What comes next for the Houston Astros?

The bad news is the Astros still have to play the Texas Rangers nine more times this season. The good news is they don’t play them next until almost two months from now. Will the team tail spin after a hurtful 1-3 series against the Rangers where they had a shot in every game? Are they like the alligator armed alligator in the Geico commercials, not quite able to grab winnable games that should be in reach? Or will they do like they did after the Rangers swept them a few weeks ago and go on another 11-2 run to above .500?

Fans are hopeful that the Astros will return to their winning ways now that the Rangers are behind them for the time being. There were a lot of positives during that 11-2 run, but how much of that can be sustained?

  • George Springer has already cooled down a bit from his initial hot start in the lead-off spot.
  • As many have pointed out, the Astros have not much to fall back on when the Springer, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa triumvirate are having an off day.
  • Evan Gattis has also cooled off from the HR run he was on after coming back from the minors as the back-up catcher. The flu seems to have slowed down a little hot run Jason Castro had going. Colby Rasmus, Tyler White, Luis Valbuena and Jake Marisnick have not brought much to the table lately. Is the spark going to come from one of them turning things around? Or from some source in the minors?
  • Only Doug Fister (of all starters) has given consistent outings from the starting rotation lately. Dallas Keuchel has shown flashes of 2015 mixed in with flashes of 2013. Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers seem to vacillate from giving up runs early in the game to giving up leads later in the game. Lance McCullers is just now rounding into shape and has pitched decently, but not deeply into games.
  • The bullpen has been over-worked and it has been the ability of Michael Feliz, Chris Devenski and Scott Feldman to go multiple innings that has kept the overall ‘pen from crashing and burning from over-use. The bullpen has also been the key to the Astros winning five straight extra inning games as they have stubbornly held onto leads (sometime leads one of their members gave up in regulation).
  • Is the very impressive Will Harris now the closer after two straight saves? Can the team get the lead to him if he is?

So where do you think the Astros are headed now? Will they get back up off the mat or go down for the count?

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186 responses to “What comes next for the Houston Astros?”

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  1. Dan,

    Some positives here but overall the Astros are still not a consistently good team. There are still too many holes in the dam to plug. I’m not sure that the powers that be can fix it. It’s not that we have players that don’t perform on a daily basis but that they don’t perform when called upon. Leaving 11 men on base does not win you games. One out with the bases loaded and a K and a ground out doesn’t get you a W either. Other teams have players with low averages but they come through in the clutch. Our guys don’t. That’s the difference between winning and losing. And yes, we’re going to burn out the bull pen by August. Maybe some one has an answer. It seems it’s the same old story all the time.

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    • They are hard to figure Zanuda. They are obviously playing better overall winning 13 of the last 19 games.
      Six of their last eleven losses have been one run losses. Is that a good thing or a bad thing. Carlos Gomez finally doing plus plays is a positive. Luis Valbuena has been floating up a bit – he is over .240. Castro is having small flashes.
      I have a fear that the most solid part of the club – the bullpen -may burnout.

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      • You are so spot on. How long can the bullpen keep bailing out a staff, where not one starter shows consistent ability to dominate a game?

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  2. About the bullpen, this is where I miss Larry Dierker’s touch on the team. In my humble opinion, Dierker did well in his handling of the pitching staff. HInch tends to leave the struggling starter in too long thus allowing the starter to veer into the ditch. I also do not approve of the number of moves that he makes in the bullpen. A reliever is shutting down the other team and Hinch will pull the reliever out for his “wondrous” lefty-lefty and righty-righty matchups. Thus, Hinch wears the bullpen down.

    Regarding the 1,2, positions in the batting order, I understand why Hinch wants Springer to lead off with Altuve batting second but it is not a workable lineup. Springer, for all of his alleged speed, is NOT a base stealer (what happened to him between the minors and the majors?) At least Altuve will steal a base to move into scoring position before Springer can swing a bat in the inverse batting order.

    Catching… I feel Gattis will be the number one catcher next season and Castro will be elsewhere.

    Will Harris has succumbed to the “close virus” of the Astros… become the closer and you automatically give up at least one run. 😉

    After the recent run, the Astros appear to be able to at least finish the season near or at .500, a far cry from the lofty 92 wins I predicted at the beginning of the season. Momma SargeH, ever the Astros’ optimist, believes the team will still win the division still because the Rangers will crash and burn soon. I see a wild-card within the alligator arm’s reach but not division title.

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  3. Good morning old pro and Sarge…
    – The only thing helping the bullpen is the ability of Feliz, Devenski and Feldman to go multiple innings
    – Also none of these relievers are your typical mop-up 5.00+ ERA guys. They are all solid pitchers
    – I am trying to picture Momma Sarge H – I picture a lovely petite woman who scares the heck of ol Sarge
    – I totally agree that Dierker was a great handler of the staff. I thought that he was better with the bullpen than Hinch but frankly leaving the starters in to try to work through problems is something he had in common with Hinch
    – I wanted to say that I wrote this post on Friday morning so some things have changed since then but basically the same questions are in play

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  4. Devenski and Feldman have both been starters and relievers this year and the difference in their stats from one to the other is staggering. I looked them up and they are like day and night. They are good in the bullpen. They both have found their niche in the bullpen, though Feldman is entering his twilight years and Devenski is in the formation years. The biggest difference in their pitching is that Devenski is so hard to get any rhythm against because of his delivery, that he can be effective as both a long reliever and a short reliever. Feldman is a guy who has the savvy to come in and get three guys out, but he still leaves too much in the zone and doesn’t have blow-away stuff.

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  5. On a very sad morning, Kevin, if you’re here, come on back. I’m as old as the hills, probably only OP and AC45 can compete. AC45, where are you anyway?

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  7. This is hurtful. Keuchel was pitching so well. Gets into trouble – has fielding problems behind him and has control problems. Same thing over and over with him.

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  8. I’m watching NCAA baseball this weekend. I wish the Astros were – they could learn a lot from the effort, great plays, and mistakes we’re seeing. The ending of the UCSB – Louisville series was unbelievable.

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  9. I’ve been thinking about this season and where it might lead and I’m not really excited. The offense is still way too spotty and streaky and Keuchel and McHugh have really been awful. We ought to be beyond the stage where we make excuses for Keuchel. He leads the American League in hits allowed, his HR allowed and WHIP are much worse than last year and he has had too many innings this year that get away from him. He’s already lost eight games this year and likely to lose the ninth today. He had eight all last year. Similar thoughts can be applied to McHugh. With a lot of off days coming up I would be tempted to skip both of their next starts to give them a chance to clear their heads and also be told that last year is history and we’re playing games now that count.

    I look at the Cubs who have a lot of young talent and see their success but note that the Cubs have good ownership. an experienced GM and an experienced high quality manager. Success starts at the top and we are sorely lacking. Last year’s flukey success was just that and until we get MUCH better offensively I don’t think this team will do anything more than tease.

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  10. Diane, I hate to say this, but I decided to spend the Summer in Yellowstone. That means no Internet. I am borrowing access today for the first time in weeks. So I am still here and getting to watch the Astros, but can not comment. That is a good thing, as I have seen little positive to say about consistency except for Altuve. Keep up the cheering and I will hope for improvement the rest of the year. There will be a lot of changes this off season.

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    • When I saw your personal “patch” come up, it made me happy this morning. That’s kinda strange, or fortuitous, that you would tap in for the first time in weeks on the selfsame day I asked about you. I never knew anyone who spent the entire summer in Yellowstone. Any details would be welcome, but you probably won’t see this. Say hello to Old Faithful for me cause all I’ve got is the 2016 Astros. 🙂

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  11. 5-0 snoozer of a loss. One bad inning by Keuchel and no semblance of offense today. Not very inspiring.
    Good to hear from you AC45
    You are not missing much

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  12. Welcome back to my friends! We will never let that happen again…..ok? Kevin I dread what you had to do with your beloved golden . My Sheltie is 10 and they don’t live much longer than 12-13.😢😢
    Earth to Luhnow……you have a deeply flawed team. Either fix it, or hand in your resignation, and let Nolan take over. Bring up anyone you can, and send some folks packing. I don’t even get angry anymore, because I’m so used to them losing. Time to fish….or cut bait. There really is no excuse for playing this poorly, when you have the talent.
    Pray for the young men who are fighting for their lives in Orlando hospital and pray for the families who have lost their children. Thanks Becky

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  13. Dan, are you going to do anything this week on the recent draft? I would enjoy yours and everyone’s thoughts on the players that the Astros drafted. It might be a good escape from today’s thrashing.

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  14. Dallas complaining about double plays not turned and the error by VB in post game interview. Sorry, but I don’t think you throw your teammates under the bus in post game interview when you walk the 8 and 9 hitters who are hitting below the Mendoza line. And the hits that scored them. Team chemistry is not good right now. The players I have known would not take kindly to being called out publicly like that. Closed door meeting in the clubhouse? Different story. But guess the guys are too busy with Club Astros shenanigans to have a real clubhouse meeting.

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  16. This is not the same club house we saw last year. Blame the losing? I just don’t know.
    I’m pretty sure last year was an enigma. What we see this year are the real Astros.
    Not enough talent or leadership. Not reall any hope in sight. Depressing.

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  17. What comes next for the Astros?
    Keep playing until the end of June and assess their position.
    They were 9.5 games out this time a month ago and they are 9.5 games out now.
    If they are 9.5 games out on July 1st they need to start shopping players.
    Players to be shopped are Rasmus, Gomez, Neshek, Castro, Fields,Gonzalez, Feldman, Fister and Valbuena. Replace them with Tucker, Perez, Hoyt, Heineman, Worth, Rodgers, Musgrove and Duffy on the roster and make Feliz a starter.
    If someone wants Gregerson and will pay a ton for him, do it. If not, keep him.
    Fire Luhnow, Pettis and the non-hitting batting coach at the end of the season and let the new GM decide about Hinch and Strom.
    If anyone complains about bringing up unproven players from the minors, show them the stats of the guys they’re replacing. That should shut them up.
    Castro, Valbuena, Gomez, and Gonzalez have been bad, but with RISP they are just plain horrible. Rasmus has been good w/RISP but the rest of the time he’s hitting .150.
    Gattis is bad, but he’s catching and isn’t making a lot of money, so it’s ok to keep him for the rest of the season and turn everything left over to the new GM.

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    • As usual old pro you are very succinct and straight to the point on remedy. The GM job is yours if this were a democracy and we were allowed to vote.

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    • Two wildcards provides a much larger margin for error here. I think the front office will look at the (putrid) record in one run games and assume it is mostly bad luck. I disagree, but also believe you could trade any of Rasmus, Valbuena, Feldman, Neshek, and Gregerson without seeing a drop-off in team performance. I’m undecided on Castro and Gattis…playing catcher adds value their bats lack.

      Also, many will cite our 2004 as a reason the first half doesn’t matter, but I would argue the starting rotation on that squad probably had definitely three, possibly four, guys you would take over anyone in our staff right now without hesitation.

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      • Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. But didn’t we fire Jimy Williams at the AS break in 04? Didn’t we replace him with Garner?
        If my memory is correct, I believe the team took off at that point to almost make it to the WS.

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    • Musgrove has struggled mightily since his call up to Fresno. Tucker is an enigma…he struggled up here trying to hit major league pitchers, and does pretty good when he’s sent down. I’m not sure luhnow will do much until the end of the season because he absolutely will NOT admit his trades were a disaster. He’s probably hoping Crane will blame this season on somebody else, so he can keep his job, but he DESERVE to get fired. Other than that…..I concur with your assessment! !

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      • Becky, I meant for Musgrove to come in and pitch in the bullpen to replace Feliz, Feliz to move into the rotation to replace Fister, Hoyt to replace Neshek and Rodgers to replace Feldman in long relief.
        Musgrove isn’t pitching that poorly. His K/BB ratio in AAA is over 6/1 and that is the stat that teams really look at, as well as ground ball percentage.
        Musgrove is out of the tandem for the first time in years at Fresno and he has to get used to that. He has moved to one of the best hitter’s leagues in all of baseball in the PCL and that takes some adjustment, too.
        Finally, Musgrove went from the best team in the minor leagues in CC to the most underachieving, disappointing team in the minor leagues in Fresno. The only players who have played better than expected on that team are Worth, and Rodgers, and they have been blocked by expensive slugs on the parent club.

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      • OP…got cha!! I really hope Rogers and Musgrove both make an impact on this club this year! And….OH LORDY if they stretch Feliz out and put him in the rotation……
        Sadie bar the DOOR!! What this team REALLY needs is another tough lefty in the rotation!!

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  18. I agree. Keuchel shouldn’t be doing this. Yes, the offense sucks and the defense behind him isn’t much better. However, I don’t recall Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson complaining about run support or defense despite a low ERA back when. Maybe it’s time for him to shave that beard and concentrate on getting guys out. I don’t want to believe that last year was an anomaly but it sure is trending in that direction. Yes he won the CY last year but this year he could win the award for the worst starter in the major leagues. I really think there is something else going on here.
    The guys came in cocky, arrogant and not serious about taking care of business. Even when that win they are still out there bowing and curtsying around. Yes it’s good to celebrate a win but some of this stuff borders on the absurd. I’m just not sure what they are thinking.
    I would trade Rasmus, Valbuena, Gomez, and maybe a few of the pitching staff for some guys with potential. Some of these guys need to be sent down to work on fundamentals and learn how to play the game again. I’m also not convinced that Hinch is the guy to lead them into the next phase. And I don’t even want to start on “Losenow”.

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  19. Ok here are my thoughts

    * we over achieved last year and it blinded us to this mess of a roster we have.
    * we have one of the worst owners and FO in baseball, we can spin it any way we want, 5 years and this team stinks. We have some good talent on this teams and in the minors, however they will continue to fail with the lack of leadership and winning culture with this FO.
    * I thought Hinch could do this, but he stunk it up in Arizona and he s stinking it up here. I think he is a nice guy with no backbone, this team is soft, like a bag a JIf marshmallows. There are some really good guys , but the fight is gone from the dog!!!

    Our lame ass owner needs to clean house and bring in the right leadership baseball people, or we are going to a .500 or under club for years %$$*^

    BOOK IT DANO!!

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  20. I will give my state of the team address. First, Luhnow has not kept players he acquired via trade because he’s afraid of admitting a mistake. He didn’t give a qualifying offer to Chris Carter and non-tendered him and he gave Conger away for cash considerations. The issue with Gomez is there isn’t anyone better to replace him and he has picked up the power over the past 2 weeks. Thus, releasing him makes no sense, at this time. Nobody was hitting Moore today, except Altuve.

    I’m still not giving up on this season, but I realize the time to make a run is growing shorter and shorter. Our core prospects are still in the system, especially in pitching, and the team is still relatively young and the future is still very bright. This team is not horrible, but they are not as good as many thought. The good news is that our best players (Correa, Springer and Altuve) are under team control through 2019 or later.

    I would give this team until the ASB to see where we are. I think our best trading chips are Fister and Gregerson. I would, as OP stated above, consider trading Gregerson if it is clear we are not making the playoffs this year if they can get a good haul for him. Considering he is signed through 2017 I feel he will bring us back the most in prospects as teams are always seeking bullpen help at the deadline.

    Clearly, most on here, myself excluded, want Luhnow gone. Unfortunately for those that do, I think Crane really likes Luhnow and will not dismiss him. There may be some changes in the coaches, but I doubt Hinch is gone either. I would prefer to see Hinch gone before Luhnow, but I think both are here next season. It wouldn’t surprise me if Hudgens and Pettis are let go at the end of the season if we finish poorly.

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    • Sorry Tim, but this is not a good team. Take away Altuve and what’s left is mediocre to down right bad.
      This team needs better management.

      I’m afraid you are correct about Crane though. He either really believes in Luhnow or he realizes no quality GM will ever work fine for him.
      Either way we’re doomed.

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      • Sandy, I understand your frustration, but to say Springer and Correa are either mediocre or down right bad is not accurate, in my opinion. They are either very good or great players.

        We disagree on Luhnow, but most on here agree with you and I have come to grips with it. I hope I’m right because I really don’t think Luhnow is going anywhere and if the majority on here are correct, then we are doomed, but I think we’re going to be a strong contender in 2017 and for several years going forward.

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      • I have to disagree with your assessment of Correa and Springer. I believe they have the ability to become great players but not with this organization. I boggles my mind that Altuve just keeps on getting better and better.

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      • Just to be clear your first statement was that every player besides Altuve was either mediocre or down right bad. Correa and Springer are very good and will probably be great players when all is said and done. Altuve, Correa and Springer form a strong core to continue building around for the coming years.

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  21. Continued– OP and lot of you all always have great ideas on personal moves , who to dump, trade, and move up. However, my gut has always proven to me you can take a good person/baseball player put him in a tainted environment and they become sick. We are treating the symptom not the disease. FO has to be shown the door.

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  22. I think Springer, Correa and Altuve are the definite keepers. McCullers, although he’s not showing much right now, is the one keeper from the rotation. I’d even move Keuchel if the deal was right. And there are three or four guys in the pen that I would not want to lose, including Giles. This is just my opinion of course, but that adds up to 7 or 8 guys total. I expected to be much further along by now and I do not see great things from the 2017 club unless a whole bunch of minor league guys do remarkable things next year and the budget gets bumped into the 125 million range minimum. I don’t think either will happen. That’s why I’d like Luhnow to be gone. He simply has moved this club along enough.

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  23. OP, ironically, if someone loses a catcher, and it’s bound to happen, Gattis might bring better talent in return than most of the other guys, should we end up being sellers.

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    • dave, they would get more in return for Gattis, but they won’t get more in return for him than he would be worth as a starting catcher with two years of control remaining. He will most likely be one of our catchers next year.
      It would probably be smarter to trade Castro because I would be the most surprised guy in the room if Castro chooses the Astros in his free agency.

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  24. I think Jeff Luhnow should be on the hot seat based on how this season plays out.
    I don’t think Jim Crane has him on the hot seat.
    I think that Jose Altuve is the only everyday player who is exceeding expectations, I think Springer who has very good numbers is meeting or slightly above expectations.
    I think Carlos Correa is not meeting expectations, but good Lord he is only 21.
    I think Doug Fister, Will Harris, Michael Feliz and Chris Devenski are exceeding expectations. I think Pat Neshek and Scott Feldman are meeting expectations.
    I am disappointed in the lack of good coaching I see, especially the hitting and baserunning, but frankly with the floundering of most of the starters I can’t give our pitching coach a free ride.
    I am in between on Hinch – you look like a better manager when the guys perform well. I do hold him responsible for not sitting some butts down after poor performance or stupid plays.
    The F.O. has not shown me they can make the right moves when needed. It does not mean they won’t get better, but I need to see smarter moves by this bunch.

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    • This is how I feel, for the most part. Luhnow should be on the hot seat if this season is a disaster. It’s not what we expected, but being only 5 games back from a playoff spot in mid-June is not the time to panic and start firing everybody. I also agree with your 2nd point. I just don’t think Crane will fire Luhnow at the end of the season, even if we finish poorly. It will be interesting to see what this team does if they are 3-4 games back of the 2nd WC spot at the trade deadline. Frankly, this is where I am in agreement with most here that I am worried about another trade of prospects for a proven veteran at the deadline this year. The prospects most teams covet are the prospects I don’t want to lose. Musgrove, Paulino and Martes should give us a nice rotation for the next 5-6 years. McCurry, Hoyt, Ferrell and Giles will help form a solid bullpen. I think our pitching depth is very good and I don’t want to give any of it away.

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  25. I think this club is teetering on the edge right now, and firing Hinch might just push them over the cliff. He appears to be the calm voice when they need it. The club needs a guy like Beltre is on the rangers….a REAL clubhouse leader. Rasmus “could” have been that guy…..but he’s just as weird as they come! The only guy I could see stepping up, is Feldman . My 2 cents worth.
    I just think letting Hinch go at this point in the season would be disastrous.

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    • I agree, Becky. I think firing Hinch now would be a terrible move. I don’t necessarily agree with some of his in-game decisions, but I absolutely don’t think he should be fired right now or any time during this season. We should evaluate him just like we evaluate the front office and on-field personnel at the end of the season.

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  27. I should’ve included Rogers in my future starting rotation with Musgrove, Paulino and Martes. I really, really like our pitching depth.

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  28. A great interview with Brady Rogers on Jane Hanson’s, blog Whattheheckbobby.
    A neat kid, and good head on his shoulders!!

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  30. Jane’s blog is: whattheheckbobby.blogspot.com
    If you don’t already have it, I suggest you put her blog on your favorites because she has an up close picture of our future. You’re welcome! Jane used to be with us on Chip’s blog…right daveb!!

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  31. Brady Rodgers outdueled Tim Lincecum tonight. Fresno and Corpus Christi both won 1-run games and both winning runs scored on balks. How’s that for strange coincidences?

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  33. Becky, thanks for the tip on the Brady Rodgers interview. That helped clear up a mystery as to why he was giving up big innings last year.
    Rodgers said when he got runners on base he would go to more fastballs to hold the runner and then got pounded on his fastball. Now he pitches the same way all the time and doesn’t give in to the situation and is getting ground balls in situations like that because he keeps the hitters guessing.

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  34. The Athletic’s director of player developement said the Astros were trying to change some of Daniel Mengden’s mechanics. He said the A’s left Mengden to pitch as he wished. That link was in TCB this morning.

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    • I just want to throw out that I complained last season that giving up Mengden was a bigger loss than Nottingham or Phillips. I don’t recall the Chipalatta response, but was thoroughly ripped by TCB herd.

      As for changing mechanics, every team does it. I seriously doubt the A’s left him alone…but rather were trying to help him be consistent in his delivery. Houston seems to think they can/should change deliveries. I’m not sure if it is to try to prevent injuries or if the nerd cave thinks they understand the mechanics better from simulations, but I want to once again share one of my favorite sayings….”garbage in, garbage out.”

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  35. Sandy I think there is plenty of disease to spread around in the organization right now. I also believe making a change is the middle of the season rarely works, we are in a big pickle here.

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  36. Interesting that Becky mentioned trading Keuchel. We all thought he was the guaranteed #1 for years to come but so far this year he has not shown it. Kind of like Wandy, four or five good innings and then a disaster. We just don’t seem to have a pitcher that can consistently go 7+ innings each outing.
    Maybe he’ll turn it around but that remains to be seen. Sometimes pitchers need to go with their gut instincts rather than with what someone else says. Occasionally my golf swing goes to hell in a hand basket and so does my game. 95% of the time I figure it out myself. But then again, that’s me. Sometimes a second opinion is a good thing.

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    • Ok Honesty check here. Who had thoughts spinning in their head in the off season, could Keuchel be a one hit/ season wonder with his lack of heat and needing to be pin point on every pitch. I just raised my hand!

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      • Nope……I sure didnt. He appears to hold grudges at his infield that when he starts the guys playing behind him screw up. I can understand his feelings, because he feels like he has to be perfect, because the guys can’t score any runs for him. I don’t want to trade Keuchel, but he may WANT a trade, who knows. I love the guy, but he’s getting some ugly national publicity, that he’s on pace to loose more games than *any* starting pitcher this year….. *WOW*! How deflating!! I keep hoping he starts winning his games, and doesn’t circle the drain this season.

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      • Becky, he leads the league in hits allowed and runs allowed. I think he can turn it around. Location of pitches is killing him…just like in 2013.

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      • Never saw this coming. He was good in 14 and great last year. I was convinced he was the return of Tom Glavine.
        Sure glad the Astros didn’t listen to me and lock him in with a monster contract.

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    • I, like most everyone, expected some regression, but not this much. Also, I think it would be a HUGE mistake to try and trade Keuchel now when his value is this low. I don’t think Keuchel is this bad so if the Astros have any inclination of trading him they should wait until he starts to improve and would bring more in return than he would right now. Trading someone at their lowest value is not smart business, in my opinion.

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    • Yes. And I noticed last year that Dallas lost command pitching out of the stretch and was leaning on a generous strike zone. Patient hitters this year combined with a tighter strike zone is causing more traffic. In yesterday’s game, it looked to me like the ump’s strike zone tightened up on both pitchers in about the fourth inning. That was just my eyeball test. I haven’t decided how much I trust the TV broadcast strike box yet.

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      • The radio guys usually say something about the strike zone, but they didn’t say anything about it yesterday. Personally, I think he’s just getting gun shy everytime he starts, just waiting for one of the guys behind him to commit an error. It’s so sad to see him do so badly this year.😟😟

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  39. Personally, I can only compare this year and last. Before that it was radio only for me. In comparing the two years, he looks like two different pitchers. His body language tells the tale. He was so confident last year and this year he looks like he expects to fail.
    Blame it on the lack of defense or run support, maybe. I’m more inclined to think it’s something else.

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  40. It is really hard to see anything good happening with this team in 2016. As I have stated for six weeks or more, I would concede this year and gear up for 2017-2018. The steps I see as essential to that are:
    1. Send Tyler White and Tony Kemp back to AAA within the next 10 days – not because they are any worse than the rest of the guys who are underperforming, but because they still have a chance to fix the flaws that major league pitching has revealed while the others are what they are and are never going to get any better. I would bring up Singleton to play 1B [remember, I’m conceding 2016], and would bring up Eury Perez to be the extra OF;
    2. Try to shop Rasmus, Gomez, Gattis, Valbuena, PTuck, Castro, MarGo, GoGo, McHugh, Fister, Fiers, Fields, Peacock, and Danny Worth to the teams that are contending at the AS Break [I think Keuchel is virtually untradeable, or I would suggest trading him as well];
    3. Do not market anybody other than Worth who is performing in the minor leagues;
    4. Replace the entire major league coaching staff with baseball people who have a heart for the game instead of a head for the stats and the business;
    5. Phase back somewhat the extreme emphasis upon sabermetrics and the extreme reliance upon shifts; return more of the focus to playing hard-nosed and instinct-driven baseball on the field.

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      • Well if I were shopping for a contender. I’d pass on him.
        But then maybe he would be like all the others that have moved on and turn things around.

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      • The words I used were ‘virtually’ untradeable. That means that, while certainly somebody out there [Atlanta?] would take a flyer on a guy who won a Cy Young last year if they could do so without giving anything substantial up, any trade we could negotiate in the midst of the disaster that is DK’s Cy Young ‘victory lap’ would be at such a discounted value that any GM would be totally foolish to even try it. It would be better to take the flyer ourselves – especially in a year when we aren’t going anywhere anyway. DK has not just regressed a little this year – he has imploded. Over 14 starts, he has a 5.54 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. His BBs and his HRs allowed, as well as his BAA, are all way up as well. He has had struggled to achieve moments of league average. He has shown ZERO excellence.The year of the ugly beard has, alas, become the year of the ugly beard joke.

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      • Ok. That’s basically what I said above. He isn’t untradeable, but the Astros just won’t get fair value for him if we try and trade him.

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    • That right there is an A+ Mr Bill, and I have been trying to state the same. This team is broken., get a plan for 2017-18, the Commander and Captain need shown the door at seasons end. otherwise were doomed to mediocrity for years.

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  41. I still think Keuchel is hiding an injury.
    Mr. Bill……that’s some kinda “ripp’N it up and starting all over”!! But….you’re exactly right about playing smart hard nosed baseball.

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    • Becky, I actually scaled-back my real feelings. As I said a few weeks ago, I would also send Correa back down to get his head back on straight. I once proposed sending George Springer down as well, but I no longer see George as part of the future beyond 2017.

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  42. For guys who are what they are – Valbuena, Castro, etc – I say trade them.
    For guys like Keuchel and McHugh who have been better before I would not trade at their lowest value

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  43. My mind keeps going back to something Fister said early on this season.
    He said he gave up trying to implement the changes the Astros wanted and went back to how he previously pitched. His record speaks for itself.

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  44. Other hitting coaches – “See the ball – hit the ball”
    Our hitting coach “Take the first pitch unless it is Thursday and the pitcher is left handed with a cross-eyed mother. If you think the second pitch is going to dip 2 feet below the strike zone take a swing at it in order to make the pitcher over-confident. If the wind is more than 6 mph from the west and the pitcher has a WAR below 2.37, offer at the third pitch but don’t swing.
    Instead of the smooth swing you have developed over the years – watch this film of the robot from “Lost in Space” (the TV show not the movie) and wave your arms aimlessly while chanting ‘Danger Will Robinson’.
    Whatever instincts you have for hitting – please suppress and think instead, even if you are still thinking when the ball is in the catcher’s mitt.
    OK? Now go save my job.”

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  46. A question for consideration: Which current Astro players, if any, do you expect to perform better in the remainder of the season than they have so far?

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  47. My list of players who can reasonably be expected to improve their performances this year are:
    1. Giles;
    2. Kemp;
    3. White;
    4. Correa.

    And the latter is the biggest question mark in my mind, because he still does not seem to have more than about 10% of his head in the game.

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    • Must have been when the Astros played in arlington….
      The rangers….said odor is the best 2nd baseman in baseball, I had to laugh outloud!
      Altuve beats him every day, and twice on Sunday, not to mention Cano!!

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  49. I can’t remember the last time Kemp actually played in a game, so why is he up if he’s only going to pinch run, or pinch hit??? If he’s not gonna play….he needs to go back to Fresno. At least White is playing sort of on a regular basis.
    My list Mr. Bill
    McCullers
    Giles
    McHugh
    Correa
    Gregersen
    Keuchel (man I hope so)
    Altuve is Altuve…..he’ll try to carry this club on his back
    And Springer is just flat out one of the best outfielders in the game.
    I gotta disagree with you about Springer….I see him as our centerfielder for a long time, when the disaster we have now in centerfield, is gone next year.

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  50. Since our guys had the night off, I’ll give you the final line on Mike Hauschild for the Grizzlies tonight!
    7 innings
    4 hits
    1 earned run
    1BB
    7k’S
    Minaya, pitched a perfect 8th
    Hoyt save#13
    Winning runs came off Jack Mayfield 3 run home run.
    Mayfield batted in all 4 runs for Fresno tonight!
    Final- Sac Bees 1 Fresno 4
    Folks we have some pitchers down on the farm!

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    • I don’t know how much longer they can keep Hoyt in the minors. 3 more Ks last night in 1 IP. My guess is that they look to trade someone in the bullpen by July 31st and bring him up then. Unfortunately, there isn’t an obvious spot for him right now, but he is just dominating AAA hitters.

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