Kikuchi to Astros

[Omar]

Laika 's post is sobering but if one of those players makes it to the major league roster the trade should be considered a success.

[Krylian]

Laika 's post is sobering but if one of those players makes it to the major league roster the trade should be considered a success.

 

Even if none of them do, it was still the right move. What happens now is on the players and the development staff.

[Omar]

Even if none of them do, it was still the right move. What happens now is on the players and the development staff.

 

Right move =/= successful move

[Krylian]

Right move =/= successful move

 

Fair. I'm just saying I'm not going to backtrack and say they shouldn't have made the deal if the players don't work out.

[Stangstag]

makes sense even if he is worse, because of the control

 

but not really sure Norby and Stowers are better. Hype is gone from Norby - he now has 99 wRC+ projections and looks like a classic 2B tweener.

 

Maybe it's a 50 FV and 45 FV. Maybe the same as Bloss and Loperfido.

 

Loperfido, Norby, Bloss, Stowers, Liranzo, and Sweeney are all players/prospects that the selling teams probably have decided are below average players.

 

Fair enough. Liranzo is probably the best player that got dealt this deadline

[Laika]

Yes still a lot to like with Liranzo

 

If he can actually catch, he could have a decent career and be worth quite a bit during his first 6 years in the league

[metafour]

The trade is fine, the prospects are just overrated because they were the cream of a s***** crop in Houston.

 

Womp womp.

 

Kiley McDaniel just released his ranking of all of the prospects traded at the deadline.

 

#2: Jake Bloss

#7: Joey Loperfido

 

Guess he didn't get the memo that they were just overrated prospects from a s***** system.

 

By the way; he has Bloss over Klassen, Agustin Ramirez, Lesko, Liranzo, etc.

 

He has Loperfido over all 3 of the notable prospects the Padres traded for Jason Adam (Snelling, Mazur, Pauley).

[Laika]

Womp womp.

 

Kiley McDaniel just released his ranking of all of the prospects traded at the deadline.

 

#2: Jake Bloss

#7: Joey Loperfido

 

Guess he didn't get the memo that they were just overrated prospects from a s***** system.

 

By the way; he has Bloss over Klassen, Agustin Ramirez, Lesko, Liranzo, etc.

 

He has Loperfido over all 3 of the notable prospects the Padres traded for Jason Adam (Snelling, Mazur, Pauley).

 

That doesn't mean much

 

All of the prospects traded at the deadline kind of suck

[Joltin Joe]

He struck out 11 first game as an Astro. Announcers were saying Houston think they can improve his game. Said he was throwing too many fastballs with Toronto. not enough change ups. Teams couldn't hit his change up.

 

Looks like good trade for both teams. Especially if he plays big role for Houston in playoffs. Jays got two good players out of it. Good old fashion trade

[hanton]

He struck out 11 first game as an Astro. Announcers were saying Houston think they can improve his game. Said he was throwing too many fastballs with Toronto. not enough change ups. Teams couldn't hit his change up.

 

Looks like good trade for both teams. Especially if he plays big role for Houston in playoffs. Jays got two good players out of it. Good old fashion trade

 

Yes he adjusted very quickly, I believe he threw over 50% sliders and change-ups in this game

[max silver]

He struck out 11 first game as an Astro. Announcers were saying Houston think they can improve his game. Said he was throwing too many fastballs with Toronto. not enough change ups. Teams couldn't hit his change up.

 

Looks like good trade for both teams. Especially if he plays big role for Houston in playoffs. Jays got two good players out of it. Good old fashion trade

 

The jays could let Houston tweak Kikuchi's arsenal to be more effective overall and then sign him back in free agency.

[Jays24]

How dare they trash the GOAT Pete Walker lol.

[hanton]

How dare they trash the GOAT Pete Walker lol.

 

Nothing to do with Pete Walker , the game strategy is decided for him based on the team's analytics.

[Joltin Joe]

Yes he adjusted very quickly, I believe he threw over 50% sliders and change-ups in this game

I never watched game. Just heard Houston commentaries afterwards

[Joltin Joe]

The jays could let Houston tweak Kikuchi's arsenal to be more effective overall and then sign him back in free agency.

You'll be looking at big money then. Should have traded Bassitt if you were thinking that. Take his 20 million give it to Kikuchi.

[Joltin Joe]

Only 2 starts but Kikuchi numbers better since Astros tweaked him. His ERA 3.27 and WHIP 1.182 with Houston. Compared to Toronto 4.85 ERA and 1.35 WHIP

[hanton]

Only 2 starts but Kikuchi numbers better since Astros tweaked him. His ERA 3.27 and WHIP 1.182 with Houston. Compared to Toronto 4.85 ERA and 1.35 WHIP

 

Yes, Astros reduced his FB usage and so far it has worked

[Laika]

It won't work forever

 

We saw Kikuchi make a bunch of different tweaks with Toronto. He always ends up losing his command for stretches and gets hammered. Last year the CH was his worst pitch.

[wilko]

Jays got a haul for a weak minded pitcher.

[G-Snarls]

Starting against Tampa tomorrow

[hanton]

Kikuchi gets the win with another good start this time vs the Rays;

 

5.2 IP

3 Hits

5 K's

0 BB

1 ER

 

Unlike the last 2 games his 4S usage was up over 50%

[Omar]

Kikuchi gets the win with another good start this time vs the Rays;

 

5.2 IP

3 Hits

5 K's

0 BB

1 ER

 

Unlike the last 2 games his 4S usage was up over 50%

 

Seems the Astros have decided to not let Kikuchi go three times through the order.

[hanton]

Seems the Astros have decided to not let Kikuchi go three times through the order.

 

Just started the 3rd time through then they pulled him but might be pitch count as well, he was at 95 pitches so could be that

[Joltin Joe]

His ERA half what it was with us. His WHIP substantial better also. Did our coaching staff really mess up?

[connorp]

His ERA half what it was with us. His WHIP substantial better also. Did our coaching staff really mess up?

 

Girlscout19 Signal activated

[John_Havok]

His ERA half what it was with us. His WHIP substantial better also. Did our coaching staff really mess up?

 

He's has some excellent stretches with multiple games looking like a beast with the Jays too. He has really good stuff

[connorp]

Whenever I acquired Hunter Brown in May or something when he was terrible, His next start was great and since that day, I’d be surprised if there was anyone in the AL with better numbers. I highly doubt it. Dude has been nails. Spaghetti coming around. Valdez, who I traded for Brown+, so not a total coup, has been good.

 

Lots of Astros haters earlier on. Looking like a fun team

[Jays24]

Crazy part is that the Astros paid us for a Cy young version of Kikuchi already so I do hope he continues to kill it for them. Seeing him get booed by the fans because of the GMs stupidness would have been a sad sight.

[connorp]

Crazy part is that the Astros paid us for a Cy young version of Kikuchi already so I do hope he continues to kill it for them. Seeing him get booed by the fans because of the GMs stupidness would have been a sad sight.

 

Fans sip the prospect juice too hard. Omar, who if accurate, said Top 100s bust 77% of the time, so these are guys outside of that. Guys like Babe of he was traded last off-season woudlve drawn rage, now he’s worth a pack of chewing gum

[max silver]

He's has some excellent stretches with multiple games looking like a beast with the Jays too. He has really good stuff

 

Kikuchi was one of MLB's most effective starters over nearly a full year stretch. In the calendar year from May 30, 2023 to May 30 of this season he produced 4.5 FWAR in 33 starts, which was 7th in all of MLB. That's quite a remarkable turnaround compared to the type of season he produced for the club in his initial season.