Mariners @ Astros September 26, 2016

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for tonight's home tilt:

Mariners

Asking 7
Smith 9
Cano 4
Cruz DH
Seager 5
Lind 3
Martin 8
Zunino 2
Marte 6

Iwakuma (R)

Astros

Springer 9
Gonzalez 5
Altuve 4
Correa 6
Gattis DH
White 3
Kemp 7
Castro 2
Marisnick 8

McHugh (R)

[HudsonHawk]

Why do the Astros insist on throwing Cano belt high fastballs?

[austro]

Gee, imagine that: Cano is spanking the Astros again.

[HudsonHawk]

Gee, imagine that: Cano is spanking the Astros again.

Seriously. The approach seems to be "throw Cano fastballs down the center and see if he can hit it".

[Nate Colbert]

Wow, in the LF's glove even before Marwin had reached 3B.

[drew corleone]

Pettis being Pettis.

[Nate Colbert]

Julia Morales is married to former Brewers 1B Matt Clark.

I did not know that.

[WVastro]

Well, this seems to be going to shit....

[chuck]

Hoyt has been an outSTANding addition.

[Aussie Astro]

Well, this seems to be going to shit....

That third run was a punch right in the nuts.

[chuck]

I was damn near sure Altuve was going to try to steal third. I thought he was out there trying to sort out the signs.

[hostros7]

Tyler white AB was feeble.


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[HudsonHawk]

Tyler white AB was feeble.


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Abused.

[WVastro]

Well at least the life support machine keeping the Astros season alive was plugged back in for the ninth.

[Aussie Astro]

Free baseball

[HudsonHawk]

Giles and the walks are gonna kill me. I just know it.

[chuck]

Who the fuck is still undecided, by the way? What kind of fuckwit do you need to be not to be able to separate these two shitheads?

Giles? I thought the Astros wanted to win this game.

[HudsonHawk]

Walk, infield single, two Ms on with one out

[MrKnuckleball]

Shit

[HudsonHawk]

I have an idea...lets hang a slider right in Cano's wheelhouse.

[HudsonHawk]

Bottom of the 11th..Astros chasing a run

[HudsonHawk]

Altuve with a single...tying run aboard with one out.

[chuck]

Let Gregerson pitch to Cano. Cano's only 5-5 against him. Gregerson is due, surely.

Maybe during Cano's at bat they were trying to upgrade to iOS 10 and their access to GC went a little sideways.

[HudsonHawk]

Correa with a single...tying run in scoring position

[HudsonHawk]

Gattis blown away by 87mph fastballs at his belt. Never stood a chance.

It's up to Gurriel.

[MRaup]

Gattis swings through TWO meatballs. Jesus Christ. 2 homerun balls.

[HudsonHawk]

Gurriel takes a meatball and its quickly 0-2...and pops out.

Astros step on their dicks and the home stand misery continues.

4-3.

[MRaup]

Another putrid loss.

[The Spleen]

Just what is this team supposed to be good at, exactly?

[The Spleen]

Another putrid loss.

And this is a lot more putrid than can be fixed in one offseason...

[chuck]

Gattis is Chris Carter with a catcher's mitt and a hipster beard. Castro somehow is worse offensively and defensively. The catching situation is quite puzzling.

What's most obvious, though, now that this season is over, is that neither can frame a pitch worth a good goddamn.

I was hoping for a walk-off there in the bottom of the ninth so a Phillie could bid happy birthday to good old Raupweiler. Not to be, more's the pity. Happy birthday anyroad, you old rascal.

[austro]

I have an idea...lets hang a slider right in Cano's wheelhouse.

Two-out, two-strike tie-breaker is pretty much the story of the season.

[JimR]

Gattis is Chris Carter with a catcher's mitt and a hipster beard. Castro somehow is worse offensively and defensively. The catching situation is quite puzzling.

What's most obvious, though, now that this season is over, is that neither can frame a pitch worth a good goddamn.

I was hoping for a walk-off there in the bottom of the ninth so a Phillie could bid happy birthday to good old Raupweiler. Not to be, more's the pity. Happy birthday anyroad, you old rascal.

thank you, sir.

[juliogotay]

Another putrid loss.

The Astros players look tired. Not sure why they would be tired and the other guys not. I can understand Altuve and Springer being worn out who don't take any time off and go full throttle sliding around the basepaths but most of the other guys get their time off.

[Reuben]

And this is a lot more putrid than can be fixed in one offseason...

You mean the team? I dunno about that. Money can buy a lot in one offseason. Not that I expect that, mind you.

There's a number of question marks, let's put it that way. It'll be interesting to see what they decide to do about catcher, CF, 1B, the rotation, and figuring out who can close games out without reverting to a terrible, bed-poopin' version of themselves.

[juliogotay]

You mean the team? I dunno about that. Money can buy a lot in one offseason. Not that I expect that, mind you.

There's a number of question marks, let's put it that way. It'll be interesting to see what they decide to do about catcher, CF, 1B, the rotation, and figuring out who can close games out without reverting to a terrible, bed-poopin' version of themselves.

Offensively you have to figure they have below league average numbers at 1B, 3B, LF, CF, and DH for the year.  Those are some of the areas where you expect the most production in your lineup. I believe they have fixed a couple of those spots late in the year adding Gurriel and Bregman (wherever they end up playing). And the top of the rotation is lacking that obvious ace. Those are big holes that probably can't be fixed in one off-season.

[MRaup]

Offensively you have to figure they have below league average numbers at 1B, 3B, LF, CF, and DH for the year.  Those are some of the areas where you expect the most production in your lineup. I believe they have fixed a couple of those spots late in the year adding Gurriel and Bregman (wherever they end up playing). And the top of the rotation is lacking that obvious ace. Those are big holes that probably can't be fixed in one off-season.

Uh... Center Field is where you expect offensive production? You had me right up to there.

[Jacksonian]

Uh... Center Field is where you expect offensive production? You had me right up to there.

But you'd like them to not be dead last in comparison to all other center fielders.

[juliogotay]

Uh... Center Field is where you expect offensive production? You had me right up to there.

 I'm perfectly fine with Marisnick if they can fix the 1b and Lf issues.

[WVastro]

I'll never understand why Marisnick gets so much shit... the dude can play CF.

[juliogotay]

I'll never understand why Marisnick gets so much shit... the dude can play CF.

Some folks think everyone in the lineup should hit .290.

[WVastro]

Some folks think everyone in the lineup should hit .290.

I guess we've truly become an AL team... fans included.

[MrKnuckleball]

I'll never understand why Marisnick gets so much shit... the dude can play CF.

He's so good in CF. And his offense is much better when he plays consistently ( who could have guessed), I think he's fine starting in CF next year. No team has 9 offensive studs..

[Aussie Astro]

But you'd like them to not be dead last in comparison to all other center fielders.

Well made point.

[Reuben]

Offensively you have to figure they have below league average numbers at 1B, 3B, LF, CF, and DH for the year.  Those are some of the areas where you expect the most production in your lineup. I believe they have fixed a couple of those spots late in the year adding Gurriel and Bregman (wherever they end up playing). And the top of the rotation is lacking that obvious ace. Those are big holes that probably can't be fixed in one off-season.

The combo of Valbuena and Bregman actually was quite productive at 3B. And either DH or 1B I expect to mainly be filled by Gurriel next year. I'm guessing internal options (Marisnick, Teoscar, Kemp) will fill either CF or LF, but they'll probably want a FA for the other spot. Gattis will probably rotate again from C to DH.

So basically I expect two hitters to be brought in this winter - to fit into some puzzle of OF, C, 1B, or DH. And the best fit, of course, would be if they batted lefty, since about every other returning player hits RH.

[JimR]

Uh... Center Field is where you expect offensive production? You had me right up to there.

he wants Mantle, Mays, or Snider.