Altuve

[JimR]

Discuss

[HudsonHawk]

Gurriel is the one I wanted at the plate with two out in the 9th. If that tells you anything.

Altuve is a great player but sometimes he is so situationally unaware it's frightening.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

League leader - Batting Average, Hits, Total Bases, OPS+, Runs Created, Adjusted Batting Runs, Adjusted Batting Wins, Power Speed #, Times On Base, & Singles.  2nd in League - OBP & Steals. 3rd in League - Extra Base Hits, Doubles, OBPS, & Runs Scored. He ain't perfect but his pretty good.

[BudGirl]

Why hasn't AJ coached him on that?  Last night he seemed so amped up he lost his focus.

[juliogotay]

Gurriel is the one I wanted at the plate with two out in the 9th. If that tells you anything.

Altuve is a great player but sometimes he is so situationally unaware it's frightening.

Last night I had asked myself what one Astro would I want AB with the game on the line and I came up with Gurriel, too.
Bregman is fast moving up on my list, too. Currently he has 51 plate appearances without a K. (since July 30)

[JimR]

League leader - Batting Average, Hits, Total Bases, OPS+, Runs Created, Adjusted Batting Runs, Adjusted Batting Wins, Power Speed #, Times On Base, & Singles.  2nd in League - OBP & Steals. 3rd in League - Extra Base Hits, Doubles, OBPS, & Runs Scored. He ain't perfect but his pretty good.

His stats are HOF first ballot. I do not question his greatness. His ABs with the game on the line are often cringeworthy. Many of you roll your eyes at the mere mention of situational hitting, but that is what wins games.

[JimR]

Why hasn't AJ coached him on that?  Last night he seemed so amped up he lost his focus.

I am sure someone mentions it, but as Ensberg once told me in AA: "You can't tell these guys anything."

[juliogotay]

His stats are HOF first ballot. I do not question his greatness. His ABs with the game on the line are often cringeworthy. Many of you roll your eyes at the mere mention of situational hitting, but that is what wins games.

I still remember his ABs in the KC playoff series. Wild man at the plate.

[BudGirl]

I am sure someone mentions it, but as Ensberg once told me in AA: "You can't tell these guys anything."

He probably knows that from personal experience too.   I hope he learns it soon.  He could be amazing.

[The Spleen]

Two things in his favor:

Hitting .500 for a month helped postpone this collapse.

He has a key skill the other stars on this team lack... staying in the lineup every day.

I still remember "Bagwell and Biggio are so gifted but they choke under pressure."
I do agree that this team has issues with mental toughness and tends to panic when faced with adversity, but that's the result of a complex group dynamic and I'm not sure it's fair to blame individual players,

[BudGirl]

Two things in his favor:

Hitting .500 for a month helped postpone this collapse.

He has a key skill the other stars on this team lack... staying in the lineup every day.

I still remember "Bagwell and Biggio are so gifted but they choke under pressure."
I do agree that this team has issues with mental toughness and tends to panic when faced with adversity, but that's the result of a complex group dynamic and I'm not sure it's fair to blame individual players,

I am going to blame you if this changes.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I still remember his ABs in the KC playoff series. Wild man at the plate.

Conversely, I remember how clutch KC became when they faced elimination in game 4.  Sadly, I also remember poor fielding by Correa too and Will Harris unable to get anyone out in the 8th. Then Sipp being Sipp in the 8th.  Fuck, why did you have to bring that series up. That top of the 8th in the 4th game was the worst half inning of my life. But, I can't hold it against Altuve. Score six runs and the team should win--except for bad defense and shitty pitching.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

His stats are HOF first ballot. I do not question his greatness. His ABs with the game on the line are often cringeworthy. Many of you roll your eyes at the mere mention of situational hitting, but that is what wins games.

I don't roll y eyes. It bums me out too. This team is no better than before at winning close games. An Altuve is one of the reasons.

[Waldo]

Score six runs and the team should win--except for bad defense and shitty pitching.

Not to mention some rotten luck.  Hosmer never saw a pitch from Perez that wasn't ankle-high in the RH batter's box, yet he turned one of them into a base hit.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I am going to blame you if this changes.

No, blame me. That's my new thing.

[hostros7]

He has a key skill the other stars on this team lack... staying in the lineup every day.

Dude.


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[Astros Fan in Big D]

 His 9th inning AB was pretty varied.  Absolutely swung out of his shoes on pitch 1. Fouled off next one to get in the hole.  Then took 3 offerings that were a mile out of the zone.  But he took them and put pressure on Claudio to make a pitch.   He got absolutely fooled on strike 3.  Yes,  he should have been ready to foul that pitch off.  The fact he didn't to me indicates again he was fooled  (or picked up the rotation way too late, hence nothing to do but watch it and squat along with the ball as it broke across the plate).  I think we all agree that taking strike 3 is not a common issue.  Trying to hit 8 run homers early in ABs is.

Yes,  I wish he was better in milking these situations to make the pitcher throw something that favors him.  Yes,  if he did so he'd be more productive.  Of course that means what I'm really asking for is for him to be hittng .380 and drive in 20 more runs then has already.

Or to put it another way, back in the day I really wished Biggio would lay off the slider away.

(I agree with/share the frustration expressed above. This is just how I'm choosing to deal with this turd sandwich right now).

[austro]

I was pretty sure Altuve's 9th inning AB was going to turn out badly when he took that Gozez-style Tasmanian Devil swing at the first pitch. He wanted desperately to hit that 3-run yacker, but a single would have worked just fine. Texas was itching to give that game away.

[geezerdonk]

Along with his buddies Correa and Springer, he will, in due course, be a Yankee.

[MusicMan]

He's a career .317 hitter. With runners on, it's .323; bases empty, .314. No realistic difference.

BUT: with 2 outs and RISP, that drops to .264.  This season, its .363 overall dropping to .261. I think it's fair to say that the stats support what we all see with our own eyes: his approach definitely changes in those situations.


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[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Along with his buddies Correa and Springer, he will, in due course, be a Yankee.

Oh go fuck yourself.  If, God forbid, that did happen they'd make Correa play third... because of Jeter.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Oh go fuck yourself.  If, God forbid, that did happen they'd make Correa play third... because of Jeter.

Good point.  We should probably start discussing Jeter now since baseball started and stopped with him.

[HudsonHawk]

His 9th inning AB was pretty varied.  Absolutely swung out of his shoes on pitch 1. Fouled off next one to get in the hole.  Then took 3 offerings that were a mile out of the zone.  But he took them and put pressure on Claudio to make a pitch.   He got absolutely fooled on strike 3.  Yes,  he should have been ready to foul that pitch off.  The fact he didn't to me indicates again he was fooled  (or picked up the rotation way too late, hence nothing to do but watch it and squat along with the ball as it broke across the plate).  I think we all agree that taking strike 3 is not a common issue.  Trying to hit 8 run homers early in ABs is.

Yes,  I wish he was better in milking these situations to make the pitcher throw something that favors him.  Yes,  if he did so he'd be more productive.  Of course that means what I'm really asking for is for him to be hittng .380 and drive in 20 more runs then has already.

His at bats in the 8th and 9th last night were completely backwards. In the 8th, they were down by four runs, a man on, nobody out, and the pitcher really struggling. They needed base runners to continue to build the inning.  He chased a 3-1 pitch at his shoulders for an easy double play ball, bailing the pitcher out after having thrown eight of the last nine pitches well outside the strike zone. In the 9th, there was the tying run on base and two outs. They needed a big hit, and that was the time to try for a big blow and should have been ready to take a whack 3-2. He took strike three to end the game. Those were the exact definitions of "situational hitting", and failed miserably both times.

[HudsonHawk]

I was pretty sure Altuve's 9th inning AB was going to turn out badly when he took that Gozez-style Tasmanian Devil swing at the first pitch. He wanted desperately to hit that 3-run yacker, but a single would have worked just fine. Texas was itching to give that game away.

I don't mind him taking a big swing in the 9th. In fact, I mind that he *didn't* take one on the 3-2 pitch.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

He's a career .317 hitter. With runners on, it's .323; bases empty, .314. No realistic difference.

BUT: with 2 outs and RISP, that drops to .264.  This season, its .363 overall dropping to .261. I think it's fair to say that the stats support what we all see with our own eyes: his approach definitely changes in those situations.

Well that depends. I do agree with your premise but those season numbers can be misleading if trying to detect a trend. To extrapolate a bit further, this season if there are 2 out and runner only on second he is hitting .125 but if there are two out with the runner only on third he is hitting .571. Is it fair to say he is more focused when only 3rd is occupied than he is when only second is occupied?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I don't mind him taking a big swing in the 9th. In fact, I mind that he *didn't* take one on the 3-2 pitch.

Taking that last pitch was awful. But what bothered me more was him giving the HPU the eye for calling a strike a strike.

[austro]

Taking that last pitch was awful. But what bothered me more was him giving the HPU the eye for calling a strike a strike.

Yeah, there wasn't much doubt about that being a strike (in fact, it looked like it was right in the middle of the happy zone). I assume he was frustrated and simply lashed out at the nearest target, but it wasn't a good look.

[JimR]

Two things in his favor:

Hitting .500 for a month helped postpone this collapse.

He has a key skill the other stars on this team lack... staying in the lineup every day.

I still remember "Bagwell and Biggio are so gifted but they choke under pressure."
I do agree that this team has issues with mental toughness and tends to panic when faced with adversity, but that's the result of a complex group dynamic and I'm not sure it's fair to blame individual players,

I do not think he chokes. He is a great hitter, but he does not think about what the game situation requires. He just swings, sometimes wildly.

[MusicMan]

Well that depends. I do agree with your premise but those season numbers can be misleading if trying to detect a trend. To extrapolate a bit further, this season if there are 2 out and runner only on second he is hitting .125 but if there are two out with the runner only on third he is hitting .571. Is it fair to say he is more focused when only 3rd is occupied than he is when only second is occupied?

That's why I started with the career - 405 PA with 2 out/RISP is almost a full season, it's certainly worth looking at. This season's results, while only 55 PA, are consistent with that career trend.

The situations you're isolating are 11 and 8 plate appearances, respectively.

[JimR]

Along with his buddies Correa and Springer, he will, in due course, be a Yankee.

Fuck off, troll. Why do you post here?

[JimR]

His at bats in the 8th and 9th last night were completely backwards. In the 8th, they were down by four runs, a man on, nobody out, and the pitcher really struggling. They needed base runners to continue to build the inning.  He chased a 3-1 pitch at his shoulders for an easy double play ball, bailing the pitcher out after having thrown eight of the last nine pitches well outside the strike zone. In the 9th, there was the tying run on base and two outs. They needed a big hit, and that was the time to try for a big blow and should have been ready to take a whack 3-2. He took strike three to end the game. Those were the exact definitions of "situational hitting", and failed miserably both times.

Outstanding post, HH

[Astros Fan in Big D]

 Well I sit down to lunch and what are they playing but the replay of last night's game.  Joy.

McCann's AB to end the 8th stands in stark contrast to what we've been discussing here.

Luckily we were done before I had to see the 9th again.

[Jacksonian]

He lets his emotions get the better of him.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

That's why I started with the career - 405 PA with 2 out/RISP is almost a full season, it's certainly worth looking at. This season's results, while only 55 PA, are consistent with that career trend.

The situations you're isolating are 11 and 8 plate appearances, respectively.

I know, that's why I said I agree with the premise. But also pointing out he is not the same ballplayer at the beginning of his career as he is now and there are situational anomalies contrary to the premise.

[MusicMan]

I know, that's why I said I agree with the premise. But also pointing out he is not the same ballplayer at the beginning of his career as he is now and there are situational anomalies contrary to the premise.

And I'm pointing out that your "situational anomalies" are such a small sample that you'd be equally valid in saying that Nori Aoki is the pitcher most likely to get Aaron Judge out.

[BUWebguy]

Yeah, there wasn't much doubt about that being a strike (in fact, it looked like it was right in the middle of the happy zone). I assume he was frustrated and simply lashed out at the nearest target, but it wasn't a good look.

"Altuve on game-ending strikeout: “I thought it was a ball but it was a strike. Now tomorrow I have to apologize to the umpire.”
https://twitter.com/jakemkaplan/status/896220828081238017

[Astros Fan in Big D]

"Altuve on game-ending strikeout: “I thought it was a ball but it was a strike. Now tomorrow I have to apologize to the umpire.”
https://twitter.com/jakemkaplan/status/896220828081238017

Good on him for that entire statement.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

And I'm pointing out that your "situational anomalies" are such a small sample that you'd be equally valid in saying that Nori Aoki is the pitcher most likely to get Aaron Judge out.

Oh, it's more valid.  Using almost a whole season's worth of 2 out RISP ABs to point out a variable and then compare that to a career's worth of 2 out RISP ABs, is probably at least 50% more valid than saying Nori Aoki pitching is the guy most likely to get Aaron Judge out.

[austro]

"Altuve on game-ending strikeout: “I thought it was a ball but it was a strike. Now tomorrow I have to apologize to the umpire.”
https://twitter.com/jakemkaplan/status/896220828081238017

Good to see him own that. That shows maturity.

[JimR]

Good to see him own that. That shows maturity.

Yep