Collin McHugh and Qualifying for ERA Leaderboard

[ValpoCory]

With the Astros now utilizing a 6-man rotation, it appears questionable that Collin McHugh will get 3 more starts.   Collin needs 20 more IP to Qualify for a Top 6 finish in the league in ERA.  That would give the Astros 2 pitchers in the Top 7 in ERA, joining the current #6 Dallas Keuchel.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/league/al/order/false

Do the Astros care at all about giving McHugh a chance to qualify for season leaderboards?  Will they somehow tweak the 6 man rotation to give Collin that 3rd start?

Here is the current starting pitcher plan: http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/hou/houston-astros
McHugh pitched on Tuesday 9/9.  He is scheduled to pitch only twice more.
Tuesday 9/16
Monday 9/22

Last game of the year is Sunday 9/28.

[das]

With the Astros now utilizing a 6-man rotation, it appears questionable that Collin McHugh will get 3 more starts.   Collin needs 20 more IP to Qualify for a Top 6 finish in the league in ERA.  That would give the Astros 2 pitchers in the Top 7 in ERA, joining the current #6 Dallas Keuchel.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/league/al/order/false

Do the Astros care at all about giving McHugh a chance to qualify for season leaderboards?  Will they somehow tweak the 6 man rotation to give Collin that 3rd start?

Here is the current starting pitcher plan: http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/hou/houston-astros
McHugh pitched on Tuesday 9/9.  He is scheduled to pitch only twice more.
Tuesday 9/16
Monday 9/22

Last game of the year is Sunday 9/28.

Looks more likely now (as long as he continues to pitch well) since he's moved up one slot to start today.

[Uncle Charlie]

Even so, he'll need to last 6 2/3 in each of the starts to get there.  This is just over his season average...no guarantee.  Hope the kid gets there - it will be a big boost for the organization to have that leaderboard.

[Jacksonian]

Even so, he'll need to last 6 2/3 in each of the starts to get there.  This is just over his season average...no guarantee.  Hope the kid gets there - it will be a big boost for the organization to have that leaderboard.

Considering how close he is innings-wise I don't think he has to be a "qualifier" for the org to feel confident that his season isn't a fluke.

[Uncle Charlie]

Considering how close he is innings-wise I don't think he has to be a "qualifier" for the org to feel confident that his season isn't a fluke.

That's fair.  Thought it would be nice to have two in the top 6 ERA, 1 in the top 2 of HR, top for average and SB.  Springer too will be up there in HR for a rookie, despite playing in half of the games.  It simply underscores the fact that there is some quality talent on the team - very unlike last year.  It may be helpful as a recruiting tool for FA's and honestly, some wayward fans.

[ValpoCory]

Looks more likely now (as long as he continues to pitch well) since he's moved up one slot to start today.

Thanks for the update.   ESPN has updated the rotation for the rest of the year, with Collin filled in 3 times.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/hou/houston-astros

[ValpoCory]

Game Notes
P (Collin) MCHUGH (LEFT ARM) LEFT GAME TOP 7TH

For those of us without Astros TV, was this serious?  Collin needed to average 6.2 IP over his final 3 starts to qualify.  He left tonight's game after exactly that.  He was on pace to go much deeper based on a low pitch count.  Too bad about the injury.

If he's healthy enough to start 2 more games, he'll need 13.1 IP to qualify.  

From the GZ:

Line drive off the left, upper wrist. Crying shame, as he was dealing.  

[jbm]

Hard to say. It could just leave an awful welt, or it might have broken one of those lower arm bones. Didn't  noticeably swell though.

[BudGirl]

For those of us without Astros TV, was this serious?  Collin needed to average 6.2 IP over his final 3 starts to qualify.  He left tonight's game after exactly that.  He was on pace to go much deeper based on a low pitch count.  Too bad about the injury.

If he's healthy enough to start 2 more games, he'll need 13.1 IP to qualify. 

From the GZ:

No blood but was red. No word from Brownie yet.

[subnuclear]

He has a contusion on his left forearm according to McTaggart and the broadcasters.

[NeilT]

It didn't look like they were pulling him because he was hurt for certain, it looked like they were pulling him because it's September in a meaningless game and why take any chances?

[das]

It didn't look like they were pulling him because he was hurt for certain, it looked like they were pulling him because it's September in a meaningless game and why take any chances?

Yup.  Big welt and bruise.  He's expected to make the next start.

http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/94854508/houston-astros-right-hander-collin-mchugh-has-bruised-left-forearm-after-comebacker

[juliogotay]

Yup.  Big welt and bruise.  He's expected to make the next start.

http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/94854508/houston-astros-right-hander-collin-mchugh-has-bruised-left-forearm-after-comebacker

Looking through that article, what an amazing run McHugh has been on.

[Jacksonian]

Looking through that article, what an amazing run McHugh has been on.

His curveball is filthy.

[das]

His curveball is filthy.

It really is.  10mph slower than his cutter but looks to come from the same trajectory.  Fastball to.  Must be frustrating for the hitters.

[roadrunner]

Wade Miller 2.0?

[jbm]

His curveball is filthy.

It's amazing just how dominant it is.  For a while now, he can't seem to get his fastball near the zone, and yet he still thrives. 

[Reuben]

His curveball is filthy.

Just this morning I looked McHugh up in the 2013 BA Prospect Handbook (he was the Mets' #24 prospect). Check out the scouting report:

...McHugh shares a few similarities with Gee in that he mixes and matches four pitches and seldom strays from the strike zone. Where Gee’s best pitch is a changeup, McHugh throws with a bit more velocity, as his fastball sits at 91-92 mph with tailing action. He spots the ball to both sides of the plate, forcing batters to consider inside/outside as well as up/down. McHugh’s changeup features reliable sinking action, while he induces some righthanders to chase a mid-80s slider that breaks horizontally. Righties hit .202/.259/.320 against him in the minors last year. A slow 11-to-5 curveball functions more as a surprise pitch and is his weakest offering. ...

OOPS!

[Navin R Johnson]

Speaking of oops, I dug this up the other day...

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2612050.html

Tom (Texas): Would JD Martinez and/or Jose "Mighty Mouse" Altuve make your Top 100 list right now?

J.J. Cooper: Sorry neither of 'em would make it for me. Martinez's value is all tied up in the bat and I don't think he'll hit enough to be a regular. Altuve has torn the cover off the ball this year, but all that's done for most scouts is bump him from being an org player to a potential big league backup. I asked six scout/front office types specifically about him and didn't find one who projects him to be a big league regular. The guys who liked him think he could be a backup second baseman who maybe plays as a backup corner outfielder too.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Wade Miller 2.0?

He reminds me more of Shane Reynolds than WaMi.

[NeilT]

Speaking of oops, I dug this up the other day...

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2612050.html

Either J.J. Cooper is wrong, or Jose Altuve is wrong.  It has to be Jose Altuve, because JJ Cooper could not be wrong.

I hope management takes the proper steps to send Altuve back to AAA.

[Duman]

Mr. Cooper actually owns up today to missing on Altuve. 

But you are correct to consider Altuve one of our misses. He ranked behind Jimmy Paredes, Telvin Nash, Mike Kvasnicka, Ben Heath and a number of other prospects who will never come close to matching Altuve’s big league production.

So why did he rank so low? At the time, there were questions about whether Altuve’s high energy approach and contact skills would make up for his small stature. Quite simply there were and are very few players in big league history who have had success at Altuve’s (5-foot-6) size....And he’s been a lesson learned, at least for me, to be more skeptical about worrying about a player’s height if he’s showing an ability to hit with at least some doubles power. Lack of size causes problems for position players when it means they aren’t able to drive the ball. Altuve doesn’t have that problem.

[ValpoCory]

It didn't look like they were pulling him because he was hurt for certain, it looked like they were pulling him because it's September in a meaningless game and why take any chances?

Yep.  And that appears to be the thing that will keep Collin off the Qualified Leaderboard.  McHugh will need 7.1 IP in his final start to make it.  Not unheard of.  But especially against a team that's out of it, I doubt they'll keep him out there that long in New York.

But then again, Lawless may be aware of things like innings totals, as Keuchel got to exactly 200.0 IP before he was shut down.

[Reuben]

Yep.  And that appears to be the thing that will keep Collin off the Qualified Leaderboard.  McHugh will need 7.1 IP in his final start to make it.  Not unheard of.  But especially against a team that's out of it, I doubt they'll keep him out there that long in New York.

But then again, Lawless may be aware of things like innings totals, as Keuchel got to exactly 200.0 IP before he was shut down.

Yeah, I was surprised he got lifted from a 1-run game tonight at only 85 or so pitches; was there a reason given, or did he look gassed or anything? I was busy at the time and didn't notice.

[jaklewein]

He reminds me more of Shane Reynolds than WaMi.

He actually reminds me of Darryl Kile (RIP). 

[HudsonHawk]

Either J.J. Cooper is wrong, or Jose Altuve is wrong.  It has to be Jose Altuve, because JJ Cooper could not be wrong.

I hope management takes the proper steps to send Altuve back to AAA.

Reading his stuff on Trout is funny too.  Has Cooper ever been right on anything?

[subnuclear]

McHugh shut down, going to give Buchanan, Tropeana and Deduno the remaining starts.

[ValpoCory]

McHugh shut down, going to give Buchanan, Tropeana and Deduno the remaining starts.

Saw that too.  Too bad.  Still, a great season from Collin.