Plan B: Those what happens if, backup plans for Astros

Going back just a few short years ago, the Astros front office was not too worried about a Plan B for their players, because in so many cases they did not have a Plan A.  This season feels completely different from those days as the team has firm Plan A’s for almost every position and a lot of flexibility for Plan B’s. So, what does the team have in mind for Plan A at the main spots and what do they have as Plan B in case of injury and/or performance problems?

DH. Plan A. Carlos Beltran – Sure other folks will rotate into this spot as they give the 40 year old some rest or play him in the field once a week. But after having a black hole (black holes suck) at DH since moving to the AL, the team has a real DH this season.

Plan B. For a short term replacement this could be a spot filled nightly by a different starter. For a longer term this could be someone like Tyler White or A.J. Reed or Preston Tucker based on who is killing it at AAA. (I could not bring myself to type Jon Singleton).

1B. Plan A. Yulieski Gurriel – It would seem to be a stretch to make your Plan A someone who has 5 starts at the position, but the Astros paid big bucks to the Cuban and want to find him a spot in the lineup.

Plan B. For short term this would seem to be Marwin Gonzalez, though playing him in one spot for extended periods would seem to lessen his Swiss Army knife value. A longer term replacement would point at Reed or White with some trade-off with MarGo.

2B. Plan A. Jose Altuve – Period!

Plan B. Short term putting MarGo would work. Longer term ….Tony Kemp??

SS. Carlos Correa – Exclamation Point!

Plan B. Short term – MarGo. Long term move Bregman to SS, Gurriel to 3B and Reed or White plus MarGo at 1B

3B. Plan A. Alex Bregman

Plan B. Short term or long term – Gurriel with the usual suspects at 1B. Other choice might be Colin Moran or J.D. Davis up from the minors.

RF. Plan A. Josh Reddick

Plan B. Hope this would be Jake Marisnick, but the fear is this would be Springer moving over and JFSF taking over CF.

CF. Plan A. George Springer

Plan B. Jake Marisnick?? Not sure what else works here unless Reddick can move over.

LF. Plan A. Mostly Nori Aoki with some sprinkles of Carlos Beltran, and the 4th OF – likely JFSF.

Plan B. Short term – the 4th OF with spot starts from Beltran. Long term – Teoscar Hernandez or Derek Fisher or Tony Kemp or whoever is tearing it up down on the farm.

C. Plan A. Some mix of Evan Gattis and Brian McCann.

Plan B. Max Stassi, but depending on the length it might be trade time.

TOR. Plan A. Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr.

Plan B. Short term they would bring up whoever did not make the team (Joseph Musgrove?) or move in a swing man like Mike Fiers or Chris Devenski. Long term – that trade of prospects for a big arm might occur.

Other starters. Plan A. Collin McHugh, Charlie Morton and… Musgrove/Peacock/Fiers – the 5th rotation spot Plan A is not set yet.

Plan B. Short term and Long term would be next man up from the minors or swing man time.

Closer. Plan A. Ken Giles

Plan B. Luke Gregerson and /or Will Harris with James Hoyt as a possibility.

Set Up Men. Plan A – Gregerson and Harris

Plan B. Hoyt or Devenski or Michael Feliz

There you have it – the ultimate, inarguable, perfect Plan A and B at the critical positions for the Astros.

Now go ahead and argue and point out the imperfect.

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134 responses to “Plan B: Those what happens if, backup plans for Astros”

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    • Yes – with the focus this off-season being so much on adding veteran parts it is easy to lose track of what a bonanza of young talent is at the major league level already for the Astros and what is on the door step. I like who they are in the neighborhood of (the Cubs)

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  2. We’ll be younger next season with Musgrove (24) and Feliz (23) qualifying WAR this year, in add’n to those Kevin posted Martes Paulino Reed as good possibilities for contributions. I’ll stick neck out and say Gustave and Laureano will be the only others you left off.

    Had two good laughs on ‘black holes and Singleton’ — thumbs up!

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  3. You put a ton of thought into this.
    Marwin is my short term lineup insert plan B for 3B, 2B, SS, 1B, and LF.
    That doesn’t mean I play him in that position, but, it means he might go to 1B and Gurriel gets shifted to third or LF or Bregman gets shifted to SS.
    For DH, if Beltran is out for a while, I shift Gurriel to DH lower in the lineup and insert guys at 1B or bring up a young backup catcher for the bench and let McCann/ Gattis DH., depending who is catching.
    I would like to add one thing to the mix. Based on the type ofhitter/baserunner/fielder he is and what tools he possesses, I am not counting out Ramon Laureano as sub for DH or OF later in the year in the event of an injury. If he continues pounding the ball like he did last season in AA, then he suddenly jumps to the top of the Astros prospect list and becomes a 22/23 year old player that everybody but the Astros miscalculated on.
    So far the Astros have been blessed with four players with extraordinary talent at very young ages to come to the big leagues in recent seasons: Altuve, Correa, LMJ and Bregman. There is no reason why Laureano could not be the fifth to do that. He might be that good.

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    • It is nice to get high draft choices like Correa, Bregman and LMJ to be productive major leaguers, but you can really make hay if you find a jewel in the 16th round like Laureano or (I’m hoping here) Tyler White in the 33rd round.
      The Cards had a guy named Pujols who was picked up in the 13th round who made their franchise for a while.

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      • I’m tempering my expectations for Laureano to join the Astros and take Aoki’s place in LF for the future, along with being an addition to the team late this year as a plan B. I’m hoping the Astros actually make it to the WS this year not needing him until next year.
        Not a Pujols, but maybe a mini-Puhl, so to speak. A good fielder with a decent arm to cover a small LF with lightning-like quickness required to handle it’s very weird bounces. A bat that is going to deliver better than average BA and OBP and maybe some average power, due to the ability to barrel up, taking advantage of MMP’s short porch in left. Add in plus speed on the bases and you have a guy who fits in with the Astros new style of play.
        He doesnt need to be an all-star, being surrounded by all-stars. He just needs to be a pretty good regular left fielder who hits. That is a great delivery from a 16th round pick!

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    • Seems long ago when Moran slashed .306/.381/.459 (Corpus 2015)

      Nowhere to go but up from .130/.200/.174 last season in limited size, but Zips is the only one projected 512 ABs to slash .231/.245/.345 for 2017.

      Not to be disagreeable – I think Moran is trade bait, as with White. That’s personal and I should keep opinions to self sometimes. They’re both good, young and cheap – I just don’t see what we’re to do with Bregman, Gurriel, Reed, (and Marwin this season), not to mention JD Davis, next, in an effort to play Moran. If he were facing the same competition at UNC, he’d be a star. The problem is we have guys “locked in” for at least three yrs.

      I know he’s young and former #5 we already wanted, has bulked up and hopefully smiles a little more (gotta have “the face” for baseball) If he contributes, he’s gone that much sooner.

      White’s hope is to rake and take over DH for Beltran next year.

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      • I wasn’t ready to pay attention to this post two days ago, but I am today.
        My problem is I get too locked in on players and need to understand that being a GM(which I’m not) means going with the flow and that flow has to stay in an aura of flux because someone is going to make a phone call that to you that could change everything.
        Someone could get hurt that changes everything.
        Someone could blossom unexpectedly that changes everything.
        Someone could blurt out something on social media that changes everything.
        Ownership could change everything.
        Oh, yeah,
        If White rakes, he could push Gurriel to DH next year.

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    • The more I watch that Musgrove GIF, how repeatable and just unbelievably athletic and strong his leg action. What I know about his mental makeup. That is why I said, do not trade him!

      Brass tax? I think depending on hitting production, we’ll keep 12 or 13 pitchers at any given moment. That will probably decide someone else’s fate first, before Joe.

      If it came down to keeping Joe or Fiers, then I’d opt to send down Hoyt, and let the starters do fireman piggyback tandem whatever. All things equal that’s the only scenario I’d start Hoyt in Fresno.

      I just think something has to give where we give up two pitchers to get a frontliner. That allows others to vie for their dream of, that’s what they work so hard to do, remain a Starting Pitcher. When you’re real good for 4 IP most of the time, we may have to “just be open” to fireman approach.

      No coach goes out there telling the team, “ok Mike’s on the hill tonight and when he starts throwing beach balls, Joe’s gonna take over.” It’s a little more delicate than that. But it’s the same damn thing😉

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  6. In my opinion, plan B is a lot tougher for the Astros to formulate for the rotation.
    One has to forget about Keuchel’s 2016 injury and assume that he is healthy. Assuming that, one then has to figure out whether or not a healthy Keuchel is truly an ace. If he is healthy, he will answer that question this year.
    LMJ is the guy whose health needs to be figured into a solid plan B. If they need a plan B for him, the only guy who has the stuff to replace him with in the organization is Martes, so getting him ready at an accelerated rate is something that might need to be done. MLB says Martes has a 65 rated fastball and a 60 rated curve and a 45 rated changeup to go with a rating of 60 for his control. This puts him in LMJ’s league as far as “stuff” is concerned.
    Is Martes ready? My answer to that is “was LMJ any more ready when he was brought to the majors than Martes is now?”
    Collin McHugh has taken the ball every five days for the Astros. Do we have a plan B for him? I think we have one in Joe Musgrove.
    Charlie Morton was brought in on a deal of 2/$14million deal to be a #4 or #5 starter. Do we have Plan B for him? That guy would appear to be Mike Fiers, according to what I see from various baseball information sources. If Morton is healthy, pitches the way the Astros are counting on, then Mike Fiers is a #5.
    Do we have a plan B for starter #5 Fiers. The answer to that is yes. If the top 4 are healthy and pitch like they are expected to(not how we would wish they would), then Musgrove, Rodgers, Devenski, Peacock or even Martes could step up and be a real good solution as a plan B for Fiers.
    That is my plan B for our current rotation.

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  7. All I can say about Plan A or Plan B is what Chip wrote a couple years ago has now happened on the MLB team. We have a “log jam” with only 9 spots for hitters to take and 10+ too many pitchers.

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    • — “During live batting practice Thursday, Evan Gattis was plunked on his right foot by a two-seam fastball that got away from lefthander Tony Sipp. Gattis walked with a bit of a limp briefly but appeared to be fine later.”

      Looks like there’s still a way to narrow down our roster!

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      • And that is why Evan Gattis is Brian McCann’s plan B and Brian McCann is Evan Gattis’s plan B. Nobody has it as good as the Astros for a plan B catcher.

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    • 45, I’d rather call it depth. If someone goes down, even on the 60 day, we’re going to have options. Options other than Marwin or Tony Kemp. Teoscar will be waiting in Fresno. Jake will probably already be on the bench as a back up. Bregman can play short or second Gurriel, first or third. Reed and White will be options at first or DH. If we lose Gattis or McCann for a significant stretch, we’ll survive.

      And we can never have too many pitchers!

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      • DB, I think we are in agreement. Back then, someone like Brett Wallace was promoted “hoping” he could deliver. We can list a dozen 4A players hanging on with other teams or getting minor league invites to ST off those previous Astros teams. In 2017, similar talent stays in the minors. A player in the minors needs to prove they are equal or better. It is a great place for the team to be.

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  8. With regard to Brad Peacock – who is now 29 years of age and out of options. Brad’s problem has always been command. He throws way too many pitches per batter and per inning, issues way too many walks, and gives up way too many fly balls to ever be successful at MMP. That results in early exits, a high WHIP, a high ERA, and, in the major leagues at least, significantly more losses than wins.

    Last year Brad actually did better as a reliever than as a starter. We just don’t need him there.

    Prediction: Even the love this F.O. has for this guy, I don’t see him being part of the Houston organization much longer. He’d have to be unhittable – and in complete command – every outing this Spring to avoid a DFA notice.

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    • I’m so glad you brought this up. I want to say something about Peacock that may surprise some people:
      In 2016 Peacock threw 117 innings in AAA Fresno and had a 4.23 ERA and a 1.285 WHIP. Then
      Brad Peacock came up in September and threw 31.2 innings in the major leagues and had a 3.69 ERA and a 1.105 Whip.
      Peacock has never been ready in his career to pitch in the majors until late last year. But, he might be ready now. When I said the Astros had an investment in him I meant that he has been given every opportunity to show he could pitch in the bigs, and those 10 games he pitched for the Astros might have signaled that he could be ready, finally.
      In the first half of 2014, Will Harris had 10 appearances for the D’backs at age 28 and they were to the tune of a 9.24 ERA and a WHIP of 1.737. In the second half of 2014, Will had 17 appearances for the same team and had an ERA of 0.55 and a WHIP of 0.857. Arizona put him on waivers, Houston grabbed him up and two years later, at the age of 30, Will Harris is an All-Star, for the Astros, not Arizona.
      Brad Peacock might be another Will Harris and he might not be. But he gave an indication last season that he just might have figured it out and I would like him to get the opportunity to deliver on the faith that the Astros have shown in him. I don’t want Peacock to be in somebody else’s bullpen as their Will Harris and have us look back and say we gave up like the D’backs did on Harris two years ago. We already did that with Straily.

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      • 1OP I sure hope your confidence is rewarding. I would like to get something for dumping Lowrie twice. But he does not instill confidence in me yet. But we have a weeks to see how it turns out.

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  9. You had me until you wrote Brignac could make the Opening Day lineup …

    https://www.google.com/amp/climbingtalshill.com/2017/02/23/projecting-the-astros-opening-day-roster/amp/

    Infield: Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Gonzalez, Gurriel, McCann, Gattis (7)

    Outfield: Springer, Reddick, Beltran, Aoki, Marisnick (5)

    Starting Rotation: Keuchel, McCullers, McHugh, Morton, Musgrove (5)

    Bullpen: Giles, Gregerson, Harris, Devenski, Feliz, Sipp, Chapman, Fiers (8)

    If this is his prediction, I’d strike off Jake Sipp and Chapman to make way for Hoyt Gustave and Teoscar. But I’m open to see Peacock Laureano Guduan Rodgers Reed & White in Spring before I decide. Oh, and the 2nd best pitching prospect in the game, Frankie Martes. That’s called, “Loaded”!

    Right about now Spring Training invitees are enjoying a nice spread the owner is rolling out to tell the boys Let’s Go! Astros First Class all the way!

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  10. Gotta jump on the Tim bandwagon and give a shout out to Luhnow and the F.O. There may have been bumps in the road, but looking at this thread and seeing the load of talent in this organization, there’s no denying Luhnow & Co have done a good job in bringing this franchise back from being absolute rubbish and the dregs of MLB. Gonna be a good summer in H-town.

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  11. So, Jon Heyman writes a super long article ranking all major league team’s offseasons. With everyone else raving about the Astros, Heyman says they struck too early and overpaid for the additions they made. For that reason he gave the Astros one of the worst grades, a C, plus the fact they didn’t give the farm away for a starting pitcher.
    He spent a whole paragraph describing how the Royals are going to lose some of their best position players next fall and about how they lost their ace in a car crash and are down two main relievers. He talked about how their cash poor situation has kept them from doing much and then gives them a B grade.
    Yes, this is the same Jon Heyman who voted for ten guys on his HOF ballot, but none of them were named Bagwell.

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    • I am not concerned about anything Mr. Heyman has to say about the Astros. He is as biased and totally lacking credibility as CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, Fox, and all the other agenda-driven ‘news’ outlets to me. What I am concerned about is that the Astros win ballgames. If our ownership team spends $120 million on a team that does not win, I suspect we will not see much more in the way of spending for free-agents for a long time.

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    • People keep saying the Astros overpaid for Morton and Reddick, and that may turn out to be true, but the projections suggest they got good value in both players. The projections don’t always prove to be true, as we saw with Keuchel and Rasmus last year, but if they remain relatively healthy, and that is a big if with Morton and Reddick, they should reach those projections and, if so, prove to be bargains. What if the Astros waited and missed out on both those players? I would rather slightly overpay for a player and have him on the team than hold out and miss out on him. I think both Morton and Reddick are going to be positive contributors to the 2017 Astros. I won’t make any predictions beyond 2017 for them at this time. 🙂

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      • I’ve wavered on my expectations this offseason. I’m not convinced Chris Sale would have been a smart move at the offering price Luhnow was willing to surrender. I’m certain he wouldn’t have been a smart move in any deals the White Sox would have accepted. If I knew Sale would be the next monster postseason pitcher, like a Bumgarner or Pettite, I’d give up half the farm. At this point I think it’s to Luhnow’s credit that he didn’t make a trade just to get a name.

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      • I think the Astros targeted the players they wanted and went after them with value money.
        Every player move the Astros make is a value move and Crane said as much in his recent interview.
        Reddick knew what he wanted, the Astros saw value in what they were willing to give him, and also considered who was in the minors to fill a RF spot and didn’t see what they wanted there. Reddick liked how the Astros valued his worth and he is happy as heck instead of having to just “settle for less”.
        It is the exact same thing with Beltran and Morton. The value that the Astros saw matched the desires of the player they were seeking.
        The fact that Heyman never likes what the Astros do is a clear indication that he doesn’t pay attention to them. The Astros DO NOT offer more money than they think a player is worth. They don’t guess. They analyze and either act or pass.
        They acted on Reddick, Beltran Aoki and Morton and they passed on Sale and Quintana. Apparently they acted on Archer, but Tampa passed. So it goes.
        One thing I have noticed about the Astros in the last two years. They are willing to spend on players who are successful. Such was the Kazmir deal. They went after a player who was playing well. He didn’t perform for them. When it came time to re-up on him they passed. They passed on Carter, Conger, Castro, Rasmus, Gomez, Neshek, and a bunch of others lately. They wanted McCann, they passed on Weiters.
        Luhnow has a lot more experience than he did four years ago and it shows.

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      • oldpro, I agree, but wanted to add on that the cost the White Sox got for Adam Eaton make the Reddick signing look a lot better than it may have in other years.

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  12. Fair market value is that price which a willing buyer under no compulsion to buy would pay to a willing seller under no compulsion to sell. Since FA acquisitions are all about compulsion – on both sides – fair market value is irrelevant. When a F.O. is under compulsion to buy, it pays whatever it has to. When a baseball player has no contract, he takes the most he can squeeze out of whoever has a compulsion to buy. That is the reality baseball GMs face. The issue is never the price that is paid vs what other teams paid for ‘comparable’ talent; the issue is always the result obtained when the player hits the field. No points should be awarded for a deal that ‘looks good on paper’ at the time it is made; only deals that result in plus production for our team and plus wins for our franchise in real competition determine if a signing was a good one or not.

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    • Something is only worth what someone will pay?

      Of fair market, the player can nix the deal, as with Hamels and others. But now they want to come here!

      McCann went out of his way to join; Beltran could’ve written his own ticket; Reddick Spidey Sensed to hit in MMP … we made offers across the board (Cespedes, Sale, EE, etc.), so it’s not for lack of effort, or too-soon timing! I could do without the guilt trip of not landing every, single overpriced albatross.

      We’ve had a patient and steady approach, signing after signing under-the-radar moves that brought us here. What we’ve developed ourselves in McQ and Keuchel [ranked #2 behind CLE in homegrown talent], and those tearing through minor league ranks, keeps us from having to get caught in a seller’s market.

      We’ve figured out analytically how to beat the big market mindset, to which Heyman panders.

      We’re also staying true to the people we’re training and drafting, instead of just going thru players like card files!

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    • I think it’s fair to judge a deal on it’s face. What if we had been able to acquire Chris Sale for, say, Tony Sipp? What if we had signed Chris Carter for $20M/year? Would it not have been fair to rain kudos or ignominy on JL for those deals? Agreed, the ultimate proof is in the performance. But one can derive some bit of satisfaction from baking a cake that looks good, even it turns out to taste lousy.

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      • Those who do such things will often find themselves congratulating their Boston Red Sox GM on getting a beating the hapless Astros out a known quantity like Larry Anderson for nothing but a flier on a scrawny third baseman named Jeff Bagwell.

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      • I’ll try that again: Those who do such things will often find themselves congratulating their Boston Red Sox GM on beating the hapless Astros out of a known quantity like Larry Anderson for nothing but a flier on a scrawny third baseman named Jeff Bagwell.

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    • If it’s really an arm slot issue, why didn’t the staff make that assessment on the fly, on the worst reliever in the pen?

      If Keuchel’s shoulder was barking – where were the people tasked with figuring out why the drastic change in stats?

      I’ve read that Hinch isn’t a micromanager type, so these kinds of things – letting the player be responsible mostly for his own success? – are going to happen as you respect a player to diagnose, or reinvent himself. [Straily did it during the season with CIN.]

      This is another good Plan B segue bc if Sipp isn’t up to it (I’m rooting for him, but not optimistic), Tolliver’s a newbie and Guduan hasn’t found the strike zone .. this will be THE big fumble job of 2017. The Noose of Tony Sipp’s Salary will be the sequel to being forced to play Rasmus Gomez.

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  15. Got a kick out of this tweet from a Red Sox fan after the first inning of the Sox’s first ST game:

    The Red Sox didn’t put a ball in play in their first Grapefruit League inning (K, BB, K, K).

    Evan Drelich responded that it’s time to raise David Ortiz from the dead.

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  16. Hinch yelled to Springer just before stepping in against Martes, “if you’re scared you can go to the other field!” Lol

    if Martes is ready, let’s not worry about when to start the clock. Hopefully we’ve learned every game counts, and every year is the window of opportunity!

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  17. I’d like to ask a question here of the folks who comment and the ones who come to read (we get between about 250 and 300 different visitors a week).
    Is there some subject related to the Astros that you would like me to cover in a future post? I have certain areas I hit – but I do not mind hitting on other areas of interest to the readers here. I may not use all suggestions but it would make things easier for me to have a list for when the brain is a bit of a dry hole.
    Thanks

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    • I wouldn’t mind a thread about an outlook on our AL West competitors.
      It fits with our mission as an Astros centered blog.
      How about a 2017 crystal ball look at the Astros, or even a 2018 one. That’s the year things could really start to get interesting, contract-wise.

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      • Of course, I meant 2018 and 2019. I am aware that 2017 has arrived, I just needed Leroy Jethro Gibbs to slap me in the back of the head.

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    • I was going to make the same suggestion as OP. Lookout Landing, a Mariners blog, spent an entire week posting articles about each of their A.L. West opponents and I found it riveting to read the article and the comments of Mariners fans about their opponents. I can say most Mariners fans envy the Astros right now and realize how great they will be for the next 3-5 years.

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  18. You anticipate well, Dan, just before stories seem to surface. Helps to have knowledgeable bloggers making additions. The stories I’m most interested in have to do with being there; on the field, or locker room – inside scoops, so keep ’em coming, Becky!

    And anyway, I think it’s kind of funny how we’re all a bit nuanced in opinions, but bring in a guy like Heyman and we all gang up on him like family!

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    • Dan; either one of the above links would also make for interesting dialog. The new Astros Top 30 is the result of a huge haul in the international free agency signings that the Astros went all in on.

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  23. Dan, you might consider a long, slow lay-out of posts. Comparing and ranking the Astros’ position players, rotation, set-up man, and closer to those of FIRST vis-a-vis the other teams in our division, then SECOND vis-a-vis the likely WS contenders in the NL.

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  24. It is now officially spring. Let the children play . . . . Nori Aoki and Brad Peacock, congratulations – you get to play with the young ones today!

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    • Or, to get a lot of contention and feedback, you could just ask people if they think Jeff Luhnow has done a good job – and why or why not. Then . . . DUCK!

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  26. Headline: Astros undefeated going into today’s game against the Detroit Tigers. We are trying to be kind to our hosts, so we will be playing with Altuve, Correa, Springer, Beltran, Reddick, and all our projected starting pitchers tied behind our back! We are strutting into Lakeland like a Peacock, sippin’ Teo Dulce and a smokin’ Reed.

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      • Thanks for correction, guess I combined 2015 AA innings. Interesting, these are his projections for 2017.

        Fan – 127 innings
        Steamer – 49
        Zips – 76 IP

        Doesn’t look like anyone is giving him a serious shot at starter.

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  28. I just want to say , I don’t get on here as much as I used to as my life has gotten a bit crazy. However when I do, so great to see so many Chip friends and the great posts and info you all provide. It keeps me caught up and informed. Appreciate that and keep it up and TY

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  29. The Astros head of broadcasting Jamie Hildreth died suddenly in W Palm Beach last night. He had been with the Astros 30 years and I know I’ve heard that name thousands of times over the years. Prayers go out to his family and the Astros’ family today.

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  30. While the Astros send out their plan B lineup to face Justin Verlander, Peacock gets to face Kinsler, V Martinez, Cabrera and Upton in the 1st inning.
    0-0 going to the bottom of the second.

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    • I don’t think so. His only chance is if he turned his secondary pitches into plus pitches this winter, and even then, the Astros would have to face some tough luck for him to make it here.
      The Astros have so many pitching prospects that it is going to be very difficult for him, at his age to break in here. But who knows? He has to be suddenly very good.

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      • WHEN Martes and Paulino depart Fresno, hopefully Sneed and Armenteros can take their place. Frias is a warm body in case no one is ready to make that jump.

        I read Sneed was rolling, then in 3rd Frias gave up the bombs. What, Peacock only pitched the 1st? Sneed had the scoreless frame?

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      • Peacock pitched 2 scoreless innings. Fries gave up 3 HRs and 4 Runs without an out. Gustave came in for him and got 3 outs – I think Sneed gave up 2 runs in 2 IP

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  35. Edison Frias gave up 4 runs today without getting and out. He gave up home runs to three straight hitters and when he plunked Cabrera with a curve to the head he got ejected. Sneed gave up 2 runs in 2 innings and Riefenhauser gave up a run in an inning. Peacock went two innings and gave up 2 hits and no runs. Gustave pitched one good inning and Holmes pitched 1.1 solid inning.
    Chapman gave up 4 more runs in the eighth and the final score was Tigers 11 and the Astros 4. Aoki had two hits and stole a base off of Verlander. The Astros RBIs were by Brignac(2) and one by Singleton and Fisher.

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    • Frias said [he] couldn’t command anything.

      Good for Fisher, and mostly Aoki, whose got to get up to speed. He is Japan’s starting CF! As opposed to Bregman, who will be backup SS and 3rd string 3B/2B. Suits me, if everyone stays healthy but tunes up!

      Gustave – gotta watch him to steal a spot, or be first relief up (ahead of a possible Hoyt?)

      Chapman is well-like in clubhouse, but it’s (lefty) just not playing.

      That’s real solid for Brad Peacock! I was the first here to say he’d get an OD spot after last season. He’s still a long shot but if we can somehow get him serviceable enough, there are others who have immediate trade value where he doesn’t.

      It’s kind of a twisted thought to get a guy where he’s tradeable, but the fact is we’re building a team with higher ceilings. When someone reaches it at #5, aren’t you really looking for a Musgrove or an improved McQ to anchor you home? I want a true #1, and a true #2. Peacock will have to earn it.
      ________

      My friend is watching his nephew play Cy Ranch @ Memorial, asked him, “how’s the game?”

      Benches clearing brawl.
      How’d that happen?
      Catcher got run over, first pitch next batter, plunked square in the back.

      Ahhhh, I love baseball😊

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  36. My son’s baseball team went 4-0 this weekend by a combined score of 54-5. If you’re familiar with high school baseball in Texas you will know that Round Rock H.S. is a baseball school. Every senior player that played varsity last year is playing college baseball somewhere this year. I’ve been encouraging my son to get into a strength program because if he can make varsity in 2 years he has a decent shot to play college ball somewhere.

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  38. I’m watching the Rockets game and announcer Bill Worrell is lamenting the loss of his good friend Jamie Hildreth. They were roommates at UH. Pretty successful roomies.

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    • I’ll say one thing, our young players are getting to face the other team’s best pitchers and our young pitchers are getting to face their best hitters.
      We’re learning something and the other teams aren’t learning a lot about themselves.

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  43. Stassi’s 2-run homer in the eighth inning is the game winner. Aaron West got himself in trouble with three walks in the sixth and LHP Reymin Guduan came in and bailed him out and then struck out the side in the seventh and got the win when Stassi homered.

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    • Looks like we found our lefty flamethrower!!! What’s this? We had him in-house all along … This is huge news if Guduan sticks!!

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      • When I mentioned that in 2019 that the Astros would be #1 in fastball velocity, Guduan was part of that plan.
        He’s not quite ready yet, as I think he needs more command and confidence to throw his pitches for strikes in critical situations, but he is getting there.
        That bullpen I envision could be made up of Giles, Gustave, Feliz, Paulino, Guduan, Devenski and Framber Valdez.
        The rotation I see would be LMJ, Martes, Musgrove, Cionel Perez and Jorge Alcala.
        Whitley and Franklin Perez would be pushing hard to break in sometime late in the year.

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  44. A comment from chron(spit!)

    acouchcoach
    “Why is Gattis penciled in as DH with all these new bats available ??? He hit much better as the entire season proved when he caught – even he admitted it kept his mind focused on the game better. This is an awfull decision by an odd MGR. It took John Smoltz exactly one and one half games to question his use as DH- embarrassingly using the term ‘ totally lost as the plate ‘; to describe Gattis’s golf swings in the dirt.”

    This is a popular sentiment, which I no longer believe on the whole.
    1. All the new bats will have, and are having a chance to be game-changers, which is the only chance they can make OD on this roster; those being the very few Teo (who K’d a few times yesterday that I know of), and Laureano. On the bat side, maybe Fisher can impress or White and Reed. Gattis has every need — since *he’s going to be integral to our success — to be in these games getting warmed up.
    2. Last year was last year and if he’s going to play, Gattis will look to pace former teammate McCann. That may be a different enough dynamic to change whether he’s as focused.
    3. An “awfull and odd MGR” is juggling more than this sort of decision.
    4. It is true Evan needs to lay off the breaking stuff and be ready for the heat more often, but in his case I really think when he understands that he’s actually intimidating, [like in Swingers, “he’s a big bear with claws”] he’ll have more confidence. That’s what Evan needs as he’s battled depression in the past.

    ______

    I decided to rewatch Fiers’ no hitter today. Julia Morales, before the game said only after 3 starts, since LMJ was coming off DL 10 days before Sept., Mike was “pitching for his life.” In that game Hinch knew LAD would bring the lefty lineup, so Jake played right. Marisnick responded by hitting a towering and decisive 2-run homer, and first guy to pop him hi 5 was Hinch. Gattis as DH(!) also homered, and just missed hitting two dingers.

    There is hope. Jake will play and be very solid on D. Gattis will hit. Doesn’t matter where.

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    • If I can offer one small piece of advise…don’t put much credence into the comments you read over at the Chron. The far majority of the commenters there can’t hold a candle to the baseball intellect level of the commenters here. I usually take those comments with a grain of salt.

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      • True,…and I mainly mention bc I’ve thought the same thing about Gattis after some O-fer games. He’s one of those guys ya root for bc if he barrels, it’s destructive. I will be watching close bc we have the hi spin rate starters bringing plenty of nasty kicks – it’s gonna be vital there’s a battery trust that pitcher can throw anything. I like the plus arm, but not enough to offset PB’s in important situations.

        Seems both catchers will need more reps, meanwhile we’re sort of resting up the frontline. In all these regards, that higher strike zone – I’m very interested, will we see less breaking stuff if hitters don’t have to swing [Gattis]? Will pitchers really have to bring it up, and will that help the game offensively? Op’s already answered but Gattis is one of those guys behind the plate and who battles swinging at ‘tweeners. There’s less patience for Evan to play DH and not hit, and justifiably so. Which opens the door for “all the new bats” to come and take it away..

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    • Gattis is DHing because he is not allowed to catch in games for at least 10 days because of the inflammation in his shoulder.
      The doctors do not want him throwing, period.
      He is allowed to swing the bat.

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      • And that, after hitting strenuously off the tee (maybe after throwing?) I’m trying to think how that would effect throwing but hey! It’s a long season, and Spring. I’m patient. But anxious for Tuesday ha!

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    • Baseball fans and Marine soldiers – once they stop griping, something’s wrong with them.

      ____________

      Best news yet is Reymin Guduan found the plate, worked out of a jam,… and struck out the side of Tigers who put up 11.

      I knew there’d be some sleepers who will emerge, just like last season when three unlikely 2015 prospects burst onto the scene. There are bound to be more this year and following, given the drafts!
      _____________

      Becky, give us a shout out😀

      Let us know your favorite to have the most Wins in the rotation?

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