Monday night, Framber Valdez held his own through the first four innings against the Angels. He wasn’t spectacular, but Valdez did what he does best: Generate ground ball outs and minimize damage. While he did allow a run in the first inning, he had been able to maneuver around a couple of singles in the fourth inning. When he walked out to the mound in the top of the fifth inning, the Astros’ lineup handed him a 6-1 lead. It felt like a vintage Valdez performance and a victory appeared well in hand.
But as well as we know about Valdez’s strengths, we also know a lot about his weaknesses.