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2018-2019 Astros Offseason Thread

Planet Houston

By Planet Houston
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UTexasFight

UTexasFight 9376

Posted
Posted

Re: Tucker. Give it a rest. He’ll be fine. He knows what he needs to work on. I have no doubt he’ll make good on figuring out how to recognize and hit pitches down and in (without sacrificing everything else).

Re: White. I can’t help but think he is the 2018 offensive equivalent of 2017 Peacock.
He may be serviceable but you can easily do better.
....and a part of me can’t help but wonder how much of his July/August was aided by a certain Kyle McLaughlin, et al. (Yeah, I went there... sorry)

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Planet Houston
Planet Houston

Well, it just wasn't in the cards this year.  A combination of great play by the BoSox, the injury bug, inopportune cold streaks and inability to put batters away with 2 outs resulted in an early exit

Seasick Sailor
Seasick Sailor

Thanks for the memories:

henrygandorf
henrygandorf

am i the only one having trouble understanding wtf this means?

Hank Chinaski

Hank Chinaski 6310

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Pablo said:

Tucker is such an enigma.  He destroys AAA and still hasn't hit one home run in the show.  Hopefully he WINS the LF spot without question and allows us to buy a real DH or something else beneficial.

Nah, he's 21, which, despite the Trout/Harper/Acuna/Sotos of the world (unicorns), is still really young for MLB. On top of that, he had all of 72 plate appearances. 

His 8.3% BB rate and 18.1% K rate are encouraging - it's not like the kid was striking out all the time, a la (trigger warning) Singleton or Reed or Fisher. He had a .176 BABIP, suggesting that he had some bad luck. Some of that is due to hitting a few more ground balls than you'd like to see, but again - 72 plate appearances, less than a full month. 

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Hank Chinaski

Hank Chinaski 6310

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57 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Yeah he did.  He grounded out into it fairly often.

Yeah, he ended up at 16% line drives, 49% ground balls, 35% fly balls among batted balls (a lot of hitters tend to be somewhere near 20-40-40 here). 49% GB is pretty high - it would have ranked him around #20 in MLB if he had qualifying number of ABs. Most of the guys in the top 20 in GB% don't fare too well overall, though a few did - Yelich, Cain, Springer are up there (interestingly, Springer has been around 49% GB% the last 3 years)...so some guys can make it work for them, but it isn't generally a recipe for success. 

Per Fangraphs, Tucker also posted a pretty low hard-hit ball rate (33%) - it isn't necessarily awful, but Yelich, for example, while hitting a lot of balls on the ground, had an elite hard-hit ball rate of 48% - that's one way to have success even if you hit it on the ground. 

Again, I wouldn't read too much into any of this because we're talking about 72 PAs. I'm optimistic on Tucker because of the BB% and K% in his first taste - he wasn't overmatched and showed a reasonably good eye at the plate.  

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kevwun

kevwun 15624

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Posted (edited)

He doesn't swing and miss a lot which can work against you when you're first up and overwhelmed.  Lots of weak grounders for instance.  Eventually he's going to start squaring up the ball a lot more often when he gets settled in and they will either get elevated or have enough juice to make it through the shift.  He'll probably also get better at going to the opposite way.  I don't believe he's been an extreme pull guy in the minors.

Edited by kevwun
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UTexasFight

UTexasFight 9376

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Agree, gives him even more value. Might be able to pry Realmuto for Bregs and a pick. 

Screw Bregs for Sale.
I won’t settle unless Eovaldi is included too.
Hindsight 20/20, yeah, yeah but I and others (hg comes to mind) really wanted him around the trade deadline.
The fact Boston only had to give up their #15 prospect doesn’t help.
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Hank Chinaski

Hank Chinaski 6310

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List of Astros prospects in the AFL, in addition to Whitley:

 

Spoiler

Astros hitters in the Fall League

Ronnie Dawson, OF
Known most for his power when the Astros made him a second-round pick from Ohio State in 2016, Dawson has lost weight and significantly improved his speed since turning pro. He hit .258/.333/.428 with 16 homers and 35 steals this year between high Class A and Double-A.

Drew Ferguson, OF
An AFL replacement for Myles Straw, who made Houston's postseason roster, Ferguson was a 19th-round choice out of Belmont in 2015 and has average tools across the board. He battled a wrist injury in 2018 and batted .304/.432/.443, mostly in Triple-A.

Abraham Toro-Hernandez, RHP
A product of the Astros' extensive scouting of Oklahoma junior colleges, Hernandez was a 2016 fifth-rounder out of Seminole State JC. He's a switch-hitter with solid raw power and plus arm strength, and he hit .247/.345/.435 with 16 homers between Class A Advanced and Double-A.

Astros pitchers in the Fall League

J.B. Bukauskas, RHP
The 15th overall pick in the 2017 Draft out of North Carolina, Bukauskas was hampered by back issues related to a Spring Training car accident for much of his first full pro season. He did post a 2.14 ERA, .199 opponent average and 71 strikeouts in 59 innings at five levels, showing a mid-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider that are plus-plus offerings at their best.

Erasmo Pinales, RHP
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, Pinales has some of the best pure stuff in the system: a fastball that reaches 97 mph with running and rising action, a short slider and hard curveball that are plus pitches at times and a solid changeup. He's still figuring out command and control, which is why he had a 5.17 ERA while striking out 72 in 55 2/3 relief innings in Double-A.

Trent Thornton, RHP
A Tar Heels teammate of Bukauskas in 2015, when he was a fifth-round selection, Thornton has a funky delivery that adds deception to an arsenal that includes a 93-95-mph fastball and solid curveball and slider. He compiled a 4.42 ERA with a 122/31 K/BB ratio in 124 1/3 Triple-A innings.

 

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WBT

WBT 20415

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Cross posting from the Stark article in the WS thread:

Quote

 

And no National League player has hit an 18th-inning walk-off bomb (or later) in the regular season in over three decades – since Billy Hatcher off Greg Maddux (in relief!) on Sept. 2, 1986.

First off, Stark is mistaken.  This wasn't a walkoff because the game was at Wrigley:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198609020.shtml

Also the HR was on the 3rd because the game was suspended on the 2nd in the 15th due to darkness (pre-lights Wrigley) and resumed on the 3rd.

Does anyone remember this game?  This was 2 days before my 6th birthday.  I started watching the Stros and became a fan that season but sadly I don't remember this one. 

It looks like a preview of Game 6 vs the Mets the next month.  Both teams scored 3 in the 17th to keep the game going and light hitting Billy Hatcher hit an extra inning HR.  Also, longhorn badass Keith Moreland had a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 17th to tie it.

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texashorne

texashorne 1177

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19 hours ago, WBT said:

Cross posting from the Stark article in the WS thread:

First off, Stark is mistaken.  This wasn't a walkoff because the game was at Wrigley:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198609020.shtml

Also the HR was on the 3rd because the game was suspended on the 2nd in the 15th due to darkness (pre-lights Wrigley) and resumed on the 3rd.

Does anyone remember this game?  This was 2 days before my 6th birthday.  I started watching the Stros and became a fan that season but sadly I don't remember this one. 

It looks like a preview of Game 6 vs the Mets the next month.  Both teams scored 3 in the 17th to keep the game going and light hitting Billy Hatcher hit an extra inning HR.  Also, longhorn badass Keith Moreland had a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 17th to tie it.

Chris Burke.

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Pimphand

Pimphand 5594

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On 10/27/2018 at 12:00 PM, WBT said:

Does anyone remember this game?  This was 2 days before my 6th birthday.  I started watching the Stros and became a fan that season but sadly I don't remember this one. 

This game was a week before my 9th birthday. I was very much an Astros fan by this point in life but I honestly don't remember many of the weekday Wrigley games from back then due to being in school and not having access to cool tech or even replays.

I do remember the games in 1989 vs the Dodgers where we played 35 innings (22 in the first game and 13 in the following game) winning both of them.

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UTexasFight

UTexasFight 9376

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I do remember the games in 1989 vs the Dodgers where we played 35 innings (22 in the first game and 13 in the following game) winning both of them.

Nice
Looks like I’m about 3-4 years younger than you, but definitely remember this as well... and was thinking about those games last night when Jansen gave up the bomb to tie it up in the 8th...”Dodgers about play the WS equivalent of that time when they played the Astros and played ~ 3 games in the span of 36 hrs.”

The first game was Saturday night followed by a Sunday afternoon game if memory serves.
My folks didn’t have cable and I remember listening to most of the first game on the radio. Next day had some family gathering at a relative’s house and they had HSE in all of its SD glory!
That was ~29 years ago. Now, I can’t remember things 29 minutes ago

/csb
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UTexasFight

UTexasFight 9376

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if Correa bounces back, having white at DH is a little more tolerable 

You have to try and make something happen at DH if the plan is to turn the reigns over to Tucker.
Planning on Tucker and White to be meaningful everyday contributors with no Marwin (I’m assuming he won’t re-sign) doesn’t seem very wise)
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Pimphand

Pimphand 5594

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6 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:


Nice
Looks like I’m about 3-4 years younger than you, but definitely remember this as well... and was thinking about those games last night when Jansen gave up the bomb to tie it up in the 8th...”Dodgers about play the WS equivalent of that time when they played the Astros and played ~ 3 games in the span of 36 hrs.”

The first game was Saturday night followed by a Sunday afternoon game if memory serves.
My folks didn’t have cable and I remember listening to most of the first game on the radio. Next day had some family gathering at a relative’s house and they had HSE in all of its SD glory!
That was ~29 years ago. Now, I can’t remember things 29 minutes ago

/csb

Yup that was the first thing that went through my head was oh shit they may be headed to another 30+ inning debacle then of course they literally lit themselves on fire in the 9th and took away any doubt.

You are indeed correct that the 22 inning marathon was Sat and the 13 inning game was on Sunday.  It really was pretty much the high point of the 1989 season because they were the 9th and 10th games the Astros had won in a row and part of the 16 wins in 17 games stretch.  It was the last year Mike Scott was a great pitcher and with Nolan Ryan moving up to Arlington that year it really was the end of the elementary school Astros for me.  After that the 1990 and 1991 seasons were pretty miserable but at least were met with the hope from Bagwell & Biggio on the horizon.

I'm totally with you on the can remember stuff from 29 years ago bit but can't remember 29 minutes ago now.

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Pimphand

Pimphand 5594

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The main thing I remember about that game was Orel Hersheiser pitching an insane number of innings in relief and feeling like there was little to no hope for getting the win until Lasorda brought in the 3rd basemen.

This was of course the year after the Dodgers had just won the WS so they still had a talented squad...

Kirk Gibson
Eddie Murray
Fernando
Mike Scioscia

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Seasick Sailor

Seasick Sailor 3747

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Posted (edited)
51 minutes ago, Pimphand said:

You are indeed correct that the 22 inning marathon was Sat and the 13 inning game was on Sunday.  It really was pretty much the high point of the 1989 season because they were the 9th and 10th games the Astros had won in a row and part of the 16 wins in 17 games stretch.  It was the last year Mike Scott was a great pitcher and with Nolan Ryan moving up to Arlington that year it really was the end of the elementary school Astros for me.  After that the 1990 and 1991 seasons were pretty miserable but at least were met with the hope from Bagwell & Biggio on the horizon.

I was at the Sunday game.  I remember Louie Meadows hit a grand slam and Biggio tied it up with a homer in the ninth. 

Edited by Seasick Sailor
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Pimphand

Pimphand 5594

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Duh not sure why I spaced on that.

Obviously it was a huge thing back in the day with Babe Ruth pitching over 1,000+ innings before becoming exclusively a position player.

I remember Vance Law, Jose Oquendo & John Cangelosi throwing a few innings in the late 80s but honestly that's about all I can remember. It definitely wasn't a common place thing for sure.

 

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WBT

WBT 20415

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Posted (edited)

I was at the 22 inning game.  My dad's work had a bus to take his group and families to the game.  About the 11th inning people started whining about babysitters and we had to leave - 8 year old me was pissed.  We listened to it on the bus radio for the hour drive back to where the bus dropped us off then listened to it in my dad's truck on the way home.  Then I had it on the radio when I went to bed but fell asleep long before it was over.

I remember that someone on the Dodgers got hurt sliding into the 1st in the top of the 1st and had to leave the game.  I think it was Lenny Harris and he was replaced by Chris Hatcher, or maybe it was the other way around.  Anyway, this guy didn't start the game but ended up playing all 22 I think.

Also when Lasorda finally pulled Hershiser and put the 3B in to pitch, Fernando had to go into the game to play 1B.

EDIT - looks like it was Chris Hatcher that got hurt and was replaced by Mike Davis.  Lenny Harris wasn't even on the Dodgers that year.  

Edited by WBT
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Gut Wagon

Gut Wagon 8052

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3 hours ago, Pimphand said:

Goldschmidt will be on the wrong side of 30 and has been showing troubling signs this season I'd rather pass... http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23566931/real-not-arizona-diamondbacks-worry-paul-goldschmidt

I suspect Goldie will end up getting way too much money and/or too many years someplace else. But if he still has his stroke and overall health, you have to think he could bang the ball around in the AL. Better to play a borderline has-been than a never-will-be, of which there are many. 

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Beau Vine

Beau Vine 53987

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1 hour ago, Gut Wagon said:

I suspect Goldie will end up getting way too much money and/or too many years someplace else. But if he still has his stroke and overall health, you have to think he could bang the ball around in the AL. Better to play a borderline has-been than a never-will-be, of which there are many. 

There is a 0% chance he signs with LA or NY.  He is really private and is honestly very uncooperative with the AZ media (no comment, no comment, no I'm not going to do that), and they don't attack him for that like the big markets would.

I could imagine him signing with BOS because his dad grew up in the NE as a huge Red Sox fan, but other than that, he'll take less money to stay in AZ or to go home to HOU/TEX, rather than going to some place like SEA or STL for more money/years.  I'd be surprised if he wants to play more than 5 more years.  If either HOU/TEX(not happening)/AZ offered him 4/80, he'd grab a pen.

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