Astros @ stRangers April 19, 2016

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's tilt:

Astros

2BJose Altuve (R)
RFGeorge Springer (R)
SSCarlos Correa (R)
1BTyler White (R)
DHEvan Gattis (R)
CFCarlos Gomez (R)
3BMarwin Gonzalez (S)
CJason Castro (L)
LFJake Marisnick (R)

HOU: Scott Feldman (R)  (0-1, 3.48)

stRangers

CF D. DeShields Jr. (R)
RF Nomar Mazara (L)
DH Prince Fielder (L)
3B Adrian Beltre (R)
1B Mitch Moreland (L)
LF Ian Desmond (R)
2B Rougned Odor (L)
SS Elvis Andrus (R)
C Brett Nicholas (L)

TEX: Derek Holland (L)  (1-0, 2.31)

[HudsonHawk]

T1:

Altuve...full count...lines out to LF
Springer...full count...doubles to LF
Correa grounds out 3-1, Springer to 3B
White pops out to shallow RF..

An early 0 for 2 w/RISP

No score

[Navin R Johnson]

2 fantastic at bats from Altuve and Springer.

[austro]

Ugh. Catch the ball.

[austro]

And, naturally, that results in an extra run.

[HudsonHawk]

Error and 2-run homer on an 0-2 pitch...Rangers lead 2-0

[MusicMan]

I just turned on the TV in time to see Fielder admiring his shot.


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[Navin R Johnson]

This team is totally jinxed playing at Arlington.  Fuck that shithole.

[MusicMan]

Hey, look, Feldman can't put guys away again!


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[HudsonHawk]

A couple more singles, Rangers with runners at the corner, one out...

[MusicMan]

Hey, look, Feldman can't put guys away again!


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Three straight two strike hits.

[BudGirl]

I hate playing the Rangers.  For some reason they cannot seem to get their head out of their asses and beat them.

[MusicMan]

Three straight two strike hits.

Make it four. He doesn't have shit tonight.

[HudsonHawk]

Fourth straight hit...3-0, two on, one out...Strom out...

[doyce7]

Just got home but was listening on radio. There is nothing a hate more than leaving an 0-2 curve up. I don't care if you spike it 10 feet in front of the plate, you put that shit in the dirt.

[MusicMan]

Just got home but was listening on radio. There is nothing a hate more than leaving an 0-2 curve up. I don't care if you spike it 10 feet in front of the plate, you put that shit in the dirt.

I have no doubt he intended to. As I said... Feldman doesn't have shit tonight.

[HudsonHawk]

Just got home but was listening on radio. There is nothing a hate more than leaving an 0-2 curve up. I don't care if you spike it 10 feet in front of the plate, you put that shit in the dirt.

It wasn't up.  It was below the knees.

[austro]

The good news is that the pitch count will get him out of the game before the end of next inning.

[MikeyBoy]

We have seen shitty situational hitting, shitty defense and shitty pitching and are still in the 1st. Woohoo.

[BudGirl]

pitch #41 finally ends the inning.

[HudsonHawk]

B1:

Deshields grounds out 6-3
Manzara  grounds to SS, Correa kicks it, E6
Fielder homers on an 0-2 pitch, Manzara scores
Beltre singles to RF
Moreland singles to RF, Beltre to 3B
Desmond singles to CF, Beltre scores, Moreland to 2B
Odor grounds to 1B, White channels his inner Chris Carter and throw it wild, Correa stretches to get the out on Desmond, no double play, and Moreland to 3B
Odor steals 2B
Andrus...full count...lines back to the box, knocked down...1-3

Finally

3-0 Rangers after one.

[doyce7]

It wasn't up.  It was below the knees.

OK. Rangers radio broadcast made it sound like it was just above the knees.

[Fredia]

austin time warner does 77 have  a hd version

[HudsonHawk]

Three straight doubles for the Astros...cut the lead to 3-2, still nobody out

[austro]

Marwin knocked the snot out of that ball.

[MusicMan]

Marisnick loses his grip on the first pitch and nearly kills Altuve.


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[hostros7]

I was going to make a comment about Gattis's attempt, or lack thereof, at a triple there until a) Ashby mentioned it and B) I had a deeply repressed memory from Friday night at the MMPUS of the Hoobastank fan sitting behind me who only referred to Gattis as "lollygattis" deridingly all night, seemingly wishing for his failure and delighting in any outcome that was not a home run. He owes me about $36 in recompense for my misguided attempts to mute him personally via a 24 oz macro beer button.


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[HudsonHawk]

T2:

Gattis doubles to RF
Gomez doubles to LF, Gattis sores
Marwin doubles off the LF, Gomez scores
Castro bounces back to the mound, 1-3, Marwin can't advance.  Fuck
Marwin steals 3B as Marisnick strikes out swinging
Altuve grounds out 5-3

Astros cut the lead to 3-2

[MusicMan]

GodDAMN you, Adrian Beltre.


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[austro]

Good to see that the long inning helped Feldman find his stuff.

[MusicMan]

Devenski now warming up, possibly for a rotation audition.


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[HudsonHawk]

B2:

Nicholas with a leadoff walk
DeSheields sacrifice, 2-3, Nicholas to 2B
Mazara...3-0...walks
Fielder flies out F7
Beltre taps back to the box...1-3

3-2 after two

[HudsonHawk]

T3:

Springer flies out F8
Correa singles to LF
White...works the count full...strikes out swinging
Gattis...0-2...fliesout to deep RCF at the track

3-2

[HudsonHawk]

Ash notices that Julia got laid last night. 

[austro]

Feldman's good for what ails ya. If you're a batter in a slump.

[HudsonHawk]

Feldman simply not fooling anyone.

[austro]

This is like time-traveling back to 2013, and it's not fun.

[HudsonHawk]

B3:

Moreland grounds out 3U
Desmond hits one off the top of the CF wall...admires his shot and only makes 2B
Odor lines a single to RF, Desmond scores
Odor moves to 2B on a passed ball as Castro whiffs at one
Andrus sacrifice, out 1-3, Odor to 3B
Nicholas grounds out 3U

4-2 Rangers

[HudsonHawk]

This is like time-traveling back to 2013, and it's not fun.

I'll tell ya what...the Astros better find a way to get a whole lot better if they don't want to lose 110 games this year.

[juliogotay]

Feldman simply not fooling anyone.

except Luhnow

[HudsonHawk]

T4:

Gomez...full count...flies out F8
Marwin grounds out 6-3 on a terrific play by Andrus
Castro walks
Marisnick...quickly 0-2...punches out weakly on three pitches

4-2 still

[HudsonHawk]

B4:

Deshields flies out F8 on the first pitch
Mazara...quickly 0-2...now works a walk
Fielder grounds into 5-6-3 double play on the first pitch

Still 4-2 after four

[Ebby Calvin]

Big DP there.

[MusicMan]

This is like time-traveling back to 2013, and it's not fun.

I feel like Ground Control got a scorching case of herpes.

[HudsonHawk]

The plate is now apparently 45 inches wide

[HudsonHawk]

T5:

Altuve whiffs on a changeup in the dirt in the other box
Springer strikes out looking
Correa pops out F8

4-2 Rangers

[doyce7]

The plate is now apparently 45 inches wide

Does appear that way

[MusicMan]

Totally unrelated:

I'm no statistician, but if your exit polls say a race is 52-48, and the results are actually 60-40, you might want to find new pollsters.


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[austro]

Totally unrelated:
I'm no statistician, but if your exit polls say a race is 52-48, and the results are actually 60-40, you might want to find new pollsters.

Or recognize that a fair number of people are too embarrassed/ashamed to admit who they're actually voting for.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

The plate is now apparently 45 inches wide

Home plate umpiring seems worse to me so far this year (plus ST) than it's been recently.

[HudsonHawk]

B5:

Beltre grounds out 6-3
Moreland grounds out 3U
Desmond called out on strikes

4-2 Rangers

[MusicMan]

Watching our starters makes me wonder just how much of Crane's money I'd be willing to spend on Strasburg.


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[Navin R Johnson]

Really nice inning from Feldman there, best breaking pitches he has thrown all night.

[MusicMan]

Watching our starters makes me wonder just how much of Crane's money I'd be willing to spend on Strasburg.


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Apropos of this:

Stephen Strasburg's last 16 starts: 11-2, 1.65 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 131 K, 19 BB.

[HudsonHawk]

Or recognize that a fair number of people are too embarrassed/ashamed to admit who they're actually voting for.

I've never been exit polled, only interviewed by the local TV...but if someone asked me who I voted for I'd tell them to stick it up their ass, it's none of their business.  Just a man...alone with his conscience...

[MusicMan]

Really nice inning from Feldman there, best breaking pitches he has thrown all night.

Credit to him for limiting the damage on a night he was throwing pus. 

[doyce7]

When infielders play outfield

[hostros7]

DDSJr finally helps the team that drafted him.


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[MusicMan]

Deshields didn't need to jump for that. E8.

Edit: ruled a double

[austro]

I've never been exit polled, only interviewed by the local TV...but if someone asked me who I voted for I'd tell them to stick it up their ass, it's none of their business.  Just a man...alone with his conscience...

That's fine, but it's different than telling somebody you voted for X when you actually voted for Y.

I hate exit polling anyway because I think it influences later voters, and should be prohibited for that reason alone. At the very least, impose *really* substantial fines on pollsters whose exit results leak before polls close. Nobody needs those results early anyway.

[hostros7]

Shameful score keeping in Arlington, although happy to see it accrue to Tyler after another solid AB.


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[HudsonHawk]

How the fuck is that a double?  The ball popped out of his glove.

[austro]

Credit to him for limiting the damage on a night he was throwing pus. 

Yeah, I certainly didn't think that he'd be around to finish the 5th inning.

[austro]

How the fuck is that a double?  The ball popped out of his glove.

Scorekeepers seem to have gotten very soft.

[doyce7]

How the fuck is that a double?  The ball popped out of his glove.

E8 all day long for me

[HudsonHawk]

That's fine, but it's different than telling somebody you voted for X when you actually voted for Y.

I hate exit polling anyway because I think it influences later voters, and should be prohibited for that reason alone. At the very least, impose *really* substantial fines on pollsters whose exit results leak before polls close. Nobody needs those results early anyway.

True.  I'm just mentioning how I want to tell a pollster to stick it up his ass.

[MusicMan]

Scorekeepers seem to have gotten very soft.

The nonstop Cialis and Viagra ads now make more sense.

[juliogotay]

When infielders play outfield

wasn't much an infielder either

[HudsonHawk]

The inability of this team to move a runner to 3B is really annoying.

[HudsonHawk]

T6:

Holland out, Barnette in...

White...full count...flies to RCF at the track, DeSheilds lets it pop out of his glove off the wall and rolls around, White lollygags his way into 2B on the E8...now ruled a double...WTF?
Gattis flies out F8, White has to stay at 2B, but would have scored had he not been lollygagging
Gomez flies out F8, White still at 2B
Marwin rolls out softly 3-1

0 for 3 w/RISP...again.

4-2

[HudsonHawk]

Last five games, Astros are 5 for 37 w/RISP. 

[hostros7]

The inability of this team to move a runner to 3B is really annoying.

While we're in agreement, that is likely not the directive.


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[austro]

Last five games, Astros are 5 for 37 w/RISP. 

And I doubt that very many of the 32 outs have even advanced runners.

[juliogotay]

And I doubt that very many of the 32 outs have even advanced runners.

that is as much the problem as the other.  Everyone is trying to be a hero.

[austro]

Correa is not having the best of nights.

[juliogotay]

WTF is wrong with Correa tonight?  And Fields is terrible.

[MusicMan]

Fuck, Ash. Even I know that was on Correa.


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[HudsonHawk]

Correa is not having the best of nights.

Someone get him a new glove, preferably one that doesn't have an iron bar in it. 

[HudsonHawk]

Single, double, double...6-2 now...still nobody out

[MusicMan]

Oh, so it's THAT kind of night.


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[hostros7]

Christ. Groundskeeper earns his pay on that bunt by Delino.


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[austro]

Well, a jam-shot double and a bunt held fair by the chalk pretty much sum things up for tonight.

[doyce7]

How the Fuck did that stay fair? Damn.

[HudsonHawk]

Now that someone else has been hammered to put the game out of reach...Devenski time.

[HudsonHawk]

Geez Devenski is slow to the plate.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Last five games, Astros are 5 for 37 w/RISP.

It seems like this is the story every year. Are we actually worse than other teams at batting with RISP over the years or is it my imagination?

I have been wondering recently how significant it is that this is a team without any veteran hitters who've ever played for consistently competitive teams.

[doyce7]

Devenski is accurate as hell on those pickoffs

[hostros7]

Hinch with an astute challenge there. Grab some pine, Delino.


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[austro]

Wow, gutsy challenge call pays off.

[BudGirl]

This was obviously a good night to finish writing a paper. 

[HudsonHawk]

It seems like this is the story every year. Are we actually worse than other teams at batting with RISP over the years or is it my imagination?

I have been wondering recently how significant it is that this is a team without any veteran hitters who've ever played for consistently competitive teams.

Yes.  The Astros are at the bottom in both average w/RISP and in strikeouts.

[HudsonHawk]

B6:

Fields in...

Odor lines a soft single to LF on a hanging changeup
Andrus lines one off the LF wall, Odor rounds third, Correa bobbles the relay as Odor comes around to score, Andrus to 2B
Nicholas punches a flair over White's head for a double, Andrus scores
Deshields tries to sacrifice, rides the chalk, ends up being a single, Nicholas to 3B

That's it for Fields...Devenski in

Hinch challenging a pickoff...replay shows he's out...yep...Deshields picked off 1-3
Mazara...infield in...grounds out 4-3, Nicholas has to hold at 3B
Fielder flies out F8

But no need for Devenski until Fields gags away a few more runs, and it's now 6-2

[BudGirl]

That Devinski kid was worth watching.

[HudsonHawk]

If only there were opportunities for a reliever with a 0.00 ERA...

[doyce7]

More devenski in future please.

[hostros7]

If only there were opportunities for a reliever with a 0.00 ERA...

Hinch seems to have gambled that Fields was going to be able to get through the bottom part of the Rangers' order and, well, it didn't work out.


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[austro]

Yes.  The Astros are at the bottom in both average w/RISP and in strikeouts.

Where did you find the average w/RISP numbers? I couldn't find them.

What I did find indicated that they're leaving 3.23 RISP/game in 2016 (tied for 12th in MLB with 3 other teams), whereas last year they left 3.26 (6th in MLB). Doesn't mean their average still couldn't be awful.

[HudsonHawk]

Altuve!!!

[juliogotay]

Hinch seems to have gambled that Fields was going to be able to get through the bottom part of the Rangers' order and, well, it didn't work out.


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I like Fields but he needs to start putting some zeros on the board or he is not going to be around much longer. He has been consistently sorry this year.

[HudsonHawk]

Where did you find the average w/RISP numbers? I couldn't find them.

What I did find indicated that they're leaving 3.23 RISP/game in 2016 (tied for 12th in MLB with 3 other teams), whereas last year they left 3.26 (6th in MLB). Doesn't mean their average still couldn't be awful.

They've flashed it on the screen several times in the last few games.  But box scores show RISP.

[MusicMan]

Altuve is pretty good at this baseball thing.


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[hostros7]

Back to back jacks!


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[HudsonHawk]

Springer Dinger!!!

[doyce7]

Springerdinger!

[MusicMan]

Motherfucker... I thought Deshields had snagged that!


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[hostros7]

Shit, I thought Delino nabbed that at first.


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[BudGirl]

Motherfucker... I thought Deshields had snagged that!


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So did I.

[doyce7]

Motherfucker... I thought Deshields had snagged that!


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I did too. I could have sworn he caught it for a second

[austro]

Altuve is pretty good at this baseball thing.

What's really amazing is that even though he's been a hitting machine for four years, he'd have to continue at this rate into his 40's before he'd begin to sniff Rose's record. That's a ridiculous number.

[austro]

I did too. I could have sworn he caught it for a second

Me four. I couldn't understand why he continued to just sit there on the track.

[hostros7]

What's really amazing is that even though he's been a hitting machine for four years, he'd have to continue at this rate into his 40's before he'd begin to sniff Rose's record. That's a ridiculous number.

Imagine the mighty mite Altuve all hopped up on greenies.


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[MusicMan]

Bringing in a lefty to face White? Does he know something we don't?


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[hostros7]

Bringing in a lefty to face White? Does he know something we don't?


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Diekman is pretty filthy.


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[MusicMan]

Bringing in a lefty to face White? Does he know something we don't?


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Apparently so.

[HudsonHawk]

T7:

Kela in for the Rangers

Castro...full count...strikes out swinging
Tucker, pinch hitting for Marisnick...flies out F8
Altuve...3-2...homers to LF
Springer homers to CF
Correa...3-0...walks

That's all for Kela, Diekman in

White...takes the first two pitches for a quick 0-2...strikes out swinging

But...the Astros cut the lead to 6-4...which should have tied it up, except Devenski is not allowed to pitch unless they're already really at least three runs down.  I think it's in the rule book somewhere.

White

[HudsonHawk]

Bringing in a lefty to face White? Does he know something we don't?


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He knows Diekman throws 97 mph.

[HudsonHawk]

What's really amazing is that even though he's been a hitting machine for four years, he'd have to continue at this rate into his 40's before he'd begin to sniff Rose's record. That's a ridiculous number.

Rose had to play well into his 40s to sniff his record. 

[HudsonHawk]

Devenski grooves a get ahead fastball and Moreland crushes it to RF...7-4

[MusicMan]

Rose had to play well into his 40s to sniff his record.

He also got to keep penciling himself into the lineup.

[HudsonHawk]

B7:

Beltre grounds out 6-3
Moreland lines a homer to RF on the first pitch
Desmond flies out F8
Odor flips a pop to shallow CF, Correa with a sliding catch over his shoulder.

7-4 Rangers

[hostros7]

Correa better when the ball is in the air tonight - blue star!


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[doyce7]

Gomez has had some bad abs but that might be one of his worst ones

[MusicMan]

"Gomez takes a lousy swing" is the center square on this year's bingo card.


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[hostros7]

Gomez seems to really get a kick out of how worthless he is at the plate right now.


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[MusicMan]

Gomez has had some bad abs but that might be one of his worst ones

Is the intercostal an ab?

Oh.

[HudsonHawk]

T8:

Dyson in...

Gattis lines out F7 on a diving catch by Desmond
Gomez looks like a grinning fool on breaking pitches, punches out
Marwin strikes out looking silly on three straight breaking pitches

7-4 Rangers

[MusicMan]

Wait, when did Tapatalk add these stupid "like" buttons?


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[hostros7]

Gomez has had some bad abs but that might be one of his worst ones

This basic premise has been rightfully posted at least 8 times in the GZ this season


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[HudsonHawk]

How many bloop hits do the Rangers have in their bats?

[juliogotay]

This basic premise has been rightfully posted at least 8 times in the GZ this season


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And it won't be the last time.

[HudsonHawk]

B8:

Andrus with a bloop single to LCF
Nicholas grounds into 4-6-3 double play
Deshields strikes out looking

To the 9th...7-4 Rangers

[doyce7]

How many bloop hits do the Rangers have in their bats?

Was just thinking and I may be way off. It seems like Astro pitchers give up a lot of "weakly hit" hits and Astro hitters don't get many "weakly hit" hits

[MusicMan]

Gomez is now .230/.271/.356 as an Astro.


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[MusicMan]

Gomez is now .230/.271/.356 as an Astro.


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For comparisons sake, Marisnick was .236/.281/.363 last year.

[MusicMan]

Damn. Tucker blistered that ball, but right at DDS.


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[HudsonHawk]

T9:

Tolleson in to try to close it out...

Rasmus, pinch hitting for Castro...3-0...four pitch leadoff walk
Rasmus steals 2B standing up
Tucker lines a screamer, but right at Deshields, Rasmus moves to 3B
Altuve grounds out 6-3, Rasmus scores
Springer strikes out swinging, falling to his knees on a curveball 4 feet outside.  Ashby bragging about his great swing.

Astros lose 7-5

[austro]

Astro hitters don't get many "weakly hit" hits

You have to make contact first.

[juliogotay]

Thanks Ash. "Springer is getting great swings" as he goes down to one knee to swing at a pitch he couldn't have hit with a wagon tongue.

[MusicMan]

Springer to a knee to end it. I don't like that one bit.


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[HudsonHawk]

You have to make contact first.

Exactly.  The Astros are a strikeout factory.  Not many balls are going to drop when you swing and miss at such a historic rate. 

[mrpink]

Overall this season the Astros are hitting .242/.313/.439 while striking out at a clip of 27.4%.  They're hitting .186/.234/.382 with RISP and striking out 32.4% of the time. 

Last season it was .250/.315/.437 overall and .244/.327/.432 with RISP.

The three seasons prior to last don't exist.

[Mr. Happy]

I'll repeat that, in my opinion, a rotation that has Feldman, Fiers and Fister in it won't get it done this year. We need McCullers Jr. healthy and we'll need Devenski to step up as a starter or we're going to have to go outside and pick up a starter, the latter of which we probably won't do because of the Giles trade. You can never have too much starting pitching.  The news out  of Philly is that VV and Oberholtzer got stomped on tonight by the steM. I still like the Giles trade.

[pots]

I'll repeat that, in my opinion, a rotation that has Feldman, Fiers and Fister in it won't get it done this year. We need McCullers Jr. healthy and we'll need Devenski to step up as a starter or we're going to have to go outside and pick up a starter, the latter of which we probably won't do because of the Giles trade. You can never have too much starting pitching.  The news out  of Philly is that VV and Oberholtzer got stomped on tonight by the steM. I still like the Giles trade.

Might want to look within for that extra starter this year.  Musgrove likely your leading candidate.  Shirley is an interesting player, always dominate, rarely healthy

[Jacksonian]

Might want to look within for that extra starter this year.  Musgrove likely your leading candidate.  Shirley is an interesting player, always dominate, rarely healthy

First up will be Peacock.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

First up will be Peacock.

*Shudder*

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Overall this season the Astros are hitting .242/.313/.439 while striking out at a clip of 27.4%.  They're hitting .186/.234/.382 with RISP and striking out 32.4% of the time. 

Last season it was .250/.315/.437 overall and .244/.327/.432 with RISP.

The three seasons prior to last don't exist.

(Couldn't agree more about those three seasons.)

And that 244/327/432 slash line was good for sixth in baseball, is that right?

[MusicMan]

First up will be Peacock.

"Peacock struts his stuff in first start"

[WVastro]

Fiers will be fine and so will Feldman. Barring an injury it's way too early to pull any plugs. Fiers and Feldman both pitched well for the Astros last year I anticipate the same thing happening again. What concerns me is the inability to put the ball in play with risp. That was an issue for long stretches last season and seems like it will be again.

[pots]

Fiers will be fine and so will Feldman. Barring an injury it's way too early to pull any plugs. Fiers and Feldman both pitched well for the Astros last year I anticipate the same thing happening again. What concerns me is the inability to put the ball in play with risp. That was an issue for long stretches last season and seems like it will be again.

The Astros are 6th in runs scored and dead last in runs allowed in the AL.  RISP is not the biggest issue the Astros have.  The pitching has been horrendous.  They were first in runs allowed last year.  It's early they won't be this bad all year.  But I don't see the current personnel making it back to the top.  Good news is the offense is improved and likely will continue to be better than last years team.