So Preston Tucker is having a nice red-hot start.

9/21
4 Runs
8 RBI
2 Doubles
2 HRs

.429
.455
.810
1.264

The Braves, in general, are playing really well. They lead the bigs in runs scored (7 ahead of us), but have only played 6 games.

the voting for the AL outfielders will be very interesting

NotGibbs said:

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First off day of the season

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So what are we going to gripe about today?

I dunno, are we all going to be watching the Masters at work? We can turn this into a Masters thread for a day.

bobinator said:

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I dunno, are we all going to be watching the Masters at work? We can turn this into a Masters thread for a day.

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YES!

Any Ags in the Masters? At first glance, I don't think so.

If y'all are allowed to discuss masters on this tread but not #TOFA I will literally **** a brick

Up to this point the only real things to nit pick would be a little sloppy defense, bullpen besides devo/peacock has been meh and JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Other than that this has been a great start. Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

Between Marisnick, fisher, reddick and marwin....that's 2 guys out of this group most nights that won't be in the lineup. I'm not a big fan of gattis being our everyday DH and am wondering if we let altuve, springer, Correa, bregman DH every now and then and get the carousel spinning with marwin taking their spot.

I actually think Marisnick with his power numbers could bet a decent DH options some days.

Rondon has been good in the few appearances he's had.

He's only had 3 appearances so not much of litmus test but he's been squared up a bunch. Tuesday night got hit hard and a slight bobble by springer got machado to 2nd and counted as an unearned run when Jones scored him.

I don't think he's been good and definitely not bad just meh. Same with smith and harris and mccugh not enough sample but haven't been all that good yet.

Devo and peacock looked like early form last April and may...filthy

bullard21k said:

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Up to this point the only real things to nit pick would be a little sloppy defense, bullpen besides devo/peacock has been meh and JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Other than that this has been a great start. Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

Between Marisnick, fisher, reddick and marwin....that's 2 guys out of this group most nights that won't be in the lineup. I'm not a big fan of gattis being our everyday DH and am wondering if we let altuve, springer, Correa, bregman DH every now and then and get the carousel spinning with marwin taking their spot.

I actually think Marisnick with his power numbers could bet a decent DH options some days.

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Agreed. I really hope Peacock ends the year with about 10-12 "saves." Let him finish games when he's rolling just like Hinch did yesterday.

He could do that Devo also, if he gets his mojo back like he had early last year.

Nothing would thrill me more than to see Giles used just like any other reliever. Sure he can close out the 9th but only if it's a part of the natural flow, not just because he's the "closer."

I'm not too worried about the offense or the added strikeouts so far. Yuli will come back and replace JD Davis and the lineup will only be bolstered because of it.


At this point, the only thing I can see the Astros doing at the deadline is add a nasty bullpen lefty. Still think it may be Britton if the Orioles can get out of their own way.

I think he's meaning we could use the DH to get guys an off day but still hit. But I do see your point. If Marisnick is playing, he needs to be in CF.

Yeah, I do think we're going to see some of that this year with the otherwise everyday players.

Ag_07 said:

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bullard21k said:

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JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

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I don't think it's that interesting.

Fisher is the LFer, Stassi is the 3rd catcher, and JD back to AAA

That's an easy call.

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Okay so marwin and Marisnick just aren't going to play then? That's what I mean. How is he going to shuffle around the lineup and playing time once we are full strength.

bullard21k said:

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Ag_07 said:

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bullard21k said:

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JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

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I don't think it's that interesting.

Fisher is the LFer, Stassi is the 3rd catcher, and JD back to AAA

That's an easy call.

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Okay so marwin and Marisnick just aren't going to play then? That's what I mean. How is he going to shuffle around the lineup and playing time once we are full strength.

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He did it last year using something like 120 or 130 different lineups.

bobinator said:

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bullard21k said:

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I actually think Marisnick with his power numbers could bet a decent DH options some days.

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Why would you DH Marisnick? It's hard for me to envision a situation where you want Marisnick's bat in the lineup but not his glove in the field.

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It's hard for you to envision a situation where reddick, springer and fisher/marwin are all hitting the ball well and we want to keep playing then but hinch wants to get Marisnick some extra ABs every few weeks?

And vice versa, there will be days where the other 4 OFs are playing and fisher or marwin needs ABs and gattis is struggling...plug and play at DH for a game every now and then

I find that odd you can't see jake spot DHing every blue moon with the power Marisnick has displayed the past year and half

irish pete ag06 said:

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bullard21k said:

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Ag_07 said:

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bullard21k said:

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JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

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I don't think it's that interesting.

Fisher is the LFer, Stassi is the 3rd catcher, and JD back to AAA

That's an easy call.

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Okay so marwin and Marisnick just aren't going to play then? That's what I mean. How is he going to shuffle around the lineup and playing time once we are full strength.

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He did it last year using something like 120 or 130 different lineups.

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Exactly. And now you have a full season of the new and improved Marisnick and a capable backup/starter in fisher.

Hinch has even more lineups to tinker with due to our insane depth.

I'm just glad that Tiger is playing in the Masters today without the Astros on. Otherwise today would be a VERY long day.

JJxvi said:

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Marisnick is never going to need a rest from playing defense, because he wont be an everyday starter. If someone else needs a rest, Marisnick, as the best outfielder on the team, will be in the outfield while someone else DH's.

Hinch is NEVER going to fill out a lineup card with Marisnick at DH, no matter how well he hits, unless he's like injured and cant run or throw or something.

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So you don't think there there will ever be a time when hinch wants to play springer, reddick and fisher but Jake is seeing the ball well and he plugs him in at DH? I think he will get a few tries at DH personally but most disagree apparently. No worries

Yeah, it is, because of how good Marisnick is in the field. I do see plenty of scenarios where you could DH Marwin or even Springer or Reddick (if you're trying to get them some rest.) But I just don't really see a situation where you need to get Marisnick plate appearances but you'd rather have someone else in the outfield.

bullard21k said:

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JJxvi said:

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Marisnick is never going to need a rest from playing defense, because he wont be an everyday starter. If someone else needs a rest, Marisnick, as the best outfielder on the team, will be in the outfield while someone else DH's.

Hinch is NEVER going to fill out a lineup card with Marisnick at DH, no matter how well he hits, unless he's like injured and cant run or throw or something.

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So you don't think there there will ever be a time when hinch wants to play springer, reddick and fisher but Jake is seeing the ball well and he plugs him in at DH? I think he will get a few tries at DH personally but most disagree apparently. No worries

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No, I am almost 100% positive there will never be a time when such a thing happens. As I said above, the only way its even a possibility is if Marisnick is hurt so that he cant play defense, but its also something that doesnt affect his bat, AND he's hitting so well he has to be in the lineup , which I can basically tell you has like a 0.00001% chance of all that happening.

Ag_07 said:

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bullard21k said:

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JD Davis needs to head back to AAA.

Getting yuli back is going to be interesting what hinch does.

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I don't think it's that interesting.

Fisher is the LFer, Stassi is the 3rd catcher, and JD back to AAA

That's an easy call.

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Marwin?

I was curious, so I checked and Jake is listed as having 7 appearances at "DH" over his career at baseball reference, but they dont appear to show up in the game logs at all. I'm fairly certain that these stints at DH are him pinch running for whoever was DH that day.

I agree that we should never expect to see Marisnick penciled in at DH. If his bat is hot then Hinch will certainly opt to have Springer, Fisher, Reddick, or Marwin DH. As long as Jake is the best outfielder of the group he will not be DHing.

MattJaxson said:

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I'm detecting notes of unrefinement

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Seems like HEB got their a-team of commercial writers to the Astros finally. Most of the Astros HEB ads have been awful compared to how funny the Spurs ones have been for years. (Being from the Hill Country I've been seeing those ads for years...)

But that one is pretty good.

JJxvi said:

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I was curious, so I checked and Jake is listed as having 7 appearances at "DH" over his career at baseball reference, but they dont appear to show up in the game logs at all. I'm fairly certain that these stints at DH are him pinch running for whoever was DH that day.

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Probably so. We should make a friendly wager on Jake getting at least 1 DH appearance this season.

Will make seeing the lineup card more exciting everyday at least