An early season post used the term YIE (Yes It’s Early) in speaking of the solid start the Astros built out of zero expectations. This post could be called YIE-2, but gosh what Carlos Correa has done to date at the tender age of 20 at the major league level is unbelievably exceptional.
Through his 46th game on Saturday, he had put up a wonderful line of .299/.345 OBP/.916 OPS with 28 runs, 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 32 RBI and five stolen bases thrown in to the mix. If his numbers were projected to 162 games, he would have 99 run, 49 doubles, 42 HRs, 113 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.
If he had put up those numbers in 2014 for a whole season he would have been first in HRs and RBI, second in slugging percentage and doubles, fifth in OPS and sixth in runs scored in the AL. And the players he would have been rubbing shoulders with would not have been either shortstops or 20 year olds.
Even though he has played half or less of the games that most shortstops have played to date, he is the only AL shortstop with double digit HRs and probably the only other shortstops in his class right now in the AL is the newly acquired Troy Tulowitzki of Toronto. Of the other AL shortstops, his .916 OPS is followed next by Xavier Bogaerts of Boston at .761.
Do you want to compare him to famous Houston Astro prodigies? Probably the top two players at such a tender age were Larry Dierker who debuted on his 18th birthday and Cesar Cedeno who came up as a 19 year old.
Through his age 20 year, Dierker had compiled a 23-22 cumulative record and an ERA of 3.30 in 441.2 innings pitched. Of course his early over-use including 305 innings at the age of 22 has been blamed for his shortened career and retirement at the age of 30. Cedeno hit very well in his 90 game call-up at 19 (.310 average, .790 OPS, 46 runs, 7 HR, 42 RBI) and in his age 20 full year (.264 average, .690 OPS, 85 runs, 10 HR, 82 RBI) and was a George Springer in the outfield. Granted that was a different era for hitting and the Astrodome was a black hole to hit in during the early 70’s. Still Correa has shown so much power at such an early age and such a good bat that he seems to be in a class by himself. He has been as good or better than any Astro who played at such an early age and he has done it while playing great at the toughest position on the field.
Now if you want to compare Correa to Hall of Fame shortstops of the not so distant past, he still stands out. Robin Yount came up at 18 and survived at an early age, but his first few years were pretty pedestrian or worse (.250 average, .622 OPS) (.267 average, .674 OPS) and as a 20 year old (.252 average, .593 OPS). He did not hit the 12th HR in his career until his third season and he did not hit double digit home runs until he turned 24.
How about Barry Larkin? Well first of all he was still at the University of Michigan at age 20, but got up to the majors for a cup of coffee by the time he was 22. His first significant playing time was when he was 23 and he put up .244 average, .678 OPS, 12 home runs, 43 RBIs in 125 games.
What about the Captain, Derek Jeter? Well when he was 20 he was whipping up through the minors from A+ to AA to AAA posting a cumulative .344 average, .410 OBP, .873 OPS but only five home runs and 68 RBIs. He got a short stay at the majors at 21, but was a star the next season with the Yanks with a .314 average, .800 OPS, 10 home runs, 78 RBIs. As brilliant as he was, Jeter topped out with 24 HRs and 102 RBIs when he turned 25.
Maybe we are seeing someone like the great Ernie Banks, who hit 44 home runs and knocked in 117 RBIs at age 24 and then put up two MVP seasons a few years later (47 home runs, 129 RBIs) and (45 home runs, 143 RBI).
The point is that YIE, but…. we may be witnessing a player for the ages blooming in front of our eyes at an age that he would need a false ID to buy an $8 beer at the ball park.
Questions:
- How do you compare Correa to other youngsters who have come up to the Astros?
- Where do you think he stands against the current major league crop of short stops?
- Is it fair to compare him to the Hall of Fame SS’s shown above?
- Where do you think he will be five years from now? Ten years? 15?
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
196 responses to “Unbelievably exceptional: That’s Astros’ Carlos Correa”
This one is special. I have never, in over fifty years of intense involvement in baseball, seen anyone as fluid and ‘natural’ as CC. Enjoy the ride!
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I agree. He is the best Astros rookie I have ever seen for his first half a year.
He compares to Mark Fidrych for having the best start of any rookie I have ever seen in baseball.
He compares with the best shortstops I have ever seen.
Five years from now he will be MVP candidate at SS
Ten years from now he will be MVP candidate at 3B.
Fifteen years from now he will be the Derek Jeter of baseball.
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Athletes who combine physical ability, aptitude and the burning desire to be the best are rare indeed. About the only person I might compare to Correa is Michael Jordan – and not the baseball version of Michael. It is Correa’s incredible aptitude for the game and how that combines with a body perfectly designed for it that makes the physical performance seem almost effortless. But what really makes him even more special is how he makes his teammates better by spurring them on and being a dominating presence in the clubhouse as well. On his minor league teams he was the unquestioned leader. When some noted that he wasn’t all that fast he immediately became an almost perfect base stealer. About the only thing I worry about is that he is probably #1 on Edinson Volquez’ hit llist.
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I would quietly let Volquez know that if he hits Correa we will go through every pitcher on our staff plunking his teammates in the ear hole.
Same for Altuve, who seems to be a ball magnet of late.
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Brian, the other weekend during the HOF induction speeches, I couldn’t help but recall early Pedro Martinez. When he pitched in the NL – I think with Montreal – he once squared off against Doug Drabek in the dome. My recollection was that Drabek hit a home run off Pedro in their previous matchup. Well, in his first AB, Pedro plunked Drabek. Then, for good measure, he attempted a pickoff, but nailed Drabek square in the ribs with the throw and got ejected. Punks!
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I said this in the previous post, but all that dugout “joy” will one day result in a 95 mile per hour dart directed at our future Hall of Famer. That’s the reality of Major League Baseball.
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Dave, that is going to be handled. The veterans on this team will see that it is a phase and will let that die out soon. Correa is a leader and if he doesn’t think it is appropriate, it will go by the wayside.
The New York Times has a huge article on Correa and his leadership skills this morning. There are lots of vets on this team like Lowrie and Carter and Gattis and Altuve, whose personalities and steadiness will steer the baby Astros out of their teens and into the day to day routine that is needed to keep an even keel and not burn out before the goal is reached.
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OP1, I agree, it will happpen. I just hope the self policing happens before the beaning.
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How does Correa compare? He doesn’t. Or rather, other young players don’t compare to him.
I have a brother who lives in Arizona. At the start of the season he assured me their young Cuban third baseman would be the best rookie in the majors. Well, he’s now their rookie right fielder, and he’s a nice player, but he doesn’t compare to Correa.
YIE. But the TV guys noted that Correa leads the league in homers and doubles since his call up.
Each night after a win, they post a long version of Hinch’s press conference before editing it down in the morning. Last night’s unedited version, a reporter asked Hinch if he was surprised by his 20-year-old shortstop. Hinch’s reply basically was to say, “No. I’m not surprised anymore. He’s Carlos Correa, dude.”
I’m paraphrasing, but I think even an even-keeled manager like Hinch is saying that when someone is this awesome, you just accept the awesomeness.
Yes, even if it’s still early.
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Against the Angels, Correa was shifted across the second base side of the field and a ball was hit directly to him. He popped up with the ball and minutely shuffled his feet, stood strong, and threw a dart to first for the out. All I could think was how lucky we are that they play baseball in Puerto Rico rather than football..because he could step onto the field for the Texans and be their most physically gifted quarterback today.
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Presence. He has a presence that 20 year old kids don’t posess. Thank his parents. Beyond that presence is a remarkable baseball player. Maybe an unprecedented combination. He’s already been annointed by the experts. They are correct.
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and a maturity way beyond his years. mentally he has everything that i had hoped villar would start to develop. villar may have some of it when he is forty, correa has it all at 20.
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Off topic so my apologies but what if the league had a policy that if a pitcher hits a batter above the waist that results in the hitter going on the DL then the pitcher is removed from the active roster until the injured batter returns? We’re deprived of the services of George Springer for 6-8 weeks so why not deprive Kansas City of Volquez for an equal ammount of time?
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My knee jerk reaction is to support some penalty for headhunters, but we do have to understand how small a window we’re talking about to throw a ball. Go stand 60′ 6″ from your mailbox and try to hit it with a throw. If you hit it, try to repeat it. I don’t think Bagwell was hit maliciously in ’94. I’m not so sure about some of the plunkings this year. If nothing else, the lack of remorse makes me feel some action is needed.
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Correa got hit by pitches in the minors several times. I distinctly remember him missing games once in Quad Cities and once in Lancaster. It’s going to happen in baseball. But if it’s the same guys that keep doing it, that needs to be handled.
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A few thoughts –
– On the head hunting…Dr. Bill the only problem with the keeping the pitcher inactive while the hitter is on the DL, what if Dallas Keuchel accidentally hits a backup 2B in the shoulder with a 75 mph breaking pitch? The other team could leave the backup on the DL forever, while your ace is out for an accident.
– My solution to Volquez is to get a couple large guys (how about Gattis) to bunt down the first base line and run his a$$ over. To me it is the biggest problem with the designated hitter rule, no quid pro quo when the pitcher is at bat.
– Correa – what I am amazed at is that his stats to date do not seem flukey or of a guy who is on fire. He seems totally within himself and totally in control of his environment. He is not some guy only hitting pop flies into the Crawford Boxes, but hitting lasers into the right field stands. I am not sitting here wondering what happens when the league catches up with him. I am wondering what happens when he catches up with the league.
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Well not Gattis. With that speed he will beat the player down the line. A gazelle that one is.
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I remember one game in spring training this year when, though we were facing an AL team and could have had a DH, for some un-announced reason we let the pitcher hit in the 9th position. Someone expressed surprise and a little confusion in a tweet. I looked at the line-up and quipped back ‘We’ve got Carlos Correa starting at SS today. We don’t need no stinkin’ DH!’ It was tongue in cheek at the time, of course – but now . . .
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By the way, CC his a home run in that game and we won handily – even without a DH.
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‘hit’, not ‘his’
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The pick off at second base tells you how good Correa is. He and McHugh practiced that in spring training a few times, and they both made eye contact, and Carlos KNEW what McHugh wanted to do. Correa slid in behind Lamb, who was dancing off second, and McHugh threw a perfect pitch to pick Lamb off!!! *Thats* the kind off plays not many short stops ever learn…..Villerror will never do that. PERIOD. Carlos Correa is beyond special, he’s the kind of player that only appears every 50yrs. If I’m still breathing in 20yrs…..I’m gonna get my wheel chair up front at the HOF when he’s
Inducted as the SECOND Houston Astro to go in wearing a Astros cap!!!
If Correa ever gets hit deliberately…..I’m giving everyone on this team permission to beat that pitcher senseless. I’m talking to YOU Volquez!!!
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Third – I hope Bagwell makes it as the 2nd one Becky…
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ME TOO!!!!
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4th. I am hoping Altuve beats him there.
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☺☺☺☺☺!!!!!!
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Here is a link to a bleacher report article from a few years ago on their ranking of the greatest seasons by 20 year olds.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1219627-the-10-greatest-individual-seasons-by-20-year-olds-in-mlb-history#articles/1219627-the-10-greatest-individual-seasons-by-20-year-olds-in-mlb-history
In case you don’t want to page through – they are:
10. Mickey Mantle – .311 BA / .924 OPS / 23 HR / 87 RBI
9. Frank Robinson – .290 BA / .937 OPS 122 R / 38 HR / 83 RBI
8. Ty Cobb – .350 BA / 212 hits / 53 SB / 119 RBIs
7. Ted Williams – .327 BA / 1.045 OPS / 31 HR / 145 RBIs
6. Al Kaline – .340 BA / 121 R / 27 HR / 102 RBI (I think I would have rated this below Teddy Baseball)
5. Bob Feller – 24-9 / 2.85 ERA / 246 K
4. Dwight Gooden – 24-4 / 1.53 ERA / 11.9 WAR
3. Mel Ott – .328 BA / 42 HR / 151 RBI / 113 BB
2. A -(Cheating Thieving Ball Player) – Rod – .358 BA / 141 R / 54 doubles / 36 HR / 123 RBIs
1. Silver King (This guy was 20 years old in 1888 – so take it with a grain of salt) – 45 Wins / 1.63 ERA / 0.87 WHIP / 64 CG / 584.2 IP
So, basically the greatest ones on this list are almost all Hall of Fame OFs, or power pitchers and only the greatest question mark of A-Rod at SS. But it would suffice to say that Correa is putting together one of the greatest untainted 20 year old seasons for a SS.
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Well, I think you are right about A-Rod. He came to the majors as an 18 year old and as a 19 year old and did not show anything. But as a 20 year old in 1996 he was the best player in baseball. What happened we might never be told, but I can guess. It was the perfect time for cheating. He got bigger, stronger, faster over the offseason and was at the top of baseball overnight. And few outside the players and trainers knew anything about what was going on.
Now we know.
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Yes, and only Williams and Robinson were rookies.
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Last night’s Corpus Christie box score said the wind was blowing in from right field at 13 MPH. I don’t know if the wind died during the game, but Colin Moran hit his fourth homer since returning from the DL on a fly ball to right field in the eighth inning. He had a double and a HR and two RBIs and is hitting .380 since July 1st. The power is starting to show up and that is what was turning some “prospect experts” to drop him in their rankings. The real Colin Moran is starting to show why Luhnow wanted him.
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Good match-up tonight – McCullers v. Lewis. If Lance had come up next year he might be the guy everybody was talking about as the ROY. But the way he has come in – out of AA no less – and taken control to date should put him in the top 5 in the voting anyway. Still, we have not hit Lewis well this year, so this could be a barn-burner. Hopefully CarGo, Carlos, and Presto will let the world know that Colby Lewis’ historic spell over the Astros’ bats doesn’t apply to them at all.
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My husband asked me yesterday, if Springer was going to go on this road trip…….
I told him, if George Springer has to buy his own ticket, he WILL be on this road trip!
Besides, whose gonna set up the fog machine, and music!!!! Some of you guys don’t think this is very cool do do, I don’t agree. If this is what contibutes to a happy clubhouse, I’m for it 100%!! Don’t mess with what’s working!!!
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I have no problem with anything that happens inside the clubhouse.
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Get over it.
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I am with Becky on this. Many teams have their HR celebrations in the dugout. Why are we concerned about the Astros style of doing it? If it breeds a stronger bond among the Astros players then go for it. To quote the late Al Davis, ‘Just win, baby!’.
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Yes, and for a decade we had to watch the other dugouts celebrate. I’m all for US celebrating for a change.
Even in the Killer Bee era I always thought Bidge & Bagwell were a bit on the stoic side.
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All I’m saying is that one of these days we’re going to pay a price. That’s the way it works in MLB.
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I respectfully disagree, Uncleknuckle. Doing it in your own dugout is your business. It only becomes offensive if you do it on the base paths to show up the pitcher.
Any pitcher who feels differently — and I’m looking at the Royals here — is a “baby.”
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They can celebrate how they like. We have to know though it will lead to a little head hunting. That’s how it works in baseball.
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Me too.
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Finally a topic we all agree on. I think.
The Kid is special. I am still upset that the Astros didn’t give him the job on 1 April, he could be competing for the youngest MVP ever. Water under the bridge and we are still in first place.
Many good years to come, hopefully all as a Houston Astro.
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After watching Mike Leake pitch yesterday……I’m soo glad we got Scott Kazmir.
Leake looks like a 4th or 5th starter, Kazmir is an ace on most teams, but since we can’t have two aces on our team…..he can be our *second* ace!! McCullers throws hard, and that’s just what Josh Hamilton LOVES to hit. Look out kid, he can hurt ya!!
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I think McCullers is a good enough picture to avoid that trap.
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Pitcher. Stupid voice recognition.
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Hope you’re right…….
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Becky mentioned the pick off play and I was amazed too. CC has made plays with Altuve at 2nd base that are as good as any combo I have ever seen. Both have instincts that kick in at the right time.
I have mentioned this before, but someone saw a talent in a kid in Puerto Rico that many, many scouts missed. (I sure thought was a dumb “money ploy” pick.) I will give credit to JL for hiring the scouts. From now on those other scouts will be watching a teenager and say “He could be the next Carlos Correa.”
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This could potentially be a very good match-up tonight – Lance McCullers v. Colby Lewis. If we had been able to wait and let Lance come up next year on schedule he might just be in the running for ROY. But the way he has come in – out of AA no less – and taken control to date should put him in the top 5 in the voting anyway. Even with Lance pitching, we have just not hit Lewis very well this year, so this looks no paper to be a barn-burner.
Hopefully our newcomers – CarGo, Carlos, and PrestoPop – will let the world know that Colby Lewis’ historic spell over the Astros’ bats doesn’t apply to them at all.
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Sorry, ‘on’ paper instead of ‘no’ paper.
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I’ve got deja vu all over again.
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LOL RJ – Yes, for some reason my screen did not show that the post I had written had gone through. So I deleted it all and rewrote it – and then I posted it again. Deja vu is at least better than paranoia, isn’t it?
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Oh, no! Not paranoia again!
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What Correa does is star at the hardest position on the field to star at.
Altuve is a star at second base.
Springer is a star at one outfield spot, and it could end up being at CF.
Tucker could be a star at DH. He doesn’t have to field. He has to hit .over .275, walk at a 10% rate, hit 20 HRs. That is a realm that he appears to be able to handle, and he can play LF in a jam. That kind of offensive production is miles above what we are getting now and it is right in Tucker’s wheelhouse.
So far you have four positions locked up with with stars at affordable prices.
Lowrie can be your fifth for a year and a half and maybe Moran is ready to make the step up to having a major league 3B who hits, which we haven’t had since Ty Whinglerton left. teehee.
Singleton and White could be stand ins at 1B till Reed arrives or one of the three may just turn out to be THE proverbial answer at 1B
Now you need a catcher and two COfs to fill out the team on the field. You have Gomez for 2016 and Marisnick.
Catcher. Therein lies the rub. I think Heineman is the guy. If every other guy in the lineup is a good hitter, you can easily live with a catcher who has hit for singles in the minors, draws walks, doesn’t strike out much and throws out a lot of runners. How does he handle the pitchers and the pitches in the dirt. He did handle a great pitching staff at Corpus Christi.
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True confession time…I thought drafting Correa instead of Appel was a mistake.
Boy, was I wrong!
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And I thought taking him over Buxton would prove to be a mistake. Boy, was I wrong also. LOL!
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I know I was wrong. (You should never waste a number one pick on a high schooler ! – Yeah right)
Now is the time for that one person that “Knew” he was a star when he was drafted as a teenager in 2012 to take a bow. I might have to take that question to “Spit.com” to find the local genius.
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It wasn’t until they drafted Correa that I even started paying attention to the draft. I had just retired and was checking out golf courses in the area because my baseball team had thrown in the towel on winning.
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I’d be surprised if I had an opinion back then. I might have been negative about it if I thought the only reason they did it was monetary. But wow – they took Correa and the discount they gave him was the reason they were able to get McCullers in and those two are possibly the best position and the best rookie pitcher of 2015. Wow!
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And if Fontana had turned out to be anything, that would’ve been even better. Of course, I’m of the belief you never draft anyone who hits below .300 in college, but that’s just me I guess lol.
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To show just how the craftiest drafters are still playing the lottery, just imagine wanting both Fontana and Phillips and drafting Nolan five rounds ahead of Maverick.
It is an absolute crap shoot, and yet, out of the same draft comes Carlos Correa as 1.1 and LMJ out of the supplemental. Amazing!
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If you want to have fun – go to baseball-reference.com and look up Carlos Correa and then click on his hitting “splits” for 2015.
Vs. rightys .287 BA / .864 OPS
Vs. Leftys .323 BA / 1.009 OPS
Home .333 BA / 1.001 OPS
Away .268 BA / .826 OPS
Wins .350 BA / 1.011 OPS
Losses .250 BA / .797 OPS
First pitch .556 BA / 1.667 OPS
2-0 Count .750 BA / 3.250 OPS
Zero Strikes .500 BA / 1.569 OPS
Two outs .385 BA / 1.143 OPS
RISP .357 BA / 1.121 OPS
Man on 2nd .563 BA / 1.757 OPS.
2 outs RISP .444 BA / 1.278 OPS
Those last few show that what a clutch hitter this kid is. Just amazing.
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In Quad Cities, Lancaster and Corpus his batting average W/RISP was just under .400 and he was always the youngest player on the field. He’s so good that it’s almost like the major leagues is the next league up for him. His swing is so good that when he hit the HR into the Crawford Boxes Saturday night it was actually a half swing. He was fooled by the change up but had enough swing to hit the ball on a line five rows back. It would have been a double in the corner in most other parks, but it was a half swing by a SS, for crying out loud.
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Safe to say that he’s pretty good when ahead in the count.
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I started reading Jane Hanson blog when she left us on Chip’s blog, so I actually paid attention to our minor leagues when we started getting prospects back from guys we traded. I doubt any of us saw a Carlos Correa at number one in that draft. We were soo focused on a pitcher named Mark Apple we didn’t spend too much time thinking about any other players!! I know I had to go look Correa up when we drafted him, and I was dissapointed when the pirates took Appel….as their first pick, only to see him pass on them! So no, we didn’t see this coming.
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Mark could still end up being the Apple of our eye!
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I remember that draft thinking, “I thought Appel was a slam dunk. What the heck?”
When the money thing was explained, I reluctantly bought into it, but still thought we were stocking up on Chevys when Ferraris were available.
Oops.
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We just did not know we had drafted a 17 year old Ferrarri
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My phone auto corrects his name!!! Thanks why it keeps spelling his name apple!
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Hey, Becky! Tonight’s lineup is out and Carlos Correa is the SS. No Villar!
I think I’m going to get something to drink and celebrate.
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Me TOO!! Make mine a Bud Light!!
Don’t you know villerror is gnashing his teeth just thinking about his time with the Astros is *gone*!!!!
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He tried to gnash his teeth together but he missed.
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Dan, I tried to email Jonathan Villar that quip but I couldn’t. I kept getting an ‘error’ message.
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Mr. Bill there is no point in emailing him – his keyboard only contains two keys “E” and “6”.
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I do remember thinking that the Astros get the overall #1 and there is no consensus generational talent like Harper or Strasburg.
I’m happy with our non-consensus generational talent…
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Aren’t we glad Mark passed on the Buc’s and we got him the next year!!! Now we have the potential to have the best RHP in the league, and Correa to play behind him!! How does THAT sound!! Even with the prospects we traded lost last week,
This team is gonna be AWESOME for a looong time!!! Think about it…..we will have Altuve, Correa, Tucker, Gomez, Marisnick, Jed, McCullers, Velasquez, kehchel, McHugh, Kazmir (I hope) ,Appel, Devenski , Musgrove, AND…..A.J.Reed at first base!! And the only guy outta this bunch that’s gonna cost….a LOT is Kazmir!! So
Pay the man, and let him finish his career HERE!!! Being an Astros fan is just getting started! WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!
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You all are so funny Love ya man, love reading the Fever!
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Thank you Kevin……but as you can see by my name, I’m a girl!!
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Non Generic man (:
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So who hits a 2 run homer in tonight’s first inning? Yep – CC!
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McCullers is getting hit hard…..it’s so dang hot down on that field. The temp up in the stands is 100…..the temp on the field is 112.
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yikes Batting Practice for the rangers Bummer
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I know there’s no crying in baseball, but trust me when Lance McCullers walked off that field…….he was crying. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so bad for a pitcher like I did for him tonight.😟😟😟😟
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At least ast it keeps his inning count down. The good thing is our offense will come back and get him off the hook. Then, he can come out and win one for us five games later.
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Well looks like Rangers were ready to ambush the 1st place team, been while since we have been on the wrong end of a laugh-er UGLY turning it off, hope for better tomorrow
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Oh Ye of little faith.
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Mama said there’d be days like this.
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It might take 15 to win this game. If the pen can do some work, I think we have a real chance.
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Now thats a hoot Castro a Grad Salami just when i was turning it off
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I believe a few days ago I was complaining about the lack of offensive production from our catching crew. Recalculating.
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If Castro is waking up after a two year slumber, that would really help!
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You realize he’s just a triple and a single short of the cycle, don’t you? 🙂
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Man….if we can come back from this, I’m going to to confession to get prayed for
Because I have said some cuss words that were REALL doozys. I mean the ones that are double hyphenated….in a cuss word jar those are worth $3.75 !!!
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Fiers not to impressive thus far.
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For a guy called upon to pitch for the very first time, and having NEVER pitched to Castro……..I thought he did just fine. He was supposed to pitch tomorrow, but had to come into this game cold, never pitched in Arlington. Yeah….I’d say he tried to stop the bleeding, we were going to lose this game with or without him pitching.
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Becky if he gives up 2 runs instead of 6 we could have won.
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DanP; The same could be said of McCullers game tonight. It was just a bad night all around in the pitching department.
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If “if and buts were candy and nuts…..we’d all have a Merry Christmas “……..we were glad to escape with McCullers and Fiers arms still attached to their bodies. Fiers
Did all he could by pitching 5 innings tonight. I hope the guys go in the clubhouse and eat dinner, and forget tonight’s game. The last time we had two catchers hit Grandslams was in 1985!!! And ours did it in one week!! The Angels are getting beat in Baltimore! Brush it off, and go get ’em.tomorrow!!
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Yeah but I’m giving McCullers a pass because in his previous 13 starts he gave up 2 or less earned runs in 10 of them and never had given up more than 4 earned runs in an outing. I appreciate that Fiers settled down and took one for the team by pitching 5 innings, I’m just saying that he has a lot more to prove to this fan than LMJ does.
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Lance McCullers was sent down, and Dan Strait will pitch tomorrow. McCullers is not expected to throw while he is in Fresno………just rest young man, just rest.
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Oops my bad the Indians are beating the Angels 5-3…….not the ‘Os.
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I wonder if McCullers knew he was being sent down before the game. He sure pitched differently than he has any other time.
I think the Angels won last night. Oh well. In Straily we must trust.
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I doubt being sent down was pre-ordained. We have six starters so we really don’t need a seventh. And we could have moved everyone up a day and still have them all pitching on normal rest. For whatever reason I think they wanted to preserve the extra day of rest for the staff but I would sure like to see Kazmir and Feldman on the mound today and tomorrow.
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I would also, but maybe we need to see if Straily can be counted on for anything. He spent this year trying to get his pitches in order and we have seen glimpses of him, but he’s not a newbie and it is time to see if he can be counted on in the clutch. this is definitely crunch time.
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The other angle to this is now there is no way McCullers gets 130 days service time this year, avoiding super 2. To me the Astros did it to avoid the bottom line. What other reason is there to send down a kid that until yesterday has been dominant? Not chastising the Astros here, I know every club would do it if they had the depth and flexibility, but it still doesn’t pass my smell test to treat your employees that way.
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This will be an interesting test for Mr. Straily. Book ’em, Danno.
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I wonder if Dan Straily’s walk up music will be something by Steely Dan. After a strike out they could play: “You go back, Jack, do it again – wheels turn around and round.’
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Well they are a year late to play “Hey Nineteen” for Mr. Correa, though I often feel like I’m Reeling in the years looking back on 50+ years of Astros fan-dom. (Though I have had many years of suffering the Deacon Blues).
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Last night on one of the baseball shows they were talking about the trend to use the options like candy as far as pitchers are concerned. Teams all over baseball are using their minors like elevators, shuttling pitchers up and down like never before.
So it is not just the Astros doing it.
As low as I feel this morning, the Astros are leading the division by three and are 13 games over .500.
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Nobody who ever played or coached baseball ever enjoys losing, of course. And nobody likes seeing a talented young pitcher get blasted like the Rangers did to Lance – and then to Fiers – last night. We hurt for these guys.
But that was last night. Today is a new day. A series of critical wake-up calls has been sent. To the Astros ‘playoff bandwagon’ group [players and fans], the message was sent ‘This is not going to be a cakewalk – no matter how many new names you add to your roster’.
To the young pitchers the message was sent by the offense: ‘We’ve got your back. We don’t quit. We may run out of innings, but we will never stop roaring back until the stadium lights go out. So don’t get down about having a bad day. Got hit? Gave up some runs? Showered early? Keep watching the game, son – you might be surprised at the final result.
To the opposing teams the message was sent: ‘Yes, we’re human. But know this – just when you think you have us down we will come back roaring like a lion, and you’ll be praying we run out of innings before we catch and pass your hide.”
So, Cudos to the Texas Rangers – you’ve got some real hosses, and they were all [except one whose name I will not mention] snorting and running last night. Well done. You’ve got a team that will beat the snot out of anyone who is not on top of their game. But ya know whut? We ain’t skeered.
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I wouldn’t gloat too much if I was the Texas Rangers…….they got beat on July 28th.
21-5 . So tonight’s a new game, and you are soo right Mr. Bill.
WE AIN’T SKEERED!!!
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Astros Shortstops since 2007
Barmes, Bruntlett Cedeno Elmore Everett Gonzalez Greene Lowrie Manzella Navarro Perez Petit Ransom Sanchez Tejada Villar.
Correa
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LOL. I was reading that list and the thought came to me that the last one on your list, Jonathan Villar, stands apart too. He, too, is one of a kind. He’s just at the absolute exact opposite spectrum from Carlos Correa.
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Dave Dombrowsky out as GM of the Tigers!
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WOW! I did not see that one coming.
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He wanted out, the eople in the know think he will land in Phoenix. He was there for 14yrs. Tough on the manager.
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Toronto…not Arizona. By the way the Blue Jays pitcher Sanchez was suspended today for three games for throwing at the the Royals. Their manager got a one day suspension. What about the Royals pitchers throwing at EVERY OTHER team???
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What does not seem to get out is the fact that the Blue Jays hit Moustakis late in the game on Saturday night, the day before the blow up on the field. The Royal say that is what started the whole thing.
I don’t really care who started it. The Royals are the common denominator of lots of these events.
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Roger Goodell must be in charge of suspensions in 2 leagues now.
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Agree OP there is something about that Royals team. It’s almost unjustified swagger. They were 50-50 at the break last year, they have been very good since – but probably not long enough to start getting that cocky. I can’t wait for CarGo to meet the Royals.
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Straily is pitching on 3 days rest. This might be another implosion tonight. On a good night Dan Straily is just so-so. Why aren’t they pitching Feldman tonight??? Anyone got the answer?
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Feldman’s no great shakes himself.
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BC: I have posted my opinion before. Scott Feldman is a serviceable SP and has been for 11 years. He is less than .500 in wins and his WHIP is 1.335. But he either has a split personality or doppelganger. On the 25th he pitched 7 innings 4 hits. The game before and the game after – 11 innings with 16 hits. He has done that for 11 years. He may pitch a no hitter or he may be out in the 1st. He was that pitcher for the Rangers, a couple other teams and now us. In order to be kind, he is a veteran and may lend stability to the clubhouse. He lands in as a #3-#5 starter at a fairly high price. But we have no other options currently.
http://m.mlb.com/player/444857/scott-feldman?year=2015&stats=gamelogs-r-pitching-mlb
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So which is better
Keuchel McHugh LMJ Velasquez and Oberholtzer/Hernandez. Or..
Keuchel McHugh Kazmir Feldman and Fiers/Straily
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McCullers!
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