How do you win 100+ in a season and then drop 3 straight in the LCS AT HOME?

fmr

Big Al 1992 said:

---

Just ran into Tyler White at BW3 in Cypress.

---

Which BW3? The one on 249?

Quote:

---

"hometown" deal that both Keuchel and Marwin aren't going to offer.

---

I think there is a shot at a hometown deal with Marwin. His wife is from here and I'm betting our offer isn't trash. Going to be an interesting off season for sure.

As far as needs go I'd put them in order of something like

• Catcher - Stassi ain't gonna cut it and Maldonado or McCann are OK for 2nd string fill in but we need a legit catcher. That showed in this series
• DH - Same as above. None of this riding the hot hand between Gattis or White. Get a bat preferably with some power to hit behind Correa
• BP Lefty - I wouldn't be opposed to resigning Sipp but I'd also like 1 more. Having only 1 LHP in the pen is pretty limiting
• #4-5 starter - I think Dallas walks, Morton signs a QO, and IF Lance is out then we'll need a starter. A young arm could take the 5 spot like Framber, James, or Whitley, but we'll need someone to take the #4 spot. I diamond in the rough Morton-like Luhnow special could be the answer here. It's this low on my list because maybe McHugh slides in the rotation or maybe both Framber and James take the 4 & 5 spots.

With that said if these LMJ reports are true I think that should put the nail in the coffin on him being a starter. He'll miss 2019 then after make him a stud BP arm. The guy just can't stay healthy as he's been injured every season. Move him to the pen where he can lessen the load and be very pretty effective and valuable.

While we had multiple problems against Boston (walks, HBP, pass balls), I really do think hitting was the main culprit. There is no excuse for not getting to Price last night. Very frustrating.

• DK will want too much money for what he's worth at this point, so he's gone.
• Would really like to sign CFM, I can see that happening.
• Whitley will most likely make the opening day roster (unless we go out and sign another big starter)
• Need a LHP in the bullpen
• Need to re-sign Margo - huge part of this team. He's clutch and versatile
• Need a DH in a big way. Preferably left handed, but would take someone like Donaldson.
• Need a catcher - this may be our #1 need (Who's available???)

Someone posted the list of free agents earlier and looks like slim pickings. Who could we get at catcher and DH that aren't older and would also want bigger contracts? Lowrie at DH maybe??

Ags #1 said:

---

Someone posted the list of free agents earlier and looks like slim pickings. Who could we get at catcher and DH that aren't older and would also want bigger contracts? Lowrie at DH maybe??

---

I think Ramos will probably be the #1 target as far as position players goes for the Astros this offseason

TREX01 said:

---

To say that there is no excuse for not getting to Price is very short sighted. He's one of the better pitchers of this generation. Sometimes those guys dial it in and are pretty freaking good. Sometimes you have to give the other team credit when it's due. They didn't win 108 games with smoke and mirrors. That's a damn good ballclub.

---

No doubt Price pitched a hell of a game. But not short-sighted to think we should have gotten to him - given our lineup, he's on short rest, and it was an elimination game at home.

Boston is certainly an outstanding team. I think the biggest difference in this series was quality ABs. Boston was patient and refused to give in to pitcher's pitches. Meanwhile, the Astros were often swinging at balls out of the zone.

iBrad said:

---

It's not that hard to fathom. Correa is not healthy and was bad the second half. Really bad. Altuve is playing on one leg. Not sure what he does if we had made the WS. Morton had shoulder issues at the end of the season and after a long layoff, just wasn't sharp. Those are some big injuries. The bad start from Cole doomed us. We needed our pitching to carry us and it didn't.

---

As usual, I agree with iBrad.

92Ag95 said:

---

How do you win 100+ in a season and then drop 3 straight in the LCS AT HOME?

fmr

---

When the opponent is a big market team that won 108 games, it doesn't sound so impossible.

Ag_07 said:

---

As far as needs go I'd put them in order of something like

• Catcher - Stassi ain't gonna cut it and Maldonado or McCann are OK for 2nd string fill in but we need a legit catcher. That showed in this series
• DH - Same as above. None of this riding the hot hand between Gattis or White. Get a bat preferably with some power to hit behind Correa
• BP Lefty - I wouldn't be opposed to resigning Sipp but I'd also like 1 more. Having only 1 LHP in the pen is pretty limiting
• #4-5 starter - I think Dallas walks, Morton signs a QO, and IF Lance is out then we'll need a starter. A young arm could take the 5 spot like Framber, James, or Whitley, but we'll need someone to take the #4 spot. I diamond in the rough Morton-like Luhnow special could be the answer here. It's this low on my list because maybe McHugh slides in the rotation or maybe both Framber and James take the 4 & 5 spots.

With that said if these LMJ reports are true I think that should put the nail in the coffin on him being a starter. He'll miss 2019 then after make him a stud BP arm. The guy just can't stay healthy as he's been injured every season. Move him to the pen where he can lessen the load and be very pretty effective and valuable.

---

I've thought for a long time that Lance would make a very good relief pitcher. He's got 2 plus pitches, and I think once he changed his mindset from starter (more of a marathon) to reliever (a sprint), he'd do well. All my view, of course.

I hope we don't overpay Keuchel for long term $$, if indeed Lance is out for 2019.

Regarding this series, it was depressing being at the park for the last pitch and watching them dogpile on our field, but we didn't play well enough, bottom line. I think Game 4 took a lot of steam out of everyone.

Losing in the ALCS beats the hell out of 111-loss seasons, but end of season hangover is definitely there right now, though.

I've always been intrigued by Yasmani Grandal, he's the best hitting catcher by far after Posey; but he disappears in the playoffs and he leads the league in passed balls for the last two years.

I don't follow our minor league pipeline as well as some of you, but what about Garret Stubbs catching next year? Is he ready or close to it?

Sullys Guy said:

---

I've always been intrigued by Yasmani Grandal, he's the best hitting catcher by far after Posey

---

J.T. Realmuto says hi.

Bobby Jimbo said:

---

Sullys Guy said:

---

I've always been intrigued by Yasmani Grandal, he's the best hitting catcher by far after Posey

---

J.T. Realmuto says hi.

---

Grandal's been doing it since 2012. JT was 25 before his first good year and 27 before he really broke out.

I've said it all season, but I believe that Charlie Morton will be offered a qualifying offer and that he will accept it and pitch one more year and retire.

irish pete ag06 said:

---

I've said it all season, but I believe that Charlie Morton will be offered a qualifying offer and that he will accept it and pitch one more year and retire.

---

I would be fine with a combo of JV, Cole, Charlie, McHugh, and Whitely/James/some prospect as long as we spend money upgrading the line up at DH.

If we basically stand pat or any make minor improvements then I want to sign another starting arm.

DrHeadShrink said:

---

Cheaters never win.

---

If you're calling the Astros cheaters, then you're wrong. They won last year.

I want to keep Marwin, even if we have to overpay

Cool post bro. 3 posts on the MLB board in the last year, all within 2 days. You got us all real good dood

Something that I didn't really think about until last night...every year we are in the playoffs there's a very good chance of playing either Boston or New York at some point. That means overcoming the media and umpires every year. Kinda sucks to think about.

What does the farm look like for Houston?

redline248 said:

---

What does the farm look like for Houston?

---

Not as good as it has been because we haven't been drafting 1.1, but it's still good. I would also always count on the Astros pulling some draft or trade "magic" like the Cardinals have for years. The term "Cardinal magic" is not luck, it's diligent scouting and finding guys being misutilized or undervalued. I'd say the Astros have shown that ability already.

I see this team being a lot like the mid '00s Cardinals. Hopefully we raise the banner as many times as they have.

dshedd41 said:

---

---

Oilers?