http://climbingtalshill.com/2011/09/24/2b-or-not-2b-altuve-is-the-question/ A Houston Astros Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Mon, 20 May 2013 02:03:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://climbingtalshill.com/2011/09/24/2b-or-not-2b-altuve-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-1340251 Stroscrow Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:33:34 +0000 http://climbingtalshill.com/?p=2230#comment-1340251 Altuve probably had no business being called up this season since they had Downs on the team. After trading Kepp it would have been the perfect time to see if Downs can play everyday. My guess is Altuve will be the starting second baseman and Downs will be super utility man similar to a Ben Zobrist type. Sadly I think that what you see is what you get with Altuve. He has a real high contact rate, but in the minors his walk rate hovered around 8%. I think he is just a full swing kind of guy and not for sure if he will become more selective. His strikeout rate should decline some based on his minor league numbers, but it doesn't look like Altuve will learn patience anytime soon as he's had the same walk rate his whole career. Also, in all fairness Kepp was hurt to start the season so he wasn't going to be the starting second baseman regardless, although I will also admit that they were looking for a second baseman before they knew the extent of Kepp's injury. I still don't think the Hall signing was a bad one, I just think it was a gamble that didn't work out. You will have some of those. What we know is that Mclane is done spending money on this team. Wade had little to spend, so taking a shot at a guy who hit 17to homerun last year in part time play is not bad. I just wished it would have worked out. On the FLIPSIDE you could say that Clint Barmes was a gamble as well, and he worked out favorably. Altuve probably had no business being called up this season since they had Downs on the team. After trading Kepp it would have been the perfect time to see if Downs can play everyday. My guess is Altuve will be the starting second baseman and Downs will be super utility man similar to a Ben Zobrist type. Sadly I think that what you see is what you get with Altuve. He has a real high contact rate, but in the minors his walk rate hovered around 8%. I think he is just a full swing kind of guy and not for sure if he will become more selective. His strikeout rate should decline some based on his minor league numbers, but it doesn’t look like Altuve will learn patience anytime soon as he’s had the same walk rate his whole career. Also, in all fairness Kepp was hurt to start the season so he wasn’t going to be the starting second baseman regardless, although I will also admit that they were looking for a second baseman before they knew the extent of Kepp’s injury. I still don’t think the Hall signing was a bad one, I just think it was a gamble that didn’t work out. You will have some of those. What we know is that Mclane is done spending money on this team. Wade had little to spend, so taking a shot at a guy who hit 17to homerun last year in part time play is not bad. I just wished it would have worked out. On the FLIPSIDE you could say that Clint Barmes was a gamble as well, and he worked out favorably.

]]> http://climbingtalshill.com/2011/09/24/2b-or-not-2b-altuve-is-the-question/comment-page-1/#comment-1077478 Stroscrow Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:33:34 +0000 http://climbingtalshill.com/?p=2230#comment-1077478 Altuve probably had no business being called up this season since they had Downs on the team. After trading Kepp it would have been the perfect time to see if Downs can play everyday. My guess is Altuve will be the starting second baseman and Downs will be super utility man similar to a Ben Zobrist type. Sadly I think that what you see is what you get with Altuve. He has a real high contact rate, but in the minors his walk rate hovered around 8%. I think he is just a full swing kind of guy and not for sure if he will become more selective. His strikeout rate should decline some based on his minor league numbers, but it doesn't look like Altuve will learn patience anytime soon as he's had the same walk rate his whole career. Also, in all fairness Kepp was hurt to start the season so he wasn't going to be the starting second baseman regardless, although I will also admit that they were looking for a second baseman before they knew the extent of Kepp's injury. I still don't think the Hall signing was a bad one, I just think it was a gamble that didn't work out. You will have some of those. What we know is that Mclane is done spending money on this team. Wade had little to spend, so taking a shot at a guy who hit 17to homerun last year in part time play is not bad. I just wished it would have worked out. On the FLIPSIDE you could say that Clint Barmes was a gamble as well, and he worked out favorably. Altuve probably had no business being called up this season since they had Downs on the team. After trading Kepp it would have been the perfect time to see if Downs can play everyday. My guess is Altuve will be the starting second baseman and Downs will be super utility man similar to a Ben Zobrist type. Sadly I think that what you see is what you get with Altuve. He has a real high contact rate, but in the minors his walk rate hovered around 8%. I think he is just a full swing kind of guy and not for sure if he will become more selective. His strikeout rate should decline some based on his minor league numbers, but it doesn’t look like Altuve will learn patience anytime soon as he’s had the same walk rate his whole career. Also, in all fairness Kepp was hurt to start the season so he wasn’t going to be the starting second baseman regardless, although I will also admit that they were looking for a second baseman before they knew the extent of Kepp’s injury. I still don’t think the Hall signing was a bad one, I just think it was a gamble that didn’t work out. You will have some of those. What we know is that Mclane is done spending money on this team. Wade had little to spend, so taking a shot at a guy who hit 17to homerun last year in part time play is not bad. I just wished it would have worked out. On the FLIPSIDE you could say that Clint Barmes was a gamble as well, and he worked out favorably.

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