He was all the buzz for the Astros’ pick the year before he was eligible. But he did not have a great final year in college.
McCullers has a 2.70 ERA on the road this season. His whip is better at home (1.19 vs 1.26), but his ERA is almost a full a run higher at home (3.51).
2 Likes
Will the day’s delay give MLB time to find an umpire crew? It would be good to have one.
Plenty of time to fly Cowboy Joe and the Angel of death in to help out
1 Like
Don’t you dare speak that idea into the universe
2 Likes
@Bench was on target with his warning to my exuberance.
To this novice, the McCullers move feels more like a reaction (to “some” shine from Games #1 & #2 being being knocked off in Game #3) rather than calmly sticking to the original plan. Boy, the memoriable, good start was fun. But it’s old news.
Who would have thought that the Rays would be deciding whether or not to share their popcorn with the Yanks during the rest of the playoffs, while the Astros are still playing!
We are blessed to be listening for “Play Ball!”.
It’s only a “reaction” if you don’t think “start your best available starter on normal rest” is always the correct move
That’s Lance McCullers. You don’t play for game 5, you don’t play for the ALCS until you get there. Win the game in front of you and worry about Wednesday or Friday when it comes
1 Like
Oh, I get the logic of the move, and want it to end today!
Astros Game 4 lineup vs. Carlos Rodón
Altuve 2B
Brantley LF
Bregman 3B
Alvarez DH
Correa SS
Gurriel 1B
Tucker RF
Meyers CF
Maldonado C
Am I crazy for wanting to swap Brantley and Alvarez…as in put Alvarez in LF and Brantley DH?
I mean it’s not crazy, Alvarez hits better when he plays the field, he’s not that bad in the field and Lance is a ground ball pitcher. I wouldn’t blink twice if it was that way around
I don’t really want either of them out there on a wet field, but somebody’s got to do it.
I think it’s a good idea in that you don’t have much of a defensive difference and you avoid losing a late inning power threat if you make a defensive replacement.
If you make a late inning defensive replacement, you lose either Brantley or Alvarez…whomever is not DH. You don’t really want to lose either, and I don’t think that should be a needle mover. Is McCormick or Diaz really going to give you a better defensive leftfielder than either of those guys? I suppose it would be easier to move Brantley to RF if you wanted to pinch hit for Tucker. I just don’t see that as a major consideration, and I think Alvarez is better when he plays the field.
Exactly right
That’s not why you’re crazy.
7 Likes
Kaboom!
1 Like
I don’t worry too much about lineup construction but having your hottest hitter bat seventh still seems odd.
1 Like
I can live with that analysis.
Normally, yes. But I think you have to consider this lineup and the job of that #7 hitter. Lots of potential baserunners when he comes to the plate.
1 Like