Moving up to Detroit to tame the Tigers May-19-21

[PhantomWarrior]

Who would have believed it?

Maybe he will be like Ross Ohlendorf in 2015.

 

[saddles]

Very nice. Any word on his timeline? Meaning are we going to see him at RR anytime soon?

I would think so. He spent last year at Frisco and even had a few starts there in 2015 so he should be ready to move up soon.

He has had 38 starts at AA, but that doesn't sound like so many when you consider he only got 8 starts at the High-A level.

 

[Voltaire26]

Austin Bellbiv-Devoe with an impressive outing

Don't get too excited ... the Tigers have had trouble with shitty pitchers ... Thank God we're facing Darvish instead of some scrub you just brought up from the minors.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

AJ has always had the propensity to give up a HR here and there. Well he has given up a career high in HR's in both his last 2 starts

Fwiw a buddy emailed me this:


Tristan H. Cockcroft ESPN Senior Writer

The Rangers might not be reliant upon personal catchers, but A.J. Griffin's splits are difficult to ignore: Throwing to Jonathan Lucroy: 7.71 ERA in 13 career starts Throwing to Robinson Chirinos: 2.82 ERA in 11 career starts Certainly fantasy owners might want to check the Rangers' battery when their lineup is posted in any future Griffin start.

 

[donaldson79]

Throwing to Jonathan Lucroy: 7.71 ERA in 13 career starts Throwing to Robinson Chirinos: 2.82 ERA in 11 career starts Certainly fantasy owners might want to check the Rangers' battery when their lineup is posted in any future Griffin start.

That's too many starts for both catchers to be ignored for future decision making.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

That's too many starts for both catchers to be ignored for future decision making.

Frankly I was shocked AJ had that many starts as a Ranger with Lucroy.

 

[saddles]

I don't understand how this would benefit them. If we're sellers, they could be buyers, and in fact, lots of speculation that if we are sellers, Darvish to Houston makes some sense. At least this is what I read semi-recently.

If we are sellers it hurts the Astros in a big way because it helps us in a big way. I understand that line of thinking completely. It is more about long term and not just 2017. It advances our cause greatly long term if we are sellers at the deadline. If we hang around close enough to keep us from selling it hurts our long term plans in a significant way. Astros fans would be wise to hope for that.

 

[saddles]

Frankly I was shocked AJ had that many starts as a Ranger with Lucroy.

I think the reason behind those numbers is that Griffin struggled greatly later in the year last year and that coincided with when Lucroy was here after the trade. I don't think he struggled as a result of having Lucroy behind the plate. Then this year he has one terrible start and that happened to be with Lucroy behind the plate. I think the start last night would have been just as bad had Chirinos been catching and then those numbers would look a while lot different.

 

[donaldson79]

If we are sellers it hurts the Astros in a big way because it helps us in a big way. I understand that line of thinking completely. It is more about long term and not just 2017. It advances our cause greatly long term if we are sellers at the deadline. If we hang around close enough to keep us from selling it hurts our long term plans in a significant way. Astros fans would be wise to hope for that.

For sure if we stand pat and don't make any moves, then for sure there's some serious downside for us, long term. I don't see this happening, regardless of what transpires between now and the trade deadlines. But I guess my thinking is tainted by the earlier info I read about us/them and Darvish for this season.

Potentially could it help us long term, and hopefully if that's the route we go it will, but there's certainly no guarantee. And far as long term thinking is concerned, winning the first one is the hardest, by far, and we can certainly emphasize with that. So 2017 is paramount to trying to get that one, at least from a Houston standpoint.

 

[donaldson79]

Frankly I was shocked AJ had that many starts as a Ranger with Lucroy.

Surprised me too. I wouldn't have thought this was close actually.

Ya know, he's only had 30 starts with us total.

 

[saddles]

For sure if we stand pat and don't make any moves, then for sure there's some serious downside for us, long term. I don't see this happening, regardless of what transpires between now and the trade deadlines. But I guess my thinking is tainted by the earlier info I read about us/them and Darvish for this season.

Potentially could it help us long term, and hopefully if that's the route we go it will, but there's certainly no guarantee. And far as long term thinking is concerned, winning the first one is the hardest, by far, and we can certainly emphasize with that. So 2017 is paramount to trying to get that one, at least from a Houston standpoint.

I don't see JD selling if we are close to a wild card. So this streak could harm us much more than that Septemer 2014 winning stretch we had with Bogar. We will find out in about 8 or 9 weeks.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I don't see JD selling if we are close to a wild card. So this streak could harm us much more than that Septemer 2014 winning stretch we had with Bogar. We will find out in about 8 or 9 weeks.

Don't most of us agree that Lucroy is likely gone at the deadline no matter what? I sure hope so. Didn't we try engaging with talks to extend him and he told us to wait until the end of the year? I doubt we have the budget to extend Darvish and Lucroy anyway. Throw in the ohtani rumors about us being the front runners if we keep Darvish and I think trading Lucroy is a no brainer regardless of our record at the deadline. He's still a high end catcher and would net us some good prospects.

 

[donaldson79]

We will find out in about 8 or 9 weeks.

Too true.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Don't most of us agree that Lucroy is likely gone at the deadline no matter what? I sure hope so. Didn't we try engaging with talks to extend him and he told us to wait until the end of the year? I doubt we have the budget to extend Darvish and Lucroy anyway. Throw in the ohtani rumors about us being the front runners if we keep Darvish and I think trading Lucroy is a no brainer regardless of our record at the deadline. He's still a high end catcher and would net us some good prospects.

I think they should move Lucroy, yes. I definitely don't think they should re-sign him.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Olney: Yu Darvish remixes deep assortment to regain mastery

apologies for the source, but a good article.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

If we are sellers it hurts the Astros in a big way because it helps us in a big way. I understand that line of thinking completely. It is more about long term and not just 2017. It advances our cause greatly long term if we are sellers at the deadline. If we hang around close enough to keep us from selling it hurts our long term plans in a significant way. Astros fans would be wise to hope for that.

If we keep pace with wildcard contenders I don't see JD buying or selling unless the deal is too hard to resist.

 

[saddles]

Don't most of us agree that Lucroy is likely gone at the deadline no matter what? I sure hope so. Didn't we try engaging with talks to extend him and he told us to wait until the end of the year? I doubt we have the budget to extend Darvish and Lucroy anyway. Throw in the ohtani rumors about us being the front runners if we keep Darvish and I think trading Lucroy is a no brainer regardless of our record at the deadline. He's still a high end catcher and would net us some good prospects.

I don't agree. I not only don't see us as sellers if we are in the wild card hunt, but I think we will be buyers again and we will not only not gain prospeects, but we will lose one or more. If we are buyers we will probably lose one or more of Guzman, Sadzeck, Mendez, and Taveras.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I don't agree. I not only don't see us as sellers if we are in the wild card hunt, but I think we will be buyers again and we will not only not gain prospeects, but we will lose one or more. If we are buyers we will probably lose one or more of Guzman, Sadzeck, Mendez, and Taveras.

I just hate the possibility of us being buyers, using up some more good prospects, and either not making the playoffs at all or losing in the wild card game. Then..... almost all of those guys leave anyway. It seems like much more of a risk this year then in the past.

 

[donaldson79]

If we keep pace with wildcard contenders I don't see JD buying or selling unless the deal is too hard to resist.

Ya know, an awful lot depends on how this team continues between now and the AS break as to what we do/don't do.

Keep in mind, right now, Darvish has pitched terrific, Martin/Griffin have both pitched pretty well, Cashner/Martinez have been adequate, and Ross is on the horizon. Plus, hope-of-hope, Hamels recovers and regains some of his lost magic.

With the return of Beltre, this should really help our lineup, and become a stabilizing offensive force.

If all this happens, it'll be a dogfight.....And I only used if one time. ha

 

[Nightcrawler]

Ya know, an awful lot depends on how this team continues between now and the AS break as to what we do/don't do.

Keep in mind, right now, Darvish has pitched terrific, Martin/Griffin have both pitched pretty well, Cashner/Martinez have been adequate, and Ross is on the horizon. Plus, hope-of-hope, Hamels recovers and regains some of his lost magic.

With the return of Beltre, this should really help our lineup, and become a stabilizing offensive force.

If all this happens, it'll be a dogfight.....And I only used if one time. ha

The tribe is having a fun weekend in Houston. We might see the Astros get swept for the first time this year. A win tonight could put us 5.5 back. Beltre gets healthy, starting pitching holds up, and bullpen quits costing this team games. Dogfight indeed.