Burning Astros’ question: Can Peacock put out Fiers?

Brad Peacock has been more than a cup of coffee guy as far as major league experience goes. He has been up for a number of meals, they have just not been very good on the whole. This is the sixth season that he has made an appearance in the major leagues, but the only extended times he has spent in the majors (83.1 IP in 2013 and 131.2 IP in 2014) with the Astros he pitched pretty poorly (5.18 ERA and 4.72 ERA respectively).

Even though he was a 41st round signee by the Nats back in 2006, he worked his way up to become the 36th rated prospect in all of baseball in the 2012 preseason by Baseball America. He was part of two fairly high-profile trades – to the A’s with others for Gio Gonzalez and again with Max Stassi and Chris Carter to the Astros for Jed Lowrie.

He has struggled through injuries. He has struggled with having small tastes of the majors (263 IP before this season) and big gulps of the minors (927 IP heading into 2017). If Colin McHugh had been healthy coming out of spring training this year, his bullpen spot probably would have belonged to Mike Fiers and he would have been back in the minors or gone.

But Peacock came into the season with his own good health and a new, sharper slider thanks to Jordan Jankowski, who ironically just was called up this week as bullpen insurance with Peacock taking a spot start.

Peacock has been Devenski-strong coming out of the bullpen this season and after that 4.1 IP, ten K, one hit effort Monday night his numbers are pristine. In 13 games he has pitched 20.1 IP, has a 0.82 ERA, a 0.968 WHIP and 30 Ks. He has a career WAR of 1.3 and 0.8 of that has come in the first 7 weeks of this season.

Both Mike Fiers (5.17 ERA and a major league leading 17 HRs allowed) and Joe Musgrove (5.63 ERA and 1.554 WHIP) have been inconsistent and a threat to not make it through the early innings in many or their starts.

Is it time to flip-flop bottom of the rotation starters? Could they slide Keuchel back in at one of those two spots when he is ready to go and let Peacock pitch on 4 days rest in Keuchel’s old spot?

At the very least a change is tempting.

←
→

151 responses to “Burning Astros’ question: Can Peacock put out Fiers?”

« Older Comments

  2. Just for the record, Babe Ruth hit a home run every 11.76 At Bats. Barry Bonds 1 every 12.92 ABs.

    JFSF is hitting a home run every10.33 ABs. Margo is hitting 1 in every 10 ABs. A small amount of regression may take place.

    Like

    Reply

      • Sorry that I have not produced a recent “Book Report.” Keith Law is sitting by the remote but other than watching Astros games, I have been very, very busy sorting my socks, refilling by 14 day pill boxes, going for long hikes (looking for my keys, glasses, or cell phone), and other very important jobs. Will force myself to read another chapter so all can be enlightened.

        Liked by 1 person

    • The big story of that game was Reymin Guduan coming into the game for Fresno in the bottom of the tenth inning with the based loaded and nobody out.
      Fresno was up by two runs.
      Guduan induced a double play grounder with a run scoring. Then he struck out Leonys Martin to end the game with the tying run on third base.

      Like

      Reply

  4. Joe Musgrove turned the corner tonight. I couldn’t see the game, but from the guys on the radio, he had better stuff than they had seen him with since the beginning of this season. I love that kid! Giles won’t be available tomorrow night, so unless our guys can put enough runs on the board that can give the bullpen a cushion…..1 or 2 runs ain’t gonna cut it. I have to admit I took my ear piece out of my ear when Giles came in! That boy makes me so dang nervous!
    Daveb7….yeah I feel much better being 9 games ahead of the arlington little league.

    Like

    Reply

  5. I’m softening toward Giles. I like his improved fastball command and velocity. I still think he throws too many sliders up in the strike zone and I’m waiting for one to end up on the train tracks but so far this year no homers allowed.

    We were at the game and Musgrove did in fact look focused and polished. If he could do that three out of four starts it bodes well.

    Feeling a bit uneasy about Devenski. His success formula was high fastballs and low change ups but he seems to be throwing more low fastballs and high change ups, both of which are getting hit hard. Hope he returns to the dragon soon.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • The strikeout pitch of Seth Smith was the best changeup he’s thrown in awhile. It dropped in the zone below the knees, but it started about thigh high. I hope it is a sign that he is getting back to April Devo.

      Like

      Reply

  6. While I’m really late to this party I do think Fiers has to sit at least his next start. We were at the game Thursday and besides the 10 hits and one walk in 4 2/3 innings he gave up a lot of hard contact for outs and a lot of his misses are so bad that no hitter is going to consider offering thus he wastes a lot of pitches. His body language is horrible too. Peacock is an underutilized asset the way he has been used so far this season. He’s earned the shot and we saw his start Monday and were thoroughly impressed. The big question is what to do with Fiers. Perhaps bury him in the bullpen to eat innings if a starter blows up early or put him in charge of sunflower seeds. Gregerson is looking stinky too. Seems to be throwing a lot more hittable fastballs and fewer sliders. At least Hoyt is reaching for the brass ring and I hope he keeps getting opportunities.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. Good new is Springer and Beltran almost hitting .240 (-; . We need to get on the road so Altuve can get back to like .320. The only OPS over 900 are JFSM and Margo, and we still have the best record in baseball wahoo

    Like

    Reply

      • I get that people don’t like Springer leading off and there are some definite reasons to move him out of there. However, there is one telling statistic that justifies leaving him there…33-16!

        I don’t like to rock the boat when everything is going so well. Is Springer the ideal leadoff hitter? No, but the team is just mowing through the A.L. right now so I don’t expect a change to happen anytime soon, if at all.

        Like

      • Sorry – the Astros are 33-16 despite Springer batting in the first spot, not because of it. I don’t like it, but can live with it because eventually other parts of the lineup are making rallies happen.
        I know he is only assured of leading off once a game and find it no coincidence that they are not good at scoring in the 1st inning.

        Liked by 2 people

      • Only thing is…if they swap Springer, does it have a chain reaction for the rest of the lineup? Common sense would say no, but would you risk it?

        Liked by 1 person

      • Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.
        Only an idiot would find fault with this team.
        I guess it’s one of those ” if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

        Like

      • Sorry-but can you confirm this Dan? I can’t say definitively why they are 34-16, but I see no reason to rock the boat for the team with the best record in baseball. Whether you like Springer leading off or not the team is on an unbelievable roll so why change things?

        Like

  11. Tim, I agree there will be no changes in the current lineup unless and when that eventual slump happens, and even then don’t expect major changes unless such a slump is lengthy. Dan, like you I’m not a fan of George leading off but who to replace him with besides Altuve; Josh or Bregman, Marisnick maybe who has trended upward after slipping down?
    Question, does it seem like the offense has bombed it way to wins lately, reminiscent of 2015? Don’t get me wrong, I like HR’s, but also like to see manufactured runs with singles, doubles, trips, steals, so on. Run game in a flux, ala Carlos getting caught off base this evening. I’m not complaining about anything, the Stros are winning and that’s all that matters. The offense is a thing of beauty when the hitting are swinging the lumber to wins.
    Commentators this evening discussed offenses firing on all cylinders at the same time, how difficult that is. We have seen glimpses of what this team can do when they are hitting. I foresee a bigger explosion as this team really settles in, like the Rockies lineup but with better pitching. I think the best is yet to come, count on it.

    Like

    Reply

  12. So Springer reads my comment and decides to have a great game including getting on in the first and scoring and a 2 run finger.

    Like

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a comment