Before we wander off to the unimportant point of this sports post, I want to pay my deepest respect to Leroy Klug, a PFC with the USMC, who died when his plane crashed on December 3, 1943. He was the gunner in an Avenger that went down in the Solomon Islands. He was my great uncle, my dad’s uncle, and my middle name is Lee in honor of him.
As President Ronald Reagan once said, “It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our minds as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired.”
“But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives — the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers, and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do is remember.”
My great uncle was only 23 when he died. It is impossible not to wonder what might have been in his life if he had survived.
To all the many men and women, who gave the ultimate sacrifice, we have no words to show exactly what that meant to us and how to thank you for the freedom we have today.
On to some thoughts about the Astros after a second sweep of the Oakland/Vegas A’s in a huge power display for the team. In their 52nd game and their 31st win, the team which has been lacking power for most of the early season launched 7 of their 53 homers on the season, with that seven-homer game tying a club record. This was the most homers ever hit at the A’s home stadium. This win made the Astros 14-3 since May 8th and pulled them within 2 games of the still-hot Texas Rangers as they’ve sliced 2-1/2 games off their lead since that date.
· Biggest news is that our long national tragedy is over as Jose Abreu finally hit a home run in his 51st game with the Astros. He made it very memorable with his impromptu sprint around the bases, followed by a slide into his teammates outside the dugout. The A’s especially thought this was memorable as they plunked Abreu in the 9th inning.
· This was the third time in Astros history that they hit 7 home runs in a game. The last time was September 9, 2019 against the same Oakland A’s at MMP in a 15-0 romp. Yordan Alvarez had 2 homers that game, just like this time, Jose Altuve hit one each time, Alex Bregman had a homer in that game at home, but not this time, Michael Brantley and his good shoulder hit one, and of all people, Robinson Chirinos hit two that day. Oh, and five of those homers were off former Astro Mike Fiers (spit!!).
· Ironically, also on September 9th back in 2000, the Astros launched 7 homers at Wrigley in a 14-4 slaughter of the Cubs. Both sluggers Lance Berkman and Richard Hidalgo hit two homers that day, and Daryle Ward had another, but I could probably give you a hundred guesses, and you might never guess the last player involved. Tim Bogar, who hit 24 homers in his nine-year career and topped out with 7 in 2000, hit two homers this day for the good guys.
· They just flashed up a stat on the broadcast today that for all left-handed hitters with at least 1500 ABs, Yordan Alvarez is fourth behind Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Lou Gehrig all-time in OPS. The young man has been amazing.
· OK – how many games until Martin Maldonado is back under the Mendoza Line? Or is he actually going to float above it and make us stop talking about Yainer Diaz. OK, we won’t stop talking about Diaz, but it might become a bit less than we had been doing if Maldy is doing pretty good (for him).
· After all the complaints about Dusty and his lineups and he has done some adjusting, which seems to have woken the bats up a bit. That has included moving Abreu down to fifth and now sixth, moving Jeremy Pena to second, and Alex Bregman in between Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker in the cleanup spot. But heck, let’s admit it, all these ties to having Jose Altuve back in the lineup. It just makes the lineup so much stronger and deeper.
· After this….. Lance McCullers Jr. No Longer Throwing Off Mound – MLB Trade Rumors …. are we just a matter of time before the headline announcing more surgery for LMJ? And will Michael Brantley end up in the bed next to him in the surgical wing?
That is just what this writer is musing about today. How about y’all?
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
40 responses to “Memorial Day Thoughts and Astros 2023”
Dan, I’m sorry you never got to know your Great Uncle, PFC Leroy Klug.
LikeLike
Thanks Daveb
It is a strange thing when you are dealing with someone long gone. But it was only 13 years before I was born.
Yesterday I found a link to his information in a “missing marines” web site that me and my family had never seen before.
https://missingmarines.com/leroy-b-klug/
We had never known the names of the other two men in the plane. We did not know they had found remains for one of the other men or that there was a question whether the plane was shot down or failed mechanically. We did not even know that there had been a memorial service 6 months later for Great Uncle Leroy. (Obviously my grandma knew, but we were never told this, we just have his purple heart and a military picture of him).
I did not even know his birthday and I began weeping when I saw that he shared a birthday with my first son, Thomas.
The ultimate sacrifice…..
LikeLike
After receiving my first college degree in the Fall of 1967, I also received a “Greetings” letter from Uncle Sam. I was 21, but most of the kids in Vietnam were 18 or 19. I knew many who were killed and was a pallbearer for two of them . Many stepped on mines that maimed them forever.
LikeLike
I’m done talking about Yainer. As I said last week, we have arrested his development. Yesterday was an example. Guy sits all day, has 10 at bats since May 17 and is expected to do something with a guy throwing 103? Maldy offered a better chance for the Astros in that situation. Did Dusty put him in to quiet the rumbles? He’ll get a real chance only if Maldy suffers an injury.
I have zero expectations of McCullers and Brantley playing in 2023. 2024? Maybe McCullers.
That said, just having Jose back leading off lengthens the line up. If a couple of guys finally start hitting, then pitchers like Pressly might have a bit of a cushion to work with.
The next two weeks will show us a few things.
LikeLike
I was thinking the same thing when Diaz came up yesterday – why would you have a guy sit around all day and have to come in and face that kind of heat? Just like with Chas not facing lefties, Dusty is not letting this kid be seen in his best light. If this is all he is going to be used, they need to send him down to play every day and let Korey Lee do this for awhile. (Actually they need to play Diaz more but they won’t)
LikeLike
Has Maldonado hit a pitch thrown faster than 95 mph all season? Looking at the bench, we had our backup catchers and Chaz available. From the lot, I think Diaz is the most likely to be able to hit Duran. For the others two you’re hoping they could maybe stay in the at bat long enough to work a walk? Also, despite Diaz chasing a bad pitch, I was pleased to see him get a shot. Hopefully he files away that at bat and can use it to his advantage later in the season. Given the Twins will win that division and we might see them in October it could be valuable.
LikeLike
Steven posted this on the previous post moments after the new post appeared and I thought it was worth copying over….
Steven
MAY 30, 2023 @ 7:57 AM
Been away from the keyboard a few days – here are some Steve notes (as if you care!).
Acton clearly hit Abreu on purpose after that HR celebration. I don’t blame him, but I am a little peeved that in a 10-1 game Montero didn’t stick up for his teammate on Laureano. Heck he ended up walking him anyway, should have planted one right in his side. Maybe the hope of a 3 up 3 down inning for Montero was more important in that moment and they will file this one in the rolodex for the next time they see Oakland.
Altuve’s slam was huge. Sure, you can say Pressly blew it up but what it does for everyone in that lineup, the confidence that a 4-1 lead isn’t safe is huge. TBH that was the Maldy at bat I would have sent Diaz out there – I agree with Uncle that it was a bit tough to send Diaz out there in the 9th with 2 outs against Duran. What kind of genetics (by that I mean pharmaceuticals) are letting a human being AVERAGE 103.4? It’s also a good day when Sonny Gray is denied the payoff win. Diaz reminds me a little of a young Altuve, both good and bad. Hasn’t seen a pitch 2 feet off the plate he hasn’t liked yet.
France needs to settle into a routine. His command explains a lot of why we haven’t seen this guy until after his 28th birthday. The stuff is there, but he just throws too many pitches that end up gopherballs in the heart of the plate or miss the strike zone by 18 inches (or more). I imagine he got away with a lot more of those mistakes in the minors. I get it harder to do than to say or every pitcher would be an all star, but you hate to see someone with that velo, that energy, and spin rate, all the tools he needs to be successful, not do it at an age he should be in his prime. Best quote I ever heard – when Greg Maddux was asked the secret to succeed in the big leagues – “Make your strikes look like balls and your balls look like strikes.”
Is anyone else getting so spoiled by Yordan that when he doesn’t hit a homerun in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game every single time you are also thinking what a bum? This dude is the best hitter on planet earth I don’t care what facebook comment sections or Will Smith say. Even Yordan’s fouls look like the baseball insulted his mom or something. Most violent swing I have ever seen.
LikeLike
Thanks Dan! I don’t have a lot of work to do now!
My Dad was a Vietnam vet, Marine infantryman. Every year he used to go to DC at Memorial Day for the services and to put his finger on all 17 names of the friends and platoon mates we lost.
Montero owed a receipt to Laureano. Maybe I’m too old school. When I played, after a plunking, a receipt was coming. Abreu’s homer looked he a pitcher’s swing that accidently backed into one. My wife keeps yelling at me to get off Abreu, but I am sure this is not what we paid 60 million for. I’m rooting for him, I don’t want to see us spend 3 years piecemealed at 1B and playing a bad hitter because he is getting paid a lot of money, but I can’t help but think that is what is happening.
Maldy will be below that line soon. I will say this though – Diaz looks like he is pressing both offensively and defensively. That last throw into in CF was a mistake. The runner had such a jump that he had no chance, and then compounded it by throwing it away. I know he is a “free swinger” as Bagwell liked to call him, but I don’t think he would have a career .324 average in the minors swinging at the garbage he is swinging at now. He has to be pressing. I feel like its a message on repeat, so apparently Dusty doesn’t read our comments, but play him 3-4 times a week mixed in at DH or 1B will relax him a little and not make him feel like every once a week opportunity has to be taken like its the seventh game of the WS.
The lineup showing life is all about Altuve. Brantley would help too as we have not been solid at the 2 spot in a LONG while now.
McCullers – I don’t know whats worse, his contract or Abreu and Montero. Maybe making a lot of money to do nothing is better than a lot of money to cost us. Brantley’s 12 million has to be frustrating to ownership at this point.
LikeLike
I fibbed again. I just can’t accept Diaz getting screwed so badly and the club allowing such a valuable commodity to so poorly developed.
Across the way this morning, someone has posted that from May 14 to present, Diaz has a wOBA of .386. Of course that’s a tiny sample given the fact that he rarely gets to play, but with that particular stat, he trails only Yordan on the Astros.
Steven, no doubt he’s pressing. And his D is suffering now too.
LikeLike
Just curious what, when, and how Dana Brown will do to put his “mark” on this team. I guess in the next few games we’ll find out if Abreu’s breakout is real or just a fluke. I’m rooting for a breakout as I’m sure everyone else is too. You’d almost think Dusty was putting Diaz in these spots so that he’ll fail and he can say, “he just doesn’t seem to have it, let’s extend Maldy for another 3 years”. I do agree Diaz is really pressing much to his detriment.
As it’s been mentioned I suspect we’ll not see LMJ or Brantley this year and maybe LMJ may be toast, never to be seen on the mound again.
I wish we could see a fairly consistent lineup with at least the same guys playing 5 out of 7 games. If baseball is anything like consistency with my golf game, I play best when I ‘m in a steady rhythm not having to wait on shots and playing 2 – 3 times a week. We rarely see the same lineup/batting order on a daily basis. I know we have this lefty/righty thing going on but does anybody else know of any other team/manager that does it to the extent that Dusty does. I remember that I believe that Dan asked us the question about 3 scenarios that would have him retire. I wonder how that would play out now.
Finally, I’ll give recognition to my Dad who was a naval navigator on a PBY during WWII. Dad never talked much about the war but I was told by another vet that the navigator was the lifeline of the plane as he was responsible for the plane to get to it’s destination, accomplish their mission and get them back home safely. He was I believe 21 or 22 years old at the time. A couple of years ago I found his flight log and noted several instances of rescue operations and being shot at by enemy planes. Otherwise as he once told me it was very routine (if you can call it that). I too believe that I was told that I had a great uncle who was KIA during the war. I suspect that many of us had relatives of that War or in Wars or Conflicts afterwards who gave all. It’s great that we can honor those who gave all on Memorial Day least we never forget.
LikeLike
My problem with maintaining the same lineup is that we don’t have a bunch of bulletproof guys. It was easier when we had Springer and Reddick and Correa and Gurriel, we used to look around the diamond and had a definitive starter at every position.
Altuve, Bregman, Pena, Alvarez and Tucker should be penciled in just about everyday (and Pena really only because of the defense). The rest have to be matched up based on strengths versus weaknesses. For example the numbers clearly tell us Chas should play against lefties. His averages facing over 95 are bad. Hard throwing righties should be Meyers because at least you get the defense if nothing else. When Framber pitches maybe Dubon should be at 2B and Altuve at DH for a day. When Javier pitches Meyers should be in CF, maybe Chas should be the one in LF, particularly if it’s a lefty on the mound. Career averages versus opposing pitchers should be considered, so many factors. Dubon could even start playing some SS against high strikeout pitchers, something that Pena struggles with.
I feel like Dusty just kinda throws it out there. Not as much thought is put into it. Chas hasn’t played in 2 days, well, lets stick him out there today. Have him sit against the two lefties in Oakland, but lets play him on the righty that throws 95, which is exactly what happened.
There is no reason to have cooled off our hottest hitter by not playing him when he can literally play 7 positions, and some of them better defensively than the guy with the job.
You don’t have to “bench” Abreu, but even if he bounces back the days of being a 150-160 games a season guy is probably done. Use that opportunity to get Diaz just a few at bats so he doesn’t look like a bozo batting 4 times a week. Why is Salazar even on this roster, he should be playing everyday at AA. Or even bring up Hensley again so this 17 day stretch isn’t as bad – or – gasp – another arm. I almost certain that Brown’s idea of Salazar being on the roster is so Diaz could be penciled in at DH a little bit, but Dusty don’t care.
I can go on all day about Dusty’s choices of lineups. But he is the WS winning manager and I am just a guy in a comments section on a baseball blog, what do I know.
LikeLike
Like a Rock …
This year’s Astros team reminds me of my first car – a 1964 Chevy Impala which I picked up in the stately vehicle’s latter days. By the time I got it it was old, dinged up, slow starting, and noticeably missing on several cylinders. For a day or two after a tune-up it would run like a champ; soon, however, it would always revert back to the familiar pattern of cough, sputter, and die.
LikeLike
Mr. Bill, you are carrying out your responsibilities in such elegant fashion! This particular knucklehead still seems to think we’ve got several guys (I’m not sure which ones) that will start hitting. Now admittedly, I don’t know what our GM will do about our obvious pitching shortage going forward. So much fodder for discussion!
LikeLike
I always have to wonder about how some of these articles are constructed.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/05/big-hype-prospects-abbott-brown-encarnacion-strand-povich-sheehan.html
It is supposedly about big hype minor leaguers – but the Houston prospect that add in to the “extra” part of the list is Zach Dezenzo – who was a 12th rounder in 2022 and certainly is not a big hype prospect. In fact many would say a 23 year old tearing up A+ ball for 31 games is not that big of a deal.
Anybody have an opinion on our big hype 3B prospect that has been hyped so much I’ve never heard of him.
LikeLike
Well he looks more like a third baseman than Bregman does.
LikeLike
A lot of guys go undrafted out of high school because they need to put on weight and would be a difficult sign due to their commitment. Derenzo is one of those guys. He played well as a junior at Ohio State but didn’t flash a lot of power. As a senior he started to tap into it, but probably got discounted a bit for playing for a cold weather school. To my eye he’s performed well this far, but always at a bit older than the competition in the minors. He just got promoted to CC and finally has a chance to compete against players who are older than him. If he continues to hit there it would give the Astros some options.
LikeLike
Since you asked I will offer.
First of all, Zach Dezenzo was a four-year player at OSU when he was drafted. Most guys today only stay 2 or 3 years at most to get drafted.
He was a 23 year old at High A Asheville three weeks ago when I noticed him hitting .400. When he go promoted he was still hitting over .400 on a terrible Asheville team. What struck me most about him was the fact that when his team was getting o-ferred, he was collecting two hits and no RBIs and no runs scored because nobody else could hit the opponents pitchers.
It seemed like he hit every game. No way of knowing about his fielding because there is no talk about him. But there he is in AA now and CC should be winning with the position players there, but they don’t get played consistently and nobody in the organization seems to know how to develop minor league pitching, so Corpus Christi still is a bad team, like all of the Astros farm teams are this season.
I will see if I can find a college scouting report on his fielding ability.
LikeLike
Houston Astros:
1B/OF Zach Dezenzo (12th Round, $125,000)
The easy choice for the Astros would be Nolan DeVos, as he is someone the Prospects Live team has been high on for quite some time. However, the more compelling pick is Zach Dezenzo, an Ohio State product. Dezenzo is no stranger to loud contact, as his plus bat speed frequently generates batted ball outputs greater than 102 MPH. The knock on Dezenzo is his free swinging approach and the inability to recognize spin and handle breaking pitches. There is plenty of work to be done at refining his approach and cutting back on the swing and miss, something the Astros are good at correcting with their young hitters. The upside at the plate combined with the Astros development system could make for a dynamite pairing.
LikeLike
Does anyone out there think the hometown team has a prayer of winning tonight? Joe Ryan vs. Brandon Bielak? Let’s compare stats:
W/L: Ryan is 7-1; Bielak is 1-2
ERA: Ryan is at 2.21; Bielak is at 3.55 (and crazy lucky to be that low)
WHIP: Ryan is @ 0.95; Bielak is at 1.54
BAA: Ryan is @ .209; Bielak is at .300
K/9: Ryan is @ 10.33; Bielak is at 7.82
Goliath meets David? or the Blitzkreig meets Poland?
LikeLike
Mr. Bill, but we’ve got Salazar starting too!
LikeLike
Bielak only needs to get through 5 IP with 3 runs or less and let us get to their BP. That’s the best hope in this kind of match up.
LikeLike
What is Dusty thinking? Here are some conspiracy theories:
1) He is trying to copy the 2019 Nationals and 2021 Braves; suck in the first half and play great in the second half to win it all
2) He knows he will need Yainer, Dubon and Chas in the postseason, so he is giving them extra rest now
3) He has deep ties to all of our former NL West rivals; Dodgers, Braves, Giants & Reds so he is a spy planted by one or more of those teams to try and make us lose on purpose.
4) Yainer wants a second career as a songwriter, so Dusty gave him time on the bench to write this:
Winding your way down on Baker’s Team
Doubt in your head and dead on your feet
Well, another crazy day
You’ll drink the night away
And forget about playing regularly
This crazy lineup makes you feel so cold
It’s got so many hitters, but it’s full of holes
And it’s taken you so long
To find out you were wrong
When you thought you could get some swings
You used to think that it was so easy
You used to say that you could replace Maldy
But you’re tryin’, you’re tryin’ too hard
Another year and then you’d be happy
Just one more year and then you’d be happy
But you’re cryin’, you’re cryin’ now
Way down the clubhouse there’s a light in his office
He opens the door, he’s got toothpick in his teeth
And he asks you where you’ve been
You tell him Cintron you’ve seen
And you talk about anything
He’s got this dream about buying some land
He’s gonna manufacture booze and give you one night of at-bats
And then he’ll settle down
In some quiet chaise lounge
And forget about ev’rything
But you know he’ll always keep movin’
You know he’s never gonna stop movin’
‘Cause he’s old school, he’s old like the Rolling Stones
When you wake up, it’s a new mornin’
You see the lineup and your name’s missin’
You’re goin’, you’re goin’ nowhere soon
LikeLiked by 3 people
Astro Nut I’m stuck in the middle with you on this one….
Great song and great parody
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I am with you Right Down the Line
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done! Not friends with word press so this has to be my version of “Like.”
LikeLike
I love the original by Rafferty.
I really like this cover of his song.
The linkup to Dusty Baker with the lyrics is A+.
Great Job!
LikeLike
I’m “watching” this game on my phone. When did Stevie Wonder his day gig?
How many balls are called strikes against Yordan?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jerry Lane had a liberal K zone. It was pretty egregious in the early innings. Cintron got ejected for pointing it out. Luckily guys were able to overcome. One concern I have is that we’ll score some runs in the early inning and then do nothing the rest of the game or we score some in the later innings after putting up zeros until then.
Bielak looked pretty good tonight as did the Bull pen. Even Montero got 3 outs in the 9th, only giving up a single to Vasquez. Maton is becoming almost automatic as he came in with 1st and 3rd but didn’t allow a run. A little case of nerves with Stanek but he came through. Need a “W” tomorrow as the “Strangers” refuse to slow down.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think Citron got tossed after Jerry Layne stepped into the batters box and got in Pena’s face for briefly questioning the previous strike call. Well worth it. Dusty should be out there.
The Astros have won 15 of 19.
Is Blanco coming in to get a start this weekend?
Abreu has looked less worse at the plate.
Bregman might be finally working his way out of his season long slump.
I assume Maldy starts today. Diaz maybe gets a DH gig?
I think we’ve seen the best of Julks. The OPS is .676 these days. And I can’t overlook the 4 BB/38 K’s.
Bielak, great job.
Pen, great job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting thought about Ronel Blanco coming into start – this is the first time this season (I think) that the Astros don’t have a Thursday off, so maybe they might give him a spot start to allow the rotation a little more rest? If you look at the four games coming up against the Angels – the Astros show TBD for their starters in each game.
LikeLike
Just watched Dusty’s post game comments from last night. He was effusive with praise for Salazar’s game calling last night. Has he ever said anything nice about a Diaz start?
LikeLike
And a shout back to the crawfishboxes today for linking to us
https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2023/5/31/23743357/astros-crawfish-boil-may-31-2023
LikeLike
Maybe he’ll sort it out, but Justin Verlander has given up 13 runs in his last three games, with only 10 strikeouts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s a video of last nights ejection of Cintron by Jerry Layne. Notice the comment made about Dusty. Another reason why I’m not a fan.
LikeLike
Yep, I agree with the Dusty comment. He is not standing up for the players. Surprisingly, he is considered a player’s manager. Even Mrs. Sarge was commenting on Dusty being quiet.
LikeLike
Thus far, no Altuve in the lineup for today…
LikeLike
Maldy does not seem to be very happy with young Hunter Brown tonight, or is it the other way around? Who was that guy that caught him for the first month of the season?
LikeLike
Didn’t see much of last nights game but did catch the inning where Mushinski replaces Hunter, hits Gallo and gives up a 2 run double. Then 2 more the next inning. Another bad move by “Mr. Toothpick”. Watching this team is like watching the stock market. Euphoria one minute and depression the next. At least the Rangers got beat last night so we didn’t lose another game.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hunter Brown can go from looking dominant to missing the zone by a mile and leaving pitches over the plate in the snap of a finger. He has the stuff to be a big league ace but his command, and composure, have a long way to go.
He is always throwing that curve far enough below the zone that he it’s easy to lay off of. It seems to be his go to pitch with 2 strikes if he is ahead in the count but he isn’t getting it to a point of temptation. Easily 3 or 4 of them last night that were in the dirt, including the phantom strikeout – he gets that pitch an inch higher and Maldy catches it instead of a foul tip that just bounces. If he is going to become great he is going to have to get better command of that pitch – its really the only offspeed pitch he has given his splitter is 90ish and his slider is 94. Fangraphs has accused him of having a changeup, but I think they are mistaking his splitter for a change.
It’s hard to get a read on what happens when it breaks down. I do see he gets a little less swings outside the zone than say his idol JV, so I think the stats support the premise that he just isn’t tempting hitters enough with pitches out of the zone. I’m sure the nerds have some breakdown on what is happening in streaks – what works well when it works what doesn’t when he starts getting hit – we just don’t. I can only guess that is what Maldy seemed bothered by when he started getting punched – that his command goes out the window once someone does something to one of his pitches that he thinks they shouldn’t have.
All in all he really didn’t pitch that bad. Exit velocity on him was not great. They weren’t treating him like a pin cushion. He just didn’t quite get pitches close enough to tempt when he was ahead, he didn’t get in the zone enough when he was behind, and some balls found some holes and it went south.
And you are right UncleK – everytime Maldy went out and talked to him he looked like older brother that was a little disappointed in him than big brother that was encouraging him.
LikeLike
He had a rookie game last night. He painted the outside edge with a strike 3 and didn’t get it. He had the foul tip thing that didn’t go his way. With any kind of support from his offense, it could have been a different game. When the other guy has a 6 and a 7 pitch inning, there’s no time to get the heart rate back down. He gave up six singles, none of which were clobbered. He got frustrated, visibly. He can’t show that to the other dugout. And maybe pitching against the A’s his last two starts might have things seem a bit too easy.
But overall, Hunter Brown has shown me quite a bit more than I expected from him so early. He’ll be ready next start.
LikeLike