The Astros have added Garrit Cole, Justin Verlander, and Charlie Morton to their staff in the last 18 months, losing little to nothing of any importance along the way. Incredible.
In the old “you’ll win X games, lose Y games, and it’s the other Z games that make the difference,” saw, last night was definitely in the Z category. Nice win. Garver is bad behind the plate, but he’s sure had a knack for big hits so far.
It’s more fuel for MY personal belief that you never count on minor leaguers until they’re proven major leaguers. I am almost never in favor of the “Don’t sign/trade for this or that veteran because we’ve got this or that minor leaguer coming” school of roster management. Let them force someone off the roster. Don’t hold a spot open for them.
I’ll say the same as I said last year...the way too frequent inability to punish pitches that should be punished is much more concerning to me than the tendency to swing and miss on pitches out of the zone.
this is why I always chuckle when people post that "So and so is just fine as the 25th man," or the like. Everyone matters. You throw in an injury or two, a slump or two, and suddenly you have lineups like this.