Astros @ Angels August 26, 2017

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's late show:

Astros

RFGeorge Springer (R)
SSAlex Bregman (R)
2BJose Altuve (R)
1BY. Gurriel (R)
LFJosh Reddick (L)
DHCarlos Beltran (S)
3BJ.D. Davis (R)
CBrian McCann (L)
CFJake Marisnick (R)

HOU: Brad Peacock (R)  (10-2, 3.21)

Angels

LF Cameron Maybin (R)
CF Mike Trout (R)
DH Albert Pujols (R)
RF Kole Calhoun (L)
SS A. Simmons (R)
3B Luis Valbuena (L)
1B C.J. Cron (R)
C M. Maldonado (R)
2B Kaleb Cowart (S)

LAA: Tyler Skaggs (L)  (1-4, 3.96)

[TerryPuhl21]

McCann rather than Gattis against a southpaw. Guess Gattis isn't healthy enough for two in a row.

Win tonight would be nice with Red Sox, Mariners and Rangers losing.


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[Andyzipp]

McCann rather than Gattis against a southpaw. Guess Gattis isn't healthy enough for two in a row.

Win tonight would be nice with Red Sox, Mariners and Rangers losing.


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Why are you worried about the Rangers?

[TerryPuhl21]

Why are you worried about the Rangers?

Technically, you worry about anyone until they are eliminated. BBG's or something, and I simply like sticking it to the Rangers.

On a more serious note, it is simply a chance to put some distance between us and all of them, especially the Red Sox. Let's take advantage!!


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[doyce7]

Why are you worried about the Rangers?

Rangers aren't too far behind the mariners and angels. Plus fuck the rangers

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[TerryPuhl21]

Rangers aren't too far behind the mariners and angels. Plus fuck the rangers

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This!!


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[JimR]

McCann rather than Gattis against a southpaw. Guess Gattis isn't healthy enough for two in a row.

Win tonight would be nice with Red Sox, Mariners and Rangers losing.


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McCann sat last night against RHP. Every other game to ease them back in.

[HudsonHawk]

Guess this game is never gonna start.

[austro]

Guess this game is never gonna start.

I really don't remember Vlad as an Angel. To me, he's always been an Expo.

[JimR]

That US championship game was so great.

[austro]

That US championship game was so great.

It really was. The Lufkin kids just kept clawing their way back.

[hostros7]

Scoring runs early eases the uniform pain.


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[HudsonHawk]

T1:

Springer grounds out 5-3
A-Breg...3-0...3-1...singles up the middle
Tuve grounds out softly 5-3 on the first pitch, A-Breg to 2B
El Yuli...full count...walks
Red Dawg...full count...drives one in the gap into RCF...A-Breg scores, El Yuli scores...Red Dawg trips over the 1B bag and has to stop for a single
Ivan flies out F8 on the first pitch

2-0 Astros

[JimR]

What a great at bat

[austro]

I was afraid that Reddick screwed up his ankle there, but it looks like he's ok.

[HudsonHawk]

B1:

Maybin strikes out swinging
Trout pops out F5
Pujols...full up...strikes out looking...Pujols cries like a little bitch about it...take a seat La Nina.

2-0 Astros

[hostros7]

Great pitch by Peacock


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[homer]

Doug Eddings can eat a bag

[BudGirl]

Big Fudge got a nice hit there.

[HudsonHawk]

Runners at 2B and 3B, one out for Springer...

[hostros7]

Rain is starting to get real in my area.


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[hostros7]

Agent valbuena assists


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[HudsonHawk]

A couple of breaks go the Astros way...balk, error...4-0

[austro]

I will happily accept any help the Angels are willing to offer.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

So other teams can dickstep too?

[austro]

Jose is back in wild hacking mode. His head is flying out of there.

[HudsonHawk]

T2:

Davis...full count,..grounds out 6-3
McCann singles on a grounds ball to LCF against the shift
Big Fudge doubles down the RF line...McCann to 3B
Springer pops out F3, falling to his knees trying to hit a 12-run home run
Skaggs balks...McCann scores, Marisnick to 3B...Scioscia bitches, but not gonna do any good
Bregman bounces to 3B...Valbuena kicks it...Marisnick scores, Bregman reaches on the E5
Altuve...0-2...1-2...grounds into FC...Bregman out 5-4 at 2B

Astros take advantage, get a few bounces go their way...lead 4-0

[JimR]

Altuve blistered that one

[HudsonHawk]

Calhoun hammers a first pitch meatball for a home run...4-1

[HudsonHawk]

B2:

Calhoun homers to RF on the first pitch
Simmons grounds out 5-3
Valbuena strikes out swinging
Cron flies out F7

4-1 Astros

[HudsonHawk]

T3:

Gurriel lines out to LF
Reddick...0-2...grounds out 4-3
Beltran strikes out swinging

4-1 Astros

[hostros7]

Two out walks before trout...


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[HudsonHawk]

B3:

Maldonado grounds out 3-1 on the first pitch
Cowart...0-2...strikes out swinging
Maybin...3-0...walks on four pitches
Maybin steals 2B with no throw
Trout...3-1...full count...strikes out looking

4-1 Astros

[austro]

Gutsy pitch by Peacock. He must have been really confident that Trout was sitting on the slider.

[juliogotay]

Raise your had if you thought Peacock would be an integral part of the rotation on August 26.

[austro]

Raise your had if you thought Peacock would be an integral part of the rotation on August 26.

He's definitely one of the big surprises of the year.

[HudsonHawk]

Big Fudge Big Fly!

[BudGirl]

I like the results when big fudge is up there.

[hostros7]

Jake!


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[HudsonHawk]

T4:

Davis strikes out swinging
McCann grounds to SS...same spot as last time, but this time no shift...6-3
Marisnick homers to LCF
Springer...flailing wildly...falling to his knees still...full up on a pitch four inches off the plate...flies out to shallow CF

5-1 Astros

[juliogotay]

I like the results when big fudge is up there.

he likes that low and inside pitch. If you ran tape on all of his HRs this year most would look like the same pitch with the same swing. I don't understand pitching him there.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Sparky doing PBP with Blummer doing color on the radio. Ford had his appendix removed last night.

[HudsonHawk]

B4:

Pujols singles to RF
Calhoun...extended at bat...fouling off pitches...grounds into 1-6-3 double play
Simmons...full count...pops out F3

5-1 Astros

[austro]

That bat exploded into about five pieces.

[HudsonHawk]

Astros with runners on the corners...two out...

[HudsonHawk]

T5:

Bregman grounds out 6-3
Altuve strikes out looking at a pitch at his ankles
Gurriel doubles to LCF
Reddick...3-0...walks...ball four is a wild pitch and Gurriel moves to 3B
Beltran grounds out 6-3

5-1 Astros

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Now Mark Langston, the Angels' radio color analyst is in the booth with Sparks. It's nice to hear baseball guys talk about baseball.

[HudsonHawk]

On a side note, it has been raining like a motherfucker for the last three hours. 

[HudsonHawk]

B5:

Valbuena singles to CF, continues to beat the Astros like a drum
Cron strikes out swinging
Maldonado...0-2...1-2...2-2...strikes out swinging
Cowart...0-2...grounds out 3U

5-1 Astros

[JimR]

Raining steady all day here with wind

[austro]

Raining steady all day here with wind

I hope the wind settles down before the ground gets too saturated or the toll on trees is going to be high.

[HudsonHawk]

Raining steady all day here with wind

No wind here, but I bet we've had 5 inches of rain since this game started

[austro]

No wind here, but I bet we've had 5 inches of rain since this game started

Radar shows one big train of storms that's just been tracking dead center over Houston for quite a while.

[HudsonHawk]

Radar shows one big train of storms that's just been tracking dead center over Houston for quite a while.

Yep...right over my house.  It's the outermost feeder band where the most rain is.  It's been raining since about 2:00 yesterday afternoon, but it's been a deluge the last few hours

[HudsonHawk]

T6:

Alvarez in for the Halos...

Davis...0-2...1-2...flies out F9 at the track
McCann...0-2...1-2...2-2...pops out F5
Marisnick strikes out swinging

5-1 Astros

[HudsonHawk]

I've been though five or six hurricanes and countless tropical storms...I don' think I've ever seen it rain this hard for this long.

[austro]

Man, Trout is not catching any breaks from the umpires. Not that I'm complaining.

[HudsonHawk]

B6:

Maybin strikes out swinging
Trout flies out F9
Pujols flies out F7

5-1 Astros

[BudGirl]

I knot re one. It's pence. 

[austro]

I knot re one. It's pence. 

Good call. I bet you're right.

[HudsonHawk]

Springer Dinger!!

6-1

[hostros7]

Love to see that from springer


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[austro]

God, I thought Maybin grabbecd that.

[hostros7]

God, I thought Maybin grabbecd that.

The camera angle was deceiving. I had a similar moment.


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[JimR]

God, I thought Maybin grabbecd that.

I did too! I thought he caught it.

[TerryPuhl21]

Love to see that from springer


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Sure was. We need his bat to get hot again like in the first half.


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[HudsonHawk]

T7:

Bud Norris takes the hill...

Springer...0-2...homers to LF
Bregman...0-2...lines a single to CF
Bregman swipes 2B
Altuve grounds out 4-3, Bregman to 3B
Gurriel...infield in...grounds out 6-3...Bregman has to hold
Reddick blisters a line drive, but right at first baseman...

6-1 Astros

[austro]

Reddick hit that ball on the screws.

[BudGirl]

Uh oh. 

[JimR]

DP if Bregman is at 3rd.

[austro]

What oh? I was watching some news.

[HudsonHawk]

Single and a "double" on a chopper to 3B puts Angels at 2B and 3B...ground out makes it 6-2, runner on 3B with one out.

[HudsonHawk]

Davis has been a disaster at 3B

[HudsonHawk]

Another ground out makes it 6-3

[austro]

Davis has been a disaster at 3B

Maybe a week to go before we get our infield defense back to its normal organization.

[TerryPuhl21]

Tough luck for Liriano there. Could have easily been a double play.


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[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Maybe a week to go before we get our infield defense back to its normal organization.

Can't wait.

[TerryPuhl21]

That was nasty stuff from Martes!


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[HudsonHawk]

 B7:

Liriano in...

Calhoun singles up the middle
Simmons chops to 3B...Davis knocks it into LF...Calhoun to 3B, Simmons to 2B...scored a double, but should have been an E5...no reason to not get an out on that.
Valbueno grounds out 4-3 on the first pitch, Calhoun scores, Simmons to 3B

Liriano out, Martes in

Cron grounds out 6-3, Simmons scores
Maldonado...0-2...1-2...strikes out looking

So Martes has to clean up Davis's mess, but the Angels plate a pair...6-3 Astros

[JimR]

Maybe a week to go before we get our infield defense back to its normal organization.

Marwin at SS tomorrow, Bregman at 3rd. I hope.

Davis looks like a 1B/DH

[HudsonHawk]

Maybe a week to go before we get our infield defense back to its normal organization.

I just want to get Davis the fuck off the field.

[HudsonHawk]

T8:

Wood in for the Angels

Beltran flies out F9 at the track...gave it a ride, but just pulled off a bit and got under it
Davis....who owes me two more fucking runs tonight...0-2...strikes out looking
McCann grounds out 4-3

6-3 Astros

[HudsonHawk]

Marwin at SS tomorrow, Bregman at 3rd. I hope.

Davis looks like a 1B/DH

Yep.  I think Davis can eventually hit, but he can't play 3B in this league. 

[austro]

Yep.  I think Davis can eventually hit, but he can't play 3B in this league. 

I'm confused about how he was rated the best defensive 3B in AA/AAA. Maybe he wasn't and I'm just confused overall.

[JimR]

Martes is special

[HudsonHawk]

Two out walk, bloop single...Angels have tying run at the plate...and Martes is out...Clippard in

[JimR]

I jinxed him

[austro]

I wish I had more confidence in Clippard.

[HudsonHawk]

I'm confused about how he was rated the best defensive 3B in AA/AAA. Maybe he wasn't and I'm just confused overall.

Low bar.  Or maybe he was the best there.  But he can't play the position at the Major League level.  He's a first baseman.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Martes is special

Yes, he is.  Needs a bit of refinement but he's still really young too.

[HudsonHawk]

Come on Clip...put him in the book

[HudsonHawk]

6-4...tying run on base

[austro]

Fuck. The list of successful late inning relievers that relied on off-speed stuff is pretty short.

[HudsonHawk]

And it's 7-6

[TerryPuhl21]

I didn't want to say anything until that at bat was over but I didn't like that matchup. I think Martes' power would have been better against Calhoun.


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[austro]

God damn it. Did we give up anything more than money for Clippard?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Fuck. Motherfucking game

[HudsonHawk]

Now that is stomping your dick

[The Third Man]

Why the fuck was Clippard in the game at all? Jesus fucking Christ, Hinch.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

That is setting your dick on fire and then stomping it out.

[austro]

Nice job, Clippard. Way to shut things down.

[HudsonHawk]

B8:

Cowart grounds out 6-3 on the right side with the shift on
Maybin...0-2...strikes out looking
Trout...full count...walks
Pujols bloop single to CF, Trout to 3B

Martes out, Clippard in...

Calhoun singles to RF...Trout scores, Pujols to 3B
Simmons swings at the first pitch, falls down across the plate, but it's a home run to LF...Pujols scores, Calhoun scores and the Astros have officially stomped their collective dick
Valbuena...full count...strikes out swinging.

But the Astros officially shit the bed...7-6 Angels

[austro]

That is setting your dick on fire and then stomping it out.

And re-lighting it.

[TerryPuhl21]

I know it's a team game and all that matters is if you win, but dammit I'm pissed Peacock got jobbed here. He pitched a damn good game.....again


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[hostros7]

I know it's a team game and all that matters is if you win, but dammit I'm pissed Peacock got jobbed here. He pitched a damn good game.....again


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Couldn't care less about peacock's win total. Team wins are all that matter and this team stepped on its dick with spikes, in owa parlance.


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[MRaup]

Hinch has gone to Giles in the 8th more than once recently needing big outs... So glad that wasn't the plan tonight.

[austro]

At some point Hinch has to figure out that leaving his starter in to give up two runs is better than bringing in his "relievers" to give up four. Right?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Someone needs to go to Clippard's house, microwave some tuna for an hour and shit on his coffee table.

[austro]

Someone needs to go to Clippard's house, microwave some tuna for an hour and shit on his coffee table.

This calls for limburger cheese.

[MRaup]

This loss falls 100% on Hinch's shoulders. What a shitshow management-wise.

[HudsonHawk]

When the Astros fail to make the postseason on the last day of the season, having blown he largest lead in baseball history, they're gonna look back on this one and say "FUCK!!!"

[austro]

This is going to put me in a foul mood for a long time.

[HudsonHawk]

T9:

Astros need a run to tie after Davis's shit defense and Clippard's shit "relief" work

Parker in for the Angels

Marisnick pops out to shallow RF
Springer pops out to shallow RF
Bregman strikes out swinging

Astros embarrass themselves 7-6

[HudsonHawk]

This loss falls 100% on Hinch's shoulders. What a shitshow management-wise.

That's two games in the last three where Hinch was asleep at the wheel.

[austro]

I really don't need to see Davis or Clippard again. Ever.

[HudsonHawk]

This game was like blowing a 56-10 lead with two minutes left in the 4th quarter. 

[HudsonHawk]

I really don't need to see Davis or Clippard again. Ever.

Davis can't get his ass back to the bus leagues fast enough. 

[HudsonHawk]

The only quote that seems appropriate tonight is:

"Get the fuck off of my obstacle!!"

[JimR]

Just going to say don't forget the two runs in the 7th courtesy of Davis.

[HudsonHawk]

Just going to say don't forget the two runs in the 7th courtesy of Davis.

This game was all Astros up to that point.  Seriously...I don't understand why the fuck he's still here. 

[JimR]

I can see Clippard pitching the 9th in a 6-3 game. Not to Calhoun with two on.

[HudsonHawk]

I can see Clippard pitching the 9th in a 6-3 game. Not to Calhoun with two on.

That made no sense to me either.  Calhoun had to be thrilled to face Clippard rather than Martes or Giles

[The Third Man]

This loss falls 100% on Hinch's shoulders. What a shitshow management-wise.

It's true. Martes was dealing. Bringing in Giles for that one out would have been questionable since Martes was pitching so well. Bringing in fucking Tyler Clippard?! Come on, man.

[JimR]

It's true. Martes was dealing. Bringing in Giles for that one out would have been questionable since Martes was pitching so well. Bringing in fucking Tyler Clippard?! Come on, man.

Giles likely was unavailable. He pitched two games in a row.

[DVauthrin]

To be fair, Clippard up until tonight, has pitched well as an Astro.  He had some bad luck that led to his only two earned runs as an Astro on Thursday and he has good numbers against lefties.

[HudsonHawk]

To be fair, Clippard up until tonight, has pitched well as an Astro.  He had some bad luck that led to his only two earned runs as an Astro on Thursday and he has good numbers against lefties.

Well, it was a three run homer to a rightie that did him in. 

[DVauthrin]

Well, it was a three run homer to a rightie that did him in.

Clippard was awful tonight.  But my comment was in reference to the outrage that Hinch went to him in that spot. Clippard has pitched well in August, and has good splits against lefthanded hitters. 

As for righties, before tonight they were hitting .197 against him, but they did have 5 homeruns (now 6).

[HudsonHawk]

Clippard was awful tonight.  But my comment was in reference to the outrage that Hinch went to him in that spot. Clippard has pitched well in August, and has good splits against lefthanded hitters. 

As for righties, before tonight they were hitting .197 against him, but they did have 5 homeruns (now 6).

This is why I hate looking at historical numbers only. Anyone who watched tonight's game, and understood it, was scratching their heads on why Hinch took Martes out when he did.

[JimR]

This is why I hate looking at historical numbers only. Anyone who watched tonight's game, and understood it, was scratching their heads on why Hinch took Martes out when he did.

20-20 hindsight says the better move was to send Strom out to calm down Martes' excitement and to at least give him Calhoun. He was throwing great, and Pujols' hit was a jam shot bloop. Clippard has been pitching well for us but not last night.

Gotta win today.

[DVauthrin]

This is why I hate looking at historical numbers only. Anyone who watched tonight's game, and understood it, was scratching their heads on why Hinch took Martes out when he did.

I agree with you.  There is a lot more to baseball than just what the stats say, and not every move a manager makes should be dictated solely by stats and splits.  The Astros fall into that trap too much for my taste with this current regime, but they have the best record in the AL, so who am I to argue.