Bravos @ Astros June 24, 2014

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's tilt:

The ATL

CFB.J. Upton (R)
2BTommy La Stella (L)
1BFreddie Freeman (L)
DHEvan Gattis (R)
RFJason Heyward (L)
LFJustin Upton (R)
3BChris Johnson (R)
SSA. Simmons (R)
CGerald Laird (R)
Aaron Harang (R)  (5-6, 3.83)

Astros

CF Dexter Fowler (S)
2B Jose Altuve (R)
RF George Springer (R)
1B J. Singleton (L)
3B Matt Dominguez (R)
C Jason Castro (L)
DH Chris Carter (R)
LF Robbie Grossman (S)
SS Jonathan Villar (S)
HOU: Scott Feldman (R)  (3-4, 3.95)

[subnuclear]

I just sat down and Springer sends one over the CF fence. Astros 1-0.

[jbm]

Don't umps know strike zones depend on the hitter?  Altuve gets no break for his height. The first two pitches were at his fucking shoulders and called strikes. I rarely, almost never, see shoulder high strikes on other hitters.  

Springer hits one straight away. Love to see him go up the middle. It would serve him well to do much more of that.

[subnuclear]

Don't umps know strike zones depend on the hitter?  Altuve gets no break for his height. The first two pitches were at his fucking shoulders and called strikes. I rarely, almost never, see shoulder high strikes on other hitters.  

I see that, too. Here is an article at fangraphs that agrees with us.

[jbm]

Thanks. Nice to see confirmation, but sucks that it still exists.

[Duke]

Springer hits one straight away. Love to see him go up the middle. It would serve him well to do much more of that.

Announcer said 441 ft.

[juliogotay]

Announcer said 441 ft.

He has hit several bombs.

[jbm]

This was more of a line drive. Sad thing, in his next AB, he's back to his old ways trying to hit everything over the left field fence.  He has a huge ceiling, I hope he takes the necessary steps to reach it.

Man, when they connect off Feldman, the contact is HARD.

[chuck]

Boy, that Gary really knows how to clean up for his anniversary outing.

[Aussie Astro]

Boy, that Gary really knows how to clean up for his anniversary outing.

Well he was wearing his best Astros hat, what else do you need?

[chuck]

Well he was wearing his best Astros hat, what else do you need?

It didn't fit him quite right so I think it was a freebie with an ad for Waste Management or something like it on the back. But yeah, at least it was unstained.

[NeilT]

I see that, too. Here is an article at fangraphs that agrees with us.

Mariners fan saying Jose Altuve isn't great.  Gob.

[Reuben]

Getting tougher and tougher to picture Grossman in any jersey besides a Redhawks'.

[jbm]

Don't they have a pinch hitter for a horrible bat at the critical point of the game?  

Dude is in a terrible place: watching strike threes and swinging at ball fours.

[Aussie Astro]

Out hit them 8 to 6 but lose 2 to 3... hmmm.

[austro]

When's the last time Singleton got a hit?

[Reuben]

Don't they have a pinch hitter for a horrible bat at the critical point of the game?  

Dude is in a terrible place: watching strike threes and swinging at ball fours.

Yeah, Presley would've at least stood a chance of knocking a single there... but Porter felt the need to insert him as the pinch-runner for Carter instead. Perplexing.

Grossman really is totally lost right now.

...and Singleton's not far behind, from the ABs I've seen.

[jbm]

Or Marwin, whom he'd also used as a pinch runner, although he is just a smidge faster than Dominguez.  Corporon was also available, as was Guzman.

I don't know the last time Singleton got a hit, but his ABs are far, far superior to Grossman's, IMO.  He might have some swing and miss, but he is generally swinging when he should, and laying off the crap.

And to belabor a point, Swinger has to learn that not every swing needs to be for the left field fence.  I wonder if that is even communicated to him. Maybe I'm unaware of some SABR truth.

[Duman]

Singleton is 2 for his last 25 with 12 Ks. 

[NeilT]

Singleton is 2 for his last 25 with 12 Ks. 

It's probably about time to fire the hitting coach.