Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - subnuclear

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 ... 13
1
Talk Zone / Re: 2020 Roster
« on: November 26, 2019, 11:24:22 am »
Kaplan reports that Astros signed Dustin Garneau to a 1-yr deal. Intended to be glove-first back-up catcher.

3
Talk Zone / Re: More controversy
« on: November 13, 2019, 11:27:18 am »
They have become the New England Patriots of MLB.

I'll take it if they win 5 more championships.

4
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:54:29 pm »
Where the hell do you live now?

A bit east of SF Bay.

5
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:48:35 pm »
The Beltway and its denizens will be insufferable

As a former Beltway Bandit, I always had fun at Nats games. We'll survive.

6
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:40:04 pm »
The Nationals played their asses off.

7
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:37:49 pm »
Wow this sucks.

8
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:11:08 pm »
This situation still all on the offense.  Should be 8 fucking 4 right now.

Yep.

9
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:06:25 pm »
Yeech

10
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 09:47:03 pm »
Don’t like the body language in the dugout.

11
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 09:11:30 pm »
Nice call blue!

We aren’t going to get those when the robots take over.

12
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 08:18:49 pm »
Surprised Greinke threw a 3-0 cookie, but ended well.

I'm sure the Nationals version of MRaup was swearing up a storm.

13
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 08:15:06 pm »
Nasty one

14
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 08:03:30 pm »
Want one of those Astros bat donuts. Can't remember seeing those before.

15
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 07:43:02 pm »
Damnit

16
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 07:34:47 pm »
Yuli!

17
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 7, October 30, 2019
« on: October 30, 2019, 05:28:27 pm »
It's my birthday today and would definitely be a happy one with a win tonight.

18
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 6, October 29, 2019
« on: October 29, 2019, 09:10:57 pm »
That was an awesome AB by Springer

20
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 6, October 29, 2019
« on: October 29, 2019, 07:41:49 pm »
Do we have anyone representing OWA at the game?

21
Talk Zone / Re: WS 2019
« on: October 29, 2019, 04:42:20 pm »
Nationals are saying Max Scherzer could pitch in a potential Game 7 as long as his neck will let him.

22
Talk Zone / Re: WS 2019
« on: October 28, 2019, 12:48:22 pm »
The Nats have a lot of RISPs and Scherzer being out was just the worst luck for them. I expect the remaining games to be very tough.

23
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 5, October 27, 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 10:28:38 pm »
WOOO 3-2!

24
Talk Zone / Re: WS 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 09:02:31 am »
Also linked by AC, Richard Justice reports there really wasn't a player's meeting after Game 2:
Quote
To be clear, they did not have a players-only team meeting after Game 2 -- unless you count a 30-second session in which Verlander and José Altuve walked through the clubhouse and said, “Keep your heads up.”

25
Talk Zone / Re: WS 2019
« on: October 27, 2019, 08:56:06 am »
Reading Astros County this morning, I liked this quote from Adam Eaton on Urquidy:
Quote
When you go in with a game plan of kind of working off his scouting report and he goes the complete opposite with it, by the time you kind of make the adjustment, it's too late. He threw me three sliders in my first at-bat, and he throws it 10% of the time, so I went back scratching my head. He didn't throw me any changeups and he's supposed to throw me 40% changeup. Then I go up my next at-bat and saw a curveball, which he throws 3% of the time, then a fastball and finally threw me a changeup to get me out. When you have guys you haven't seen before, you have to go off the knowledge you have.

26
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 11:00:25 pm »
Great game by Urquidy and the pen.

27
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 10:40:50 pm »
Radio guys announce Devo for the 9th.

28
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 08:13:32 pm »
Wooo!

29
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 4, October 26, 2019
« on: October 26, 2019, 07:23:52 pm »
If Urquidy gets those calls I will be less mad about it.

I wonder if the umps decided that didn't want another 4 hr 10 min game.

30
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 11:10:44 pm »
Whew.

31
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 11:00:03 pm »
Shit. Bregman could have used that one.

32
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:51:15 pm »
Nice.

33
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:45:55 pm »
Good start.

34
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:34:42 pm »
hitting has showed no signs of not being anemic.  altuve/brantley being your only consistent offensive threat isn't going to work.

Hang in there, the are a tough team.

35
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:33:24 pm »
I guess Harris is ok.

36
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:15:46 pm »
Whew

37
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 10:06:34 pm »
Here comes that vomit taste again.

Sort of getting used to it.

38
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:49:05 pm »
Damnit can't crack it open

39
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:39:16 pm »
I'll take a Springer single. Good job Tucker!

40
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:31:10 pm »
Chirinos!

41
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series, Game 3, October 25, 2019
« on: October 25, 2019, 08:59:12 pm »
Uncle Mike!

42
Talk Zone / Re: Latest Controversy
« on: October 25, 2019, 02:33:45 pm »
GTFO

The ASTROS traded for a wife beater.  Some people have a problem with that.  If you don't that is your choice.  But there is absolutely nothing wrong with others pointing out what Osuna did, despite the fact that it triggers a certain group of snowflakes. 

If Taubman and the Astros can't handle criticism of bringing in a wife beater, then maybe they should have not traded for him.

Not saying she is wrong and she is entitled to her opinion either way.

43
Talk Zone / Re: Latest Controversy
« on: October 25, 2019, 01:18:13 pm »
Not sure if serious... The Athletic is subscription driven and does not have ads of any kind. They don't do clickbait.

I thought this thread was a pretty cogent series of observations on the whole debacle:

https://twitter.com/eephusasher/status/1187544300680294401?s=21

The values that Footer is expressing is that she wants Osuna off the team. She only tweets it when he pitches and she is smart enough to know it associates the Astros with DV. The number of women who follow her who don't know about DV hotlines and are victims of violence are beyond microscopic; however, her twitter audience is mostly male baseball fans and she wants them to find Osuna unacceptable without her losing her job. Footer has also been around long enough to have a huge number of back channels and favors in the bank to organize a smear campaign against Taubman without having to do it herself.

I'm not saying that she did anything wrong, but she wasn't an innocent person minding her own business either as that person seems to want to portray her.

44
Game Zone 2019 / Re: 2019 World Series Game 1; October 22, 2019
« on: October 22, 2019, 06:17:48 pm »
Have fun and enjoy the $17 beer!


45
Talk Zone / Re: Fuck the Nationals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« on: October 21, 2019, 05:49:02 pm »
For reasons of national security, I can't discuss the veracity of the claims made by the original poster, but I will say after living there 11 years I'm a little upset they would choose the year I left to play the Astros in the WS.

46
I take credit for this cuz i gots my gold Altuve jersey on!!!

Great work GZ!

47
HOLY SHIT  BALLS

48
Goddamn it.

49
Sparks said 98 mph on Correa's throw.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

94.5 by Darren Willman. Must have a different version of Statcast.

50
I love Astro defense!

51
Buck made sure to caveat the Pina HR with a crawford boxes remark of course.

Pretty sure the Yankees know where they are if they want to take advantage.

52
Yeah, I think I will take a little credit here, my lucky Yuli shirt just did it's job.

Excellent work.

53
Yuck.

54
I was totally preparing myself for getting swept on Sunday. Now only got to win 1 out 3 with Cole and Verlander up.

55
I can't believe someone who is only 22 can fly out like that.

56
Four outs from Osuna seems to be asking a lot.

He did it in game 2.

57
CORREA!

58
Yordan with a hit!

59
How Hinch knew to do put Pressley in there is beyond me.

60
Walking Hicks made things a lot harder.

61
SPRINGER!!!!

62
Chirinos with good eyes at the plate...

Were any of those pitches within a foot of the strike zone?

63
91 mph, belt high, over the plate.

64
Gameday says the wind is 16 mph to RF. Have they given more info on the broadcast?

65
Greinke nibbling.

I guess he is trying to figure out where the ump thinks the bottom corner is. Hasn't found it yet.

66
Talk Zone / Re: NLCS
« on: October 15, 2019, 10:27:36 pm »
The Coltrane album I listen to the most is the one he did with Ellington mainly because its sort of a loose thing you can listen to while doing the dishes. Coltrane figured something out in the early 60s and I'm glad he recorded it for us.

I like Davis's playing on his 50s non-Columbia albums probably the best and he had some great bands then, too.

Congrats to the Nats, too! Haven't seen as such a one-sided championship series in a long time.

67
Talk Zone / Re: NLCS
« on: October 15, 2019, 07:32:46 pm »
7 runs, 18 pitches.

68
Hell yeah! Just have to win 2 out of 4 now.

69
Apparently, Yuli really wanted to hit a slider today.

71
Cole at 112 pitches.

72
Don't believe Ottavino threw a strike to Springer.

73
Finally, got a third strike on Hicks.

74
Can't remember this happening before, but I don't pay that much attention to umpires.

75
Gameday says HPU sucks.

The two strikes on Bregman were shown outside, but it showed Cole was being called correctly. I don't really know what Gameday is based on.

76
Talk Zone / Re: Frito pie
« on: October 14, 2019, 02:06:19 pm »
If I am not mistaken, It was here, in the TZ, where it was discovered that the consumption if Frito Pie may help the BBGs to look favorably upon the Astros. Am I to now understand that this knowledge has made its way into GenPop? What are the short and long term implications of sacred TZ knowledge being out in the "wild"?

Obviously, the owners of the orangewhoopass IP will make a fortune in merchandising and cross-marketing.

77
you can't watch Tuesday?

Oh shit, Tuesday! Sorry!

78
See you guys on Wednesday, that was a rough one.

79
Hell YEAHH!

80
Baseball, it is funny.

81
Radio guys upset at bad foul call.

82
I hope Alvarez talk to Yuli about this at-bat.

83
Game at 4 hour mark?

84
Diaz has balls of steel.

85
I assume Tucker is on deck too.

Diaz in for Tucker.

86
He took a cupcake down Main Street for strike 1.


Should have swung at that one, Tucker!

87
Let's go Tucker!

88
Listening to the radio today and it is so much better.

89
While the announcers were blowing every member of the Yankees bullpen, James has a great inning.

90
This game fucking sucks.

92
I'm gonna fucking kill somebody

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Please don't.

94
It's hard to believe you screw up a movie on the battle of Midway, but it looks like someone is trying.

95
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS Rotation
« on: October 12, 2019, 11:12:16 am »
Abreau and Peacock on the roster, Miley off.

96
Talk Zone / Re: Frito pie
« on: October 10, 2019, 10:24:15 am »
Been getting the work cafeteria chili and mixing in a half-bag of fritos. Hopefully it counts with the BBGs.

97
Also, why the fuck does his jersey use a lower case “d” for “d’ARNAUD”? Are there no other lower case letters in that name that are capitalized for the sake of an all caps nameplate? Stop being so cavalier and arbitrary with your lower and upper case font selections!

Just threw some furniture in my office after reading this. Need a time out.

98
Grrr.

99
Damn it.

100
A LOT of pitches here in the first.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I'm just following on Gameday, but very few of Morton's pitches are going in the strike zone.

101
Hell yeah.

102
Verducci opining that Bregman is a product of that band box in which he plays.

.278/.400/.523 (home)
.315/.446/.663 (away)

103
Talk Zone / Re: The bullpen
« on: October 06, 2019, 01:23:06 pm »
You don't have to win every game and the other team is in the same boat.

104
Whew!

I hope the Astros pay attention to how patient the Rays' hitters were.

105
One down, one to go.

106
Yordan swinging the bat well again.

Darren Willman:
Yordan just hit a single 116.8 MPH... 3rd hardest ball the Astros have hit since
@statcast started tracking in 2015

107
Great way to start off the post-season!

108
That's my man!

109
Talk Zone / Re: Stretch run
« on: September 29, 2019, 06:44:28 pm »
Cole needs to go out and get me that lid today.

Mission accomplished and congrats!

110
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Angels - 9/28/19
« on: September 29, 2019, 12:08:15 am »
Oakland will host TB on Wednesday in the wildcard game.

Not sure I want the Astros to face either of those teams.

111
Talk Zone / Re: Race For the Lid XXI
« on: September 28, 2019, 11:58:54 pm »
Just me and Spleen. Either way I'm pretty close for a second page pick.

112
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Mariners, September 25, 2019
« on: September 25, 2019, 11:33:36 pm »
Oh well.

113
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Mariners, September 25, 2019
« on: September 25, 2019, 11:20:05 pm »
Man that was lightning quick.

The game started two hours ago and it's top of the ninth.

114
Talk Zone / Re: Race to the bottom
« on: September 25, 2019, 02:08:18 pm »
A quick google search found this: "The only other season to feature four 100-loss clubs was 2002, when the Tigers, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay each dropped 106 games and Kansas City fell on the final day of the season for its 100th loss."

115
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: September 20, 2019, 09:56:41 am »
I owe you an apology: I didn't follow the link. Now that I have gone back and taken a look, I realize that was a grave error on my part. And I thank you, because over the years I had lost track of where the "sexy, sexy bitch" bit came from, and you have hand-delivered it to me.

An essential bit of OWA lore.

116
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: September 19, 2019, 09:02:57 am »
Wasn't that triple the impetus to the Jim Edmonds sexy bitch post?

I was maybe too subtle with my link.

117
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: September 18, 2019, 06:04:38 pm »
Last night Craig and Cavan Biggio joined Gary and Daryle Ward as the only father-son duos to hit for a cycle in major league history.

More details found here.

118
Talk Zone / Re: Off day question
« on: September 09, 2019, 11:57:49 am »
2019 Astros are 3rd in the AL with 5.39 R/G. (high probability of going up if you look at schedule)
2004 Astros were 6th in the NL with 4.96 R/G
1998 Astros were 1st in the NL with 5.40 R/G

I would expect the current team to surpass them if they stay at full steam, but 1998 is awfully close.

Also, not part of the question, but
2017 Astros were 1st in the AL with 5.53 R/G

I wanted to see what the update was on this after yesterday's game and the Astros are up to 5.65 Runs/Game; however, that's only 4th in the AL this year behind Min (5.83), NYY (5.78) and Bos (5.69).

119
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: September 03, 2019, 03:14:28 pm »
For those keeping track, Correa is swinging the bat and taking ground balls in the field according to Luhnow. No ETA

120
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Brewers - 9/2/19
« on: September 02, 2019, 06:46:46 pm »
Way to hang in there JJ.

121
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Brewers - 9/2/19
« on: September 02, 2019, 06:44:48 pm »
Whew.

122
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Angels at Astros- August 25, 2019
« on: August 25, 2019, 03:52:07 pm »
First out of the inning after scoring 5 runs. Astros up 9-1.

123
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Athletics, August 15, 2019
« on: August 15, 2019, 11:27:35 pm »
Yes he dids, Squirrely Tom.

Ahh, cool.

124
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Athletics, August 15, 2019
« on: August 15, 2019, 11:24:13 pm »
Uncle Mike is perfect nickname, but I don’t know why people call him that.

125
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ O's 8/10
« on: August 10, 2019, 09:04:54 pm »
So 'splain to me why the Dodgers gave up Alvarez?

Between that and the Blue Jays trade, starting to think Crane has some dirt on people.

126
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ O's 8/10
« on: August 10, 2019, 07:42:02 pm »
Not a great day for the Orioles fielding.

127
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ O's 8/10
« on: August 10, 2019, 07:40:43 pm »
Best ballpark I have been to.

Me too, but I like the stadium in Detroit almost as much.

128
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ O's 8/10
« on: August 10, 2019, 07:23:23 pm »
I have been to Camden, but don't know much about the HR history.

129
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ O's 8/10 hi
« on: August 10, 2019, 06:47:42 pm »
Yes balk called from 3b ump.

130
Talk Zone / Re: Off day question
« on: August 09, 2019, 02:46:08 pm »
I have a slide rule, and sort of know how it works, at least the basic principle.  Not sure I could do any real calculations with it though.  I keep it for nostalgic purposes, alongside my Gerber scale and ten points (both of which I *do* know how to use and actually did early in my career), mainly just to impress to the youngsters with old technology.

I took an aerospace class in HS that trained us to use a circular slide rule, so that we could calculate the plane's altitude with just the barometric pressure and temperature while still flying the plane. Never got in a cockpit, but still it was a cool thing to learn.

131
Talk Zone / Re: Off day question
« on: August 09, 2019, 06:36:17 am »
2019 Astros are 3rd in the AL with 5.39 R/G. (high probability of going up if you look at schedule)
2004 Astros were 6th in the NL with 4.96 R/G
1998 Astros were 1st in the NL with 5.40 R/G

I would expect the current team to surpass them if they stay at full steam, but 1998 is awfully close.

Also, not part of the question, but
2017 Astros were 1st in the AL with 5.53 R/G

132
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Rockheads @ Astros - Place data here
« on: August 07, 2019, 11:23:53 am »
It doesn't sound like he's had any significant schooling on being a broadcaster. The network needed someone for a few days here-n-there to fill in since they dole out in-season vacations and they start a list of most well-known ex-Astros. I wonder why they don't or can't get Bagwell to come in for these games. He has some modicum of broadcasting experience. Or maybe dust Dierker off?

Fwiw, Dierker seemed to enjoy being in the booth this weekend. (For Astros HoF weekend).

133
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: August 05, 2019, 10:13:33 am »

134
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Mariners @ Astros, August 3, 2019
« on: August 03, 2019, 09:13:18 pm »
Good for Sanchez what a start

135
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Mariners @ Astros, August 3, 2019
« on: August 03, 2019, 09:12:34 pm »
Good job guys

136
Talk Zone / Re: 2005 big 3 vs 2019 big 3
« on: August 02, 2019, 08:32:37 pm »
Need to find a spot for Chris Burke. That dude had a clutch bat.

137
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros at Cleveland
« on: August 01, 2019, 09:08:44 pm »
Good job Joe

138
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 31, 2019, 04:55:41 pm »
Tell Chandler the TZ knew that.

He's having a busy day, so I'll leave him alone.

He also says Luhnow told him Aaron Sanchez might start on Saturday and ideally will be used as a starter next season.

139
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 31, 2019, 04:49:57 pm »
Chandler Rome reports that Whitley and Tucker were considered untouchable at the trade deadline.

140
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 31, 2019, 04:02:19 pm »
I'm going to enjoy a beverage this evening. Maybe even, two.

141
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 30, 2019, 10:34:04 am »
I’d be fine with wheeler, assuming we aren’t giving up much for a rental.  I’d really like them to land an impact BP arm too though.

Is Wheeler expected to pitch better than his 4.71 ERA seems to indicate?

142
The East Bay area is not a small market at all and has a very strong fan base. The payroll is small because the owners want it that way. No sympathy or admiration there.

143
Beer and Queso / Re: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
« on: July 23, 2019, 12:08:29 pm »
I tried to get into this movie a couple of times, but have failed to make it past the first 10 minutes.

144
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 19, 2019, 01:14:12 am »
I can understand someone being relatively better at Coors compared to other pitchers, but his actual ERA is lower at Coors. Maybe you just get used to it and it messes with your pitching everywhere else.

145
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Trade Deadline Talk
« on: July 18, 2019, 01:52:31 am »
Gray actually is a lot better at Coors than he is on the road. He's a good pitcher, but he's a two-pitch pitcher and the Astros can do better.

Are the certain types of pitchers that do better at Coors? Haven't heard that.

146
Beer and Queso / Re: Apollo 11
« on: July 16, 2019, 12:17:58 pm »
50th anniversary of launch day today!

147
Beer and Queso / Re: Not funny....
« on: July 12, 2019, 10:16:51 am »
I loved MAD like everyone in my peer group did when I was 13, but since then there has been a huge amount of competition from the Simpsons, South Park, the Onion, Family Guy and whatever the Zoomers are watching, so I guess it had run its course.

I'm older and grumpier now and avoid any satire or political humor like the plague. I still love the art though.

148
Talk Zone / Re: Verlander -- Sleep Guru
« on: July 10, 2019, 09:10:10 am »
Can't test whether or not the pill is off center, or they can't test whether or not it makes a difference?   Seems like the former would be fairly doable, locate the center of mass of a sphere.  Surely the egg heads can do this, no?

I listened to that FanGraphs podcast that Knoxbanedoodle linked and she points out that Manfred statement included a whole list of things besides the wobbly ball but the news media chose just to report about the off-center pill. 

The lady in the podcast (Meredith Wills) agrees with you that centering the pill shouldn't be a problem and would be very easy to correct in the manufacturing process and to measure with an x-ray. 

She seems to be up-to-date on all the theories and she did her own work taking apart balls from 2014 and comparing them to ones from last season. She found the threads were thicker and the balls were rounder in 2018 and thinks the balls are rounder because the threads are thicker. She notes that blistering injuries on pitchers have been more frequent as well. However, she took some spring training balls and balls from this year and the 2019 balls are still rounder than 2014 but the threads are thinner.

She didn't really convince me any which way, but I think there are so many explosive hitters in the league now that small changes that people didn't care about before really get exaggerated now.

149
Talk Zone / Re: Verlander -- Sleep Guru
« on: July 09, 2019, 08:42:15 pm »
That defies logic (and physics). That is like saying a car has less drag as it moves through the air if you change the floormats.

Been reading a bit further and he thinks the pill can be made off-center which causes the ball to wobble and they haven't come up with a way to test this.

150
Talk Zone / Re: Verlander -- Sleep Guru
« on: July 09, 2019, 04:43:31 pm »
I guess they kind of admit it here.

Quote
In June and again during a Monday radio interview, Manfred acknowledged the baseballs this season had less drag due to the pill in the center.

EDIT: I guess Manfred is saying it wasn't intentional, but they believe the report they commissioned (which didn't say why the ball was smoother).

151
Talk Zone / Re: Verlander -- Sleep Guru
« on: July 09, 2019, 02:33:08 pm »
I think he should keep it up until MLB at least admits it.

153
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Mariners at Astros- June 30, 2019
« on: June 29, 2019, 11:18:02 pm »
I wonder when the last time a player had walkoff RBI on consecutive nights was?

How about that followed by going on the IL?

MLB Stats on twitter says that Biggio did it 1991 (probably not the IL part, though).

155
Talk Zone / Re: Nugenix
« on: June 24, 2019, 12:17:14 pm »
My question is: who is buying this stuff in this modern age where we have verified working medications (Viagra, Levitra etc)?

Someone who wants over-the-counter vs. prescription would be my guess.

156
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: June 19, 2019, 09:15:18 am »
If you had your money on Perez being sent down collect your winnings.

157
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Houston Astros vs. Cinninati Reds - 17 Jun 2019
« on: June 17, 2019, 09:11:52 pm »
Brantley doubles and Marisnick scores. Bregman on third. Red 3-2 top of the 7th 2 outs.

158
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Houston Astros vs. Cinninati Reds - 17 Jun 2019
« on: June 17, 2019, 09:10:45 pm »
Jake knocked Chirinos in. Reds up 3-1. Two on base and two outs.

159
Game Zone 2019 / Houston Astros vs. Cinninati Reds - 17 Jun 2019
« on: June 17, 2019, 08:08:57 pm »
Top of the Fifth. No Score. 1 out.

I can't do PBP, but just wanted to acknowledge a game was happening.

160
Talk Zone / Re: Tucker in June
« on: June 16, 2019, 10:37:23 am »
It might make some sense to trade Reddick if Tucker could play CF or RF, but I don't think anyone says he can do so regularly.

I bet someone like the Cardinals will want Tucker eventually.

161
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Jays @ Astros 6/15
« on: June 15, 2019, 05:31:49 pm »
A 1.785 OPS makes anyone look smooth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those are Gold Glove numbers.

162
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Jays @ Astros 6/15
« on: June 15, 2019, 04:57:40 pm »
Mayfield with his third double.

163
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Jays @ Astros 6/15
« on: June 15, 2019, 04:05:29 pm »
Stop pitching to Alvarez, jfc.

164
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 15, 2019, 11:15:45 am »
I never said that the US couldn't produce world class soccer players. In fact I said the opposite.

165
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 14, 2019, 06:16:49 pm »
I count 15/29 posts about women's soccer which is barely a majority. The other posts weren't exclusively about men's soccer.

166
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 14, 2019, 05:53:47 pm »
I think athletes like Myles Straw or Mike Trout or Russell Wilson or Steph Curry or Sidney Crosby could have been great soccer players if it were their passion and they played from an early age.

Marisnick and Springer would be my Astros nominations.

167
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: June 14, 2019, 02:57:20 pm »
Altuve and McHugh start rehab assignments in RR this evening.

168
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 13, 2019, 07:37:00 pm »
And I think Messi could do what Altuve did if he had the same passion as Altuve, not the same skillset. Or do what Spud Webb used to do in the NBA.

I disagree. I think being able to track a baseball as well as Altuve does is a very rare gift and the same for Messi and ball control (and whatever else he does) and I don't think one translates into another and it can only be learned to a certain extent.

Tim Tebow is an amazing and passionate athlete, but can he learn to hit a baseball at the MLB level? What's missing if he can't?

169
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 13, 2019, 06:59:14 pm »
I thought he meant Leonard in goal because he has huge hands.

And is a fantastic rebounder overall. Does it translate into being a goalie overall? Don't know. Would like to see.

170
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 13, 2019, 12:13:51 pm »
I'm not sure the sort of athletes that are good at soccer necessarily overlap with the athletes in US popular sports. Most US sports don't require the stamina and foot-eye coordination and probably 12 other things that a good soccer athlete needs. Conversely, I'm not sure Messi has the size for the NFL or NBA and would need totally different motor skills for MLB.

On the other hand, we'd all like to see someone like Kawhi Leonard play goalie.

171
Talk Zone / Re: The Ball is Juiced (Rosenthal)
« on: June 13, 2019, 10:32:27 am »
Strike outs are way up as well, which why you here so few complaints about it from pitchers.

172
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 12, 2019, 03:55:28 pm »
I don't disagree with any that but it doesn't explain why the USWNT so much more successful that the USMNT?

Extremely non-uniform asymmetries of men and women soccer participation by country. Also, the US has a competitive college athletic soccer program which act as a proxy pro league. Given most of the world doesn't have any kind of post-high school support for women's soccer beyond say Olympic teams, this is a big advantage.

173
Beer and Queso / Re: USWNT
« on: June 12, 2019, 11:12:46 am »
I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure the current US men's team could be competitive against the Men's Thai team.

174
Talk Zone / Re: Alvarez
« on: June 11, 2019, 11:55:32 am »
Interesting he chooses to be on the side of the Empire.

175
Talk Zone / Re: Gurriel
« on: June 10, 2019, 12:46:57 pm »
Hinch had been giving Brantley and Springer at-bats at DH to keep them fresh, so I imagine he will DH and rotate into the outfield as needed.

176
Talk Zone / Re: Alvarez
« on: June 10, 2019, 12:42:24 pm »
Where's he going to bat in the lineup once everyone is healthy? Everyone gets on base for the most part so he should have plenty of chances to drive runs in wherever he hits, but you really need to make teams think twice about walking him.

This fantasy was posted this morning by Astros Future:
Springer, CF
Altuve, 2B
Bregman, 3B
Brantley, LF
Correa, SS
Alvarez, DH
Gurriel, 1B
Chirinos, C
Reddick, RF

177
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Orioles at Astros June 9, 2019
« on: June 09, 2019, 02:36:58 pm »
The sad thing is there are people out there who are actually believe something like that will happen.  And of course if not then he’s a failure.

2 MVPs would be fine for me.

178
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Orioles at Astros June 9, 2019
« on: June 09, 2019, 02:09:23 pm »
That's what I'm talking about.

179
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Orioles at Astros June 9, 2019
« on: June 09, 2019, 02:07:36 pm »
It seems like the Astros should try and get some hits here.

180
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners - 6 Jun 2019
« on: June 06, 2019, 06:05:08 pm »
The mariners conferred for quite some time and decided the right approach was to throw a first pitch fastball right down the middle.

One of those reverse psychology things I guess.

181
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners - 6 Jun 2019
« on: June 06, 2019, 03:21:59 pm »
Quote
Jake Marisnick, Michael Brantley and outfield coach Gary Pettis had a pretty long discussion before going out for the second inning.

182
Game Zone 2019 / Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners - 6 Jun 2019
« on: June 06, 2019, 02:59:36 pm »
Day Game happening.

Chirinos with a 2-run HR. Yuli had an RBI single. Astros 3-0.

183
Talk Zone / Re: Astros pitching chasing historic mark
« on: June 06, 2019, 11:36:17 am »
The staff has held this together with pretty much everyone pitching better than expected. The team does give up home runs, though, which is why Tampa Bay has been better I think.

184
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: June 05, 2019, 02:40:22 pm »
I'll try and listen to that interview, Noe.

The report that I linked shows that the actual physical drag of the baseballs is measurably different from pre-All-Star Break 2015 to 2017. This is backed up by both independent machine measurements and studying statcast data.  The creators of that report actually measure the drag of the baseballs in a controlled environment and try to figure out the reason for the decrease in drag properties and they show only small differences due to different seam heights (as doyce mentioned), but see a much bigger difference in the overall roughness of the ball.

185
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: June 05, 2019, 12:11:00 pm »
I hadn't read the commission report before I made that previous comment, but the report says the ball is definitely "carrying" more (as opposed to the other things I mentioned), but they haven't nailed down why that is. The report is pretty detailed if you want to dive into it.

187
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: June 05, 2019, 11:41:53 am »
People have looked at the baseballs and can't figure out exactly what's different or the differences they do see would change the baseball so much, so there is room for alternative explanations. (Maybe all that motion sensor data, new coaching techniques, new types of PEDs, cork in the bats, all of the above).

188
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: June 04, 2019, 04:22:20 pm »
Thanks for the info, TP21. I guess I need to figure out when those MLB radio spots are.

189
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ A's June 2
« on: June 02, 2019, 07:14:58 pm »
God Bless Uncle Mike!

190
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: June 02, 2019, 09:06:42 am »
I've been kind of lazy looking into this, but here's Jayson Stark in the The Athletic:

Quote
The rate of fly balls has ticked upward by just 5 percent over the past five years. But the percent of fly balls that now sail over fences, billboards, concession stands and nearby mountain ranges is up by 55 percent over the past five years. Oh, and down in the Pacific Coast League, which switched to the major-league baseball this year, home runs are up a mind-boggling 49 percent since last year.

191
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: May 30, 2019, 10:28:40 am »
Wanna help us out?  I'd love to know what smart people have to say.

I'll see if I can get the data I'm thinking of tonight. Baseball savant has all that stuff if you can figure out how to use it.

192
Talk Zone / Re: Maddon Conspiracy Theorist??
« on: May 29, 2019, 01:32:10 pm »
There is a lot of stat cast data out there for someone to look at it if someone is super interested in this.

193
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Chicago - NL @ Astros May 28, 2019
« on: May 28, 2019, 10:26:54 pm »
500th managerial win for Hinch (including 89 for the Dbacks).

194
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Red Sox @ Astros, May 25, 2019
« on: May 25, 2019, 09:46:34 pm »
Good starting hit by Diaz!

195
Game Zone 2019 / Re: White Sox at Astros- May 21, 2019
« on: May 23, 2019, 12:42:06 pm »
Ron Brand once tried to talk about darts in here. I've never seen anyone broach the subject again.

196
Beer and Queso / Re: Apollo 11
« on: May 20, 2019, 02:13:39 pm »
So, what are the options to watch?  Just theaters and blue-ray disk?

Think it's on Amazon Prime streaming now as probably some others (I saw it in the theaters a couple of months ago).

197
Beer and Queso / Re: Apollo 11
« on: May 20, 2019, 12:30:30 pm »
Watched this last night and it kicked ass.  May have been the first time I've seen ground footage of the Saturn V dropping its first stage.  Also, the way they tied in the ground loop, air-to-ground comms, and the Apollo Control public affairs feed really drove home how much chatter was happening during events like the launch, engine burns, and the landing.

I think we've all seen a lot of the footage before, but they really tied everything together so well it was like seeing it for the first time.

198
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 20, 2019, 12:31:21 am »
Well, it's over.

People are talking about spin-offs right?

Anyway, I thought it wrapped up about as well as it could.

199
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Red Sox, May 17th*, 2019
« on: May 18, 2019, 08:33:27 pm »
Whew.

200
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Astros @ Red Sox, May 17th*, 2019
« on: May 18, 2019, 07:43:13 pm »
I went to Fenway before  2004 and it was still possible to get good seats as a walk-in and thought it was very cool place.

201
Beer and Queso / Re: Apollo 11
« on: May 17, 2019, 01:50:49 pm »
Fantastic film and agree with all above. As a personal note maybe you guys remember me mentioning that my father worked for Boeing on the liquid oxygen/hydrogen lines of the Saturn V. In the scene where they send out the technical team to fix the fuel line leak you can see him pop his head out for a few seconds. I had heard that he was on the TV broadcast (his former college roommate was watching on TV and recognize him), but my family had never seen it. Needless to say it's a bit of shock to see one your parents in their prime doing their thing

I called my dad to see if he had seen it and he hadn't at the time, but some of his Boeing buddies had called him and told him he was in it. They also said some the footage was from Apollo 8 because the staff changed a bit in each mission. My dad eventually saw it and confirmed the scene I mentioned and that he was in some of the scenes where they pan across launch control and it said it felt like it happened yesterday.

I agree that they probably "filled in the gaps" with some CGI.

I liked First Man too even though it doesn't get Armtrong's personality right. It does accurately portray that they were totally out of their minds.

202
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 12, 2019, 11:05:36 pm »
Lots about the show is silly, but the Jon Snow dilemma is interesting to me.

203
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 12, 2019, 09:43:03 pm »
Oh fine I guess that was ok.

204
Seriously, though, the Acting SecDef wasn't even at the cabinet meeting today.

Exactly. Asking for all sorts of bad things to happen.

205
Let me pop in here to say, if Trump wants to pull all this shit with Iran he needs appoint a real SecDef and DHS Sec (in case of big terrorist attack) who can deal with things if they go bad. I don't know what he is trying to do (except letting the Saudis and Israelis run US foreign policy), but he needs to cut it out.

206
Talk Zone / Re: Keuchel - The Principled Social Warrior Of Fairness
« on: May 07, 2019, 12:02:45 pm »
I’m not sure how I feel about this. In what reality in this capitalist market is there a direct correlation between entity profitability and employee wages?  When owners (shareholders, private owners, franchisers, etc...) go through profitable periods, employees get paid what the market will bear. When those owners sustain losses, employees still get paid what the market will bear until the thing becomes insolvent. I’m not sure it’s a reasonable expectation that owners equally share profits but bear all the risk for the ebb and flow of profitability.  I guess an analog would be a franchise like McDonalds. They are rapidly moving towards a living wage for employees but that has nothing to do with profit sharing. It’s all about customer pressures in response to socioeconomic mindset shifts.

Interesting to think through.

The relationship between worker salaries and owner profits is not linear, but it does exist (Google and Facebook pay well above market price for labor) and it's not unreasonable thing to point out in negotiating especially when you hire professional negotiators like the player's union does.

207
Talk Zone / Re: Keuchel - The Principled Social Warrior Of Fairness
« on: May 07, 2019, 11:11:49 am »
I'm sure the player's union pays close attention to MLB revenue and want to maintain their slice of the pie, but the better way to do that is to pay minor leaguer's and young players more and not overpay mid-tier guys like Keuchel.

208
Beer and Queso / Re: Infinity War (Spoilers)
« on: May 06, 2019, 02:15:31 pm »
Silver Surfer was part of Fox. Now that Disney has acquired Fox, Silver Surfer is...will be...er should be part of the MCU.

Supposedly there are plans for a Silver Surfer movie.
https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/marvel-studios-planning-silver-surfer-origins-movie/

I think you need a Tarkovsky or a Kubrick to make a Silver Surfer movie, but ok will see how it goes.

209
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 06, 2019, 12:39:27 pm »
There's two, at the end of the universe.

My father points out there were at one time three at that intersection (there's one in the B&N there).

210
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 06, 2019, 11:59:52 am »
Or are people whining about logistics again?

I am whining about logistics again at least! Maybe if they took their time to show up at King's landing they would have remembered the big crossbows from the last battles they had with them.


211
Talk Zone / Re: Red Ass
« on: May 05, 2019, 10:30:30 am »
Is it gone? How and why?

I don't think it's really lost. Here is one version of it. If someone (like Waldo) doesn't have a version of it somewhere, we can probably piece most of it back together.

212
Beer and Queso / Re: Infinity War (Spoilers)
« on: May 04, 2019, 07:27:27 pm »
I saw Endgame at the 9:30 am show this morning and it was totally packed. (The movie was ok, agreed Infinity war was the better one).

213
Beer and Queso / Re: Infinity War (Spoilers)
« on: May 04, 2019, 07:24:30 pm »
There are people and things in the cosmic side of Marvel that make Thanos look like Stilt Man. That's who Carol is going to fight in the future. Plus we know the Eternals are in the works and we've seen the head of a Celestial. Not to mention Galactus is now in play.

Do you know who owns the right to the Silver Surfer these days? 

Not sure you can make a good movie from him, but still essential Marvel character.

214
Talk Zone / Re: Alvarez
« on: May 04, 2019, 10:31:58 am »
I wouldn't be surprised if the Astros' going out and getting a guy like Brantley at a position that Tucker likely viewed as "his" put him in a funk. He's just got to realize that at some point this season there will probably be an injury or something that opens a spot, and it's his job to be ready if that happens.

My totally-based-on-nothing opinion is that he loves that long swing that he has and the Astros don't think it's going to work in the big leagues. Would be interested to see if he has made any changes there.

215
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: May 02, 2019, 12:18:48 pm »
Wouldn't you give up more for five months of a Stroganoff or MadBum than for two?

Maybe, but those teams still have to play games and none them are so terrible to write the whole season off.

216
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains (2019)
« on: May 02, 2019, 11:09:40 am »
Why would anyone trade a good pitcher at this point in the season?

217
Beer and Queso / Re: Rockets 2019 Playoffs
« on: May 01, 2019, 10:29:15 am »
And then shoot a 30-foot shot. This is today's NBA.

Pair that with the fact that it is plainly rigged, well, I don't know why rational people take the time.

Because they are making all that sweet gambling money!

218
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: May 01, 2019, 10:15:42 am »
Finally got the see the episode... honestly I was laughing the absurdity of what happens. All over the place, just awful. I tried to like this episode, I wanted to like this episode.

Was Jorah outside the walls the whole time just waiting for Dany? It appears that every extra is dead, but about 2 or 3 named characters died? Arya gets past thousands of undead and about 15 Whites with none of them seeing her? Where did all the undead that surrounded Dany go when she fell off Drogon? What about all the undead who were literally less than 2 fucking feet from Jon on all sides, next time we see him  they are all in front of him. I plan on watching it again and taking notes, I bet I'll have 20+ "that makes no fucking sense" moments. God I use to love this show but that may be my least favorite episode outside of the shitiness that was season 5

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I don't disagree with this view. I still it enjoyed it while I watched it though.

219
Talk Zone / Re: Red Ass
« on: April 30, 2019, 06:54:25 pm »
I first heard the term applied to Bobby Abreau. The scout thought it helped him develop as a player, versus Richard Hildago who didn't have the career that Abreau had.

220
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: April 29, 2019, 10:38:16 am »
Epic stuff, though a little more Hollywood and little less Martin.

221
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians @ Astros - April 28, 2019
« on: April 28, 2019, 08:14:21 pm »
CHIRINOS!

222
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians @ Astros - April 28, 2019
« on: April 28, 2019, 08:12:51 pm »
I guess Yuli got Budgirl's message.

223
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians at Astros, April 27, 2019
« on: April 28, 2019, 06:24:14 pm »
"Trust me I have inside sources" is not the information I was looking for. Thank you I will keep looking.

224
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians at Astros, April 27, 2019
« on: April 28, 2019, 09:08:33 am »
I just spent 10 minutes looking for new information on Osuna  but didn't find any. What am I missing?

225
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians at Astros, April 27, 2019
« on: April 27, 2019, 06:19:07 pm »
Kemp!

226
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Indians at Astros, April 27, 2019
« on: April 27, 2019, 05:02:11 pm »
Correa!

227
Talk Zone / Re: Alvarez
« on: April 27, 2019, 12:24:00 pm »
2 XBH.  If Kemp was putting up White's numbers nobody would complain; Kemp's batting 9th and is a positive on the bases.

Absolutely. I was just using the other three as a reference, not complaining about them at all.

228
Talk Zone / Re: Alvarez
« on: April 27, 2019, 10:13:10 am »
He ought to be actively trying to lose White.

Maybe they've discussed this on the broadcasts, but I was just scanning Baseball-Reference and saw that Stassi, Kemp and Diaz have 2, 2 and 7 RBIs respectively. White has 0.

229
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: April 27, 2019, 10:06:49 am »
For some reason, I just realized there are only 4 more episodes. Big character bloodbath ahead I guess. 

230
Talk Zone / Re: Boras and Free Agency article in The Athletic
« on: April 26, 2019, 04:16:39 pm »
It brings to mind the larger issue: Advanced analytics at some point will reach a peak of effectiveness and be fully distributed among the market of 30 organizations. Will intuition and "humint" then become the path to success?

I think there a maybe 10 teams that are trying to get to the Astros level of technical analytics and there are maybe 10 organizations that are running on the minimum budget they can get away with and everyone else in the middle.

231
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: April 23, 2019, 09:47:15 am »
The HBO writers don't care about your stupid timelines.

I liked this episode well enough, but it's basically a sitcom with all the characters coming in and out and telling jokes. Someone needs to do something totally evil ASAP (and not just the Night King or Cersei!).

232
Talk Zone / Hinch on Tyler White
« on: April 19, 2019, 05:39:21 pm »
From McTaggart tweets:

"He hasn't handled the fastball. He hasn't put fastballs in play like he normally does. He's getting pitched a little bit differently and he's going to have to adjust to that. It is a small sample. It's early in the season."

"The last thing I'd want to do is have a meeting with player and tell him he needs to hit for more power. That's like the kiss of death for a player. It's not going to help his swing; it's not going to help his contact."

233
Beer and Queso / Re: London / UK recommendations
« on: April 17, 2019, 07:24:36 pm »
I've been in London for 2 days in my life and spent them both in the British Museum. Would spend another day if I get the opportunity. Just a personal preference, though, would like to do many other things listed here.

234
The Bus Ride Discussion Forum / Re: Round Rock 2019
« on: April 16, 2019, 07:39:10 am »
I read a short interview with Hinch where he said Tucker needed a ‘B’ swing for certain situations and they were working with him on that.

235
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: April 15, 2019, 04:59:19 pm »
Ok, this last season is going to be good. Just a got a little grumpy with the two year wait.

236
Beer and Queso / Re: The Last Jedi [spoiler alert]
« on: April 12, 2019, 07:10:44 pm »
Just watched a 10 minute to explain the teaser trailer to me. Feel like a graduate student reading Ulysses.

237
Talk Zone / Re: Tom Hamilton
« on: April 11, 2019, 06:27:04 pm »
I do not even know what to say to this. The first sentence is inane. I love it when I actually have info from someone who know, and then learn from someone here the info is wrong. Good to know high draft picks need nothing and would excel in any organization.

Do you think Bregman or Correa would not be major league players on other teams?

I guess I'm crazy so I'll shut up.

238
Talk Zone / Re: Tom Hamilton
« on: April 11, 2019, 10:52:15 am »
Yeah, the Astros org is known for anemic offense.

The players that provide the offense were very high draft picks and would have done well in any organization. On the pitching side there are people like McHugh and Morton who have dramatically improved by coaching and development, but I can't think of someone on the offensive side like that. I can also think about Singleton, JD Davis, AJ Reed, who seem stuck at the AAA level.

239
Talk Zone / Re: Tom Hamilton
« on: April 11, 2019, 10:43:15 am »
The pitcher development seems to be ahead of the hitter development, but maybe I'm not seeing what's going on.

240
Beer and Queso / Re: iPhone SE? Maybe? New Android?
« on: April 02, 2019, 12:27:06 pm »
I have a Mac at work and the ergonomic people said the Apple mouse was too small for my hand, so they replaced it with a Logitech mouse. The new mouse, which is also wireless, is actually designed so that you can charge it and use it at the same time. It's quite nice.

241
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Game 2: Astros at Rays, 3/29/19
« on: March 29, 2019, 08:48:12 pm »
Drat.

242
Talk Zone / Re: Race For the Lid XXI
« on: March 28, 2019, 02:04:17 pm »
106

243
Game Zone 2019 / Re: Opening Day 2019 Astros at Rays, March 28
« on: March 28, 2019, 12:10:25 pm »
Correa says it still bothered him in BP, but he thinks he will play in this series at some point.

244
Talk Zone / Re: is there going to be a race for the lid?
« on: March 28, 2019, 11:30:58 am »
Does the "The Lid" still exist? Wasn't there a Derek Bell baseball card as well?

245
Talk Zone / Re: It’s Opening Day!!!!
« on: March 28, 2019, 08:22:50 am »
Watching on Gameday while at work. Need to get some new headphones.

246
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: March 25, 2019, 09:56:00 am »
Theon is a great idea for a character though and the first scene with his sister is an immortal classic, but they sort of wrote his story line into the abyss.

247
Beer and Queso / Re: Podcasts
« on: March 22, 2019, 10:25:06 am »
Every tech/science/R&D manager hypes everything they do all the time 24/7 even though most of it is obviously not going to work because its the way you attract resources and talent. Elizabeth Holmes and her investors (like all tech managers) probably had in the back in their mind that once the investment money really started to flow the very smart people she had working for them would figure something out, they just had to keep the hype going until they reached that point. However, her and her ridiculous boyfriend were so incompetent that they screwed up everything before the big money came in.

248
Talk Zone / Re: Ichiro
« on: March 21, 2019, 10:28:07 pm »
Do you guys get the Baseball Bits videos suggested to you by youtube? They are fun and he has good one on  Ichiro.

249
Beer and Queso / Re: Podcasts
« on: March 20, 2019, 04:32:11 pm »
I thought the book was the best of last year. Are these podcasts/documentaries adding new information?

250
Talk Zone / Re: Spring Training 2019
« on: March 20, 2019, 03:47:43 pm »
Irrationally exuberant about Correa getting over whatever he had last season.

251
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: March 19, 2019, 03:03:58 pm »
I think Harper would do better with a different coaching and front office than he received in Washington. He was pretty fun in 2015.

252
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: March 18, 2019, 01:09:34 pm »
I liked the slow pace and multi-episode dialogues of the first seasons. You need time to set expectations if you want to subvert them.

Also, GoT, amongst other things, is really creepy, disturbing and full of bad morals. Season 7 really moved away from that direction and became much more conventional, so it's quite a different show. Maybe it's good thing, but not as "unique".

Anyway, I think (like a lot of internet people) Sansa gets the throne. 

253
Beer and Queso / Re: Game of Thrones Season 8
« on: March 17, 2019, 10:02:40 am »
Season 7 was really awful and everything good about the show is long gone. I'm still going to watch it I guess.

254
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: February 27, 2019, 12:42:33 pm »
Probably have to open the books to get that info, but the Marlins sold for $1.2 billion which is almost twice what the Astros sold for 2011.

255
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 23, 2019, 11:18:07 pm »
I wouldn’t mind them creating more space for catching foul balls, if that’s the problem (as that article seem to say).

256
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: February 22, 2019, 12:18:48 pm »
Maybe he wants a couple of years to show that 2017 Marwin wasn't a fluke.

257
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: February 21, 2019, 03:23:03 pm »
Add in another 500K? for trainers/nutritionists/chefs/etc

Does he also have a posse of friends that he employs for various whatevers?

Does being a Mormon count?

258
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: February 21, 2019, 12:08:52 pm »
I wonder about this as well.  I also wonder about him and Bregman in the same clubhouse.

Bregman might benefit from someone more intense in the clubhouse, imo. They'll be scoring 10 runs a game if he signs (which I'm skeptical of), so I imagine that will help.

259
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: February 20, 2019, 05:10:04 pm »
Harper has a huge ego and has been told for years that he would break the bank and get a 400 million offer so now he's sulking and hoping a team gets stupid.

My complete guess is that he doesn't want to eat humble pie and play in DC, but no one has made him a better offer.

260
Talk Zone / Re: Bochy Announces Retirement
« on: February 19, 2019, 12:00:09 pm »
I always kind of thought he was the best manager out there over the last 10 years. Who's better Francona? Maddon?

261
Talk Zone / Re: Troll Bauer
« on: February 19, 2019, 11:56:44 am »
I was on the fence about this guy, until I learned he loves Duke basketball.

262
Talk Zone / Re: Astros OF Defense
« on: February 18, 2019, 03:07:12 pm »
Steve Finley was also a good one, but I don't know if how he stacks up.

263
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: February 12, 2019, 01:09:26 pm »
If that's the rate, wonder what Harper and Machado are asking for?

264
Talk Zone / Predictions for 2019 Astros
« on: February 11, 2019, 02:52:21 pm »
I find Dan Szymborski's predictions fairly entertaining and as accurate as any. His computer thinks Kyle Tucker will turn the corner this year, which would be great, and Wade Miley will not be a big impact, unless the Astros's staff work their magic. Gurriell is projected to be on the bench a lot, especially if Tucker takes off.

I think that is not the first time I've seen Altuve compared to Billy Herman.

265
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 08, 2019, 02:30:08 pm »
There might be reasonable reasons for the slower pace (for instance, Verlander said complex interactions with the catcher due to teams using cameras to steal signs), I don't know. But I haven't heard many.

The pitch clock is drastic, so I agree they should avoid it. But giving the umps and players some guidance to keeps things moving, I don't see the problem with that.

266
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 08, 2019, 01:51:01 pm »
The goal is not to make it like the NBA, it's to make the pace the same as 1980s baseball.

267
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 08, 2019, 12:34:55 pm »
I understand the need to speed up the game, I really do. At the expense of making hitters like Altuve to step in the box without his chance to regroup and think a little? Okay, maybe... but I've seen many a good hitter doing the step out and come back into the box and they are 100% ready to hit because they're thinking and as Yogi said, playing baseball is 90% physical and the other half is mental. I dunno if you want to hinder baseball acumen from a hitter or pitcher by having to rush them through their process to succeed.

Just my dos centavos.

This is good, but maybe not the best example. Altuve has his routine, but he is always up there ready to hit. Marwin pacing behind the ump, while it may help him, is probably an example of the behavior MLB is trying to discourage.

I also think your point about player's getting more information these days (both pitchers and batters) during the at-bat and that may have led to the drift.

268
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 08, 2019, 12:29:31 pm »
They're "fixing" things that won't bring in new fans.

I understand throwing stuff against the wall to see if it sticks,  but Manfred's approach seems to be to drop napalm on the walls and see if anybody tunes in.

I think they are trying to get people to not just watch the TV broadcasts, but to watch more of the TV broadcasts, whether they be old fans, new fans or casual fans. I bet some of this is prompted by advertisers.

And remember that they did change the rules for batters a few years ago and it did speed up the game (by about 5 minutes). The players had it changed back. But I don't think most people noticed either way.

269
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 07, 2019, 06:30:59 pm »
They can text back and forth.

Verlander suggested some sort of microphone and ear piece.

270
Talk Zone / Re: Frank Robinson has passed at 83
« on: February 07, 2019, 03:18:55 pm »
I remember when the Nationals came to DC, him coming in as manager sort of grounded the team when there was a lot of uncertainty in ownership and front office.

271
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 07, 2019, 01:13:36 pm »
To me, if MLB feels compelled to do something, a pitch clock is the obvious place to start.  If I've recorded the game, what do I do to condense it?  Fast forward between pitches.

The first rule here I think was sort of implemented a couple of seasons ago and then was dropped. If you have a pitching clock (or just the ump nudging the pitcher along) then you also have to have something for the hitter. 
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/20/8077537/baseball-new-rule-changes-pace-of-play-instant-replay

Also, some sort of communication device between pitcher and catcher might be thought about.

272
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: February 07, 2019, 10:47:35 am »
He also said there are so many players on the market that he wouldn't be surprised if there was a signing.

273
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 06, 2019, 11:28:37 am »
Well, he really does.  Time between pitches where nothing happened was 2/3 of the entire difference between the two game times.

Yes, he's clearer about it now that I re-read it.

274
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 06, 2019, 11:26:09 am »
because they need bathroom breaks?

That and occasionally they can be pretty dramatic.

275
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 06, 2019, 11:12:25 am »
I guess I'm the only person in the known universe that loves mound visits. \

I think people will miss mound visits when they are gone.

276
Talk Zone / Re: Changes to the game coming this year??
« on: February 06, 2019, 10:58:21 am »
Stop going to fucking commercials every time there is a hint of a break in the action and the game'll tighten up. Set a reduced amount of ad time in a game and raise the prices for it accordingly.

People who measures these things, say there has been insignificant increase in commercial time since the 80s. The actual game is taking about 30 minutes longer on average.

Grant Brisbee's comparison (which I've posted before) is the most interesting, but doesn't give a clear answer.

277
Talk Zone / Re: Arbitrations
« on: February 05, 2019, 08:50:49 pm »
Arbitration is pretty low stakes compared to free agency and I don't think the details are made public, so it's hard to have anything interesting to say.

278
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: February 04, 2019, 10:50:18 am »
My money has shifted to the Padres ----  San Diego close to Vegas, Beaucoup d'argent, and a team with a lot of prospects and a few veterans.   Sun, Fun, and Surf...

Hope I am wrong, and he goes Houston Strong.

Harper is a tremendous player, but he has lived his whole life preparing to endorse expensive sports shoes. I think he'll want a bigger platform than San Diego.

279
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: February 01, 2019, 11:48:11 am »
Stats are interesting to me also, and I try to understand the new ones before calling BS on them (OPS, are you listening?). Stats give a detailed description of what a player has done in the past thus far and help in the impossible task of predicting the future. I am not anti-stat.

What I have no patience with, which occasioned my latest “who gives a fuck,” is the tendency of some to excuse current failure with stats showing past successful performance. That is the coach in me.  If my DH, whose sole job is to hit, consistently fails to hit and drive in runs when the team needs them, I do not want to hear from him (or his apologists) “Yeah but my (insert stat) is equal to or better than (insert some great player). I want my players to produce them the team needs them and I am not comforted by their past achievements. White in the ALCS is my most recent reminder of this.

I hear you. Just wanted to point out at that the wOBAcon (or whatever) is based on camera data and not traditional stats (like wRC+), so there is actually new information.

280
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: February 01, 2019, 10:04:18 am »
You've got folks who don't understand wRC+ and now you want them to understand xwOBAcon?

One word: duck.

That there are new stats based on Pitchf/x data is inevitable and interesting to me.  (and the Astros front office probably).

281
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 HOF Ballot
« on: January 22, 2019, 05:42:13 pm »
Defensive SS (Omar Vizquel, 42.8%) appear more popular than defensive CF (Andruw Jones, 7.5%).

282
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 HOF Ballot
« on: January 22, 2019, 05:28:21 pm »
Good picks by the voters, not so much the game era committee.

283
Talk Zone / Re: AL West News 2019
« on: January 18, 2019, 10:12:03 am »
Amazing that we are a month or so from Spring Training and so many guys are still unaffiliated.

I'm not amazed that teams are planning on lower cable money in the future and want to reign in big contracts.

284
Talk Zone / Re: AL West News 2019
« on: January 18, 2019, 08:29:58 am »
Just have a hard time believing the Astros would pay more than the Dodgers or White Sox or Cardinals would.

285
Beer and Queso / Re: The Last Jedi [spoiler alert]
« on: January 16, 2019, 02:23:04 pm »
It was their SEC filing I think and actually it was a net decrease from the previous year.  Their only property to do so.

That's different from losing money, right? I had always heard the merchandising side made bonkers amount of money. 

286
Beer and Queso / Re: The Last Jedi [spoiler alert]
« on: January 16, 2019, 02:16:12 pm »
Apparently Star Wars was the only Disney property to lose money last year.  The movie was that bad.

I assume this calculation did not include merchandising and other licensing.

287
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: January 10, 2019, 11:09:28 am »
Beats me, but it's kind of old news

Yes, I knew that he left, I thought you might know more.

288
Talk Zone / Re: Ex-Astros News 2019
« on: January 10, 2019, 10:43:33 am »
Has he landed a coaching job for 2019 yet?  He won't be back with the Astros.

Why is that?

289
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster (New & Improved)
« on: January 07, 2019, 07:46:20 pm »
The 21-6 September was pretty awesome, though.

290
Beer and Queso / Re: Rockets
« on: January 04, 2019, 02:04:04 pm »
I could understand the league wanting to create super teams, but I just don't see how someone can make money from throwing some games here and there.

291
Beer and Queso / Re: Rockets
« on: January 04, 2019, 01:41:43 pm »
It’s amazing how quickly the public forgot Tim Donaghy.

But then again, they quickly forgot that Kobe Bryant admitted he was a rapist.

The public forgot the name, but people talk about crooked refs all the time. And nobody forgot about Kobe, they just chose to make up their own story about it.

292
Beer and Queso / Re: Rockets
« on: January 04, 2019, 01:39:33 pm »
Who would care about a regular season game enough to pay a ref to do this? If you were a crooked ref would you choose a moment like this to put your thumb on the scale? Not sure I understand what could be going on.

293
Beer and Queso / Re: Books (2018)
« on: January 01, 2019, 01:54:51 pm »
Weird, I just watched the documentary “Three Identical Strangers” which features Wright prominently. Interesting guy I guess.

294
Talk Zone / Re: Bryce Harper
« on: December 17, 2018, 09:00:06 pm »
Puig is under club control for a year right? Who has Luhnow traded for that only had one year on his contract?

295
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster
« on: December 17, 2018, 06:15:50 pm »
Not that anyone cares, but I approve of this deal.

Same on both counts.

296
Beer and Queso / Re: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
« on: December 17, 2018, 04:35:47 pm »
I like that DDL and the director chose not to hold back with it. They took their weird shit to 11. The problem is the movie seems to take itself so seriously that if you don't buy in 100%, it plays as almost comically bad.

I think of it as a "fun" movie. I'm pretty sure that's not what they were going for, but it's enjoyable if you approach it that way.

The source material is a bit dry, so I think he let the actors go nuts. His movies are great if you like that sort of thing.

297
Talk Zone / Re: Talk me off the ledge
« on: December 14, 2018, 02:56:21 pm »
here is that 7 minutes interview for those interested. https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-2018-winter-meetings-review/c-301840558

I liked Luhnow's comments on Marwin. He's always a good interview.

298
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster
« on: December 13, 2018, 10:57:56 am »
I wonder if being on the east coast (along with the extra year guaranteed) effected his decision?  The trip time (think he's from NE) would be shorter for him to home and family to Tampa.  In addition, that entire division will play more games on the east coast helping in the same manner, while the Astros are stuck playing more games on the west coast.  Maybe I'm digging further than I should but...

OK, but $15 million extra guaranteed probably factored in there somewhere. 

299
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster
« on: December 12, 2018, 03:18:49 pm »
The Astros' apparent lack of interest and the weird option on his Rays deal makes me think something might be up with Morton's arm. I sure hope not, but it's the only way I can make sense of this.

This is my thought as well. One of the funnest Astros in his own way.

300
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 HOF Ballot
« on: December 10, 2018, 04:54:05 pm »
That is a list of fine players, none of which belongs anywhere near the Hall of Fame.

I think Lofton should be in at least. I think the HOF voters are biased against CFs compared to other positions.

301
Talk Zone / Re: Yet another Bryce Harper thread, call this one "Why Not?"
« on: December 05, 2018, 07:48:35 pm »
I think he would fit in great with Astros and it would be a good place for him. I think the Astros don't need the star name that other clubs will be willing to pay for, so they will likely pass.

302
Beer and Queso / Re: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
« on: November 30, 2018, 03:53:00 pm »
I didn't see them. Are they any good?

Phillip Baker Hall is great in Hard Eight and it has some cool gambling stuff in it, but it's kind of half a movie. Punch Drunk Love is kind of offbeat like Magnolia, so if you are in to that it's pretty good.

303
Beer and Queso / Re: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
« on: November 30, 2018, 02:49:20 pm »
I liked it and Boogie Nights, I didn't really mind Inherent Vice or Magnolia, I haven't seen Phantom Thread. I fucking hated The Master. I bet you've never seen The Master.   #PaulThomasAndersonFilms

Don't forget Hard Eight and Punch Drunk Love.

304
Beer and Queso / Re: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
« on: November 30, 2018, 02:07:06 pm »
Apropos to nothing, but There Wil Be Blood may be the single worst film ever made.

I liked the parts about mining and oil business and bunch of other stuff.

305
Beer and Queso / Re: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
« on: November 30, 2018, 11:18:50 am »
"Didn't hit nothing important."

Up there with "There Will Be Blood" on list of best movies about old-timey mining.

306
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 HOF Ballot
« on: November 20, 2018, 03:01:52 pm »
You don't have the equivalent of Barry Bonds hitting 73 home runs when he turned 36 when most power hitters are starting to fade or Clemens throwing a sub-2.00 ERA season at age 42.  (Though Pettitte's 2005 season alongside Clemens was probably his best).

307
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 HOF Ballot
« on: November 20, 2018, 11:13:06 am »
Halladay finished in the top 3 in Cy Young voting 5 times, winning twice.

Hudson, Pettitte and Oswalt finished in the top 3 once each.

309
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains 2018
« on: November 10, 2018, 01:30:51 pm »
Correa having surgery for a deviated septum on Monday.

310
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster
« on: November 08, 2018, 09:35:03 pm »
Apropos of nothing, I just sat next to Dellin Betances and his pregnant wife at dinner. They are extremely nice. To keep it on topic, he went out of his way to mention how much they like Houston.

Did he look 6'8"?

311
Talk Zone / Re: Recapping front office changes
« on: November 07, 2018, 02:33:04 pm »
Mike Fast announced he has a new job with the Braves.

312
Talk Zone / Re: 2019 Roster
« on: November 06, 2018, 08:53:28 pm »
The 2018 Astros finished the season with several guys not just playing hurt but playing injured.

Those guys were all fully invested.

You don't get many chances at it.

313
Talk Zone / Re: Recapping front office changes
« on: November 01, 2018, 11:05:23 am »
Beware the resume builders.

314
Beer and Queso / Re: water water everywhere and not a drop to drink
« on: October 29, 2018, 02:46:00 pm »
freezing after boiling.

That makes sense.

315
Beer and Queso / Re: water water everywhere and not a drop to drink
« on: October 29, 2018, 12:53:02 pm »
not if you have ice cube trays....

Are you freezing the water rather than boiling it?

316
Talk Zone / Re: WS: Dojers vs Blosox
« on: October 27, 2018, 09:39:07 pm »

317
Beer and Queso / Re: New Android Phone
« on: October 24, 2018, 01:28:32 pm »
About 6 years ago I had a disaster customer service experience with Apple (it was the only time in my life I yelled at a customer service employee) and swore to never use another Apple product again (I'm typing this on a Mac Pro right now, I'm not very moral, I guess).

Anyway, I use a modestly-priced Moto X for years and now have a really expensive Google Pixel XL2 and the extra battery life is almost worth the cost difference.

318
Talk Zone / Re: Question
« on: October 19, 2018, 12:21:58 pm »
That's going to be interesting game after we sign Bryce Harper.

319
Talk Zone / Re: Frito Pie
« on: October 19, 2018, 12:21:14 pm »
I think this is all on Bregman's video posting.  There are some things that can't be overcome.

I hope they never do that camera stare thing again.

320
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ACLS Game 5: Red Sox at Astros, October 18 2018
« on: October 18, 2018, 07:28:16 pm »
Correa back in the cleanup spot, eh?

Putting the band back together!

321
Talk Zone / Re: Joe West is a Dumbass
« on: October 18, 2018, 03:38:19 pm »
that would really shorten that RF porch. This shouldn't be an issue with the technology available.

A camera solution is a slow solution and players/fans/obstructions/random security can block line-of-sight.

322
Talk Zone / Re: Joe West is a Dumbass
« on: October 18, 2018, 01:53:54 pm »
From McTaggart: "Hot take: I think the Astros should raise the wall in RF to be even with the bullpen. There are too many plays atop that wall involving fans. Take umps/replay out of the equation."

This sounds smart to me.

323
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 18, 2018, 12:01:31 am »
Thinking positive thoughts, because why not?

324
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:44:29 pm »
Playing awful, awful baseball.

A lot of good baseball in there too which makes it worse. Not like these are 10-0 games.

325
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:26:27 pm »
I wasn't paying attention. Were there also two strikes there?

Just one.

326
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:26:06 pm »
Hate this.

327
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:21:16 pm »
McCullers thru the 9th?

He needs to get through this inning.

328
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:13:12 pm »
blegggg

330
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 10:37:13 pm »
Worst fears about this bullpen being realized.

Our starters not being able to pitch innings is part of that, too.

331
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 10:27:22 pm »
Not good.

332
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 10:11:06 pm »
AAAARGH

333
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 10:06:16 pm »
Sit down Pearce

334
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 09:59:23 pm »
CARLOOOOS!

335
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 09:51:25 pm »
Yuli with the single!

336
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 09:23:46 pm »
Hell yes the Astros are pissed!

337
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 09:06:14 pm »
Reddick!

338
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 08:40:01 pm »
Good K there. Need two more outs though.

339
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #4: Red Sox @ Astros October 17, 2018
« on: October 17, 2018, 08:28:07 pm »
Reddick called out on scoreboard interference. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This made me laugh.

340
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: October 17, 2018, 04:32:40 pm »
I agree it's been great.

341
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS
« on: October 17, 2018, 04:31:46 pm »
I'm reading that Chris Sale won't start till Game 6 due to illness.

342
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:49:51 am »
Maybe I'm confusing it with something else, but I associate it with 100 panel galleries and 200 word articles with 117 MB of ads. In any case, I'm going to put my attention elsewhere.

343
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: October 17, 2018, 10:15:25 am »
BR is a click-bait site.

344
Beer and Queso / Re: RIP Stephen Hawking
« on: October 17, 2018, 09:08:03 am »
Hell, Einstein was an asshole.

I guess it's been talked about recently that he was a scoundrel with the women in his life, but he was uniformly liked and admired in his profession and considered a giant in the field by everyone. You can't say the latter about Hawking. 

345
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game 3: Red Sox @ Astros October 16, 2018
« on: October 16, 2018, 06:37:18 pm »
Do you prefer strikeouts?

Not great either.

346
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game 3: Red Sox @ Astros October 16, 2018
« on: October 16, 2018, 06:34:18 pm »
What is this shit where we instantly ground out every inning. Stop it.

347
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game 3: Red Sox @ Astros October 16, 2018
« on: October 16, 2018, 06:01:34 pm »
Announcers are going to keep saying this batter is Keuchel’s last until they’re right.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At 84 pitches, fwiw.

348
Beer and Queso / Re: A Star is Born
« on: October 16, 2018, 10:09:36 am »
When you say darker than Apollo 13 -  could I take 8 year old boys to it, or too much?

8 seems kind of young, but I'm not really an expert on what upsets kids. I don't think they will understand a lot of the adults talking scenes and there a lot terrifying, claustrophic sequences which would scare someone sensitive to that. If you feel comfortable explaining a depiction of what happened to the Apollo 1 astronauts then it's probably ok, but I don't know if I would.

349
Talk Zone / Re: NLCS
« on: October 15, 2018, 10:06:44 pm »
Well, better luck next time Dodgers.

350
Beer and Queso / Re: A Star is Born
« on: October 15, 2018, 09:16:06 pm »
I'm going to sneak in this thread to say that First Man is really great. I went in expecting an update of the first scenes of the Right Stuff (which would have been great) and it was that and a lot more. Darker than Apollo 13, but really masterfully done.

351
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS
« on: October 15, 2018, 04:11:16 pm »
Seems as though there are some conflicting reports.

If Altuve DH's then Kemp plays left. I guess the Altuve move isn't totally set.

352
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS
« on: October 15, 2018, 04:05:12 pm »
Chandler Rome says McCann will catch Keuchel and Kemp will play either LF or DH.

353
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS
« on: October 15, 2018, 04:03:08 pm »
Richard Justice just tweeted that Altuve likely would DH in game 3 because of sore knee. MarGo to play second.

354
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 11:14:40 pm »
Great game! Great GZ!

355
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 11:07:55 pm »
Long single there

356
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 10:55:12 pm »
I’m going to invent some flaming pineapple drink tomorrow once I secure a pineapple


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Make sure to post and I’lll have two.

357
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 10:50:45 pm »
Hell yes

358
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 10:25:35 pm »
Fuck

359
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 10:19:51 pm »
That was a bullshit pitch Marwin

360
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 10:11:49 pm »
Bregman getting it done

361
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:54:03 pm »
Pitching around Bregman there?

362
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:44:23 pm »
Ready for some hard hits this inning!

363
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:41:13 pm »
Good innng

364
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:30:05 pm »
Correa!

365
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:16:45 pm »
Was he mad about time call by Bregman?

366
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:09:53 pm »
Ump very generous there

367
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALCS Game #1: Astros @ Red Sox, October 13, 2018
« on: October 13, 2018, 09:05:23 pm »
Dammit

368
Talk Zone / Re: Frito Pie
« on: October 12, 2018, 04:36:08 pm »
Wow, I've never met anyone else who detested rice.  I thought I was alone.

I always thought they let in too many legacy applicants.

369
Talk Zone / Re: Ben Reiter Predicts
« on: October 12, 2018, 12:55:26 pm »
Here are Dan Szymborski's ZIPs probabilities which give the Red Sox the edge in the Sale games and the Astros the edge on the rest.

370
Talk Zone / Re: ALCS
« on: October 12, 2018, 12:53:04 pm »
Anybody else ready to get this thing going?

I was 100% ready on Wednesday.

371
Talk Zone / Re: Ben Reiter Predicts
« on: October 11, 2018, 01:59:35 pm »
I like his attitude, but baseball happens. I just hate having to wait till Saturday.

372
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Gam 3: Astros @ Indian s, October 8, 2018
« on: October 08, 2018, 03:15:43 pm »
Love that guy!

373
Talk Zone / Re: Their hearts have melted already....
« on: October 08, 2018, 12:34:37 pm »
This would be a great day to, I believe the phrase is, drop a motherfucking soupbone on these guys.

Is your cap locks key broken?

374
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 2: Indians @ Astros October 6, 2018
« on: October 06, 2018, 06:53:15 pm »
Cole might want to win these things more than anyone. Total stud today.

375
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 2: Indians @ Astros October 6, 2018
« on: October 06, 2018, 06:51:55 pm »
Yarrr!

376
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 2: Indians @ Astros October 6, 2018
« on: October 06, 2018, 06:43:10 pm »
Let's get the next 3 outs and call it a weekend.

Sounds good to me.

377
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 2: Indians @ Astros October 6, 2018
« on: October 06, 2018, 06:11:56 pm »
oh yeah!

378
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 2: Indians @ Astros October 6, 2018
« on: October 06, 2018, 05:47:21 pm »
Indians playing 5-D chess I guess.

379
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 04:45:48 pm »
Pressures on them now. Go Astros!

380
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 04:13:59 pm »
I really thought they'd walk Bregman after getting down 2-1.

The pitch he hit looked way outside on Gameday.

381
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 03:59:16 pm »
Screw bunting!

382
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 03:31:03 pm »
Good enough Pressly. Let's get some more runs.

383
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 03:05:26 pm »
Was that steal attempt close?

384
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 02:55:46 pm »
I think PitchingNinja has a crush on JV.

385
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 02:53:06 pm »
Boys came to play!

386
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 02:15:52 pm »
Bregman!

387
Game Zone 2018 / Re: ALDS Game 1, Indians at Astros October 5, 2018
« on: October 05, 2018, 02:00:22 pm »
Indians are patient at the plate, lots of deep counts for JV.

47 pitches for JV vs. 27 for Kluber (at the inning break).

388
Talk Zone / Re: ALDS schedule
« on: October 05, 2018, 11:16:57 am »
anyone else have butterflies with razor blades for wings? Or it could just be the Frito Pie saying "hello".

Someone just cancelled my meeting that began at start time, so feeling good.

389
Didn't he once say that he learned his uppercut swing from Jason Castro?

390
Talk Zone / Re: ALDS schedule
« on: October 04, 2018, 06:36:52 pm »
ALDS Schedule:

All times Eastern
FRI CLE @ HOU 2:05 PM
SAT CLE@HOU 4:37 PM
MON HOU@CLE 1:30 PM
TUE HOU@CLE 4:35 PM *
THU CLE@HOU 4:07 PM  *

* - if needed

392
Talk Zone / Re: Postseason roster questions
« on: October 04, 2018, 01:17:48 pm »
Here's the whole ALDS roster:

Catchers: Maldonado, McCann.
IF: Gurriel, Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Gonzalez.
OF: Springer, Reddick, Marisnick, Kemp, Straw.
DH: White, Gattis
SP: Verlander, Cole, Keuchel, Morton.
RP: Osuna, Pressly, Sipp, James, McCullers, McHugh, Harris.

393
Talk Zone / Re: Postseason roster questions
« on: October 04, 2018, 01:07:22 pm »
McTaggart tweets the ALDS bullpen: Osuna McCullers Pressly Harris James Sipp McHugh Also, Astros keeping Myles Straw over third catcher

394
Talk Zone / Re: Frito Pie
« on: October 04, 2018, 11:46:08 am »
I think ancho chili and cumin are such a strong and distinctive combination of seasoning that whenever you use them together, the product will be associated with chili whether you like it or not. For instance, if you try to serve something like "Turkey Ancho-Cumin stew" they will say it tastes like "chili" and would be reasonable to do so.

395
Talk Zone / Re: AL Wild Card
« on: October 03, 2018, 07:24:39 pm »
This is a craptastic start.  Why start a guy with a 4+ ERA in a win or go home game? Terrible decision imo

Fiers or Edwin Jackson were the other options I think.

396
Talk Zone / Re: AL Wild Card
« on: October 03, 2018, 07:23:52 pm »
I thought it was going to be on TBS. I’d try there.

I’m glad we have a GameZone-ish thread for this game like the NL thread from last night. Makes watching the game that much more enjoyable.

Is there a single Astros fan out there that would prefer the Yankees to win over the A’s?  Even one?

It was extremely satisfying to watch the Astros beat the Yankees last year. I'm not sure the A's would be the same.

397
Talk Zone / Re: Team Milestones 2018
« on: October 01, 2018, 04:26:30 pm »
The Astros advantage in pitching is slightly greater than the Indians advantage in hitting.

The Astros bullpen is a strength against the Indians, but this is going to be an intense series.

398
Talk Zone / Re: Team Milestones 2018
« on: September 30, 2018, 11:12:57 am »
Robert Ford  @raford3 36m ago
Going into the season finale, the Astros have allowed 530 runs & are poised to shatter the AL record for fewest runs allowed in a non-strike year in the DH era. 1974 A’s allowed 551 runs. Only 2 NL teams have allowed fewer runs in that time (2015 STL 525, 2011 PHI 529).

Totally amazing.

399
Talk Zone / Re: Postseason roster questions
« on: September 28, 2018, 12:20:07 pm »
I suppose it's good to have enough options that a player who hit 25 home runs is on the bubble.

401
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains 2018
« on: September 24, 2018, 04:14:02 pm »
Charlie Morton is back in Houston with his wife who is expecting their fourth child in the next few days. Hinch was confident that he would pitch again this season.

403
Talk Zone / Re: Correa article in The Athletic
« on: September 20, 2018, 02:15:21 pm »
He is seeing the pitches well, the pitch selection is more or less the same, but he can't hit anything inside, his power is way down and never hits to left field.

404
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Mariners @ Astros, September 19, 2018
« on: September 20, 2018, 11:55:34 am »
The highlight of the game for me was seeing a guy in a Wesley Wright jersey. That’s dedication. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This post tricked me into looking at the 2013 Astros roster. Was not prepared. 

405
Talk Zone / Re: Astros have best Bullpen?
« on: September 19, 2018, 12:35:01 pm »
You can't argue with the results, but turnover seems high.

406
Talk Zone / Re: Nelson Cruz in 2019
« on: September 17, 2018, 03:51:01 pm »
Yeah, they're not paying good money after the year White has had. 

Besides, Marvin, I'd love to them to pursue Maldonado for a few more years.  I don't know the price he will fetch, but he's been an awesome addition, IMO.

Agree 100%. Forgot that he was a FA at the end of the season.

407
Talk Zone / Re: Nelson Cruz in 2019
« on: September 17, 2018, 12:33:01 pm »
Cruz would be great, but I think they'll stay with White at DH and focus on guys who can play the position. They have to re-sign or replace MarGo, too.

408
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Tigers, September 12, 2018
« on: September 13, 2018, 01:38:32 pm »
The Rays are 9.5 games back from the Yankees with 17 games to go. That would be something to see.

409
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Tigers, September 12, 2018
« on: September 13, 2018, 12:24:33 pm »
Mike Petriello posted the top 5 offenses of the last 30 days:

1) Rays
2) A's
3) Astros
4) Dodgers
5) Mets

410
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Tigers, September 12, 2018
« on: September 12, 2018, 01:48:21 pm »
Gonna guess Berkman.

Unless, I missed one, Berkman in 2001 (55) was the last time.

411
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Tigers, September 12, 2018
« on: September 12, 2018, 01:43:13 pm »
AFB 30, 50, 100

When is the last time an Astro hit 50 doubles?

412
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Tigers, September 11, 2018
« on: September 11, 2018, 06:11:50 pm »
Astros:

Altuve
Bregman
Gurriel
Marwin
Correa
Reddick
Whtie
McCann

No Springer tonight

Kemp is in CF and hitting 9th for those keeping track.

413
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Twins @ Astros, Sept. 5, 2018
« on: September 06, 2018, 04:40:17 pm »
You ever meet any old, white, non-Jewish people from Florida?

Both of my parents fell into this category, technically, but they moved back and forth from the Northeast (Pennsylvania and NYC), so maybe not the population you are referring to.

414
Talk Zone / Re: stop trying to change the game
« on: August 30, 2018, 11:11:25 am »
Fans: “Games last too long because of all the commercials, and ticket prices are too high.”
MLB: “Let’s take away outs.”
Fans: “No, we want more baseball and less dead time.”
MLB: “Runs are now florps.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Blow out time is dead time to most people. In-game commercials haven't been a driver of longer games. If you showed no commercials it would shorten the game maybe 5-10 minutes.

415
Talk Zone / Re: stop trying to change the game
« on: August 30, 2018, 11:10:12 am »
Why don't they just spot the team that is trailing a couple of runs so that it's tied?  The current system is unfairly tilted in favor of the team in the lead.  It's not fair that a team shouldn't get a chance to win just because the other team has scored more runs.

Giving a team runs is very different than taking away outs. Yes, I know you are joking, but really that's obviously way different.

416
Talk Zone / Re: stop trying to change the game
« on: August 30, 2018, 09:12:15 am »
The co-ed softball league I used to play in could have used this rule.

417
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:37:50 pm »
Woohoo!

418
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 04:22:32 pm »
Crud!

419
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 02:43:20 pm »
Bregman walks and Stassi scores.

420
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 02:42:26 pm »
Springer ties it up with a single. Bregman up with the bases loaded, 1 out.

421
Game Zone 2018 / Re: A's @ Astros August 29, 2018
« on: August 29, 2018, 02:39:19 pm »
That MLB Game Day graphic of that Altuve at-bat should be taped on his locker.

424
Talk Zone / Re: Nats’ Daniel Murphy
« on: August 21, 2018, 12:54:04 pm »
Harper and Matt Adams claimed on revocable waivers too (reportedly).

425
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Houston Astros @ Oakland Athletics - 18 Aug 2018
« on: August 18, 2018, 06:01:10 pm »
Good baseball crowd and nicer stadium than I was led to believe. Sorry I couldn't help out on the field.

426
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Houston Astros @ Oakland Athletics - 18 Sep 2018
« on: August 18, 2018, 03:15:23 pm »
That team won 103 games including 20 straight. Lost the ALDS to Minnesota in 5.

Great team!

427
Game Zone 2018 / Houston Astros @ Oakland Athletics - 18 Aug 2018
« on: August 18, 2018, 02:41:46 pm »
I'm at the game today and they are celebrating the 2002 A's for some reason complete with cheesy sparklers and Art Howe video call-in.

428
Talk Zone / Re: McTaggart's Inbox
« on: August 17, 2018, 04:01:05 pm »
Interesting theory.

To add to the data, McCann and Stassi both hit much better on the road, while Kemp is the only player who hits somewhat better at home.

429
Talk Zone / Re: McTaggart's Inbox
« on: August 16, 2018, 03:48:24 pm »
After some lunchtime research, the differences between players is interesting.

Bregman, Gurriel and Reddick have basically no difference.

Springer away stats are a little better.

Altuve, Correa, Gattis and Marwin are way better on the road than at home.

Fangraphs wrote an article that said Altuve is hurt by the left field wall because he likes to hit line drives to left field and there is less ground for the outfielder to cover. Don't know if that's true for the others (or really if that is true for Altuve).

430
Talk Zone / Re: It's time
« on: August 15, 2018, 04:50:54 pm »
I usually do yardwork instead of the traditional Frito pie. Before the Giant series, I worked in the yard all weekend including redoing my sprinkler system. Last weekend, I did fuck all. I'm going to do a rare weekday mow today to appease the BBGs, though nothing may satisfy them at this point.

431
Beer and Queso / Re: Podcasts
« on: August 09, 2018, 10:47:49 am »
The only one I listen to consistently is Hardcore History which I learned about years ago from this website (Gizzmonic I think).

432
Talk Zone / Re: Bagwell inverview
« on: August 08, 2018, 12:23:49 pm »
I enjoyed that, thanks.

433
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Giants 8/7/18
« on: August 07, 2018, 06:04:01 pm »
No game till Thursday evening. Not sure what we are supposed to do until then.

434
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains 2018
« on: August 07, 2018, 12:23:01 pm »
I thought I read about how the Astros were going to carry three catchers when they traded for Maldonado, but can't seem to find it.

435
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ SF - 8/6/18
« on: August 06, 2018, 11:54:35 pm »
Astros 40-18 on the road.

436
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: August 05, 2018, 09:44:48 pm »
Full transcript of press questions for Osuna and Luhnow.

I think Luhnow has a lot of confidence in his PR ability to try and pull this off. It's pretty clear he didn't give the players a veto beforehand.

437
Beer and Queso / Re: Books (2018)
« on: August 05, 2018, 03:23:57 pm »
Bad Blood is as good as everyone says it is.

I read Victor Davis Hanson's Second World War book earlier this year. It was very practical and big picture and pretty fresh despite there being a huge amount of WWII stuff out there.

438
Talk Zone / Re: Astros just acquired Osuna
« on: July 30, 2018, 08:03:12 pm »
A postseason ban for a few seasons in exchange for a shorter suspension might be better for everyone.

439
Talk Zone / Re: This is Kind of Cool
« on: July 27, 2018, 05:30:13 pm »
8/10. Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver, which were both pretty easy had I thought about it for 10 more seconds.

440
Talk Zone / Re: Morton
« on: July 26, 2018, 12:18:19 pm »
Leaders in Quality Starts in MLB 2018

#2 Justin Verlander 18
#8 Gerrit Cole 15
#9 Charlie Morton 14
#14 Dallas Keuchel 13
#16 Lance McCullers Jr. 13

Astros pitchers lead the league in quality start percentage at 70%.

441
Talk Zone / Re: Harper
« on: July 25, 2018, 06:27:06 pm »
and a flaming asshole

Is there something specific that you have that opinion?

442
Talk Zone / Re: Harper
« on: July 25, 2018, 04:25:48 pm »
He and Kris Bryant (they are buddies) are going to team up somewhere, southern Cali most likely.

I'm guessing they have the same agent?

For the record, I have always liked watching Harper play baseball. He can be a real force of nature.

443
Talk Zone / Re: Harper
« on: July 25, 2018, 01:06:12 pm »
I haven't been watching the Nationals much this season, but six games back in July is not a "trade your marquee player" situation.

444
Talk Zone / Re: “We will get a closer”
« on: July 24, 2018, 01:32:43 pm »
The AL playoffs are going to be a bloodbath. I think you have to improve everywhere you can even if it's small.

445
Talk Zone / Re: Machado
« on: July 18, 2018, 06:19:52 pm »
To the Dodgers for 5 players according to Rosenthal.

446
Talk Zone / Re: Ex Astros News 17-18
« on: July 18, 2018, 08:13:42 am »

447
Beer and Queso / Re: World Cup 2018
« on: July 15, 2018, 11:05:11 am »
Croatia's goal was a beauty.


448
Talk Zone / Re: The Shift
« on: July 13, 2018, 05:15:55 pm »
Yesterday was to my knowledge the first time an extreme OF shift hurt. Bases loaded, no out, 4-0 up—walking Lucroy was a killer—Morton desperately needed an out.  As he said post-game, he made a great pitch and got a fly ball to CF. What should have been a 4-1 game with one out became 4-2 with no out, and runners at second and third. Springer had no chance to get to the ball from his LCF position, and Reddick’s sprint from RCF was about 2-3 feet short.

Do you think the hitter intentionally directed the ball in that part of the OF?

449
Talk Zone / Re: The Shift
« on: July 13, 2018, 12:46:29 pm »
That makes sense, but the shift is on in a lot of situations where it isn't as clear cut.

450
Talk Zone / Re: The Shift
« on: July 13, 2018, 11:53:24 am »
In other words, being situationally aware is important.  I think there are a lot of hitters who are so into slugging they are unwilling to adapt to the situation.

If you can hit a grounder through the shift at .320 avg and you can hit a line drive over the shift at .250 avg, do you change your approach? If its .400 and .150 obviously you change. If it's .280 and .270 then its clear you go for the line-drive. The hitters in the article tended to think it was bit of coin flip.

451
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 03:53:18 pm »
I can't see him back in Houston. On this team that seems to have some marvelous chemistry, he stands out as the exception. And in a critical role.

If he wants to play in the playoffs, then he needs to get it together. They aren't going to trade him to anywhere above .500.

452
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 03:07:49 pm »
Perez back up.

453
Talk Zone / Re: Giles
« on: July 11, 2018, 03:06:54 pm »
Giles optioned to AAA according to Berman on twitter.

454
Beer and Queso / Re: World Cup 2018
« on: July 06, 2018, 04:40:12 pm »
So South Africa is in Europe, but Russia is not.

455
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Rangers, Independence Day 2018!
« on: July 04, 2018, 09:49:12 pm »
Panera, whose ad inspired my comment, and others use it to imply that food is healthy. So, for example, if you eat unwashed lettuce and chicken it’s still “eating clean.”

"Eat Clean and Lift" is a motto I saw used by bodybuilders/powerlifters several years ago. I'm not sure Panera means it in the same way.

456
Talk Zone / Re: Checking in at the halfway point.
« on: June 28, 2018, 10:58:22 am »
Still very curious to see what (if any) move Luhnow will make at the deadline. One interrelated question is how they feel about McCullers for the postseason (bullpen?).

So McCullers for a LH reliever and batter?

457
Talk Zone / Re: Checking in at the halfway point.
« on: June 28, 2018, 09:57:05 am »
If you look at the WAR by position in the American League, the Astros are in the top 4 at every position except for DH where they are 6th.

458
Talk Zone / Re: Exposing the Craft
« on: June 21, 2018, 03:53:02 pm »
But I wouldn't be surprised if there's an Astros employee scouring the interwebs for content that might be useful.

They went out of their way to hire guys from BP and so forth, so I imagine they are aware of what's out there (to add to their internal stuff).

459
Beer and Queso / Re: World Cup 2018
« on: June 21, 2018, 03:43:40 pm »
No credit for the back who kicked the blind, half-assed pass back in the direction of the keeper? That was pretty weak.

I'm wondering how the far-right white-nationalist faction of the Polish fandom is wearing the loss.

Probably celebrating with the Croatian branch of the organization.

460
Beer and Queso / Re: World Cup 2018
« on: June 18, 2018, 10:47:48 am »
Does every single person in Iceland have a last name ending in "SON", or is that just a requirement to play on their national team?

According to Wikipedia - "In Iceland, patronymics or matronymics are still used as last names and this is in fact compulsory by law, with a handful of exceptions."

461
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros at A's June 14, 2018
« on: June 14, 2018, 04:25:26 pm »
We're thru 5, and it's still 5-1.

This ends my half-assed pbp.

Being this one home,  por favor.

A quality half-effort, imo.

463
Talk Zone / Re: Rule Change Commentary
« on: April 29, 2018, 09:55:31 am »
I like a variety of type of games: 1-0, 5-4, 17-9, whatever. However, I don't think the 30 minutes on average they have added since the 80s contains anything interesting. but not sure what to do about it. It's not something easy to remove from the games, I'm pretty sure.

A consistent strike zone and consistent baseball would help pitchers, so maybe start there.

464
Talk Zone / Re: Rock bottom?
« on: April 21, 2018, 10:14:30 am »
Astros back in first in AL West.

465
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ White Sox, April 20, 2018
« on: April 20, 2018, 07:50:47 pm »
I can sense Verlander's awesomeness even through the MLB Gameday little pitch graphics.

466
Talk Zone / Re: Ex Astros News 17-18
« on: April 12, 2018, 09:16:20 am »
The Astros quite possibly miss out on six games of postseason experience without that trade.

And Fiers helped out a lot last year, too, so no regrets from me.

467
Talk Zone / Re: Ex Astros News 17-18
« on: April 12, 2018, 08:59:33 am »
Hader and Santana would playing for the Astros right now, so plenty of room for regret.

468
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Twins April 11, 2018
« on: April 11, 2018, 03:07:56 pm »
Good bullpen stuff today.

469
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Twins April 11, 2018
« on: April 11, 2018, 03:01:45 pm »
Dangit.

470
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros @ Twins April 11, 2018
« on: April 11, 2018, 02:34:33 pm »
I'm behind, but God bless Devo!

471
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Padres @ Astros, April 8, 2018
« on: April 08, 2018, 03:17:29 pm »
The radio announcers are defending the wave.

472
Talk Zone / Re: Yuli?
« on: April 05, 2018, 09:53:50 am »
This whole thing was a scam.  There was no way that Yuli was going to start the season with the team and the public statements that Yuli was ready were simply so that Yuli wouldn't have to serve any suspension when he came off the DL.  I have no problem with this.  Teams manipulate the DL all of the time.  But let's not kid ourselves as to what happened here.

It's too bad that Davis hasn't hit better.  His defense at first has been pretty great and he is a versatile player on the field.  But there is no room for him when Yuli comes back.  And while Fisher hasn't been lighting it up either, Fisher is at least a good pinch runner.

Does he get docked pay for the suspended days?

473
Talk Zone / Re: Hubris
« on: April 05, 2018, 08:06:07 am »

474
It's not so bad really, but yesterday a co-worker told me there was going to be a "wintry mix" this weekend and I just about punched him in the balls.

475
Why are you moving your house?

It’s a small house and it’s sick of the cold weather.

476
Is everyone at the game and I just missed the memo?  Should I stop with the inning summaries?  I know it's nowhere near as good as the usual pitch by pitch.

I'm checking in while watching the Baltimore feed and packing my house up.

477
Talk Zone / Re: Unwritten rule?
« on: April 03, 2018, 12:31:32 pm »
I thought it was Lucas Harrell who didn't care for the shift and I thought we traded Cosart so that we could have a back-up centerfielder with luxurious, flowing hair. I could be wrong.

478
Springer doubles. Bregman doubles down the left field line to drive him in. Astros 1-0.

479
Little trouble with the pennant reveal. Still glorious.

480
My family has been in town all weekend and haven't been able to sit down and watch a game yet.

481
Baltimore Orioles

1. Chris Davis (L) 1B
2. Manny Machado (R) SS
3. Jonathan Schoop (R) 2B
4. Adam Jones (R) CF
5. Trey Mancini (R) LF
6. Colby Rasmus (L) RF
7. Tim Beckham (R) 3B
8. Pedro Alvarez (L) DH
9. Caleb Joseph (R) C

SP - Chris Tillman (R)

Houston Astros

1. George Springer (R) CF
2. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
3. Jose Altuve (R) 2B
4. Carlos Correa (R) SS
5. Josh Reddick (L) RF
6. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 1B
7. Evan Gattis (R) DH
8. Brian McCann (L) C
9. Derek Fisher (L) LF

SP - Charlie Morton (R)

Go Astros!

482
Game Zone 2018 / Re: Astros vs Rangers 03-31-2018
« on: April 01, 2018, 12:49:50 pm »
For those who haven't found it yet, here it is.. Was it longer on the broadcast?

483
Beer and Queso / Re: RIP Stephen Hawking
« on: March 30, 2018, 11:53:25 am »
Show me a genius who is patient with the rest of us.

There are lots of super geniuses I've met that are perfectly nice people.

For instance, I never heard anything bad about Steve Weinberg, probably one of the great physicists of the 20th century, when I was a student at UT-Austin, except that he was incredibly busy and absent-minded.

484
Beer and Queso / Re: RIP Stephen Hawking
« on: March 30, 2018, 11:41:50 am »
Not really.  He was kind of an arrogant ass.  And, yes, I know this personally.

@Bench, I've never heard the word "grace" and Hawking in the same sentence.  He was a lot of things but gracious was not one of them.

I've heard the same (particularly with regards to women) and certainly, his scientific reputation didn't come anywhere near his public reputation.

485
Beer and Queso / Re: Facebook in Freefall
« on: March 29, 2018, 08:39:52 am »
I worked at Furrow's on Highway 6 when I was in high school. On weekdays, we would get at least 2 calls a night asking the price of light bulbs. On the weekends, there were be more. Most of our light bulbs were the same price, but there was one brand that had a $0.40 rebate on each light bulb and I had to explain it every time.

486
Talk Zone / Re: Kyle Tucker
« on: March 27, 2018, 08:54:04 am »
I think it's not a set date because it depends on how the 22% of players is defined which depends on how teams call players up.

487
Talk Zone / Re: Kyle Tucker
« on: March 27, 2018, 08:42:53 am »
Correa was called up on June 8th.

488
Talk Zone / Re: Years Past
« on: March 22, 2018, 09:53:20 am »
I really thought Justin Maxwell was going to put it together.

He put in a good run in KC in 2013 and then fell off the map.

i had high hopes for Jordan Lyles and Brett Wallace and Matt Dominguez (god help me).

489
Beer and Queso / Re: RIP Stephen Hawking
« on: March 15, 2018, 12:20:30 pm »
Somebody bought me a copy of "Universe in a Nutshell" which I really liked despite having taken some graduate school classes in general relativity. I vaguely remember "Brief History of Time" which I read when I was a freshman and thought Feynman's books were way cooler.

One of my co-workers worked in Hawking's group as a post-doc in the 90s. He didn't interact with him very much, but said he had a very dry sense of humor.

490
Talk Zone / Re: Free Agents
« on: March 09, 2018, 12:44:57 pm »
Carlos Gonzalez signed by Rockies for $8M.

491
Talk Zone / Re: Are baseballs juiced?
« on: March 02, 2018, 12:56:47 pm »
Cy Young, World Series, Kate Upton... AND he does data visualizations?

He should have asked Kate about the difference between a fraction and a percentage.



492
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains 2018
« on: February 28, 2018, 08:39:16 am »
Drew Silva, NBC Sports - "Hamate bone surgery typically comes with 6-8 weeks of recovery time and can sometimes sap a player's hitting ability for a while after that."

493
Talk Zone / Re: Aches and Pains 2018
« on: February 28, 2018, 08:37:42 am »
Sorry to hear that Nate. Take care.

Anyway, according to McTaggart - "Yuli Gurriel having surgery to remove the hook of hamate bone in his left hand. Timetable unknown."

494
Beer and Queso / Re: Guns
« on: February 22, 2018, 04:13:05 pm »
No. I believe the argument is no matter what firearm is used, some people will get shot.

Are these people saying we should do both or neither?

495
Beer and Queso / Re: Guns
« on: February 22, 2018, 03:56:07 pm »
Isn't that the same argument made against banning 'assault rifles'?

Are you saying that it doesn't matter what firearm you use, you are going to kill the same number of people?

496
Beer and Queso / Re: Guns
« on: February 22, 2018, 01:28:32 pm »
Security forces would be very expensive and mostly idle. There is also a legitimate issue whether they would be used to do other things, like correct behavior problems.

A lot of shootings had security presence (like Ft. Hood and Pulse Night Club and the recent hotel shooting), but still the shooter had plenty of time to inflict damage.

Giving qualified teachers some extra money to get training and have some reasonably secure firearm available is not crazy, but most teachers would not be very effective and it's honestly absurdly dangerous to confront the shooters.

497
Talk Zone / Re: New Pace of Play Agreement
« on: February 20, 2018, 08:59:46 am »
This article on pace of play in 1984 to today by Grant Brisbee is anecdotal but interesting.

Verlander made some comments that the mound visits are necessary to avoid the increased efforts to steal signs.

I haven't seen any stats on mound visits either.

498
Beer and Queso / Re: Guns
« on: February 19, 2018, 03:25:25 pm »
Part of the answer has to lie with families.  They have to be willing to turn in their own.  Like this grandmother.  But unlike the Sandy Hook killer's mother who knew something was wrong.

Nidal Hasan was an army psychologist and the other doctors didn't catch it. Too much uncertainty in mental health to really rely on this I would think.

500
Talk Zone / Re: The Athletic Houston
« on: February 13, 2018, 09:10:21 am »
Steve Campbell?  MEH

I had to unfollow Jake Kaplan on Twitter, but maybe he is better in article length,

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 ... 13