Wife & Kid are out of town, which means that I can do this. Here's a running update on what has happened, rumor-wise, with the Astros on the evening/night of July 30. This does not replace Hot Links in the morning. This goes backwards, chronologically:
9:05pm: There's apparently a three-team deal with Cleveland, Cincinnati, and San Diego that sends Bauer to the Reds. Marcus Stroman went to the Mets. Tyler Bauer went to the Reds. You can't plan for Dumb People Doing Weird Things.
8:28pm: Matt Boyd "very likely staying" in Detroit.
7:10pm: Syndergaard actually took the mound against the White Sox.
6:44pm: Bauer is "very much in play." Bumgarner remains available. Interest in Robbie Ray has picked up. Jeff Passan: "The trade market is finally beginning to unclog."
6:27pm: Hinch (pre-game):
There's a lot of talk going on, there's a lot of action. I try to encourage our guys to not read too much into it. So many different people have access to so much different information, so stay patient and see what happens...We try to keep our 25 guys inside extremely close, and the Deadline anxiety and the Deadline stress is real.
I get a ton of questions. People see when my office door is open, or is it closed? Am I on the phone? Am I not on the phone? Chances are I'm working on the Indians and trying to set ourselves up to beat these guys. The transactions that may or may not happen, we'll all find out around the same time.
6:13pm: The Astros are "thought to be in the mix" for Bauer and Bumgarner, and any other top SP.
6:08pm: The Indians want Major-League help in any return for Bauer.
5:57pm: The Reds and Indians are trying to line up a Bauer trade, with a Double-A outfielder with a .688 OPS as one of the more intriguing names in the discussion.
5:53pm: The Indians are more likely to trade Trevor Bauer than to keep him.
5:04pm: The Astros, as well as the Braves, Yankees, Brewers, Twins, and Phillies are in on Arizona's Robbie Ray.
4:39pm: For those of you who are interested in catching, interest in Toronto's Justin Smoak is "picking up."
4:31pm: Joel Sherman quotes an anonymous executive who says, of the Mets' ask for Syndergaard:
It is not even worth a second conversation. I'm not even sure it was worth the first. Maybe some other team would say yes to that, but that is hard to believe. Because the Mets are not in the mode of meeting you in the middle of your offer and their ask, it is their ask or nothing.
3:00pm: 24 hours to go until the Trade Deadline.
2:59pm: "The buyers insist the sellers' demands are unrealistic. The sellers insist the buyer's offers are too low."
2:50pm: The Mets are asking for Major-League or Major-League-Ready talent for Syndergaard, even among teams with deep faarm (sic) systems.
2:48pm: Trevor Bauer is being fined, but not suspended, for throwing the ball over the center-field wall.
2:46pm: SI says that Syndergaard would be a "stellar compliment" to Verlander and Cole:
Trading Tucker could send a potential All-Star to New York. Holding onto him could cost the Astros a spot in the World Series.
2:44pm: It's "unlikely" that Pirates reliever Felipe Vazquez will get traded, despite "tons of interest."
2:00pm: Folks, Ken Giles is probably not going to get traded to Houston after receiving a cortisone shot.
1:52pm: The Padres have made what they believe to be a "strong offer" for Noah Syndergaard, but it's still not apparently enough. Because the Mets are stupid. The Padres have been on Syndergaard for quite a while.
1:16pm: "Rivals" are still skeptical on the Giants trading Bumgarner.
1:06pm: Tim Brown: "The stunner would if be if [the Astros] don't end up with one of the top-end available SPs."
12:36pm: Giants and Astros are "engaged" on Madison Bumgarner.
10:12am: Detroit SP Matthew Boyd is "likely to stay put."
9:10am: For some reason, the Astros are interested in Orioles 1B/OF Trey Mancini.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label Matthew Boyd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew Boyd. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Sunday Morning Hot Links
Jose Urquidy did the Good Things and the Astros beat Balch Springs 6-1. Houston is 63-37. Oakland doesn't lose anymore (more on them in a minute) but the Astros still have a 5.5-game lead on them, and a 12-game lead on the Rangers and Angels.
*Wins after 100 games, recent Astros history:
2019: 63
2018: 65
2017: 67
2016: 54
2015: 55
2014: 42
2013: 34
2012: 34
2011: 33
2010: 41
The Astros won their third straight Silver Boot, if that's the kind of thing that matters to you. I guess it's better than losing the Silver Boot.
Euless went 53-23 against Houston from 2013-2016. Houston is 34-20 against Irving since.
*Houston has won four straight games, outscoring opponents 27-8 since Noe Ramirez went up and in on Jake Marisnick. They're 6-4 since the All-Star Break.
*It's the 5th time this season the Astros have held their opponent to two or fewer hits. The Rangers are the 8th team to strike out 13+ times and get two or fewer hits in a game in 2019.
*Houston has held their opponent to two or fewer hits and struck out 13+ batters 15 times in franchise history. It has happened three times in 2019.
*Jose Urquidy's first two starts: 6IP, 14H/7ER, 8K:1BB
Jose Urquidy, last night: 7IP, 2H/1ER, 9K:0BB
Urquidy got 17 swinging strikes last night. He had 17 swinging strikes in his first two starts combined. Congratulations to him on his first career MLB win. Urquidy:
I knew that I had to focus on this start, and I'm really happy that I was able to execute what I envisioned.
Hinch:
No walks, one homer - just an incredible, incredible performance. We absolutely needed it. We needed him to go as long as he could, and for him to be effective in that, it's a great day.
More Hinch:
There's a creative side he showcased today on why the organization has been high on him. They're not going to sour on him after a couple of bad outings, but it was nice to see him pitch the way we were told he pitches.
*Michael Brantley was 3x4 with an RBI - his 9th 3+ hit game and his 39th multi-hit game of the season. The Astros are 25-14 when Brantley gets 2+ hits.
*Yuli Gurriel hit another home run, his 18th. Ho hum. It's the 11th time in his career he has hit a 3+ run home run. He has 10 home runs in July. He has homered in five straight games at Minute Maid Park, tying Morgan Ensberg's record set in 2006. Gurriel's next home run (which should come here in about seven hours) will set a career-high. Hinch:
When (Gurriel) first got here, he smothered the ball on the ground quite a bit and was one of the lower-trajectory guys off the bat, which is a little bit of a conscious decision but a little bit of pitch selection and what you're trying to hit...Give credit to Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker for unlocking a few keys that have allowed to open up his power.
*Yordan Alvarez was 1x3 with a walk and an RBI. He has played in 28 games and has gotten on base in 24 of them, reaching 2+ times in 16 of them. He is everything I had thought Brett Wallace and Jon Singleton were going to be...combined.
*Tony Kemp had seven career home runs in 470 PAs coming into 2019. He has seven home runs in 183 PAs in 2019. Six of his home runs have come at Minute Maid Park.
*After going through a brutal 18-game stretch from June 17-July 13 in which he "hit" .132/.254/.151, Robinson Chirinos has a hit in three straight games, and four of his last five. Chirinos doubled and walked last night.
*Aledmys Diaz could return to the Astros tomorrow (Monday). Hinch:
For him, it's more of a day-to-day assessment of where he's at and how he's doing...If he needs more time in the Minor Leagues, he can play next week. If he's ready to come back, we'll bring him back.
Diaz was 0x2 with a walk as Corpus fell to Springfield last night. He played 3B and LF.
Hinch, on Correa:
He and I text every day, and we've talked to the coaching staff (in Round Rock). By video, he looks incredible. Sometimes you come off of these injuries and you either catch your rhythm quickly or you need a little bit more time. It looks like Carlos came out looking really, really good. His movements are good. He's playing with freedom. There's no issue whatsoever. It's a good sign for him.
Round Rock beat New Orleans 13-0 last night. Correa was 1x5 with a double and three strikeouts. He's hitting .400/.438/.600 in four rehab appearances.
Chas McCormick hit two home runs and collected 6RBI. Kyle Tucker was 2x5 with his 25th home run of the season and 3RBI. Brandon Bielak threw 7IP, 1H/0ER, 7K:2BB.
*A.J. Hinch described his and Luhnow's conversation with Tyler White "brutal:"
From a 33rd-Round pick to the big leagues to a big splash when he first made the team to outperforming the Minor Leagues to coming back and literally carrying us as a DH last season to being out of a job and off our team, it's a brutal conversation.
I feel badly for Tyler White. White hit .545/.577/1.091 in his first week in the Majors back in 2016, earning AL Player of the Week honors, after climbing up from the Minors beginning in 2013. In 51 games after getting called up for a second time in 2018 White hit .287/.350/.551 from the end of July to the end of the regular season. He went 3x6 with two walks in the 2018 ALDS, which the Astros swept.
2019 was probably the first time in his career that there were any Expectations placed on him, and he had a hard time. It doesn't make him a bad person. He had an opportunity in 2019 to solidify his place on the team, and it didn't work out. I hope he gets another opportunity, whether it be with a different club, or with the Astros again.
Click that link to hear about the time when Hinch was Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen's best man when he married Neil Armstrong's step-daughter.
*Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros may need to add two starters and a reliever in the next ten days, what with Peacock meeting with team doctors on Monday after "experiencing a setback."
*Richard Justice has your Trade Deadline Urgency Meter. Justice:
...Jeff Luhnow has been steadfast in holding on to his top prospects in previous trades, but that may change as he attempts to acquire at least one starter, and possibly two.
*Jon Heyman: The Tigers want an "established young MLB star" in a return for pitcher Matthew Boyd. Boyd's last six starts: 35.1IP, 39H/26ER, 55K:9BB. 6.62 ERA / 1.36 WHIP.
*SI's Emma Baccellieri: Five under-the-radar relievers that contenders could target.
*Jose Altuve made his MLB debut eight years ago yesterday. Hits leaders since July 20, 2011:
1. Altuve: 1488
2. Robinson Cano: 1355
3. Adam Jones: 1344
4. Nick Markakis: 1334
5. Eric Hosmer: 1328
6. Freddie Freeman: 1294
7. Mike Trout: 1281
8. Andrew McCutchen: 1280
9. Elvis Andrus: 1278
9. Starlin Castro: 1278
10. Paul Goldschmidt: 1272
*On Sunday, June 16 Oakland lost to Seattle, 6-3. They were 36-36, 12 games behind Houston. Since then, the AL West:
Oakland: 21-6
Anaheim: 16-12
Houston: 15-13
Euless: 12-15
Seattle: 9-17
Over the last 27 games the A's are tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball. They have gone 16-4 in their last 20 games against the Cardinals, Angels, Twins, Mariners, White Sox, Mariners, and Twins. I do not understand how the A's keep doing this.
*Buster Olney in NY Mag: Inside the mind of Mariano Rivera.
*Inside the largest launch of a produce item in American history.
*A Musical Selection:
*Wins after 100 games, recent Astros history:
2019: 63
2018: 65
2017: 67
2016: 54
2015: 55
2014: 42
2013: 34
2012: 34
2011: 33
2010: 41
The Astros won their third straight Silver Boot, if that's the kind of thing that matters to you. I guess it's better than losing the Silver Boot.
Euless went 53-23 against Houston from 2013-2016. Houston is 34-20 against Irving since.
*Houston has won four straight games, outscoring opponents 27-8 since Noe Ramirez went up and in on Jake Marisnick. They're 6-4 since the All-Star Break.
*It's the 5th time this season the Astros have held their opponent to two or fewer hits. The Rangers are the 8th team to strike out 13+ times and get two or fewer hits in a game in 2019.
*Houston has held their opponent to two or fewer hits and struck out 13+ batters 15 times in franchise history. It has happened three times in 2019.
*Jose Urquidy's first two starts: 6IP, 14H/7ER, 8K:1BB
Jose Urquidy, last night: 7IP, 2H/1ER, 9K:0BB
Urquidy got 17 swinging strikes last night. He had 17 swinging strikes in his first two starts combined. Congratulations to him on his first career MLB win. Urquidy:
I knew that I had to focus on this start, and I'm really happy that I was able to execute what I envisioned.
Hinch:
No walks, one homer - just an incredible, incredible performance. We absolutely needed it. We needed him to go as long as he could, and for him to be effective in that, it's a great day.
More Hinch:
There's a creative side he showcased today on why the organization has been high on him. They're not going to sour on him after a couple of bad outings, but it was nice to see him pitch the way we were told he pitches.
*Michael Brantley was 3x4 with an RBI - his 9th 3+ hit game and his 39th multi-hit game of the season. The Astros are 25-14 when Brantley gets 2+ hits.
*Yuli Gurriel hit another home run, his 18th. Ho hum. It's the 11th time in his career he has hit a 3+ run home run. He has 10 home runs in July. He has homered in five straight games at Minute Maid Park, tying Morgan Ensberg's record set in 2006. Gurriel's next home run (which should come here in about seven hours) will set a career-high. Hinch:
When (Gurriel) first got here, he smothered the ball on the ground quite a bit and was one of the lower-trajectory guys off the bat, which is a little bit of a conscious decision but a little bit of pitch selection and what you're trying to hit...Give credit to Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker for unlocking a few keys that have allowed to open up his power.
*Yordan Alvarez was 1x3 with a walk and an RBI. He has played in 28 games and has gotten on base in 24 of them, reaching 2+ times in 16 of them. He is everything I had thought Brett Wallace and Jon Singleton were going to be...combined.
*Tony Kemp had seven career home runs in 470 PAs coming into 2019. He has seven home runs in 183 PAs in 2019. Six of his home runs have come at Minute Maid Park.
*After going through a brutal 18-game stretch from June 17-July 13 in which he "hit" .132/.254/.151, Robinson Chirinos has a hit in three straight games, and four of his last five. Chirinos doubled and walked last night.
*Aledmys Diaz could return to the Astros tomorrow (Monday). Hinch:
For him, it's more of a day-to-day assessment of where he's at and how he's doing...If he needs more time in the Minor Leagues, he can play next week. If he's ready to come back, we'll bring him back.
Diaz was 0x2 with a walk as Corpus fell to Springfield last night. He played 3B and LF.
Hinch, on Correa:
He and I text every day, and we've talked to the coaching staff (in Round Rock). By video, he looks incredible. Sometimes you come off of these injuries and you either catch your rhythm quickly or you need a little bit more time. It looks like Carlos came out looking really, really good. His movements are good. He's playing with freedom. There's no issue whatsoever. It's a good sign for him.
Round Rock beat New Orleans 13-0 last night. Correa was 1x5 with a double and three strikeouts. He's hitting .400/.438/.600 in four rehab appearances.
Chas McCormick hit two home runs and collected 6RBI. Kyle Tucker was 2x5 with his 25th home run of the season and 3RBI. Brandon Bielak threw 7IP, 1H/0ER, 7K:2BB.
*A.J. Hinch described his and Luhnow's conversation with Tyler White "brutal:"
From a 33rd-Round pick to the big leagues to a big splash when he first made the team to outperforming the Minor Leagues to coming back and literally carrying us as a DH last season to being out of a job and off our team, it's a brutal conversation.
I feel badly for Tyler White. White hit .545/.577/1.091 in his first week in the Majors back in 2016, earning AL Player of the Week honors, after climbing up from the Minors beginning in 2013. In 51 games after getting called up for a second time in 2018 White hit .287/.350/.551 from the end of July to the end of the regular season. He went 3x6 with two walks in the 2018 ALDS, which the Astros swept.
2019 was probably the first time in his career that there were any Expectations placed on him, and he had a hard time. It doesn't make him a bad person. He had an opportunity in 2019 to solidify his place on the team, and it didn't work out. I hope he gets another opportunity, whether it be with a different club, or with the Astros again.
Click that link to hear about the time when Hinch was Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen's best man when he married Neil Armstrong's step-daughter.
*Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros may need to add two starters and a reliever in the next ten days, what with Peacock meeting with team doctors on Monday after "experiencing a setback."
*Richard Justice has your Trade Deadline Urgency Meter. Justice:
...Jeff Luhnow has been steadfast in holding on to his top prospects in previous trades, but that may change as he attempts to acquire at least one starter, and possibly two.
*Jon Heyman: The Tigers want an "established young MLB star" in a return for pitcher Matthew Boyd. Boyd's last six starts: 35.1IP, 39H/26ER, 55K:9BB. 6.62 ERA / 1.36 WHIP.
*SI's Emma Baccellieri: Five under-the-radar relievers that contenders could target.
*Jose Altuve made his MLB debut eight years ago yesterday. Hits leaders since July 20, 2011:
1. Altuve: 1488
2. Robinson Cano: 1355
3. Adam Jones: 1344
4. Nick Markakis: 1334
5. Eric Hosmer: 1328
6. Freddie Freeman: 1294
7. Mike Trout: 1281
8. Andrew McCutchen: 1280
9. Elvis Andrus: 1278
9. Starlin Castro: 1278
10. Paul Goldschmidt: 1272
*On Sunday, June 16 Oakland lost to Seattle, 6-3. They were 36-36, 12 games behind Houston. Since then, the AL West:
Oakland: 21-6
Anaheim: 16-12
Houston: 15-13
Euless: 12-15
Seattle: 9-17
Over the last 27 games the A's are tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball. They have gone 16-4 in their last 20 games against the Cardinals, Angels, Twins, Mariners, White Sox, Mariners, and Twins. I do not understand how the A's keep doing this.
*Buster Olney in NY Mag: Inside the mind of Mariano Rivera.
*Inside the largest launch of a produce item in American history.
*A Musical Selection:
Monday, July 15, 2019
Monday Morning Hot Links
Flick Nickem is back on the Hot Links, because James is on some trip to the Northeast and he needs me to fill in. I haven't done Hot Links in a while, and that's because he let me enjoy my summer and gave me the rest of it off, so I will be writing the Hot Links all week this week and then you most likely won't catch me again until the start of my fall semester sometime in August.
But anyways, lets kick Day 1 of Flick Week with the recap of the trouncing that the Astros just did of the Rangers yesterday afternoon:
Altuve: 3-5, Grand Slam, 3 R
Gurriel: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI
Verlander: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Smith: Season Debut - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Full Box:
Recap:
Up Next? More West Coast games. Houston is travelling to L.A. to play the Angels starting tomorrow. You can find the series preview here.
Brad Peacock is not getting better after all, which means we have more rotation spots to fill.
Yes, the Astros are using an opener or two this week. Hunter Atkins explains exactly what this means for the upcoming series moving forward.
Luhnow told Jake Kaplan on The Athletic that they're looking at both starting and relief pitching for the upcoming trade deadline.
What's going on with Roberto Osuna?
Correa and Diaz are reporting to Round Rock for their rehab assignments today. It won't be too much longer now!
The case for and against a Matthew Boyd trade.
On This Day in Baseball History
In 1960, Brooks Robinson became the first Oriole to hit for the cycle.
In 1973, Nolan Ryan threw his 2nd career no-hitter, which also included a Detroit Tiger going up to bat with a leg of a piece of furniture.
In 2005, Rafael Palmeiro collected his 3000th career hit.
In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle in his rookie year.
But anyways, lets kick Day 1 of Flick Week with the recap of the trouncing that the Astros just did of the Rangers yesterday afternoon:
Altuve: 3-5, Grand Slam, 3 R
Gurriel: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI
Verlander: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Smith: Season Debut - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Full Box:
Recap:
Up Next? More West Coast games. Houston is travelling to L.A. to play the Angels starting tomorrow. You can find the series preview here.
Brad Peacock is not getting better after all, which means we have more rotation spots to fill.
Yes, the Astros are using an opener or two this week. Hunter Atkins explains exactly what this means for the upcoming series moving forward.
Luhnow told Jake Kaplan on The Athletic that they're looking at both starting and relief pitching for the upcoming trade deadline.
What's going on with Roberto Osuna?
Correa and Diaz are reporting to Round Rock for their rehab assignments today. It won't be too much longer now!
The case for and against a Matthew Boyd trade.
On This Day in Baseball History
In 1960, Brooks Robinson became the first Oriole to hit for the cycle.
In 1973, Nolan Ryan threw his 2nd career no-hitter, which also included a Detroit Tiger going up to bat with a leg of a piece of furniture.
In 2005, Rafael Palmeiro collected his 3000th career hit.
In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle in his rookie year.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Friday Morning Hot Links
I missed the Hot Links yesterday because it was my daughter's birthday, and she was so pumped to eat All The Sugar in the World that I had to stop and accommodate this request. So the Astros had a chance to put their foot on the neck of the Waxahachie Rangers and Framber crapped the bed. Bregman took one to the chin. It was a shameful performance and everyone should feel bad about themselves, especially the Rangers, who actively use Devil Magic when playing the Astros. Houston lost 5-0 and are now 57-34. They are seven games up on Oakland and eight games up on Farmer's Branch.
*Framber Valdez became the first starting pitcher in MLB this season to allow four hits with three walks and record less than three outs. It's only the sixth time that has happened in Astros history and Framber's the first Astro to do it since Bud Norris on April 17, 2013 against Oakland. Hinch, on Framber:
We've seen this out of him. The good version is really good. And the version that struggles, it's tough for him to manage innings and get out of innings.
Framber's three appearances from June 3-15: 17IP, 11H/3ER, 18K:4BB
Framber's three appearances from June 16-July 11: 7IP, 16H/15ER, 5K:7BB
*Shoutout to Cy Sneed, who threw 5IP, 6H/1ER, 7K:1BB. Hinch, on Sneed:
He's a consistent strike-thrower, which is good, and his stuff is good...This game was still in hand when I brought him. For him to go five innings was critical for us to stay in the game.
According to Our Dude Steve Grande, Sneed is the first Astros pitcher with multiple 5+ Inning appearances in relief since Danny Darwin in 1988.
*Last night was the third time this season the Astros got 7+ hits and did not score a run.
*Houston was 0x4 w/RISP.
*George Springer was the only Astros with multiple hits, going 2x4 with the team's lone extra-base hit.
*The Astros had a chance to cut into the Rangers lead in the 2nd, with Reddick on 1st and Alvarez on 2nd with one out:
-Tyler White struck out swinging
-Robinson Chirinos struck out swinging
That was pretty much it.
*Alex Bregman was taken out of the game in the 3rd Inning when he got popped in the chin by a 98.5mph groundball from Shin-Soo Choo. Hinch:
He was bleeding when I got out there. It took a really nasty hop for him. We'll see how he is.
*Brad Peacock threw 2IP, 0H/0ER, 4K:1BB on Wednesday night for Corpus. Seth Beer hit his 11th home run for Corpus and his 20th of the season in a 6-5 win over Midland last night.
Peacock and Joe Smith were both with the Astros in Arlington last night. Peacock:
The big test was today, and I played catch and felt pretty good. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I feel good right now.
Joe Smith:
We got the volume up and got some people on base, and I had to try to work out of it. It's good to have that because it's going to happen at some point. Knowing the strength and stamina is still there to be able to do that is good.
On Diaz and Correa, Hinch:
We want [Diaz] to do a few things around our Major League team, and he's going to join either Double-A or Triple-A. He's going to stop in [Arlington] on his way to his next stop, and Carlos is only a couple of days behind him. We should have both of those guys on rehab by the early parts of next week to start their work to get back to us in the big leagues.
*The next 13 games are against divisional opponents. Michael Brantley:
The stretch is very important. Right out of the gate, it's a division rivalry. Texas has been playing great baseball. We have to come in ready to go, look fresh, and have a great series.
Gerrit Cole told Chandler Rome (previous link):
I'd like to see us add. I'd like to see us add some good pieces, some impact pieces. I think with the people that we're competing against - not just in our division; we're looking for home-field advantage against the Yankees and the Red Sox and ultimately against the best team in the National League as well - I think those things weigh heavily on some of the outcomes of a series. It certainly makes it more challenging when you have to go on the road.
*Jake Marisnick was suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount for his efforts to try to get past Jonathan Lucroy, who was blocking the plate. Joe Torre:
After thoroughly reviewing the play from all angles, I have concluded that Jake's actions warrant discipline. While I do not believe that Jake intended to hurt Jonathan, the contact he initiated in his attempt to score violated Official Baseball Rule 6.01(i), which is designed to protect catchers from precisely this type of collision.
It's more fun if you read this quote, especially in which Torre says "Jonathan," in the same voice as Ian McShane in John Wick.
Marisnick:
Obviously, I still feel terrible about it. It was a rough couple of days just going through...just kind of everything that happened. Had a chance to sit back and digest it. I've seen a lot of takes on it, and obviously everybody has their own opinion. But I know deep down in my heart that I had no intent to hurt, or make contact with [Lucroy].
A two-game suspension would cost Marisnick just over $27,000.
*Mike Petriello talked to A.J. Hinch about the Astros' current pace of becoming the first team in MLB history to not intentionally walk anyone.
*Do you want Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz? The Mets "want to be overwhelmed" by an offer.
*The Padres, Cubs, and Red Sox join the Dodgers, Braves, and Rays with the Astros as teams in on Detroit's Matty Boyd. Chris McCosky:
Boyd, with three years of team control remaining, is the Tigers' most valuable trade chip. There are a lot of teams that like, want and need Boyd. Interestingly, among those tracking Boyd are the analytically-savvy teams like the Dodgers, Braves, Astros and Tampa.
*Fireworks have been avoided as the Cheatin'-Ass Cardinals put Yadier Molina on the IL with an injured thumb, likely from popping off like an internet tough guy on Instagram. He'll miss three weeks, including the Astros' visit to St. Louis later this month.
*From The Athletic's Levi Weaver: Coffee, Magic, and the Ineffable Joy of Hunter Pence.
*Ruthless "superhuman" poker-playing computer program makes elite players fold.
*Insider hired the writer of Black Hawk Down and the art director of Archer to present the Mueller Report in a way that people would actually read it.
*50 facts about the Apollo 11 mission on its upcoming 50th anniversary.
*A Musical Selection:
*Framber Valdez became the first starting pitcher in MLB this season to allow four hits with three walks and record less than three outs. It's only the sixth time that has happened in Astros history and Framber's the first Astro to do it since Bud Norris on April 17, 2013 against Oakland. Hinch, on Framber:
We've seen this out of him. The good version is really good. And the version that struggles, it's tough for him to manage innings and get out of innings.
Framber's three appearances from June 3-15: 17IP, 11H/3ER, 18K:4BB
Framber's three appearances from June 16-July 11: 7IP, 16H/15ER, 5K:7BB
*Shoutout to Cy Sneed, who threw 5IP, 6H/1ER, 7K:1BB. Hinch, on Sneed:
He's a consistent strike-thrower, which is good, and his stuff is good...This game was still in hand when I brought him. For him to go five innings was critical for us to stay in the game.
According to Our Dude Steve Grande, Sneed is the first Astros pitcher with multiple 5+ Inning appearances in relief since Danny Darwin in 1988.
*Last night was the third time this season the Astros got 7+ hits and did not score a run.
*Houston was 0x4 w/RISP.
*George Springer was the only Astros with multiple hits, going 2x4 with the team's lone extra-base hit.
*The Astros had a chance to cut into the Rangers lead in the 2nd, with Reddick on 1st and Alvarez on 2nd with one out:
-Tyler White struck out swinging
-Robinson Chirinos struck out swinging
That was pretty much it.
*Alex Bregman was taken out of the game in the 3rd Inning when he got popped in the chin by a 98.5mph groundball from Shin-Soo Choo. Hinch:
He was bleeding when I got out there. It took a really nasty hop for him. We'll see how he is.
*Brad Peacock threw 2IP, 0H/0ER, 4K:1BB on Wednesday night for Corpus. Seth Beer hit his 11th home run for Corpus and his 20th of the season in a 6-5 win over Midland last night.
Peacock and Joe Smith were both with the Astros in Arlington last night. Peacock:
The big test was today, and I played catch and felt pretty good. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I feel good right now.
Joe Smith:
We got the volume up and got some people on base, and I had to try to work out of it. It's good to have that because it's going to happen at some point. Knowing the strength and stamina is still there to be able to do that is good.
On Diaz and Correa, Hinch:
We want [Diaz] to do a few things around our Major League team, and he's going to join either Double-A or Triple-A. He's going to stop in [Arlington] on his way to his next stop, and Carlos is only a couple of days behind him. We should have both of those guys on rehab by the early parts of next week to start their work to get back to us in the big leagues.
*The next 13 games are against divisional opponents. Michael Brantley:
The stretch is very important. Right out of the gate, it's a division rivalry. Texas has been playing great baseball. We have to come in ready to go, look fresh, and have a great series.
Gerrit Cole told Chandler Rome (previous link):
I'd like to see us add. I'd like to see us add some good pieces, some impact pieces. I think with the people that we're competing against - not just in our division; we're looking for home-field advantage against the Yankees and the Red Sox and ultimately against the best team in the National League as well - I think those things weigh heavily on some of the outcomes of a series. It certainly makes it more challenging when you have to go on the road.
*Jake Marisnick was suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount for his efforts to try to get past Jonathan Lucroy, who was blocking the plate. Joe Torre:
After thoroughly reviewing the play from all angles, I have concluded that Jake's actions warrant discipline. While I do not believe that Jake intended to hurt Jonathan, the contact he initiated in his attempt to score violated Official Baseball Rule 6.01(i), which is designed to protect catchers from precisely this type of collision.
It's more fun if you read this quote, especially in which Torre says "Jonathan," in the same voice as Ian McShane in John Wick.
Marisnick:
Obviously, I still feel terrible about it. It was a rough couple of days just going through...just kind of everything that happened. Had a chance to sit back and digest it. I've seen a lot of takes on it, and obviously everybody has their own opinion. But I know deep down in my heart that I had no intent to hurt, or make contact with [Lucroy].
A two-game suspension would cost Marisnick just over $27,000.
*Mike Petriello talked to A.J. Hinch about the Astros' current pace of becoming the first team in MLB history to not intentionally walk anyone.
*Do you want Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz? The Mets "want to be overwhelmed" by an offer.
*The Padres, Cubs, and Red Sox join the Dodgers, Braves, and Rays with the Astros as teams in on Detroit's Matty Boyd. Chris McCosky:
Boyd, with three years of team control remaining, is the Tigers' most valuable trade chip. There are a lot of teams that like, want and need Boyd. Interestingly, among those tracking Boyd are the analytically-savvy teams like the Dodgers, Braves, Astros and Tampa.
*Fireworks have been avoided as the Cheatin'-Ass Cardinals put Yadier Molina on the IL with an injured thumb, likely from popping off like an internet tough guy on Instagram. He'll miss three weeks, including the Astros' visit to St. Louis later this month.
*From The Athletic's Levi Weaver: Coffee, Magic, and the Ineffable Joy of Hunter Pence.
*Ruthless "superhuman" poker-playing computer program makes elite players fold.
*Insider hired the writer of Black Hawk Down and the art director of Archer to present the Mueller Report in a way that people would actually read it.
*50 facts about the Apollo 11 mission on its upcoming 50th anniversary.
*A Musical Selection:
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Saturday Morning Hot Links
Well that was...disappointing. Odd that it's the beginning of July and the Astros and Angels have only played three times, counting last night. Houston lost the opener of a home series for the first time since April 25, dropping the game 5-4 to Anaheim. The Astros are 55-33 with a 6.5-game lead on Oakland. There are two games remaining before the All-Star Break.
*The Astros are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Angels broke a seven-game losing streak to Houston dating back to August 31, 2018.
*Justin Verlander stays giving up bombs. Verlander threw 7IP, 7H/4ER, 6K:1BB, 3HR allowed. That's 26 home runs allowed by Verlander in 2019. He has walked 27 batters. It's the 4th time he has allowed 3HR in a start - two have come against Anaheim, three have been since June 12. Angels manager Brad Ausmus, on Verlander:
I've seen Verlander firsthand, saw him for years. Great competitor, great pitcher and you know you're in for a battle. With that being said, I haven't come across any pitcher who's pitched in the big leagues for any length of time who's unbeatable. You will find most of them have losses. Really, the frame of mind is, yeah, it's going to be tough but nobody is unbeatable.
FACT CHECK: Brad Ausmus is correct. Most of the pitchers in MLB history do, in fact, have losses.
Verlander's current 18.7% HR/FB rate is insane, obliterating his previous career high of 11.5% in 2017. Only eight pitchers in MLB have a higher HR/FB (rate at which fly balls end up leaving the yard) rate. Gerrit Cole is 8th, at 19.1%. Verlander and Cole have a combined 5.3 fWAR. The other seven pitchers have a combined 4.8 fWAR.
Verlander:
I've got to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard. It's been a common theme here all year really, but really the last four or five starts. I've got to figure out a way to combat this thing.
Hinch:
He's a fly-ball pitcher, and he lives at the top of the zone. They did a good job of beating him to the spot a couple of times above the zone. There's no secret where he's going to pitch. They did a good job of having a game plan against him and executed against the high fastball...JV was all over the strike zone. He commanded the ball pretty well. You look up and you don't understand how with that stuff and that command, how the night turned for him.
McTaggart notes that Verlander's 2.98 ERA is the lowest first-half ERA of his career.
*Hector Rondon allowed an 8th Inning homer to Mike Trout to put the Angels up 5-2.
*Michael Brantley went 4x4 with two doubles and a home run. He had four of the Astros' six hits. It's the 13th 4-hit game of Brantley's career and the first since May 3, 2018. It's just the 14th time this season that any MLB player has had three extra-base hits and only one RBI. Jack Mayfield and Yuli Gurriel have also done it this year. That has happened 35 times in franchise history, the last being Martin Maldonado (who doubled, tripled, and homered in the same game on August 19, 2018).
And the reason he only had one RBI is because the top three of Springer-Altuve-Bregman were a combined 0x11 with 2BB.
*Yuli Gurriel hit his 12th home run, going 1x4 with 3RBI. In his last 15 games Gurriel is hitting .361/.400/.787 with more home runs (7) than strikeouts (5).
*Hinch is looking at putting Wade Miley in between Verlander and Cole in the rotation. Hinch:
What order that is is going to be determined. It's going to be different. It's not going to be full forward as we expected. There's a couple of decisions that we have to make. I have the order in pencil.
I'm penciling in Max Scherzer in between Verlander and Cole, so let's see how that pans out.
Jake Kaplan says that's all well and good but the biggest question coming out of the All-Star Break: Who is SP5?
*Rough news as Corbin Martin had Tommy John Surgery on Wednesday. He'll obviously miss the rest of 2019 and most of 2020, as well. Hinch:
I care about the player. We can talk all you want about the depth and how important he is to the organization, and what it does to our pitching. But the reality is, we need to focus on him. This is a tough injury and one we know all too well with [Lance McCullers Jr.], watching him go through rehab every day.
Luhnow: Martin's injury could make acquiring a pitcher with an extra year of control "more appealing."
Related: Jon Heyman reports that Detroit's asking price for Matt Boyd is "over the top." The Astros have been "scouting Boyd hard."
Related: Marcus Stroman will not pitch this weekend, giving him extra time to recover from a left pectoral cramp.
*Here's a fantastic story from Chandler Rome about how Yordan Alvarez became an Astro, and how Alvarez was the only one in Cuba who knew the Gurriels were defecting.
*Last summer, the Astros almost traded Derek Fisher for Detroit's Nick Castellanos. So between those talks and the Verlander trade, Houston and Detroit know each other's systems pretty well.
*Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with leukemia.
*Phillies OF Odubel Herrera was suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season as a result of violating the league's domestic violence policy. MLB specifically said that Herrera was ineligible for the postseason, which was not the case for Roberto Osuna in 2018.
*Leeds United has managed to piss off perhaps their best/most important player: Pontus Jansson.
*Deadspin: The Man Who Walked His Life Away.
*The rise and fall of Takeru Kobayashi.
*A Musical Selection:
*The Astros are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Angels broke a seven-game losing streak to Houston dating back to August 31, 2018.
*Justin Verlander stays giving up bombs. Verlander threw 7IP, 7H/4ER, 6K:1BB, 3HR allowed. That's 26 home runs allowed by Verlander in 2019. He has walked 27 batters. It's the 4th time he has allowed 3HR in a start - two have come against Anaheim, three have been since June 12. Angels manager Brad Ausmus, on Verlander:
I've seen Verlander firsthand, saw him for years. Great competitor, great pitcher and you know you're in for a battle. With that being said, I haven't come across any pitcher who's pitched in the big leagues for any length of time who's unbeatable. You will find most of them have losses. Really, the frame of mind is, yeah, it's going to be tough but nobody is unbeatable.
FACT CHECK: Brad Ausmus is correct. Most of the pitchers in MLB history do, in fact, have losses.
Verlander's current 18.7% HR/FB rate is insane, obliterating his previous career high of 11.5% in 2017. Only eight pitchers in MLB have a higher HR/FB (rate at which fly balls end up leaving the yard) rate. Gerrit Cole is 8th, at 19.1%. Verlander and Cole have a combined 5.3 fWAR. The other seven pitchers have a combined 4.8 fWAR.
Verlander:
I've got to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard. It's been a common theme here all year really, but really the last four or five starts. I've got to figure out a way to combat this thing.
Hinch:
He's a fly-ball pitcher, and he lives at the top of the zone. They did a good job of beating him to the spot a couple of times above the zone. There's no secret where he's going to pitch. They did a good job of having a game plan against him and executed against the high fastball...JV was all over the strike zone. He commanded the ball pretty well. You look up and you don't understand how with that stuff and that command, how the night turned for him.
McTaggart notes that Verlander's 2.98 ERA is the lowest first-half ERA of his career.
.168/.221/.386 with 26 Home Runs would be a very strange season statline for a hitter.— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) July 6, 2019
That's what MLB has done against Justin Verlander this season.
*Hector Rondon allowed an 8th Inning homer to Mike Trout to put the Angels up 5-2.
*Michael Brantley went 4x4 with two doubles and a home run. He had four of the Astros' six hits. It's the 13th 4-hit game of Brantley's career and the first since May 3, 2018. It's just the 14th time this season that any MLB player has had three extra-base hits and only one RBI. Jack Mayfield and Yuli Gurriel have also done it this year. That has happened 35 times in franchise history, the last being Martin Maldonado (who doubled, tripled, and homered in the same game on August 19, 2018).
And the reason he only had one RBI is because the top three of Springer-Altuve-Bregman were a combined 0x11 with 2BB.
*Yuli Gurriel hit his 12th home run, going 1x4 with 3RBI. In his last 15 games Gurriel is hitting .361/.400/.787 with more home runs (7) than strikeouts (5).
*Hinch is looking at putting Wade Miley in between Verlander and Cole in the rotation. Hinch:
What order that is is going to be determined. It's going to be different. It's not going to be full forward as we expected. There's a couple of decisions that we have to make. I have the order in pencil.
I'm penciling in Max Scherzer in between Verlander and Cole, so let's see how that pans out.
Jake Kaplan says that's all well and good but the biggest question coming out of the All-Star Break: Who is SP5?
*Rough news as Corbin Martin had Tommy John Surgery on Wednesday. He'll obviously miss the rest of 2019 and most of 2020, as well. Hinch:
I care about the player. We can talk all you want about the depth and how important he is to the organization, and what it does to our pitching. But the reality is, we need to focus on him. This is a tough injury and one we know all too well with [Lance McCullers Jr.], watching him go through rehab every day.
Luhnow: Martin's injury could make acquiring a pitcher with an extra year of control "more appealing."
Related: Jon Heyman reports that Detroit's asking price for Matt Boyd is "over the top." The Astros have been "scouting Boyd hard."
Related: Marcus Stroman will not pitch this weekend, giving him extra time to recover from a left pectoral cramp.
*Here's a fantastic story from Chandler Rome about how Yordan Alvarez became an Astro, and how Alvarez was the only one in Cuba who knew the Gurriels were defecting.
*Last summer, the Astros almost traded Derek Fisher for Detroit's Nick Castellanos. So between those talks and the Verlander trade, Houston and Detroit know each other's systems pretty well.
*Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with leukemia.
*Phillies OF Odubel Herrera was suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season as a result of violating the league's domestic violence policy. MLB specifically said that Herrera was ineligible for the postseason, which was not the case for Roberto Osuna in 2018.
*Leeds United has managed to piss off perhaps their best/most important player: Pontus Jansson.
*Deadspin: The Man Who Walked His Life Away.
*The rise and fall of Takeru Kobayashi.
*A Musical Selection:
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Potential Spin Rate Trade Targets for the Astros
The Houston Astros made a sneaky good trade last year with the addition of Ryan Pressly. For the Twins he had a 3.40 ERA over 51 games. With the Astros 0.77 ERA over the 26 remaining games of the season. In the playoffs he allowed 1 run in five innings. The dude was is nails. He's continued his success with a 1.47 ERA in 36 games this year.
One of the reasons the Astros targeted Pressly was because of his high spin rate. According to Baseball Savant he's second in the league with 3104 RPM. The leader is Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chris Stratton who has a spin rate of 3105 RPM. Spin rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released, according to MLB.com. The more spin on fastballs and breaking balls; the tougher they are to hit. On the other end of the spectrum the less spin on changeups and knuckleballs makes those pitches harder to hit.
Spin rate isn't the only indicator of success. Stratton has a career 5.06 ERA in 256+ innings. Pitch usage, control, command, umpires, ballparks, weather, fans, hot dogs, nachos, and political arguments on Twitter all still play a factor (caveat: Some of these play a larger role). Still Charlie "F" Morton is top 10 in spin rate with 2875 (remember him?). Justin Verlander is Top 20. Mike Fiers 24th.
With the Astros in need of pitching help, I decided to take a look at the Top 50 pitchers (and one outside) and spin rate and see if there are any sneaky (or not so sneaky) pitchers the Astros could be targeting.
One of the reasons the Astros targeted Pressly was because of his high spin rate. According to Baseball Savant he's second in the league with 3104 RPM. The leader is Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chris Stratton who has a spin rate of 3105 RPM. Spin rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released, according to MLB.com. The more spin on fastballs and breaking balls; the tougher they are to hit. On the other end of the spectrum the less spin on changeups and knuckleballs makes those pitches harder to hit.
Spin rate isn't the only indicator of success. Stratton has a career 5.06 ERA in 256+ innings. Pitch usage, control, command, umpires, ballparks, weather, fans, hot dogs, nachos, and political arguments on Twitter all still play a factor (caveat: Some of these play a larger role). Still Charlie "F" Morton is top 10 in spin rate with 2875 (remember him?). Justin Verlander is Top 20. Mike Fiers 24th.
With the Astros in need of pitching help, I decided to take a look at the Top 50 pitchers (and one outside) and spin rate and see if there are any sneaky (or not so sneaky) pitchers the Astros could be targeting.
Sonny Gray - Cincinnati Reds
Despite a +37 run differential, the Reds are in the NL Central cellar. Gray has a 3.94 ERA in 82+ innings. There are signs the ERA could improve even more over the remaining season. He has a 3.62 FIP and 3.64 xFIP. He ranks 7th in spin rate with 2891 RPM. He's in the Astros budget ($7.5MM this year) and controllable over the next three years ($30.5MM) and has a club option for 2023.
Felipe Vazquez - Pittsburgh Pirates
Unlike the Reds, the Pirates have a -43 run differential. They will have to make a decision soon on being sellers or buyers soon. This year is different from past years in that there is no longer a waiver trade deadline. It's all July 31 or nothing.
Vazquez, unlike the rest of the pitchers on this list, is a reliever. He's left-handed though. Something the Astros desperately need in the bullpen. This year he has a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings. His 2765 RPM ranks 26th in the league. He's signed through 2021 (four years $22MM) with club options for 2022 and 2023.
Marcus Stroman - Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays own a -77 run differential in a AL East dominated by New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays (yes the Rays), and Boston Red Sox. There's already talk of Stroman and the Astros. Stroman has a 3.18 ERA over 105+ innings. He's 32nd in spin rate. His 3.82 FIP and 4.16 xFIP suggest he may have some clunkers in the second half of the season. He's a free agent in 2021.
Tanner Roark - Cincinnat Reds
Roark has a 3.36 ERA or 85+ innings. He ranks 38th in spin rate Like Stroman, his 3.50 FIP and 4.39 xFIP suggest that there are some bad outings ahead. He's controllable through the end of next season and someone that probably won't cost as much as a Gray or Stroman.
James Taillon - Pittsburgh Pirates
Right at 50th in spin rate is Taillon. Unfortunately, he's on the 60-day IL and was recently cleared to play catch. I doubt he's traded.
Matthew Boyd - Detroit Tigers
This was suggested by Michael Shopoff (@mshopoff) on Twitter. Boyd was recently connected to the Astros by Jon Morosi of MLB.com. Boyd has a 3.72 ERA in 101+ innings. His 3.58 FIP and 3.52 xFIP are a good indicator of continued success. He ranks 152 in spin rate. A fourseam (50%) and slider (35%) are the pitches he uses the most. He's dropped his sinker, curve, and changeup for the most part this year.
What other potential trade targets would you like to see the Astros go after?
Monday, July 1, 2019
Tuesday Morning Hot Links
The Astros were off Mondayfor the first time this week. The other day they're off this week is [checks calendar] July...4th? That can't be right. What crazy-ass schedule maker would give the Astros a day off on the 4th of July, right before the All-Star Break? Idiotic. Let humans make the schedule again.
Speaking of, if you have 12 minutes and want to watch the ESPN 30 For 30 Short "The Schedule Makers," do so here.
*Terrible news across MLB as the Angels announced that 27-year old pitcher Tyler Skaggs passed away in Dallas. He was found unresponsive at the team hotel early Monday afternooon. The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher said neither foul play nor suicide were suspected. Just a terrible situation all around. Skaggs had gotten married this past offseason. Condolences to Skaggs' family and friends, and the Angels organization. Monday's game between the Angels and Rangers was postponed.
*Our Dude AstrosFansUK obviously had a lovely time at the London Series this past weekend. He wrote up his experiences on this here blog. Czech it out if you haven't already.
*Jose Urquidy will start Tuesday's game at Colorado. It's his MLB debut. Chandler Rome wrote about Urquidy and what his promotion says about the Astros' SP depth. The Astros will need to add Urquidy to the 40-Man Roster, but McTaggart notes the Astros could possibly move Corbin Martin to the 60-Day IL to clear a spot. That's not great news for Corbin Martin.
Farm Director Pete Putila talked to Baseball America earlier this season about the rise of Jose Urquidy.
*Tags has your inbox, which addresses possible trade targets, 1B options, Yordan's ROY candidacy, etc.
*Jake Kaplan has his own inbox in which he addresses the SP need, maybe a bat (?), and the 40-Man Roster crunch.
*Jon Morosi reports that the Astros have shown interest in Detroit SP Matthew Boyd but Houston, as of now, isn't willing to include Kyle Tucker in talks. So who is this Matthew Boyd?
-6th Round pick by Toronto in 2013
-Traded at the 2015 deadline to Detroit for David Price
-Coming into 2019, Boyd had a 5.07 ERA / 1.36 WHIP (an 86 ERA+) for Detroit.
-But in 2019, Boyd has broken out: 101.2IP, 91H/42ER, 129K:20BB, a 3.72 ERA / 1.09 WHIP (with a 3.57 FIP) and an AL-leading 6.45 K:BB ratio.
-He'll be arbitration-eligible in 2020 and won't be a free agent until 2023.
-Boyd has registered 2.6 fWAR via FanGraphs, better than Justin Verlander's 2.4 fWAR.
-He'll be expensive.
*Kyle Tucker will represent the Pacific Coast League in the Home Run Derby at the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 8 in El Paso
*Former Astros Great Tom Eshelman made his MLB debut last night for Baltimore. The Orioles also acquired Former Astros Great Asher Wojciechowski. Mike Elias doing 2015 Astros Things.
*You need this sweet retro Hugs For Homers shirt from BreakingT. Use this link and throw your Cool Uncle AC some bones. Get the Air Yordan one, while you're at it.
*Now that 3rd Round pick Jordan Brewer has signed (financials incoming, I'm sure), I finally updated the 2019 Draft Page.
*I like reading SI's Jon Tayler, but he's lost his got dang mind if he thinks D.J. LeMahieu is coming anywhere near Mike Trout's MVP case.
*Mental Floss: The 35 Best-Selling Albums in American history.
*Ice in July in Guadalajara? SURE.
*GQ: The Troubling Business of Bounty Hunting.
*A Musical Selection:
Speaking of, if you have 12 minutes and want to watch the ESPN 30 For 30 Short "The Schedule Makers," do so here.
*Terrible news across MLB as the Angels announced that 27-year old pitcher Tyler Skaggs passed away in Dallas. He was found unresponsive at the team hotel early Monday afternooon. The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher said neither foul play nor suicide were suspected. Just a terrible situation all around. Skaggs had gotten married this past offseason. Condolences to Skaggs' family and friends, and the Angels organization. Monday's game between the Angels and Rangers was postponed.
*Our Dude AstrosFansUK obviously had a lovely time at the London Series this past weekend. He wrote up his experiences on this here blog. Czech it out if you haven't already.
*Jose Urquidy will start Tuesday's game at Colorado. It's his MLB debut. Chandler Rome wrote about Urquidy and what his promotion says about the Astros' SP depth. The Astros will need to add Urquidy to the 40-Man Roster, but McTaggart notes the Astros could possibly move Corbin Martin to the 60-Day IL to clear a spot. That's not great news for Corbin Martin.
Farm Director Pete Putila talked to Baseball America earlier this season about the rise of Jose Urquidy.
*Tags has your inbox, which addresses possible trade targets, 1B options, Yordan's ROY candidacy, etc.
*Jake Kaplan has his own inbox in which he addresses the SP need, maybe a bat (?), and the 40-Man Roster crunch.
*Jon Morosi reports that the Astros have shown interest in Detroit SP Matthew Boyd but Houston, as of now, isn't willing to include Kyle Tucker in talks. So who is this Matthew Boyd?
-6th Round pick by Toronto in 2013
-Traded at the 2015 deadline to Detroit for David Price
-Coming into 2019, Boyd had a 5.07 ERA / 1.36 WHIP (an 86 ERA+) for Detroit.
-But in 2019, Boyd has broken out: 101.2IP, 91H/42ER, 129K:20BB, a 3.72 ERA / 1.09 WHIP (with a 3.57 FIP) and an AL-leading 6.45 K:BB ratio.
-He'll be arbitration-eligible in 2020 and won't be a free agent until 2023.
-Boyd has registered 2.6 fWAR via FanGraphs, better than Justin Verlander's 2.4 fWAR.
-He'll be expensive.
*Kyle Tucker will represent the Pacific Coast League in the Home Run Derby at the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 8 in El Paso
*Former Astros Great Tom Eshelman made his MLB debut last night for Baltimore. The Orioles also acquired Former Astros Great Asher Wojciechowski. Mike Elias doing 2015 Astros Things.
*You need this sweet retro Hugs For Homers shirt from BreakingT. Use this link and throw your Cool Uncle AC some bones. Get the Air Yordan one, while you're at it.
*Now that 3rd Round pick Jordan Brewer has signed (financials incoming, I'm sure), I finally updated the 2019 Draft Page.
*I like reading SI's Jon Tayler, but he's lost his got dang mind if he thinks D.J. LeMahieu is coming anywhere near Mike Trout's MVP case.
*Mental Floss: The 35 Best-Selling Albums in American history.
*Ice in July in Guadalajara? SURE.
*GQ: The Troubling Business of Bounty Hunting.
*A Musical Selection:
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