Astros offseason thread

359,890 Views | 2990 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by spadilly
WES2006AG
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NotGibbs said:

Not a fan of this one. I feel like he'll probably be earning the most angry emojis on the 2018 season thread
Somebody has to be that guy now that Gregerson is a Cardinal.
Mathguy64
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He had 18 saves in 2016, but remember Chapman took over that role for the Cubs after the trade.

He's got 1 year left at $5.8MM Maybe the contract year will get him motivated. Edit: He was on 1 yr $5.8MM so it didnt get him motivated.
agproducer
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Going back to Giles, I go back to what I said on a previous thread: If the develops a cutter to put movement on his fastball, it would make him almost unhittable. He rarely gets rocked when his slider is working, but his straight fastball gets hit -- especially if hitters are sitting on it.

I see no need to move him out of the closer role. He needs to work on a cutter or throw a two-seamer. The four-seam fastball is too straight. Think how devastating it would be as a right-handed hitter -- a 99 mph two seamer that runs inside coupled with a slider that breaks that sharply down and away.
shano0603
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I like the Rondon pickup. I think he will have a good year. Still waiting for us to snag a lefty.
klsmith89
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Should be interested to see how our bullpen shakes out. Also wonder who we'll hang on to, and who we wont..
NotGibbs
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Know who we should sign who is still available?




Chad Qualls
Buck Compton
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NotGibbs said:

Know who we should sign who is still available?




Chad Qualls
Over the walls, Qualls??
iBrad
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I like signing experienced relievers that would potentially put guys like Martes and Paulino in AAA where they could develop as starters. If we add a LH reliever, we'll have a surplus of arms at the big league level, especially if we decide to carry Gose. It would seem that more moves are on the horizon to free up spots.

Starters
Verlander
Keuchel
McCullers
Morton
McHugh

Tweeners
Musgrove
Peacock

Relievers
Giles
Harris
Devenski
Smith
Sipp
Feliz
Rondon

AAA/Unknowns
Rodgers
Paulino
Martes
Hoyt
Gustave
Guduan
Gose
Deetz
Perez
klsmith89
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Can't believe we still have to deal with Sipp for another season
diehard03
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Quote:

He did have 30 and 29 saves in '14 and '15 with the Cubs, but looks like he took a step back in '16 and '17 with ERAs in the 3-4.50 range.

Guess this is a Jeff Lunhow special.

Hes one of those guys that you quickly forget his dominance and only remember his blown opportunities.

Very Giles-like for yall.

Cubs didn't trust him at all in last 2 playoff runs.
bullard21k
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My problem with giles is and always has been the fact that he has 2 pitches and typically can't locate either of them. It's not that he can throw them for strikes but he more times than not just can't put it in the zone where he wants it.

More importantly if he can't locate his slider even for a strike...he could throw his fastball 105 mph and it's still flat as a pancake with no movement and right down the pipe. 2 pitch guys are problematic especially if they have control issues.

He had some dominant stretches this year but he also had a ton of outings where he ended up getting out of a jam but things are often messy with his outings.

That's not to say he doesn't have a big arm and had a very good year, but he also lost his closer role to gregerson last season so there are plenty of red flags to along with plenty of good things he does as well.

Whoever mentioned him developing a 3rd pitch is spot on. Even a change up or a splinter or something to give a hitter another look and change eye level/speeds etc would do wonders for him.

Call me crazy but I think musgrove is going to be a potential closer for us if giles has any issues this year
MelvinUdall
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I love this signing, it is another good arm in the bullpen and I have faith Linhow and the staff to know what they are doing.
rosco511
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If you watch most closers on a consistent enough basis, you will think most have to work out of Jams too much, do not have clean innings, etc. We tend to remember the negatives much more than the positives, and even the best relievers have WHIPs above 0.5 (with really good relieves having WHIPs near 1), which means that more times than not at least one runner will reach base.
CSWendt
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I can't see Musgrove as a closer unless he changes the way he pitches substantially. His biggest issue is throwing too good of pitches with 2 strikes. That's a recipe for disaster in the 9th inning.
Ag_07
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The whole clean innings concern is ridiculous. WGAS how many hitters reach base if the guy has 30+ saves and gets the job done.

I think of that along the lines of being concerned with Keuchel because he gives up too much contact.

There are maybe 1 or 2 closers in the game where clean innings are more the norm than the exception.

Now if Giles comes out in 2018 and looks awful and starts giving up saves and racking up losses then I'll be concerned.
shano0603
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Even if we don't get that lefty we all desire.. I'm very happy going into the season with these guys in the pen.

Devo
Peacock
Musgrove
Feliz
Harris
Smith
Rondon
Giles

bullard21k
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CSWendt said:

I can't see Musgrove as a closer unless he changes the way he pitches substantially. His biggest issue is throwing too good of pitches with 2 strikes. That's a recipe for disaster in the 9th inning.

I mean he was in the bullpen all of 2 months for the first time in his career I think he can improve. Our entire bullpen got rocked in the playoffs.

Either way I think he is going to be a big piece for our bullpen moving forward
bullard21k
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rosco511 said:

If you watch most closers on a consistent enough basis, you will think most have to work out of Jams too much, do not have clean innings, etc. We tend to remember the negatives much more than the positives, and even the best relievers have WHIPs above 0.5 (with really good relieves having WHIPs near 1), which means that more times than not at least one runner will reach base.

No I agree and I honestly couldn't care less about squeaky clean innings...if he finishes the game is all that matters.

What I'm saying is the more he lives dangerously with constant heavy traffic (not 2 out no one on walks light traffic), the more opportunities obviously he will have to start blowing saves. In 2016 he didn't get away with it as often and struggled. In 2017 even the stretches where he struggled he somehow found a way to get out of them.

There isn't a closer on the planet that's going 1,2,3 every outing...just seems like to me giles works himself into some heavy jams due to accuracy issues and that's probably where a lot of people's concerns lie.

People who say he sucks and is worthless are just as incorrect as those who say he's elite and one of the best 5 closers in baseball...but that's just my 2 cent opinion.

I think he's somewhere more in that 8-14 range personally on most seasons.
Ag_07
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Damn...DFA'd Preston Tucker to make room for Rondon

BowSowy
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Rondon is a cheap reliever who had decent stats last year and has a good amount of closer experience. What's not to get about that? I think it's a good signing.
Mr.Ackar07
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Ag_07 said:

Damn...DFA'd Preston Tucker to make room for Rondon


Well, he is something like 8th in line for the outfield now. He needs to opportunity to go somewhere else with a chance for a call up.
rosco511
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Giles has issues (just like anyone else), but his WHIP was 1.04 in 2017 so the perception that he was always in jams is just not factually accurate.
shano0603
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Ag_07 said:

Damn...DFA'd Preston Tucker to make room for Rondon



I liked him. But he would never get a chance on this team.
Ag_07
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shano0603 said:

Ag_07 said:

Damn...DFA'd Preston Tucker to make room for Rondon



I liked him. But he would never get a chance on this team.


Oh yeah no doubt. I just always thought he would make a nice add in on a trade package. Not miffed about losing him just miffed we couldn't do it and get something back.

Always thought he had enough potential to be a platoon player on a mediocre team. Basically what Robbie Grossman is now.
iBrad
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We still have 10 days to try to deal him. I think the biggest issue with Preston is that he has no position and his bat isn't enough to overcome that. Too bad he never got to play with his brother.
astros4545
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Tucker F'ers
shano0603
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I'm confused by this trade.

Dodgers get:
Matt Kemp- 2 years/43.5 million remaining

Braves get
Adrian Gonzalez- 1 year/23 million remaining(already designated for assignment)
Scott Kazmir - 1 year/18 million remaining
Brandon McCarthy- 1 year/11.5 million remaining
Charlie Cluberson
Cash

bullard21k
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rosco511 said:

Giles has issues (just like anyone else), but his WHIP was 1.04 in 2017 so the perception that he was always in jams is just not factually accurate.

Yes and in 2016 had one of the top 5 worst WHIPs for a closer in baseball and an ERA in the 4s. (I was referencing his time as an Astro)

Which is exactly what I'm getting at. This board has a mentality of either A. Giles is the worst player in baseball or B. One of the top 5 closers in the game and there is nothing to worry about.

My point is I don't think he is either of those and somewhere more in the middle. And while yes the slick baseballs have been well documented in the postseason our manager still wouldn't touch the guy in the last 3 games of the season as he had an ERA over 11 and a 2.22 WHIP. It's not like people wondering about his 2018 season are completely nuts...

I still say if the guy ever developes a consistent 3rd pitch he will be one of the better relievers in baseball
k20dub
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Amazing how fast Adrian Gonzalez has fallen. I guess he is getting old
Mr.Bond
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Yup he will be 36 next May
Im looking for Ray Finkle.... and a clean pair of shorts. Im just a very big Finkle fan. This is my Graceland, sir.


MAGA

Aggie1205
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shano0603 said:

I'm confused by this trade.

Dodgers get:
Matt Kemp- 2 years/43.5 million remaining

Braves get
Adrian Gonzalez- 1 year/23 million remaining(already designated for assignment)
Scott Kazmir - 1 year/18 million remaining
Brandon McCarthy- 1 year/11.5 million remaining
Charlie Cluberson
Cash




Saves the Dodgers from having to pay luxury tax and lowers their 2018 payroll. Braves free up money in 2019 with the better FA class happening then.
agdaddy04
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Didn't realize Kazmir missed the entire year.
rosco511
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I have never called him a top 5 closer. It is just that people think top 5 closers are always available and easy to obtain. I think he is an upper tier type closer (ie, top 12ish).
Ag_07
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k20dub said:

Amazing how fast Adrian Gonzalez has fallen. I guess he is getting old


Roids??

IIRC He never did much until later in his career, got hot and some out of nowhere years, and has now fallen back to earth.
Ag_07
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Yes please

Quote:

The Astros and Phillies have interest in Rays right-hander Chris Archer, joining a slew of previously reported clubs, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays clearly wouldn't have any trouble finding a taker for Archer, thanks to his track record, age (29) and team-friendly contract (four years, $34MM).
 
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