Astros @ A's, 9/10/17

[austro]

The walk-fest continues. Keuchel just walked three in a row after a lead-off single, and the A's now lead 2-1. He's certainly not been getting any help from the ump, but damn this is frustrating.

[austro]

Now he "hits" a guy by grazing his toe. This really sucks.

[juliogotay]

Odd things happen at The Mausoleum.

[juliogotay]

20 BBs this series by Astros.

Did you think Altuve was going to catch that?

[doyce7]

The walk-fest continues. Keuchel just walked three in a row after a lead-off single, and the A's now lead 2-1. He's certainly not been getting any help from the ump, but damn this is frustrating.

He's getting squeezed but he's also REALLY nibbling

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[juliogotay]

He's getting squeezed but he's also REALLY nibbling

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he's nibbling and the A's are REALLY patient.

[austro]

And he walks another. And, no, I did not think Altuve would catch that, especially given how this inning is going.

[juliogotay]

on his 41st pitch of the inning Keuchel walks in the second batter this inning. 4-1 A's.

[juliogotay]

So Martes who is not known for his pinpoint control is in. If I'm an Oakland batter I leave my bat on my shoulder.

[HudsonHawk]

A's get three runs without putting a ball in play.

Keuchel did the same fucking thing his last time out. He didn't get a call on Davis, he pouted, them crumbled.

[MusicMan]

I am likely to throw something at my TV. Hopefully my aim is as good as our pitchers'.


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[juliogotay]

What we need is a good old-fashioned rally but I don't think it's in them.

[Lefty]

Fuck this whole weekend.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Fuck this whole weekend.

This.

[The Third Man]

A's get three runs without putting a ball in play.

Keuchel did the same fucking thing his last time out. He didn't get a call on Davis, he pouted, them crumbled.

Dallas has not exactly showed the kind of fortitude you would like from your staff ace.

[juliogotay]

none of them seem very interested this weekend.

[chuck]

I am likely to throw something at my TV. Hopefully my aim is as good as our pitchers'.

Throw it quick before someone from Jacksonville slams you through the coffee table.

[HudsonHawk]

Dallas has not exactly showed the kind of fortitude you would like from your staff ace.

He's pretty much been a whiny little bitch.

[juliogotay]

Springer with a "we've got a plane to catch" swing on strike 3.

[HudsonHawk]

Martes' philosophy:  if a guy is really late on the fastball, hang a curveball.

[doyce7]

Team wide don't give a shit this series. I hope aj tears this team a new asshole before they leave the ballpark

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[austro]

I give up. I can't take this game anymore.

[David in Jackson]

This weekend has really sucked. Does not inspire confidence. Walks. Errors. Pickoffs. Can anybody pitch?


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[doyce7]

Ok that's it for me. See y'all Tuesday.

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[HudsonHawk]

Wow. That at bat by Beltran was the worst I've ever seen at any level of baseball.

[chuck]

Beltran is a fucking joke.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Beltran is a fucking joke.

He's so done.

[HudsonHawk]

Gregerson with more walks and home runs, and it's now 8-2. In case anyone was wondering.

[austro]

Fuck 100 wins. This team will be lucky to get to 90.

Way to put the Boog back into Powell.

[Aussie Astro]

Gregerson with more walks and home runs, and it's now 8-2. In case anyone was wondering.

Hard to watch, but I got up 4 o'clock so I am gonna see it through.

[HudsonHawk]

Sipp didn't want to be left out. 10-2

[austro]

This is fucking embarrassing. This is like 2013 all over again.

[HudsonHawk]

Lost in the shitfest on the mound is that J.D. Davis is playing 1B

[HudsonHawk]

This is fucking embarrassing. This is like 2013 all over again.

And the A's are the 2013 Astros. They are TRYING to lose these games.

[The Spleen]

An injury scare and one tough late inning loss was enough to completely break this team's composure.
How would they deal with postseason pressure?

[Lefty]

Wow. That at bat by Beltran was the worst I've ever seen at any level of baseball.

All hyperbole considered, no, it's not.

[Lefty]

Beltran is a fucking joke.

I kept waiting, and I understand what he brings to the clubhouse, but are we supposed to wait until his magical playoff run?

[HudsonHawk]

All hyperbole considered, no, it's not.

Seriously. I don't remember a worse one. Ever.

[The Spleen]

I kept waiting, and I understand what he brings to the clubhouse, but are we supposed to wait until his magical playoff run?

The problem is that the veteran leadership part isn't working either.

[HudsonHawk]

Fuck Sipp works incredibly ducking slow.

[Aussie Astro]

Fuck Sipp works incredibly ducking slow.

And that is not the worst part.

[MRaup]

Remember when Keuchel said he lost his composure after getting squeezed in the Rangers series and it would never happen again? Good times.

[HudsonHawk]

Kalas, talking about sweeps and clinching. I fucking hate that guy.

[austro]

Finally, it's over. I hope they use the off-day to think about what the fuck they're doing.

[Aussie Astro]

Lame

[chuck]

Kalas, talking about sweeps and clinching. I fucking hate that guy.

Is he discussing the Indians? The Angels? Who the hell is he talking about?

[The Spleen]

Kalas, talking about sweeps.

Sweep? The Angels came from behind to win today and are going to be pumped for this series, knowing that a sweep restarts the division race.
The Astros will be coming into this series longing for the sweet embrace of death.

[HudsonHawk]

Sweep? The Angels came from behind to win today and are going to be pumped for this series, knowing that a sweep restarts the division race.
The Astros will be coming into this series longing for the sweet embrace of death.

The Astros need 7 more wins.  I can't seem them winning one of the last 7 in Arlington or Boston, so that means 7 of the next 13 are "must wins", and 3 of them are against the White Sox who beat them like a drum a few weeks ago.  So that's really 7 of the next 10

[The Third Man]

With the way this team fires scouts and parted ways with Tony Defrancesco, I would expect Hinch to be on the hot seat if they continue to play this bad.

[austro]

I"m hopeful that -- given the way that Luhnow changed the offense over the offseason (from all homers and K's all the time to high contact rate, at least for the first 2/3 of this season) -- we'll see a big makeover of the bullpen this winter.

[juliogotay]

With the way this team fires scouts and parted ways with Tony Defrancesco, I would expect Hinch to be on the hot seat if they continue to play this bad.

When Dierker was in the broadcast booth last month as part of the 20th anniversary of the 1997 division-winning club they asked him how he got the managers' job. He said that the club had collapsed in the second half of the previous season and that tends to get managers fired.
I'm not expecting that now, nor hoping for it, but the seat could be warm if the club doesn't regain its' mojo.

[BlownRanger]

When Dierker was in the broadcast booth last month as part of the 20th anniversary of the 1997 division-winning club they asked him how he got the managers' job. He said that the club had collapsed in the second half of the previous season and that tends to get managers fired.
I'm not expecting that now, nor hoping for it, but the seat could be warm if the club doesn't regain its' mojo.

I share everyone's frustration with Hinch's lineups.  Why the hell would you rest Bregman or Reddick when the series is surrounded by off-days?

But I'm a lot more frustrated with Strom.  I assume he's the guy that has dictated "I don't want to see any 0-2 or 1-2 pitch anywhere near the strike zone!".  I'm sick of seeing Astros pitchers get ahead and then nibble their way to 3-2.  (Actually, the huge majority of 0-2 and 1-2 pitches aren't nibbles, they're in the dirt, which is always fun with Houston's catchers).  Seems to me this philosophy also drives up pitch counts.

I've never pitched or coached pitchers, but I'm venting anyway.

[HudsonHawk]

I share everyone's frustration with Hinch's lineups.  Why the hell would you rest Bregman or Reddick when the series is surrounded by off-days?

Both Reddick and Bregman played three games in three days, Bregman playing both ends of the double header.  More importantly, neither of them pitched.

[juliogotay]

I share everyone's frustration with Hinch's lineups.  Why the hell would you rest Bregman or Reddick when the series is surrounded by off-days?

But I'm a lot more frustrated with Strom.  I assume he's the guy that has dictated "I don't want to see any 0-2 or 1-2 pitch anywhere near the strike zone!".  I'm sick of seeing Astros pitchers get ahead and then nibble their way to 3-2.  (Actually, the huge majority of 0-2 and 1-2 pitches aren't nibbles, they're in the dirt, which is always fun with Houston's catchers).  Seems to me this philosophy also drives up pitch counts.

I've never pitched or coached pitchers, but I'm venting anyway.

It will be interesting to see how Verlander approaches 0-2 counts. I would not think they would tell him "this is how we do it".

[BlownRanger]

It will be interesting to see how Verlander approaches 0-2 counts. I would not think they would tell him "this is how we do it".

Indeed, his first start was a welcome change from the "get ahead, then waste a few pitches" approach.

[JimR]

I do not believe in wasting an 0-2 pitch by throwing one so bad no one would chase it, but I HATE 0-2 base hits. See Powell, Boog leading off the 9th in the Game That Ruined The Weekend.

[BlownRanger]

I do not believe in wasting an 0-2 pitch by throwing one so bad no one would chase it, but I HATE 0-2 base hits. See Powell, Boog leading off the 9th in the Game That Ruined The Weekend.

Agreed, the old "don't give him anything to hit, but don't walk him" joke applies, and it's a fine line to traverse, but in my layman's opinion things have gotten ridiculous with the Astros.  Nearly every 0-2 or 1-2 pitch is in the dirt and a foot outside, pitches that nobody is going to chase (except the poor catcher every now and then).  Truly "wasted" pitches that do nothing but drive up the pitch count.

Peacock actually snuck an 0-2 pitch over the outside corner for a called strikeout during his initial flurry of Ks on Saturday.  The A's hitter seemed amazed that he would do that.