• 1.84 ERA
• 2.94 FIP
• 4.49 xFIP (walks!)
• 29.1 IP (almost 6 per)

• WAR: Yainer 0.5, Tucker 0.4, Pena 0.2
• wRC+: Yainer 267, Pena 241, Tucker 222
• RBI: Tucker 5, Yainer 4, Pena 3
• Runs: Altuve/Tucker 4, Yainer 3

• None with an OOA = to 1 yet
• Bottom 3 OOA: Abreu -1, McCormick -1, Pena -2

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

Ag_07 said:

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Don't know the secret to embedding Instagram links but pretty cool video of Pena's glove getting relaced and reworked

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2-3uYDSzyL/?igsh=cjJ4MWVvb3ZtM2Jk

---

AggiEE said:

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TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

The muscular development doesn't raise a red flag to me. Even doing so in his late-20's. He's an elite athlete and getting to the majors has access to the help from trainers and nutritionists who can help with that growth. He's listed at 6'1" 205 but that's from when he was first signed. He's probably close to 230 right now and I haven't noticed that he did that in one off-season like Bonds.

It's well known that the late-20's are when your testosterone levels peak and are able to slab on muscle with the proper workout so the physique isn't what raises a red flag. An athlete should be able to do that. Like I said, it's the head (characteristic of HGH use) and temper. Most players with the means these days aren't using old school anabolic steroids like Winstrol, Decabol, Dianabol, etc- they're using HGH. Probably doing straight-up testosterone too.

---

If elite athletes are so easily able to achieve roughly Barry Bonds peak steroid use physiques due to natural testosterone levels in their late 20s and working out, why is it that the vast majority of major league players have nowhere near the size of Garcia?

Because it's not just chicken and rice and Garcia isn't just built different than his elite athletic peers

Natural testosterone levels in late 20s isn't magic. Exogenous androgens are required to overcome a natural limit and dramatically change your body and face over that short of a period

---

Beau Holder said:

---

I work out with and around lots of guys who are on gear. Muscle gain isn't weird. The amount, the rapidity of it for someone who's been an athlete for years, and shape are.

The whole discussion is purely academic until he pops, but we're not talking about a kid in his first pro offseason program showing up 20 lbs heavier.

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

The muscular development doesn't raise a red flag to me. Even doing so in his late-20's. He's an elite athlete and getting to the majors has access to the help from trainers and nutritionists who can help with that growth. He's listed at 6'1" 205 but that's from when he was first signed. He's probably close to 230 right now and I haven't noticed that he did that in one off-season like Bonds.

It's well known that the late-20's are when your testosterone levels peak and are able to slab on muscle with the proper workout so the physique isn't what raises a red flag. An athlete should be able to do that. Like I said, it's the head (characteristic of HGH use) and temper. Most players with the means these days aren't using old school anabolic steroids like Winstrol, Decabol, Dianabol, etc- they're using HGH. Probably doing straight-up testosterone too.

---

If elite athletes are so easily able to achieve roughly Barry Bonds peak steroid use physiques due to natural testosterone levels in their late 20s and working out, why is it that the vast majority of major league players have nowhere near the size of Garcia?

Because it's not just chicken and rice and Garcia isn't just built different than his elite athletic peers

Natural testosterone levels in late 20s isn't magic. Exogenous androgens are required to overcome a natural limit and dramatically change your body and face over that short of a period

---

First, with Barry Bonds, he was in his 30's when he suddenly changed his physique.

As for MLB players, lots aren't as cut, but the vast majority of players I've been around are jacked like Garcia. It can be disguised a bit based on how they wear their uniforms but the last I've seen is that, according to rosters the average MLB position player is 6'2" 210#. And I can promise you they don't update Ht/Wt numbers after a player is signed in the vast majority of cases- for example, Kyle Tucker is listed at 6'4" 199 and he's 220. Bregman is listed as 6'0' 192 and he's close to 210.

But like I said, I think Garcia is on something but it's not old school steroids. His physique below the neck doesn't give off the red flags. It's probably HGH which is what causes the dome growth.

---

The difference between 20s and 30s testosterone levels isn't significant. If you're a newbie, you can make a great transformation in either period but with each passing year you'll get greatly diminished returns and won't be able to put on more than a few pounds at most of lean body mass if your programming, diet, consistency is optimal

If you are an elite athlete, you've been working out since high school age or even sooner. Garcia is 31 and showed a major transformation from age 27.

By age 27 he's already had well over a decade of workout progress in the gym. Natural lifters will not be putting on "slabs of muscle" in their late 20s unless they are new to the gym or on steroids.

And the shape of his development has changed, the development has favored the traps, neck, and shoulders which is a tell tale sign. They are exaggerated proportions you would not expect naturally. He's very lean and his muscles are popping out, you cannot claim that Tucker is a good counter example merely based on height and weight.

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

The muscular development doesn't raise a red flag to me. Even doing so in his late-20's. He's an elite athlete and getting to the majors has access to the help from trainers and nutritionists who can help with that growth. He's listed at 6'1" 205 but that's from when he was first signed. He's probably close to 230 right now and I haven't noticed that he did that in one off-season like Bonds.

It's well known that the late-20's are when your testosterone levels peak and are able to slab on muscle with the proper workout so the physique isn't what raises a red flag. An athlete should be able to do that. Like I said, it's the head (characteristic of HGH use) and temper. Most players with the means these days aren't using old school anabolic steroids like Winstrol, Decabol, Dianabol, etc- they're using HGH. Probably doing straight-up testosterone too.

---

If elite athletes are so easily able to achieve roughly Barry Bonds peak steroid use physiques due to natural testosterone levels in their late 20s and working out, why is it that the vast majority of major league players have nowhere near the size of Garcia?

Because it's not just chicken and rice and Garcia isn't just built different than his elite athletic peers

Natural testosterone levels in late 20s isn't magic. Exogenous androgens are required to overcome a natural limit and dramatically change your body and face over that short of a period

---

First, with Barry Bonds, he was in his 30's when he suddenly changed his physique.

As for MLB players, lots aren't as cut, but the vast majority of players I've been around are jacked like Garcia. It can be disguised a bit based on how they wear their uniforms but the last I've seen is that, according to rosters the average MLB position player is 6'2" 210#. And I can promise you they don't update Ht/Wt numbers after a player is signed in the vast majority of cases- for example, Kyle Tucker is listed at 6'4" 199 and he's 220. Bregman is listed as 6'0' 192 and he's close to 210.

But like I said, I think Garcia is on something but it's not old school steroids. His physique below the neck doesn't give off the red flags. It's probably HGH which is what causes the dome growth.

---

The difference between 20s and 30s testosterone levels isn't significant. If you're a newbie, you can make a great transformation in either period but with each passing year you'll get greatly diminished returns and won't be able to put on more than a few pounds at most of lean body mass if your programming, diet, consistency is optimal

If you are an elite athlete, you've been working out since high school age or even sooner. Garcia is 31 and showed a major transformation from age 27.

By age 27 he's already had well over a decade of workout progress in the gym. Natural lifters will not be putting on "slabs of muscle" in their late 20s unless they are new to the gym or on steroids.

And the shape of his development has changed, the development has favored the traps, neck, and shoulders which is a tell tale sign. They are exaggerated proportions you would not expect naturally. He's very lean and his muscles are popping out, you cannot claim that Tucker is a good counter example merely based on height and weight.

---

I'll reiterate what I've said...

...I think he's on something (or was) but his physique alone doesn't give that impression. It's the dome growth and volatility.

---

tjack16 said:

---

Did anybody else last night think there was some poetry in the fact that it was almost George that was the final out?

He's my favorite former Astro from this run but I actually had the thought of how crazy would it be if he was the final out

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AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

The muscular development doesn't raise a red flag to me. Even doing so in his late-20's. He's an elite athlete and getting to the majors has access to the help from trainers and nutritionists who can help with that growth. He's listed at 6'1" 205 but that's from when he was first signed. He's probably close to 230 right now and I haven't noticed that he did that in one off-season like Bonds.

It's well known that the late-20's are when your testosterone levels peak and are able to slab on muscle with the proper workout so the physique isn't what raises a red flag. An athlete should be able to do that. Like I said, it's the head (characteristic of HGH use) and temper. Most players with the means these days aren't using old school anabolic steroids like Winstrol, Decabol, Dianabol, etc- they're using HGH. Probably doing straight-up testosterone too.

---

If elite athletes are so easily able to achieve roughly Barry Bonds peak steroid use physiques due to natural testosterone levels in their late 20s and working out, why is it that the vast majority of major league players have nowhere near the size of Garcia?

Because it's not just chicken and rice and Garcia isn't just built different than his elite athletic peers

Natural testosterone levels in late 20s isn't magic. Exogenous androgens are required to overcome a natural limit and dramatically change your body and face over that short of a period

---

First, with Barry Bonds, he was in his 30's when he suddenly changed his physique.

As for MLB players, lots aren't as cut, but the vast majority of players I've been around are jacked like Garcia. It can be disguised a bit based on how they wear their uniforms but the last I've seen is that, according to rosters the average MLB position player is 6'2" 210#. And I can promise you they don't update Ht/Wt numbers after a player is signed in the vast majority of cases- for example, Kyle Tucker is listed at 6'4" 199 and he's 220. Bregman is listed as 6'0' 192 and he's close to 210.

But like I said, I think Garcia is on something but it's not old school steroids. His physique below the neck doesn't give off the red flags. It's probably HGH which is what causes the dome growth.

---

The difference between 20s and 30s testosterone levels isn't significant. If you're a newbie, you can make a great transformation in either period but with each passing year you'll get greatly diminished returns and won't be able to put on more than a few pounds at most of lean body mass if your programming, diet, consistency is optimal

If you are an elite athlete, you've been working out since high school age or even sooner. Garcia is 31 and showed a major transformation from age 27.

By age 27 he's already had well over a decade of workout progress in the gym. Natural lifters will not be putting on "slabs of muscle" in their late 20s unless they are new to the gym or on steroids.

And the shape of his development has changed, the development has favored the traps, neck, and shoulders which is a tell tale sign. They are exaggerated proportions you would not expect naturally. He's very lean and his muscles are popping out, you cannot claim that Tucker is a good counter example merely based on height and weight.

---

I'll reiterate what I've said...

...I think he's on something (or was) but his physique alone doesn't give that impression. It's the dome growth and volatility.

---

You cannot separate the two. We know what he looked like at 27, and it's clearly a big change to the look of his body after he had already been lifting for well over a decade.

You are assuming that he wasn't lifting prior to 27 and that adding 30+ lbs of lean body mass in late 20s is somehow normal but that is only if you have not lifted consistently.

---

tjack16 said:

---

Beau Holder said:

---

I certainly thought it was poetry of some kind that he was the only one who reached base all night.

---

I would have never forgiven him if he broke up the no-no in the 9th

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

All I do is Nguyen said:

---

This has to be an edited photo right?

The first sign you can always tell when people in the gym are juicing is when their traps turn into pillows, as the shoulder/neck area has a ton of androgen receptors.

I’m not making any claims, but Adolis Garcia checks every single box, it’s a little worrisome. pic.twitter.com/Gg8WheFspj

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) April 2, 2024

---

Nah, not necessarily edited. Trap growth can be seen as a PED sign but there's nothing there to me that seems out of the ordinary for somebody who lifts a lot. It's more that huge melon on top of his neck. And the hot-headed, hair-trigger temper.

---

Seems like a few guys started lifting during Covid and when PED testing was nonexistent… perhaps it was the chicken and rice and push-ups?

---

Maybe. But in this picture, Garcia is kind of flexing so I'd expect the traps to be exaggerated.

It's the change in his dome from that Cardinals pic vs. now that's the red flag to me.

---

His physique is also significantly larger. This isn't just a normal workout transformation from lifting weights natural. Look at Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and they somehow all developed that kind of muscular build

He's definitely not natty, and the muscular development, head size, and roid rage all point in that direction.

---

The muscular development doesn't raise a red flag to me. Even doing so in his late-20's. He's an elite athlete and getting to the majors has access to the help from trainers and nutritionists who can help with that growth. He's listed at 6'1" 205 but that's from when he was first signed. He's probably close to 230 right now and I haven't noticed that he did that in one off-season like Bonds.

It's well known that the late-20's are when your testosterone levels peak and are able to slab on muscle with the proper workout so the physique isn't what raises a red flag. An athlete should be able to do that. Like I said, it's the head (characteristic of HGH use) and temper. Most players with the means these days aren't using old school anabolic steroids like Winstrol, Decabol, Dianabol, etc- they're using HGH. Probably doing straight-up testosterone too.

---

If elite athletes are so easily able to achieve roughly Barry Bonds peak steroid use physiques due to natural testosterone levels in their late 20s and working out, why is it that the vast majority of major league players have nowhere near the size of Garcia?

Because it's not just chicken and rice and Garcia isn't just built different than his elite athletic peers

Natural testosterone levels in late 20s isn't magic. Exogenous androgens are required to overcome a natural limit and dramatically change your body and face over that short of a period

---

First, with Barry Bonds, he was in his 30's when he suddenly changed his physique.

As for MLB players, lots aren't as cut, but the vast majority of players I've been around are jacked like Garcia. It can be disguised a bit based on how they wear their uniforms but the last I've seen is that, according to rosters the average MLB position player is 6'2" 210#. And I can promise you they don't update Ht/Wt numbers after a player is signed in the vast majority of cases- for example, Kyle Tucker is listed at 6'4" 199 and he's 220. Bregman is listed as 6'0' 192 and he's close to 210.

But like I said, I think Garcia is on something but it's not old school steroids. His physique below the neck doesn't give off the red flags. It's probably HGH which is what causes the dome growth.

---

The difference between 20s and 30s testosterone levels isn't significant. If you're a newbie, you can make a great transformation in either period but with each passing year you'll get greatly diminished returns and won't be able to put on more than a few pounds at most of lean body mass if your programming, diet, consistency is optimal

If you are an elite athlete, you've been working out since high school age or even sooner. Garcia is 31 and showed a major transformation from age 27.

By age 27 he's already had well over a decade of workout progress in the gym. Natural lifters will not be putting on "slabs of muscle" in their late 20s unless they are new to the gym or on steroids.

And the shape of his development has changed, the development has favored the traps, neck, and shoulders which is a tell tale sign. They are exaggerated proportions you would not expect naturally. He's very lean and his muscles are popping out, you cannot claim that Tucker is a good counter example merely based on height and weight.

---

I'll reiterate what I've said...

...I think he's on something (or was) but his physique alone doesn't give that impression. It's the dome growth and volatility.

---

You cannot separate the two. We know what he looked like at 27, and it's clearly a big change to the look of his body after he had already been lifting for well over a decade.

You are assuming that he wasn't lifting prior to 27 and that adding 30+ lbs of lean body mass in late 20s is somehow normal but that is only if you have not lifted consistently.

---

Are you just being pedantic or what?

I've said that I think he's on something or was.

---