Someone start an Astros/Staff thread that way we can cater to staff by staying on topic in discussing the staff and Astros

Wait why did my post get deleted? I didn't even comment about the moderating. I commented about people commenting about the moderating, and in a joking way.

Ag_07 said:

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At this point I've got one foot in the move George down in the lineup somewhere bandwagon.

His leadoff bombs are great but damn it'd be nice if someone was on.

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I agree, I but honestly think it may only be to the number 2 spot. His mindset seems to completely change in the 3/4 spot.

Knowing nothing about how comfortable each player is in each position or their personal preference, I might try a lineup like this tonight against a righty (even leaving Gattis in because of his great PAs lately).

I give Hinch lee-way on the DH, C, and 1B situations based on who is feeling good and seems focused.

1 - Reddick (RF)
2 - Springer (CF)
3 - Altuve (2B)
4 - Correa (SS)
5 - Gattis (C)
6 - Beltran/McCann (DH)
7 - Bregman (3B)
8 - Yuli/Marwin (1B)
9 - Aoki (LF)

Admittedly I don't usually dive much into baseball strategy on here, but if the goal is to get someone on in front of Springer why not just move Aoki to the top of the order? He already has a .357 OBP with Springer normally batting behind him.

Time to head over to orange whoopass I guess. They're moderately less insane than this now, I guess.

Can someone give me cliffnotes on this posters/staff stuff? I just want to read about Astros baseball but yet a majority of it is stupid arguments and posters being petty

bobinator said:

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Admittedly I don't usually dive much into baseball strategy on here, but if the goal is to get someone on in front of Springer why not just move Aoki to the top of the order? He already has a .357 OBP with Springer normally batting behind him.

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Is getting Aoki one more at bat a net positive than just having Springer lead off once though? Every inning but the first he's batting in front of him anyway.

bobinator said:

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Admittedly I don't usually dive much into baseball strategy on here, but if the goal is to get someone on in front of Springer why not just move Aoki to the top of the order? He already has a .357 OBP with Springer normally batting behind him.

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I like Aoki at the bottom so there's someone there to turn the lineup over. and back to the top.

I would even consider moving Bregman to leadoff. Have George behind him giving him protection and he will either see pitches to hit or he'll walk. He's shown an ability to have quality ABs and see lots of pitches.

Through the first week it would have been worth it to have someone on base when Springer came up the first time, but over the course of the season I doubt it. But I'm not necessarily on the "move Springer down" bandwagon. I was just saying if you are on that wagon, I'm not sure it makes sense to bring Reddick up there.

I'd like to think Bregman would be a good leadoff hitter, but I dunno.

I'm sure this forum will wet themselves at this...

http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/Could-next-Stanford-coach-have-A-s-background-11064510.php?cmpid=twitter-premium

bobinator said:

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Through the first week it would have been worth it to have someone on base when Springer came up the first time, but over the course of the season I doubt it. But I'm not necessarily on the "move Springer down" bandwagon. I was just saying if you are on that wagon, I'm not sure it makes sense to bring Reddick up there.

I'd like to think Bregman would be a good leadoff hitter, but I dunno.

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Reddick outperforms Aoki against righties. Either way, one could be #1, the other #9.

Aoki makes some sense to lead off. You want a singles hitter who can draw a walk and see some pitches. Aoki fits that bill.

If Springer continues anywhere close to how he is hitting then he needs to be moved to 3 or 4.

We discussed this in the offseason thread, but Correa makes some sense to bat lead off.

Yeah, no one is leaving the MLB voluntarily for the college ranks and all the extra headaches of recruiting and trying to win with more competition and less control/time.

Buck Compton said:

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Yeah, no one is leaving the MLB voluntarily for the college ranks and all the extra headaches of recruiting and trying to win with more competition and less control/time.

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Unless of course there is a 10 year guaranteed clause in his contract. But then we would lose our go to #Hinched hashtag.

I still think eventually the offense hits some sort of stride and we aren't as worried about the guys at the top, especially if Bregman continues to improve and Altuve becomes Altuve.

Springer isn't going to blast HRs to lead off every other game all season and if he does I guess we'll just have to take the 75 solo HR's, haha. But I like him at the top of the order.

The homerun log says that more than half (13 of 25) of the homeruns he has hit since being moved to the leadoff spot came leading off the first inning.

JJxvi said:

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The homerun log says that more than half (13 of 25) of the homeruns he has hit since being moved to the leadoff spot came leading off the first inning.

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It honestly may be as simple as teeing off on a "get 'em over" fastball for a strike that so many pitchers use to start the game. I need to go back and look at his leadoff homers to see if that's the case.

The last two were exactly that. Pitchers can tend to groove that first pitch (or first strike) in an effort to get off to a good start, and George makes them pay.

4 of his 13 leadoff homeruns came on the first pitch, including the last 2 this year.

14 of his career 70 total came on the first pitch.

Here's video of all 4 this year: http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/223741672/astros-george-springer-hits-fourth-leadoff-hr/

All of his lead off homers have come against the fastball, and all in dead-red first batter fastball counts.

Two on the first pitch,
One on a 2-1,
One on a 3-2 count.

The exception was his walk-off homer that came on a 3-2 breaking pitch.


Pitchers don't want to walk the first batter and are giving him a fastball to hit. I think given this info, you leave him in the first slot because that isn't going to always happen anywhere else in the lineup.

irish pete ag06 said:

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Here. This should make us all happy at least.

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As happy as I am to see Rangers lose, we currently trail LAA so F them too. I won't be happy if they win.

gigemJTH12 said:

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screw that. Angels cant keep this up. Rangers are much better than they are. Need Rangers in as big a hole as possible.

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Are they? I wouldn't be so sure.

Rangers will get nowhere near their win total of last year. Angels look to take a step forward.