Email a copy of 'Astros Sign Charlie Morton' to a friend
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By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Astros Sign Charlie Morton' to a friend
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johncena2016
Doug Fister 2.0? Feels like another washed veteran who won’t actually help out this season.
coldgoldenfalstaff
Yeah, sure feels like that. Though we were one pitcher short down the stretch after trading Feldman, so maybe this is a bottom of rotation Feldman/Fister low risk move.
Doesn’t preclude a trade for a quality SP, which is still needed.
Whyamihere
Low risk, low reward. doubt he’s getting paid even as much as Fister did.
oldoak33
brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?month=4&day=…
Hurt a lot. Not sure about washed up.
Robertowannabe
When he was healthy, he was pretty good with Pittsburgh. Only problem, he was not healthy that often. I hope he can stay healthy for 2 years and show that he is really a pretty decent starting pitching. That being said, he probably will hurt something in spring training and be shut down again.
frankrosielaw
Agreed, let one mediocre pitcher go, sign another! That sums up our pitching staff!
ernestofigueroa87
Bad signing!
astros
ALCS-winning sign.
WS-winning sign.
have you any credibility left sir?
hopespringseternal
Low risk move. Starter depth, or 6th/7th inning guy. $7MM for a vet is almost free.
randalgrichuk15
Not a real bad move by the ‘Stros here. Morton hasn’t quite shown that he has a lot of potential in him, even at 33, but Brent Strom is quite a good pitching coach. A very low risk, high reward move with this one.
sngehl01
Well, it’s certainly low risk.
randalgrichuk15
Yea, I don’t even know why I said high reward honestly. I mean, looking at his stats, his best season was very sub-par.
astros
perhaps you foresaw the good mr. morton’s clutch performances in ALCS and WS to help the 2017 houston astros take home the championship? don’t second guess yourself? 😉
tmengd 2
Don’t mind the move. I just hope he isn’t one of one or two singings/trades Luhnow mentioned he would like to get done before winter meetings. Or the big blockbuster acquisition that has been mentions. That would be really sad. But otherwise not a bad insurance policy. They lost Kuechel and Mcullers the last couple months of the season and really needed extra help.
tmengd 2
interesting that the Astros now have the top 2 groundball pitchers in all of baseball. Strom seems to work well with these type of pitchers.
top 2 in career ground-ball to fly-ball ratio among active pitchers with at least 800 innings. Keuchel carries a 2.84 career mark while Morton owns a 2.48 mark.
IU888
Seems like a low risk high reward signing. Hope it works well for Morton and the ‘Stros.
BigGiantHead
Low risk…but low reward. Even when he was good…he was mediocre.
TJECK109
As a Pirates fan I can tell you 3 things from his time here…
1. Injuries are an issue
2. Consistency is the BIGGEST issue
3. When healthy and rolling he looks dominant at times
Just my 2 cent scouting report from someone that grew frustrated at a guy with all the tools.
jimmyz
Completely agree with that. I certainly wish charlie has success but his biggest issue is avoiding big innings. Ive seen too many times where he looks great for all but one inning of his outing but that one inning causes him to be pulled by the 5th with his team down a few runs. If he can limit damage when he starts to get runners on base and obviously he has to be healthy enough to take the mound in the first place, he can be a very solid, stabilizing back of the rotation pitcher.
vtadave
First guy to benefit from an awful class of free agent pitchers I guess.
Astros2333
Not too excited with the signing. Hopefully we didn’t overpay, but I have full confidence in the scouts and what they calculated.
astros
calculations = on point. #champs
RamoTalks
Someone has to pitch. We needed pitchers. Hopefully our lineup plus new bats will keep him in the game long enough to get some wins.
jeff51488
And let the terrible signings by Lunhow begin. What a joke.
SabermetricsForLife
29-12: I’ll take a Luhnow lineup like that any day. Trust the process and stop being an old-time scout.
astros
http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/67/15/02/14471307/3/1024×1024.jpg
mikesink92
Totally agree with above comments. Charlie Morton has the ability to be one of the best pitchers in the game when he is on. A quote from Jonathan Lucroy after facing him, “He has the best sinker in the game”. It is just major inconstancy with him. In too many starts he looks unhittable for 4 innings then blows up in the 5th and gives up 7 runs.. Being a Pirates fan it was very frustrating knowing he has so much talent but couldn’t put it together for a string of 3-5 starts. If he somehow figures out those issues, the Astros will have a steal and a great pitcher behind Dallas Keuchel.
A'sfaninUK
For the duration of this guy’s career, I have called him “Jelly Roll Morton” and I wish everyone else would too!
Houston, this is an open, (RIP to the jazzman) nickname that fits perfectly on a baseball player – start it up!
hojostache
For a #5….he has quite a bit of upside, assuming he stays healthy. He has some ability, but he is going to be inconsistent, which is why he isn’t a #2-#3 making 2-3x the $/yr. I think it is a good signing as long as the ‘Stros have more planned for the off-season.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
I thought the Pirates might get Morton and/or Volquez back to fill the two spots they have for veteran pitchers.
But, $14 million?
For Charlie Morton?
Chad Kuhl is fine.
J. BOO
The beauty of this signing is it was Charlie Morton, a backend guy with potential of a solid #3 starter, for 14 mil./2 yrs. and not ~50 mil./3yr. deal for Rich Hill, a current #2 or #3 starter with potential to become an ace for the Hooks.
AUTiger7222
Good low risk signing for the Astros. A few years ago the Pirates pitching coach worked wonders with Morton. From 2011-2014 Morton made 84 starts with a 3.74 ERA and a 3.76 FIP. That’s solid work although his WHIP was still a bit too high because of all the hit batsmen. If he’s able to make 20-25 starts and pitch with an ERA/FIP at 4 or below he was justify his contract. Morton’s only problem is staying healthy. But anyway, as a Braves fan I never thought he’d ever amount to anything but the Pirates pitching coach worked a miracle.
AUTiger7222
Boom!!! Nailed it! Charlie Morton was a major part of the Astros winning the World Series.
astros
not to mention ALCS!! 🙂
AstrosWS20
Good low risk signing. If he’s able to put together a full season then great! If not, then maybe he can be a good placeholder for the first half of the year while Martes and Paulino refine their skills in AAA in anticipation of a call-up.
stymeedone
The Astros could have had Mike Pelfrey at 1/8MM for the proverbial player to be named, and the Tigers wouldn’t have cared if he was ever named. Its not the amount, but the fact it took a two year contract. With his injury history?!! Good thing it should allow Fiers to move to the bullpen to provide depth and spot start in case of an injury, because he will be needed to replace the guy they got to replace him! Its not a question of if Morton goes on the disabled list, but when and for how long.
phillies012tg
Seems like a lot of money for an injury prone #4-5 starter…
Ed Charles
Insanely stupid.
oldoak33
Oh, Ed. You’re such an angry old codger.
astros
insanely clutch, i’d say.
sddew
I don’t get the comments about this being a low risk signing. Paying him $14m guaranteed over 2 years plus incentives, seems like a serious overpay to me when his health is in serious question, and even when healthy, he hasn’t brought in a positive WAR career at the age of 33! This instead seems like a guy who should get a minors deal with an invite, or at most $4m guaranteed for 1 year. All that’s left to say is WOW!
astros_fan_84
I’m surprised by the signing. Seems unnecessary.
Signals a big trade for an Ace.
Astros44
My thoughts exactly! Now that Morton is slotting in with Keuchel McCullers, McHugh Musgrove, Fiers, Feliz, Devenski, Martes, and Paulino, as potential starters for next season. I would expect Luhnow to capitalize on a big trade, where possibly two names from that list as well as one or two young prospects are exchanged for Chris Archer. Regardless of whose involved, I’ve got faith in Luhnow and his analytical process. Come the end of February, I predict they’ll have made big enough splashes that they’ll have a team looking to finally take the AL West. And @luhnowsucks will have to finally change his username.
Solaris611
SPs seem to play at a level beyond their abilities under the tutelage of Ray Searage. If that holds true, this will prove to be the worst signing of this offseason. The SP pickings are slim right now, but there are at least 10 starters on the market who are clearly better and would have taken that contract.
luhnowsucks
Ha
So bad
astros
sbnation.com/mlb/2017/11/2/16597806/world-series-a…
worked out awfully didn’t it??
Sonny 3
Astros Go after Cashner. He has just had some problems the past two years and that’s all well now.
jam
I don’t know whom these Pirate fans are talking about, but I can assure you it it’s not the Charlie Morton I watched for years. It got to the point that I refused to go to games when he was scheduled to pitch. A solid number 7 starter, Morton has no heart nor intestinal fortitude. Dumping him and his full salary on the unsuspecting Phillies last year ranks among Neal Huntington’s best trades. My sympathy to the poor fans in Houston.
astros
thanks but not needed…the man came through when it counted most (twice, but who’s counting)! #champs