More Than Meets The "Eye Test!"
So, the Houston Astros ended up losing 2 out of 3 to the New York Yankees at home. A bit of a bummer, but Astros fans can take solace in the fact that this past home stand saw them go 4-2. See that? A silver lining in every dark cloud. They now will go to Detroit to face the Tigers for a 3 game set this weekend before coming back home on Monday to face the Toronto Blue Jays for 4, and the in-state rival Texas Rangers for another 3 games before another upcoming road trip.
Another thing looming over this next weekend is the mid season trade deadline. With this, trades to make players eligible for post season play must be made between teams by 4pm EST on Monday, August 1st. The Houston Astros have a good bit of what they need, and could potentially stay put without any moves. However, they are still listening to other teams to see if the right pieces fit to get a couple of players of need that can be considered an upgrade. Most notably, a lefty bullpen reliever and another starting pitcher have been thrown around. Names like Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox and Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays have been two of the most coveted pitchers being mentioned as the deadline nears.
Jonathan Lucroy, the Milwaukee Brewers current starting catcher, has also been a name that has come up in some circles. There's no denying that Lucroy, along with the like of Buster Posey and Salvador Perez, is among the best catchers in the league. He has value on both sides of the ball, and brings veteran leadership. The Astros certainly can benefit from him.
But the questions remain about this: At what cost is he worth? Who gets moved if that is the case? And what does that mean for your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis?
Folks, it's no secret that I always get nervous around trade deadlines, and even spend most of my winters feeling, literally, discontent. Why, you ask? Well, it's because, unlike the critics, doubters and haters out there that always want to seem to find a reason to scapegoat El Oso Blanco as being trade bait or a sacrificial lamb, I personally feel that if given the opportunity to be starting catcher, Evan Gattis can flourish to his true potential and become a serious threat on both sides of the ball and a staple to this Astros organization for many years to come.
And the 2016 numbers back me up on this:
As a Designated Hitter
Batting Average - .171
On-Base Percentage - .254
Slugging Percentage - .311
OPS - .565
6 HR, 19 RBI, 16 Walks, 54 Strikeouts
As a Catcher
Batting Average - .304
On-Base Percentage - .337
Slugging Percentage - .739
OPS - 1.076
Defensively - Caught Stealing (CS) Ratio - 47% (league average is 29%); Catcher's ERA, or CERA - 3.08 (league average is 3.89); oStr (Pitches outsides the strike zone called for strikes) - 7.9% (league average is 7.2%)
It is clear to see from this that Evan Gattis, for the most part, gets a bad rep from statisticians. Even performing a simple eye test can tell you that this team wins a lot more so than does not when Evan is behind the dish. (Team record is 16-7, or a .696 winning percentage in game he starts as backstop.) The pending free agency of Jason Castro also should be taken into account. With all of the numbers to prove Gattis' worth, it would be advisable for the team to not pursue any catcher until the off season. And in doing so, they should only find someone to backup Evan so that he can get the starting nod. Not to mention, he is a fan favorite to boot! Just listen to this recent interview conducted by Jim Rome of CBS Sports Radio here.
The answer for this Houston Astros organization at catcher is already staring them in the face by way of their backup. And quite frankly, El Oso Blanco should not have to play second fiddle to anyone to get more starts and at-bats. Let's just hope the likes of Hinch, Lunhow, Ryan and Crane see it the way I do. Please gentlemen, do not miss an opportunity you already have right in front of you!
Photo Credit: Bob Levey of Getty Images, North America
Photo Credit: Scott Halleran of Getty Images, North America
It's time for this club to anoint the Big White Bear with the starting catcher gig. FREE HIM!!!!
Another thing looming over this next weekend is the mid season trade deadline. With this, trades to make players eligible for post season play must be made between teams by 4pm EST on Monday, August 1st. The Houston Astros have a good bit of what they need, and could potentially stay put without any moves. However, they are still listening to other teams to see if the right pieces fit to get a couple of players of need that can be considered an upgrade. Most notably, a lefty bullpen reliever and another starting pitcher have been thrown around. Names like Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox and Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays have been two of the most coveted pitchers being mentioned as the deadline nears.
Jonathan Lucroy, the Milwaukee Brewers current starting catcher, has also been a name that has come up in some circles. There's no denying that Lucroy, along with the like of Buster Posey and Salvador Perez, is among the best catchers in the league. He has value on both sides of the ball, and brings veteran leadership. The Astros certainly can benefit from him.
But the questions remain about this: At what cost is he worth? Who gets moved if that is the case? And what does that mean for your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis?
Folks, it's no secret that I always get nervous around trade deadlines, and even spend most of my winters feeling, literally, discontent. Why, you ask? Well, it's because, unlike the critics, doubters and haters out there that always want to seem to find a reason to scapegoat El Oso Blanco as being trade bait or a sacrificial lamb, I personally feel that if given the opportunity to be starting catcher, Evan Gattis can flourish to his true potential and become a serious threat on both sides of the ball and a staple to this Astros organization for many years to come.
And the 2016 numbers back me up on this:
As a Designated Hitter
Batting Average - .171
On-Base Percentage - .254
Slugging Percentage - .311
OPS - .565
6 HR, 19 RBI, 16 Walks, 54 Strikeouts
As a Catcher
Batting Average - .304
On-Base Percentage - .337
Slugging Percentage - .739
OPS - 1.076
Defensively - Caught Stealing (CS) Ratio - 47% (league average is 29%); Catcher's ERA, or CERA - 3.08 (league average is 3.89); oStr (Pitches outsides the strike zone called for strikes) - 7.9% (league average is 7.2%)
It is clear to see from this that Evan Gattis, for the most part, gets a bad rep from statisticians. Even performing a simple eye test can tell you that this team wins a lot more so than does not when Evan is behind the dish. (Team record is 16-7, or a .696 winning percentage in game he starts as backstop.) The pending free agency of Jason Castro also should be taken into account. With all of the numbers to prove Gattis' worth, it would be advisable for the team to not pursue any catcher until the off season. And in doing so, they should only find someone to backup Evan so that he can get the starting nod. Not to mention, he is a fan favorite to boot! Just listen to this recent interview conducted by Jim Rome of CBS Sports Radio here.
The answer for this Houston Astros organization at catcher is already staring them in the face by way of their backup. And quite frankly, El Oso Blanco should not have to play second fiddle to anyone to get more starts and at-bats. Let's just hope the likes of Hinch, Lunhow, Ryan and Crane see it the way I do. Please gentlemen, do not miss an opportunity you already have right in front of you!
Photo Credit: Bob Levey of Getty Images, North America
Photo Credit: Scott Halleran of Getty Images, North America
It's time for this club to anoint the Big White Bear with the starting catcher gig. FREE HIM!!!!
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