moonslav59

Max, I've actually said Houck should be given a chance to up his sample size the 3rd time through, and that I would not have complained, if Cora left him in, until he let a baserunner on by walk or hard hit ball. My argument was you said the choice was "obvious" or something like that, because he was pitching very well up to yank time. I showed how in just about every other game this year, Houck was pitching well or very well until he got to the end of the 2nd time through or the 3rd time, and then the wheels came off. How are we or Cora to know this time would have been different? Houck has great numbers the first time through- by definition, that means he almost always looks good early. He looks to be cruising. He slips a little the second time through, but usually looks steady enough to leave in. He normally implodes on a major scale- time after time. We'll never know, if this time would have been different. At some point, he will need to be given a chance to prove that 60 PA sample size was not who he really is. That game was close, and Cora chose not to let him go any farther. I thought it was the right move, but with such weak 6th inning pitchers to choose from, I'd have been okay leaving him in. I know you can't go totally by numbers, but these are hard to ignore: OPS Against: .374 1st time is off the charts amazing! .883 2nd time is frightening .967 3rd time is DFA material, if his overall numbers. 33 PAs 3rd time through shows Cora is letting him try to overcome this, but with little success. Maybe he yanked him to help him feel he is improving in this area. Here is an interesting fact: Houck has faced more batters the 3rd time, this year, than all his others combined, and it is early May. Career: 63 PAs and .992 OPS Against 3rd time. Other data: .374 Pitch 1-125 .520 26-50 1.050 51-75 Career .448 (1-25) .646 (26-50) .851 (51-76) Let me add that Cora has often sent him out to face the 3rd timers. This was not the first time. I think he wants him to get over this hump or "blindspot," but he has a quick hook, and IMO, for good reason. He looked sharp in this game, but he looked sharp or even sharper in other before- only to get shelled in the 4th (.988) or 5th (1.150) innings. It was an understandable choice made. He could have gone the other way, too.

True nuff.

Baseball Probable Pitchers | MLB.com WWW.MLB.COM The official probable pitchers page of Major League Baseball including up to the minute stats, preview and ticket information. TUE: Pivetta v Charlie Morton WED: Bello v TBD THU: Off FRI: TBD v TBD (maybe Paxton)

Any word on Joely, who has been pitching in AAA? We could use another LHP in the pen.

I did say by mid summer. I did not expect it so quickly, but the kid is on fire.

We were 15th, a few days ago, behind TOR who we had passed by then.

Joely Rodriguez is pitching in AAA and should be ready, at some point.

We still own the last WC slot by 1.5 on LAA and 2.5 On NYY. (3.0 on HOU & SEA) Here is a look at the injury reports for some selected teams (source: MLB.com): BOS 10 Day: Arroyo, Chang (will be longer) 15 Day: Paxton (may start May 12-13), Whitlock, Crawford, Joely 60 Day: Mondesi (June?), Duvall, July?), Story (July?), Kelly (???) NYY: 10: Judge, Stanton, Donaldson, Rortvedt 15: Rodon, Severini, Loaisiga 60: Monta, Kahnle, Gil, Effross TOR: 15: Cimber, Pop, White 60: Ryu, C Green BAL: 15: Tate & Givens 60: Means TBR: 15: Glasnow, Fairbanks 60: Springs, Baz, Kittredge, Armstrong HOU: 15: Altuve, McCullers, L Garcia, Urquidy, Brantley, McCormick, Mushinski TEX: 15: deGrom, Seager, Garver, Otto 60: Odorizzi, B Martin, Howard

At some point, Fernandez, Guerrero and or Denlinger might get called up to AAA. All are doing well out of the gate.

Agred. I wouldn't rush Drohan just for the Mata change, but it might end up working out that way.

Good point. People wonder why we signed Turner & Duvall. We do need some righties.

That's the key. People can argue that was the wrong path to take, but for what Vaz got, I think letting him go made sense.

Pick up a journeyman AAAA SP'er and move mata to the pen, now! Or, move up Drohan.

Yes, I think Abreu and Valdez were like their 9th-15th ranked prospects.

I'm not hemming and hawing, and stop trying to bait me into returning fire. There are many areas that are gray. Again, I don't throw hissiess over in game choices. managers know more than us.

I said I wished we had someone else to bring in, but we only have 1 Wink not 4. As MVP points out, our LH RP'er options are limited. We do have some RHPs who get lefties out, very well, but it's hard to bring them in so early. (Scheiber was better v LHBs, last year.)

Agreed. Like you mentioned, Hamilton will likely max out as depth- perhaps almost always in AAA.

Great point. Eventually, we will give Houck more chances with the third time through. His sample size is just over 60 PAs against- not much to really judge him, but enough to be cautious in winnable games.

Maybe they want to give Valdez a shot at lefties and righties, and don't plan on using Dalbec, except in emergencies. Kike and Mondesi are both FAs after 2023, and Arroy is after 2024. Maybe the lack of future middle IF depth scared them into protecting a guy with just a small chance at being snagged in Rule 5, at least we think the chance was small. At his age and with his recent success in AAA, one has to wonder about their confidence in him. Does he still have that much room to grow? I guess Duran showed some major steps can be made late in the process.

Credit for sticking with Dalbec in 2021, too, but then... Ooops!

He hasn't traded away many. The higher ranked ones were... Aldo Ramirez for Schwarber Jay Groome for Hosmer, Rosier & Ferguson Frank German for Denlinger Jacob Wallace for Wyatt Mills Seabold for cash Did I miss anyone significant?

Duran turns 27 in September. Some teams might have given up on him, because of his age, but seeing him play so well in AAA, kept the hopes alive, I guess. I will admit, I was never a true believer in Duran.

The defense issue doesn't hold water, when you think of Dalbec at SS, instead.

That wasn't me.

These days, 7 IP and 3 ER makes you a team ace.