Theoretically this could've happened in the playoffs and WS under the brightest of lights, but it didn't happen.
???? The guy with the 101 ops? Yeah- I’m going to go with SSS in the playoffs and do what makes sense according to the maths.
All I am saying is that the player who gets on base the most and strikes out the least should bat ahead of the run producers and get more plate appearances. I don't understand why it's so controversial.
“If Brantley is in the lineup, Brantley is No. 2,” Baker said on Sunday. “I know Peña’s been good, but he ain’t been good as long as Brantley.” https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...a-michael-brantley-second-lineup-17821127.php
From Athletic. How worried should we be on Alverz’s hand? Álvarez started experiencing pain in his left hand last June, and it’s still an issue. Even if it’s not a very serious injury, it’s concerning that they haven’t been able to identify the root of the problem and address it. Even though Álvarez hit a career-high 37 home runs in 2022, it was mainly due to his production in the first half of the season (23 home runs between April – June). Álvarez landed on the IL last July due to “inflammation” that had been bothering him since June. Then he was back on the IL in October as his hand was getting “progressively worse.” Despite having the offseason to rest and allow the hand to heal, Álvarez is already shut down from swinging the bat due to ongoing pain. He said “It did flare up a little bit in the offseason,” but he is currently pain-free. Álvarez is expected to pick up the bat again in the next few days, leaving the door open to be ready by Opening Day. Even though the hand is feeling better right now, I’m not confident it won’t flare up again. Álvarez was solid as he played through hand pain last season, but he wasn’t putting up MVP numbers. 2023 will be the same if they can’t find the cause of his hand pain.
You gear up for the FB and adjust to the rest. It's that adjustment that separates the 99.99% from us mortals
Why on earth would you expect him to have a 101 OPS in 2023? That number means nothing. It is the product of a prospects first season of major league ball. That season ended in an LCS and WS MVP. Like most prospects after their first year he is nowhere near a finished product. He should be expected to continue to adapt and improve as he gains experience. I have little doubt that he ends this season in contention for the Astros team MVP. With a little good fortune he could get a shot at some additional play off heroics too. Do not he so caught up in the great Astros of yesterday that you miss out on the great Astros of today and of tommorow. They are going to be a lot of fun to watch. There will be some unexpected standouts this year but Pena will not be among them. His continued success this season is something I fully expect. I hope you savor it.
I saw this Brantley most likely wont be ready to start the year. Hopefully Pena gets off to a hot start and makes the old man reconsider.
I don’t like his pitch recognition at all. He’s 26 years old coming into his own but not at a time where players improve exponentially like a 22 YO up early. Many players get worse their second year as the league catches up to him. I’d have actually had Bregman as my ALCS MVP and Framber as my WSMVP.. All of this is to say I’d be happy with a 110 ops, slightly stunned by a 130 OPS and dancing in the street with a 140 or 150 OPS. the Astros have 6 guys who regularly post 130/140 OPS and Peña isn’t one of them. Brantley is old and coming off injury. Peña projects to be the Astros 6th or 7th best bat and until he proves otherwise it’s imminently logical to hit him….6th or 7th. I’d go with 7th behind Brantley because he has more thump and Brantley has more OBP so I’d prefer not to leave it to Maldy to drive in Brantley after a walk or a slappy single- he isn’t driving himself in and Peña is fully capable of that.
Also Brantley has no ability to steal bases which is going to be easier this year. Pena could become a real threat in that regard. Being at Second Base for Yordan and Bregman is putting the team in the best position to win.
Who is our 5th starter if hypothetically Hunter Brown needs more time in AAA because of control issues? McCullers is out.. for? 6 weeks? So, who is 5th starter while potentially waiting for Hunter Brown to get his groove and McCullers getting healthy.
Peña is 25, turns 26 late September. So yes.. big year for Peña. Will be interesting to see his progress with plate discipline.
For sure. And he might become an All star caliber bat. Which would be great! But he’s got a ton of way to travel to get there and he’s in a lineup with 5 other guys (6 if Brantley is back to where he was last year prior to injury) which we know for a fact are all star caliber bats. He’s clearly the weak link in that group, and to act like he doesn’t pencil out to be the 5th or 7th (or maybe 8th if Chas builds on last years success) best bat in the lineup is silly. He could surprise. He has the talent in there I’m sure. But he’s 2 former MVP’s, 2 former MVP runner ups and Kyle Tucker (who I think was top 10 last year) on his team. That’s crazy when you write that out and think about it.
If he bats 7th in the lineup by years end we will be asking ourselves if we have any other potential SS in the minors who can take over. If he bats 2nd, he'll thrive and hit nearly .300. If Dusty wants to ruin this young man, don't say I didn't warn y'all. That's my point. And Brantley will be just fine batting 7th.
