Who Am I?

Will Harris

RHP

Age: 32

Height: 6′ 4″

Weight: 250

(/needle scratches)

250? Damn, Will. I never realized he was quite so… sturdy.

Throws right, Bats right

How did I get here?

Harris was drafted in the 9th round in 2006 by Colorado. In 2013, he was claimed by Oakland off waivers, and stayed there all of 3 days until Arizona claimed him again off waivers. In November 2014, he was waived by Arizona and claimed by Houston, in one of Jeff Luhnow’s better roster moves.

Contract status: Harris signed a 2-year contract with a team option for 2020 this offseason to buy out his arbitration years. He will earn $2.8M this season and next; the option is for $5.5M, which can increase up to $8.5M based on his performance.

Why am I here?

Harris will lock down the 7th or 8th inning, close if the need arises, and provide veteran leadership over the  next few seasons to a very young bullpen. Harris has wound up the key to the Houston bullpen since his arrival.

What are my strengths?

Harris is a big believer in democracy; that is, he gets LOTS of ground balls. He got close to a 2:1 grounder/fly ball ratio at one point last year. He also has the control you want in a reliever, especially one that can be brought in mid-inning. Harris faced 100 batters with men on last year, and only walked 3 of them – against 24 strikeouts.

What are my weaknesses?

Harris mixes his pitches well, but he has neither elite velocity nor a true “out” pitch. I’d say his cutter comes closest, but there’s nothing that you can always rely on for a swing and a miss.

What is my future with the Astros?

Jeff Luhnow answered that question with the contract for Harris in the offseason. He’s here for the next three years, and after that, his late debut is going to make free agency a questionable proposition, as he’ll already be 35.

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Who else would I remind you of?

Forgive me for bringing up a Brave, but I’d say Kerry Lightenberg – no one pitch you feared, probably not going to be the closer, but you sure didn’t want to face him in a clutch situation.

Who Am I?

Jandel Gustave

RHP

Age: 24

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 210

Throws right, Bats right

How did I get here?

It seems simple enough: he was signed by Houston as a 17 year old international free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2010. But in the 2014-15 offseason, he was:

• selected by Boston in the Rule 5 draft;
• traded by Boston to Kansas City;
• waived by Kansas City and claimed by the Padres most of the way through Spring Training;
• and returned to the Astros when he did not make the Padres’ major league roster.

Contract status: not eligible for arbitration until 2020. 2 option years remaining.

Why am I here?

Gustave will provide bullpen depth while the team continues to groom him for a future late-inning role.

What are my strengths?

As Larry so eloquently put it in Bull Durham:

“This kid has some serious shit.”

Gustave will routinely touch 100 MPH. His slider is at least average and looks like he could harness it as a plus-pitch.

(Larry was full of wisdom, none moreso than, “Sears sucks.”)

What are my weaknesses?

Again with that whole lack of control issue. He’s improved markedly from his Nuke LaLoosh days in rookie ball, but he’s still unpredictable with his location.

What is my future with the Astros?

I see a bright future for this youngster. The progress in his control, the fact that he held his own during his sips of big league coffee for 2016 – I think you’re looking at a future setup man.

So learn to say his name.

(It’s “yawn-DELL”. With a soft “j”)

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Who else would I remind you of?

Other than Ebby Calvin LaLoosh? I’m seeing some Octavio Dotel here.

Who Am I?

Reymin Guduan

(“goo-DWON”)

LHP

Age: 24

Height: 6′ 4″

Weight: 205

Throws left, Bats left

How did I get here?

Signed by Houston as a 17 year old international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in September 2009. Added to the 40 man roster in November 2016; would have otherwise become a minor league free agent. Three option years remaining.

Why am I here?

“In case of emergency, break glass for left-handed reliever.”

What are my strengths?

Other than left-handedness? Great velocity – he has racked up strikeouts at every level. Even while imploding spectacularly at Fresno in 2016, he was striking out better than a hitter per inning.

What are my weaknesses?

He can’t find the strike zone with a map and a flashlight. Walks almost a batter per inning.

What is my future with the Astros?

Unless he’s suddenly found to be a candidate for Lasik? He might get a cup of coffee, but otherwise he’s DFA fodder as soon as they need the roster space.

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Who else would I remind you of?

A left-handed Ricky Vaughn.

Who Am I?

Luke Gregerson

RHP

Age: 32

Height: 6′ 3″

Weight: 205

Throws right, Bats left

(Note: I don’t trust pitchers who bat from the other side of the plate. It disrupts the natural order of things.)

How did I get here?

Originally drafted by St. Louis in the 28th round in 2006. Traded to San Diego in March 2009 as the PTBNL in the Mark Worrell-Khalil Greene trade. Traded by San Diego to Oakland for Seth Smith in 2013. Signed with Houston in December 2014 as a free agent.

Contract status: Gregerson is in the final year of a 3 year contract, earning $6.25M this season, and is eligible for free agency after the season.

Why am I here?

Gregerson’s first job is to take care of the 8th inning. His other job is to back up Giles in case of implosion.

What are my strengths?

First and foremost, consistency. For relievers, I think WHIP is a pretty good measuring stick – you really want to focus on how they’re keeping runners off the base paths (it helps filter out the situational nature of the role). Starting in 2012, Gregerson has posted WHIPs of: 1.09, 1.01, 1.01, 0.95, 0.97. You know what you’re getting from the guy.

Second, Gregerson’s control helps him get ahead in the count and set up a plus slider as an out pitch. It’s not in the same league as Giles, but 90% of the time, it works every time.

What are my weaknesses?

Gregerson has below average velocity, whether he throws the two-finger or four-finger version of the fastball. He rarely breaks 90 MPH. It’s basically all that’s prevented him from becoming an elite closer.

What is my future with the Astros?

I can’t see him re-signing after this contract, not with so many other options in the pen. The question then becomes whether you dangle him as a trade piece in a larger deal. I don’t think that we’ll happen – they’ll ride with him to (knocks on wood, throws salt, sacrifices rum to Jobu) the playoffs, and then let him walk.

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Who else would I remind you of?

The low velocity makes him hard to place among relievers. I don’t know – did Dave Smith have a big heater?

Who Am I?

Ken Giles

RHP

Age: 26

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 205

Throws right, Bats right

How did I get here?

Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the 7th round in 2011. Traded to Houston, along with Jonathan Arauz, for Mark Appel, Harlod Arauz, Thomas Eshelman, Brett Oberholtzer, and Vince Velasquez in December 2015.

Contract status: becomes arbitration eligible in 2018. Eligible for free agency in 2021.

Why am I here?

Don’t overthink this one. The ninth inning belongs to Giles unless something drastic happens.

What are my strengths?

DAT SLIDER. With all due respect to Billy Wagner and Brad Lidge, Giles possesses potentially the best out pitch of any Astro reliever. Giles threw the slider 529 times last year, recording 181 swing-and-misses vs. only 12 hits. Hitters had a .093 average and .186 SLG against the slider. It became a very simple process: if Giles got ahead in the count, the at-bat was over. Hitters went .157/.164/.276 once behind in the count against Giles.

What are my weaknesses?

Everything other than the above. When the batter got ahead in the count, they went .362/.581/.723 against Giles. Essentially, if you could get ball one, you turned into Barry Bonds against him.

Oh, but you didn’t always have to get to ball one: 23 hitters made contact on the first pitch against Giles. They went 13-22, plus one sacrifice. That’s a .591 average and a .773 SLG on first-pitch swinging. MAYBE the young flamethrower was a little predictable?

How do we diagnose this further?

When Giles debuted in 2014, hitters posted a .222 BAA and .333 SLG off his fastball.

In 2015, that went to a .250 BAA and a .321 SLG.

Upon joining the Astros for 2016: .378 BAA and .622 SLG.

The velocity was up a tick from 2016. So either we’re looking at some historical-levels of bad luck, a problem with location, or your classic case of tipping pitches.

What is my future with the Astros?

It’s put up or shut up time. If Giles delivers the way I expect, he’s your closer for at least 3 more seasons. If not… that 2018 arbitration starts to look reeeeeal interesting.

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Before we get there, let’s talk about 2016.

What if I told you…

… that Giles posted a 3.12 ERA over 57.2 innings, allowing a .210/.278/.348 slash line? I mean, that’s not perfection, but that’s a pretty darn good season from a reliever, right?

Because that’s what Giles did in 2016 – except for April. As for that April, well, the four worst scenarios for a newly acquired pitcher would have to be:

1. Killed by batted ball (Herb Score)
2. Broken arm requiring amputation (Dave Dravecky)
3. Career-ending case of the yips (Rick Ankiel) (shut up, yes, I know he came back as a hitter. I saw it.)
4. Ken Giles’ April 2016.

Who else would I remind you of?

Brad Lidge. I think they even look slightly similar. I think it’s the lousy facial hair.

I expect peak-Brad Lidge things from Giles in 2017.

Who Am I?

Mike Fiers 

RHP

Age: 31

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 200

Throws right, Bats right

How did I get here?

Originally drafted by Milwaukee in the 22nd round in 2009. Traded to Houston with Carlos Gomez in exchange for Josh Vader, Brett Phillips, Adrian Houser, and Domingo Santana. Let’s not think too much about this trade.

Contract Status: 

Avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one year deal for $3.45 million. Not eligible for free agency until 2020.

Why am I here?

Fiers is holding down the back of the rotation until some of the younger, more talented guys are ready. Highly likely to start the season as the #5 starter.

What are my strengths?

Fiers mixes an assortment of pitches – cutter, change, the occasional slider – that don’t get hit too hard, and exhibits good control. He’s capable of soaking up innings.

What are my weaknesses?

If he gets behind in the count, he is – how to put this delicately? – completely screwed. When behind in the count last year, hitters went .296/.422/.527 off him. After 2-0, that went up to .333/.488/.621. He gave up a .653 slugging percentage on his fastball. If he throws 2 balls, an intentional walk becomes a very attractive option.

What is my future with the Astros?

I’ll be surprised if Fiers ends the season with the Astros. With Martes, Rodgers, and Musgrove waiting in the wings, and Devenski and Feliz presenting much better long-man options in the pen, I see a trade in Mr. Fiers’ future.

What is my projected 2017 performance?

Who else would I remind you of?

A back end starter with no fastball to speak of, but a no hitter on his resume? Hey there, Bud Smith!