Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Astros

 

So. The Astros tried to win another World Series.

I'm...still kinda pissed that this team hasn't been reprimanded enough to not compete, and even if Correa and a portion of the dynasty leaves this year, they'll still probably compete, and it'll probably be tricky for the Mariners or Rangers to take 1st. 2021 was another testament to the rollout of the youth movement, as there are still great prospects coming out, and repopulating the team. Also a testament to Dusty Baker, who will probably win a World Series one day, but not today.

Jose Urquidy spent another year as a lower-tier but still strong rotation option, and had an 8-3 record, a 3.60 ERA and 90 Ks in 107 innings. He gave up a crucial run in an ALCS game, but came up with 2 of the Astros' WS wins thanks to some quick work there.

2022 Prediction: With a crowded-looking rotation picture, expect some relief appearances over the first half and some very strong starts in September. 

Aledmys Diaz has embraced his role as the Astros' requisite utility infielder, and had another decent bench season, hitting .259 with 45 RBIs in 84 games. He's not quite the contact killer he was in 2016, but he's certainly a valuable roster piece. 

2022 Prediction: One of two things happens. Either the Astros lay low this offseason and Diaz has a strong but unassuming year as starting SS. Or, and this is more likely, the Astros pick up a free agent SS and Diaz does more bench work adequately.

Before Chas McCormack took the position indefinitely, Jake Meyers made a very nice run at center field. In 25 games, Meyers hit .260 with 28 RBIs and 6 homers in 49 games. It looked like Meyers would become a starting choice for the postseason, but an injury shortened his year and opened the door for McCormack and Siri.

2022 Prediction: Is there a place for Meyers in the Astros' 2022 outfield? Brantley and Tucker will be around, and McCormack seems to have notched startership. Unless Meyers can outdo Siri and McCormack in Spring Training, you're looking at a trade piece at some point.

As Martin Maldonado stunk it up as starting catcher, Jason Castro's return to Houston, as backup, was unassuming but an improvement, with a .235 average and 8 homers in 66 games, plus a crucial playoff RBI that kept the Astros alive in the World Series. 

2022 Prediction: The Stros will cut Machete, and Castro will get to start in Houston again, and it will go well.

A smaller-key signing the Astros made in the offseason was Jake Odorizzi, off of some nice Minnesota seasons. While injuries limited him a bit, Odo still had some decent moments in Houston, with a 4.21 ERA and 91 Ks in 104 innings. He had limited postseason action but only allowed 1 hit in 2.1 World Series innings.

2022 Prediction: A proper comeback marred by a later injury.

And for the trade deadline deal that no one thought would be as huge as it was, Phil Maton was filched from Cleveland at the deadline for Myles Straw, which was an odd deal on multiple counts. Maton, who was doing decently for Cleveland before the trade, hit a 4.97 ERA in 25 innings of regular season play. During the postseason, Maton improved mightily, with 15 Ks and only 1 earned run in 12.1 innings, becoming one of the most reliable relief pieces they had.

2022 Prediction: A fuller, more impressive season that culminates in maybe some more playoff magic.

Coming Tomorrow- A TON of leftover Athletics.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Card #163-171

 With this post, we reach the halfway point of 2020 Topps Final Edition. We started in February, we've hit 165/330 in April, which means at this rate we'll finish in like June. Hope that's alright. I'm still enjoying rolling these out, hope y'all are still enjoying looking at them. 

Anyway, here's the next 9 cards in the set:

Card #163- Jace Peterson, Milwaukee Brewers

A former Braves infielder from the dire mid-2010s teams, Jace Peterson had bopped between New York and Baltimore for a few years before settling in Milwaukee for 2020. Peterson, primarily a 3rd baseman, was used in an outfield role to cover for the loss of Lorenzo Cain, and did alright at the plate with a .200 average and 5 RBIs. His decent bench work was rewarded by the Brewers, as they re-upped him for 2021.

Card #164- Mark Melancon ASG, Atlanta Braves

If a potential 2020 All Star Game had happened, and both managers were allowed a limited number of relief options, I still think Mark Melancon would have been on Dave Martinez' shortlist. After failing in big-contract deals in SF before this, Melancon finally had the pressure off as part of a super-bullpen in Atlanta, and rose to the closing gig like no time had passed. Melancon's ability not only to work the ninth but aid the team in regular relief was an asset to a surging Braves squad, and would have garnered Melancon his fourth ASG gig. But I suppose that will have to happen this year in Colorado. 

Card #165- David Peterson, New York Mets

David Peterson was the biggest rookie call-up in Queens last year, even bigger than Andres Gimenez. Peterson had been a strong arm in the minors for a few years, and was brought up to cover for the tepid results of Wacha and Porcello's signings. Peterson had to fight injury at one point, but still finished the season with great numbers, including a 3.44 ERA in 10 games, and 40 strikeouts. While he hasn't been as lucky in 2021 so far, he definitely has the big-game ability the Mets were worried they'd lost with the dissolution of the 2015 rotation.

Card #166- Dean Kremer, Baltimore Orioles

The pride of Israel, Dean Kremer became the first ever Israeli citizen [his folks are from there so he has citizenship] to play in the majors, and his first few starts for the O's were a ton to celebrate. He struck out 22 in 18 innings, and had a 4.82 ERA in 4 games, certainly not a bad shake of things for a struggling rotation. So far his numbers have been up to his 2020 standards, and he's since been demoted, but I imagine he's like John Means in that he needs to fail a little in order to get into his stride. 

Card #167- Scott Alexander, Los Angeles Dodgers

Alexander has been one of the many sharp relievers to come out of the Dodgers' bullpen, and he continued his strong work in the shortened 2020 season. In only 13 appearances, Alexander posted a 2.92 ERA with 2 wins and 9 Ks, before missing the postseason due to injury. Nevertheless, Alexander is still counted on as an integral member of the Dodgers' current bullpen.

Card #168- Jason Castro, San Diego Padres

Jason Castro's slow fall from starting catching weapon to backup catcher has officially set in, as his contact ability has dissipated since leaving Houston. After backing up Max Stassi in LA for the first half of the 2020 season, Castro was picked up as a backup option for the Padres, who were now without Luis Torrens and Austin Hedges. Castro proceeded to hit .179 in 9 regular season games, and didn't have any offensive luck in the playoffs. Now he's back to backing up Martin Maldonado in Houston. 

Card #169- Nelson Cruz ASG, Minnesota Twins

This should not shock you. Not that Nelson Cruz would have been an All Star last year, and not that he would have been the AL's starting DH. While an earlier HGH suspension has made me wary of the authenticity of his late-era exploits, it's still a wonder that at 39, Cruz can still hit .300 and bounce homers over the wall. Hell, he already has 4 home runs on the season, and he's hitting .390. Though logically 2021 may be his last contractual season, it may not be the end of his career. 

Card #170- Anthony Bass, Toronto Blue Jays

Anthony Bass is one of those journeyman odd-job relievers that you may not know, but has done some impressive stuff. He's pitched in Chicago, Seattle and Toronto the last few years and been a worthy relief option in all 3 cities. Last season in Toronto was doubly impressive because Bass was a ninth inning option for the first part of it, and he posted a 0.6 WAR in 26 games, even getting his first postseason strikeout out of it. So far, though, he's having some trouble in Miami this year.

Card #171- Phillips Valdez, Boston Red Sox

Phillips Valdez kicked around the minors for 10 years before making the Rangers in 2019, but had to get waived twice more in order to find a true home in Boston. Making the team out of camp, Valdez was an incredible relief option, with a 3.26 ERA in 24 games, with 30 Ks as well. Valdez is this string-bean-y type who throws smoke and keeps runs down. So far he's repeating the same kind of performance this year, so Boston's very lucky to have him. 

The next 9 cards go up on Friday. This batch includes some very big rookies and a few interesting veterans to talk about.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Padres (Part Two)

 

Everyone in this post showed up for the Padres after Opening Day. Adrian Morejon is the sole player here who wasn't traded to the Padres this year.

Morejon, after some good starts last year, was plugged into the rotation this year due to some injuries, and posted a 4.66 ERA in 9 games, including 25 Ks. I am guessing that 2021 will finally be the year that Morejon gets an extended run in the rotation, and then we'll all see what he's really made of.

2021 Prediction: Doesn't start the season in the rotation, but won't leave it for a few years after he joins.

So. Mike Clevinger was the biggest deal the Padres made at the deadline. I wonder aloud if Clevinger would have needed Tommy John surgery if he stayed in Cleveland and didn't break quarantine to go to a party in Chicago. And maybe in that universe he pitches fine for the rest of the year, doesn't have to miss the 2021 season and won't be met with pissed off fans when he returns in 2022. Imagine that universe.

Anyway, Clevinger had a 2.84 ERA in 4 starts, including 2 wins and 19 Ks, but of course that dreaded injury stopped him from making any further impact.

2021 Prediction: Well, at least he won't have to break quarantine, or even leave his house, to get hammered next year. 

At least Trevor Rosenthal didn't get injured after landing in SD. I'm still blown away that this guy made a comeback this year, after shitting away the closer gig in St Louis a few years back, does well for the Royals AND the Padres, and makes his presence as a prime closer known again. We love to see it. Rosenthal had 4 saves and 17 Ks in 9 appearances, none of which featured an earned run.

2021 Prediction: Some team spends too much money on him and he doesn't have half the season he had this year. Probably the Phillies, knowing my luck. 

Speaking of the Phillies, their ace's brother was hot in Seattle, and got traded to the Padres where he had a unilateral starting catching gig. He hit .222 with 9 RBIs, but it was better than any of the catching options they had before.

2021 Prediction: A more traditional Nola season, with more homers and more contact hitting. 

Mitch Moreland has sort of filled out as a hitter, and is mostly a source of power hitting and not much else. Moreland was traded by Boston to the Padres, and...yeah, kept doing that. 8 RBIs and 2 homers in 20 games, but a .203 average. Good news is he batted .500 in the postseason with 4 hits and an RBI. 

2021 Prediction: He'll get signed to a minor league deal, have some time in the majors and sort of fade off after next season.

As phase two of the Padres' quest for catching, Jason Castro quickly became a backup option as Nola arrived, and he was still a sturdy defensive catcher. He's just...not exactly the hitter he was, and only hit .179 in 9 games.

2021 Prediction: Will be signed as a backup somewhere, and get some playing time upon an injury to the starting catcher. Hell, maybe the Yanks take a chance.

Coming Tomorrow- This Phillies team couldn't get it done either..

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Twins

The Minnesota Twins hit more home runs than any other team in baseball this year. And were subsequently swept in 3 games by the Yankees. Baseball's fickle like that.

I was still very impressed with how the Twins bounced back by taking low-rent free agents and making them soar under circumstances. CJ Cron, with a photo taken after Tyler Skaggs' death, had a season very similar to his 2018 in Tampa, with a 25-homer year with a .253 average. Not bad, but not the best 1B numbers coming from this team (that'd be Marwin Gonzalez)
Why Him in 2019?: 25 homers on a one-year deal.
2020 Prediction: Will hit 30 in Detroit and double Brandon Dixon's team-leading total from this year.

 The other 2019 Twins starter headed to Detroit is Jonathan Schoop. Despite losing playing time to Luis Arraez late, Schoop bounced back from a down second half of 2018 with a .256 average and 23 homers.
Why Him in 2019?: Stumbled in July to let Luis Arraez conquer the position for 2020.
2020 Prediction: Will slowly lose playing time to Harold Castro.

 Speaking of Castros and lost playing time, Jason Castro struggled with an injury in 2018 and had to battle this year with Mitch Garver for that starting spot. Garver hit .272, Castro hit .233. So Castro became the backup very quickly.
Why Him in 2019?: Conceded to Garver, and his lessened playing time led to Garver hitting 31 homers.
2020 Prediction: Will be signed somewhere as a backup.

 Kyle Gibson's stock rose slightly in 2019, as a very steady third-starter in a rising team. Gibson had a 13-7 record with 160 strikeouts, which is a sharp enough year for a guy who's never really been a standout.
Why Him in 2019?: Probably the most consistent, non-showy arm in Minneapolis this year.
2020 Prediction: Will win 15 games in Arlington.

 Speaking of Arlington, they slung Martin Perez to Minnesota, and Perez responded with decent numbers, 10 wins, and the highest rotation WHIP.
Why Him in 2019?: Hung onto the fourth spot even when rookies came in late.
2020 Prediction: Will be a mediocre fifth man in Boston

 And then you have Michael Pineda. His numbers were fine [11-5 with a 4 ERA], but he once again got busted for illegal drugs, and you're left thinking what this guy has when you take away all the cheating. What is Pineda without the pine tar on his cap, or the PEDs or drugs or anything?
Why Him in 2019?: Fell so Smeltzer and Dobnak could rise
2020 Prediction: Will pitch a similar season for the Twins after coming back from the suspension.

 Randy Dobnak was one of the feel-good stories of 2019. A former Uber driver, he jumped through the minors to start some games late down the stretch, and held a 1.59 ERA in 9 starts. Dobnak became one of the more inexperienced starters to be trusted with a playoff start, and...he tried. I felt bad for him, because the Yankees fans heckled him, but he's still a solid arm.
Why Him in 2019?: Started Game 2 of the ALDS.
2020 Prediction: A full season of similar production.

 And the other big starter rookie in 2019 was Devin Smeltzer, a guy who's from the town next to mine, was a hometown hero, and had a 3.86 ERA over 11 appearances, with 32 Ks.
Why Him in 2019?: A good preview of an arm to come for the Twins
2020 Prediction: Will start 25 games, win 10 of them and nobody will question him again.

 After a scorching rookie start in 2018, Willians Astudillo, affectionately referred to as La Torguga, had some similar numbers right out the gate. Astudillo played some infield spots, caught a bit, and was a wonderful lineup presence. Then he got injured, missed some time, and the Twins got by anyway.
Why Him in 2019?: Twins mascot in April
2020 Prediction: Hopefully more playing time. This guy's a gem.

 The other infield utility guy was Ehire Adrianza, and he was a bit more present for the Twins, appearing in 83 games and hitting .272 with 55 hits. Not bad at all.
Why Him in 2019?: With the exception of Luis Arraez who was starting by the end, most valuable utility/bench guy.

 After Blake Parker fouled up, the closing spot went to relief specialist Taylor Rogers, and to say he rocked it was an understatement. Rogers had 30 saves, 90 strikeouts, a 2.61 ERA and a 1 WHIP.
Why Him in 2019?: Closed 30 games for the AL Central champs.
2020 Prediction: Will close THIRTY-FIVE games for the AL Central champs.

Rogers was perfectly steady in the ninth...cause from August on he had SERGIO ROMO in the eighth. Not just Sergio Romo, but the Sergio Romo of yore, the untouchable relief specialist who got rings with SF, was back in FULL FORCE. Romo, after coming over from Miami, had 27 strikeouts and 3 saves in 27 appearances.
Why Him in 2019?: Fueled the bullpen renaissance in August.
2020 Prediction: Another season of solid work in Minneapolis.

Coming Tomorrow- Just a few White Sox. Consider it the calm before the storm.

Win? Twins!

This goes in the Department of 'It's Early', but I still need to talk about it. I just do. Even if the Twins go to, like, last in the league, it's still noteworthy enough that they're 4-1 and leading the AL Central right now, simply because absolutely no one saw it coming.

It's not like the 2016 Twins were needing missing pieces or something- I mean, they were, but not ones that'd amount to a contending team. Adding Jason Castro was a nice enough move, but I saw of it more as a sentence for him. I got to see the Twins in Spring Training, and it was a revitalization. Miguel Sano was hitting, Jorge Polanco was a force at shortstop, and the team seemed to know what it was doing...which is the exact opposite of 2016 for them.

So, they're leading the AL Central, which is baffling, and probably temporary, but damn if they're not lovable in all of this. Nobody expected this, and now that it's happening, everybody's gotta be happy. Even if somebody like Cleveland or Detroit's gonna come and snatch it soon, everybody's loving the moment. They have to.

Coming Tomorrow: One of the last remaining veterans in a struggling NL Central club.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2015: Astros

The Astros were one of the feel-good stories of 2015, defying odds and controlling the AL West for most of the year, and then swooping into the postseason and going toe-to-toe with one of the toughest teams in baseball, the Kansas City Royals.

Chris Carter's schtick is the same every year. He hits a ton of homers, strikes out a billion times, and plays some adequate defensive ball. He's not a marvel, but he does the job.

Jason Castro kept his job as the starting catcher, and had a pretty good time of it, though not reaching the heights of his All Star season a few years ago.

Luke Gregerson was a nice closer for the 'Stros, getting a ton done in the ninth, and staying relevant into late in the season. He did the job well, but the Astros are still apparently looking for a closer now.

Jake Marisnick was the obligatory 'other outfielder' in the roster. Yes, so was Preston Tucker, but Preston Tucker's numbers were not befitting of a custom this year.

Finally, Lance McCullers was a second generation MLB-er who made his debut this year, and fit seamlessly into the thriving Houston rotation, supplementing Scott Kazmir and edging out Mike Fiers for the postseason jobs.

Tomorrow- A few of the remnants of the 2015 Oakland A's.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Astros

 When going over awful teams like the Astros, you have to put into account that not everyone on that team was failing miserably. I mean, there were a lot of people who were, but people like Chris Carter, who actually hit a decent amount of home runs this year in his first year as an Astro, actually made some productive work in 2013. Hopefully Carter will have an ever better 2014 before the Astros realize how good he is and promptly trade him away.

Jason Castro was not, as previously thought, a 4th place finisher from American Idol. He is, instead, the sole representative from the Astros from this year's All Star game? Did he get any playing time? Obviously not, considering Topps never printed a card of him as an All Star.

Tomorrow, a far better team, the Oakland Athletics.