If they can make boneless chicken wings, maybe they can make a boneless DH.
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My favorite part of the season so far has been Jake Meyer’s hitting. After a stilted start to his career, he is finding his swing and his confidence.
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Jake’s emergence is certainly the most surprising among position players, but obviously you also have Jeremy’s monster start and Eesack showing up and proving that he’s a top tier player. I still can’t believe they got that guy AND Cam Smith.
But I think my favorite part has been the outrageous performance by the whole pitching staff. I didn’t know who the hell most of these guys were when they were brought up, and I’m telling you right now that without looking I’m not sure I could name the starting rotation as I sit here. The team’s best hitter - out indefinitely. A world series caliber rotation - out indefinitely. Yet they’re in first place. Incredible.
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Ryan Gusto has the 3rd most innings pitched for a team that is tied for the 3rd best record in baseball. Let that sink in
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In a couple of years that will be seen as absolute larceny by the Cub’s faithful.
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If Tucker leaves this offseason…no doubt; if he stays…not so much
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What this team is able to do with previously marginal pitchers is Sorcery + Larceny + Alchemy = Astros
And, all three are rookies so it’s not like they found codified MLB talent and tweaked it. They found and developed it.
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That’s my assumption.
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They would see it that way right now if they were sober enough.
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I would add “…and they don’t win the WS”, but yeah
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Let’s recap where these guys came from:
Gusto - 11th Round 2019 out of Florida SouthWestern State College. Was not listed on Fangraphs top 40 Astros prospects last year.
Gordon - 8th Round in 2021 out of UCF. Was 28 on the top 40 by Fangraphs last year.
Walker - was drafted in the 26th round of the 2019 draft out of U of Delaware (Go Blue Hens). He was released by the Red Sox in August last year and the Astros signed a few weeks later.
That is some hoo doo voo doo talent identification there.
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Now do the bullpen outside of Hader/Abreu
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Mostly castoffs from other teams
Here are your top 3 in appearances out of the pen not named Hader or Abreu.
B. Sousa - drafted in 10th round in 2019 by White Sox. Claimed off waivers in 2023 by the Reds, then purchased by the Brewers, then claimed off waivers by the Tigers before finally being claimed off waivers by the Astros. All of that happened between February and September 2023. November 2024. He has a career WAR of 2.9 in 303 games. He has .7 in 31 games this year.
King -drafted in 30th round by Cubs in 2019. Claimed off waivers by the Astros in 2022.
Ort - Lots of stickers on his luggage. September 23, 2016: Signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks as an amateur free agent. March 2017: Released by the Arizona Diamondbacks. May 2017: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees. December 2020: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox from the New York Yankees in the 2020 rule 5 draft. October 2023: Selected off waivers by the Seattle Mariners from the Boston Red Sox. December 2023: Selected off waivers by the Miami Marlins from the Seattle Mariners.
February 2024: Selected off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Miami Marlins. February 2024: Purchased by the Baltimore Orioles from the Philadelphia Phillies. May 2024: Selected off waivers by the Houston Astros from the Baltimore Orioles.
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I am aware.
Now play Freebird
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Not the same names, but big flashbacks to Bases Loaded (which was vastly superior to RBI Baseball) on the original Nintendo
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Not to mention that I think Wesneski will be a contributor, maybe even a significant one.