Here's what you knead two no:
*"We got our butts kicked, in every aspect of the game, by the Houston Astros." - Alex Gordon
*Richard Justice has Luhnow's back.
*MassLive's Ben Shapiro puts Springer in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation.
*You'll be able to watch tomorrow night's Civil Rights Game on MLB Network
*Tony Kemp, despite getting 17 hits in 26 ABs earlier this month, doesn't like the spotlight.
*Quad Cities is moving to a more-regular rotation.
*Tyler Kolek is your 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year.
*J.J. Cooper looks at Carlos Rodon's workload.
*This guy thinks the Astros should trade Altuve to the Yankees for David Robertson, Mason Williams, Kelly Johnson, and Gary Sanchez.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label Piggyback. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piggyback. Show all posts
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wednesday Morning Hot Links
What you knead to no:
*Brian McTaggart got a raven from Weiland Island before last night's blues implosion. Scott Feldman is expected to rejoin the rotation this weekend as his DL time expires on Saturday; Alex White's velocity is back to where it was before his injury and could go on a rehab assignment soon; Asher Wojciechowski threw a live BP session; Jesse Crain threw off flat ground; and Delino DeShields is taking live BP and rehabbing while Corpus is on a road trip.
*OKC is moving out of the tandem pitching system and into a six-man rotation due to fatigue, the trade of Lucas Harrell, and the promotion of Collin McHugh. The Astros did this last year at OKC, when everyone sucked or got injured, and they had to abandon the piggyback. Luhnow did say that, as soon as they get eight starting pitchers at OKC, they'll go back to it. That said, it also shows me that McHugh may be staying up in Houston for a while (not like he hasn't earned it).
*Two draft pieces to read over: Jim Callis thinks the Astros may be leaning toward Brady Aiken or Tyler Kolek with the 1-1 pick though the Astros have narrowed their choices down to seven players (the others seem to include Carlos Rodon, Jeff Hoffman, Alex Jackson, and Aaron Nola). Jonathan Mayo says that Rodon has started to "right the ship" (striking out 15 Georgia Tech hitters will do that), while Hoffman is in a "holding pattern" after being shutdown with shoulder soreness. Mayo polled nine scouting directors on who they would take with the 1-1 pick, and only one picked Rodon - Aiken and Kolek each got four votes; Aiken because he's apparently smart ("mound intelligence" as Mayo puts it, which is a little too NSFW if you ask me) and Kolek because he's a Texas boy. We'll have a The Case For... series next month.
*Quinton McCracken says that Jon Singleton has the chance to be a "perennial All-Star" in the Majors. "The bottom line is, when he shows the organization he's ready to play consistently at the next level, and the opportunity presents itself, he will get his opportunity."
*Straight Outta 2006: Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee were back in court.
*Anthony Rendon's return to Houston was nice.
*Brian McTaggart got a raven from Weiland Island before last night's blues implosion. Scott Feldman is expected to rejoin the rotation this weekend as his DL time expires on Saturday; Alex White's velocity is back to where it was before his injury and could go on a rehab assignment soon; Asher Wojciechowski threw a live BP session; Jesse Crain threw off flat ground; and Delino DeShields is taking live BP and rehabbing while Corpus is on a road trip.
*OKC is moving out of the tandem pitching system and into a six-man rotation due to fatigue, the trade of Lucas Harrell, and the promotion of Collin McHugh. The Astros did this last year at OKC, when everyone sucked or got injured, and they had to abandon the piggyback. Luhnow did say that, as soon as they get eight starting pitchers at OKC, they'll go back to it. That said, it also shows me that McHugh may be staying up in Houston for a while (not like he hasn't earned it).
*Two draft pieces to read over: Jim Callis thinks the Astros may be leaning toward Brady Aiken or Tyler Kolek with the 1-1 pick though the Astros have narrowed their choices down to seven players (the others seem to include Carlos Rodon, Jeff Hoffman, Alex Jackson, and Aaron Nola). Jonathan Mayo says that Rodon has started to "right the ship" (striking out 15 Georgia Tech hitters will do that), while Hoffman is in a "holding pattern" after being shutdown with shoulder soreness. Mayo polled nine scouting directors on who they would take with the 1-1 pick, and only one picked Rodon - Aiken and Kolek each got four votes; Aiken because he's apparently smart ("mound intelligence" as Mayo puts it, which is a little too NSFW if you ask me) and Kolek because he's a Texas boy. We'll have a The Case For... series next month.
*Quinton McCracken says that Jon Singleton has the chance to be a "perennial All-Star" in the Majors. "The bottom line is, when he shows the organization he's ready to play consistently at the next level, and the opportunity presents itself, he will get his opportunity."
*Straight Outta 2006: Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee were back in court.
*Anthony Rendon's return to Houston was nice.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
CJ Nitkowski has some opinions
Former MLB pitcher/current MLB analyst C.J. Nitkowski has some opinions about the Astros, piggy-backing, and Mark Appel. I'll let him take it from here:
Pitch on 5 day or longer rest your amateur career, we'll put on 4 day in MiLB, then back to 5 in MLB because we're smarter than everybody.
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) April 25, 2014
Has to frustrating to chase a dream your entire life, it becomes near reality, then get in a system that treats you like a lab rat. #Astros
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) April 25, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Thursday Morning Hot Links
Here's what you need to know around the water cooler* this morning
-Jim Callis called the Astros "the most secretive team" he's ever encountered as far as tipping their draft checks go. He also says the Astros would likely prioritize their 1-1 pick in June in this manner: California HS LHP Brady Aiken, East Carolina RHP Jeff Hoffman, NC State LHP Carlos Rodon, Texas HS RHP Tyler Kolek.
-Collin McHugh was surprised the Astros even knew who he was when they claimed him off waivers.
-Jeff Luhnow said Bo Porter was basically running a tandem pitching set-up, especially with inefficient pitchers, by having a long relief man ready to go. And why even go to the piggyback system? Pitcher health, for one.
-Bo Porter: "The most demoralizing (outcome) in baseball is a late-inning loss when you have the game won," Porter said. "And since I've been here, we've had our share of 'em."
-This Aston Villa blog wonders if Jim Crane is about to buy their football club.
* Nobody still has a water cooler.
-Jim Callis called the Astros "the most secretive team" he's ever encountered as far as tipping their draft checks go. He also says the Astros would likely prioritize their 1-1 pick in June in this manner: California HS LHP Brady Aiken, East Carolina RHP Jeff Hoffman, NC State LHP Carlos Rodon, Texas HS RHP Tyler Kolek.
-Collin McHugh was surprised the Astros even knew who he was when they claimed him off waivers.
-Jeff Luhnow said Bo Porter was basically running a tandem pitching set-up, especially with inefficient pitchers, by having a long relief man ready to go. And why even go to the piggyback system? Pitcher health, for one.
-Bo Porter: "The most demoralizing (outcome) in baseball is a late-inning loss when you have the game won," Porter said. "And since I've been here, we've had our share of 'em."
-This Aston Villa blog wonders if Jim Crane is about to buy their football club.
* Nobody still has a water cooler.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Saturday Late-Morning Links
Here are your late Saturday morning links, as the Astros prepare to face the Cubs at 2:05pm (you can watch it on WGN).
*Corpus is officially ending the Piggyback System next week with a 6-man rotation and the pitchers to be determined.
*Despite all the dadgum strikeouts, the Astros are sticking with cHRis carter.
*Here's a good Oklahoman article on Jon Homerton putting his suspension behind him. When asked if Homerton can be in Houston by the end of the season, Jeff Luhnow responded, "Why not?"
*Click this link to hear The Constable and John Wessling on last night's Ripped Foul.
*Corpus is officially ending the Piggyback System next week with a 6-man rotation and the pitchers to be determined.
*Despite all the dadgum strikeouts, the Astros are sticking with cHRis carter.
*Here's a good Oklahoman article on Jon Homerton putting his suspension behind him. When asked if Homerton can be in Houston by the end of the season, Jeff Luhnow responded, "Why not?"
*Click this link to hear The Constable and John Wessling on last night's Ripped Foul.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Ken Rosenthal heard a dumb rumor and wrote a column about it
So Ken Rosenthal apparently heard ("from scouting circles") that the Astros - from Houston on down to Quad Cities - were told not to swing at any 3-2 pitch.
Jeff Luhnow discounted it (though he had heard it, too - apparently scouts are like 13-year old girls):
“There is a philosophy that is probably a little more lenient toward taking on that 3-2 count. But no way are we mandating that people take on 3-2 counts. That’s ridiculous. That would be destroying value. We’re smarter than that.”
(Update: Danny Knobler, not to be out-dumbed, sort of stands by the rumor:
They have suggested to their hitters that they should be more selective with a full count, and according to sources they have also suggested to their minor-league managers that if the hitters don't do it on their own, it could be made mandatory at some point.)
But Rosenthal takes advantage of the split-second it took to answer that question to take his monthly gander at the Astros' organization.
About the tandem starting pitching idea, they're maximizing innings for their top priority starting pitchers. Luhnow:
“By forcing a tandem system, you’re basically saying, ‘These eight guys are the priority guys, plus one closer.’ To a certain extent, you’ve got a little more top-down control over how innings in the minor leagues get allocated. You know that those eight guys plus the closer are going to get the innings that they need.”
Alright, let's see how the innings have been allocated at OKC so far. Five pitchers have made at least three starts: Jordan Lyles (6 games, 5 games started, 23.2IP); Jarred Cosart, who will make his 5th start of the season tonight (5G/4GS, 22IP); Brett Oberholtzer (4G/4GS, 17.1IP); Rudy Owens (4G/3GS, 17IP); and Ross Seaton (4G/3GS, 14IP).
Now, of those: Owens is out for the season, Oberholtzer and Seaton have ERAs of 7.79 and 11.57, respectively. Lyles has a 5.52 ERA/1.52 WHIP. Wes Musick (6G/1GS, 2.87 ERA) and Jose Valdez (10G/0GS, 1.42 ERA) have pitched well, mainly in relief.
But Luhnow & Co. aren't just looking at ERA/WHIP. You can click the link to read more, and you should, but Luhnow is looking for effectiveness, quality of secondary stuff, and other things "you might not pick up just from reading a box score."
Grades per start are assigned, and jeebus, it would be awesome to know what grades each pitcher gets on a nightly basis. That's not going to happen, either.
Rosenthal closes with the deeply ominous:
It’s different. It’s unusual. But like most of Luhnow’s ideas, it’s rooted in a certain logic.
(Wait, does this mean Rosenthal likes the Astros now?)
Jeff Luhnow discounted it (though he had heard it, too - apparently scouts are like 13-year old girls):
“There is a philosophy that is probably a little more lenient toward taking on that 3-2 count. But no way are we mandating that people take on 3-2 counts. That’s ridiculous. That would be destroying value. We’re smarter than that.”
(Update: Danny Knobler, not to be out-dumbed, sort of stands by the rumor:
They have suggested to their hitters that they should be more selective with a full count, and according to sources they have also suggested to their minor-league managers that if the hitters don't do it on their own, it could be made mandatory at some point.)
But Rosenthal takes advantage of the split-second it took to answer that question to take his monthly gander at the Astros' organization.
About the tandem starting pitching idea, they're maximizing innings for their top priority starting pitchers. Luhnow:
“By forcing a tandem system, you’re basically saying, ‘These eight guys are the priority guys, plus one closer.’ To a certain extent, you’ve got a little more top-down control over how innings in the minor leagues get allocated. You know that those eight guys plus the closer are going to get the innings that they need.”
Alright, let's see how the innings have been allocated at OKC so far. Five pitchers have made at least three starts: Jordan Lyles (6 games, 5 games started, 23.2IP); Jarred Cosart, who will make his 5th start of the season tonight (5G/4GS, 22IP); Brett Oberholtzer (4G/4GS, 17.1IP); Rudy Owens (4G/3GS, 17IP); and Ross Seaton (4G/3GS, 14IP).
Now, of those: Owens is out for the season, Oberholtzer and Seaton have ERAs of 7.79 and 11.57, respectively. Lyles has a 5.52 ERA/1.52 WHIP. Wes Musick (6G/1GS, 2.87 ERA) and Jose Valdez (10G/0GS, 1.42 ERA) have pitched well, mainly in relief.
But Luhnow & Co. aren't just looking at ERA/WHIP. You can click the link to read more, and you should, but Luhnow is looking for effectiveness, quality of secondary stuff, and other things "you might not pick up just from reading a box score."
Grades per start are assigned, and jeebus, it would be awesome to know what grades each pitcher gets on a nightly basis. That's not going to happen, either.
Rosenthal closes with the deeply ominous:
It’s different. It’s unusual. But like most of Luhnow’s ideas, it’s rooted in a certain logic.
(Wait, does this mean Rosenthal likes the Astros now?)
Thursday, April 4, 2013
First Go-Round of Oklahoma City's Piggyback Tandem
Oklahoma City's piggyback tandem gets started off tonight against Memphis. Here's the lineup for the first four games:
Tonight: Jordan Lyles / Paul Clemens
Friday: Jarred Cosart / Dallas Keuchel
Saturday: John Ely / Brett Oberholtzer
Sunday: Rudy Owens / Jose Cisnero
Then the roles flip-flop, of course on four-days rest. John Ely:
“The challenge will be staying sharp between outings, figuring out physically what it's going to take to maintain throughout the course of this entire experiment. You're throwing less, but there's less rest. It can be stressful if you don't go about it the right way.”
Tonight: Jordan Lyles / Paul Clemens
Friday: Jarred Cosart / Dallas Keuchel
Saturday: John Ely / Brett Oberholtzer
Sunday: Rudy Owens / Jose Cisnero
Then the roles flip-flop, of course on four-days rest. John Ely:
“The challenge will be staying sharp between outings, figuring out physically what it's going to take to maintain throughout the course of this entire experiment. You're throwing less, but there's less rest. It can be stressful if you don't go about it the right way.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)