Any Astros fans here? Let's talk expectations this season
- Thread starter joeywa
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I had a chance to see two Corpus Christie Hooks games a while back. They have some real talent but also a couple of talented players who seem to have large egos. The first game I saw was one of the games started by Lance McCullers. Lance is not as tall as I expected, but has a dogged determination. You could tell he did not intend to allow any runs during his short stint but due to a sand lot type error by the second basemen, one run scored. Lance showed no emotions, just made the next two hitters look really bad. This game was a Hooks blowout.
The second game, the Hooks faced a kid that was highly drafted and a strong pitcher. I realize the Hooks had their division wrapped up, but they showed no fight. I was setting near an older woman who was keeping score and her husband who had been some type of minor league coach when he was younger. I mentioned the lack of fire from Colin Moran (whom I think could be in the majors very soon) and AJ Reed (2014 draft and very talented hitter)- their responses surprised me. They said after Moran had the two freak injuries, he had shown no interest. Their opinion of AJ Reed was that he lack maturity and a very large ego. But if these two can get their attitudes right the Astros have two hitters that can really help. I don't think either has a high strike out rate- unlike most the current Astros.
The second game, the Hooks faced a kid that was highly drafted and a strong pitcher. I realize the Hooks had their division wrapped up, but they showed no fight. I was setting near an older woman who was keeping score and her husband who had been some type of minor league coach when he was younger. I mentioned the lack of fire from Colin Moran (whom I think could be in the majors very soon) and AJ Reed (2014 draft and very talented hitter)- their responses surprised me. They said after Moran had the two freak injuries, he had shown no interest. Their opinion of AJ Reed was that he lack maturity and a very large ego. But if these two can get their attitudes right the Astros have two hitters that can really help. I don't think either has a high strike out rate- unlike most the current Astros.
doc longhorn
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I'm a huge Astros fan and a longtime lover of the game itself.
I'll relate a few little tidbits I picked up at one of my grandsons select 14 year old practices. The father of one of the players is a retired Astros announcer and, through his Astros connections, brought Alan Zinter, the Astros asst. hitting manager, to the practice to talk to the kids.
Mostly what he talked about was hitting attitudes and strike zones. He said most of the best hitting major league hitters concentrate on pitchers mistakes. Basically a mistake would be described as delivering a pitch to the batters strike zone. Which, in the major's, is about the size of a turkey platter. The idea being to let the close to the strike zone pitches go and if the ump calls them strikes, so be it. In other words, the batter would rather sit down than chase a pitch.
He, also, said that the better hitters always try to think positively. Even if the count is 0-2, the batter considers the next pitch to be the same as a 3-1 pitch and will refuse to swing at anything except a "mistake" down the middle.
Interesting concept, eh?
He said the exception is, of course, Altuve, who will swing at anything and has such superior bat control can usually hit a bad pitch as well. He said, quote "The little bastard drives all the coaches crazy".
He said Correa is a transcendent player and, if he keeps his health, will enter the Hall of Fame - sometime in the future. He has never seen anything like him in his career.
He took questions and one of the boys asked who the best hitter on the team was and he answered - Springer, and it wasn't close.
Anyway, this was just a few tidbits that I thought some of you old players and coaches might get a kick out of.
I'll relate a few little tidbits I picked up at one of my grandsons select 14 year old practices. The father of one of the players is a retired Astros announcer and, through his Astros connections, brought Alan Zinter, the Astros asst. hitting manager, to the practice to talk to the kids.
Mostly what he talked about was hitting attitudes and strike zones. He said most of the best hitting major league hitters concentrate on pitchers mistakes. Basically a mistake would be described as delivering a pitch to the batters strike zone. Which, in the major's, is about the size of a turkey platter. The idea being to let the close to the strike zone pitches go and if the ump calls them strikes, so be it. In other words, the batter would rather sit down than chase a pitch.
He, also, said that the better hitters always try to think positively. Even if the count is 0-2, the batter considers the next pitch to be the same as a 3-1 pitch and will refuse to swing at anything except a "mistake" down the middle.
Interesting concept, eh?
He said the exception is, of course, Altuve, who will swing at anything and has such superior bat control can usually hit a bad pitch as well. He said, quote "The little bastard drives all the coaches crazy".
He said Correa is a transcendent player and, if he keeps his health, will enter the Hall of Fame - sometime in the future. He has never seen anything like him in his career.
He took questions and one of the boys asked who the best hitter on the team was and he answered - Springer, and it wasn't close.
Anyway, this was just a few tidbits that I thought some of you old players and coaches might get a kick out of.
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I too try to keep up with the Astros. I sometimes believe Altuve swings too quickly. Would be better served to pick a better pitch to hit.
What drives me crazy is when they get a runner to 3rd base with less than two outs and then cannot put a ball into play. Happens much too often. I am also frustrated with their third base coach- too many poor decisions on when to send the runner or not- maybe why Rangers did not retain him. But they are fun to pull for. If they can retain their current starting pitching staff and add two good relievers (not old men that cannot break 91mph on their fastball)- 2016 may be the year.
What drives me crazy is when they get a runner to 3rd base with less than two outs and then cannot put a ball into play. Happens much too often. I am also frustrated with their third base coach- too many poor decisions on when to send the runner or not- maybe why Rangers did not retain him. But they are fun to pull for. If they can retain their current starting pitching staff and add two good relievers (not old men that cannot break 91mph on their fastball)- 2016 may be the year.
Doc Longhorn, if you will, please feel free to share any other info you garnered from Alan Zinter. I found the strike zone theory interesting.
I don't know that Springer is the best hitter on the Astros but I think he is the most fun to watch. His attitude is absolutely infectious.
I've seen Correa twice and he is really something special when you realize how young he is. He seems very mature.
I don't know that Springer is the best hitter on the Astros but I think he is the most fun to watch. His attitude is absolutely infectious.
I've seen Correa twice and he is really something special when you realize how young he is. He seems very mature.
doc longhorn
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Well, he really emphasized balance as well. He showed photos of major leaguer's impact positions and they were all the same - all of them. Surprisingly, he said he didn't care how a batter set up as long as he achieved the balanced impact area. This concept was a definite departure from what I was taught as a kid. And he said "Look at the players and you will see they all set up differently, but they all arrive at the same impact position - at least the good hitters do".
He was right.
Like I said, he talked a lot about attitude. He said this was probably the most important thing in batting. He said he once had a long talk with Miguel Cabrera and asked what he was thinking when he came up to the plate.
He said Cabrera told him "When I am at the plate, every pitch I see, I think of as a 3-1 pitch - I don't care what the actual count is".
So, Zinter said, this creates a positive attitude and makes one more selective about what pitch to swing on. After all, we feel more positive about a hitters pitch (3-1, 2-0, etc.) than we do about an 0-2 pitch and we are only looking for a pitch in the strike zone - a mistake. He said Cabrera told him (like I said before) that he only swings at pitchers mistakes and he doesn't chase hard to hit or unhittable pitches. If the ump rings him up so be it. Basically, he was saying he doesn't expand the strike zone, regardless of the count.
This may not seem like earth shattering info, but, if you think about it, it is outstanding advice. Especially for kids.
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doc longhorn
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His praise of Correa was as a baseball player - not necessarily as just a hitter. He said Correa has God given instincts that he has never seen.
streettopeschel
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Down 3-0, 2 outs, nobody on in the 9th and the Astros score 5 to win 5-3 and stay 1.5 up on Tex.
We NEVER win that game.
We NEVER win that game.
Bevo,
Shame on you. I'm afraid the Astros lack of clutch hitting and pitiful bull pen is going to drown them anyway. If the Holes can't win it I would like for a Texas team to get into the playoffs. But I haven't given up on the Astros yet.
J.B. TexasEx
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