Astros righty Brad Peacock entered camp as a candidate to take home a rotation spot, but he’s had a recurrence of the nerve issue in his neck that plagued him last year, tweets Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Peacock is throwing from 90 feet, but his overall program has been slowed down for the time being, lessening his chances of seizing a starting job.
Peacock, 32, has been a solid arm for the Astros in both the rotation and bullpen across the past four seasons, pitching to a combined 3.48 ERA with 10.7 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 320 1/3 innings of work. He’s posted a better ERA and much higher strikeout rate when working in short relief than out of the rotation, but Peacock’s 3.62 ERA and 3.72 FIP in 218 2/3 innings as a starter certainly suggests that he could be a capable back-end starter.
At present it seems to be more a question of just what his body will allow him to handle. Peacock missed significant time with shoulder and neck troubles late in the 2019 season, making only six regular-season appearances after June 27. After a month-long stint on the injured list, he returned for three appearances before quickly being placed back on the IL for close to another month. He did toss 5 2/3 innings between the ALCS and the World Series, though he walked four batters in that time.
The Houston rotation looks more vulnerable than it has in quite some time. Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke will pair to create a formidable one-two punch, and the return of Lance McCullers Jr., who had Tommy John surgery in 2018, should be a boost if he can recapture his form. Right-hander Jose Urquidy is the front-runner to nab the fourth spot, and with Peacock slowed down, newcomer Austin Pruitt could be the favorite to land the final spot to open the year. Houston has plenty of other options with starting experience — Josh James, Framber Valdez and Rogelio Armenteros among them — so the back of that group could yet change composition.
For Peacock personally, it’s a rough start to a pivotal year. The right-hander will cross the six-year threshold in terms of Major League service time in 2020, meaning he’ll be a free agent at season’s end. If he’s able to quickly put these issues behind him, Peacock could yet build a strong free-agent case, but it’s a somewhat ominous start to the new season in light of last year’s health troubles.
Yikes, that JV ‘apology’ interview was hard to watch. The frustration was a boiling!
i dont know why it means anything at this point. apologizing doesn’t change what happened.
If you can summon up any critical thinking skills it’s about taking responsibility and accountability. Typically that’s what is embedded in an apology. Again you need things spelled out for you.
Nobody’s ever been punished for failing to take responsibility and accountability. Unless you’re one of the unwashed masses.
Also because the MLBTR army is never going to be happy with it. They were better off saying nothing and not giving an inch, because dudes will just want to take a mile, and then another, and another.
He got lit up on by the Astros before getting traded. google.com/amp/s/amp.detroitnews.com/amp/102179126 Interesting article to say the least.
My interpretation of his interview is that he’s sorry and also that he has brought up in the past (which I don’t doubt) the issue of sign-stealing by other teams which has fallen on deaf ears. If you can’t beat them, join them is a piss-poor excuse. No direct apologies to the fans and opposing players affected. He’s loss the last shred of credibility in my book. Altuve’s was a lame AF canned statement. If you want to see a public apology done right, watch Andy Pettitte.
So why should he feel bad and give a sappy apology if he knows of other teams doing it? Guarantee you would feel the same.
Yeah, and he didn’t personally take part in it. I don’t get this one either.
I guess it is time to bring out the buzzers and trashcans again.
Please do! Another title please!!!!
Celebrating a title your team didn’t earn. I bet you think the waitresses at restaurants are really into you, too.
@puhl add cess to your name
Blows my mind dudes think Altuve needed a buzzer to hit a hanger off Chapman.
Off wife-beater Chapman I might add
Player and owners… no remorse because they didn’t suffer any damages others than the court of public opinion. Bregman said he learned something, but failed to say what, so I have to assume he learned that cheating pays off?
F the apology. The owner down to the players all have that smug attitude. Throwing Hinch under the bus, and making Baker apologize was downright insulting.
Seems as though the apology made things worse for you soft baseball fans. Maybe concentrate your focus on something else.
This is what happens when they apologize at all, it’s never going to be enough. They were better off saying nothing at this point.
Quick, to the trash cans, Batman!
Lots of chat about Peacock. Thankfully, no one’s distracted. As you were.
yeah, he is a cheater in association!
I mean… they already reported more on the Astros. You can just go on that article if you want, man. This is still news for their rotation.
Thank God they got Osuna.
Hahahaha
With respect a point I made earlier. This all started with the blatant lies about the asst GM allegedly not shouting about Osuna. Calling a reporters integrity into question. Result? A canning an effusive apology a few days later…..
This organisation is execrable.
And what annoys me most of all? I’ve met thoroughly decent Astros/Red Sox/Yankees fans on all my visits to watch this brilliant game in the US and the wonderful people I’ve met are going to have to say to their kids….. exactly what?
There is no moral high ground, We’re all right to be outraged but the people I’m most outraged for are the rank and file Astros fans because their one WS win is always going to be asterisked. And that – love them or hate them – is horrible.
There are obviously no winners in this scenario, but even worse is mlb.com’s tacit ignorance. Isn’t it an almost tragic shame that every sport seems to be run by absolue clowns? This is all so sad….
As an Astros fan, I could not agree more. It does seem like clowns are running things. It’s a sickening feeling right now.
SL
Oh well cheater