Has it been 2 seasons of injuries for Brantley on the Astros. Meanwhile Yuli Gurriel is heating up as a hitter in August, plus he still runs fast on the bases and playing 1st.
Has it been 2 seasons of injuries on the Astros. Meanwhile Yuli Gurriel is heating up as a hitter in August, plus he still runs fast on the bases and playing 1st.
Breaking news: Brantley hurt himself scratching his ass. Astros are calling it "ass discomfort". He's day to day
Heating up in August? He's 5 for 20 with 2 Xtra base hits, 0 RBIs, 1 run and 2 walks while platooning...
Hypothetically, this lineup would just be pure chef’s kiss… hell, they could even consider it again next year if MB is truly healthy (and signs another token FA deal). Altuve 2B Bregman 3B Yordan LF Tucker RF Diaz C Chas CF Brantley DH Abreu 1B Pena SS
We get a kiss from Chef Boyardee most nights from Dusty. Maldy, Dubon, Kessinger (Julks when he was here) - pick 2 of 3 and insert them for guaranteed dead outs.
Two days later. "Brantley had minor discomfort after the game. To be safe, he'll be day to day until further notice."
I just don’t see Brantley helping this team this year. It will add further confusion to playing time at LF and DH. You know the first person to lose playing time will be Chas, because Dusty doesn’t like him and prefers to play someone else. Now he will feel like he can. Brantley already lost his power last year, hasn’t faced major league pitching in over a year, and likely will take a minute to get his timing down. I see it more as a disruption at this point. Chas, with his nearly .900 OPS will lose the most at bats because of this.
If it isn’t Chas, it will be Diaz because the DH slot will be less available. Either way, a very good hitter with power will be replaced by a highly uncertain hitter with none. As a purely situational pitch hitter and occasional starter, Brantley would be great (if he can still hit), but there is no chance that Dusty will not bat him 2nd nearly every game.
Chas needs to be full time center fielder, Brantley and Alvarez should split the LF/DH duties, and Diaz needs to be the main catcher. If Framber and Verlander wants Maldy as their personal catcher, then you give them that choice, but no other pitcher has been good enough other than JP who uses Diaz to make that choice.
I'm still expecting nothing from Brantley, but it's sad we're conflicted about a potentially useful bat coming back because we know our manager is gonna f**k up player usage.
I think this belongs in the I have grown to hate which ever player this week thread. BTW I to have come to hate Abreu and Maldonado. Or...... He has hit the 2nd plateau
Hot Take: Brantley still has a chance to provide 1.2 fWAR for the Astros and earn his contract this season. I am of the opinion that Brantley could fall out of a boat in the middle of the ocean and still lace a single onto a dry patch of grass.
