stRangers @ Astros May 22, 2016

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for today's matinee:

Rangizz

RFDrew Stubbs (R)
CFIan Desmond (R)
DHPrince Fielder (L)
3BAdrian Beltre (R)
LFNomar Mazara (L)
SSElvis Andrus (R)
1BRyan Rua (R)
CBobby Wilson (R)
2BHanser Alberto (R)

TEX: Cole Hamels (L)  (4-0, 3.10)

Astros

2B Jose Altuve (R)
RF George Springer (R)
SS Carlos Correa (R)
DH Evan Gattis (R)
LF Colby Rasmus (L)
1B Tyler White (R)
3B Marwin Gonzalez (S)
C Jason Castro (L)
CF Jake Marisnick (R)

HOU: Dallas Keuchel (L)  (2-5, 5.43)

[juliogotay]

Why is Castro catching today? He's caught every game of this homestand, today a day after a nite game and a lefty on the mound.
They rave about the job Gattis did in Chicago but they don't use him.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Is that Jon Hamm doing the voice over for those Mercedes Benz commercials? Also sounds a little like Penn Jillette but I'm pretty sure it's Hamm.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I'm watching the Mets game right now, because Syndergaard. (8 K's thru 4 so far.) They're playing the Brewers. My wife just pointed out that the mitt and ball of their logo spell "MB", which I never recognized, perhaps in part because it's actually BM, which strikes me as deeply unfortunate.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Next time I go to H-E-B I'm going to ask for some Hall of Fame patties, I bet they don't have them.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Astros already getting beat 4-0. Don't have to worry about losing 2-1 four games in a row.

[juliogotay]

Keuchel is easily the worst starter on this staff right now. Sad.

[homer]

The brewers logo was the result of a contest to design the next logo in '77. The team got the rather clever and creative logo. The fan got $2000.

[David in Jackson]

Well, now I can turn off the TV and go work in the yard.  The Astros, with the exception of April 2015 and one game in NYC last fall, have been the worst team in baseball for the past five years and a waste of time and money.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Keuchel is easily the worst starter on this staff right now. Sad.

Yes, he is.

[juliogotay]

Well, now I can turn off the TV and go work in the yard.  The Astros, with the exception of April 2015 and one game in NYC last fall, have been the worst team in baseball for the past five years and a waste of time and money.

Based on the participation on this board lately you are a die-hard if you are just now throwing  in the towel.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

It's taken Luhnow 4 1/2 years to build this roster.

[juliogotay]

Well, now I can turn off the TV and go work in the yard.  The Astros, with the exception of April 2015 and one game in NYC last fall, have been the worst team in baseball for the past five years and a waste of time and money.

Look on the bright side. Another high draft pick next June and Luhnow won't be gutting the farm system paying for another spare at the trading deadline.

[David in Jackson]

I've been on this board since 1998 and I'm sure I'll be here all year.  Since 2009 we've been building for this year and the team is awful.  Sure there have been close losses but the record over past 162 games proves it. Most of us on this board bought in to the geniuses in the front office story and the epic rebuild of historic terribleness (worst three year span in 50 years) and for this?  It's very disappointing.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I wonder how long Crane will put up with this.

[David in Jackson]

Look on the bright side. Another high draft pick next June and Luhnow won't be gutting the farm system paying for another spare at the trading deadline.

You mean the Gomez deal last year.  The only thing good thing about watching this game today is not seeing Carlos Gomez and not seeing the proof that the geniuses may have no clothes.

[David in Jackson]

I wonder how long Crane will put up with this.

Crane needs to spend some d*** money.  The team re-signed Tony Sipp (a middle inning lefty), Fister (a good bargain signing) and did almost nothing.  I don't care how many geniuses you have, with a payroll ranked 23rd, you have little margin for error.  And having the returning Cy Young Award winner be terrible is the opposite of perfect.

[juliogotay]

I wonder how long Crane will put up with this.

Keep your eye on ticket sales this summer. That should  be an influential factor.

[WVastro]

This might all be my fault. We got my daughter a kitten this year, she wanted an orange one. We named it Astro. They've been shit ever since. Any suggestions?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I think maybe it's time for Keuchel to get a new look. Looking like Rutherford B Hayes is cool when you're a Cy Young Award winner but it's a silly look when you keep getting the shit beat out of you all the damn time.

[juliogotay]

I wonder how long Crane will put up with this.

I'm sure Hinch would be the first fall guy. Easiest to replace. I could see them courting Biggio. Not sure he would be willing to give up his hamburger empire.

[juliogotay]

Hamels must be thinking "thank God I didn't accept that Houston deal".

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm not thinking that highly of Hinch anymore either. He seems no better than Porter, or Mills, or Cooper, or Williams.

[juliogotay]

I'm not thinking that highly of Hinch anymore either. He seems no better than Porter, or Mills, or Cooper, or Williams.

I thought he was perfect for a young team last year. He is very positive and encouraging. But I am tired of seeing this team play with their head up thier ass. They have a low baseball IQ sometimes.

[juliogotay]

I thought he was perfect for a young team last year. He is very positive and encouraging. But I am tired of seeing this team play with their head up thier ass. They have a low baseball IQ sometimes.

Like that.

[juliogotay]

I think maybe it's time for Keuchel to get a new look. Looking like Rutherford B Hayes is cool when you're a Cy Young Award winner but it's a silly look when you keep getting the shit beat out of you all the damn time.

That "fear the beard" stuff seems a little dated.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I thought he was perfect for a young team last year. He is very positive and encouraging. But I am tired of seeing this team play with their head up thier ass. They have a low baseball IQ sometimes.

He has no edge. No one on his team fears incurring his wrath. He has no wrath. I respect the control he exhibits but sometimes you got to make a scene or you get dicked around.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Oso Blanco goes Captain Caveman. 2-7

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Dickie Thon

[juliogotay]

He has no edge. No one on his team fears incurring his wrath. He has no wrath. I respect the control he exhibits but sometimes you got to make a scene or you get dicked around.

That is the way it appears to me, too. I bet that when they decide to make a change he will be offered a spot in the front office.
He seems like a good organizational guy to me but maybe not the best leader of men.

[MusicMan]

Sure, AJ forgot how to manage during the offseason. It has nothing to do with not a single fucking player on the team living up to expectations, except for Altuve.


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[MusicMan]

I'm sorry. That was completely unfair to Will Harris.


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[MusicMan]

AJ made the pitchers give up 9 runs today.


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[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Sure, AJ forgot how to manage during the offseason. It has nothing to do with not a single fucking player on the team living up to expectations, except for Altuve.

Why aren't they? Are the expectations too high? Could they do better and if so why aren't they? It obvious now they overachieved last year. This year is the opposite.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

AJ made the pitchers give up 9 runs today.

He is managing the worst staff in the league.

[MusicMan]

He is managing the worst staff in the league.

Exactly.  The players are failing. It's not like there's tactical mismanagement or clubhouse infighting. There's only so many ways to arrange 12 hitters who can't hit and only so many time you can use 13 pitchers who can't pitch.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Exactly.  The players are failing. It's not like there's tactical mismanagement or clubhouse infighting. There's only so many ways to arrange 12 hitters who can't hit and only so many time you can use 13 pitchers who can't pitch.

If he were just rearranging the deck chairs, then he really would be expendable, no different than Porter. I don't think that, I think they are trying but failing at an alarming rate. I'm not asking for Hinch to be fired. I'm just saying that he is as accountable as the players are and just as disappointing. It's a team with high expectations and he is the manager.

[David in Jackson]

Can someone give me a plan for the rest of 2016?  Anyone?

[MusicMan]

Can someone give me a plan for the rest of 2016?  Anyone?

Drink heavily.

[juliogotay]

Sure, AJ forgot how to manage during the offseason. It has nothing to do with not a single fucking player on the team living up to expectations, except for Altuve.


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You can make this argument for about every manager that ever got canned. Sometimes they just have to hear different voices and someone to change the tone. i don't think they are there yet but if this team is still last place at the All-Star break and attendance is poor I would not buy stock in him. 

[WVastro]

Can someone give me a plan for the rest of 2016?  Anyone?

Trade away anyone not in the plans after this year.

[Mr. Happy]

Can someone give me a plan for the rest of 2016?  Anyone?

Don't. Do not. Trade any more prospects.

[MRaup]

Don't. Do not. Trade any more prospects.

Step 1: Pay someone to take Carlos Gomez. I don't care if we get an autographed picture of Roughtits Odor in return, but get that fucking cancer out of our of clubhouse.

Step 2: I don't care, just do Step 1 and I'll be back watching games regularly. I'd rather watch make hard outs than Gomez lose his helmet swinging wildly 2 times a game the rest of the season.