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Author Topic: Astros' Closer  (Read 3745 times)

Reuben

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Astros' Closer
« on: June 07, 2015, 03:26:18 pm »
Gregerson, for whatever reason, has not been right for weeks now.

Harris has been terrific (hard to fault him for giving up a barely-over-the-fence solo shot to Bautista today), but do you risk spoiling a good thing by burdening him with Closer expectations so soon? Plus, he's more like 92 with the FB, so not a traditional "Closer arsenal". There's also the clubhouse chemistry angle - replacing a high-paid vet like Gregerson with a kind of out-of-nowhere guy like Harris might not go over too well.

Fields has the Closer-grade heater, but has had a couple rough outings himself lately, and based on how sparingly the team uses him, I wonder if he could hold up to a Closer's usage. They seem to be afraid of him breaking.

I don't think anyone wants to see Qualls closing right now.

Neshek has been great but again, is he Closer material? Ditto Sipp, especially being a lefty.

Out-of-the-box/desperation ideas include Feliz, Vincent Velasquez, and Appel at AA.

Or they can just ride it out with Luke G and hope he can fix things.
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HudsonHawk

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 03:35:21 pm »
A guy gets a bloop double, a bizarre popup and a catcher's inability to control the running game, and you're ready to replace the closer on a first place team?
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toddthebod

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 03:44:32 pm »
The only person the Astros should be replacing right now is Villar.

Most concerning right now is McHugh.  It seems that ever game right now, the announcers discuss how he's been able to get through without his "best stuff."  The Astros really need his best stuff right now.
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Reuben

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 03:58:22 pm »
Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 07, 2015, 03:35:21 pm
A guy gets a bloop double, a bizarre popup and a catcher's inability to control the running game, and you're ready to replace the closer on a first place team?
Wow, I did just make the classic stupid-fan overreaction post, didn't I?

Looking at Gregerson's Game Logs, I see he hasn't been as consistently bad as I thought - 4 straight scoreless outings before today, with 1 hit and 9 K in just 4 innings. I guess, not having been able to watch much lately, his mid-May rough stretch got exaggerated in my mind.

My bad, Luke.
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HudsonHawk

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2015, 04:05:55 pm »
Quote from: Reuben on June 07, 2015, 03:58:22 pm
Wow, I did just make the classic stupid-fan overreaction post, didn't I?

Looking at Gregerson's Game Logs, I see he hasn't been as consistently bad as I thought - 4 straight scoreless outings before today, with 1 hit and 9 K in just 4 innings. I guess, not having been able to watch much lately, his mid-May rough stretch got exaggerated in my mind.

My bad, Luke.

Today was a tough loss. But this isn't a bullpen that needs an overhaul.
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juliogotay

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2015, 06:06:33 pm »
Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 07, 2015, 04:05:55 pm
Today was a tough loss. But this isn't a bullpen that needs an overhaul.

Yes, I think that's the way to look at it. The pen has been so good and I think a lot of that is that the roles are defined and Hinch sticks with those pretty closely unless a guy isn't available. The pen is not a weakness.
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JimR

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2015, 06:22:02 pm »
Greggerson has been very good lately, but not his best stuff today. The bloop and the bizarre pop up skewed the inning.
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JimR

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2015, 06:23:54 pm »
This game was not Villar either.
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Fredia

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2015, 07:20:05 pm »
they all have occasional yips
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HudsonHawk

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2015, 07:45:58 pm »
Quote from: Fredia on June 07, 2015, 07:20:05 pm
they all have occasional yips

Nobody had the yips.  Kawasaki hit a ball in the dirt for a bloop double.  Villar running into the base runner was just bad luck.  The pitch that ended the game wasn't a meatball or anything, and wasn't hit particularly hard. 
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VirtualBob

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2015, 08:01:39 pm »
Quote from: toddthebod on June 07, 2015, 03:44:32 pm
The only person the Astros should be replacing right now is Villar.

+1

At the risk of repeating myself, Villar's defense is unacceptable.  And after the last couple of weeks, I hope there is less disagreement than there was the last time I made that observation.
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Jacksonian

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2015, 09:52:29 pm »
Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 07, 2015, 07:45:58 pm
Nobody had the yips.  Kawasaki hit a ball in the dirt for a bloop double.  Villar running into the base runner was just bad luck.  The pitch that ended the game wasn't a meatball or anything, and wasn't hit particularly hard.

I don't call it bad luck when a major league ball player doesn't know where he is on the field.
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VirtualBob

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #12 on: June 07, 2015, 10:13:17 pm »
Quote from: Jacksonian on June 07, 2015, 09:52:29 pm
I don't call it bad luck when a major league ball player doesn't know where he is on the field.
+1
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HudsonHawk

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2015, 06:47:32 am »
Quote from: Jacksonian on June 07, 2015, 09:52:29 pm
I don't call it bad luck when a major league ball player doesn't know where he is on the field.

He knew exactly where he was.  If you think Villar was somehow at fault...well, then I don't know what to tell you. 
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Mr. Happy

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2015, 07:19:33 am »
Quote from: VirtualBob on June 07, 2015, 08:01:39 pm
+1

At the risk of repeating myself, Villar's defense is unacceptable.  And after the last couple of weeks, I hope there is less disagreement than there was the last time I made that observation.

Villar's sin is mortal in that he is so inconsistent, to the point that he can't be trusted. However, I'm not going to throw him under the bus for the Reyes play.  It was just one of those fluke plays of baseball.
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Jacksonian

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2015, 09:09:10 am »
Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 08, 2015, 06:47:32 am
He knew exactly where he was.  If you think Villar was somehow at fault...well, then I don't know what to tell you.

I completely disagree.  If he knew where he was he would have stuck out a hand to find the runner or a foot to find the bag and work around him or it.  It isn't any different than an outfielder finding the wall.  High school players do this too.  His biggest fault was that.  If he knew where he was he wouldn't have called for the ball.  Altuve had it lined up before stopping.  It was on the second base side of the bag all the way.
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juliogotay

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2015, 09:14:26 am »
Quote from: Mr. Happy on June 08, 2015, 07:19:33 am
Villar's sin is mortal in that he is so inconsistent, to the point that he can't be trusted. However, I'm not going to throw him under the bus for the Reyes play.  It was just one of those fluke plays of baseball.

I hastily vilified him yesterday too. What I thought I saw the first couple of times was that Altuve called for the ball and Villar called him off. Altuve may have caught that since the ball landed on the first base side of the bag. What I didn't pick up until I saw the replay last night was that the ball drifted towards first and so Villar was not lacking in judgement to call for it. Altuve still may have called for it (I don't know) but he didn't really clear room for Villar not to mention the baserunner being where basesrunners be.  I suspect part of my overreaction was that it was Villar again. The guy has made mistakes but he's also been in the wrong place at the wrong time like Pettus waving him in last week. I think the guy has tons of talent but he may not have the best baseball instincts yet.
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JimR

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #17 on: June 08, 2015, 09:19:28 am »
Quote from: Jacksonian on June 07, 2015, 09:52:29 pm
I don't call it bad luck when a major league ball player doesn't know where he is on the field.


he was where the ball was coming down. this post is way, way below your knowledge of baseball.
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VirtualBob

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Re: Astros' Closer
« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2015, 01:00:22 pm »
Quote from: Mr. Happy on June 08, 2015, 07:19:33 am
Villar's sin is mortal in that he is so inconsistent, to the point that he can't be trusted. However, I'm not going to throw him under the bus for the Reyes play.  It was just one of those fluke plays of baseball.
I agree. My comments are general - not specific to that play.
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