It's the players on this team and other teams reaction to Altuve that tells you all you need to know about what type of player he is.
How big our run differential? Win em all by average 9 to 5? And maybe Framber and JV can motor up in playoffs? Or Arrighetti comes in like a stud to be wipes em clean!?
What's even worse is those who take the durability and success of Framber for granted and suggest he should be traded. LH 200 innings/year pitchers that have dominated WS games don't grow on trees in this league.
How disappointed would you be if Whitley in fact just isn't cut out to be an MLB pitcher? I'd be thrilled if he meets your expectations... but lately seems like every post is attaching more and more expectations to him, which is very optimistic... but still seems to be toeing the line between wishful thinking and actual reality. I'd take his progress in segments... first he needs to stay healthy and pitch a full unrestricted amount of spring appearances at full tilt... then he needs to make the roster.
Why? There are other pitchers if you think the Astros really need one that could be had for cheaper that would give the Astros more innings than Snell. The idea is to get Verlander, Framber, and Javier into the playoffs with little wear and tear. I don't see Snell being that big of a benefit to achieve that goal at his price point.
I disagree with your idea of what the goal is. Yes, getting those guys to the postseason with " little wear and tear" is important, but the Astros already have that. If that was the goal then they could use Brown, Urquidy, France, Bielak, Dubin, Blanco, Arrighetti and then McCullers and Garcia in the 2nd half to pitch innings and keep them fresh. That is important, but not a reason to add more average pitchers to the stable that's full. If this team adds a pitcher, it needs to be one that takes away a post season roster spot from somebody else.
The difference between expectations going in as a top of the order starter and a low ranking member of the bull pen is huge.
I mean not at all. You basically listed a bunch of guys with little record of sustained success at the MLB level. There are plenty of veteran starters with a much more known floor that could take pressure off the Top 3. Targeting a guy that is could be good or could be crappy seems like a stupid chance to take, especially since he's not replacing our top 3 in the playoffs.
He’s still got to beat out guys who are established like Bielak, France, or Blanco. Given his minor league track record, he’s not better than any of them. He’s wasted his talent for years.
I believe Whitley will fail to start the season with the team. He is competing for a single inning reliever role. France is a starter, Blanco and Bielak are multi inning relievers. They will have nothing to do with any decision about Whitley.
I think the Astros already have 4 short inning relievers and don’t really need a 5th. The bigger need is for length and versatility out of the pen.
Whitley has 4 or 5 pitches. He should be a 2 or 3 inning guy twice a week out of the bullpen if he makes the team. That’s a reasonable bridge to him being a starter down the road.
Yes for 24.99 a month. Find a friend with a T Mobile phone. Get their login and you should be good to go. I have been doing it for years now. I live in NY so all my friends are Red Sox, Mets and Yankees fans. So they don't have much need for it.
