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Will Keuchel and McCullers return to form?

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Daddy Long Legs, Aug 2, 2017.

?

How worried are you about our top 2 starters for the playoffs,

  1. Very worried

    59 vote(s)
    46.8%
  2. Kinda worried

    51 vote(s)
    40.5%
  3. We good breh

    16 vote(s)
    12.7%
  1. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I really hope you are right, I would love nothing more for Dallas to come out and be throwing 90-92 mph and go 6-7 innings with 1-2 runs allowed next time out. However, based on history and watching him struggle with command and velocity, I am very skeptical. He looked like someone pitching through pain or someone with velocity issues overthrowing in an attempt to get the velocity up.

    I haven't heard anything about him being hurt, but the team is more secretive about injuries than just about anything else including trade rumors.

    When he is right, he is arguably the best pitcher in the AL.
     
    Daddy Long Legs likes this.
  2. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard

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    It's as if Cosart is posting on this thread... this thread is devolving to the worse days of the LOF-driven Clutchfans Civil War...
     
  3. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    To all those who feel the need to call people "idiots" and "dumbasses"... stay classy clutchfans.
     
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  4. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    ...or it was just bad luck.;)
     
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  5. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard

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    Good article here... Keuchel and others may simply be in a cold streak... happens to everyone...

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/baseballs-hot-hand-is-real/

    Every starting pitcher in our data shows a noticeable pattern of switching between hot and cold states.
     
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  6. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard

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    That being said... it may be time to hit the panic button:

     
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  7. SemisolidSnake

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    I was just reading a couple days ago about various Hall of Fame pitchers, because I was interested in their longevity.

    Nolan Ryan was a monster, but he also was extremely dedicated to keeping in top physical condition to pitch the way he needed to. They suggested he have Tommy John surgery around the age of 40. He figured he was towards the end of his career and it wasn't worth it, and the 18-month recuperation time would affect his workout. After a while, in spring training of that year, his arm just stopped hurting he said, so he went on to pitch another 7 seasons, add two more no-hitters.

    The Braves pitchers are interesting. Smoltz actually did have TJS, but came back totally fine and was the first HOF inductee to have had the surgery. He said that he, Glavine, and Maddux all had to learn to pitch in ways to be effective while preserving their arms.

    My point, though, is send all these guys to go learn from these HOF pitchers who managed to have long, legendary careers, some even returning from surgery, and focus on how to be effective without injuring yourself. Maddux isn't tied to an MLB team at the moment. Just hire him in the downtime to teach your young pitches to survive and thrive.
     
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  8. AUstrofan

    AUstrofan Member

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    Not having ever pitched, it's hard to know...but I've dealt with back and nerve injuries and they can effect your entire way of moving long after you heal. For a pitcher who relies so much on location like Keuchel, it's hard to believe it isn't going to take a long time to become comfortable and any sign of pain could throw everything out of whack. It's hard to see anything dramatically improving in the thick of the season, but I hope I'm wrong.
     
  9. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

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    I liked a lot of his post except when he started going hard haha.

    In his defense though, he left a pretty detailed and thoughtful post and then you sarcastically asked if he actually watched the game lol

    Either way lets hope this funk ends. Things are crashing down right now. Easier said than done, but the players need to stop feeling sorry for themselves post trade deadline.
     
    Tomstro likes this.
  10. AB423

    AB423 Member

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    How's Lance doing? Hope he's enjoying his vacation.
     
  11. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    If all goes well, he'll go out on a rehab assignment likely next week. If I had to guess, he'll be back for the series against the Mets at home Sept 1-3 or the one after @ the Mariners.
     
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  12. sealclubber1016

    Supporting Member

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    Reports of Keuchel's demise may have been a tad early.
     
  13. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I sure hope so. I saw better command today and location. The velocity still isn't consistently where it has historically had to be for Dallas to be dominant. However he did hit 90 a few times with two strikes and with a runner on. I saw 91 once as well. So hopefully he is just still rounding into form velocity wise.
     
  14. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    There was certainly enough cause for concern.... but its elating to see him round back to form.

    I also like the pitch-count/restraints they're putting on him right now. In years past, he would have come back out for the 8th last night (only 99 pitches, only one semi-hard inning, ideal weather conditions, suspect bullpen).

    I felt they should have treated him with kiddie-gloves all year. 2015's work-load is not going to be sustainable for him.
     
  15. rocketpower2

    rocketpower2 Member

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    As long as Keuchel is sitting 89-90 he will be fine. Really liked what I saw last night, left almost nothing above the knees.
     
  16. the shark

    the shark Member

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    Nick I mentioned this the beginning of the year that they should be very careful with his pitch count (especially the first two months of the season). Especially having injury issues last yr. There were numerous people on here that thought I was crazy for saying this. I don't know about "kiddie-gloves all year", but I certainly would have limited his pitch count the first two months as much as possible.
     
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  17. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    Amazing what 1 mph can do. In those first 3 starts back from the DL, he was sitting at 88-89. These last 2 have been 89-90. Definitely a nice sign to see him back dominating again.
     
  18. Rowdy4Life

    Rowdy4Life Member

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    It's all relative, it's not the velocity that is the concern, it's the proper spin rate on his pitches. When he is at 88-89, he isn't getting the spin rate on his sinker and 2-seam and those pitches he want to paint on the edge are falling in over the middle of the plate. He is strictly a mechanics-based pitcher and has to be "right" in order to locate, and it is indicative when you are gauging it off of velocity.
     
  19. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

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  20. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

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    the whole team seems to be getting hot at the right time and gelling together. I'm not too worried about homefield and I LOVE this team's potential in the playoffs.

    dallas looked good tuesday and I trust him to be fine for the playoffs now.

    jury's still out on lance. tommorow is big in my opinion
     

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