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Messages - Arky Vaughan

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1
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 25, 2019, 12:23:05 pm »
Not sure any of this has fuckall to do with the integrity of the game.

I didn't think the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags were necessary on this site.

2
Talk Zone / Re: 2020 Hall of Fame
« on: November 25, 2019, 11:22:51 am »
Jeter brought thrills to routine plays like no other player. He added excitement where there was none. Therefore HOF.

Exactly. Before Jeter, watching baseball was less fun than watching paint dry. He changed the game forever. God bless him for all he has given us.

3
Talk Zone / Re: 2020 Hall of Fame
« on: November 24, 2019, 09:29:16 pm »
Wayne Gretzky won the MVP award nine times.

Michael Jordan won the MVP award five times.

Joe Montana won the MVP award two times.

Derek Jeter finished in second place one time and in third place two times in MVP voting.

They are not remotely comparable.

4
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 24, 2019, 09:17:12 pm »
I for one think it's swell that MLB is approaching these allegations with the seriousness they deserve in order to protect the integrity of the game, unlike two decades ago when MLB swept the steroids scandal under the rug since all the home runs helped people forget that Bud Selig presided over the first World Series cancelation in 90 years.

5
Talk Zone / Re: 2020 Roster
« on: November 20, 2019, 10:04:43 am »
Amen. People forget that he came from a totalitarian country where he had no money. Being rich and free simultaneously for the first time must be like drinking from the fire hydrant.

I would attribute it even moreso to different cultures having different sensibilities when it comes to race. It is not uncommon in Latin America, for example, for anyone of Asian descent to be referred to as "chino," whereas in our culture, referring to all people of Asian descent as Chinese (or all people of Hispanic descent as Mexican) would be considered inappropriate.

6
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 19, 2019, 06:06:48 pm »
I speculate that the punishment could be that the entire Astros roster will be turned over to the Brewers.

There. Now you can all go forth and tell everyone that you have heard speculation of this.

7
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 19, 2019, 04:28:49 pm »
Maybe Manfred can use all his commissioner super powers to impose a really drastic punishment on the Astros, like forcing them at gunpoint to change leagues. Oh, wait ...

8
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 19, 2019, 12:50:29 pm »
Sorry if this is Cabrera'd.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/amp/MLB-told-video-monitors-to-listen-for-Astros-14844792.php?utm_campaign=CMS

Perhaps I am stating the obvious, but I see these as the salient points:
  • Early in the 2019 season, Major League Baseball instructed video monitors working in Minute Maid Park to listen for banging sounds emanating from the Astros’ dugout, a person with knowledge of the directive said Monday.
  • The Athletic’s report detailed alleged wrongdoing in 2017 only. Whether the Astros continued their practices into 2018 or 2019 remains unconfirmed
  • Major League Baseball cleared the Astros of any wrongdoing after accusations during the 2018 postseason, when a camera-wielding employee was removed from the photo well at Fenway Park, concluding the event was surveillance and not spying.
  • During this year’s American League Championship Series, several unnamed members of the Yankees organization accused the Astros of whistling loudly to convey what pitch was coming. General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch vehemently denied the act. MLB found no rules violations.
  • Clubs that break these rules are subject to “progressive” discipline, according to a copy of the 2019 policy obtained by the Chronicle. It states that if a team engages in a “premeditated plan to steal an opposing Club’s signs using electronic equipment,” it “in violation of these Regulations with the knowledge of any front office or on-field personnel will result in the loss of player selection rights under Major League Rule 4 or loss of benefits under the International Amateur Talent System.
I would take away from these items that (1) MLB already knew about 2017, or else they wouldn't have issued the instructions in 2019, (2) allegations in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs have already been looked at by MLB and found unsubstantiated, and (3) calls for anything harsher than forfeiting draft picks are unsupported by the policy. And given that any 2017 wrongdoing occurred before the draft picks punishment was announced, even that seems like a stretch. The precedent prior to 2019 was fines, which is what the Red Sox and Yankees received for alleged cheating.

9
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 19, 2019, 12:24:23 pm »
“I’m confident that, in general, most of the time we tried...” 

Way to nail it down, boss.

That's four caveats in one statement.

11
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 18, 2019, 02:02:31 pm »
Actually, the Chris Russo I quoted is an intern, so he's not the same guy on MLB Network. Just a coincidence that two people sharing the same name could be such fools.

12
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 18, 2019, 01:59:13 pm »
He forgot to mention Caminiti used steroids and Mike Scott scuffed the ball.

13
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 18, 2019, 01:55:15 pm »
He seemed like a “Cheers” extra, who ‘d make Cliff Clavin a Rhodes Scholar by comparison

I read something on the clickbait site 12up.com by Russo the other day. The article ended this way:

"In the last couple of years, their first baseman made a racist gesture in the World Series but had his suspension pushed back to the next year. They've been accused of stealing signs. They traded for a player accused of domestic violence, and their general manager later rubbed that in the faces of female reporters."

Pretty clueless. Also a defamation risk.

14
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 18, 2019, 08:40:58 am »
Now, as co-author of the hit piece, the Astros are like the Black Sox and Pete Rose had a baby with Satan himself.

So this prompted me to put these two together using one of those "what would my baby look like?" sites. The result looks like the embodiment of evil indeed. (I can't get the result to link. Which is for the best.)

Shoeless Joe

Charlie Hustle


15
Talk Zone / Re: Signal stealing haiku
« on: November 18, 2019, 08:31:34 am »
Now somebody do it to the tune of "We Didn't Start the Fire."

16
Talk Zone / Re: Signal stealing haiku
« on: November 17, 2019, 11:39:49 pm »
Outfield camera
Dugout tunnel monitor
Dented garbage can

17
Talk Zone / Re: Signal stealing haiku
« on: November 17, 2019, 11:35:46 pm »
Behind a paywall
Drelich bangs on his laptop
Thirsting for revenge

18
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 17, 2019, 11:15:38 pm »
In-game electronic sign-stealing creates an acronym that suits a lot of the speculation well: IGESS (I guess).

19
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 17, 2019, 11:13:51 pm »
1. If MLB concludes (whether with or without clear and convincing evidence) that cheating in the form of in-game electronic sign-stealing occurred, it would be surprising if Hinch and Luhnow did not receive suspensions, and that seems appropriate. If Cora and Beltran are found to have been heavily involved in designing and implementing the system, would they be suspended (or perhaps merely fined) as well even though they now belong to other organizations?

2. Although "other people do it" is not an excuse for wrongdoing, an investigation that does not address violations league-wide would be hollow. It would be like investigating only the Cardinals and the Cubs for steroids during the late '90s (pre-Bonds) because McGwire and Sosa were the two biggest suspects. Rosenthal has noted the widespread abuses throughout MLB, and Manfred has indicated that the investigation will not focus solely on Houston.

3. The conflation of illegal activity with permissible behavior, such as having scouts take video or pictures of dugout signals in games in which the team is not involved, undermines the credibility of the reporting. As early as ALDS Game 5 people claimed the Astros taking advantage of Tyler Glasnow tipping his pitches was controversial, even though it was perfectly legal. In a world driven by clickbait, blurring the lines between actual wrongdoing and axe-grinding is too common.

20
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 15, 2019, 11:04:35 pm »
Looks like he likes it medium high and in. Typical righty.

I'm looking forward to a bobblehead of Orbit beating the hell out of a trash can. Not sure if he's a righty or a lefty.

21
Talk Zone / Re: Reid Ryan phasing out
« on: November 08, 2019, 10:24:46 pm »
It's a closely held private business. Who cares who the owners choose to run it?

My only concern is as a consumer who wants to spend my money on a competitive team (baseball side) and a pleasurable fan experience (operations side).

Crane can hire his son, his masseuse, his parrot, etc.

22
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 05, 2019, 09:55:45 am »
Correct.  The 1906-1910 FTC almost made it five in a row; won 100+ every season except 1908, when they won 99.

Which is even scarier given that that they didn't play 162 games. Even then, they lost two World Series and didn't win the pennant once.

1906 - 116-36 - Lost World Series (to the 93-58 White Sox)
1907 - 107-45 - Won World Series
1908 - 99-55 - Won World Series
1909 - 104-49 - Finished 2nd (by 6-1/2 games; the Pirates were 110-42)
1910 - 104-50 - Lost World Series (to the 102-48 A's)

Apply those winning percentages to 162 and you get:

1906 - 124-38
1907 - 114-48
1908 - 104-58
1909 - 110-52
1910 - 109-53

People talk about competitive imbalance today. Winning that many games in an eight-team league means that the bottom-feeders were unspeakably awful.

23
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 05, 2019, 09:42:56 am »
Far, far worse. Unlucky is a fact. “Wanted it more” sounds like HS football. Completely silly applied to professional baseball players in the World Series.

You beat me to it and said it far better than I could.

They've been doing this since they were little boys, are incredibly well compensated, are among the best in the world at what they do, and were on the cusp of returning to their profession's highest pinnacle. The idea that they just didn't want it badly enough is ludicrous.

24
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 05, 2019, 09:39:17 am »
BB9    SO9    SO/W    WPA
8 ALDS      8   1   .889   2.52   13   12   0   1   1   0   75.0   49   21   21   6   29   0   87   1   0   1   296   1.040   5.9   0.7   3.5   10.4   3.00   1.65
7 ALCS      6   4   .600   3.13   11   11   0   1   0   0   74.2   56   26   26   11   17   0   79   1   1   5   296   0.978   6.8   1.3   2.0   9.5   4.65   1.59
4 WS      0   6   .000   5.68   7   7   0   0   0   0   38.0   35   27   24   9   14   0   39   1   0   2   162   1.289   8.3   2.1   3.3   9.2   2.79   -0.84
Standard Batting

OK, it's the World series. If Hinch deems it an issue, then it must be. There is a trend in the above stats

You've got a sample size of 30 postseason starts total and seven starts in the World Series. I'd be wary of reading too much of a trend out of such a limited data set.

25
Talk Zone / Re: Awards
« on: November 03, 2019, 11:11:59 pm »
Greinke put on a fielding show in G7.

The inducing soft contact, and then making all the plays look easy, was a clinic.

26
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 03, 2019, 11:10:19 pm »
I posted this in the GZ aftermath, but it works here also.

Hinch’s Harris decision, imo: he trusted Harris in that situation more than Greinke. Longer history with him, Harris had an excellent season and postseason, had Ked Kendrick in key situation in DC. As Arky said, whatever Hinch did in the 7th would have been condemned by the media and the uneducated if it did not result in a victory.

I guess I’ll get over my disappointment and disbelief about G7 in time, but I am not close to there yet.

It will always be a sore spot. Just less sore with time.

If they win another one with this team, it might become less significant in context. If this team doesn't win again, it's going to stick out forever.

27
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 03, 2019, 11:07:55 pm »
So far first waking thought each morning has centered on the 7th inning.

I'm guessing it'll be that way for a while.

Yep. I wake up and have forgotten about it, then remember it and experience it all over again.

Think how the players themselves must feel.

28
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch’s decisions and thinking/G7
« on: November 02, 2019, 09:36:31 pm »
If he'd left Greinke in, and Greinke gave up the lead, or called in Cole, and Cole gave up the lead, he'd have been attacked for that. The critics are going to bitch no matter what. Because to them, it's just a matter of pulling the right levers, and, viola, victory! That's not how the real world works.

29
Talk Zone / Re: Team of the Decade?
« on: November 02, 2019, 09:33:33 pm »
Decades are an arbitrary cutoff anyway.

From the ashes, my 12-year-old said to me yesterday, after being miserable for a couple of days, "I was really feeling bad about losing. But I still think this team can win 100 games again and go back to the World Series."

They hit in the 2017 playoffs, they didn't hit in the 2019 playoffs. Let's see what 2020 brings.

30
Talk Zone / Re: Cole and Game 5
« on: October 31, 2019, 05:38:28 pm »
I was in a horrible mood after the game. I still am. I can't imagine how much worse a mood the players were in. So I can understand that Cole might have said and done some things that were out of character, even if it's part of his job to talk to the media after his team loses Game 7 of the World Series.

That being said, I recall that Cole rebuffed earlier efforts by the Astros to discuss an extension. Keuchel did the same. I never got the impression that Cole was interested in staying with the Astros. I wish he'd have acquitted himself better last night, but I suspect the Astros and Cole probably made their peace with him moving on some time ago.

I would've loved to have him back, but I'm confident that Luhnow has been planning contingencies for replacing Cole for several months now. The Morton reclamation project worked out. The Miley one, not so much. But I imagine they'll combine some form of mid-market signing with what's already in the organization. McCullers will be back too. If he's able to return to form, that's three pretty good arms in the rotation already.

31
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 08:22:22 pm »
Carlitos!!!

32
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 08:17:18 pm »
The sleeping giant is waking up!

33
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 08:15:22 pm »
First egregious call from HPU.

So he's way behind the pace of his colleagues in this series.

Otherwise, he's been very good.

34
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 08:11:13 pm »
When I hear “Rubberband Man”, I don’t think Bank of America, I think Guardians of the Galaxy.

Concur.

35
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 07:48:55 pm »
Wow. That was Astro-like.

36
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 07:42:20 pm »
Beers, plural.

37
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 07:34:37 pm »
Air Yordan!

38
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 07:31:46 pm »
Did you guys know Soto is 21?

39
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 09:38:04 pm »
Vindication!

40
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 08:38:53 pm »
It takes a lot of balls to call that a swing after what went on last night.

41
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 08:01:07 pm »
Looks like another grind game, two runs look fragile

They'd have scored at least five in the first with a non-vision-impaired umpire.

42
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 12:33:35 am »
Somewhere inside Alex Bregman is a primal force begging to be unleashed. Let us hope it happens soon.

43
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:42:08 pm »
The top of the eighth was underwhelming.

44
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:05:17 pm »
Is there a reason Hinch has gone with the B-team relievers in the most important game of the season?

45
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:51:42 pm »
If the Astros can't hold on to win, there is your turning point.

Bregman is fucking putrid presently.

The fact that the Nationals were able to intentional walk him there and pay no price for it is strong evidence of the uphill battle this team is facing.

46
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:27:13 pm »
Strike 3!

47
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:22:41 pm »
James? Yikes!

48
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 08:04:23 pm »
Bregman gave that one a ride.

49
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 07:39:24 pm »
I forgot what ballpark we're in. Pettis should've sent Reddick with Greinke coming up.

50
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 07:34:58 pm »
Outstanding! Risky, but outstanding!

51
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 07:33:46 pm »
They're hitting Sanchez hard. Of course, they were hitting the ball hard in Games 1 and 2 as well. Let's hope for a different result.

52
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 07:28:04 pm »
Chalk up a double for blue behind the plate.

53
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 07:21:08 pm »
Sure, but it feels like every last hard hit ball in this series has been within the range of a defender.

Meanwhile, expect to see lots of 60 mph hits falling in for the charmed-life Nats.

54
Talk Zone / Re: Latest Controversy
« on: October 24, 2019, 01:59:49 pm »
Poor spelling?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That too.

55
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 2, October 23, 2019
« on: October 24, 2019, 01:06:38 am »
Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander are the first teammates to each win 20 games during the regular season but lose Games 1 and 2 of a World Series since Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers in 1965 against the Twins.

The Dodgers would recover to win that series in 7 games.

Here's hoping for 2 out of 3 in D.C.

56
Talk Zone / Re: Latest Controversy
« on: October 24, 2019, 12:14:28 am »
This might distract people from the Taubman story for a little while... yikes.

So, MLB might finally find something it is willing to discipline an umpire for?

57
Talk Zone / Re: Latest Controversy
« on: October 23, 2019, 02:24:38 pm »
The press release and now Luhnow’s comments are the reason why I counsel my clients to buy the crisis management add-on to insurance packages.  Allowing senior executives to rake-step their way through interview after interview does nothing but generate clicks for the media and bad press for the individuals and organization.

Indeed, going into an interview not being better prepared for entirely expected questions suggests a lack of understanding of the gravity of the situation.

58
Talk Zone / Re: JV on short rest
« on: October 09, 2019, 04:52:31 pm »
If you would have told me ahead of time how JV would do last night and given me two choices; a) Verlander on short rest knowing you would give up the four runs, or b) take your chances with Urquidy and the pen, I take option A.  Every.  Single Time.

This right here.

In fact, if you told anyone before the series began that we'd start Verlander in Game 1, Cole in Game 2, and Grienke in Game 3, then cobble together enough pitching to allow four runs in Game 4, they'd take that.

And, as noted, short of JV giving up zero runs, they can't win when the offense shuts down.

59
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:26:13 pm »
JV got his stuff together, but now the offense is sputtering.

And we get to see what the bullpen will do.

60
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:25:18 pm »
That was about as piss-poor of an inning as I've seen in a while.

61
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:23:44 pm »
WTF, Altuve!

62
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:21:05 pm »
As everybody is pointing out, if it were as simple as I wish, everybody would do it.

I certainly didn't expect Bregman to strike out in that situation.

63
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:18:04 pm »
... be more selective in certain easily recognizable situations.

I'm not sure it's as simple as that, even if it seems that way. Ballplayers are like everyone else. They're creatures of habit.

64
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:15:55 pm »
And right on cue he draws a walk.

We've all seen him fritter away a 3-0 advantage before. Well done this time leading off the inning down two runs.

65
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 09:12:41 pm »
No one is criticizing him for lack of perfection, dude. We all know that the greatest batters in the league fail 70% of the time. I don't mind that he expands the zone. He gets a lot of hits on bad pitches. There have been other hitters like that. I'd just love to see him be a little more selective. More importantly, time and time again he goes up to the plate in important situations and shows zero recognition of what's needed at that time. I don't know where that comes from, why he's not more sensitive to the game situation.

I think he presses in some game situations. So even if he knows what he should do, he fails to even try to put it into effect. Sometimes lack of clutch, or whatever someone wants to call it, can be mental rather than physical.

66
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 08:46:23 pm »
On another subject. Profar and throwing doesn't go together very well.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Yet so far, the A's having suffered for it.

67
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 08:34:33 pm »
Same here.   Maybe there was a zoned in view that showed it more clearly.

George didn't protest.

They've shown there is no real standard of review. Sometimes they overturn calls when there is no clear evidence to overturn, sometimes they let calls stand where there is lots of clear evidence to overturn. It's just whatever they feel like at any given moment. And there is no sign the commissioner's office cares one bit.

68
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 08:16:58 pm »
"That's the way baseball go."
- Ron Washington

Indeed.

69
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Sea Hags @ Astros, 9/12/19
« on: September 12, 2019, 08:11:36 pm »
It's strange how the wheels can come off two or three games in a row after romping for several games.

70
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:52:32 pm »
Is it too early to bring in a position player?

71
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:36:43 pm »
Wasn't a problem for most of the season.

Yup. Seeing-eye singles see past non-shifts too.

72
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:35:52 pm »
Time to start chipping away again.

73
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:30:07 pm »
Have they hit anything hard?

74
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:27:27 pm »
More FIFY.

One more question mark for Luhnow Hinch in the off-season postseason.

75
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:25:47 pm »
FIFY.

And that’s it for Miley. Once again, can’t get out of the first third of an inning.

76
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:23:58 pm »
This is fucking ridiculous.

77
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:22:34 pm »
Is he tipping pitches? A flaw is in his delivery? Guys usually don't go from third in the league in ERA to eight runs over 1/3 of an inning in two outings.

78
Game Zone 2019 / Re: A’s @ Astros, September 10, 2019
« on: September 10, 2019, 07:20:39 pm »
Feels like last week, except he got someone out this time.

79
Talk Zone / Re: Reymin Guduan
« on: September 03, 2019, 11:25:18 pm »
That ain't just assault. That's battery.

With a bat, that's a felony. It may also be grounds for deportation, depending on his visa status.

80
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:33:11 pm »
Altuve takes 2 balls then swings wildly at a slider, then swings wildly at another slider and hits a 10 hopper to short stop.

BE FUCKING PATIENT FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

Patient? What's that?

81
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:32:21 pm »
No. That's not entirely true.

This is a game the Astros had control of, then shat the bed repeatedly with runners on. Instead of taking a commanding lead, their scrub-ass pitcher gagged up run after run. NOW you can blame the 4th -5th pitcher.

This is exactly how that shaky ass win against the Rangers COULD'VE gone if the offense hadn't kept their foot on the gas.

This is a knock-on effect of the 4 and 5 situation. Even the otherwise reliable relievers are shakier now because of overuse. At this rate, the bullpen is going to be shot by mid-September, even if they can land another starter.

82
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:29:31 pm »
That and the Tyler White Experience.

I assume Tyler White is just marking time until Diaz and Correa are activated. That's a different issue from Valdez, who still has options.

83
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:27:09 pm »
Ok, genius. What would you do? Who pitches?

James for more than one inning (as you yourself suggested)? Devo? McHugh?

There are no good options. But Framber is rapidly becoming the worst bad option.

Three games now they've fallen way behind and still had to burn out the bullpen. It's not like he gives up six or seven runs but at least eats some innings.

I'm loath to second-guess this organization given its track record, but I'm not the only person here wondering what Framber has to do not to start another game.

84
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:16:15 pm »
It's been a long time since I've seen a team this talented and this well-run generally continue to try something that has been proven to fail so consistently. Sending Framber out there every five days is something like the Cleveland Browns or some other organization wedded to failure would do.

85
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 11:09:56 pm »
I really think this should be the last time we see Framber this year.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

That's a thought that has occurred repeatedly for about three weeks now.

86
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros vs Angels 07-15-2019
« on: July 15, 2019, 10:49:14 pm »
The idea is to "open" with your "6th inning guy" to get the other teams best hitters out in the first. Then you go to the "bulk guy" who now gets to "ease" his way into the game and in theory would be in rhythm by the time the top of the order comes back around.

You use a guy like Framber because you expect to get about 5 innings from him, you're just using him for a different 5 innings.

The only reason why you don't have James go 2-3 innings is so that you can still use him tomorrow and don't burn 2 pitchers in one game, so to speak.

I'm not convinced it's really that effective, but that's the general idea of why you do it.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I understand the idea of openers generally, but any plan specifically premised on Framber Valdez going anywhere near five innings is manifestly ill-conceived.

87
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Seattle v. Houston; June 29
« on: June 28, 2019, 10:02:17 pm »
At their recent rate of scoring, they should tally another run sometime Sunday.

88
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Seattle v. Houston; June 29
« on: June 28, 2019, 09:57:41 pm »
Finally.

89
Talk Zone / Re: Joe West is a Dumbass
« on: October 18, 2018, 08:52:16 am »
The positive thing is Rob Manfred and MLB will get right on cleaning up all the replay messes ... as soon as the World Series between the Dodgers and Red Sox is over.

90
At least it is not SRO.

The plane could get crowded if people were walking around with oversized Astros sombreros. Also, Orbit only fits in first class.

91
I would really love to take you up on that, but I'll be 30,000 feet somewhere over the Pacific.  I'm hoping I can get internet and at least follow along.

Those are some nosebleed seats.

(Sorry, hit modify rather than reply the first time around.)

93
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Angels @ Astros, Sept. 2, 2018
« on: September 02, 2018, 09:05:49 pm »
That ball looked like it bounced off the yellow before it hit the top of the sign.

94
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:44:46 pm »
I'll take your word for it.

I prefer your approach of not even listening.

95
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:43:49 pm »
Tony Kemp and Tyler White have made themselves important cogs in the machine.

Yup. Everybody contributes.

96
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:38:02 pm »
I stand happily corrected.

97
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:36:55 pm »
I don't do Stanton. I'm listening to the radio guys.

Hearing Kalas with anyone else really sort of sharpens how good Blum is.

Stanton just makes stuff up as he goes along.

98
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:36:11 pm »
Can't buy a go-ahead hit in the late innings.

99
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 01, 2018, 10:22:29 pm »
But it's a cool thing to say at parent orientation for freshmen. Very cool.

Mere words, unfortunately.

100
Talk Zone / Re: No bat?
« on: August 01, 2018, 08:14:20 pm »
Aw, come on, man. He shored up the catcher position to backstop McCann, and he acquired two good additions to the bully. Everything else was probably too expensive.

Particularly for a team, notwithstanding its recent woes, still on a pace at the trade deadline to win 101 games.

101
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 01, 2018, 08:12:35 pm »
Probably someone who actually doesn't beat women.

POTW.

102
Talk Zone / Re: season tickets
« on: August 01, 2018, 08:11:44 pm »
Mine went from $90 per seat to $130 per seat.  I may have wanted them to get a bat, but I didn’t want to pay for it all by myself.  I suspect that kind of jump drives off corporate clients.

I'll be curious to see. At $59 each, I can sell enough on StubHub and get enough friends to go to make it worthwhile. But the market at $88 each is a lot different.

I should've suspected something when the opening day tickets went on sale and were absurdly priced.

Maybe we each get to sponsor a player next season.

103
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 01, 2018, 07:02:29 pm »
Does a zero-tolerance policy for bullying mean the kids will be expelled from a school, or does it mean that if there is bullying, the school is going to punish the kids according to whatever the school policy is rather than make an exception for them because the football coach is protecting them?

104
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at M’s - 8/1/18
« on: August 01, 2018, 04:35:19 pm »
Hammering anyone at this point feels good.

Precisely.

105
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at M’s - 8/1/18
« on: August 01, 2018, 04:34:49 pm »
What’s gotten into Pettis lately?  He’s been more conservative.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He must be in a contract year.

106
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at M’s - 8/1/18
« on: August 01, 2018, 04:33:09 pm »
It never occurred to me that hammering the Mariners could feel so good.

107
Talk Zone / Re: Up the middle
« on: August 01, 2018, 12:07:16 pm »
I hold you both liable.

108
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 01, 2018, 08:49:41 am »
You had missed so many other points in the discussion I'm not really sure what is and isn't obvious to you.

Have we had an unpleasant interaction in the past that I don't recall? You seem really hung up on picking a fight, which isn't what I was looking for. If I wanted that, I'd go to social media.

109
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 01, 2018, 01:07:31 am »
He would never find work in baseball.

That was already obvious from the context of the discussion. As I said before, I wasn't expressing a moral view on the trade. I was just trying to make sense of what Luhnow's thought process might have been. If you want to keep pounding away at it, be my guest.

110
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: July 31, 2018, 09:48:13 pm »
I also question whether the people in the media honing in on the zero-tolerance issue aren't being a bit inconsistent by not having complained about the CBA in the first place. The CBA doesn't require players accused of domestic abuse to be permanently expelled from baseball, but if you expect individual teams never to retain or acquire any player who ever violated the domestic abuse policy, then the result should ultimately be that a player like that wouldn't find work anywhere.

111
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: July 31, 2018, 09:42:25 pm »
You've conflated the MLB policy with team policy. If a team wishes to sever ties with a player, they have the right to do so. They'll have to eat the contract of course (if the player is under a multi-year deal) but they fully control who they will and will not associate with.

And as far as "what the rules require or allow", my understanding of the league policy is a lifetime ban most certainly IS allowed (no minimum or maximum punishments). As you would expect there to be.

I don't think I'm conflating anything. I'm saying a zero-tolerance policy doesn't mean never having anything to do with a player who breaks the rules. It means always penalizing, and not ignoring or excusing, a player who breaks the rules. I made no comment on whether the Astros should or shouldn't acquire Osuna, or any other player, regardless of what league rules say.

112
Talk Zone / Re: No bat?
« on: July 31, 2018, 09:37:36 pm »
No. I wonder if he knows something about Correa and Altuve that we don't that leads him to believe that this year just isn't meant to be, and he'd be better off staying out of the feeding frenzy.

He might also know something about Correa and Altuve that leads him to believe they'll be back in a few weeks and the middle of the order will get a much-needed shot in the arm.

113
Talk Zone / Re: season tickets
« on: July 31, 2018, 08:36:02 pm »
You want a bat next year or not?

I used to say they'd have to let some guys walk, and I'd be fine with that. But with that kind of increase, yeah, they should go get a bat. For that kind of money, they should be able to build a DeLorean time machine and go get Stan Musial.

114
Talk Zone / Re: season tickets
« on: July 31, 2018, 08:25:17 pm »
Apparently the Astros have raised season ticket prices somewhere north of 40%.  I wonder if they'll also raise beer prices?

Feld box seats have increased from $59 per seat to $88 per seat.

I guess they figure enough people are on the waiting list where they can sell them all in 2019, but good God, that's a lot.

115
Talk Zone / Re: No bat?
« on: July 31, 2018, 08:20:18 pm »
Today seemed a day of no rumors but quick reports and announcements. I didn't see the Astros appear in any report that didn't involve Osuna.

What about the Astros acquiring Bryce Harper to play left field?

116
Talk Zone / Re: No bat?
« on: July 31, 2018, 08:19:31 pm »
I was with friends and could not follow it today. Were we in on anyone?

I was listening to 790 when the deadline was approaching and passed, and I don't think there was much with the Astros today.

117
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: July 31, 2018, 08:16:59 pm »
Long time, no see, Noe.

Two points (generally, not to Noe specifically):

1. A zero-tolerance policy doesn't mean the guy never plays again. It means there's zero tolerance for the conduct constituting the offense, and if you commit the offense, you pay the penalty. Osuna's penalty is 75 games. He's almost done serving that. Turning 75 games into a lifetime ban isn't what the rules require or allow. Manfred said as much recently. So I don't view Luhnow's comments on zero tolerance as inconsistent with trading for Osuna. Whether you agree with the acquisition is separate from whether Luhnow is really serious about zero tolerance.

2. The Astros are commonly reported as at the forefront not just of physical and performance analytics but evaluating character and mental make-up too. Evaluations of that sort are by no means decisive, and things go wrong sometimes no matter how much data you have. It'd be pretty surprising if the Astros didn't do as extensive a check as Luhnow suggests. It's just not how they usually operate. That doesn't make the move right or wrong from whatever moral standpoint you want to apply, but it's doubtful they got into this without their eyes wide open.

118
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at angels - 7/20/18
« on: July 20, 2018, 11:20:04 pm »
That's the first time I've ever been thankful for the other team getting a base hit.

119
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at angels - 7/20/18
« on: July 20, 2018, 11:06:01 pm »
That's just cruel.

120
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 05:03:47 pm »
I would run errands to Wal-Mart for Kate.

Love the demotion. Give some time and space to it before cutting cords with someone who could yet prove to be a very valuable asset.

Wondering if it isn’t most likely re: JV that he was tending to KG in the immediate aftermath of the game; ie, let’s go talk about some shit over a beer before the press get here and you shove the shoe farther in there...

I'm going to guess that's wishful thinking, but if it's true, it'd be one of the classier things I've heard an older teammate doing for a younger teammate.

121
Talk Zone / Re: Bregman's last 162 games
« on: July 11, 2018, 05:02:25 pm »
And one five foot walk-off.

And one five footinch walk-off.

122
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 04:59:06 pm »
Yes we are. I would run through wall for AJ. I can listen to him talk and share his knowledge all day. He has a way of communicating that I’m sure gets the message across to all of those players. He’s much more than a manager to them, he’s probably a father figure to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The other thing is the other players see how he handles this, and it makes them want to run through walls for him, because they know that even if they screw up, he has their backs.

123
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 04:54:38 pm »
Good. Maybe Kate sent him to the store.

I'd run errands for Kate.

124
Talk Zone / Re: DH and LF
« on: May 13, 2018, 11:47:29 pm »
Even with the offensive woes at the bottom of the order and at home, this team still has the best run differential in the majors by a good margin. If they get their act straight top to bottom at the plate, they have a strong probability of obliterating the rest of the league.

125
Talk Zone / Re: DH and LF
« on: May 09, 2018, 03:34:52 pm »

126
Talk Zone / Re: DH and LF
« on: May 09, 2018, 03:34:29 pm »

127
Talk Zone / Re: DH and LF
« on: May 08, 2018, 11:22:17 pm »
so its ok to keep players in triple a who would play  better than the fish but even tho the astros are loosing games, needs a better bat it is ok to let him stay up and learn?
double speak at its best. where is the skeleton buried?

I know and understand this is a business but it almost seems personal with gattis. what else could be the reason.

I have nothing to add to the discussion of what should be done at designated hitter or left field, but I have had a revelation that would explain a lot from the last 20 years: Fredia is a Russian bot.

128
Talk Zone / Re: Starting Pitching
« on: May 08, 2018, 09:55:07 am »
It also stands to reason that given how seldom anybody has struck out 20, or even 19 or 18, batters in a game, getting into opponent strength is a bit quibbling. Regardless of whether it's the '98 Astros or '98 Devil Rays, it's an exceedingly rare and historic feat. Much rarer than a no-hitter, more on the order of a perfect game.

129
Talk Zone / Re: Starting Pitching
« on: May 08, 2018, 09:50:43 am »
Opposition strength isn't considered. It's just a quick and dirty method of measuring the performance using the numbers that appear in the box score:

Start with 50 points.
Add one point for each out recorded, so three points for every complete inning pitched.
Add two points for each inning completed after the fourth.
Add one point for each strikeout.
Subtract two points for each hit allowed.
Subtract four points for each earned run allowed.
Subtract two points for each unearned run allowed.
Subtract one point for each walk.

130
Talk Zone / Re: Starting Pitching
« on: April 22, 2018, 08:05:50 pm »
That's exactly how it works.

131
Talk Zone / Starting Pitching
« on: April 22, 2018, 08:02:22 pm »
Game Scores since McCullers imploded on April 11.

Cole 76
Morton 63
Verlander 86
Keuchel 67
McCullers 81
Cole 68
Morton 79
Verlander 70
Keuchel 64
McCullers 54

Not a bad run.

132
Talk Zone / In search of old Astros programs and magazines
« on: March 04, 2018, 03:03:30 pm »
If you’ve got any you wouldn’t mind selling, please PM me. Thanks.

133
Talk Zone / Re: Opening Day Tickets
« on: March 04, 2018, 03:02:33 pm »
If anybody needs two seats for a specific game this season, please PM me.

134
Talk Zone / Re: Thank You
« on: November 06, 2017, 10:58:14 pm »
I didn't know if this moment would ever come, but I cannot imagine it being any sweeter, having spent the last 20 or so years goofing off with all of you.  Tomorrow I will read the GZ and everything else, but tonight I'm smoking that special victory cigar.  We here at OWA have been through a lot, and we routinely "fight like hell" because...well, that's why we're here. 

But on behalf of OWA, and honestly, from the very bottom of our hearts...thank you OWA.  You are the best.

Backatcha, HH. This place has made the most Astros excruciating moments of the last two decades all the more bearable, and the Astros highlights, and finally the culmination of all baseball dreams, all the more sweet.

135
B9 of Game 7, 5- 1, 2 outs

Seager,
grounder to Altuve on the first pitch, 4 - 3 3  outs !

ASTROS WIN, ASTROS WIN, ASTROS WIN

Your 2017 World Series Champions, the Houston Astros!

Here I am reading all this five days later, and when I get to the last out, I get all misty, just like I did watching the actual game. AstrosConnection/OrangeWhoopass/SpikesnStars rules.

136
Dude was as red in the face as I've ever seen.

Dudette. My bad.

137
Fucking idiot. Obviously clueless about grabbing balls.

Dude was as red in the face as I've ever seen.

138
There are baseball rules, which say you put the runner where you think he'd have ended up with no interference.  They didn't think Gattis would make second base.

I can't really argue with that. The part about Gattis making second base, that is.

139
Shouldn’t there be ground rules that dictate this sort of thing?

Ought to be a ground-rule double, especially when the home team's personnel is involved.

140
I thought ball boys were especially trained not to touch balls in play.

141
As long as we keep it a one run game, anything can happen.

I'm waiting for one of those pop-fly 300-foot home runs to go our way for a change.

142
Painful.

143
Talk Zone / Re: Mariners Series Rotation
« on: September 14, 2017, 12:01:31 am »
Morton, Keuchel, Verlander (1st home start).   All three flying home early tomorrow.

Cryogenically frozen, I hope.

144
Talk Zone / Re: Anyone else bummed...
« on: September 10, 2017, 01:48:43 pm »
The one thing I try to remember to keep up my optimism is that the Indians can't possibly win more than another five or 10 games in a row ...

145
Cheater.

146
Any word on Altuve?

147
Talk Zone / Re: Trade Deadline 2017
« on: August 04, 2017, 01:56:27 pm »
Uh, yes you can.  you have to click the "Don't use smileys." option under the "Attachments and other options" menu.

Good to know. Thanks, BG.

148
Talk Zone / Re: Trade Deadline 2017
« on: August 04, 2017, 02:52:44 am »
And the fact that you can't enter an eight and a parenthesis without it making a freaking emoticon is a pretty poignant expression on where we are culturally and intellectually these days. It's like we're all back in elementary school.

Get off my lawn.

149
Talk Zone / Re: Trade Deadline 2017
« on: August 04, 2017, 02:51:13 am »
Let's see ...

1) there were no true game-changers on the block; Gray is nice, but he's not the difference between also-rans and world champions; there was no 1998 Randy Johnson (or, on the offensive side, 2004 Carlos Beltran) out there; the Yankees needed Gray more than the Astros, because, despite the recent run of mediocrity, the Astros are still the better team;

2) the Astros were reportedly highly focused and very near obtaining one of the very best relievers available, but the other team's owner pulled back; but for a dyspeptic octogenarian in Baltimore, people would be praising Luhnow as the second coming of Branch Rickey; that seems like pretty flimsy grounds for people to base an opinion;

3) contrary to some complaints, the Astros didn't put all their eggs in one basket with Britton; they reportedly had a couple of other deals in the works concurrent with the Orioles trade; they didn't come through; that's life; you can't force other people to give you everything you want; the only thing you can control is how you react, i.e., not panicking;

4) they obtained a pitcher whose overall body of work is unimpressive, but whose skill set upon closer inspection is very suitable to fill a specific hole in the bullpen, i.e., a lefty who can retire lefties; Liriano is yet another example of looking beyond superficiality to find someone who contributes to the roster in ways that may not seem obvious;

5) there is still no team in baseball that has more organizational talent, major-plus-minors-combined, than the Astros; better to have a general manager who focuses on the big picture, having a dominating team that can win for years to come, than one who panics and overpays due to fan and media (and apparently clubhouse) complaining;

6) no matter what moves the Astros could've made at the trade deadline, as someone else already pointed out, if enough key players can't get healthy and play effectively by the time the playoffs roll around, they're unlikely to get very far anyway; you can't remake your whole roster in July;

7) maybe the top prospects Luhnow refused to give up won't work out, but based on his track record, one or more of them probably will; by keeping them all, he increases the chance that the ones who do succeed won't do so elsewhere; this team is still early in its window;

8) Brian T. Smith sounds like the second coming of Pinwheel, stirring up shit just to have something to write about; Keuchel should've kept his comments behind closed doors, but Smith is fanning the flames by patting Keuchel on the head about it.

150
I've turned the volume down on this game in favor of the melodious sounds of the kiddo playing minecraft.... at least the lamb turned out great.

Minecraft at my house sounds nothing like melodious. I keep being whined at to mediate disputes over whose wolves killed whose pigs and sheep or who burned down whose house. I told them I only arbitrate in the real world, but I'd be happy to eliminate their digital problems by pulling the plug.

151
Thanks for the advice. It honestly hadn't occurred to me that we would ever lose again.

My point was that this particular defeat to this particular team entailed an unusual sting. That is all.

I'm with you. I'd rather see the streak end on a good old-fashioned whupping like Wednesday then watching a six-run lead being chipped away like Tuesday. Let's go start another streak.

152
Glad I could help.

And my point is that there are going to be lots of these.  Dozens more before the season ends.  If you let it ruin your joy of the season that's unfolding, you're probably better off just not watching.

I'm certain they're going to lose more games. I'm hopeful that there aren't dozens more times when they blow 7-1 leads, however. That's a rare event, even for a bad team,

But, hey, they've certainly won more games like that than they've lost, so I'll suck up the loss and gladly pocket the 11-game winning streak before that.

153
Giles is a seventh inning guy on a good team.

People are going to rush in and insist that it wasn't Giles' fault. No shit, it's not his fault that there are three guys standing on base. But if he's supposed to be some elite closer he needs to start looking like one.

I too would like to know why he kept going to the slider. And I'd like to know why Reddick was so far off the line.

This team is fantastic and has very few weaknesses. Part of the bullpen has been fantastic. But Gregerson and Giles have both been disappointments. They've managed to dodge some bullets because the offense has been scoring so many runs. But neither of them is pitching like an elite closer. Maybe they turn around, or maybe somebody else steps up. But the current situation would be risky in the playoffs.

154
Giles has 25 appearances.

He's managed a clean outing (no baserunners) in 11 of them.

He's allowed 58% of inherited runners to score.

155
Aoki-san!

156
MAR-GONE!

157
I've been fighting the urge to flip over to their broadcast.

If I wanted to hear that, I'd wake up my 6-year-old and tell him his brother broke his favorite toy. The whining quotient would be about the same.

158
Plus they'd have to have a meth lab.

They've already got a disco ball and fog machine.

159
"Running?" That's charitable of you.

160
Morton has some wicked movement on his pitches tonight.

161
The depth up and down this order really helps teammates pick each other up. Hopefully that translates into guys understanding nobody needs to do it all by himself. 

162
Bregman and McCullers should go in on having a case of Vagisil delivered to the Rangers clubhouse.

163
It wasn't me. I'm in the next row a couple of seats over. But I'm sitting in his seats now. His loss, my gain.

164
Talk Zone / Re: OWA Opening Day Ticket Thread 2017
« on: April 03, 2017, 08:16:12 am »
This second line in the game day article on Astros.com got a chuckle out of me:  "Both teams are heated rivals in a power-packed American League West".  Hating be Mariners is kind of like hating an underage Indian coal miner in the Punjab. If you squint really hard, you can draw a squiggly line of correlation between that person and me but it's really hard to  convincingly do so in any meaningful way.

This.

165
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 10:26:07 pm »
Perhaps tomorrow Gurriel will get a start so Gattis can put out the fire on his bats.

That's fucking awesome.

166
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 10:25:48 pm »
I'm glad they fought back some. At least reminds them they're a big league club, even when playing the Rangers.

167
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 08:56:21 pm »
FIFY.

FelizAstros needs the hook. Doesn't have it tonight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

168
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 08:55:28 pm »
So tell me why the Rangers are leading the league and beat the Astros to a pulp, if it's not talent.

I didn't say it wasn't talent. But the Rangers have the best record in the American League precisely because they beat the Astros to a pulp.

2016 Rangers vs. Astros: 11-2
2016 Rangers vs. Everyone Else: 69-52

2016 Astros vs. Rangers: 2-11
2016 Astros vs. Everyone Else: 69-51

169
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 08:45:54 pm »
Well, if you don't think the Rangers are simply better than the Astros, you have to chalk it up to something else.  What would you say it is then?

Better, but not necessarily 24-8 better.

170
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 2, 2016
« on: September 02, 2016, 08:28:10 pm »
I don't drink ... but I need a drink. The Astros vs. the Rangers this season and last is an other-worldly combination of ineptitude and improbability.

171
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers June 7, 2016
« on: June 07, 2016, 09:58:03 pm »
 Credit to the Astros for fighting back in the top of the ninth. Given how demoralizing the bottom of the eight must have been, they showed some pride. This will turn eventually. Frankly, if this has to keep up, I want them to meet Rangers in a playoff series and beat Texas like a drum. They strike me as a-holes.

172
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Orioles @ Astros May 25, 2016
« on: May 25, 2016, 10:06:49 pm »
Rasmus does a circus trick ... poorly.

173
Talk Zone / Re: Expectations
« on: May 22, 2016, 08:28:33 pm »
I disagree.  I think Correa is a .280/.800 OPS/20-25 HR/80 RBI guy at best.  That's a nice player.  That's not Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, whether he does it SS, 3B or any other position, let alone comparable to historical great players, which is often thrown around.  Again, I think he'll be a solid player.  I don't see him being a great player.

If he hits like that for a reasonable period of time and plays decently at shortstop, he'll be comparable to Barry Larkin and likely go into the Hall of Fame. Only one shortstop in the last nine decades hit like Trout and Harper, and it's unclear how long he was on PEDs.

174
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:50:25 pm »
Gomes flies out to right. To the bottom of the 11th. Indians and Astros knotted at 3.

175
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:49:56 pm »
Byrd strikes out in a 3-2 pitch. Runner on first, two outs.

176
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:44:49 pm »
Foul out to third by Santana. Runner on first, one out.

177
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:43:46 pm »
First pitch is a 97-mph fastball deposited by Napoli into left field.

178
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:42:12 pm »
Maybe they should dispense with the Ken Giles intro music until he can pitch a couple of scoreless appearances.

179
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Tribe @ Astros May 11, 2016
« on: May 11, 2016, 04:19:39 pm »
Shit sandwich.

180
Talk Zone / Re: Hitting
« on: May 07, 2016, 10:42:44 pm »
Yes, but it's not like .747 is anything to write home about.

For a catcher? Major League catchers cumulatively have a .670 OPS. I would gladly take a catcher who could maintain a .747 OPS on a regular basis.

181
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 06, 2016, 12:00:00 am »
Not blaming Castro. Didn't blame Altuve when he got thrown out at third coasting in on what should've easily been a triple. The team isn't just the players. They aren't well coached. I don't think you can watch a smart, disciplined team and watch the Astros and not tell the difference.

This team remains in the middle of the pack in runs scored per game but 14th in the league in runs allowed per game and 15th in the league in ERA. Is that a coaching problem?


182
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 10:23:39 pm »
Castro doesn't have eyes in the back of his head. He relies on Pettis telling him whether to run. I don't see how that means the players are bad.

183
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 10:18:46 pm »
Reincarnation. Except Billy's not dead.

184
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 09:55:48 pm »
Just caught the ball that Iannetta hit to Springer when Springer threw into the stands.

185
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 09:41:42 pm »
Was Pettis waving Castro?

186
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 08:17:33 pm »
Gomez needs to wear a shock collar, every time he swings so hard his helmet flies off or he takes a knee, he needs to have the shit shocked out of him.

I suggest connecting the current to his groin. That has a history of success.

187
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Sea Fucks @ Astros Cinco de Mayo 2016
« on: May 05, 2016, 07:21:34 pm »
Altuve!

188
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 03, 2016, 10:24:20 am »
I would nominate this if there were such a thing.

I agree, Coach.

189
Talk Zone / Re: 75-87
« on: May 03, 2016, 10:22:33 am »
It is sports, there always has to be someone at fault.   Whether it is Hinch or the pitching coach or the hitting coach, someone is taking the fall.

Although I don't think it's Strom's fault either, I think he's much more likely to be canned than Hinch.

190
Talk Zone / Re: Pitching
« on: May 03, 2016, 10:20:24 am »
Altuve is the lone Astros hitting above .270.

And last season he was the only regular hitting above .280. Since the league batting average is about 10 points lower this year, that's about the same.

But Gregerson, Harris and Devinski are the only pitchers on the team with an ERA below the league average.

When your team ERA plummets from first in the league in 2015 to last in the league in 2016, the number of players with batting averages over a handpicked number isn't the biggest problem.

191
Talk Zone / Re: 75-87
« on: May 03, 2016, 10:08:20 am »
How is it Hinch's fault that the starters have gone from second in the league in ERA in 2015 to 14th in the league in ERA in 2016 and the relievers have  gone from fourth in the league in ERA in 2015 to 14th in the league in ERA in 2016?

192
Talk Zone / Pitching
« on: May 03, 2016, 12:55:33 am »
This team's problem is much more of a pitching problem than a hitting problem.

One thing masking this is the fact that run-scoring across the league is down by a significant amount this year, about 10 percent. (Collectively, the league's 15 clubs are on pace to score about 1,000 fewer runs this season than last.) This makes the offensive drop-off this year look worse than it is, and it makes the pitching drop-off this year look less bad than it is.

Other things masking this are the poor hitting with runners on base and in scoring position, the high strikeout rate and the black holes at four places in the batting order. But the strikeout rate was bad last year, there were black holes then too and even the hitting with runners on base and in scoring position was mediocre in 2015, although not as bad as this season thus far.

In 2015, the Astros were fifth in the league with 4.50 runs scored per game. The league average was 4.39 runs scored per game. In 2016, the Astros are ninth in the league with 3.68 runs scored per game. The league average is 3.98 runs scored per game. If the Astros were scoring runs at roughly the same rate as last year, they'd probably be about 10 runs better than they are now. Instead of 8-17, they might be about a game better, 9-16 or 10-15.

In 2015, the Astros were first in the league with 3.81 runs allowed per game. The league average was 4.29 runs allowed per game. In 2016, the Astros are 15th in the league with 4.96 runs allowed per game. The league average is 3.99 runs allowed per game. If the Astros were allowing runs at roughly the same rate as last year, they'd probably be about 35 runs allowed better than they are now. Instead of 8-17, they might be significantly better, probably 12-13 or even just above .500 at 13-12.

This is not to understate the degree of the offensive woes. Since improving your offense and upgrading your pitching are not mutually exclusive, eliminating or reducing the black holes in the line-up and hitting better with runners on and in scoring position would certainly help win more games. But the pitching implosion, both in the rotation and the bullpen, is the primary issue dragging this team down. Until that gets fixed, the Astros are going nowhere even if Gomez, Valbuena and Gattis turn themselves around or help comes from the farm system.

193
Talk Zone / Re: 75-87
« on: May 02, 2016, 11:53:10 pm »
The Astros are 8-17.  At this point last year, the Rangers were 8-16 coming into MMPUS, on a 3-12 skid, for a three game set with the Astros.  They swept the Astros en route to a 19-11 May to get back to .500

So the shot in the arm they need is to play themselves.

194
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 11:40:51 pm »
OutSTANding. It sort of seemed like Arky might have been indulging in those $18 beers and when I spotted the fellow with the popcorn tub rally hat I thought, A HA! But no, sadly, he turned and I got a side profile. No Arky sightings tonight in TV Land. The way the team is playing if Arky for whatever reason continues to go to the games sightings will become more and more likely.

So think twice before putting that popcorn tub on top of your coconut.

My fat ass will be there tomorrow night in the second row up the right field line by the Texas Lottery ad. I may or may not wear a bucket on my head. A brown paper bag might be more appropriate.

Which brings me to an admission: almost everything I've ever invested money in over my lifetime has turned to absolute shit in very short order. So I'm a dumbass who decided last September to buy season tickets to get playoff seats for last year and future years as the team blossomed into a perennial postseason participant. Now that I've sunk cash into four seats, you can bet your ass that the team will be bad enough to ensure that I've got to choose for the next 65 or so home games to sit through the nightmare, sell the tickets on StubHub for a fraction of what I've paid or just pretend I bought several G's of Enron stock that's gone up in smoke.

195
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 11:34:21 pm »
Looks like we'll be sellers rather than buyers at the deadline this year. Maybe Luhnow can get something for Gattis and some pitchers.

The only thing Luhnow will get for Gattis and our pitchers is STDs. And maybe rug burn on his knees.

196
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:16:58 pm »
Fucking salt in the wound.

Make that little fucker drink a cup of that shit. He won't do it again.

197
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:16:14 pm »
I can't read this without thinking of Dave Dravecky.

I guess I'm on that theme tonight. I've got a ball Dravecky signed outside the visitors bus at the Dome a year or two before he lost the arm. Maybe I need to take that out and use it as a talisman.

198
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:14:49 pm »
So... Who's ready for another #1 draft pick?


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At this point, whomever they draft will probably have undisclosed leprosy and infect the entire organization next spring. Digits and limbs will end up splayed across the new training facility.

199
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:12:08 pm »
So Ashby says he can't wait to see McCullers back. At the rate this team is going, McCuller's arm will fly off with the fucking ball on his first delivery to the plate.

200
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Twins @ Astros May 2, 2016
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:09:07 pm »
I don't think I've ever seen a comparable combination of underachievement, bad luck and sheer suck assembled in such a toxically combustible way. It's like a cat vomit and dog turd smoothie garnished with pubes and nail-clippings to give it a stringy and crunchy mouth-feel. The BBGs can go f*ck themselves.

201
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Athletics May 1, 2016
« on: May 01, 2016, 05:57:52 pm »
Finally!

202
Talk Zone / Re: Panic button
« on: April 27, 2016, 11:31:33 pm »
Another thing to consider on the positive side is that the biggest holes in the line-up other than catcher -- Gomez, Valbuena, Gattis (who, to be fair, got no spring training) -- are not in the team's long-term plans. The Astros have players in the system who can out-hit them given time and experience.

203
Talk Zone / Re: Feliz up, Marisnick down
« on: April 27, 2016, 01:12:46 am »
I can't help but think at the moment that the Gomez and Giles trades may have nearly undone all the work Luhnow had done to build the majors and minor league system.  Combine that with missing on Appel and to a lesser extent Aiken and the volume of talent is thin enough that I'm a bit nervous they won't be able to fill the major league holes in less than 3 years.

At the very least, particularly after Appel and Aiken, I'm skeptical that the system will produce the elite starting pitching necessary for this franchise to be a perennial contender. Assuming this team bounces back to something around .500, the priority this offseason should be to spend some of the money Crane has saved over the last few years to buy one or two top-shelf starters.

204
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Maggots April 26, 2016
« on: April 27, 2016, 12:58:11 am »
Boy, this Kratz isn't fooling anybody.

When I was a kid I had a friend who was a pitcher. I was invariably the catcher on every team. It started when I was six or seven and I was one of two or three guys who could occasionally catch the ball. I should never have tipped my hand.

Anyway, this guy Mike, he had terrible vision and I remember him always out there on the mound squinting at me. He wasn't necessarily trying to get the signs, you understand, he was basically just trying to get me into some kind of focus.

There was a little hole in the fence between the field and the window above the fry station of the concession stand which was housed in a cinder block building. The scorers' area was on the second floor.

One year Mike and I were on different teams. My mom must have been doing her time in the concession stand because I was in there, too. Suddenly a baseball came crashing into the concession stand through that little hole. I knew without having to look that Mike was pitching. I looked anyway; he was. It's hard to explain how bad of a pitch it had to be to make it through the concession stand hole in the fence. Kratz's pitch was far worse.

This is a fantastic way to conclude this evening's coverage of the Traveling Horseshit Show.

205
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Maggots April 26, 2016
« on: April 27, 2016, 12:02:51 am »
That was literally the single worst pitch I have ever seen in big league baseball.

Silver lining: at least it was from the back-up catcher and not a member of the pitching staff. Which wouldn't haven't surprised me at this point.

206
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Maggots April 26, 2016
« on: April 27, 2016, 12:01:56 am »
If this isn't rock bottom I don't want to see what is.

Kratz can't do any worse than anyone else out there tonight.

207
Talk Zone / Re: Feliz up, Marisnick down
« on: April 25, 2016, 03:09:55 pm »
Gomez played better with an intercostal strain than he's playing healthy right now.

Something is screwed up with Giles. It may be an injury, it may just be mechanics and location, but whatever it is, the experiment of letting him pitch through it against live big-league hitting isn't working. If it takes a few weeks in Fresno to fix it, so be it.

I'm a huge fan of Chris Devinski, and not just because he's pitching great. The guy was the friendliest I've ever seen to kids at spring training. Of course, most big-leaguers who aren't pricks treat kids well, but Devinski really seemed to be enjoying being there and interacting. A real class act, in my book.

208
Game Zone 2016 Archive / BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:11:43 am »
Oh, well. A conundrum Hinch won't have to contemplate. These guys are becoming expert gift-wrappers.

209
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:11:05 am »
Gattis, and they give up the DH. But I'd rather have a pitcher bat than Kratz.

210
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:08:11 am »
If Marwin reaches, there's no way I'd let Kratz bat.

211
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:06:47 am »
Gattis strikes out to keep the inning alive.

212
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:06:17 am »
It might be time for Giles to work it out in the minors. Would love to see Gattis end it here.

You mean 6-4-3? No such luck.

213
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:02:17 am »
So, we go through four years of baseball hell, one nice year and straight back to hell? Fuck. But, Club Astros.

The season's barely 10 percent over.

214
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 11:59:08 pm »
I don't know what Luhnow could have done. The price was way steep, but nobody would've expected Giles to post an ERA four times higher than his career ERA.

215
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 11:57:05 pm »
Is it too late to revive the traveling horseshit show label?

216
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 11:52:07 pm »
Is Giles injured?

217
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 11:27:03 pm »
I can't think of a better time to schedule a Sunday night game than before a team takes a trip to Seattle to play the next day.

But it's for ESPN, dontcha see?

218
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 11:08:53 pm »
I love it when rasmus does rasmus things

Colby's the kind of redneck that makes me wish I were a sheep.

219
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 10:43:31 pm »
Big Papi padding Springer's assist total as a going-away present.

220
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 10:38:13 pm »
This is hell to watch.


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Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 08:39:01 pm »
Bases loaded, no outs. Prepare for three pop ups or a double play and a strike out.


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222
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 08:32:59 pm »
Feldman isn't pitching horribly. He can't field for Altuve and Correa and pitch at the same time.


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223
Game Zone 2016 Archive / BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 08:32:12 pm »
I'm not so mad about the Altuve call, since the play is now reviewable, as I am about the rule change biting Rasmus in the ass on the slide against the Yankees. The slide rule seems highly subjective, particularly since it assumes the double play.


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224
Game Zone 2016 Archive / BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 08:00:50 pm »
Or a Gwynn or Boggs batting average.


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Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:58:21 pm »
Gomez's OPS looks like a Ruth or Williams OBP.


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226
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:48:40 pm »
Altuve was given an error for not having his foot on the bag.


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227
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:36:04 pm »
Yep. I'd heard about the change, especially after Rasmus being called out for his slide in the Yankee series, but I didn't read the specific rule changes until just now.


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228
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:28:56 pm »
So the solution to one of their marquee darling players playing for one of their marquee darling franchises getting hurt on a clean play in the playoffs is to institute rule changes that tell the second baseman to risk injury but, hey, the umpires will arbitrarily call runners out depending on how and where they slide? I thought getting someone as stupid as Selig out of office would have slowed down the parade of moronic ideas.


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229
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:25:06 pm »
Two runs scored as a result of that horseshit.


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230
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:24:00 pm »
Did they change the neighborhood rule? Seems like chickenshit to call guys out for sliding into the bag, but then to overturn the call in this case.


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231
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: BoSox @ Astros April 24, 2016
« on: April 24, 2016, 07:21:13 pm »
What was the basis for overturning by the ruling? Was Altuve's foot off the bag? They didn't explain anything at the ballpark.


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232
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Fucking stRangers April 21, 2016
« on: April 21, 2016, 08:23:43 pm »
This team is batting .208 with runners on base, .175 with runners in scoring position and an astonishing .143 with the bases loaded.

233
Game Zone 2016 Archive / Re: Astros @ Fucking stRangers April 21, 2016
« on: April 21, 2016, 08:02:57 pm »
And here I was figuring that Keuchel would be the stopper this series. What a fucking fool.

234
Talk Zone / Re: Gattis
« on: April 14, 2016, 01:16:07 am »
Howard in Memorial said that the Astros should have sent Gattis to AAA rather than AA for rehab so he would've faced more challenging competition. So that must be it. Of course, Howard in Memorial also said the Astros should trade Springer in a package to get a better catcher.

Hinch felt comfortable enough with Gattis catching to burn both Castro and Kratz tonight. Gattis would have caught had the game gone into extra innings.

235
Talk Zone / Re: One less punching bag at the Chron
« on: March 24, 2016, 02:28:47 am »
his story on the Astros in the BP Annual is poison pen.

I didn't know who he was until I read that BP drivel. It made me want my money back.

236
Talk Zone / Re: First base
« on: March 22, 2016, 10:16:05 pm »
Does Valbuena seem redundant in many ways, trade potential?

The other options aren't established. You know what you're getting with Valbuena. Luhnow has a done a good job, in my opinion, of having guys at the major league level who can play, but who can be moved once the youth movement takes over. We're not at that point yet for the positions Valbuena plays.

237
Talk Zone / Re: MLB Expansion
« on: March 09, 2016, 12:41:03 pm »
Regardless of whether they expand or realign, the designated hitter, interleague play and the wild card aren't going away. Those all mean money to the owners. The players association also likes the designated hitter, because it adds another starting player's salary for each team. The logistical issue they'll have to grapple with, besides the economics of expansion, is how to maximize the number of playoff teams without pushing the season any later.

238
Talk Zone / Re: Rasmus
« on: March 09, 2016, 12:26:25 pm »
I have seen a couple of extended interviews of Colby Rasmus recently, and I was impressed. I think he has the potential to be a valuable veteran leader in the clubhouse.

I like what he and Gomez bring to the table.

239
Talk Zone / Season Tickets
« on: March 02, 2016, 06:07:44 pm »
I've got a full season plan, but, sadly, I doubt I can make it to all 81 games. If anyone wants in (with playoff options, if you take enough of a share), please PM me.

240
Talk Zone / Re: What a ride!
« on: October 15, 2015, 12:04:35 pm »
There is something uplifting about rooting for a team whose highest peaks are yet to be revealed.

241
This team will be good for a decade if they stay together.

This is the first year my 8-year-old has followed the team passionately. He was crying after the game. I explained to him that the Astros made the playoffs the first time when I was eight years old, losing a five-game series they could've won. Then they didn't do it again until I was 14, then not again until I was 25, and they didn't win a playoff series until I was 32. I told him I don't think he'll have to wait as long to see them in the playoffs again, and that I'll be there watching every game with him. The next question out of his mouth was, "How long is it until Opening Day?"

242
Altuve, Gattis and the bullpen all had a rough series. On the flip side of the coin, the Royals are a pretty good team, as indicated by winning the pennant last year and having the league's best record this year. Their hitters top to bottom work the count and adjust their approach better than any team in baseball. And Johnny Cueto pitched the game of his life tonight. The Astros could have pulled it out, but didn't. They lost to a really good team. They got further than anyone thought possible. And it won't be another 10 years until they make the playoffs again. I'm feeling about as good after a playoff defeat as I can.

243
Talk Zone / Re: Preseason Predictions
« on: October 14, 2015, 09:56:30 pm »
http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2015/03/23/2015-preview-houston-astros/

Prediction: Another step forward to 75-plus wins, another avoidance of last place, and enough progress to convince everyone they’ll contend for the playoffs in 2016.

244
Talk Zone / Re: Preseason Predictions
« on: October 14, 2015, 09:55:14 pm »
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25100901/mlb-team-preview-houston-astros

The Astros are definitely better than they were in the past several years and could contend if many different things break their way. Given the strength of the AL West, the strong young players, good farm system and that a 10-win improvement over last season would mean 80 wins, being one or even two years away seems much more likely than a playoff run in 2015. Still, with Altuve and the power, this team will be very fun to watch on offense and hanging in contention for a while isn't out of the question -- which is a nice contrast from the past four seasons.

Also, by the end of the year we'll have a good feeling on when Correa might hit the bigs. Maybe even very early in 2016? Get excited, Houston.

245
Talk Zone / Re: Preseason Predictions
« on: October 14, 2015, 09:51:34 pm »
http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2015-03-02/astros-2015-preview-lineup-predictions-fantasy-altuve-carter-keuchel-gattis

"It is possible to get better but still not have much to show for it, and that is what will happen with the Astros this year, as they endure a fifth consecutive 90-loss season. The offense will be there, with Houston’s most productive lineup in a decade, but there will not be enough pitching to make it stand up in a division that simply brings too much next-level competition for Houston to seriously compete."

246
Talk Zone / Preseason Predictions
« on: October 14, 2015, 09:50:40 pm »

247
My wife is happy she doesn't have to pay up on her promise...

My wife has been reading the GameZone all game after being thoroughly entertained by the show you guys put on during Game 4.

248
McHugh was on a razor's edge for at least his last two innings. Too many hitters counts, the walks, no curve, it was going to catch up to him. I have no problem pulling him then.

This is why I didn't want Keuchel out there on short rest. I really didn't want his last outing of the year to look like this. I would have much rather gone through the off-season with his last start being that capstone of the season.

And if he has a rocky start to next season, the armchair psychiatrists will diagnose Keuchel as being shellshocked by Morales.

249
I don't think I've ever head a national broadcaster cheer for one side the way Matt Vasgersian did when Morales hit that home run.

250
The only guess I have (and if they were going to use him then use him before Fiers) is that maybe Hinch is trying to inspire his troops before the 9th?....

It feels like the bullpen use this game is reactionary -- a response to public criticism -- after two months of shaky relief outings. The quick hook on McHugh feels that way, as does bringing in Keuchel down by two runs.

251
It is wrong to pitch Keuchel here. Boo.

I don't see the point of it.

252
This is also an example of why winning the division is important. That's the reason Keuchel started once rather than twice in this series.

253
Praying for Wade Davis?

It's almost come to that.

254
Cueto is cruising now.

255
Keuchel warming up.

256
McHufh's inability to throw his curve is a big part of the story.


He seemed to totally lose confidence in his ability to spot it.

257
Cueto's pitching a very nice game, and the bounces are going KC's way.

258
Talk Zone / Re: Wednesday Frito Pie
« on: October 14, 2015, 05:14:44 pm »
Just looking at a picture of that thing has laxative effects.

http://static.ow.ly/photos/normal/5530M.jpg

259
Talk Zone / Re: FTC
« on: October 14, 2015, 05:09:29 pm »
Fuck Bud Selig.

260
Talk Zone / Re: Wednesday Frito Pie
« on: October 14, 2015, 05:05:05 pm »
I went back to the Armadillo Palace today for a venison Frito pie.

I noticed the other day that Dairy Queen has a crunchy Frito chili cheese Hungr-buster. There must be bonus points for that.

261
Talk Zone / Re: FTC
« on: October 13, 2015, 09:14:57 pm »
I hate the Cardinals, but their fans are already insufferable and cannot get much worse.

If the Cubs were to win the World Series, you would never hear the end of it. Ken Burns would do a 45-hour miniseries with Billy Crystal doing backflips and sparks flying out his ass.

The status quo would be totally off-kilter for the rest of our lives.

262
Talk Zone / Re: On the Eve of the ALCS
« on: October 13, 2015, 09:11:29 pm »
Think of all the Frito pies consumed.

263
Talk Zone / Re: Perspective
« on: October 13, 2015, 11:12:02 am »
And I'm certain I was.

You never know with lawyers.

264
Talk Zone / Re: observations
« on: October 13, 2015, 11:11:05 am »
Luck is what we'd be calling Correa's error if the tables were turned.

I think the "two that got away" show that the Royals are living on borrowed time in the playoffs and the Astros have the ability to slam the door. Or, as someone else put it, they are totally beatable.

I'd put it slightly differently. The three post-season games the Astros have won and "the two that got away" to the Royals show that, "yeah, this young Astros team that surprised everyone, two years removed from 111 losses, and two years ahead of SI's heralded prediction, can stand up against any team in baseball."

I don't expect them to fall flat in game 5. I expect that if they get beat, it's because they're playing a deciding game on the road against a team that won last year's pennant and had the best record in baseball. But they very well could win.

265
Talk Zone / Re: observations
« on: October 13, 2015, 10:17:00 am »
Correa made the most basic Little League mistake possible: he did not look the ball into his glove before he looked to the play he was about to make. I feel terrible for him because he was such a hero on offense.

after his great year, I feel bad for Harris. he has been asked to pitch too much, and he is getting skewered by fans. he threw good pitches, and they hit them. I thought the chopper over the mound would be fielded , but it sneaked through. the next one was a bloop to CF. shit happens sometimes. the other side is good too and wants to win as bad as we do.

Neshek's swoon cost us the game yesterday. before September, we go into the 9th up 6-2.

speaking of Neshek, why have him on the roster if you are not going to use him when you need him? Qualls would have been more useful if Neshek is not going to be used. Harris and Sipp are having to pitch every game.

Where has Fiers been? What are we saving him for? why not use him in the 7th or 8th to start an inning?

the Royals' approach and ABs in the 8th were other worldly. I am tipping my cap to them.

I think Luhnow's plan for the offseason will have high on his list a Chapman-like closer to move Gregerson to the 8th inning. the Royals were selling out on his slider, and he does not have the FB to put them away.

McCullers has to go deeper into games. running out of pitches in the 6th to make the 7th only a maybe overtaxes the pen.

the Valbuena AB in the 7th with two in scoring position was huge. so was Marwin's inability to swing well as LH.

playoffs are incredibly intense, and a team has to make the plays to win. we blew a chance to get out of the inning with a lead. end of story.

what a great series this has been. I hope McHugh has a heroic effort left in him.

This is a very good analysis, Jim. I thought the same about Neshek, Qualls and Fiers. And many people do seem to forget that the Royals are the defending American League champions and had the best record in the league. They were not going to go down quietly. The bullpen has been a weakness since August, and the Royals exploited that weakness, as good teams do.

266
Talk Zone / Re: Perspective
« on: October 13, 2015, 10:12:11 am »
Four straight singles, Jim.  The fact that the other team was trying too is irrelevant.

I'm pretty sure Neil was joking.

268
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 06:33:20 pm »
Never let facts get in the way of a good rant.

True. If I were making a shit list for today, Gattis wouldn't be at the top of it.

269
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 06:14:55 pm »
Too bad. That was a lost opportunity to come home 2-0. The bullpen remains iffy.

270
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 06:14:07 pm »
Rollin' rollin' rollin', keep those doggies rollin' ...

271
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 05:59:13 pm »
Wow. Neshek is nothing if not consistent.

272
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 05:56:59 pm »
Neshek allowed a baserunner? Shocking.

273
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 05:05:41 pm »
DEFCON-5 bullpen shit storm.

274
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 03:46:27 pm »
What is the point of this?

Seems to me that it will be good to have McCullers available for Game 4 Monday at home.

275
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Royals October 9, 2015
« on: October 09, 2015, 03:25:31 pm »
The Royals dodged a bullet there.

276
Talk Zone / Re: Seriously, folks
« on: October 05, 2015, 12:40:42 am »
Do we springer forward or fall back this month?

277
Talk Zone / Re: Hinch to team on video
« on: October 05, 2015, 12:39:45 am »
I have little doubt that the pansies of the world are going to bitch till he issues an apology for foul language.

279
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:42:28 pm »
HEY, YANKEES, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TROPHY, AND YOUR APOLOGY, AND SHOVE 'EM BOTH STRAIGHT UP YOUR ASS!

280
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:24:59 pm »
199 ...

281
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:21:21 pm »
Stros punched a ticket to the dance.  I'm feeling pretty fucking good  no matter what.

Word.

282
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:18:42 pm »
Neshek in, surrenders hit / Dog bites man

283
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:14:29 pm »
Pitching in the clutch

McCullers did not
Qualls did not

Yup.

284
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:14:05 pm »
If the Stros can't pull this out, I'd feel a lot better if the Yankees come back and beat the O's.

285
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:12:25 pm »
Three outs left to score at least two runs.

286
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 05:03:19 pm »
Wild card clinched. Home field still up in the air.

287
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:59:37 pm »
Let's discuss Tuesday after this game is over.

288
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:58:43 pm »
Is "filthiest" the most overused baseball term these days? A pitcher having filthy stuff, I understand. Filthiest plays? I know what they mean, but couldn't they try something more original?

289
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:55:12 pm »
What the offensive taketh, the bullpen frequently giveth away.

290
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:54:40 pm »
I've never seen that at the professional level.  It just happens too fast, and you're trained to not swing at pitches that are ridiculously wild.

Certain Astros beg to differ on the last point.

291
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:54:10 pm »
This is not a reliable bullpen anymore, says the master of the obvious.

292
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:42:21 pm »
Or a wild pitch!

293
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:41:35 pm »
A two-out hit would be nice ...

294
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:40:39 pm »
Wow. Springer is running extremely aggressively today. Awesome.

295
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:38:46 pm »
Question for Hudson: has there ever been an occasion you have seen where a batter with two strikes sees a pitch coming that is obviously going to get away from the catcher, and swings and misses on purpose to try and take first base? Or is it simply too hard to tell what the pitch is going to do or too hard to run 90 feet in time to take that chance?

296
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:36:06 pm »
Dammit, score some freaking runs!

Fock. Another ball right at someone.

297
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:31:59 pm »
Dammit, score some freaking runs!

298
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:30:21 pm »
Rangers up 5-2 in the 7th...still batting with the bases loaded and nobody out

Rangers 7, Angels 2

Orioles 7, Yankees 2


299
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Diamondbacks 10/04/2015
« on: October 04, 2015, 04:16:14 pm »
The Orioles are wrapping a gift for the Astros, if the Astros can take advantage of it.

300
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 3, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 10:17:48 pm »
"Ohhhhh, gator got him!"

Imagine the center fielder wading through the shallow end to come up with a deep fly ball.

301
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 3, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 10:17:16 pm »
Well, they weren't likely to keep Goldie down forever.

302
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 3, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 10:15:58 pm »
I was thinking how ridiculous the swimming pool is, but then it occurred to me that if Drayton had thought of one, he would have put it in play somewhere in the outfield.

303
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 3, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 10:13:43 pm »
ASU sorority girls after Colby's second jack.

Did you just Rick-Roll the GameZone?

304
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 3, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 10:09:44 pm »
I'd go with "Beef".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Radio guys (I was making a Taco Cabana run) said Beef's what they call him in Arizona.

305
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 12:23:27 am »
So. Due to family obligations I had to spend game time in a movie theater watching Matt Damon become a space pirate. What do those of you who are well versed in bbg formalities suggest? See the same movie two more times or can another space movie get the job done? I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

I heard that was pretty good.

You've already sacrificed. Your not watching brought about the victory.

306
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 12:22:51 am »
That was one of the more unfortunate of Ashby's one-sided conversations.

I'm with Blummer. I just roll with "SocrAtes," Bill & Ted-style.

307
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 12:11:25 am »
I wonder what the club records are for number of different players hitting safely and reaching base in a single game.

308
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 03, 2015, 12:00:25 am »
Poor Diamonbacks..  They had to receive the wrath of the horrible month of September

Screw 'em. That's baseball.

309
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 11:47:32 pm »
If the Astros score another couple of runs they can probably go ahead and let Neshek pitch.

F you.

310
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 11:38:50 pm »
A scorecard for this game looks like a Rorschach test,

311
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 10:55:10 pm »
Hey, Ashby, not every fly ball is 'hammered'.

Pelted?

312
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 10:53:21 pm »
Correa having a dick stepping inning

You use that expression to better effect than anyone.

313
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 10:48:54 pm »
This strike zone is a total joke.

BTW, I don't Keuchel out based on score, only pitch count.

That's my concern with this strike zone extending plate appearances and innings. Keuchel doesn't need to be overworked this game. F'ing umpire.

314
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Snakes October 2, 2015
« on: October 02, 2015, 10:46:25 pm »
Armadillo Palace has a pretty good venison Frito pie.

And the post-lunch burps are strong.

315
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: October 02, 2015, 11:17:25 am »
That's great.  I called Leslie and she said she'd let me know.

Cool. See you there, Neil.

316
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: October 02, 2015, 09:21:12 am »
So is anyone going for lunch?

I can do it, Neil. Armadillo Palace at noon? Want to see if Leslie can join us?

317
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: October 01, 2015, 10:34:46 pm »
Rangers Magic Number to Tie for Division: 0.

Rangers Magic Number to Clinch Division: 1.

Astros Magic Number to Tie for 2nd Wild Card: 2.

Astros Magic Number to Clinch 2nd Wild Card: 3.

318
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: October 01, 2015, 08:53:12 pm »
As I understand it, MLB has said they'll play out any make up games or tiebreakers with two or more teams competing for the same playoff spot, regardless of whether or not one would still qualify.  In other words, if both teams clinch a wild card, but need to make up a game to determine who wins the division, they will play that out.  But they will not play make up/tie breaker games to determine seeding of the same "level" of qualifying.  In other words, two division winners, or two wild cards tied, they will seed them based on tie breaker rules, not with another game.

You mean there'd by no more "co-division champions" that are actually the wild card team?

319
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: October 01, 2015, 08:50:00 pm »
I was thinking the thread title - "Destiny" - was an excellent code name for this.

Destiny does Dallas?

320
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: October 01, 2015, 08:48:06 pm »
Geez Arky...your wife must think you watch a TON of porn.

I could tell her the game went to extra innings, but she checks the game highlights every morning.

321
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: October 01, 2015, 10:30:21 am »
Sorry, yes, the table excludes the Twins.

323
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: October 01, 2015, 12:41:08 am »
Wooooo!!!!!!!!!

324
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: October 01, 2015, 12:23:53 am »
Now Correa. There must be something in the water up there.

325
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: October 01, 2015, 12:22:12 am »
No.

I hope Sipp gets out of this thing so the Astros can turn the 8th over to Neshek.

This made me throw up in my mouth.

326
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:45:04 pm »
El Oso Rapido!

327
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:31:33 pm »
Nothing gets by you, boss.

I prefer Master of the Obvious.

328
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:17:04 pm »
Stroke it Chris Carter!!!!

That sounds more like Clarence Carter.

329
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:16:45 pm »
Oh, this ain't over. Expect a score in the double digits for both teams. Come get your free batting practice.. come one, come all!

I love you, Noe.

330
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:08:25 pm »
I love the packed stadiums for an Astros-Mariners face off. It's electric.

F'ing M's.

331
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:57:37 pm »
Look on the bright side ... if you hand the bullpen a deficit, they can't blow the lead!

332
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:56:40 pm »
Saw that coming. Meat. Pitches.

While the Astros struggle with the BBs being thrown by Seattle's pitching committee.

333
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:55:05 pm »
How is it that the Mariners aren't killing Kazmir's meat pitches? We're going to need a bigger boat.... errr.... bullpen.

I see what you did there.

334
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:54:39 pm »
"What? We took the lead in the top of the inning? We can't have that!"

335
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:53:26 pm »
It sounds strange to hear "raising his average to .132 on the year" for another teams player.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sounds like he'd slot right into the Houston lineup.

336
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:52:48 pm »
The video's going to need a segment on fucking up the signs.

337
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:52:03 pm »
Operant conditioning.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Actually, the thing Ashby's been doing that drives me craziest is bitching about Springer drawing too many walks since he came off the DL. Because you want to swing at bad pitches if you've got Correa coming up behind you.

338
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:50:17 pm »
Maybe the dumbass in the truck just shouldn't have given an ice cream cone to a kid he still carries in a baby bjorn.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm also not sure the solution to "don't fuck up my carpet" is to completely cover up the carpet and never see it again.

339
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:49:19 pm »
How's it that Ashby's saying many of the same things being said here, but in a way that makes me not want to agree with him?

340
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:46:43 pm »
Alright, inning over, time to spot the M's a couple more runs.

341
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:45:42 pm »
This fucking game should be 4-0.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Mariners?

342
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:43:21 pm »
Three freaking runs off a Whitman's Sampler of Seattle relievers?

343
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:41:49 pm »
I'm asking the Many Faced God to handle Ashby.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If I'm ever asked to give three names, I'd just say "Selig" three times.

344
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:41:01 pm »
Does Evan Gattis practice hitting by swinging an axe as hard as he can at a tree?

345
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:38:52 pm »
Good gods, we finally caught a break.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The Old or the New Gods?

346
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:38:14 pm »
I was ready to post how Jose was rolling over everything again and forgetting to go to right center on those outside pitches. See me working?

Apparently his focus on his hitting mechanics blocked out the base running sector of his brain.

347
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:37:02 pm »
So far, Valbuena, Castro, Rasmus and Carter need to be made to wear Underoos for the flight to Phoenix.

Somebody get a set for Altuve too.

348
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:36:27 pm »
So far, Valbuena, Castro, Rasmus and Carter need to be made to wear Underoos for the flight to Phoenix.

349
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:34:42 pm »
Add sliding to the video because apparently this is the first time Carter has ever slid

If you only hit homers or make outs, you don't develop any skills on the base paths.

350
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:14:17 pm »
Good to see Colby with absolutely no sense of urgency

Add that to Noe's video for the kids.

351
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:11:21 pm »
At least the double play means they didn't strand anyone.

352
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:05:02 pm »
The BBGs can see straight into your heart. There is no deceiving them.

Yep. Everyone's cards are on the table these days.

353
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 10:00:46 pm »
Three innings, three LOBsters.

354
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:59:27 pm »
El Guapo gets Correa down 0-2 in a hurry.

And Wonder Woman strikes out on three pitches, stranding Springer.

355
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:58:56 pm »
El Guapo gets Correa down 0-2 in a hurry.

356
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:58:26 pm »
Surely you jest.

I'm taunting the BBGs.

357
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:55:26 pm »
Fortunately, Seattle is playing sloppy too. Let's see if they can actually plate a runner on second with two outs.

358
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:54:44 pm »
They should record that inning and play it back to young professional baseball players "See here youngsters, this is why you don't play wound up too tightly... you have to play much more relaxed to make the plays in this game". Not the best time for the Astros to have tight nerves. Not good at all.

If you stuck coal up their asses, you'd get diamonds.

359
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:52:17 pm »
A's win.

That was just not major league defense.

My 8-year-old's team had cleaner innings this spring.

360
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:51:11 pm »
Oakland beats the Angels. Astros and Angels both at 83-75. Twins at 82-76.

361
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:46:35 pm »
Error by Gomez. Crooked number for Seattle.

A's 8, Angels 7, Angels batting in bottom of the ninth, runners on first and third, 2 outs.

362
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:45:08 pm »
And, another two-out base runner for the M's.

Error by Gomez. Crooked number for Seattle.

363
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:44:33 pm »
Monumental dick stepping...passed ball plates a run

And, another two-out base runner for the M's.

364
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:43:36 pm »
Big out.

Which of course means they won't get the last out of the inning without more hijinks. Seattle 1, Houston 0 on the third defensive miscue of the inning.

365
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros v. Mariners, September 30, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 09:41:22 pm »
Big out.

366
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: September 30, 2015, 01:25:01 pm »
What are you wearing, "Jake from State Farm"?

I am related to someone who used to "sell extended warranties" over the phone, as she used to describe it to some people. If you ever had any positive illusions about who is sitting at the other end of the line, she would dispel them for you.

367
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: September 30, 2015, 01:23:32 pm »
Tell her you were watching porn and masturbating.  She'll understand that.  Tell her you were figuring the Astros playoff scenarios, and she'll think you're some kind of nutjob.

As long as she doesn't suspect me of looking at Carlos Correa as Wonder Woman, I'm probably not going to get any stranger in her eyes.

368
Talk Zone / Re: Destiny
« on: September 30, 2015, 11:57:21 am »
It was therapeutic, although my wife was suspicious as to why I was up until 5 a.m.

369
Talk Zone / Destiny
« on: September 30, 2015, 04:01:08 am »
Because the Rangers and the Angels play each other their final four games, the Astros still hold their destiny in their own hands. That series guarantees that the Rangers and the Angels cannot both run the table.

If the Astros were to finish 2-2, 1-3 or even 0-4, they would nonetheless have a chance to tie for or win the second wild card. At 2-2, the Astros would need the Angels to lose at least 3 and the Twins to lose at least 2 for a tie. At 1-3, they would need the Angels to lose at least 4 and the Twins to lose at least 3. And at 0-4, they would need the Angels to finish 0-5 and the Twins to lose at least 5. I am disregarding the Indians here, but they have not yet been eliminated from the wild card hunt.

If the Astros were to finish 3-1, the only way they would be eliminated is if the Rangers were to finish 2-3 and the Angels were to finish 4-1. Otherwise, they would either tie for the second wild card, win the second wild card or even wind up in a three-way tie for the division. The last scenario would occur if the Astros were to finish 3-1, the Rangers were to finish 1-4 and the Angels were to finish 3-2.

And if the Astros were to finish 4-0, they would secure either the second wild card, a tie for the division or a division title. They would win the division if the Rangers were to finish 1-4 and the Angels were to finish 3-2. They would tie the Rangers for the division if the Rangers were to finish 2-3 and the Angels were to finish 3-2. They would tie the Angels for the division if the Rangers were to finish 1-4 or 0-5 and the Angels were to finish 4-1. There would be a three-way tie for the division if the Astros were to finish 4-0, the Rangers were to finish 2-3 and the Angels were to finish 4-1.

As painful as September has been, the Astros still have the opportunity to get up from the mat and get back into this thing.

370
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:24:02 am »
At least the Rangers and Angels have to play each other for four games to end of the season, so they cannot both keep winning. But it will not matter if the Astros keep losing winnable games.

371
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:20:51 am »
And, as of now, the Astros are on the outside looking in for the playoffs.

372
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:16:19 am »
I try hard not to be a fan who second-guesses the guy in the dugout, but Neshek has allowed baserunners in 11 of his last 15 appearances. For whatever reason, his effectiveness has deteriorated badly since mid-August.

373
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:07:43 am »
Un-fucking-believable.

374
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:05:34 am »
It doesn't seem like he knows what's going to happen whenever he lets go of the pitch.

Earlier in the year he was putting it in nasty places on the corner. It's cruising right down the pipe nowadays.

375
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 30, 2015, 12:01:48 am »
That too.  This white-knuckling the end of the season is more stressful than post-season games.

It's nothing personal against Neshek, but his stuff just isn't working like it did a month or two ago. It seems risky bringing him in.

376
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 11:57:38 pm »
Neshek warming.

At first I read that as Neshek warning.

377
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Sea Hags September 29, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 11:48:23 pm »
Astros with 2 on 2 out in the 8th for Tucker...

Dammit.

378
Talk Zone / Re: Hell yeah!
« on: September 29, 2015, 03:37:43 pm »
Unlike last year where the Big 12 simply decided to not have a champion rather than go through the tiebreaker scenarios.

Yep. That didn't seem to work out very well for them.

379
Yes. I have done this in Central America and in South America. The next time I do this I think I'll pay by check just to fuck with them.

As for paying with cash, if you do that here you will elicit extreme suspicion. They will pore over each and every $20 bill, and if you have anything larger, forget it. Here comes the manager, the assistant to the regional manager, hat el al. I would seriously rather be in line behind someone paying by check than behind someone paying with a hundred dollar bill.

Curiously, at gas stations here they don't even blink if you hand them a hundred. I don't know why that is.

Is it mandatory full-service at the gas stations, like Mexico and New Jersey?

380
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: September 29, 2015, 03:35:21 pm »
And Friday works for me if anyone else is up for it.

381
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: September 29, 2015, 03:32:51 pm »
That sounds amazing.  Where is Armadillo Palace?

It's the Goode Co. Armadillo Palace next to the original Goode Co. and across the street from Goode Co. Tacqueria and Hamburgers on Kirby.

382
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: September 29, 2015, 01:33:14 pm »
Armadillo Palace offers this on its regular menu, fwiw.

That is precisely what I had in mind when I wrote it. I would be happy to meet someone for lunch this week for the sacrifice, if anyone has any interest.

383
A couple of weeks ago I was in line in a supermarket in Colombia, an Exito, a place where (obviously) I still don't really understand how things work. Inadvertently I got into a line where you can pay with 'puntos.' I'm not entirely sure but as far as I can tell 'puntos' is Colombian for 'coupins.'

Apparently the way to do it is you overload your shopping cart with god knows what, wheel it up to the puntos line and then proceed to change your mind about which items you really want, spending twenty minutes or so deciding which eight of the seventy five things you have in your cart a) you really need and b) fit within your allocation of puntos.

I finally bailed out of that line only to find myself behind an old lady who promptly whipped out a checkbook and wrote a check. They had to call the manager, the assistant to the regional manager, the local congressional representative, the representative of the check writers' union, had to perform a retina scan and a blood test... It had never occurred to me that I might prefer to be in a Walmart behind some redneck who'd snuck coin rolls out of her sock drawer but you know me, I am open to new ideas.

Have you ever had the need to issue a power of attorney or sign an agreement before a public notary in Central or South America? It would be faster just to form a junta and overthrow the government.

384
Talk Zone / Re: Hell yeah!
« on: September 29, 2015, 01:28:01 pm »
... Given that the Astros have season series over the Angels, the Angels would have it over the Rangers and the Rangers would have it over the Astros ...

Sounds like OU, Texas and Tech for the Big 12 title a few years ago.

385
Talk Zone / Re: Need advice
« on: September 29, 2015, 01:25:21 pm »
If I were to have purchased tickets for any games that may or may not occur following Sunday, what sort of sacrifice is necessary to appease the BBGs?  Are we talking a Frito Pie, a spider, a live chicken, what?

Frito pies for a week. With venison chili.

386
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:19:37 am »
Evan Drellich ‏@EvanDrellich 17m
Fastest pitch of the night for Lance McCullers: 98.7. Sat 96-97. His changeup reached 92.5.

And 21 years old. Wow.

387
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:13:03 am »
AL WC
Tm   W  L  GB
-------------
NY  86 70  --
Hou 83 74  --
Ana 81 74 1.0
Min 81 75 1.5

388
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:10:20 am »
AL West
Tm   W  L  GB
-------------
Tex 84 72  --
Hou 83 74 1.5
Ana 81 74 2.5

389
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:07:12 am »
No.

And Halos-White Elephants knotted 4-4 after 8.

390
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:06:22 am »

391
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Seashits September 28, 2015
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:06:06 am »
Gregerson in with one out...

Dos outs now.

392
Talk Zone / Re: For the next 3 days
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:03:55 am »
I often think about your line comparing the Nicaraguan canal with the Cubs' world series chances.

I wonder if Danny Ortega will throw a Cub-tastic party.

393
Talk Zone / Re: For the next 3 days
« on: September 29, 2015, 12:02:57 am »


I had forgotten about that.

Yes, that's Cub-tastic.

394
Talk Zone / Re: Rookies
« on: September 28, 2015, 03:13:22 pm »
Good think Gattis isn't a rookie. #cubtastic

395
Talk Zone / Re: For the next 3 days
« on: September 28, 2015, 03:10:33 pm »
I'll tall, fat and hairy, but I sure as hell ain't cubtastic.

396
Talk Zone / Re: Hell yeah!
« on: September 28, 2015, 12:09:52 pm »
It's the last week of the season, and I have every reason to not only stay up late and watch my team, but to monitor loads of other games as well.

I don't care how we got here.  This is what you should love as a baseball fan.

Let's go!

Like.

397
Talk Zone / Re: For the next 3 days
« on: September 28, 2015, 12:06:26 pm »
It sounds like we have a new entry for the definition of the word "cub·tas·tic" in relation to an inappropriate or ironic form of celebration or observance.

By the way, do NOT do a Google image search for "cubtastic." Apparently the word is already in use, although it may be somewhat applicable for our purposes. Was anyone else aware of this?

398
Trust me, a crusty old sock would have been preferable.  Or at least quicker.

At least it wasn't the customer "service" queue. Somebody would have been trying to wire a sock full of Canadian pennies to Slovenia.

399
Talk Zone / Re: Rookies
« on: September 28, 2015, 12:00:42 pm »
Not Berkman's.

Berkman will be guarding the ladies' rooms in the ballpark from Correa, McCullers, Singleton, et al.

400
Talk Zone / Re: For the next 3 days
« on: September 28, 2015, 11:14:02 am »
Cool move if anything's still at stake.

I guess we won't know whether to root for the Rangers or the Halos until we actually get to the weekend.

401
Talk Zone / Rookies
« on: September 28, 2015, 11:11:08 am »
Maybe this belongs in Beer & Queso, depending on who you are.

https://www.facebook.com/KHOUDanielGotera/posts/1023389384348469

402
A season ticket rep at the ballpark this weekend told me that they are actually reducing seating by taking out the upper deck sections in center field. Those sections were originally created for group outings. The new space in center field will be for group outings as well, but rather than traditional seats, will be much more like the restaurant currently in center field.

So maybe if everybody at OWA starts rolling his or her pennies ...

403
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Rangers @ Astros September 26, 2015
« on: September 26, 2015, 03:38:25 pm »
Eh.  Heat of the moment thing.  I wouldn't worry about it.

ETA:  Just realized I totally misinterpreted the fact that you were speaking literally and not figuratively.

Yes, more John Tudor than Dick Allen.

404
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Rangers @ Astros September 26, 2015
« on: September 26, 2015, 03:28:44 pm »
I wonder how much of the clubhouse Gregerson has destroyed.

405
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 09:15:01 pm »
Time for Gattis to redeem himself.

BOOM!

406
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 09:14:02 pm »
Geez, another pitiful at bat by Lowrie.

Time for Gattis to redeem himself.

407
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 09:01:58 pm »
20 feet to the left it hits off the wall behind the CBs.  It high on the wall.

Sorry. My mistake. I rewound and saw that.

408
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 08:54:42 pm »
He gave it a ride, but the ballpark's pretty deep out there. If he'd hit it 20 feet to the left, it would have gone into the middle rows of the Crawford Boxes.

409
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 08:54:25 pm »
Damn, how close was that to getting out?

He gave it a ride, but the ballpark's pretty deep out there. If he'd hit it 20 feet to the left, it would have gone into the middle of the Crawford Boxes.

410
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 08:48:27 pm »
Duffy appears not to have been around long enough to be infected by the virus.

411
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 08:44:44 pm »
I kinda like that Orbit hat.

Gattis may as well have been wearing Orbit's head on the basepaths.

412
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: A's @ Astros, September 19, 2015
« on: September 19, 2015, 08:43:54 pm »
A's tie it up after two out and 0-2 on the #9 hitter

I'm late to the party, but I did see before the game that the #9 hitter was batting something like .074, and was therefore due to punish the Astros. At least they've retired Valencia in one of his four plate appearances.

413
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:36:11 pm »
They're going to miss the playoffs and it's not even going to be close. They're going to be playing that last series in Arizona Grapefruit League split squad style, with whole lineups of September call-ups.

I won't say that yet. As improbable as the collapse has been, they could still go on another streak and get back into this. But it's hard to see that right now given how they've played.

414
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:34:11 pm »
If you think about it, it's absolutely amazing how badly this team is playing.
The Rangers weren't on some crazy hot streak coming into that series... they were struggling, including getting shut out back to back in Seattle.
The Angels were playing badly. The A's have been horrible all year. And all of them have had little problem pushing the Astros around.

Plus, every time you think of hits that haven't fallen or line drives that have been right at people, you have to consider that the last time they won was the result of a ridiculous comeback with two outs and two strikes in the ninth on a series of extremely improbable events. They are about five small miracles away from having dropped seven straight.

415
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:32:22 pm »
I'm just really hoping they can get to 81 wins.

I'd say that was still highly likely, but going 4-10 would actually be a significant improvement at this point.

416
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:28:23 pm »
It's not that there's no time to comeback. But the team seems pretty listless.

417
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:25:33 pm »
No hits after the fourth. Five hits total.

418
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:25:15 pm »
And the Astros lost too.

419
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:24:52 pm »
Rangers lost.

420
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:13:39 pm »
Not sure what is worse, seeing it or not seeing it.

Going to the bottom of the 9th. Still 4-3 A's.

421
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:10:54 pm »
WTF, both MLBtv and gameday have hit the wall.  Did someone pull the plug on this game?

Top of the 9th, two outs.

422
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:10:27 pm »
WTF, both MLBtv and gameday have hit the wall.  Did someone pull the plug on this game?

One could only hope.

423
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 10:05:23 pm »
This season is starting to resemble the Hindenburg disaster.

424
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:57:39 pm »
0-4 since the All-Star break.

425
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:53:40 pm »
Has any reliever been reliable the last two weeks?

426
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:51:08 pm »
The Valencia thing is ridiculous.

427
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:49:10 pm »
Bullpen continues its late-season meltdown.

428
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:32:15 pm »
Wait a second...there are multiple families of Pruskis in Koscuisko and they're not related?

Kind of like everyone's 1/32nd Cherokee.

429
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:27:43 pm »
Across the road from Koscuisko hall is a baseball field.

As there should be.

430
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:20:06 pm »
Valencia, lifetime vs. Astros:

11-for-28, .393 Avg, .485 OBP, .714 Slg

And I think that doesn't even include tonight.

431
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:16:10 pm »

Valencia singles to RF...and why shouldn't he, he's the greatest hitter ever in the history of organized athletics..must be hitting about .950


Fantastic. This is why we need a Like button.

432
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:12:40 pm »
Ha! I did a Google Maps search to see exactly where it is. Look at one of the local businesses.

433
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 09:05:39 pm »
Not sure the story regarding him being scouted because apparently only one has heard it.  I have a feeling the truth will be revealed at the reunion should be fun.

Where'd he grow up?

434
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 08:59:29 pm »
The A's are maxing out the number of acrobatic catches they should be making, especially on Correa.

435
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 08:58:39 pm »
So, my family (paternal side) have a family reunion every year around Thanksgiving.  Well, one of my cousins is organizing shirts and decided to go with a baseball theme because my Grandpa was scouted by the Cards.  A few things to know, #1 I probably watch the most baseball of everyone in my family--but a lot of them watch baseball, #2 my Grandpa did play baseball--but he grew up in a farming community (it's not even big enough for a city), #3 quite a few of my cousins played baseball both in high school and in the farming community my family is from.

There is no way in hell I would not have heard about my Grandpa being scouted by the Cards.  No way!!!!  All of my uncles talk baseball with me.  My cousins that played baseball would have known and they don't seem to know.  And the one that does know, didn't play baseball so why would anyone of told him that.

I'm thinking someone lied to him, but damn it would be really cool if he had been.  My grandpa was a tall lean farm boy.  So, maybe someone is keeping really good secrets.

Interesting. I wonder if there's any way to look into it.

436
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 08:28:41 pm »
When's the last time you saw somebody get dinged up sliding into an umpire?

Can't recall. Not sure how Blue was positioned like that there.

437
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Athletics @ Astros September 18, 2015
« on: September 18, 2015, 08:21:10 pm »
Wow. What a catch.

438
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 09:19:38 pm »
It's a hell of a lot more emtertaining than the game, that's for sure.

Trump is going to win the nomination and then get his ass kicked by an 80 year old Jewish socialist.

That's funny, but not ha-ha funny.

439
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 09:18:56 pm »
I don't believe in reading too much into whether a game shows that a team has what it takes to get to the playoffs and be successful there. But there's nothing good to take away from this game.

440
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 09:10:17 pm »
I guess everyone is watching the debate.

The debate is even more of a train wreck than this game, as far as I'm concerned. And I'm a Republican.

441
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 09:02:59 pm »
I guess that's be 12

Ding! Ding! Ding!

442
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 08:38:13 pm »
Over/under on the Rangers getting into the teens?

443
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 16, 2015
« on: September 16, 2015, 08:35:33 pm »
There goes the 6+ innings streak.

444
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 10:57:58 pm »
are they going to get swept there?  where is all the resiliency?

Keuchel tomorrow. Let's get one back.

445
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 10:44:51 pm »
Would be nice to get a hit from the middle of the order right now.

446
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 10:35:53 pm »
The frequency of these buttery jack commercials is troubling. Is that really a hot item?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had one last night. It was fantastic. Best fast-food burger I've had.

447
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 10:13:47 pm »
Both Brownie and Ashby have said "impactful".  I hate them.

I hope you punish associates who write that way.

448
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 10:10:13 pm »
Boom!

449
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:48:52 pm »
I prefer "eat our jerky and act like a total asshole!"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

At least those make me laugh when Big Foot kicks some ass.

450
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:48:03 pm »
That play was close.  Jake has done well out there.  which does not surprise me.

Having four guys on the team who can play good center field is a luxury.

451
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:47:24 pm »
huh, huh...balls dropping...huh, huh

My 8-year-old, who was resistant along with his teammates about wearing cups this spring, asked whether the home-plate umpire is required to wear one. I told him that I imagine that the umpire wants to wear one.

452
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:39:51 pm »
Man, the balls have been dropping the Rangers' way this series.

453
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:37:56 pm »
That's not how I'd handle my 4-year-old pouring orange juice all over the place.

454
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:33:04 pm »
These guys don't like pitching to Correa.

455
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ stRangers September 15, 2015
« on: September 15, 2015, 09:29:43 pm »
Boy, Altuve has wheels.

456
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Orioles @ Astros June 3, 2015
« on: June 03, 2015, 09:58:01 pm »
I think these guys can play a little.

457
Talk Zone / Re: So....how good is this team, really?
« on: May 04, 2015, 11:55:03 am »
"It's early" is a way of pointing out that somebody batting .410 at the end of April probably isn't going to be batting .410 at the end of September. Just so, the Astros aren't likely to win 116 games, not least because no team's likely to win 116 games.

But the 18 victories are in the bank now and can't be taken out, the games have been delightful to watch, and even if the Astros went .500 the rest of the season, they'd still win 87 games, which is enough to contend.

458
Talk Zone / Re: So....how good is this team, really?
« on: May 04, 2015, 11:33:05 am »
They're this good right now. Just go with it.

459
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Rainjizz April 12, 2015
« on: April 12, 2015, 06:18:49 pm »
Have to go to the Rangers broadcast. A few channels up. No idea why it's not on the alternate like they claim.

Thanks. I got to miss the home run and I get to listen to the Rangers broadcast team. At least the Astros are looking good.

460
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Rainjizz April 12, 2015
« on: April 12, 2015, 06:18:00 pm »
Not on DirecTV alternate.  I'm having to watch Fox. 

BTW, is Gattis still due?

Found it. Not sure why Root didn't get it right.

461
Game Zone 2015 Archive / Re: Astros @ Rainjizz April 12, 2015
« on: April 12, 2015, 06:14:15 pm »
Where the hell did the game just go? DirecTV alternative has nothing.

462
Talk Zone / Re: Tal's Hill
« on: October 29, 2014, 03:36:17 pm »
How much space would be needed for an Astros Hall of Fame? Couldn't they put it in the area covered by one concession stand?

463
Talk Zone / Re: Were #3
« on: May 07, 2014, 04:07:40 pm »
This thread has more straw men than a Wizard of Oz cosplay convention. I've never seen anyone argue that every ball in play has an equal chance of becoming a hit. I've seen people provide data that indicates that some variations in batting average on balls in play appear to be somewhat, though not exclusively, random.

464
Talk Zone / Re: I don't like the sounds of this.
« on: February 19, 2014, 04:34:59 pm »
But it does say some can judge him for not getting there early without know why he didn't go early.

Prezactly.

465
Talk Zone / Re: Bo upset about the lack of respect....
« on: February 19, 2014, 04:32:33 pm »
I've got next August. I'm not sure that he's the guy to take the team to the promised land.

I don't think that's necessarily what they brought him in for. There's a lot of ground left to cover before they get within sniffing distance of the promised land.

466
Talk Zone / Re: Bo upset about the lack of respect....
« on: February 19, 2014, 04:27:45 pm »
Maybe Clemens was brought in for his laboratory expertise. 

Excellent. But make that "alleged laboratory expertise."

467
Talk Zone / Re: when do individual tickets go onsale
« on: February 17, 2014, 08:31:39 pm »
Not sure if you've heard, but there's a Web site called http://www.astros.com that contains information about things like this.

468
I never proposed that.  I said I can't put Rivera's value over that of Jeter's.  That's a far cry from "Rivera was worthless".

I am in absolute agreement with you on Jeter and Rivera.

469
Why is it every time someone says Player X was not the greatest player in history, you respond with "yes, he obviously sucked donkey balls"?  Everything is a false dichotomy with you.

I'm pretty sure I haven't said that every time or even any time. Nor, for the record, do I disagree with you that Rivera does not rank with Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio or Mantle, or Berra, for that matter.

But I don't agree with the proposition that a relief pitcher's value should be in question because a relief pitcher is a failed starter. If you do the job you're asked to do, and do it exceedingly well, then that shouldn't be diminished because you couldn't make it in another job. If you've got two great pitchers, and one's a starter while the other is a reliever, I won't argue against the claim that the starter is more valuable because his impact on the team's success may be greater. But that has nothing to do with the fact that the reliever wasn't able to do the starter's job when he came up. In the case of Rivera, he made 10 starts as a rookie, then proceeded to finish 952 games and post 652 saves. The fact that he failed to remain a starter after those 10 starts doesn't factor in to his value.

It's not like the manager or pitching coach calls the bullpen and says, "The game's on the line. Send in one of the failed starters to hold down the fort."

470
Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George gets hired by the Yankees.  Jerry's reaction:

"THE New York Yankees??  Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle.....Costanza?"

I can't in good conscious put a relief pitcher, a failed starter, that high on any list of greatest.

Yes, all relief pitchers are just failed starters and are of dubious value.

471
Talk Zone / Re: Roy Oswalt, ultimate big-game pitcher?
« on: February 01, 2014, 12:43:20 am »
Let go your conscious self, and stretch out with your feelings.

Of all the pitchers in MLB history, would you pick Oswalt to start?

I'm thinking no.

It's not predictive. It's looking backward. It is a factual matter that Oswalt pitched very well and won a lot of important games for the Astros in playoff races. Notwithstanding the ignominy he receives here for his big mouth, the Astros were very fortunate to have him in his prime.

472
Talk Zone / Re: Roy Oswalt, ultimate big-game pitcher?
« on: February 01, 2014, 12:40:17 am »
So basically Bill James thinks Roy Oswalt is the most "clutch" pitcher of all-time?  Interesting.

That's not what the series of articles is about.

It's about defining what constitutes a "big game" in terms of the regular season then compiling the performance of the starting pitchers in all "big games" since the '50s. The "big game" definition is based on how late in the season the game was, whether the team was in a playoff race, whether the opponent was also in the race and the quality of the opponent. You're playing your division rival in September a few games ahead or behind, that's the prototypical "big game," but the definition also includes other games that you might consider "must-win" for a team in contention.

It turns out, when you look at the records of all starting pitchers since the '50s in "big games," James thinks Oswalt comes out on top, just ahead of Bob Gibson:

"And no, I am not just being provocative. Gibson’s won-lost record in regular-season Big Games was 36-14; Oswalt’s is 37-9. Gibson’s teams were 40-17; Oswalt’s were 46-12.   Think about it: 46-12 in Big Games. Gibson’s ERA was 2.26; Oswalt’s was 2.63. When you adjust for context, I suspect that Oswalt wins that one. Oswalt pitched 80 fewer innings than Gibson, but struck out almost as many batters (341 to 352) and walked half as many (73 to 144).

"In certain ways we are not as good at making myths now as we were a generation ago. The Wild Card system DOES create more Big Games, I believe, but sometimes it creates Big Games for second-place and third-place teams. The story lacks the clarity and symmetry of a pennant race; it is a harder story to tell.

"Roy Oswalt won a tremendous number of Big Games for the Astros in the mid-2000s, but when there are six pennant races to follow and two Wild Cards, things get lost in the shuffle. Oswalt’s constant drumbeat of Big Wins late in the season didn’t have the impact of Bob Gibson winning 7 games in September of ’64. But . . . just the facts. Oswalt has won 80% of his Big Games. Wow."

473
Talk Zone / Re: Roy Oswalt, ultimate big-game pitcher?
« on: January 29, 2014, 10:57:47 pm »
I'm in the middle of dinner on a break from work, so I can't hit it real hard but it looks like he's putting a disproportionate weight to wins. Yes 80% is extraordinary but not being able to see through the paywall I don't know what his methodology is. If wins are the bulk of his reasoning, I'm not comfortable with that because the pitcher doesn't necessarily control that. I'd be more comfortable if he'd made the point in terms of limiting the opposition to numbers well under their established level of performance, but I can't see where he said anything along those lines.

Comparing him to Gibson by way of strikeouts and ERA doesn't work for me either because a the game is so different now from back then, markedly so in those two respects.

Just because it smells funny to me doesn't make him wrong, it's just lacking the backup I'd need to support that conclusion. That's shorthand. It just strikes me as unlikely that Oswalt is the King of Big Game pitchers given the other dominating hurlers we've seen.

What do you think?

Thanks for the reply. I'd seen that he was writing the articles, but I haven't read them. I do have access to the site, though, so I will take a look.

474
Talk Zone / Re: Roy Oswalt, ultimate big-game pitcher?
« on: January 29, 2014, 05:26:24 pm »
I really like Bill James. I enjoy reading what he writes. He's done a colossal service to the game with his research, insights and conclusions and has sparked a massive wave of research. But sometimes, I think he's full of shit.

OK. Care to elaborate further in the context of this particular thread?

475
Bad news....


"Bud Selig wants a Mariano Rivera-esque farewell tour of all 30 MLB parks this season"

"I want to talk to season-ticket holders and fans," he said. "I've got a lot of people to thank."

That idea came about, he said, in part because several clubs reached out to him after his announcement and asked to honor him, but also because Rivera's farewell tour got Selig to thinking about ways to connect with people who love baseball.

"I like that," Selig said. "I like talking to people. And ... that's what I want to do: [speak to] season-ticket holders, people who work at ballparks. I just like to walk around and talk to people. I love that. I did that when I ran the Brewers. And I enjoyed it. I miss that.[/i]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/bud-selig-wants-mariano-rivera-esque-farewell-tour-202535395--mlb.html

If he thinks he can come to Houston and expect anything less than boos and eggs thrown at him, than he is even more out of touch with reality than ARod.




Two words: Stink. Palm.

476
Talk Zone / Re: best Christmas present ever
« on: January 14, 2014, 02:24:19 pm »
I doubt they did it regularly. 

Or, more importantly, recently.

477
Talk Zone / Re: best Christmas present ever
« on: January 14, 2014, 02:02:09 pm »
http://www.spikesnstars.com/docs/wp-content/uploads/dome-chairs.jpg

Can't figure out how to paste a pic in a post, but a link will do.  There's a white state of Texas plate on the side that's kinda washed out in the pic.  It shows Row 7.

Man, those look fantastic. When you were using the hose, did you do anything not to get the seat cushions wet, or did you just wash everyone with soap and water and let is dry out?

478
Talk Zone / Re: best Christmas present ever
« on: January 14, 2014, 01:59:25 pm »
very  nice.  Where'd you get the brackets?

I haven't bought brackets for my pair yet, but someone on eBay said he bought brackets here:

http://www.stadiumseatdepot.com/

They aren't cheap.

479
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 09, 2014, 09:55:49 pm »
It is the Hall of Fame that has given the BBWAA the power it has. There is probably not much that can be done to change the BBWAA, but maybe something could be done to change the Hall of Fame.

480
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 09, 2014, 03:06:01 pm »
The BBWAA permanently stripped Le Batard of his vote and banned him from attending baseball games as a credentialed media member for a year.

But hey all the assholes who send in blank "protest" ballots have "earned the right to do what they want with their ballots."

What a bunch of dumbasses. 

Hey, at least we now know that they have some standards.

481
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 09, 2014, 11:11:15 am »
Then I'd say their raw stats are not a one to one comparison.

Which is why the statistics I presented were put into context.

482
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 09, 2014, 09:17:36 am »
Where would Schilling have ranked had he pitched in the same years, the same number of innings, against the same opponents as Morris?

This is unknowable, just as it is unknowable how Morris would have ranked had he pitched in the same years as Schilling, when the league batting average, home run rate and ERA were considerably higher.

483
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 09, 2014, 09:11:00 am »
Actually, some of the most dyspeptic writers have covered baseball more or less continuously for a very long time. It is not for lack of watching baseball that they stubbornly cling to foolish opinions.

484
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 05:44:08 pm »
Of course you do.  You're looking at career totals in a vacuum.  For 17 of his 20 years, Schilling was decidedly mediocre, and sometimes worse.  No doubt he had some tremendous seasons late.  But there is no way his career had the kind of consistent excellence that Morris had.  But if you think Schilling is worthy, by all means put him in your HOF.  He's not in mine.  And I'm glad he's not in the real one, though I suspect it's just a matter of time. 

Look, I'm not a big Schilling-for-Hall-of-Fame advocate, but I don't think we're talking about the same pitcher.

Schilling was in the top 10 in ERA nine times, winning percentage six times, innings pitched seven times, hits per nine innings eight times, walks per nine innings 10 times, strikeouts per nine innings 10 times, strikeouts-to-walks 11 times, complete games 11 times and shutouts 11 times.

Morris was in the top 10 in ERA five times, winning percentage five times, innings pitched nine times, hits per nine innings six times, walks per nine innings zero times, strikeouts per nine innings five times, strikeouts-to-walks three times, complete games 10 times and shutouts eight times.

Schilling was better than the league ERA 14 times, 10 percent better than the league ERA 14 times, 20 percent better than the league ERA 13 times, 30 percent better than the league ERA 10 times, 40 percent better than the league ERA seven times and 50 percent better than the league ERA four times.

Morris was better than the league ERA 11 times, 10 percent better than the league ERA eight times, 20 percent better than the league ERA six times, 30 percent better than the league ERA one time, 40 percent better than the league ERA zero times and 50 percent better than the league ERA zero times.

A pitcher who was better than the league ERA by 10 percent 14 times should, by definition, not be considered decidedly mediocre, or sometimes worse, in all but three of his seasons. But even if you assume that Schilling was better than mediocre in only a few seasons, where does that leave Morris, who has barely half as many seasons as dominant as Schilling's?

485
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 04:56:26 pm »
Maybe the ones who voted for Clemens but not Bonds remembered that a jury of twelve Americans found beyond a reasonable doubt that Clemens never used PEDs. 

I don't recall exactly, but wasn't it actually that the jury did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Clemens perjured himself before Congress about using PEDs?

486
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 04:54:11 pm »
The entire process is fucked up.  If the ballot were not limited to 10 players, Biggio gets in.  Several writers have already said they left him off because they didn't have room.

If it weren't the first Astros ever I really would just stop giving a shit, but I can't.

You would think that even with the 10-player limit, they could find room for someone with 3,060 hits.

487
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 04:38:40 pm »
the other 2 are columnists who write to inflame more than inform.

Isn't this the primary purpose of the modern sports columnist?

488
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 04:12:31 pm »
Putting aside the poor track record of a stubborn minority of the baseball writers, there is no reason why a voting system set up in 1936, when baseball writers were the one group of people who saw the vast majority of players play over a long period, should continue to exist. If you added the local TV and radio broadcasters for each team, as well as the national broadcasters, you would have about 140 more ballots. If you added living Hall of Famers, you would have about 70 more ballots. If you added the general managers, managers and coaches of each team, you would have about 180 more ballots. You could add in active and retired umpires, or players, or other front-office people. Even if you required a certain tenure, say, 10 years, you would get to a point where the writers would still be important, but not all-powerful. And while people from each of these other categories would have their own biases and might not make good decisions all the time, you would have a more diverse set of voters that would be much less susceptible to the frustration that arises from a cabal of self-insulated crotchety hacks who jealously guard what they believe is their birthright but which they find occasion to piss all over every 12 months.

489
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 03:55:27 pm »

And if Morris got to throw as few innings as Schilling did, his stats would likely be better Schilling's.  Still, WAR and VORP and Range Factor and XYZ aren't the be all to end all.  I know it's gauche these days to consider things like consistency, length of excellence and actually contributing to winning baseball games, but those things still are part of a "career" for me.  I'd take Morris over Schilling for my large Hall every day and twice on Sundays.

The differences between Morris and Schilling aren't discernible solely using new-fangled formulas. If you look at things like consistency, length of excellence and actually contributing to winning baseball games, Schilling outpaces Morris by quite a bit.

Schilling won 59.7 percent of his decisions, Morris won 57.7 percent of his decisions.

Morris had a 3.90 ERA when the league ERA was 4.10, Schilling had a 3.46 ERA when the league ERA was 4.39.

Morris struck out 1.8 batters for every batter he walked, Schilling struck out 4.4 batters for every batter he walked.

Batters had a .247 batting average and .313 on-base percentage against Morris and a .243 batting average and .286 on-base percentage against Schilling.

Things like allowing fewer hits, fewer walks, fewer earned runs and striking out more batters contribute to winning baseball games.

Batters slugged .380 against Morris .387 against Schilling, so there is one place where Morris has an advantage.

For all Morris' justifiable accolades in the playoffs, he was 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA in the postseason, while Schilling was 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA.

In the World Series, Morris was 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA and allowed 1.2 runners and struck out 7 batters per nine innings, while Schilling was 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and allowed 0.9 runners and struck out 8.1 batters per nine innings.

In his career, Morris pitched 563 more innings, but he also gave up 404 more earned runs. Morris won 38 more games, but he also lost 40 more games. I fail to see how that additional longevity puts Morris ahead of Schilling.

490
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 09:43:31 am »
Nolan never won the Cy Young either.

No, he didn't, but nobody has made the argument that he belongs in the Hall of Fame because he had "more than a decade of ace performance" or that he "he defined the word ace." He is in the Hall of Fame because he was the most extreme and prolific power pitcher in history.

491
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 08, 2014, 09:40:01 am »
So you're saying that you have to have won a CY award to be considered an ace?

No, I didn't say that. Those are your words, not mine.

But I would consider someone who had "more than a decade of ace performance" or who "defined the word ace in the 1980s" to have a much stronger Cy Young voting performance than Morris did.

Jack Morris was a fine pitcher and a workhorse, but he is often romanticized by his advocates.

492
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 07, 2014, 03:10:33 pm »
"HAL BODLEY, senior correspondent
Glavine, Maddux, Morris, Thomas
    I'm not ready to vote for Biggio and once again have no intention of ever punching my ballot for the steroid-suspected candidates."


So Biggio is clean but Bagwell is not?  Why would they be any different?  It's far more believable that both Bidge and Bags used steroids than just one.

More importantly, if he is not ready to vote for Biggio now, when will he be ready? When Biggio goes back and gets some more hits, or doubles, or runs scored?

Also, with respect to Morris, you get stuff like this:

"But he gets my vote for more than a decade of ace performance that included three 20-win seasons, Cy Young Award votes in seven seasons and Most Valuable Player Award votes in five."

"I respect the sabermetric argument against Morris, but he defined the word ace in the 1980s."

Yes, he got Cy Young votes in seven seasons. He placed 3rd, 3rd, 7th, 5th, 9th, 4th and 5th. In no season did the BBWAA voters consider him to be the best or even the second-best pitcher in the American League. How does that define the word ace?

493
Talk Zone / Re: Tanaka Sweepstakes
« on: January 06, 2014, 04:19:08 pm »
If this is all an elaborate ploy to get me to complain then you win. I've been to all the celebrated sushi places in Houston and they are all terrible. Not terrible as in they fail to meet my impossibly high standards (they do) but terrible as in terrible.

It is amazing to me that in a city with so many excellent dining options of such variety and quality no one has managed to open a sushi restaurant that is not terrible.

Blue Fish is not a traditional sushi bar but serves very fresh nigiri, plus the nigiri is two for one at lunch during the week.

494
Talk Zone / Re: Tanaka Sweepstakes
« on: January 06, 2014, 04:16:16 pm »
There are some new places opening up, like Tiger Den and Ramen Jin that are getting good write-ups.  The "sushi" places like Kata Robata and Soma can turn out a fine bowl of ramen as well.

I thought Kata Robata was the best in Houston, but I recently tried the ramen at Aka on Eldridge, which is near my house and one of the places I typically go for sushi, and the tonkotsu ramen there was outstanding. I don't know whether the Aka location on Alabama is as good.

495
Talk Zone / Re: Roof
« on: January 06, 2014, 03:14:45 pm »
The Astros wanted the roof closed in 2005, because the atmosphere in there was truly intimidating.  It's no mystery.

Why Selig ordered it open for the World Series is also no mystery: he's a fucking arsehole.

You owe an apology to all the fucking arseholes of the world. None of them holds a candle to the dickishness/dicklessness that is Bud Selig.

496
Talk Zone / Re: best Christmas present ever
« on: January 06, 2014, 03:13:16 pm »
2 seats from the Dome

Where are you putting them, Coach?

497
Talk Zone / Re: HOF vote watch
« on: January 06, 2014, 03:07:42 pm »
The 10-player limit is wreaking havoc this year and will only get worse in future years. This is another consequence of the PED era. As known or suspected PED-users continue to clog up the ballot, there will be far more than 10 eligible players with statistics and other achievements that would normally attract enough votes for induction. The writers will split their votes, some of them willing to vote for known or suspected PED-users, others unwilling.

This is what happened to Biggio last year. It was not that 3,000 hits is no longer enough for 75 percent of the voters. But with McGwire, Bonds, Clemens, Sosa and other known or suspected PED-users drawing votes from some segment of the writers, and with some writers willing to cast votes for few if any players at all, he fell short. I believe that prior to the PED era, Biggio would have been elected on the first ballot. He only needed 39 more votes out of 569 ballots cast.

498
Talk Zone / Re: Fowl poles are staying
« on: December 03, 2013, 06:46:53 pm »
Seems like lots of Rocks hitters do poorly on the road... Something about getting into bad habits at home because curves don't break as much at Coors? Hopefully getting out of there won't ruin him.

There's the possibility that they get into bad habits at home, but there's also the possibility that their road numbers are representative of how good (or not good) the hitters actually are, and that their home numbers at Coors obscure that.

499
Talk Zone / Re: Fowl poles are staying
« on: December 03, 2013, 06:44:38 pm »
I'd guess leadoff.

Fowler
Altuve
Castro
Carter
Springer
Wallace?
Dominguez
Grossman
Villar

Presumably/hopefully Springer will ultimately hit 3 or 4, but likely not at the beginning of the year.

Fowler has as good a shot as anyone else of leading this team in OBP.

500
Talk Zone / Re: Fowl poles are staying
« on: December 03, 2013, 06:42:46 pm »
My recollection of him is a plus defender with some speed, and a serviceable bat with some pop.  He certainly isn't some stiff that can barely play first.

I haven't heard that he's a plus-defender in center field. I understand that he's average at best. He's a break-even base-stealer, stealing about twice as often as caught. Away from Coors field, he's averaged 26 doubles, 9 triples and 6 home runs per 162 games with a .361 slugging percentage, which is pretty limited pop.

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