JV has started a gazillion postseason games and has a ton of good ones and a ton of bad ones. Nobody can say definitely how he'd do either. But we can say definitively the other guys have been waaaay better for the past year, and one good/decent start next week for JV isn't going to change that. You're literally talking about a Cy-Young contender vs one of the worst pitchers in baseball right now.
The only way I would put JV on the roster is to use him as an opener. Three innings maybe four, tops. I know he has said in the past he would want no part in a game using an opener and I would respect that if he said that he still felt that way. The standing ovation he got for his recent home game had to feel like a good bye to him. He knew he had a bad game and the fans where applauding his contributions to the team and saying their fare thee wells.
JV has no business being part of the post season rotation. Teams win rings by catching lightening in a bottle with their pitching. See 2017 LMJ and Morton and 2022 Javier and Valdez. Or ugh….2023 Montgomery and Eovaldi. You ride the hot hand whether they be rookie, journeyman, veteran, star, whatever. JV has **** the bed numerous times in the playoffs even when he was having good seasons. I don’t care one iota for his “experience”. Framber, Brown, Yusi, and Blanco are the hot hands to ride and we should be damn happy to have them all and pitching well. Risking one game out of respect to JV is Dusty Baker level asinine stupidity.
I think the Astros are in the same position many teams are: They need to fill 12 pitching spots on the postseason roster, but don't have 12 postseason level/proven pitchers. Good news: they really only need 8-9 and they have those. Bad news: they have a future HOF and franchise icon that really only fits a role that is occupied by better pitchers. Options: 1) Make him a token #4 starter( opener), giving him 3 innings and a very short leash. 2) leave him off completely 3) make him the 12th guy who is on the roster but only see the mound in a blowout. 4) Sell him on preparing like a starter but scheduled to start the 4th or 5th inning of a game Blanco or Arrighetti starts and pitch 1-3 innings. It limits his exposure and he likely gets to vulture a playoff win for his legacy. I'm liking option #4 more and more, but still think option #1 is OK as long as he pitches well in his final start, and understands he only pitches until a 2nd guy reaches base in any inning, and max of 2 times through the order.
JV can have the Hunter Brown / Jose Urquidy role from the previous postseason. We are rocking and rolling with: Frambler Brown Kikuchi Blanco
Only reason I'd quibble with Blanco over Spencer is that Blanco has pitched out of the pen quite a bit. Tandem those dudes if it comes to needing them.
IMO, JV will be on the roster but not necessarily as a starter. Maybe not in the Wild Card round, but definitely in the ALDS and beyond, should we get there. Wild Card round will be Framber, Hunter, Kikuchi. Blanco and Spencer will be there as long relievers.
My reasoning for having Blanco as 3rd also means if we need long relief in any of the first 2 games, it goes to Blanco and KuKuchi starts game 3. DD
U have to put Verlander on the playoff roster for emergency only If Blanco does horribly, would you trust him again or start JV when it's Blancos time again
This was MacT’s predicted playoff roster from last night: C: Yainer Diaz, Victor Caratini, César Salazar 1B: Jon Singleton 2B: Jose Altuve SS: Jeremy Peña 3B: Alex Bregman OF: Kyle Tucker, Jake Meyers, Jason Heyward, Chas McCormick DH: Yordan Alvarez UT: Mauricio Dubón, Grae Kessinger SP: Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Yusei Kikuchi RP: Josh Hader, Ryan Pressly, Bryan Abreu, Héctor Neris, Ronel Blanco, Kaleb Ort, Caleb Ferguson, Bryan King, Spencer Arrighetti I would swap Whitcomb for Kessinger and Verlander for King. Whitcomb is just a better hitter and runner than Kessinger and can play the same positions (although not as well). Odds of needing multiple innings from Verlander are higher than needing a 3rd lefty reliever.
I agree with this. Only way JV is not on the roster is if he's still injured. I could see him off the WC roster to get further rest and rehab. If he's good to go then he's starting (with Blanco ready to come out of the pen after 3-4 innings).
I think that Framber, Blanco, Brown, and Kikuchi have earned their starting rotation spots on the post season. But having an arm like Verlander if any of them get tagged early would be invaluable for preserving the bullpen for the next game; while still giving the Astros a chance at winning a game that may have gotten a little out of hand. But I think Verlander would help the Astros get deep into the playoffs. But at the end of the day, this is going to be on the Astros coaches. Early in the year he was classic Verlander, then as the injuries started mounting, he started getting tagged. All of a sudden he was out for what seemed like two month. And upon his return he’s been consistently bad, he’ll pitch a few good innings but overall he gotten beat up very bad. I think he was right, he came back too soon. But I do think he will be instrumental if the Astros will have a significant playoff run this postseason.
