Brad Penner – USA TODAY Sports
After the Houston Astros‘ triple-A affiliate was bounced from the playoffs, many thought that the coast was clear for George Springer and maybe even Jonathan Singleton to join the MLB club.
Well, we’re going to have to wait a bit longer, since the Astros only called up Brandon Laird, Jimmy Paredes, Rhiner Cruz and David Martinez.
I get it. In order to add a player to the MLB team, they have to be added to the 40-man roster. The point is that there are plenty of guys on the 40-man roster that are not contributing and may even be hurting the current club, and won’t be claimed if designated for assignment.
Take for instance Philip Humber, who must have married into the Crane family, because his consistent lack of anything useful has not hurt his roster spot. He has an 8.53 ERA, and that should be enough right there. But, he’s also rarely used. The guy has only appeared five times since August 14.
So not only is he not being used, he is ineffective when he is used. If they tried to designate him and remove him from the 40-man roster, who would claim him? It’s a win-win — there are so many ways to move this guy and there’s really nothing lose if he is lost from the roster.
Sounds to me like the perfect guy to make way for George Springer. It would be a hero-like entrance, Springer for Humber.
Each game that George Springer is not in an Astros uniform is a wasted game. He has the most MLB-ready talent of anyone in the minor league system, and it doesn’t matter what the Astros need to do to clear space for him — it needs to happen, and soon.
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