After having abysmal discipline last season and to start this season Jose Altuve is back to walking again. Since mid June his walk, K, and whiff rates are more in line with his previous post pandemic numbers. Generally terrible plate discipline was the main cause of his struggles and, at least for now, it seems to be corrected. One other curious aside from perusing his statcast page. His bat speed was down around 68 MPH the first 2 months of the season, but has now recovered back to his "normal" 70 MPH. The bat speed data only goes back to late 23 so I don't know what "normal" really is for him career wise, but even with the small sample we have his bat speed was clearly low to start the season for some reason.
Fun mockery of anyone who was anti-Correa trade, dreaming of what this roster could look like 9/1 or come playoff time and a hat tip to the 2004 Astros for my favorite stretch drive ever. Read, share. If you subscribe (and it's free to do so- not trying to get any money out of this from readers) get signed up for drawing for 2 free playoff tickets.
I saw that. I swear I had it right and my VA had it wrong. He got the right picture up there. My VA is for my day job but he works in the Phillipines and is actually becoming an Astros fan. Some of the things he texts me as he's trying to learn/understand the game are pretty funny. I might make him write a column at the end of the year.
Paredes headed to Florida for rehab. Does that mean he found a Waco witch doctor and cured himself. Huge if true.
Hummel wasn’t playing at all and with the current roster I don’t think there’s room for another player to play, which makes me think it’ll be Davidson, Whitcomb, or Salazar coming up to ride pine.
I would also put this team's acquisition of Correa as a huge motivating factor for Paredes to try and come back ASAP. Especially if the Astros were truly entertaining extension offers prior to the trade. Some may say that's not really a great reason to try and rush back... but some would say this is probably the most incentivizing factor (a big contract). Just as long as our medical staff is able to eval/clear him prior to running on full strength. Oh wait...
I think its Whitcomb. It would be Davidson but he has not impressed me. Believe it or not, with Trammell and Sanchez, this team. Needs RH for the OF. Chas is getting more play and improving. I hope he is snapping out of it. But just a RH bench bat is all that is needed and Whitcomb has enough versatility to make that work. I am still skeptical of Chas, but I would love to be wrong.
Last two starts in the 9 hole 7 PA 2 Doubles 1 walk was very unlucky in his last at bat, he hit it on a rope but it was snared. Woulda been his 3rd double. He also made a heck of a diving catch and didn’t do anything stupid. Espada putting Chas in CF is probably good for his damaged self confidence.
I have noticed. 2023 or even 2022 Chas would be huge. I know you think I hate him but I honestly hope he can rediscover his bat.
He went 10 days without a start, and with Jake and hopefully Yordan coming back soon, he’s gonna have to learn how to hit off the bench with sporadic playing time.
Not having to compete with Hummell for PT can only help. Bringing up Melton instead of Whitcomb also helps him iMO
I kind of share your skepticism. The year Valbuena left to the Angels I recall him saying he couldn't sit for a month. No matter the grade that injury is always serious. So for Paredes to travel to FL to rehab just seems unthinkable. Are they carrying him around like Hannibal in a trolley.
