1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Cristian Javier's Invisiball

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Joe Joe, Jul 27, 2020.

  1. Tomstro

    Tomstro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2016
    Messages:
    16,868
    Likes Received:
    13,560
    When he was hitting the low outside corner on right handers, he was unhittable.
     
    lw17 and Houstunna like this.
  2. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2013
    Messages:
    32,635
    Likes Received:
    23,315
    I remember a video game from the 90s (prob Triple Play) having "R Fastball" as a pitch selection. But it was only Randy and a few others
     
  3. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    23,839
    Likes Received:
    13,895
    https://theathletic.com/3758277/2022/11/03/astros-cristian-javier-invisible-fastball/

    “It’s almost a pitch that you have to cheat to a little bit to be able to square it up,” Castellanos said of Javier’s ride. “And by cheating to his fastball, like exactly what happened in my first at-bat, you’re opened to all of his offspeed stuff. Him and Vázquez just did a good job of game planning and keeping us off-balance.”
    ...

    “The guy was cool as if it was June or July,” said manager Dusty Baker, who tabbed Javier for a pivotal Game 4 because he knew the moment wouldn’t faze him. “That’s how he is. I was glad that, I heard his mom and dad were here from the Dominican. They got to see him pitch. It’s always great when do you something in front of your folks. I mean, this is a world stage here. People from all over the world are watching this, and he certainly put himself on the map.”

     
    Rock Block, Xerobull and ROCKSS like this.
  4. Nook

    Nook Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2008
    Messages:
    53,789
    Likes Received:
    111,506
    The media and in this case baseball media (which is so arrogant) are funny.

    Christian Javier was doing this same thing in the minor leagues and couldn't even crack a top 100 prospect list when the Astros were telling teams that Javier was not available in trades.

    The self-important Keith Law actually praised himself for saying he felt Javier could be a long reliever or a #5 spot starter years ago... then again Law as recently as a week ago said that Valdez was "probably an above average MLB starter".

    Javier has long been a calm guy - his Latin teammates call him "the reptile".
     
  5. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    23,839
    Likes Received:
    13,895
    While I was annoyed by Javier not being rated slightly higher than he was by FanGraphs 3 years ago, (he was half a grade out of the Top 100), I'm much more annoyed that he was in the pen instead Odorizzi at times last year and this year, Astros fans including him as a trade option this year, and the general lack of understanding about how he's been a great pitcher this year by the media and others.

    I hated the mentions of a deceptive delivery in prospect reports when it was quite obvious the shape of his fastball was likely the reason it played up even without tracking data.
     
    noppeper, Stoic Rob and Nook like this.
  6. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2000
    Messages:
    21,569
    Likes Received:
    10,432
    Javier over the last 2 months which spans 7 starts (not including is one inning of relief against Seattle) has an ERA of 0.225 over 41 innings. Of those 7 starts, he's given up 1 hit or less in 5 of them. If that doesn't make him the Ace of the club, I don't know what does.

    Also add the 2 no hitters he's been involved in on the road in the most hostile stadiums to play in. It doesn't matter if we give Verlander 40 million to stay and he wins a Cy Young, Javier should go into next season as our number 1 pitcher.
     
    #87 rockbox, Nov 3, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2022
    lw17 likes this.
  7. Marshall Bryant

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2018
    Messages:
    8,764
    Likes Received:
    4,704
    Randy's side arm delivery actually did rise, but it rose right out of his hand.
     
  8. Nook

    Nook Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2008
    Messages:
    53,789
    Likes Received:
    111,506
    Click knew he was good, but still didn't have him in the rotation. At the beginning of this year he said ""I need to find a way to get Javier in the rotation".

    Look no farther than the fact that the guy that signed Valdez, Javier and Urquidy left the Astros in the last week because they did not promote him to top scout or find a spot for him in the front office. That once may comeback to bite Click, who keeps going to bat for Gross, who hasn't done a damn thing great.
     
    Qan and Stoic Rob like this.
  9. Marshall Bryant

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2018
    Messages:
    8,764
    Likes Received:
    4,704
    I have been on the bandwagon for three players this year. JV, Javier and Henderson. I still expect a great game from JV every time he pitches. Javier is now on everyone's list, but I was arguing he was a third starter when others had already relegated him to the Bull Pen. Henderson has just given excellent PAs since he was called up when many wilt or swing for the fences.
     
  10. Marshall Bryant

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2018
    Messages:
    8,764
    Likes Received:
    4,704
    Cristian (Cool Head) Javier.
     
  11. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    23,839
    Likes Received:
    13,895
    https://theathletic.com/3758591/2022/11/03/world-series-no-hitter-cristian-javier/

    And if you’re asking, “Has anyone else ever done this?” … you know the answer! And it’s no! In the annals of Baseball Reference’s database, which is nearly complete over the last 107 years, not a single pitcher has ripped off six straight regular-season and/or postseason starts of five innings or more, allowing two hits or fewer. Not Nolan Ryan. Not Randy Johnson. Not Sandy Koufax. Not one.

    WEIRD AND WILD: “Did you know (Javier) had five straight starts allowing two hits or fewer even before he did this tonight? That’s crazy, isn’t it?
     
  12. crose

    crose Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2005
    Messages:
    1,599
    Likes Received:
    328
    Big Orange Machine, please let this be the game that we put it all together and open up a complete can of whup-ass on ‘em!
     
  13. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2000
    Messages:
    21,569
    Likes Received:
    10,432

    He's the best pitcher wearing an Astros uniform right now and that's saying a lot since we also have a Cy young winner and a guy who broke the record for quality starts on the squad. This could be the modern day Glavine, Maddux, and Smoltz if we can resign Verlander.
     
    cmoak1982 likes this.
  14. RocketsDraftTV

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2022
    Messages:
    1,003
    Likes Received:
    779
    let verlander walk

    javier, garcia, uriquidy, and framber are enough... plus we have hunter brown coming on
     
  15. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2000
    Messages:
    21,569
    Likes Received:
    10,432
    I would resign Verlander if it is not a crazy long contract, and trade urquidy and Garcia for a bat.
     
  16. AkeemTheDreem86

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2007
    Messages:
    3,019
    Likes Received:
    1,494
    What in the absolute ****??? That is just insane. Go Stros.
     
  17. BlindHog

    BlindHog Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2021
    Messages:
    1,448
    Likes Received:
    1,065
    Urquidy and Garcia both project to be top 60 ML pitchers next season. They are young and cheap and controllable #2 pitchers. What bat do you think is worth that and is available for trade. (There isn't one.) A bat worth that much is not one you trade.
     
    jklb likes this.
  18. cmlmel77

    cmlmel77 Up all Night Watching Houston Sports

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    1,835
    Likes Received:
    3,866
    And yet we will still have pages of posts in the off-season about how the farm system is ranked, how many players are top-100, whether and how it gets “above average” with a few more elite players, etc.

    The ranking systems have been dead wrong about the Astros for years now. That discrepancy has been the real “secret sauce” of the title runs.

    My worry is that it seems that the people in the system who are fundamentally better at spotting and developing talent than the ranking guys are all leaving. If the Astros have to go back to just picking and developing consensus prospects, they will quickly return to the pack.
     
    Nook, Qan and BlindHog like this.
  19. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2021
    Messages:
    5,263
    Likes Received:
    5,888
    In my opinion if you have 6 SP plus an emergency guy in AAA you are golden.

    If you have 7 SP you have a problem.

    That's why Javier was in the bullpen for so long.

    If JV is gone then no problem. (until someone like Jayden Murray is ready in 2024)

    If JV resigns then this team MUST trade a starting pitcher ( in my opinion)

    JV, Framber, Javier, Lance, Garcia, and Urquidy are all established and relegating any of them to the bullpen is a waste of talent and value.

    I could see Brown in the bullpen because he is still technically a rookie but it's just throwing a band aid on it. They would have the same issue in 2024 but the potential trade chip pitcher would have 1 year less control and less value.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now