Wandy Rodriguez and Bud Norris would be very strong #2 and #3 starters. Here's too Jared Cosart and maybe Mark Appel
So far this year, they look like a solid 1/2 combo. If somebody would just step up and be that #3 guy, we'd have a solid rotation complemented by a pretty decent bullpen.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Fun Astros fact: The team is 8-1 when Bud Norris starts, 11-22 when anybody else does.</p>— Steve Campbell (@CampbellChron) <a href="https://twitter.com/CampbellChron/status/204793474929795072" data-datetime="2012-05-22T04:39:03+00:00">May 22, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
How dare you guys speak so negatively of the cubs! They have a better baseball tradition than you, houston. was your team around to have inglorious battles with the Romans Orgymakers in 900 B.C? Chicago was, therefor your team sucks. Chicago great! regards, annoying "expert". =)
Somehow, we are 4-4 when Happ starts, but 3-6 when Wandy starts. Happ's ERA is more than double Wandy's. Go figure.
Lowrie and Norris for ASG? Altuve for ASG? Wandy for ASG? Myers for ASG? Could we have five all stars this year?
Lowrie should be a lock, if it were decided today. Norris would not be in, not even close. Wandy would have a shot, but probably be on the outside Altuve should be a lock Chris Johnson has been a top 3-4 3B in the NL this season, so he has a chance, but since the ASG means something, and established stars are favored anyway, I think he misses out to David Freese or Hanley Ramirez. Myers has a good chance.
In reality, I have a feeling it's only going to be Lowrie and Altuve, and maybe just Lowrie if Altuve slips any more.
What makes you say that? I would think he would at least be on the fence if he can keep this pace up through the break. 4-0 with a sub 1.00 ERA in May is pretty stout. Not saying he's Cy Young or anything, but that's an amazing month.
April was pretty terrible. Among NL starters he ranks 29th in ERA, T-5th in Wins (with 9 others), 31st in WHIP, T-4th in Ks. There are 15 players without question in front of him. If he were to have a June to match his May, he'd have a shot, but who expects that?
I think Altuve, Lowrie, & Myers will make it, unless one gets screwed because of a team needing an all-star and their best player shares a position with them.
Bud Norris: Era: #42 WHIP: #44 K/BB: #34 BAA: #42 Nope. http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/order/false
Agreed, it took him a little while to get going. But other than the Brewer game where he got "Mills'd", I don't remember him being terrible. That one start ballooned his ERA to almost 6. To be down in the low-3's now is pretty stellar. If he keeps it up in June and the bats show up each time he pitches, I would think he should at least be in the running. Time will tell.
Norris' poor April was the product of being left in too long during the Milwaukee start and as a result, his line for the month looked much worse. Other than an excellent 1st start of the season, he was pretty average in April.
A low 3 ERA isn't what it was a few years ago. Still solid though. I'm not sure how many more chances he will get against the Cardinals/Cubs/Pirates.
Yes, terrible may be overdoing it, but really, he had 2 quality starts out of 5 in April. I like Bud Norris a lot though.
By the way, here's a Jeff Luhnow chat transcript from last night. I like how he sprinkled in his reactions to the game. Also, he reveals to us that he's a pretty big Brad Pitt fan.
