Monday Morning Hot Links

The Astros beat the Mets yesterday, 5-2.

-Lance McCullers threw 3.2IP, 4H/1ER, 5K:1BB.
-Chris Devenski allowed an unearned run.
-James Hoyt threw 1IP, 1H/0ER, 2K:0BB to lower his Spring ERA to 11.37.
-Kyle Tucker was 1x3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
-Garrett Stubbs hit a home run.
-Jack Mayfield was 2x2 with a double.
-A.J. Reed was 2x3.

*McCullers' only blemish was a home run to Yoenis Cespedes, and was worried about the GIFs.

McCullers, on using Spring to work on adjustments:
I'm trying my new pitches out, trying my new grips out. I'm trying to see what has movement and where I'm locating pitches the best. If I'm just throwing breaking balls and I'm punching guys out, it's great and looks good on paper, but I'm not really growing as a pitcher.

*The Astros are off today, so they're headed to the White House. Can't wait for hot political takes. Why now? The Astros don't have a series at the Nationals, and don't play in Baltimore until the last weekend of the season. Hinch:
That would have been odd for us to wait all the way until that time to celebrate a team that's another year older. I'll take this day over the other options. 

*In The Athletic, Jake Kaplan writes that Peacock will likely get more innings than Devenski, who will likely be a one-inning guy in 2018 after tiring in the second half of the season.

*Hinch told Jerome Solomon that he's fine not having any drama this Spring. Hinch:
I don't miss it for a minute. You can give me the 25 guys at the beginning of camp, and I'll suffer through the lack of news any day. It feels like only bad things can happen when you have a team that's basically set, because of injuries, but I don't miss the agonizing over (decisions).

*In McTaggart's notes, we find:
-Hinch had McHugh throw a 50-pitch simulated game on three-days' rest to try and build him up a little. Hinch:
We're having him come back short this time as a semi-simulation on a bullpen usage because it's only three days of rest. He's not going to throw a bullpen between now and Thursday. Once he's at three innings and 50 pitches, you can accelerate him if we need to lengthen out...but you have to build him up into that 50 range to do it. 

-Reymin Guduan and Buddy Boshers - both lefty relievers - were optioned to minor-league camp, leaving Tony Sipp to handle those duties.

*Michael Baumann writes about Clayton Kershaw, Lance McCullers, and the end of the starting pitcher. Baumann:
What the Dodgers and Astros proved is that if you get a little lucky with injury timing and plan ahead, you can fill two rotation spots with three above-average pitchers without having to trawl the scarce market of above-average pitchers who can also throw 200 innings a year.

*Rich Dauer, who collapsed during the World Series parade and subsequently almost passed away, is happy to be alive and back in Astros camp. Dauer:
I still have people I have to text back. All I did was open my eyes and everything was all right. I'm not sure I'll ever get the full knowledge of what the heck happened. I'm very thankful and very happy to be here, but I'm happy to be anywhere.