McHugh made 8 starts to begin the season. 2 of them were disasters (6.1 IP, 17 ER). The Easter Sunday one was on partly on Hinch who left him in way too long - it was the 11-10 game we would have won if we would have gone to the bullpen sooner.

In his other 6 starts McHugh went 34.2 IP, 12 ER (3.11 ERA). He went into that Easter disaster with a 1.96 ERA in 4 starts. Something obviously went wrong after Easter. Was it really an injury? Fatigue? Both? He made 2 decent starts between the blowouts (5.2 IP, 3 ER 9 K + 6 IP, 4 ER, 2 K)...I think we would take even that from a SP at this point...then the 2nd blowout, then the IL stint.

If he can keep up anywhere near what he did the first 4 starts, we need him in the rotation. I don't think it's a McCullers just not built for throwing that many innings situation, because he made 32 & 33 starts in back to back years...but at the same time he hadn't been a full-time starter since 2017 so maybe his arm wasn't up to the workload yet.

Anyway my point is that I'm a lot more optimistic about guys that are generally great and occasionally awful than I am about guys that are consistently below average. I hate to throw AJ under the bus because he's generally so good, but maybe with McHugh it's just a matter of having a faster hook and watching the workload?

McHugh has not been generally great. He had one great year in which he win 19 games. He missed most of 201( with injury and in 2019 was bad enough to lose his spot in the rotation to a AAA call up.

I'm ready to pull the plug on trying to make him a starter and leave him in the BP. As a starter he's mediocre at best #3 but as a BP arm he's All-Star caliber.

Alvarez back in line up with White batting in the 5 hole behind him.....

Ag_07 said:

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McHugh has not been generally great. He had one great year in which he win 19 games. He missed most of 201( with injury and in 2019 was bad enough to lose his spot in the rotation to a AAA call up.

I'm ready to pull the plug on trying to make him a starter and leave him in the BP. As a starter he's mediocre at best #3 but as a BP arm he's All-Star caliber.

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Great is probably too strong and I meant this season. He has had 6 good starts and 2 disasters. His first 4 starts were great. his time as a starter from 2014 to 2017 was very solid and way better than anything else we have available right now. I don't think McHugh is going to make these 2 TBD pre-ASG starts so soon off the IL and the short stint last night. I'm talking about the 5th spot in the rotation for the 2nd half of the season or until we (hopefully) get some help via trade.

Big picture I'm with you - I think he's at best a #3 guy and in general a solid bottom of the rotation SP. The problem is we are short at least 1 solid bottom of the rotation SP right now. I'd much rather have 5 capable starters and McHugh in the pen, if that's an option. I'd rather have 5 other capable starters and McHugh AND Peacock in the pen but that seems like a pipe dream at this point.

McHugh isn't doing us much good as a shutdown 7th inning guy when we don't have any leads to hold after our AAA guys pitch BP for 5-6 innings.

Ags #1 said:

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Is it really a reverse jinx if you call it one?

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Well, we both know that you know that I know that Bearkat knows that the fatties both know about it. And since our fattie doesn't believe in slumpbusters he clearly doesn't know about luck, bad luck or double reverse jinxes. So either way I'm on fairly steady ground on stating our fattie is wearing a sombrero.

He's just issuing a challenge to the top of the lineup. I'd be amazed if Alvarez sees anything to hit unless he is leading off an inning.

They'll pitch around Alvarez all day long in order to pitch to White. Not a good batting order.

watch us hit 5hr today though

Marco Gonzales is probably Seattle's best starter.

interesting...he has a 9-6 W-L record on a team that is 37-50. The Mariners score runs for him.

he had a blow up game the 1st week of June...allowed 10 earned runs to the Angels. Otherwise he's been good in his last 4 starts

and speaking of blow up games...the Red Sox must feel like the sacrificial lamb in London.

gave up 17 runs yesterday...and another 12 today.

28 of the 29 runs are earned. Not exactly a great weekend for the team ERA

troubling stat of the day...

the last time the Astros won a game in which Yuli did not play...

April 30th vs. the Twins

Harry Dunne said:

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Only Marisnick for Springer away from being our worst possible lineup with the current roster. Which means we probably score 10 runs.

I know I'm going to get called more names for this, but batting White fifth shows you AJ believes in him. I know hitting ahead of Reddick is just to break up LH bats and if Yuli is healthy he's not in the lineup...and he's not exactly hitting ahead of all stars, but still.

I'm happy to be wrong about Yuli. I still think he's in decline but no doubt he's got huge nuts when the game is on the line and should definitely be in there over White. I feel like some of you are so desperate to be "right" that you'd rather have White fail just so you can say I told you so.

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White has failed for almost his entire existence at the MLB level outside of one streaky patch of games last year. I thought White turned a corner last year when he got hot bits hes floundered ever since and is hurting the team at this point. His lack of professionalism is really bothersome as well.

While Yuli is in decline, I'd take him over White any day of the weak.

It's funny that White is put in there to break up the lefties and avoid situational bullpen action... but does anyone really think a manager is going to be scared of leaving a lefty in to face White??

W said:

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troubling stat of the day...

the last time the Astros won a game in which Yuli did not play...

April 30th vs. the Twins

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We have only even had 4 games in which he did not play since 4/30.

0-4 ain't good and I'd rather have him in the lineup but it's not enough of a sample to be "troubling".

CFTXAG10 said:

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Had to leave early, but saw the last play on a bar tv screen downtown while a group of frat guys fought a wild hobo. Never change Saturday nights in Houston.

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Had to leave early so that you could go to a bar? I'm confused...

AggiEE said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Only Marisnick for Springer away from being our worst possible lineup with the current roster. Which means we probably score 10 runs.

I know I'm going to get called more names for this, but batting White fifth shows you AJ believes in him. I know hitting ahead of Reddick is just to break up LH bats and if Yuli is healthy he's not in the lineup...and he's not exactly hitting ahead of all stars, but still.

I'm happy to be wrong about Yuli. I still think he's in decline but no doubt he's got huge nuts when the game is on the line and should definitely be in there over White. I feel like some of you are so desperate to be "right" that you'd rather have White fail just so you can say I told you so.

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White has failed for almost his entire existence at the MLB level outside of one streaky patch of games last year. I thought White turned a corner last year when he got hot bits hes floundered ever since and is hurting the team at this point. His lack of professionalism is really bothersome as well.

While Yuli is in decline, I'd take him over White any day of the weak.

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He's been terrible this year but what you have written is just not true.

He was AL player of the week after a blazing start in 2016 (yes I know he was pretty much trash in 2016 after that).

His brief 2017 was very solid (.853 OPS)

His 2018 was outstanding (.888 OPS)

This year has been awful, no way around that and he obviously needs to lose 50 lbs. No need to negatively exaggerate the past though. The past is the only reason he's in the lineup today. Obviously AJ thinks thats still in there.

So much the sweep....the bottom half of that lineup is trash. Ouch for the Cole Train. Hope he comes out with his good stuff today and not relying on the offense

cpsencik04 said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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Had to leave early, but saw the last play on a bar tv screen downtown while a group of frat guys fought a wild hobo. Never change Saturday nights in Houston.

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Had to leave early so that you could go to a bar? I'm confused...

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Stuck in traffic, but happened to be pulled up right next to a bar that was showing the game

What a ****-tastic lineup. Brantley needs another day off?? And Yordan is still hurt??

And Cole follows in Verlander's footsteps in allowing solo HRs...

and the M's strike first again

Kashchei said:

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What a ****-tastic lineup. Brantley needs another day off?? And Yordan is still hurt??

And Cole follows in Verlander's footsteps in allowing solo HRs...

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I don't get why Brantley needed a day off, but Yordan is at DH today.

The Astros are really terrible at containing HRs this year...I think it's just because they are so aggressive it sometimes leads to mistakes.

Shaky start

Feels like JV and Cole have already eclipsed their HR allowed marks from last season and we aren't even to the ASB

Cole has continually sucked during 1st innings this season.

It's not anything new.

Nice recovery to get tubby into a DP

You're right, I was just looking at the defensive graphic. Thank God Yordan is back...

If we used an opener for him would he just give up the HR in the 2nd inning?

Harry Dunne said:

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If we used an opener for him would he just give up the HR in the 2nd inning?

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AJ would use Devo as the opener who would then get rocked...

Springer and Altuve set the table for Bregman

AB has more wide pitches called strikes than anyone I know. Every game that gets called when he's up.

oh boy, bases loaded for Yordan