re: DAT Offseason Thread: Sorry Not Sorry. Still 2017 Champs.

Strommy talks, we listen.

LINK

quote:

---

“I think Lance has got to step up, obviously Greinke and Verlander are going to be the staple of this, but I’m excited about (Jose) Urquidy and I’m excited to see how that number five spot comes out.”

---

quote:

---

Brad Peacock, who’s yet to throw off the mound during spring training, is “out of the race,” Strom said. The staff views Peacock more valuable out of the bullpen, where the veteran righthander has held every role.

---

quote:

---

James and Pruitt were long thought to be the two frontrunners for the fifth starter. The organization completely revamped James’ delivery this offseason in hopes of refining his command.
Strom said the organization used Cole’s delivery as a “model” for James to emulate — fitting considering the velocity both men can generate. James said last September the new mechanics make him more linear to home plate, removing much of the erraticism that plagued him in 2019.

---

quote:

---

Pruitt’s been nothing but fabulous. He commands the ball, he spins the ball. We’ve talked to him already about his usage. I think he’s going to be better than he ever was.”
In their initial spring training meeting with Pruitt on Sunday, the Astros focused on his tendencies when behind in the count. As most pitchers do, Pruitt was privy to piping fastballs when he fell behind hitters. The numbers Houston had for him were surprising.

---

quote:

---

A bevy of young arms are in contention. Strom is enamored by Bryan Abreu, the imposing Dominican righthander who had a brief major league debut last season and appeared on the team’s American League Championship Series roster. Abreu appeared out of the bullpen then but Strom seems dedicated to making the 22-year-old a starter.
“I think starters are the hardest thing to find and it’s really easy to just take people and put them in the bullpen,” Strom said. “(Starters) the most expensive entity that’s out there. I will expend all my energy I can to make this guy an eventual starter. That doesn’t mean he won’t break with us as a reliever.
“I think he’s going to be a 180-, 200-inning guy as he grows and gets going. I really like his stuff.

---

quote:

---

Other prospects to get Strom’s attention include Enoli Paredes and Nivaldo Rodriguez, both of whom threw live batting practice sessions on Tuesday. Top prospect Forrest Whitley tossed one, too, with mixed results. His fastball command was wretched and some mechanics sped up.

---

I won't make too big a fuss about the first live BP session of the spring but if Whitley can't start piecing together his command, his prospect shine is going to take another big hit.

I so want Josh James to be a thing. His fastball + his slider is the thing of dreams but his control is piss poor.