Astros Open Forum: Correa, Martin, White, the Rookies. Whatever else you wanna talk about. (poll included)

Carlos Correa

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Correa was officially placed on the IL today, diagnosed with a fractured rib. He should be out for 4-6 weeks official sources claim.

Is this what we should expect from Correa for the rest of his career? In 2014 He played only 62 games in the Minors due to a broken leg. In 2015 and 2016 he managed to play with a normal workload, but he played only 109 games in 2017 due to a thumb injury, and most worrisome of all, in 2018 he played only 110 games due to a back injury, which also limited his production while playing.

Is Correa “injury prone,” or is this just a string of bad luck, a small sample size anomaly as some might say here at TCB? You tell us.

Is newly minted shortstop Myles Straw the suitable replacement? What about Nick Tanielu?

Corbin Martin

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

We were all thrilled when Martin dominated the Mall Cops on Mother’s Day. He’s been pretty terrible since. His season ERA is 5.51, xFIP 5.03. Since Mother’s Day his ERA is 6.55, xFIP 6.63, his K/9 is 5.74, BB/9 higher at 6.55. He’s allowed six home runs in the last 16 innings. Is his 31.6% HR/ FB rate in this time just a fluke of small samples, or does he tend to feed up meatballs?

Is it time to put Josh James back into the rotation spot he seemingly inherited but for a Spring Training injury? For the year his is not much better; 5.10 ERA, but a 3.96 xFIP. He is still a strikeout monster, 13.80 per nine innings, but he walks too many too, 5.40/9.

Despite giving up two home runs last night, since April 30th James has seen great improvement; a 2.76 ERA and 3.64 xFIP. K/9 is also improved at 14.33 and BB/9 is better, at 4.96.

If Martin and James aren’t the answer, is it time for Cinderella, Brady Rodgers to get a chance? Or Framber Valdez?

Tyler White

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Are his days numbered? As in, when is Super 2? With long term injuries to George Springer, Carlos Correa, and possibly Jose Altuve, can the Astros continue to bat around this slash line hoping for improvement: .219/.306/.295, wRC+70 and all that with a high .333 BABIP.

Statcast casts even deeper shadows. Whites wOBA is .272. His xWOBA is .266. His xBA is .191.

If White were designated for assignment at this point, would any team even claim him? His fWAR is-0.3, that is, below replacement. He’s 28, so likely, this is it with White, although his career stats are better than his 2019 stats. He is a defensive liability, so no National League team would likely claim him. The league average production at DH is 109 wRC+, White is almost 40 points lower than that. Only the Indians as a team are below White’s 70 at DH.

And if say, the Indians, did claim him, is it any loss seeing as how he is blocking the likes of Yordan Alvarez or Kyle Tucker. Is there any reason to keep Tyler White?

I ask this question with some reluctance. Please avoid being rude or hateful. But is White’s performance hindered by his weight?

The Rookies

Which positional rookie do you think will make the most impact, Jack Mayfield, Garret Stubbs, Derek Fisher, or Myles Straw? Are the injuries a blessing in disguise as they give opportunities to potentially good players who had been blocked from displaying their talents. Besides Tucker and Alvarez, of course, are there any other prospects you would like the see the Astros promote?