Rock bottom?

[JimR]

Bartolo Colon and last night

Something must be done about the lineup. Do not wait for “last year” to reappear magically.

[NeilT]

Bartolo Colon and last night

Something must be done about the lineup. Do not wait for “last year” to reappear magically.

That said, it’s April.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

That said, it’s April.

Screw that.  I want to panic now.

That was a fucking awful weekend of baseball.

[BudGirl]

That said, it’s April.

I blame you and your non-eating Frito pie ways.

[Fredia]

how does it go from everyone hitting to no one hitting

[toddthebod]

Bartolo Colon and last night

Something must be done about the lineup. Do not wait for “last year” to reappear magically.

I can see the Astros sending Fisher down because he's looked terrible, but they'll do something like bring up Tony Kemp instead of Tucker. 

[NeilT]

I blame you and your non-eating Frito pie ways.

I've had one, but I think I'd better get another soon.

[juliogotay]

how does it go from everyone hitting to no one hitting

*6-7-8-9 in the lineup last night: 0x15, with Gurriel's sac fly. Correa:
It's about time to turn on the hitting machines on this clubhouse. There's a lot of guys here that can do a lot of damage and we haven't been able to do that, but we've been there where we start slow and pick up the pace. For us, that time is now.


Josh Reddick noted to Jake Kaplan in The Athletic ($) how quiet the Astros' dugout was:
It was actually pretty surprisingly quiet for our dugout, the way we're usually rowdy and going about it. Usually you hear a bunch of people saying, 'He's got a no-hitter going. He's got a perfect game going.' But we didn't hear that a whole lot.

With a 101 wRC+, 15th in MLB, the Astros' offense has been perfectly average. Their .371 SLG ranks 20th in MLB, 10th in the American League.
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2018&month=0&season1=2018&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=16,d

[juliogotay]

I can see the Astros sending Fisher down because he's looked terrible, but they'll do something like bring up Tony Kemp instead of Tucker.

I bet you are correct that Kemp would be up before Tucker if Fisher is sent down this early in the season.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

 roster moves are coming and will likely address the back end of the lineup.  But . . .

The top of the order should provide enough production to get Ws with the starts the rotation is throwing down.

Saturday and Sunday the offense scored in a total of 2 innings.

Correa came up Saturday with runners on and a chance to tie or take the lead,  check swings a tapper to the pitcher.  Sunday with runners on in the 9th he pops up a 2-0 fastball down the middle. He ain't right.  Physical,  mental,  both,  who knows?

Springer has 2 HR, both solo.
Altuve 0 HR
Bregman has 1 HR, 4 rbi

[HudsonHawk]

I bet you are correct that Kemp would be up before Tucker if Fisher is sent down this early in the season.

Kemp is not the answer. To anything.  Swapping Fisher for Kemp is pointless.  I don't understand why everyone is so reluctant to want Tucker up.  I haven't seen him hit that much, so maybe the signs are there that he'd fail.  But they need to do something.

[HudsonHawk]

Springer has 2 HR, both solo.
Altuve 0 HR
Bregman has 1 HR, 4 rbi

Springer has three HRs...though all solo and all off of Cole Hamels. 

[toddthebod]

Kemp is not the answer. To anything.  Swapping Fisher for Kemp is pointless.  I don't understand why everyone is so reluctant to want Tucker up.  I haven't seen him hit that much, so maybe the signs are there that he'd fail.  But they need to do something.

I agree 100%.  I don't think that Kemp is the answer.  I'm just betting that that is what the Astros will do.  The fact that Kemp has been the hottest hitter for Fresno is just part of it. 

[HudsonHawk]

May be in the minority here, but the offense hasn’t been the only problem. Last week, they scored 8 runs and lost. Saturday they blew a 5-run lead. No lefty. No closer.  Hinch got outmanaged by Banister.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Springer has three HRs...though all solo and all off of Cole Hamels.

Duly noted.

2 of them landed within 10 feet of each other.

[Jacksonian]

May be in the minority here, but the offense hasn’t been the only problem. Last week, they scored 8 runs and lost. Saturday they blew a 5-run lead. No lefty. No closer.  Hinch got outmanaged by Banister.

Outmanaged or outrostered?

[HudsonHawk]

Duly noted.

2 of them landed within 10 feet of each other.

They were all to RF. Which is telling.

[Jacksonian]

Josh Reddick noted to Jake Kaplan in The Athletic ($) how quiet the Astros' dugout was:
It was actually pretty surprisingly quiet for our dugout, the way we're usually rowdy and going about it. Usually you hear a bunch of people saying, 'He's got a no-hitter going. He's got a perfect game going.' But we didn't hear that a whole lot.

To me, this is playing tight and to not lose.

[BudGirl]

May be in the minority here, but the offense hasn’t been the only problem. Last week, they scored 8 runs and lost. Saturday they blew a 5-run lead. No lefty. No closer.  Hinch got outmanaged by Banister.

Last night, the ESPN guys (and gal) mentioned that there were no lefties in the pen while the Rangers had two options.  They also mentioned that carrying a DH that really didn't field a position may not be the wisest choice either.  (my paraphrasing)

I also got the impression that A-Rod was not pleased the Astros were not beating the Rangers.  It's not that he said it but just the impression I got from him.  I was pleasantly surprised by that.

This team needs a shake up and it is in the pen and bottom of the order.

[HudsonHawk]

Outmanaged or outrostered?

Probably a little of both. The Astros have a pretty weak bench.

[HudsonHawk]

Last night, the ESPN guys (and gal) mentioned that there were no lefties in the pen while the Rangers had two options.  They also mentioned that carrying a DH that really didn't field a position may not be the wisest choice either.  (my paraphrasing)

I also got the impression that A-Rod was not pleased the Astros were not beating the Rangers.  It's not that he said it but just the impression I got from him.

This team needs a shake up and it is in the pen and bottom of the order.

I think carrying a DH is fine, provided two things: 1) you don’t sacrifice other position players, and 2) your DH can actually hit. The Astros have failed at both tests so far.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

I also got the impression that A-Rod was not pleased the Astros were not beating the Rangers.  It's not that he said it but just the impression I got from him.  I was pleasantly surprised by that.

That's what makes this weekend ask difficult to stomach.

They blew a bug lead Saturday.  That was the rangers first comeback of the season.  Not comeback win,  but their first time to take a lead in a game after trailing.  This rangers team is geared up to suck balls until the new stadium opens.  3 rookies starting in the field.  The guy who almost threw a perfecto only started because Doug Fister is injured.

It's baseball.  The best teams still lose 50-60. The worst still win that same number.  But this rangers team won 2 of 3 in a series where they should have been swept.

[juliogotay]

I think carrying a DH is fine, provided two things: 1) you don’t sacrifice other position players, and 2) your DH can actually hit. The Astros have failed at both tests so far.

DH is a "position" in the AL.

[Fredia]

viva la al

[HudsonHawk]

DH is a "position" in the AL.

Not in this day and age of 13 pitchers.  That leaves 12 non-pitchers.  Nine guys have to start, and one’s your backup catcher. That leaves just two players to use in case of injury, or if someone gets tossed, or just flexibility late in a game.  If you’re gonna carry 13 pitchers, all 12 of the other guys have to be able to play defense.

[JimR]

Screw that.  I want to panic now.

That was a fucking awful weekend of baseball.

There is no panic in what I said. It is a realistic assessment of this team.

[JimR]

I can see the Astros sending Fisher down because he's looked terrible, but they'll do something like bring up Tony Kemp instead of Tucker.

Which they should in mid-April.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

There is no panic in what I said. It is a realistic assessment of this team.

Tongue in cheek.

[jbm]

I hope they try to improve the roster, but I still think this team is simply experiencing a hangover from last year: resting on their laurels, thinking they are the WS champs rather than just another team trying to become WS champs.  At some point, they will have a reckoning, and I expect them to come out with the hunger they will need to repeat.  Marvin, Bregman and Gattis (hell, almost all of them actually) are definitely better than what we've seen.

[Jacksonian]

I hope they try to improve the roster, but I still think this team is simply experiencing a hangover from last year: resting on their laurels, thinking they are the WS champs rather than just another team trying to become WS champs.

I disagree with this part of the assessment.  I think they are trying very hard to live up to the team they were (or the post-season hype of who they were) last year, an offensive juggernaut world series champion.  When they figure out they can't; that they can only be the team they are this year (a team that hasn't won anything yet) then they'll be fine.

[Jacksonian]

Late conspiracy.  Tucker did not play today in Fresno.

[TerryPuhl21]

If you were willing to eat some money you reckon we could get Matt Kemp from the Dodgers and stick him in left? Dude can still hit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

If the starting pitching was getting hammered, I'd be worried. The bats will come around, and sooner than later.

[WVastro]

If the starting pitching was getting hammered, I'd be worried. The bats will come around, and sooner than later.

I agree with this 100%.

Folks, we have another very good team that we get to watch this year. Enjoy, and thank Luhnow for all the fish.

[JimR]

If the starting pitching was getting hammered, I'd be worried. The bats will come around, and sooner than later.

Perhaps, but it is sickening to waste the starting pitching we got at home v the Rangers.

[jaklewein]

If the starting pitching was getting hammered, I'd be worried. The bats will come around, and sooner than later.

+1

In addition, if the season ended today we would still be playoff bound.  I think Luhnow will ride this out for some time.  Should we start sliding out of the playoff race he will make a move.  That could include bringing up Tucker (which I'm sure they don't want to do unless absolutely necessary, until an extra year of control is secured - mid June?)

I'm thinking Sphinx is right on and the bats will come out of their slumps soon.  Problem solved.

[JimR]

+1

In addition, if the season ended today we would still be playoff bound.  I think Luhnow will ride this out for some time.  Should we start sliding out of the playoff race he will make a move.  That could include bringing up Tucker (which I'm sure they don't want to do unless absolutely necessary, until an extra year of control is secured - mid June?)

I'm thinking Sphinx is right on and the bats will come out of their slumps soon.  Problem solved.

HH has said there is no extra year of control; rather the issue is an extra year of arbitration for the player, not control. I have no clue.

[moriartp]

Yes, the team control deadline ran sometime this past week. They have Tucker for the extra year.

[das]

Late conspiracy.  Tucker did not play today in Fresno.

He was 0-5 last night (the 17th) with a K in the Grizzlies 11-4 win.

[Jacksonian]

He was 0-5 last night (the 17th) with a K in the Grizzlies 11-4 win.

His first 2 games he went 4-8 with a double and homer.  He's hitting .195 over his last 10 games. 

[JimR]

His first 2 games he went 4-8 with a double and homer.  He's hitting .195 over his last 10 games.

In general, the pitching in AAA is very different from that in AA.

[das]

His first 2 games he went 4-8 with a double and homer.  He's hitting .195 over his last 10 games.

Then, he truly is an Astros big-leaguer. 

[HudsonHawk]

Yes, the team control deadline ran sometime this past week. They have Tucker for the extra year.

The “team control” deadline was April 13th, last Friday. So whether they call him up today, June, September, or he makes the club next spring, he won’t become a free agent until 2025. They will essentially get 7 seasons of control bringing him up now. The trade off is he’ll get an extra year of arbitration. Where the Astros are right now, and the window they have, there is absolutely no reason to delay bringing him up if they feel he could help and it won’t hinder his development.

[Reuben]

The “team control” deadline was April 13th, last Friday. So whether they call him up today, June, September, or he makes the club next spring, he won’t become a free agent until 2025. They will essentially get 7 seasons of control bringing him up now. The trade off is he’ll get an extra year of arbitration. Where the Astros are right now, and the window they have, there is absolutely no reason to delay bringing him up if they feel he could help and it won’t hinder his development.

Agreed. They must not feel like he's reached that point yet.

[subnuclear]

Astros back in first in AL West.

[SoonerJim]

Astros back in first in AL West.

Quite a feat given the unnatural climate under which these players are obligated to perform. Is this the NBA? 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/brrrrrr-frozen-baseball-should-cut-games-1524151929?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1

[HudsonHawk]

Astros back in first in AL West.

Of course it’s middle of April. I don’t pay attention to the standings until the All-Star break.

[Fredia]

kinda like lucy in peanuts  she never ate snow till January when it was ripe

[Jacksonian]

According to a McTag tweet Hinch says there’s a sense of urgency with Fisher.

[austro]

According to a McTag tweet Hinch says there’s a sense of urgency with Fisher.

How about Gattis and Marisnick? It's a real drag to have seven or eight guaranteed outs (or more, when Gattis has his GIDP on) per game.

[Jacksonian]

How about Gattis and Marisnick? It's a real drag to have seven or eight guaranteed outs (or more, when Gattis has his GIDP on) per game.

I think they only have enough on the farm to replace 1 outfielder.  Plus Jake is the #4 outfielder pressed into service because of Fisher.  I think Gattis is out of options.

[HudsonHawk]

According to a McTag tweet Hinch says there’s a sense of urgency with Fisher.

I should hope so.  He's gotten worse every day in the Big Leagues. 

[austro]

I should hope so.  He's gotten worse every day in the Big Leagues. 

Perhaps a cautionary tale about bringing Tucker up too early.