Put Diaz in CF.

Deluxe said:

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And I appreciate your astute baseball observations. That's part of the reason we're best friends.

If playoff started tomorrow, I think we'd almost certainly roll with Diaz in LF. But I also get the need to capitalize on Diaz's versality around the diamond over the 162 and desire to make sure Straw gets a proper-sized opportunity in CF before we consider pulling the plug on him.

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If we have 1 game win, you play your best 9. That should mean Castro, Diaz, & no Maldy, Straw. I think most agree on here. Especially vs a RHP. What worries me is I don't think Dusty agrees.

Personally I find is defense overrated anyway. It doesn't matter, clearly they are infatuated with him.

Is there a metric that quantifies a catcher's value in regards to framing and calling a game? Seems like the latter would be hard to "prove". Anyway I would bet that the demise of the good-hitting catcher has more to do with, like htx is saying, those elements of a catcher being considered to be far more valuable than other positions.

Gattis is a great example of a guy that could play catcher and if you believe dWAR, his defense at C was replacement level...which obviously is not good, but when you add that his oWAR was 2.8 in just 108 games in his last full season at catcher with Atlanta...263, 22 HR, 52 RBI...man wouldn't we love to have that kind of bat playing C and hitting 8th right now! I know he swung at everything and didn't walk much but you could say the same about Machete and his .324 OPS.

I always thought it was strange that his first season here he didn't play C at all, and then when he wasn't a good enough hitter to DH they shuffled him back to C and pulled the plug on him there after less than 100 games there over the next 2 seasons despite him continuing to hit just as well as he ever had (not good enough to DH or OF but phenomenal for a C). Just based on watching him play, he wasn't awful defensively. I assume he was not great at framing or calling a game, but it's not like he couldn't field the position adequately.

Anyway for the TL;DR crew, obviously Machete brings some "win share" type of value to the table that justifies tolerating his sub-pitcher hitting.

It's always a good sign when the Astros are driving the ball the other way...and having patient at-bats.

MaxPower said:

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Personally I find is defense overrated anyway. It doesn't matter, clearly they are infatuated with him.

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Shutting down another teams running game is very big. I could be wrong but I seem to remember teams running on Castro a bit.

Farmer1906 said:

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That Yuli

So hot right now

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Day off didn't mess with his timing at all.

Tucker, not so much

This zone is small

nice start for the 'stros

MosesHallRAB04 said:

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MaxPower said:

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Personally I find is defense overrated anyway. It doesn't matter, clearly they are infatuated with him.

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Shutting down another teams running game is very big. I could be wrong but I seem to remember teams running on Castro a bit.

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However big it is, it's not as big as it used to be. Nobody runs anymore. There are about half as many stolen bases now as there were at the peak 80s-90s era.

I do really like Dusty sticking with his starting pitchers when they are doing well at the end of games. It's not like he's reckless with their arms. He just lets them find their limits. Without managing pitchers like he does we're never going to know who the next JV is because he's going to get pulled after 95 pitches his whole career and never find out what he's made of.

Harry Dunne said:

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MosesHallRAB04 said:

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MaxPower said:

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Personally I find is defense overrated anyway. It doesn't matter, clearly they are infatuated with him.

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Shutting down another teams running game is very big. I could be wrong but I seem to remember teams running on Castro a bit.

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However big it is, it's not as big as it used to be. Nobody runs anymore. There are about half as many stolen bases now as there were at the peak 80s-90s era.

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Agree but it is still significant in the playoff. Much more so than regular season.

That's true.

Adamis was asleep at the wheel.

fast moving game

Urkeeding mowing em down

hey, Machete walks

5th inning intentional walk to Bregman --- don't see that too often

Yordan hit it hard --- right at the centerfielder

Urquidy looks elite today. 63 pitches through 5 innings

16.7% through the season...when does Tucker start turning things around?

W said:

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fast moving game

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Don't jinx it

nice play by Correa to keep the Rays off the board

Give him another 100 PA, IMO.

... and I just figured out we had an afternoon game today.

Straw check-swings one into right field.

needs to be on the move

the Gallo post is marvelous though

Myles...geesh

Glad Maldy got rid of the blue hair

linkdude said:

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Give him another 100 PA, IMO.

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And do what? They made their bed by not resigning George and not signing any FA CF/RFer. There isn't anyone to bring up either. Good or bad Tucker isn't going anywhere.