I don't understand tonight's lineup at all

[toddthebod]

Why are the Astros playing both Villar and Gonzalez?  Why is either one of them playing at all?  Why is Villar back in left field. 

Why the hell is Altuve batting 3rd?  Can we please move him back to leadoff. 

Why are Gattis and Carter batting back to back? 

[juliogotay]

Why are the Astros playing both Villar and Gonzalez?  Why is either one of them playing at all?  Why is Villar back in left field. 

Why the hell is Altuve batting 3rd?  Can we please move him back to leadoff. 

Why are Gattis and Carter batting back to back?

HInch doing everything he can to keep LHers from facing Sale. Who would you put between Gattis and Carter?

[toddthebod]

Maybe Correa.   

[BudGirl]

Maybe the LHers would have done better.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Maybe the LHers would have done better.

Indeed. I for one feel instantly discouraged upon seeing Marwin and JV in the same lineup.

[jbm]

It's completely understandable to me why there are no lefties against this guy.

[HudsonHawk]

Anyone who wonders why Valbuena, Rasmus, Castro and Tucker are not in the lineup has never seen Sale pitch. 

[toddthebod]

Sale is an awesome pitcher, but you can't put Villar and Gonzalez in the lineup together. 

[Lefty]

Sale is an awesome pitcher, but you can't put Villar and Gonzalez in the lineup together. 

Then who?

[MRaup]

Sale is an awesome pitcher, but you can't put Villar and Gonzalez in the lineup together.

Yeah, exactly what do you want instead? Valbuena doesn't even attempt to hit lefties.

There isn't a lot of RH help on the bench.

[JJxvi]

Villar was always going to play over Valbuena.  There is MAYBE an argument with Tucker's apparent reverse splits to let him try it instead of Marwin (who hits better from the left side), but Sale's vs LH splits over the past 3 years are nuts.  Tucker also isn't exactly forcing his way into the lineup with his numbers over the last week or two weeks which are probably roughly the same as Marwin's.

[Mr. Happy]

Yeah, exactly what do you want instead? Valbuena doesn't even attempt to hit lefties.

There isn't a lot of RH help on the bench.

This. To somehow argue that Valbuena should have been in there against a tough lefty is nonsense.

[Reuben]

I almost thought we'd see an LJ Hoes or Domingo Santana call-up for this series with all the lefties the Pale Hose have. Villar would've had to go down, I suppose, leaving you with only 1 backup SS. Valbuena has played a fair bit of 2B, so he'd probably be the emergency SS option.

[juliogotay]

I almost thought we'd see an LJ Hoes or Domingo Santana call-up for this series with all the lefties the Pale Hose have. Villar would've had to go down, I suppose, leaving you with only 1 backup SS. Valbuena has played a fair bit of 2B, so he'd probably be the emergency SS option.

Hoes has crazy good splits against LHers this year at Fresno.

[Reuben]

Hoes has crazy good splits against LHers this year at Fresno.

I know, I posted about it recently on the Bus Ride Fresno thread.

[juliogotay]

I know, I posted about it recently on the Bus Ride Fresno thread.

I knew I read it somewhere.

[JimR]

did not take long for the bitching to start

[Fredia]

for me its not bitching, its just not quite grasping the 360

[HudsonHawk]

for me its not bitching, its just not quite grasping the 360

Not hard to grasp.  When you swing and miss, you don't score many runs.  When you don't score runs, you don't win.  Team is in a major hitting funk right now. 

[JimR]

apathy to euphoria to bitching in record time.

hit in bad luck last night too.

[Kit]

apathy to euphoria to bitching in record time.

hit in bad luck last night too.

Yeah we hit some shots last night, but right at people. .The worm will turn in our favor sooner than later.  I wonder if the Stros have ever lost 7 in a row and still been in first place before.

[juliogotay]

Yeah we hit some shots last night, but right at people. .The worm will turn in our favor sooner than later.  I wonder if the Stros have ever lost 7 in a row and still been in first place before.

 I saw some good ABs and particularly was impressed with Springer. Not because he had five hits but the fact that he was hitting the ball where it was pitched and not trying to jerk everything out of the park.

[NeilT]

apathy to euphoria to bitching in record time.

hit in bad luck last night too.

All things being equal, I liked the euphoria best.

[HudsonHawk]

I saw some good ABs and particularly was impressed with Springer. Not because he had five hits but the fact that he was hitting the ball where it was pitched and not trying to jerk everything out of the park.

Springer's at bats lately have been very good.  He's seeing the ball well, being selective, and hitting it hard.  Even his outs are generally well struck. 

[Reuben]

In case anyone hasn't seen this already:

@ESPNStatsInfo: George Springer is 1st player in modern MLB history to have 5+ hits in a game where his teammates combined for 2 or fewer (via @EliasSports)

[JimR]

Correa looks unbelievably good. the Astros will contend for quite some time.

[juliogotay]

Correa looks unbelievably good. the Astros will contend for quite some time.

He looks like a ten-year vet out there.

[pots]

He looks like a ten-year vet out there.

Yeah, I'd like to see them get Tucker, Altuve, Springer and Correa together in the lineup.  Maybe  Springer, Correa, Altuve then Tucker. 

SCAT


edit:
Then maybe Carter, Rasmus, Gattis.  Got to get Gattis's 250 OBP the heck out of the middle of the lineup.

[Jacksonian]

Yeah, I'd like to see them get Tucker, Altuve, Springer and Correa together in the lineup.  Maybe  Springer, Correa, Altuve then Tucker. 

SCAT


edit:
Then maybe Carter, Rasmus, Gattis.  Got to get Gattis's 250 OBP the heck out of the middle of the lineup.

At some point I expect to see 1 Springer, 2 Altuve, 3 Correa.

[doyce7]

At some point I expect to see 1 Springer, 2 Altuve, 3 Correa.

I think this is the eventual plan, although I wouldn't mind Tucker 3 and correa 4. Tucker in theory would get good pitches to hit and he can hit them hard.

[pots]

At some point I expect to see 1 Springer, 2 Altuve, 3 Correa.

Yeah that is likely the end game.  Was just thinking the 2 hole would be an easier place for him right now.   But this is good as well

[juliogotay]

I think this is the eventual plan, although I wouldn't mind Tucker 3 and correa 4. Tucker in theory would get good pitches to hit and he can hit them hard.

The lineup never stays static. It will always be revolving around who is in the lineup, who is hitting, who is pitching etc. 

[rpntex]

At some point I expect to see 1 Springer, 2 Altuve, 3 Correa.

Curious...I wonder what Gattis' OBP has been since May 1?  I know that his season OBP is maddening, but I think he's been very productive since late April.  I know he's right up there wioth league leaders in RBIs since May 1.  Just how much did the April funk he was in skew his season OBP? 

[mrpink]

Curious...I wonder what Gattis' OBP has been since May 1?

.283


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[MikeyBoy]

Who gives a fuck about his OBP. Gattis is here to drive in runs and he has done a pretty good job of that thus far. 5-6 are the perfect spots in the batting order for him.

[HudsonHawk]

Who gives a fuck about his OBP. Gattis is here to drive in runs and he has done a pretty good job of that thus far. 5-6 are the perfect spots in the batting order for him.

He has in bulk, but the entire team is in a major run scoring drought right now, and he's at the center of that, so it's glaring.  He's driven in two runs in his last eight games, while going 5 for 31.  On the season, with RISP he's 12 for 57 with 21 strikeouts.  So while you can't say his are RBIs are few, they are definitetly far between.  That's not an unfair criticism. 

[juliogotay]

He has in bulk, but the entire team is in a major run scoring drought right now, and he's at the center of that, so it's glaring.  He's driven in two runs in his last eight games, while going 5 for 31.  On the season, with RISP he's 12 for 57 with 21 strikeouts.  So while you can't say his are RBIs are few, they are definitetly far between.  That's not an unfair criticism.

That's a .210 BA with RISP. I hope he picks it back up.

[jbm]

Well, during the losing streak, can't you single out everyone but Springer and Correa?

[NeilT]

Well, during the losing streak, can't you single out everyone but Springer and Correa?

But that's Gatos's job.  And Carter's.  Singling out Marisnick or Conger isn't quite the same thing.

[pots]

Who gives a fuck about his OBP. Gattis is here to drive in runs and he has done a pretty good job of that thus far. 5-6 are the perfect spots in the batting order for him.

He drives in runs at the same rate as Carter, but Carter actually takes a walk.  So it makes more sense to me to bat Carter in front of Gattis.  Carter left on base: 68  Gattis left on base: 91

Gattis leads the team in RBIs because of opportunity. 

[MusicMan]

Lost in the OMG ALTUVE ONLY NON-ROYALS ALL-STAR hype is his line since May 1:

.236/.281/.324

Fact is, Altuve has sucked for a month and a half now.

[jbm]

Lost in the OMG ALTUVE ONLY NON-ROYALS ALL-STAR hype is his line since May 1:

.236/.281/.324

Fact is, Altuve has sucked for a month and a half now.

Good point, Ashby keeps yelping about that and conveniently forgets to mention that Altuve has been pretty average this year at the plate.

That is the most surprising thing to me.  I guess I thought he was superman or something.  I got the initial week long slump, as everyone has those, but his has gone on for a long time now.  I doubt he is injured, but I suppose he could be. 

[Fredia]

hearing all this bout his work ethic and such, injured maybe. slump hopefully.. need a slump buster for the whole team

[juliogotay]

Lost in the OMG ALTUVE ONLY NON-ROYALS ALL-STAR hype is his line since May 1:

.236/.281/.324

Fact is, Altuve has sucked for a month and a half now.

A line graph of the team's W-L record would probably look similar to Altuve's production for the season.

[Reuben]

hearing all this bout his work ethic and such, injured maybe. slump hopefully.. need a slump buster for the whole team

In very curious as to what you've heard about Altuve's work ethic, and from whom.

[juliogotay]

In very curious as to what you've heard about Altuve's work ethic, and from whom.

I suspect in her usual circuitous way she is implying he has a good work ethic so maybe he is hurt? I think he's just swinging at too much crap myself. Not having good ABs.

[NeilT]

I suspect in her usual circuitous way she is implying he has a good work ethic so maybe he is hurt? I think he's just swinging at too much crap myself. Not having good ABs.

That's how I read it. 

[Fredia]

the idea of the work ethic came from the program they did on him. if it was just hype..well i brought into it

[BudGirl]

It's not hype.  It is obvious, at least to me, that he has a great work ethic or he wouldn't be where he is.  I think he was trying to carry the team and at some point it just became too much.  If Springer and Correa get going, then I think Altuve will be yapping at their heels.

[doyce7]

Hes not making pitchers throw strikes right now. They know he will swing at anything so they throw him a bunch of "pitchers pitches" and he swings and either misses or doesn't get good wood on it

[jbm]

Hes not making pitchers throw strikes right now. They know he will swing at anything so they throw him a bunch of "pitchers pitches" and he swings and either misses or doesn't get good wood on it

Yeah, but he has always swung at anything. He's not swinging at any more pitches than usual, IMO, he's just missing on more pitches than usual.