stRangers @ Astros August 6, 2016

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's tilt:

stRangers

DHShin-Soo Choo (L)
CFIan Desmond (R)
RFCarlos Beltran (S)
3BAdrian Beltre (R)
2BRougned Odor (L)
CJonathan Lucroy (R)
1BMitch Moreland (L)
LFNomar Mazara (L)
SSElvis Andrus (R)

TEX: Lucas Harrell (R)  (3-2, 3.57)

Astros

RF George Springer (R)
3B Alex Bregman (R)
2B Jose Altuve (R)
SS Carlos Correa (R)
DH Evan Gattis (R)
LF Preston Tucker (L)
1B A.J. Reed (L)
CF Jake Marisnick (R)
C Jason Castro (L)

HOU: Doug Fister (R)  (10-7, 3.56)

[MrKnuckleball]

Throwback night, let's do this!

[MrKnuckleball]

I'm glad Fister didn't take scissors to our throwback uniforms tonight....

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm looking forward to seeing Lucas Harrell pitch. I know this sounds crazy, but I hope he pitches a good game. Don't get me wrong, I still hope the Astros win and it wouldn't really hurt my feelings if he got hammered.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Choo leads off with a double but limits himself to a single.
Desmond with a single to RF, Choo to second.
Beltran fles out to LF.
Beltre flies out to deep LF.
Odor hit a FC to Correa who stepped on second for the third out.

[MrKnuckleball]

Nice swing Bregman!

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Altuve looks good in the Rainbow.

[MrKnuckleball]

Altuve looks good in the Rainbow.

They all do, they should wear them more often.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I think wearing them once a year is plenty.

[MrKnuckleball]

Need some runs out of this.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Luke can't find the strike zone, gets a visit from Brocail.

[Navin R Johnson]

I think wearing them once a year is plenty.

Especially considering they are like 1-20 in them over the last couple year.

[hostros7]

They all do, they should wear them more often.

I know the rainbow gut is a popular favorite, but the shooting stars are my personal choice and I would prefer most other versions to the rainbow, perhaps other than the mud and blood.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Springer with a lead off strike out
Bregman doubles to LCF.
Altuve grounds out 5-3, Bregman to third.
Correra with a base on balls.
Gattis draws a walk on 4 straight balls.
Tucker takes four balls in a row. Bregman scores.
Reed strikes out for the third out.

End of 1 Astros 1 Rangers 0

[Aussie Astro]

I think wearing them once a year is plenty.

They would be worn everyday if it were up to me, rainbow unis are the reason I became an Astros fan in the first place.

[MrKnuckleball]

I know the rainbow gut is a popular favorite, but the shooting stars are my personal choice and I would prefer most other versions to the rainbow, perhaps other than the mud and blood.

Yeah the shooting stars are very nice too. Either way something other than the same old is nice here and there to see.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I know the rainbow gut is a popular favorite, but the shooting stars are my personal choice and I would prefer most other versions to the rainbow, perhaps other than the mud and blood.

I agree from a stylistic point, but for some reason the Rainbow is transcendent.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Mazara is a good looking young player.

[MrKnuckleball]

Mazara is a good looking young player.

No doubt.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Lucroy pops out to first.
Moreland flies out to center
Mazara singles to LF
Andrus infield single, Mazara to second.
Choo walks to load the bases with 2 outs.
Desmond grounds out to to third to end the top of the inning.

[MrKnuckleball]

Marisnick has been mashing!

[juliogotay]

Marisnick is going to Wally Pipp Gomez.

[juliogotay]

I know the rainbow gut is a popular favorite, but the shooting stars are my personal choice and I would prefer most other versions to the rainbow, perhaps other than the mud and blood.

Shooting star is the best.And same colors as the current version. They should wear them a lot. Every day maybe.

[Aussie Astro]

Marisnick is going to Wally Pipp Gomez.

Lets hope.

[juliogotay]

The guys are taking a lot of strikes tonight.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I feel like they had Harrell on the ropes and let him off,, now he is spotting his pitches well.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Marisnick leads off the inning with a single.. then steals second.
Castro goes down on strikes
Springer strikes out
Bregman follows suit and Ks.

End of 2 Astros 1 Rangers 0

[Aussie Astro]

I feel like they had Harrell on the ropes and let him off,, now he is spotting his pitches well.

Let him off the hook there.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Beltran single to RF
Beltre fly out to CF
Odor hit into a 4-6-3 to end the top of the third.

[MrKnuckleball]

Anyone heard any updates on Valbuena? Sure miss that guy.

[MrKnuckleball]

Come on Jake.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Harrell back against the ropes.

[MrKnuckleball]

Dang.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Altuve lead off walk. thrown out attempting to steal second.
Correa fly out to CF
Gattis single through the hole on the left side.
Tucker infield single on slow roller down the first base line, Gattis to third.
Reed walk to load the bases
Marisnick FC to third Beltre steps on third.

end of three Astros 1 Rangers 0

[hostros7]

Lucas Harrell deserves the soup bone but the Astros have botched both his gift innings.


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[Aussie Astro]

The place is packed tonight.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Gonna step aside for a while for dinner.

[juliogotay]

I enjoyed Scottie in the booth. Some good stories. Would like more of that.

[MrKnuckleball]

The place is packed tonight.

They said it sold out.

[juliogotay]

Gurriel better be a damn good 3rd baseman to move Bregman to another position. Like 1st.

[juliogotay]

They said it sold out.

Obviously a fair amount of Ranger fans filling seats.

[hostros7]

Did ashby just say that Scott's fastball was between 82-85 mph? Wtf?


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[Aussie Astro]

I enjoyed Scottie in the booth. Some good stories. Would like more of that.

He is with the radio guys now.

[juliogotay]

Did ashby just say that Scott's fastball was between 82-85 mph? Wtf?


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I thought he did say that. That is nonsense.

[jbm]

Did ashby just say that Scott's fastball was between 82-85 mph? Wtf?


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He did, but he's an idiot, so......

[MrKnuckleball]

Hell of a play Springer!

[jbm]

It's not the glove you look at, but the movement of the jersey

[hostros7]

He did, but he's an idiot, so......

His idiocy was well established, but the magnitude is reaching new levels. He caught those pitches.

[MrKnuckleball]

Nice to see those swings from Bregman.

[juliogotay]

Bregman is mashing!

[austro]

Cracking a '13 Turley Zin to drink with my cheese-and-mushroom lasagne for dinner. Many thanks to Neil for turning us on to that vintner.

[chuck]

Ashby also thinks that a slider and a cutter are literally the same pitch.

And Brown gave a shoutout to AD.

[austro]

And Brown gave a shoutout to AD.

I thought I heard that. We're probably NSFW.

[MrKnuckleball]

Dang it, big opportunity there.

[austro]

I had a good feeling about Reed there. Apparently I know nothing.

[hostros7]

I thought I heard that. We're probably NSFW.

It's likely awkward given the ashby sentiment shared here. You can't compliment the woman who calls your wife plump.

[MrKnuckleball]

Unbelievable

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Ashby also thinks that a slider and a cutter are literally the same pitch.

And Brown gave a shoutout to AD.

Well, they do have that Gene Elston archive.

[hostros7]

Abundant lobsters. The Astros have let a potential blowout slip away and have squandered the lead.


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[austro]

Fuck, I switched over to the Olympics and then I saw Mr. Knuckleball's comment and switched back to see that it's now tied 1-1. Who clobbered it?

[austro]

Well, they do have that Gene Elston archive.

Yeah, I think that's what it was about. Specifically the Scott no-hitter.

[MrKnuckleball]

Fuck, I switched over to the Olympics and then I saw Mr. Knuckleball's comment and switched back to see that it's now tied 1-1. Who clobbered it?

Lucroy

[hostros7]

Jake hops on his steed and saves a run.


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[austro]

That is why we put Marisnick out there instead of Gomez.

[Aussie Astro]

That is why we put Marisnick out there instead of Gomez.

But we do miss out on clown antics.

[DVauthrin]

But we do miss out on clown antics.

That can be fixed with a call to J.R. Towles.

[Aussie Astro]

Wakey wakey Jason.

[hostros7]

It appeared as if Castro has Choo nailed but decided to play catch with Marisnick instead.


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[hostros7]

Great piece of hitting by the mole


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[austro]

Kids: don't walk batters.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Is there a Korean in MLB that has had a better career than Choo?

[hostros7]

Odor is a stain


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[DVauthrin]

Big time relay to keep it 2-1.

[hostros7]

Thankfully Beltran is only a creaky gazelle hitting machine at this point.


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[chuck]

But what if your wife IS plump?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

But what if your wife IS plump?

And has a shitty personality?

[juliogotay]

I thought I heard that. We're probably NSFW.

I don't get the reference?

[hostros7]

But what if your wife IS plump?

Then you play your part to slumpbust with alacrity.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

What if your wife has a mustache and a fake laugh and totally unprepared to fulfill her duties?

[juliogotay]

Gee, Hinch way to hustle out there and protect your player. Were you in the head?

[DVauthrin]

Wonderful. Altuve strikes out, then gets tossed arguing strike 3.

[Aussie Astro]

Altuve strikes out, then gets tossed arguing strike 3.

I thought he was smarter than that.

[juliogotay]

I thought he was smarter than that.

He's seen enough of this crap this week.

[chuck]

I used to think that the human element of umpiring was a pleasant quirk of the game. Now, honestly, I'd just as soon they remove every possible decision from the hands of these overpaid fuckwits and turn it all over to machines. And I am dead serious.

[jbm]

I thought he was smarter than that.

Agreed, can't get booted from this game. He's looked somewhat stressed lately with the team slump and shitty umps haven't helped.

[hostros7]

Hinch is showing a lot of confidence in Sipp, unless he knows he is proficient at hitting his spot three inches off the outside corner.


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[juliogotay]

Hinch is showing a lot of confidence in Sipp, unless he knows he is proficient at hitting his spot three inches off the outside corner.


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He needs to keep him sharp.

[juliogotay]

That worked out well.

[Aussie Astro]

He's seen enough of this crap this week.

Even so, chances of winning this game have dropped significantly.

[jbm]

He needs to keep him sharp.

Not sure why he was in for the eighth of a tight must-win game.

[hostros7]

Even so, chances of winning this game have dropped significantly.

They dropped significantly when the Astros couldn't score more than a run when Lucas Harrell walked 5 in 3 innings

[juliogotay]

I felt it was lost when Harrel left the game and the Rangers were still in it.

[pots]

Well this loss is brought to you by the trade deadline ass whoopin

[austro]

God I hate the Rangers. And I hate it even more that Bud Fucking Selig has made me hate them. It's like the worst possible combination of shitty things.

[DVauthrin]

Not sure why he was in for the eighth of a tight must-win game.

And to start the inning facing a good right handed hitter in Lucroy.

[hostros7]

Good thing we saved Feliz for now.


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[Aussie Astro]

They dropped significantly when the Astros couldn't score more than a run when Lucas Harrell walked 5 in 3 innings

True, but I don't think that is really the point.  He is not a dickhead and I don't expect to see him let the team down like that, its not like he is Gomez.

[juliogotay]

True, but I don't think that is really the point.  He is not a dickhead and I don't expect to see him let the team down like that, its not like he is Gomez.

Maybe he thought he was standing up for the team. He is a leader, as you are asserting, and sometimes leaders need to say that is enough. I would have preferred Hinch been the one to come out and get tossed but he couldn't get his candyass out there.

[hostros7]

Gattis strikes out on a pitch headed for the Astros' on deck circle.


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[juliogotay]

Gattis strikes out on a pitch headed for the Astros' on deck circle.


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He couldn't have hit that with a wagon tongue.

[jbm]

Second K for Gattis on a pitch nowhere near the zone.  Always feel a few ounces of discipline would make him a first class hitter. 

[juliogotay]

Second K for Gattis on a pitch nowhere near the zone.  Always feel a few ounces of discipline would make him a first class hitter.

he's not catching tonight so he can't hit.

[chuck]

Three putrid at bats.

[austro]

He couldn't have hit that with a wagon tongue.

Gattis has a team $5.2MM option for next year, with a $100K buyout. If I were him, I'd be making my plans with $100K in mind.

[chuck]

DeNied.

[austro]

The bigger problem is that the Astros owe Sipp $6MM for 2017 and 2018. Have to hope that he figures out what his problem is and gets back to being useful.

[juliogotay]

Gattis has a team $5.2MM option for next year, with a $100K buyout. If I were him, I'd be making my plans with $100K in mind.

do you think there may be thoughts of him being the #1 catcher next year? I'm not dismissing it. Then the kid they just drafted may be ready? 

Any plans to move Bregman off of 3rd is dumb. It is nice having two SSs on the left side just as it is having 2-3 CFers in the OF.

[chuck]

If these fantasy geeks move Bregman to left field I am going to laugh my ass off.

[austro]

If these fantasy geeks move Bregman to left field I am going to laugh my ass off.

Where do you put Gurriel?

[jbm]

DeNied.

That was sweet. Here it comes, try to touch it.

[chuck]

Yes, I expect Gattis to be the every day catcher next year. Maybe they have a spare major league quality starter they can dangle for a backup catcher.

[chuck]

Where do you put Gurriel?

DH, left, second when Altuve DHs or gets thrown out, third when Bregman rests. Fuck, I haven't seen him play. If he's a defensive wizard, great. That does not appear to be his calling card.

[chuck]

Well ahbee got dang.

[austro]

At this point, I'm thinking that everybody not named Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Keuchel, or Feliz had better have their real estate agent on speed dial this winter.

[chuck]

I guess Hinch likes Sipp more than I do.

[juliogotay]

At this point, I'm thinking that everybody not named Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Keuchel, or Feliz had better have their real estate agent on speed dial this winter.

did you intend to leave off Correa? McCullers? 

[jbm]

At this point, I'm thinking that everybody not named Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Keuchel, or Feliz had better have their real estate agent on speed dial this winter.

You left an obvious one off that list.

This game was imminently winnable. 

[pots]

Beltran and Lucroy a combined 5 for 9 with a double and 2 homeruns.  There's your ballgame.  AJ Reed quickly becoming the next man out when Valbuena or Gurriel is ready.  0 for 10 with a walk and 5 Ks.  After raking for 436 in his 11 game AAA stint. 

[juliogotay]

You left an obvious one off that list.

This game was imminently winnable.

Yes, this game was imminently winnable. Harrel put it on a platter for an early putdown.

[pots]

Yes, this game was imminently winnable. Harrel put it on a platter for an early putdown.

Outside of one inning last night they've done squat for over a week.  The offense is sputtering.  Could have used a boost at the trade deadline.  Luhnow chose to covet thy prospects.  Which is great for 2017 and on.  Shit sandwich this year though

[austro]

did you intend to leave off Correa? McCullers? 

I forgot about Correa, but that should say something about his contributions. And I'm afraid that McCullers is going to be a perpetual injury tease.

[pots]

AJ Reed quickly becoming the next man out when Valbuena or Gurriel is ready.  0 for 10 with a walk and 5 Ks.  After raking for 436 in his 11 game AAA stint.

Singleton is starting to heat up right now.  Might rather see him for the week or 2 before Valbuena/Gurriel.  He's on the 40 man, could not do any worse

[pots]

Singleton is starting to heat up right now.  Might rather see him for the week or 2 before Valbuena/Gurriel.  He's on the 40 man, could not do any worse

Can't believe I just typed this

[jbm]

I forgot about Correa, but that should say something about his contributions. And I'm afraid that McCullers is going to be a perpetual injury tease.

I don't get the Correa talk.  The dude has been fine at 21 and will likely be a stud.

[DVauthrin]

How do hitters not destroy Dyson? He threw one pitch the entire ninth inning.  Is his power sinker that difficult to square up?

[austro]

How do hitters not destroy Dyson? He through one pitch the entire ninth inning.  Is his power sinker that difficult to square up?

Everything is difficult for these guys to square up.

[DVauthrin]

Everything is difficult for these guys to square up.

Touche.  It's a sad state of affairs that this team is 2-4 on a homestand where they have yet to allow more than 4 runs in a game.

[The Third Man]

Beltran and Lucroy a combined 5 for 9 with a double and 2 homeruns.  There's your ballgame.  AJ Reed quickly becoming the next man out when Valbuena or Gurriel is ready.  0 for 10 with a walk and 5 Ks.  After raking for 436 in his 11 game AAA stint.

I was wondering why Hinch was not running Tyler White back out there in favor of Reed. White has three hits over the last two games, at least. Reed looks absolutely clueless up there.

[chuck]

Can't believe I just typed this

I can't believe I'm sitting here nodding my agreement.

[WVastro]

Ugh. Late to the party obviously (but work does that)... I didn't mind the Altuve ejection. The strike zone has been absurd for a couple weeks now. These guys care.

Hinch wasn't late at all to defend his player.... In the words of Will Ferrell... "That escalated quickly".

Win tomorrow and this weekend is a success.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

i really hate Orbit.