Interesting thought. I'm a bit more set on fewer platoon roles. Maybe 3 traditional and 2 piggyback starts?
I wonder what the plan is for Blubaugh this year and next, since the end of last season he’s been one of my favorites to watch. His role is looking a lot like Javier’s was when he got called up as a multi inning reliever, and I do think he should get a chance to start at some point. However part of me thinks his stuff plays a lot better out of the bullpen cause he seems to get a lot more velocity on his fastball.
Up until this year I was a proponent of letting Blubaugh start, but he has been too effective as a RP. He could probably get up to 100 in single inning stints and his demeanor seems to work in leverage. I would be ok with him working as a setup man going forward.
He should get the opportunity to start but him being the primary 7th inning guy would not be a bad thing this season.
Any idea when Hader will be back ? Also, besides Abreu (and he seems iffy) , which reliever on the Astros has the stuff/mindset to be a closer. Blubaugh? Sousa?
As well as Blubaugh has pitched in relief over the last two years, I would think he could transition pretty well. He also throws some serious heat when he knows he's only pitching for an inning.
I don't think anyone knows who has the mindset of a closer until you put them in that role. A year ago, I think everyone here thought Abreu was a sure-fire fit. After a few blown saves, people were sure he simply didn't have it. I think, realistically, we still don't know.
Check out episode 129 of breathing orange fire. It’s a good one- I promise- we play a fun game and then talk about how awesome Monday night was. Comment here on your choice of who you’d like to have a career year and why!
Yordan because it would mean something historic or McCullers because it would mean we would have a second ace.
The one good thing about the injuries last season is that we have a full rotations of MLB experienced guys playing in Sugar Land.
I think this is the wrong answer bc he might do that anyway and you don’t need a guarantee, but yeah/ it would be a thing to behold.
Hopeful home run totals this year…. Pena- 20 Yordan- 42 Paredes- 33 Altuve- 26 Correa- 22 Walker- 31 Cam- 17 Meyers- 10 Diaz- 27 (believe) Bench- 20 this is with everyone being mostly healthy all year. Obviously bench homers go up with injuries. Yes I realize this is crazily optimistic and maybe kinda stupid. Still, I think this team is telling us they are ready to mash
Nothing will top the nonsense of the last episode. I’ll be honest - I don’t really love the nonsense part normally, but holy crap - 3 fire trucks in one weekend? A full day of painting ahead - now I have an hour of content. Can’t wait to hear if Andrew is actually happy for once. I’m guessing we’ll get a lot of ‘regression to the mean’ forecasting from him. Also - I haven’t listened yet, but I vote Walker. He’s had some great years, so a career year would be truly epic and huge found money vs forecast.
Yordan has the ability to get 1/10 of that total in one game. My one hope for this season is that he is healthy throughout. That man deserves to play in the post-season every year.
If Alvarez has a career year, he would be the favorite for MVP and have over 50 home runs. If McCullers has a career year, he would be a Cy Young candidate. Both of those things would make us favorites for the pennant.
