My lineup with Loperfido

Altuve - 2B
Pena - SS
Alvarez - LF/DH
Tucker - RF
Bregman - 3B
Diaz - C
Loperfido - 1B/LF
Chas/Jake - CF
Cabbage - DH/1B/LF

Dubon is my first guy off the bench in any scenario but especially with RISP.

Play position shuffle with Cabbage and Loperfido to get them starts

surprised there isn't more info out there about Whitley being hurt again

Joey Loperfido gets the call!

Loperfido has been mashing AAA as he leads MiLB with 13 HR this season. He has immense power, highlighted by a monstrous 27.9 Barrel%

He has a high K%, but it is more of a function of passiveness than contact woes.

Congratulations on the call-up! https://t.co/PdnLOE2U8s pic.twitter.com/XhG9emijCM

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 29, 2024

If Loperfido is up I'm assuming that means Big Jon gets DFAed. Or Jake is on the IL from being hit?

Three takeaways from the Astros’ 3-5 road trip. Jim Crane, Joe Espada and controlling the running game all discussed - https://t.co/a0VuMeC1Wz

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 29, 2024

If we can play .500 ball through the first half of May, we have 10 games versus LAA and OAK in the second half where an 8-2 record feels like a must. We then have to follow that up winning three of four from the Mariners.

If we can also take the series against the Brewers and take the first game in the Twins series. We can end May at .500.

That still feels a little aspirational, but not impossible. It will largely depend on the health of the rotation and the performance of the back of the bullpen.

What's crazy is that given the hole we dug ourselves, climbing back to .500 over the course of a month feels like sunshine pumping.

But that number has been growing not decreasing. So I think it's rationale to expect it to continue to grow. But agreed he isn't an every day 1B. But I'd like to see him prove the need to not play there rather than assume he shouldn't

Then play him in Center and Dubon at First. Gets the black holes out of the lineup.

J Peterman said:

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Then play him in Center and Dubon at First. Gets the black holes out of the lineup.

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Dubon has exactly 2 starts at 1B in his professional career, both came last year.

His biggest challenge will be digging out Altuve's throws.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

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But that number has been growing not decreasing. So I think it's rationale to expect it to continue to grow. But agreed he isn't an every day 1B. But I'd like to see him prove the need to not play there rather than assume he shouldn't

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Sure, but he's played 1B just 3x in the last 10 games. If they were worried about his defense at first, you'd think they'd be getting him as much experience there in AAA to get him ready. The reports and logic say he's going to be an outfielder.

gambochaman said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Joey Loperfido gets the call!

Loperfido has been mashing AAA as he leads MiLB with 13 HR this season. He has immense power, highlighted by a monstrous 27.9 Barrel%

He has a high K%, but it is more of a function of passiveness than contact woes.

Congratulations on the call-up! https://t.co/PdnLOE2U8s pic.twitter.com/XhG9emijCM

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 29, 2024

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bout damn time

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Interesting that his in the zone swing % is so low. The question is do you want to fix that or are you content to let him wait for his pitch knowing he can mash? I suspect he will get attacked a lot more in the zone in the bigs if that's the scouting report so he will need to be more aggressive.

Saw this posted on FB:

Valdez (3), Verlander (2), Javier (4), Blanco (5) have started half of the Astros 28 games.

- Their numbers in 14 starts: 7-0, 1.83 ERA, 83.2 IP

- Other starters numbers: 0-10, 9.49 ERA, 54 IP (Brown, France, Arrighetti, Henley)

- Bullpen: 2-9, 4.95 ERA, 107.1 IP

gambochaman said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Joey Loperfido gets the call!

Loperfido has been mashing AAA as he leads MiLB with 13 HR this season. He has immense power, highlighted by a monstrous 27.9 Barrel%

He has a high K%, but it is more of a function of passiveness than contact woes.

Congratulations on the call-up! https://t.co/PdnLOE2U8s pic.twitter.com/XhG9emijCM

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 29, 2024

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bout damn time

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So what is the corresponding move? Who is sent down?

MaxPower said:

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gambochaman said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Joey Loperfido gets the call!

Loperfido has been mashing AAA as he leads MiLB with 13 HR this season. He has immense power, highlighted by a monstrous 27.9 Barrel%

He has a high K%, but it is more of a function of passiveness than contact woes.

Congratulations on the call-up! https://t.co/PdnLOE2U8s pic.twitter.com/XhG9emijCM

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 29, 2024

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bout damn time

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Interesting that his in the zone swing % is so low. The question is do you want to fix that or are you content to let him wait for his pitch knowing he can mash? I suspect he will get attacked a lot more in the zone in the bigs if that's the scouting report so he will need to be more aggressive.

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The problem is, that approach has gotten him to The Show. I would have a hard time telling him to now come in and change what he's doing, causing him to think more and slow him down. I'd let him keep doing what he's doing, and if he has to be sent back down, we'll discuss approach changes at that time.

Here's what I honestly think about what's going to happen with Loperfido: He'll be facing MLB pitching, which means they are going to give him his pitch much less often. If MLB pitchers know they can get ahead on a guy, especially a young hitter, it's going to get interesting for him. I am of the opinion he's going to perform about how Bregman is currently performing, possibly slightly better.

We saw it with Pena in the post-season last year where good pitching kept feeding him that slider low and away over, and over again. We're seeing it with Chas currently - they aren't letting him get extended. MLB pitchers are relentless, and when they know where to attack you, they don't stop.

I am rooting hard for the kid, but keeping my expectations well managed. I am encouraged his K% has come down to 31% where it was closer to 35-36% early this season. I like his BB-rate is 11%.

Splits by game.

tjack16 said:

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I see Loperfido as about a .230ish hitter his rookie year with 20 HR if he were to play a full 162

Which we would take in a heartbeat right now over what Abreu/Singleton are doing

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I'm not sure see 20 HR at the moment.

I know I'm being an Eeyore about Loperfido, but the k-rate jump from AA to AAA, which was about 10 points (from 25% to 35%) is concerning. It's good to see his k-rate come down to 31%, but MLB pitching is so, so much better than AAA. He's not going to get his pitch as often. Just screams Pena and the low-and-away slider from last year to me.

I'm hoping to be proven wrong, but I just have a personal opinion he's going to struggle mightily in his first MLB stint.

That doesn't mean I don't think he can't become a solid contributor, but I think it's going to be next year more than this year.

Only way to find out

iBrad said:

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If we can play .500 ball through the first half of May, we have 10 games versus LAA and OAK in the second half where an 8-2 record feels like a must. We then have to follow that up winning three of four from the Mariners.

If we can also take the series against the Brewers and take the first game in the Twins series. We can end May at .500.

That still feels a little aspirational, but not impossible. It will largely depend on the health of the rotation and the performance of the back of the bullpen.

What's crazy is that given the hole we dug ourselves, climbing back to .500 over the course of a month feels like sunshine pumping.

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Oakland's offense is still a living nightmare, but their pitching, particularly the bullpen, is vastly improved. 12-17 right now. Took them 57 games (12-45) to get to 12 years in 2023

Beat40 said:

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tjack16 said:

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I see Loperfido as about a .230ish hitter his rookie year with 20 HR if he were to play a full 162

Which we would take in a heartbeat right now over what Abreu/Singleton are doing

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I'm not sure see 20 HR at the moment.

I know I'm being an Eeyore about Loperfido, but the k-rate jump from AA to AAA, which was about 10 points (from 25% to 35%) is concerning. It's good to see his k-rate come down to 31%, but MLB pitching is so, so much better than AAA. He's not going to get his pitch as often. Just screams Pena and the low-and-away slider from last year to me.

I'm hoping to be proven wrong, but I just have a personal opinion he's going to struggle mightily in his first MLB stint.

That doesn't mean I don't think he can't become a solid contributor, but I think it's going to be next year more than this year.

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Post above mentioned that the K rate is because of passiveness and not lack of contact on swings. So he either finds what he likes and mashes it or he strikes out. I'm ok with that as long as he's not routinely up with RISP and two outs. And I'll take it any day over Bregman's weak ground balls and double plays, as Joey's failures only lead to a single out.

Yall see the Rays City Connects? Woof


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40032687/tampa-bay-rays-mlb-city-connect-uniforms

Yeah not a fan. Doesn't seem like that much of a change form their throwbacks, which I am a fan of but for a City Connect, I expected more.

Farmer1906 said:

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I like them better than several others.

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By far not the worst.

Some have been great, some meh/Ok, some are just boring or ****

My Opinions


Great

Boston (You have to understand how big the marathon is to that city to appreciate it)
Astros, non biased here the history and ties to the NASA is awesome
White sox
LAA
Brewers
Padres
ATL
Seattle
Pirates


Meh/Ok

Marlins
Cubs
KC
Rockies
Texas
Philly
Mets
Rays

****/Boring

DBack
SF
LAD
Washington
Cincinnati
Baltimore