Rays @ Astros August 26, 2016

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's home tilt:

Rays

2BLogan Forsythe (R)
CFKevin Kiermaier (L)
3BEvan Longoria (R)
1BBrad Miller (L)
SSMatt Duffy (R)
DHLogan Morrison (L)
RFMikie Mahtook (R)
LFCorey Dickerson (L)
CBobby Wilson (R)

TB: Drew Smyly (L)  (6-11, 4.88)

Astros

RF George Springer (R)
3B Alex Bregman (R)
2B Jose Altuve (R)
SS Carlos Correa (R)
C Evan Gattis (R)
DH Y. Gurriel (R)
1B Marwin Gonzalez (S)
LF T. Hernandez (R)
CF Jake Marisnick (R)

HOU: Mike Fiers (R)  (9-6, 4.41)

[Nate Colbert]

RF George Springer (R)
3B Alex Bregman (R)
2B Jose Altuve (R)
SS Carlos Correa (R)
C Evan Gattis (R)
DH Y. Gurriel (R)
1B Marwin Gonzalez (S)
LF T. Hernandez (R)
CF Jake Marisnick (R)

My initial reaction when I saw this was that could that be next year's opening day lineup.

[das]

                                                    AVG.           SLG.
RF George Springer (R)           .322             .576
3B Alex Bregman (R)               .308             .600
2B Jose Altuve (R)                    .397             .603
SS Carlos Correa (R)               .300             .500
C Evan Gattis (R)                     .314             .549
DH Y. Gurriel (R)                      null             null
1B Marwin Gonzalez (S)         .273            .400
LF T. Hernandez (R)                .263            .553
CF Jake Marisnick (R)              .213            .383

There's some pop and base runners in that lineup over the last 15 games. Not a lot of places for a pitcher to relax. Glad to see Gonzalez getting some hits the last few games after his post injury mini-slump and if streaky /on Marisnick shows instead of streaky /off, could be a fun night. Hope Gurriel recognizes the team around him and does not try to do too much. Just let that pretty swing do its thing.

[Navin R Johnson]

My initial reaction when I saw this was that could that be next year's opening day lineup.

I think they will address 1st, either Reed wins it, Gurriel moves there or a FA is added.

[Nate Colbert]

I think they will address 1st, either Reed wins it, Gurriel moves there or a FA is added.

Agreed, I see Marwin as the fallback if other options (particularly Reed) don't pan out.

[MrKnuckleball]

I think they will address 1st, either Reed wins it, Gurriel moves there or a FA is added.

Encarnacion at 1st or even DH starting next year would be awesome.

[MRaup]

Jesus Christ, I cannot stand watching Fiers pitch. This is fucking painful.

[BizidyDizidy]

Gattis sure allows a lot of WPs

[AstroNut]

Fiers is wild as shit....

[MRaup]

Gattis sure allows a lot of WPs

Would be infinitely helpful if Fiers had a fucking clue where his pitches were going.

[AstroNut]

Jesus Christ, I cannot stand watching Fiers pitch. This is fucking painful.

Nothing easy with Fiers...no matter the result.

[MRaup]

Ugh. This entire pitching staff is the anti clutch.

[MRaup]

Dear Joe West,

Please fucking retire, you fat, blind piece of shit.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

If Joe West was a horse someone would take him out behind the barn and shoot him.

[NeilT]

Giles.

[The Third Man]

You can't trust this team.

[MRaup]

You can't trust this team.

Wherever do you mean? Like throwing a meaty fastball to a .144 hitter in the worst possible situation?

[chuck]

Dude was like 0-50 and Giles serves him up one that he hits literally out of the park. Outstanding closer you got there, golden boy.

[chuck]

Maybe Giles will get a well deserved win.

[MrKnuckleball]

Correa

[NeilT]

Cortes!

I hate auto-correct

[pots]

Yes!!!  Back to back to win it

[mrpink]

Gattis!!!!

[NeilT]

Gattis!

[hostros7]

The essence of a meaningful win for a pitcher


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[MrKnuckleball]

Wow that was epic.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Wow.

[hostros7]

Roller coaster win!


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[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

And the Rangers are down 9-1 bottom of the 8th

[doyce7]

Holy fucking shit. That was insane

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[AstroNut]

Bam....nice win....headed to MM tamarra on mini road trip...lets keep it going !

[Bench]

That's one of the very best ways to win a baseball game.

[JimR]

Dude was like 0-50 and Giles serves him up one that he hits literally out of the park. Outstanding closer you got there, golden boy.

Are you serious with this? Have you been watching him pitch over the last month or so? Sometimes your acidic criticism is irrational and unbearable. I'll bet you are pissed they won.

[Jacksonian]

Wherever do you mean? Like throwing a meaty fastball to a .144 hitter in the worst possible situation?

He's certainly been more hittable in the closers spot than he was in the 7th and 8th innings.

[MRaup]

Are you serious with this? Have you been watching him pitch over the last month or so? Sometimes your acidic criticism is irrational and unbearable. I'll bet you are pissed they won.

Uh, Giles pitch location was absolutely terrible. It was belt high and on the inner half of the plate.  NOBODY should get that meatball to turn around on.

[chuck]

Are you serious with this? Have you been watching him pitch over the last month or so? Sometimes your acidic criticism is irrational and unbearable. I'll bet you are pissed they won.

I watch most of the games as they happen. Do you?

I will admit (again) to being ambivalent about the team's success.

Giles threw a softball to a terrible hitter who went full Pujols on him. Giles was a Phillie so I suppose it stands to reason that you would move to defend him.

[Navin R Johnson]

The homer that Giles gave up was waist high, but not anywhere near the middle of the plate.  Hat tip to that dude who hit it.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

How about the location on that pitch Gattis hit out?!?!?!?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Maybe Giles will get a well deserved win.

A vulture win.

[MusicMan]

How about the location on that pitch Gattis hit out?!?!?!?

MLB tweeted that it is the highest pitch anyone has gotten a hit on all season.


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[JimR]

Uh, Giles pitch location was absolutely terrible. It was belt high and on the inner half of the plate.  NOBODY should get that meatball to turn around on.

I know it was a bad pitch. He threw a 2-0 fastball in to try to get to 2-1 and sliders. He no doubt expected that particular hitter to be taking a strike, and he wasn't. You know baseball as well as I do.

Bad pitch? Yes. Bad closer? Hell, no. He has been dominant for quite some time. Look what happened to a great closer in the bottom of the inning.

[pots]

I know it was a bad pitch. He threw a 2-0 fastball in to try to get to 2-1 and sliders. He no doubt expected that particular hitter to be taking a strike, and he wasn't. You know baseball as well as I do.

Hitters usually sit on something in their wheel house on an 2-0 count with 2 out nobody on, tie ball game in the 9th, 8 and 9 hole hitters behind you.  He got exactly what he wanted. 

As you said, it was a bad pitch.  Giles will be fine.  He's the best closer this team has.  A great win.

[JimR]

Hitters usually sit on something in their wheel house on an 2-0 count with 2 out nobody on, tie ball game in the 9th, 8 and 9 hole hitters behind you.  He got exactly what he wanted. 

As you said, it was a bad pitch.  Giles will be fine.  He's the best closer this team has.  A great win.

Is that what guys who are 2 for their last 36 or so usually do in a tie game.?

He obviously sold out on an inside pitch and turned on it. One pitch does not make Giles a bad closer, which was my original point.

[Mr. Happy]

Giles is the closer, and he's the best that we've got.

[Aussie Astro]

MLB tweeted that it is the highest pitch anyone has gotten a hit on all season.


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Rays commentary team discussed this point, said it was 4,2 feet.