 4-5 are hot at any one time. So far so good. Then just hope/pray for health
I am frustrated that it is costing the team runs, and possibly wins. I'm not worried though, because it's clearly a mechanical issue. His swing is out of whack, which happens to all hitters. His front shoulder is flying open. Good reps will correct it and I know he is working on it. If he doesn't figure it out in another 2-3 weeks then I will worry.
I actually think the Arrighetti injury could benefit the team in the long run. It's not a joint or arm injury. No reason to expect and lingering effects or risks. It's early in the season. It will help keep his innings down and his arm fresh down the stretch. The potential replacements - Gusto, Blubaugh, Gordon, Ullola, McCullers - are head and shoulders above France, Dubin, Henley, Bloss, etc. in potential performance. Getting one or two of the youngsters some experience early in the season should be beneficial next year when Framber is gone.
Yeah, worst performing SP coming off a career high ip last season breaking his finger the day after his start the week before an off day 2 weeks before a #2 SP returns from injury…it’s not the end of the world.
Yordan has a longer body of work, so I know he will figure it out. Yanier has always been undisciplined so I'm am more worried. Chas has had more good seasons than Yanier. He's a catcher so he has more leeway but he shouldn't be batting 5th if he sucks. Walker missed out on most of ST so I'm reserving judgement. I do think he is pressing a little bit.
Diaz will he fine. But even when he is swinging the bat well he profiles more as a 6-7 hitter than a 4-5 hitter. He swings at everything, has a typical launch angle that limits HR, despite his power, and he isn't slow, but doesn't bring any additional baserunning value. If this team can find someone who can produce in the 5th spot, keeping Diaz at 6th or lower that will bode well for this offense.
Too long is a relative term coming out of Spring training. A well managed team has better prepared pitchers coming out of Spring, and more of them. Starters are expected to run in to difficulties the first couple of times through the rotation. Managers are expected to be prepared for it. Hitters on the other hand should have worked out all the kinks. They should be completely familiarized with their assignments after an intensive month of preparations and hit the ground running. Ten games into the season Houston's manager is still shuffling them around while he decides what those assignments will be. Wins and losses in the first ten games are all attributable to how well a team is managed. The decisions and preparations he made all winter are coming to fruition. He has had weeks to control every aspect of every players life (players who are or are not there based upon his decisions) like he will never have again for the rest of the year. Their performance directly reflects his performance all off season.
I expect Dana to get a decent prospect out of this deal. Covering majority of this salary is essentially Dana buying a prospect. This should be his bread and butter
Brown should have very good knowledge of the Braves system too. David McCabe would be a reasonable but good high ceiling get.
