My worry about this season is quickly transitioning to concern about whether we will have the right people in place to make the best decisions on a rebuild. Yes, too early in mid-April to make the decision to start rebuilding, but I don't think that time is too far away. The next 15-20 games are critical to that decision. The farm is bare thin and we do have pieces that contending teams would value,

Here's to a 10 game winning streak to make this argument moot.

tjack16 said:

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KCup17 said:

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Are yall approaching panic mode? Cuz I'm creeping that way.

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Not panic yet. I don't think this is a WS team at all but no panic on missing playoffs.

However I'll be in panic mode if this upcoming 8 game stretch is not 5-3 at the very least … 4-4 or worse and we are in trouble. Two of those teams are not good at all and the cubs are a fringe WC contender at best

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Worth noting that the Nationals just beat the Dodgers in LA 2 out of 3.... They won't be an easy out IMO

Ag4life80 said:

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This team has lost it's edge. Just going through the motions
With Yordan, I can't tell much difference between his home run trot or his ground ball trot
Move Bregman down in the lineup. If nothing else to piss him off
I do not like Yordan in the 2 hole ...at all. Move Pena back there, he's earned it
Chas needs to sit, he's lost
I heard today from a source closely affiliated w Cinco Ranch baseball, that a recently promoted player was/is appalled by the clubhouse attitude
Time to shake things up, Joe

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This is the saddening part. Seems like most of the dudes aren't there mentally.

I get that this was almost 7 years ago now, but Bregman today is not the same person as middle fingers to the world Bregman from his early years. Same can be said for 2022 Peña vs. Peña today. The list goes on…

The only one who exhibits the slightest semblance of passion these days is 'Tuve.

I would be approaching panic mode, but I feel like I'm almost bypassing it directly to apathy and that has more to do with the Aggies kicking butt right now.

W said:

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going back to the batting average vs. runs scored predicament...

the 3 players with the most RISP at-bats:

23 for Tucker
23 for Pena
23 for the Abreu-Singleton combo

the front office has to ask themselves if these are the guys they want to have the most RISP at-bats

next on the list is Yordan with 19

what's interesting...in 5 games this year...Yordan did not get any RISP at-bats

also...Tucker has drawn 6 walks in RISP plate appearances

(like in the 10th inning today)

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That makes sense. The guys with the highest OBPs bat ahead of them. The same guys can't get on base and drive themselves in.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Robert Stephenson will miss the season with an elbow injury, the Angels announce.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) April 18, 2024

This is why you never sign a pitcher from the rays. They use and abuse their pitchers until there's nothing left.

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We signed Stanek and he was pretty great for us

Same force is generally preventing our hitters, starters, and relievers from all being good on the same night.

not to put all the pressure on Pena...

but another interesting stat...

Pena leads the team in at-bats with runners on base

he has 45 AB's with someone on base...and has 1 double and 1 HR in those 45 AB's

could make an argument --- that he's the most important person in the batting order

iBrad said:

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Same force is generally preventing our hitters, starters, and relievers from all being good on the same night.

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What is crazy is if you look at the list of injuries below, the top 5 players on that list are (were) our 5 best pitchers… if these guys slowly start coming back we could turn things around, we are scoring enough runs to win plenty of games. If some of those pitchers don't make it back we are doomed for this year

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/injuries/_/name/hou/houston-astros

MaxPower said:

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I'd just direct you to Reggie Jackson's spot on the New York Post's podcast. pretty much sums it up.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 18, 2024

Ug, very concerning

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What'd I miss

Mr.Bond said:

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MaxPower said:

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I'd just direct you to Reggie Jackson's spot on the New York Post's podcast. pretty much sums it up.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 18, 2024

Ug, very concerning

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What'd I miss

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Basically that Crane let his ego get in the way and now thinks he's smarter than the "nerds".

Buck Compton said:

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Mr.Bond said:

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MaxPower said:

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I'd just direct you to Reggie Jackson's spot on the New York Post's podcast. pretty much sums it up.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 18, 2024

Ug, very concerning

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What'd I miss

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Basically that Crane let his ego get in the way and now thinks he's smarter than the "nerds".

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Oh wow. I take it Reggie is no longer on staff.....

Down from 7th to 17th in ESPN's rankings today

That was in response to a question on whether they have taken a step back from how Luhnow and Click evaluated and developed players.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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We gotta get rid of Jose Abreu. And Jim Crane needs to quit letting Jeff Easterbags make personnel decisions. Smh. This team sucks ass.

— Archbishop Deshaies (@HouCounterplot) April 17, 2024

He shall henceforth be known as Jeff Easterbaggs

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Someone should make Bagwell reimburse Crane for the ****ty contracts given to Montero and Abreu. Maybe then he will learn to STFU and not get involved with baseball roster decisions. If he wants to shop up in the spring and work on fielding drills with them go for it, but he has no business having any influence over the roster.

A cautionary data point on the case for Loperfido.

Jackson Holliday is off to an awful start. This is certainly common with young guys and when your team is still winning you can ride the wave and let him adjust.

More to the point I think the Orioles GM Elias made a good observation that with the uptick in arm injuries across the league most any and all major league level arms are called up. AAA pitching is basically AA level right now and a lot of these hitters are feasting which means the success rate of trying to call up hitters destroying "AAA" pitching will be even more difficult as they jump from effectively AA to major league level pitching; a significant skill gap