Post by Commissioner Erick on Aug 20, 2017 10:43:09 GMT -5
Houston Astros (24-14) @ Miami Marlins (18-19)
HOU: Dallas Keuchel (0-0, 4.32)
MIA: Adam Conley (4-0, 2.20)
The Houston Astros are two teams in opposite divisions in opposite leagues. They're also heading in opposite directions.
The Astros are on the shortlist for AL title contenders. Second in runs scored, and first in runs allowed, the team is terrific at both scoring and preventing runs. Much of that is the work of superstar Jose Altuve. Altuve hasn't been otherworldly in May, and his .255 average in May has dropped his season line way down to .390. With eight home runs and five steals thrown in, Altuve is a frontrunner for an MVP award.
Houston has also gotten contributions from lesser-known players as well. With Nori Aoki struggling, Tony Kemp was thrust into the starting role as a leadoff hitter. Despite three total at bats before May, Kemp is hitting .347 with two steals and 10 of his 17 hits going for doubles. Every team needs some overachievers if they want to have successful seasons, but the Astros have really caught some lightning in a bottle with Kemp.
The Astros relied on good depth and a great bullpen with Dallas Keuchel on the DL. The Astros have a 2.41 bullpen ERA, and it seems impossible how it's even that high. Ken Giles has 10 saves, second in the AL, and touts a 1.88 ERA supported by a 1.05 FIP. He's been untouchable at the end of games.
The other members of the pen deserve an equal amount of praise, and have been the best middle and setup relief corps in baseball. Will Harris has a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings, with 18 strikeouts and three walks. Luke Gregerson has been even better, allowing just two solo home runs in 16.1 innings. Michael Feliz and Tony Sipp have combined for 16 innings without a run. Chris Devinski has a 0.60 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and three walks. Chris Hoyt has a 2.38 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, and just one walk. It's a spectacular group that's shut down games thus far.
Houston appeared on the Game of the Week a couple of weeks ago, seeing a huge Jose Altuve performance lead them to a win over the Texas Rangers. Houston has actually struggled since then, losing seven of nine before a two game winning streak. They had been dominant over the AL West, but losing the final two of three games to Texas resulted in a four-game split. They next lost two of three in Los Angeles to the Angels, both games of a two-game set with the Braves, and the opening game to a series with the New York Yankees, before winning the next two and seeing rain wash away the final game.
The offense has had trouble generating runs. Before Saturday's 7-2 win over the Yankees, Houston scored over three runs only four times in a 10 game span. Four hitters have an OPS under .600 in May, with Jake Marisnick going .229/.263/.314 being the most egregious. Some of the big boppers also had trouble with runners in scoring position. Carlos Beltran is 2-10 in the month with RISP. Josh Reddick is 1-11, Yuli Gurriel is 2-13, and Carlos Correa is 1-10.
This culminated in Houston's extra-inning loss to the Yankees on Friday. Houston was productive early, scoring four runs over the first two innings. After that, they had a lot more trouble with generating big hits with runners in scoring position. They loaded the bases in the fifth with nobody on, but Gurriel hit into a double play and Beltran flew out, bringing in only one run. Jake Marisnick failed to get a sacrifice bunt down in the sixth, hurting Houston's ability to manufacture a run. Altuve singled and stole second in the seventh but Reddick flew out and Gurriel struck out to strand him. Brian McCann had a clutch single in the tenth to bring home a run, but Nori Aoki hit into a fielder's choice with two on to end the inning. With the bullpen uncharacteristically shaky, the missed opportunities led to a loss.
The Astros were 0-6 with runners in scoring position on Friday before Tony Kemp singled home a run in the eighth. Yuli Gurriel cracked a double with two on in the ninth to steer the Yankees to a win. Maybe with newfound fortune with runners on base, the Astros could put the first part of May behind them and pull away from a surging Angels team.
The Marlins won't be pulling away from anybody. They traded away Mike Stanton and Dee Gordon in moves geared towards the future. They still have young, cost-controlled players, particularly in the outfield, that can stave off embarrassment, but their slim chances of making the postseason were traded away in those deals.
J.T. Realmuto won't hit for much power, but a .323 average and four steals is a nice package for a catcher. Christian Yelich's beautiful swing should lead to high batting averages, some doubles, and some home runs for years to come. If Marcell Ozuna can be more selective, his raw power is tantalizing.
However, the rest of the offense is a dog. Martin Prado is struggling to hit after coming back from a fractured foot and Mike Ford may be a below-average Triple-A hitter, not a starting major league first baseman. With a .299 slugging percentage, he's provided no power to a n offense that can use some.
However, Miami has been surprisingly competitive at 18-19, taking two of three from St. Louis and sweeping Atlanta before welcoming Houston. Pitching has been the catalyst. Miami has fired three shutouts over the last nine games, and has allowed over four runs just four times this month. The starter going tonight, Adam Conley, fired a three-hit gem over 8 innings to shut down the Cardinals on Tuesday and kick off this winning streak.
Conley doesn't profile as much more than a soft tossing lefty, but he does have good movement with his two-seamer, a good slider, and a good changeup. Excellent at sequencing, Conley has struck out 41 hitters in 45 innings. With 11 walks and three home runs allowed, he's ran a FIP of 3.27 ,which is higher than his 2.20 ERA, but still very solid. He's lucked in to facing some rough offenses, that's for sure. Seattle and San Diego are the worst offenses in each league, and Conley has faced both.
However, the Cardinals have been hitting and Conley shut them down over 8 innings. Also, Conley's best start came in his first when he struck out 10, walked none, and allowed only four hits in 8 innings of a 1-0 win over the Nationals. Conley has shown that he can do this against the best.
His counterpart is Dallas Keuchel, who was shut down earlier this year to a case of shoulder tendonitis. The Astros don't think it was too serious an injury but didn't want to take chances. He allowed one run on three hits, generating 11 ground ball outs against two fly ball outs against the Braves last week, so he looks back in form. He's an extreme ground ball pitcher, so you know he's right when he's generating those absurd ratios he put up in his last start against the Braves.
It'll be fascinating to see if he can continue to move past his injury, or if Conley can continue to build on the exemplary season he's had thus far.
Questions for the GM's:
For Jeff Jones, Carlos Correa leads the AL in errors, and it isn't close. Alex Bregman can play shortstop. Any thoughts of moving Correa to third and Bregman to short?
With neither Nori Aoki or Jake Marisnick hitting, do you feel like you need a backup outfielder when George Springer gets back?
Josh Reddick has been a nice shot in the arm for you this year, with power, speed, defense, and batting average. Were you expecting this at all?
For Ben Vincent, obviously trading Stanton and Gordon were franchise-altering moves. Who do you think about the return you got for them?
Marcell Ozuna is at an age where there's little projection left to expect? Is it possible he'll round out his edges and use his prodigious power more, or is this who he is at this point.
You're team is surprisingly competitive, though over-performing its run differential. What can you attest to that?
Dallas Keuchel is a heavy ground ball pitcher. Do you adjust your lineup in any way to face him?
HOU: Dallas Keuchel (0-0, 4.32)
MIA: Adam Conley (4-0, 2.20)
The Houston Astros are two teams in opposite divisions in opposite leagues. They're also heading in opposite directions.
The Astros are on the shortlist for AL title contenders. Second in runs scored, and first in runs allowed, the team is terrific at both scoring and preventing runs. Much of that is the work of superstar Jose Altuve. Altuve hasn't been otherworldly in May, and his .255 average in May has dropped his season line way down to .390. With eight home runs and five steals thrown in, Altuve is a frontrunner for an MVP award.
Houston has also gotten contributions from lesser-known players as well. With Nori Aoki struggling, Tony Kemp was thrust into the starting role as a leadoff hitter. Despite three total at bats before May, Kemp is hitting .347 with two steals and 10 of his 17 hits going for doubles. Every team needs some overachievers if they want to have successful seasons, but the Astros have really caught some lightning in a bottle with Kemp.
The Astros relied on good depth and a great bullpen with Dallas Keuchel on the DL. The Astros have a 2.41 bullpen ERA, and it seems impossible how it's even that high. Ken Giles has 10 saves, second in the AL, and touts a 1.88 ERA supported by a 1.05 FIP. He's been untouchable at the end of games.
The other members of the pen deserve an equal amount of praise, and have been the best middle and setup relief corps in baseball. Will Harris has a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings, with 18 strikeouts and three walks. Luke Gregerson has been even better, allowing just two solo home runs in 16.1 innings. Michael Feliz and Tony Sipp have combined for 16 innings without a run. Chris Devinski has a 0.60 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and three walks. Chris Hoyt has a 2.38 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, and just one walk. It's a spectacular group that's shut down games thus far.
Houston appeared on the Game of the Week a couple of weeks ago, seeing a huge Jose Altuve performance lead them to a win over the Texas Rangers. Houston has actually struggled since then, losing seven of nine before a two game winning streak. They had been dominant over the AL West, but losing the final two of three games to Texas resulted in a four-game split. They next lost two of three in Los Angeles to the Angels, both games of a two-game set with the Braves, and the opening game to a series with the New York Yankees, before winning the next two and seeing rain wash away the final game.
The offense has had trouble generating runs. Before Saturday's 7-2 win over the Yankees, Houston scored over three runs only four times in a 10 game span. Four hitters have an OPS under .600 in May, with Jake Marisnick going .229/.263/.314 being the most egregious. Some of the big boppers also had trouble with runners in scoring position. Carlos Beltran is 2-10 in the month with RISP. Josh Reddick is 1-11, Yuli Gurriel is 2-13, and Carlos Correa is 1-10.
This culminated in Houston's extra-inning loss to the Yankees on Friday. Houston was productive early, scoring four runs over the first two innings. After that, they had a lot more trouble with generating big hits with runners in scoring position. They loaded the bases in the fifth with nobody on, but Gurriel hit into a double play and Beltran flew out, bringing in only one run. Jake Marisnick failed to get a sacrifice bunt down in the sixth, hurting Houston's ability to manufacture a run. Altuve singled and stole second in the seventh but Reddick flew out and Gurriel struck out to strand him. Brian McCann had a clutch single in the tenth to bring home a run, but Nori Aoki hit into a fielder's choice with two on to end the inning. With the bullpen uncharacteristically shaky, the missed opportunities led to a loss.
The Astros were 0-6 with runners in scoring position on Friday before Tony Kemp singled home a run in the eighth. Yuli Gurriel cracked a double with two on in the ninth to steer the Yankees to a win. Maybe with newfound fortune with runners on base, the Astros could put the first part of May behind them and pull away from a surging Angels team.
The Marlins won't be pulling away from anybody. They traded away Mike Stanton and Dee Gordon in moves geared towards the future. They still have young, cost-controlled players, particularly in the outfield, that can stave off embarrassment, but their slim chances of making the postseason were traded away in those deals.
J.T. Realmuto won't hit for much power, but a .323 average and four steals is a nice package for a catcher. Christian Yelich's beautiful swing should lead to high batting averages, some doubles, and some home runs for years to come. If Marcell Ozuna can be more selective, his raw power is tantalizing.
However, the rest of the offense is a dog. Martin Prado is struggling to hit after coming back from a fractured foot and Mike Ford may be a below-average Triple-A hitter, not a starting major league first baseman. With a .299 slugging percentage, he's provided no power to a n offense that can use some.
However, Miami has been surprisingly competitive at 18-19, taking two of three from St. Louis and sweeping Atlanta before welcoming Houston. Pitching has been the catalyst. Miami has fired three shutouts over the last nine games, and has allowed over four runs just four times this month. The starter going tonight, Adam Conley, fired a three-hit gem over 8 innings to shut down the Cardinals on Tuesday and kick off this winning streak.
Conley doesn't profile as much more than a soft tossing lefty, but he does have good movement with his two-seamer, a good slider, and a good changeup. Excellent at sequencing, Conley has struck out 41 hitters in 45 innings. With 11 walks and three home runs allowed, he's ran a FIP of 3.27 ,which is higher than his 2.20 ERA, but still very solid. He's lucked in to facing some rough offenses, that's for sure. Seattle and San Diego are the worst offenses in each league, and Conley has faced both.
However, the Cardinals have been hitting and Conley shut them down over 8 innings. Also, Conley's best start came in his first when he struck out 10, walked none, and allowed only four hits in 8 innings of a 1-0 win over the Nationals. Conley has shown that he can do this against the best.
His counterpart is Dallas Keuchel, who was shut down earlier this year to a case of shoulder tendonitis. The Astros don't think it was too serious an injury but didn't want to take chances. He allowed one run on three hits, generating 11 ground ball outs against two fly ball outs against the Braves last week, so he looks back in form. He's an extreme ground ball pitcher, so you know he's right when he's generating those absurd ratios he put up in his last start against the Braves.
It'll be fascinating to see if he can continue to move past his injury, or if Conley can continue to build on the exemplary season he's had thus far.
Questions for the GM's:
For Jeff Jones, Carlos Correa leads the AL in errors, and it isn't close. Alex Bregman can play shortstop. Any thoughts of moving Correa to third and Bregman to short?
With neither Nori Aoki or Jake Marisnick hitting, do you feel like you need a backup outfielder when George Springer gets back?
Josh Reddick has been a nice shot in the arm for you this year, with power, speed, defense, and batting average. Were you expecting this at all?
For Ben Vincent, obviously trading Stanton and Gordon were franchise-altering moves. Who do you think about the return you got for them?
Marcell Ozuna is at an age where there's little projection left to expect? Is it possible he'll round out his edges and use his prodigious power more, or is this who he is at this point.
You're team is surprisingly competitive, though over-performing its run differential. What can you attest to that?
Dallas Keuchel is a heavy ground ball pitcher. Do you adjust your lineup in any way to face him?
