My issue with him was when he was healthy and throwing 97+ mph, he was getting hit pretty regularly by minor leaguers. It's like when Montero was getting hit last season when his stuff looked really good. Batters just knew where it was going. Nook mentioned his arm slot issues. I hope for the Astros sake, he provides value, but he has shown nothing in 5 years to provide me optimism other than his pedigree and physical traits.
Jake Meyers is best served being a platoon split because of his bat. Having said that, I am okay with the Astros trying to find out what they actually have from him over a full season. Because of his glove and sometimes power, he doesn't have to be a world beater to be an above average centerfielder. The Astros have other options on the farm at his position, so I don't think they are that scared if he is mediocre. Javier has to be treated with kid gloves sometimes, when it comes to innings and pitch count - but when he is healthy, he is capable of being the best starter on the staff and more. Long term he really needs to do a strength conditioning program - but for this season he just needs to be rested. War for pitchers is not the be all-end all for me personally. I certain like Coleman's chances more than Whitley's - but both are worth a shot. Coleman is really a 1.5 pitch pitcher, but when he has control if it, it is nasty and I have heard he has added some velocity. Brown can be an excellent reliever - can be be a #2 starter? The short answer is I am skeptical - but maybe. He is another guy that needs to build up stamina. I don't trust his command though. Injuries for sure - if one of the leverage relievers crater, then we are in trouble - although we can probably get one at the deadline. Altuve's range? Abreu's range? Those are the other two I can think of.
The fast ball should be his third most used offering. It is fine right outside the zone to foul off - but he wasn't putting anyone away with it. I actually think he should pitch to contact.
How about this, let's make a run with the guys that have bring us for the next couple of years. Hope one of the guys like Loperfido, Baez or Gomez hit by 2026 and if they can't develop a third baseman then trade for one. Meanwhile draft and develop pitching and keep the Cuban, Dominican, Venezuelan pipeline open when it comes to pitching prospects.
I think Shohei probably is the closest you will see in terms of pitching repertoire, but Yamamoto has a filthier split finger. Even filthier than Gausman's. I would not be surprised if he breaks all the records for a first contract from an import and gets closer to 300 million. I think the one or more of the Dodgers, Yankees, or Mets will think he is worth it. If he gets closer to 200 million, there will be an opt out where he can enter free agency after 2-3 seasons. I just don't see him failing unless he gets injured. His pitches are just nasty.
I agree. I just hope he finally listens to the pitching coaches and stops letting the ego of being the next biggest prospect get in the way of finally living up to some of his potential. It would be different if he was throwing harder than he was when he was 19 but he isn't. Throw breaking balls all day long like McCullers and dare people to swing at them.
Yamamoto reminds me a lot of Hideo Nomo, but with better command. I think Yamamoto is a good investment for someone like the Mets or another team that can invest that kind of money with the chance he may only be a #3-4 type pitcher. The Dodgers, Mets and Giants are the teams that I think should gamble on that........ if the Astros were coming out of a rebuild, then I would be comfortable with them dropping 250 million on him over a decade. His best fit I think in Mets or Dodgers though - the upside is a #1 pitcher. He is a really mentally strong guy too, he could handle pitching in NY.
Grienke is too old , but id kick the tires on Jordan Lyles , KC prolly doesnt want to pay him , but he can eat innings for us until (if we get healthy ) Just figure out whatever the milwaukee pitching coach told him and replicate that. We can have singelton and Lyles lead us to greatness, just like we all predicted.
Yes, Altuve’s ability to play acceptable defense at 2B will be something to monitor from here to the end of his career. It is hard to see him being able to be a full time DH, especially on a team with Alvarez. I have worried the last few years that with his body type he could fall off a cliff at any time. A lost step could be devastating to his defense and ability to turn outs into singles and singles into doubles, which is a significant part of his value. But he has defied all odds to this point so we will just have to hope for the best. Im not worried much about Abreu, I find it very unlikely he will be any worse over 2024-2025 than he was in 2023 and he might degrade defensively but I don’t see him becoming so bad he can’t play 2 more years. With him it’s just a matter of can he stay healthy enough to be the best of what remains of him. If he does then he could almost be on the upside list because he just had a 3+ win season in 2022. If he declines his worst case is a slightly above replacement level 1B who can still hit at the bottom of the order every day until his contract runs out.
Maybe the advanced numbers say last year was the only time he was bad against righties, but the actual numbers don't His OPS vs RHP last year was .646, in 22 it was .587 Very limited sample size so in no way am I saying he can't be average or above as an everyday guy vs RHP, but so far he has looked pretty awful against them Ideal situation would be have a guy who can hit RHP that can play either LF or CF and platoon them, but I have a strong feeling what we have now is what we will have
Problem with Whitley is he thinks he knows more than everyone else. If he was ever willing to work with his coaches, take criticism and use it constructively, and realize others around him know a thing or two about pitching, he still might make it But as a guy who throws hard and thinks he knows more than everyone, he will never amount to anything but a busted prospect
Trust me - I know more than most. Some of the stories I have heard from the Astros current and former employees is hard to believe. He got into a fight with Strom even. Tim Redding even reached out to him to talk to him about it all - nothing worked.
Episode 41 of breathing orange fire is up- and we talk about Ohtani, get refuted about a backup catcher and predict the rest of the Astros offseason and a little on the Soto trade. please listen, like, rate and review.
There's an alternate universe out there where Whitely and Frankie Martes are headlining the Astros rotation, with Jake Meyers, Abraham Toro, and JD Davis as their all-star everyday players.
Yamamoto was light years better than Nomo in JPL. I think Yamamoto has a chance to be head and shoulders above any other Japanese pitcher that has come to MLB. I'd say he's about 20% better than Senga and he was a top 10 guy in cy young. Yamamoto had a 1.21 ERA last year and the next closest starter was at 2.40. I think he has a good chance to be one of the top 5starting pitchers in baseball immediately.
I think an under the radar type signing would be Brandon Belt. He's obviously a platoon player at this point in his career, but would be a great guy to pair with Meyers in the 7th or 8th spot in the lineup. He could also provide insurance for Abreu and 1B. Chas plays CF and Alvarez plays LF and Belt DHs against RHP. Alvarez DH Chas in LF and Meyers in CF against LHP. I just can't think of a team that is serious about contending for a WS title is going into the season with Singleton on a 26 man roster.
I like Belt a lot for this team. Brown has also stated that keeping Abreu "fresh" (along with the rest of the roster but Abreu was mentioned by name) is a priority so an upgrade to b/u 1B makes tons of sense. It will depend on if he is willing to take a lesser role and accept less money, and if the Astros are willing to tie up the DH spot when Alvarez is in LF, or if they would rather give it to Altuve w/ Dubon at 2B.
If Belt could play LF he would be a fantastic fit. But he can’t, so he’s not. He is too good of a hitter to be limited to backup 1B and DH insurance duty. Singleton is projected to get less than 200 pa and I would guess if everybody stays healthy he will get even less than that. Finding a 1:1 replacement for him should not be on the list; now if they can find a LHH who can play 1B and LF so he can take pa away from Abreu (to keep him rested/healthy) and Meyers (to keep him from hitting full time against righties) then I think that might be worth doing. I hate to say it but I think Brantley is actually a pretty good fit.
This will be a worry going forward. I hope I'm wrong, but the right side of the infield may have peaked.
