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Joel Blank: It's not time to panic, but Astros could use another bat
Aug 13, 2018, 6:34 am
Derek Fisher has not developed as hoped. Christian Petersen/Getty Images
If you are the Houston Astros is it time to push the panic button? In my opinion the answer to that is no, although there is reason for concern.
Houston came off a 6-2 road trip in time to get swept in a four-game series with the Mariners this weekend. Houston had a chance to all but eliminate Seattle from playoff contention, but instead let the M's back in the hunt with four straight wins. Seattle now joins Oakland, nipping at the Astros heels for the division lead.
Of course injuries are the main reason you dont have to press the panic button as Astros fans, with Jose Altuve, Brian McCann, Lance McCullers and now Jake Marisnick all on the disabled list. Add to that Carlos Correa just returned to the lineup this weekend after not having played in a game since late June with back issues. That in a nutshell is the main reason to not go full out panic mode with where this team is an how they are playing. So remain optimistic that once those guys return all will once again be right in the H-town baseball world, but what makes you so sure it will? This isn't last year and there is plenty to worry about and not just on your own roster.
The Astros are the reigning World Series Champions as we all know, but expecting them to waltz right back to a rematch with the best in the National league is unrealistic and irrational. The Red Sox improved in the off season with the addition of J.D. Martinez and are running away with the best record in baseball and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
That means no H-town strong, 10th-man helping to push them over the top in a deciding game like they did twice last year. Add to that the Yankees are better with Giancarlo Stanton added to an already potent lineup and several trades bolstering their pitching staff.
The Indians are solid and steady again and the A's are young and arguably the hottest team in baseball having a 23-10 record in one run games through Sunday's game. Even if the Astros were to get back to the World Series there are strong teams in the National League playing good baseball too.
The Cubs traded for Cole Hamels to help strengthen their pitching staff and the Dodgers are going for broke with Manny Machado and Brian Dozier added to an already talented roster. The reality is, the whole league got better and have Houston in their crosshairs as the team to beat. There is no Justin Verlander trade coming in last minute to save the day this time around, but if the team gets healthy, you don't need another one. Or do you? With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and the waver wire trade deadline fast approaching, I think Jeff Luhnow and his staff should seriously gauge what it would take to add another bat to this years' lineup, preferably an outfielder that can boost the bats and get the boys back on track.
There are many reasons why I think it would behoove the team to make one final move for a reliable, veteran bat. Let's start with the reduced production from Josh Reddick and Marwin Gonzalez. Last year they played out of their minds and well above their career averages. Expecting them to repeat those performances this season was wishful thinking at best and so far, they are who we knew they were all along. Help is not coming from down on the farm either as Derek Fisher went from the odds on favorite to take one of the starting outfield spots coming out of spring training to a disappointing, non hitting, platoon player in need of a massive can of insect repellent after missing a decent amount of time with a bug bite.
Kyle Tucker remains a big part of the future of this franchise, but it's becoming more obvious with each passing game that he is not yet ready for prime time and a starting role on a major league roster, let along a title contender. Tyler White and JD Davis have been top prospects in the organization for some time, but both have struggled mightily when given the chance to prove they belong on the roster and in the lineup on a consistent basis.
Even Evan Gattis has regressed to the norm after a mid-summer hot streak. Granted, Tony Kemp has been a pleasant surprise and can play multiple positions, but he doesn't have much in the playoff experience column and this is the first time he has shown he can hit major league pitching consistantly. Kemp also lacks pop and power, but you can live with that given his average and exceptional speed. He hs earned a spot on this squad going forward and if the team elects to stand pat, he should be the first guy to get the opportunity to start in left field.
I think for all the reasons given previously and then some, Luhnow and the Astros brass need to explore adding one more experienced bat that can play the outfield as well as DH. Even if it's an expiring contract or short term addition, it shouldn't cost you too much in terms of prospects and future considerations and can only help add depth and flexibility to what still is a potent and extremely talented roster when healthy.
That health is also an area of concern by the way, as you can only hope everyone on the DL is able to make a full recovery and are close to 100% down the stretch and leading into the post season. If any of those guys suffer a setback, it's just another reason why adding an extra bat is the right move to make. The clock is ticking, but there is still time, let's hope the Astros right the ship, get healthy and make one more move to put them over the top and fully prepared for another chmpionship run.
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How Astros advanced metrics tell puzzling story about Houston's start
Apr 17, 2025, 5:21 pm
Major League Baseball’s regular season is 162 games long. You can think of 18 games as the first inning of the season, 18 times nine equaling 162. While the Astros 8-10 record is not good, it’s far from disastrous. Think of it as them being behind 1-0 after the first inning. It is pretty remarkable that they have yet to win consecutive games. Even during last year’s 7-19 stink bomb of a start the Astros twice managed to win two in a row.
The Astros’ offensive woes are plentiful. Oddly enough as impotent as they’ve been, the Astros have yet to be shutout. But in half their games they have scored exactly one or two runs. Basically, most of them stink thus far. Exemptions go to Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes, but it’s not like either of them has been outstanding. It’s still early enough that one big series can dramatically alter the numbers, but the Astros badly need Yordan Alvarez to pick up his production. Yordan enters the weekend batting just .224 with a .695 OPS and just four extra base hits. Yainer rhymes with minor. As in minor leagues, where Diaz belongs at his current level of performance. That is not saying Diaz should be sent down, just that any random AAA catcher called up couldn’t have done much worse to this point. Diaz isn’t hitting Altuve’s weight, a woeful .130 with seven hits in 57 at bats. Diaz simply remains too undisciplined at the plate swinging at too many balls. He’s drawn three walks. And now to Christian Walker, who thus far has delivered return on investment for his three year 60 million dollar contract about as strong as the stock market’s performance in Tariff Time. Walker’s .154 batting average and .482 OPS are very Astro Jose Abreu-like. Walker’s23 strikeouts in 65 at bats jump off the page. He has often looked befuddled in the batter's box. Walker is definitely pressing and frustrated, wanting to perform better for his new team. Jeremy Pena goes into the weekend batting .215 and has one hit in 13 at bats with runners in scoring position. Brendan Rodgers, Jake Meyers, and Chas McCormick all have weak stat lines, with little reason to expect quality offensive output from any of them. Cam Smith is at .200 with a yucky .591 OPS but he’s obviously a young stud work in progress thrown into the deep end of the pool.
All batting orders are top-heavy, the Astros’ on paper more so than many. As I set forth on one of our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts this week, the first inning should be a team’s best offensive inning. It’s the only frame in which a team gets to dictate who comes up from the start with the batters lined up just as the manager slots them. Add to that, the first inning is a good time to get to a starting pitcher before he settles in. The Astros have scored a pitiful three first inning runs in 18 games, and in two of the games they pushed one across in the first, it turned out to be the only Astro run of the game. Improvement needs to come internally from the big league roster. It’s not as if the Astros have a meaningful prospect at AAA Sugar Land who looks ready to help. Entering play Thursday the Space Cowboys’ team average was .186. Second base hopeful Brice Matthews is nowhere close, batting .180 and striking out left and right. Outfielder Jacob Melton opened three for 17 following the back injury-delayed start to his season.
As exasperating and boring as the offense has been for so many, grading needs to occur on a curve. So, while the Astros’ team batting average is a joke at .216, know that at close of business Wednesday the entire American League was batting just .232. The American League West-leading Texas Rangers scored eight fewer runs over their first 18 games than did the Astros, though that is skewed by the Astros’ one 14-run outburst against the Angels.
Familiar faces return
This weekend the Astros play host to the San Diego Padres at Daikin Park. The Friars are off to a fabulous start at 15-4. The Padres being here creates a mini reunion as both Martin Maldonado and Yuli Gurriel are on their roster. In a telling fact, Maldonado would have the third-highest batting average on the Astros if on the team with his current numbers. Maldonado is hitting .250 with seven hits in 28 at bats. The last season he finished above .200 was 2020. The only season in his career Maldonado topped .234 was his rookie season with a .266 mark in 2012.
Gurriel was last good in 2021 when he won the American League batting title at .319. He fell off a cliff from there, though perked up to have a fine postseason in the Astros’ 2022 run to World Series title number two. “La Pina” is batting .115 with just three hits in 26 at bats. Gurriel may be released soon, and approaching his 41st birthday June 9, that would probably be the end of the line. Short-timer Astro Jason Heyward is also on the Padres, and batting .190.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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