Feldman to DL?

[juliogotay]

I saw on another board that Feldman had knee surgery and will be out six weeks. Feliz up.

[subnuclear]

I guess we saw it at the same time.

[Reuben]

Michael Feliz? Damn, didn't see that coming.

[subnuclear]

Michael Feliz? Damn, didn't see that coming.

They said he will be used in relief in the short term.

[Reuben]

They said he will be used in relief in the short term.

Well that's a bit more understandable. I suspected they were grooming him to maybe come up and throw gas later this season. Expecting him to step into the rotation after 1 whole game above A-ball would've been rather unprecedented.

Looks like Obie will be talking Feldman's rotation spot.

[JimR]

What happens with the rotation?

[NeilT]

I've liked Feldman.  He's provided way more stability than I expected.

[doyce7]

What happens with the rotation?

If obie can get his blisters under control I would assume he would take feldmans spot. I guess mccullers is definitely now staying up for the foreseeable future and I think that's a good thing

[Reuben]

What happens with the rotation?

Most likely Oberholtzer goes in; he's already made one rehab start.

[juliogotay]

They will need to free up another roster spot. Not sure who the likely candidate is.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

They will need to free up another roster spot. Not sure who the likely candidate is.

Villar?  Thatcher?

[Reuben]

Villar?  Thatcher?

Buchanan would be my guess. Or Feliz - they won't need to activate Feldman's replacement until Monday, so it may depend on who gets used this weekend and how much.

[juliogotay]

Buchanan would be my guess. Or Feliz - they won't need to activate Feldman's replacement until Monday, so it may depend on who gets used this weekend and how much.

I bet you are right in Feliz. It really doesn't make sense for him to be here. They probably looked at the options and saw that he was rested and ready to go if needed from the pen.

[HudsonHawk]

Buchanan would be my guess. Or Feliz - they won't need to activate Feldman's replacement until Monday, so it may depend on who gets used this weekend and how much.

I like Buchanan. I'd hate to see him go. I'd rather lose Sipp or Thatcher.

[Reuben]

I like Buchanan. I'd hate to see him go. I'd rather lose Sipp or Thatcher.

Sipp? The guy who was excellent all of last season, and has a 1.53 ERA this season? Why would you want to lose him?

[juliogotay]

I like Buchanan. I'd hate to see him go. I'd rather lose Sipp or Thatcher.

I agree on Buchanan. He can give them multiple innings too.

[HudsonHawk]

Sipp? The guy who was excellent all of last season, and has a 1.53 ERA this season? Why would you want to lose him?

I don't.  I don't want to lose Buchanan either.

[austro]

I like Buchanan. I'd hate to see him go. I'd rather lose Sipp or Thatcher.

My blood pressure will go down a couple of points if Thatcher isn't around anymore.

[NeilT]

My blood pressure will go down a couple of points if Thatcher isn't around anymore.

I think something's wrong with Sipp.

[juliogotay]

I don't get all of the Thatcher angst. His cumulative line this year in 17 games:  10/9/3/3/4/11.  A .250BA against and a 1.30 WHIP. 
That seems pretty average to me and as difficult as it is to find a lefty out of the pen I would guess management is ok with that.

[MusicMan]

Seriously, Feliz is a 40-man convenience.  He'll go back down on Monday.

[austro]

I think something's wrong with Sipp.

I'm worried about that, too. He's not just struggling, he's getting destroyed. In his last three outings, he's faced nine batters and given up five hits, including one double and two homers. He's allowed four runs of his own (all earned), and allowed the one runner he inherited to score. In the 16 appearances that preceded those three, he gave up nine hits (no homers) and two runs (one earned) in 17 innings. The change has been abrupt and dramatic.

[Fredia]

this is all true and speaking of relivers how many saves has qualls blown

[jbm]

I'm worried about that, too. He's not just struggling, he's getting destroyed. In his last three outings, he's faced nine batters and given up five hits, including one double and two homers. He's allowed four runs of his own (all earned), and allowed the one runner he inherited to score. In the 16 appearances that preceded those three, he gave up nine hits (no homers) and two runs (one earned) in 17 innings. The change has been abrupt and dramatic.

It seems to me that he pitches better when he is frequently used, and he hasn't been used much prior to his bad streak. Alternatively, maybe there is a physical reason he's gotten more time off recently.

[Reuben]

I don't get all of the Thatcher angst. His cumulative line this year in 17 games:  10/9/3/3/4/11.  A .250BA against and a 1.30 WHIP. 
That seems pretty average to me and as difficult as it is to find a lefty out of the pen I would guess management is ok with that.

Have you watched that sweaty bastard pitch? It's maddening. He has decent stats and a decent track record, but to me his 4-pitch walk of Shuck last night was typical of the overall impression I have of him. Plus, at a certain point you might find most of your righty relievers are as good or better than your 2nd lefty at getting lefties out.

[Mr. Happy]

Plus, at a certain point you might find most of your righty relievers are as good or better than your 2nd lefty at getting lefties out.

This is my point about situational lefties. My rule is if they were right-handed, they wouldn't make the club, then they're not good enough.

[juliogotay]

Have you watched that sweaty bastard pitch? It's maddening. He has decent stats and a decent track record, but to me his 4-pitch walk of Shuck last night was typical of the overall impression I have of him. Plus, at a certain point you might find most of your righty relievers are as good or better than your 2nd lefty at getting lefties out.

I've seen him pitch probably as much as you. You've admitted his stats and track record are decent. Isn't that  what a guy should be judged by as opposed to a single At Bat?  Left-handed hitters are hitting .238 against him and slugging .238. As for the walk, left-handed hitters have a .360 OBP against him. This organization has trotted a lot of LH relievers out for an audition through the years and he's been better than most. Last night wasn't his best moment but I can say that about Sipps and Qualls too.

[BudGirl]

I wrote a recap last month that had some stats about the bullpen.  Back then Sipp was still doing great but Qualls and Thatcher had no problem letting inherited runners score.  That is what I think bothers people about Thatcher, at least it bothered/s me.

[Reuben]

I've seen him pitch probably as much as you. You've admitted his stats and track record are decent. Isn't that  what a guy should be judged by as opposed to a single At Bat?  Left-handed hitters are hitting .238 against him and slugging .238. As for the walk, left-handed hitters have a .360 OBP against him. This organization has trotted a lot of LH relievers out for an audition through the years and he's been better than most. Last night wasn't his best moment but I can say that about Sipps and Qualls too.

Eh, it's very possible you've seen him more than me. Maybe I've only seen his bad games, maybe that's the problem.

I agree that he's better than most of the lefties they've cycled through in recent years... but, we all know that's not saying a whole lot.  The standards are higher this year, and to me Thatcher is the 7th or 8th-best arm in the 'pen right now.

I wrote a recap last month that had some stats about the bullpen.  Back then Sipp was still doing great but Qualls and Thatcher had no problem letting inherited runners score.  That is what I think bothers people about Thatcher, at least it bothered/s me.

Yes, that and just the sweaty, nervous, about to completely lose it vibe he gives off.

[BudGirl]

to follow-up my inherited runners recap, the Astros allow 29% of IR to score (8th best in MLB).

Team wise:
Thatcher and Qualls allow 50% of IR to score
League Average is 31%
Sipp  is at 30%
Fields 20%
Harris 10%
And the man with a distracting delivery, Mr. Neshek, is at 0%

Please note, I don't think Qualls and Thatcher need to go, I think they need to used better.

[juliogotay]

to follow-up my inherited runners recap, the Astros allow 29% of IR to score (8th best in MLB).

Team wise:
Thatcher and Qualls allow 50% of IR to score
League Average is 31%
Sipp  is at 30%
Fields 20%
Harris 10%
And the man with a distracting delivery, Mr. Neshek, is at 0%

Please note, I don't think Qualls and Thatcher need to go, I think they need to used better.

Thanks for sharing. Good info.

[juliogotay]

Eh, it's very possible you've seen him more than me. Maybe I've only seen his bad games, maybe that's the problem.

I agree that he's better than most of the lefties they've cycled through in recent years... but, we all know that's not saying a whole lot.  The standards are higher this year, and to me Thatcher is the 7th or 8th-best arm in the 'pen right now.
Yes, that and just the sweaty, nervous, about to completely lose it vibe he gives off.

I would agree that if you are looking to add an arm in the pen Thatcher would be the most likely to get a pink slip. I'm not trying to elevate his status, just saying he has not killed them. I see Bud Girls' post about the IR stats and that is somewhat telling but I think, too, that situational lefties are put into a lot of situations where they come into a mess to face a lefty and they would be more vulnerable to that statistic than guys that typically start an inning which describes most the situations the righties in the pen get.