Last night's broadcast

[JimR]

I muted it from the beginning, which is why I still have a TV today. They were showing close ups from the NYY dugout 50-50 with the game. Fox must have been heartbroken when the Astros rallied.

What a game! Exhibit A to why I love this team. Correa's AB showed how much he has matured. His off-balance throw to get Gardner was incredible. Oh my, Yuli! Hostros said in the GZ his bat was Alou quick on the game winner. Great description. Need a win today. Only Devo is rested.

[Lefty]

I muted it from the beginning, which is why I still have a TV today. They were showing close ups from the NYY dugout 50-50 with the game. Fox must have been heartbroken when the Astros rallied.

What a game! Exhibit A to why I love this team. Correa's AB showed how much he has matured. His off-balance throw to get Gardner was incredible. Oh my, Yuli! Hostros said in the GZ his bat was Alou quick on the game winner. Great description. Need a win today. Only Devo is rested.

I'm sure Fox was thrilled when they saw Girardi's lineup card and Judge was on the bench.  Like you said, they made up for it by showing him in the dugout every 10 minutes.

It would be really, really nice if our June ace can pitch into the 7th today and turn it over to Devo.

[JimR]

I'm sure Fox was thrilled when they saw Girardi's lineup card and Judge was on the bench.  Like you said, they made up for it by showing him in the dugout every 10 minutes.

It would be really, really nice if our June ace can pitch into the 7th today and turn it over to Devo.

Every 3 minutes, then they switched to the newbie.

[HudsonHawk]

I'm guessing they all splooged in their pants when Judge pinch hit in the 9th of a 1-run game. I cannot imagine a more disappointing 8th and 9th for Fox.

The most annoying comment of the night however had to be one of the idiots saying Mike Sciosia is clearly Manager of the Year at this point because to have your team still hovering around .500 with all the injuries they've had to the pitching staff is unheard of.

[geezerdonk]

Unique even.

[chuck]

Those two literally had me yearning for Joe Buck.

[Reuben]

It's so nice to see Gurriel starting to heat up, and win that battle of the Cubans. I hope this is the beginning of him really emerging as the excellent hitter he's supposed to be. He'll probably never walk much, but if he can show just a little more discipline I wouldn't be surprised to see him hit .320 with 35-40 doubles and 25 HR in a season. Maybe now he's had enough time to figure out what major league pitchers are trying to do with him.

[JimR]

It's so nice to see Gurriel starting to heat up, and win that battle of the Cubans. I hope this is the beginning of him really emerging as the excellent hitter he's supposed to be. He'll probably never walk much, but if he can show just a little more discipline I wouldn't be surprised to see him hit .320 with 35-40 doubles and 25 HR in a season. Maybe now he's had enough time to figure out what major league pitchers are trying to do with him.

Supposed to be? Are you watching these games?

[chuck]

Gurriel is the Astro I would most want at the plate in a situation like that. If he improves with additional mlb experience, great. But as a hitter, I'm not sure how much better he needs to be.

[Reuben]

Supposed to be? Are you watching these games?

As much as I'm able, yes. This past month or so he's been great. His overall season and career numbers are well below what his reputation and history would suggest. It has looked to me at times like he's too willing to swing at the pitcher's pitch. He's got great bat speed and he's very good at making contact, but when he goes after the pitcher's pitch the result is a lot of rollovers and pop-ups.

[JimR]

As much as I'm able, yes. This past month or so he's been great. His overall season and career numbers are well below what his reputation and history would suggest. It has looked to me at times like he's too willing to swing at the pitcher's pitch. He's got great bat speed and he's very good at making contact, but when he goes after the pitcher's pitch the result is a lot of rollovers and pop-ups.

Whatever you say

[das]

As much as I'm able, yes. This past month or so he's been great. His overall season and career numbers are well below what his reputation and history would suggest. It has looked to me at times like he's too willing to swing at the pitcher's pitch. He's got great bat speed and he's very good at making contact, but when he goes after the pitcher's pitch the result is a lot of rollovers and pop-ups.

Dude is trending to .285, 18HR, 72RBI for the year.  I've never seen anyone project his reputation and history to better numbers than that.  Most have said these are his ceiling.

Aside from the numbers, he's one of a select few on the team that I want in the highest leverage situations.  Ice in his veins, he has. 

And, turning HARD on a Chapman 100mph heater?  Are you kidding me?  Wow.

[JimR]

Gurriel is the Astro I would most want at the plate in a situation like that. If he improves with additional mlb experience, great. But as a hitter, I'm not sure how much better he needs to be.

When he came to the plate, I told my dog (since he is the only one here) "Gurriel will not be intimidated by Chapman. He probably faced him many times in Cuba." We have talked often at OWA about the worst AB in Astros history. Gurriel's AB last night is in the running for the best. So patient.

[doyce7]

Dude is trending to .285, 18HR, 72RBI for the year.  I've never seen anyone project his reputation and history to better numbers than that.  Most have said these are his ceiling.

Aside from the numbers, he's one of a select few on the team that I want in the highest leverage situations.  Ice in his veins, he has. 

And, turning HARD on a Chapman 100mph heater?  Are you kidding me?  Wow.

I feel like every time we see a guy hitting 100, yuli mashes a fastball for extra bases

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Texifornia]

The sound was off and the stereo was on, as usual. I was screaming at the screen for the whole at bat: "...go ahead and take him to a full count, you overrated motherfucker! That means Marwin scores on the double you fuckin' bitch!" Then like a lightning bolt Yuli delivers the double and Marwin coasts in for the winning run. Just glorious!

[jbm]

I haven't looked at the stats much this year, but my internal ordering of Astros hitters results from answering the following question: who would I want at the plate in that situation?   Anyways, I immediately thought about Altuve and Gurriel, but there are lots of worthy answers. For that, I feel damn lucky.

[HudsonHawk]

I'm kind of surprised that Betances was allowed to pitch to Marwin.  I figured Chapman would be in to turn Marwin around then face Gurriel.  I think Marwin's at bat was very good also.  Perhaps Chapman was ready yet

[Reuben]

I must not be articulating my thoughts very well. Y'all seem to think I'm ragging on Gurriel. I'm pointing out that what he's done lately is more like what I expected/hoped for from him.

And Das - this is a guy who was a man among boys in Cuba. He was always revered as one of the best hitters anywhere. He had a career .335 AVG there, with more RBI than games played. His final season there, he hit .500 (.500!) with 3 strikeouts in 49 games. The big question about him was just whether he's too old now to be a great MLB hitter; that's what a lot of scouts/pundits seemed to think.

To me, it's seemed like approach and pitch selection were the only things holding him back a little, not bat speed or physical ability.

[geezerdonk]

And he has the best "now you see me, now you don't" second base phantom slide.

[Lefty]

When he came to the plate, I told my dog (since he is the only one here) "Gurriel will not be intimidated by Chapman. He probably faced him many times in Cuba." We have talked often at OWA about the worst AB in Astros history. Gurriel's AB last night is in the running for the best. So patient.

It's been a long time, but I'm assuming Carl Everett?

[JimR]

I haven't looked at the stats much this year, but my internal ordering of Astros hitters results from answering the following question: who would I want at the plate in that situation?   Anyways, I immediately thought about Altuve and Gurriel, but there are lots of worthy answers. For that, I feel damn lucky.

Not Altuve. Gurriel or Correa

[JimR]

It's been a long time, but I'm assuming Carl Everett?

Bingo

[Lefty]

Bingo

It was that or Truby.

[das]

Bingo

Which AB are you talking about for Everett?  One from his first day back from the DL in Chicago?  I'd love to go see if I can find a video of the one you are talking about.

[WVastro]

I don't remember the Everett ab but check this out:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O4O9MPV_uf8

Strike three is simply amazing.

[Ty in Tampa]

It was that or Truby.

Wasn't that a case where Truby never should have been at bat? While bad, I put that on Dierker.

[austro]

It's been a long time, but I'm assuming Carl Everett?

Probably, unless it was Chris Truby.

[chuck]

Probably, unless it was Chris Truby.

What Ty said.

[austro]

Which AB are you talking about for Everett?  One from his first day back from the DL in Chicago?  I'd love to go see if I can find a video of the one you are talking about.

The way-too-anxious bases-loaded crapfest against the ATL. I almost broke my television.

[Lefty]

Wasn't that a case where Truby never should have been at bat? While bad, I put that on Dierker.

That's totally fair.

[JimR]

Which AB are you talking about for Everett?  One from his first day back from the DL in Chicago?  I'd love to go see if I can find a video of the one you are talking about.

Bases loaded, no out.

Waltfuckingweiss game

[JimR]

Wasn't that a case where Truby never should have been at bat? While bad, I put that on Dierker.

This

[das]

Bases loaded, no out.

Waltfuckingweiss game

Aw, hell. That thing. I misunderstood you comment to say Gurriel's was "one of the best" and you were mentioning another good Astro AB as a comparison. Now that scab has been ripped open again.

Trying desperately to shift gears, what other notable *good* Astro AB's stand out to you all.  Not necessarily because of only a good outcome (Hatcher's HR!!!) but because of the excellent batsmanship?

[HudsonHawk]

I don't remember the Everett ab but check this out:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O4O9MPV_uf8

Strike three is simply amazing.

I remember that. It was pouring down rain and the Jays were winning like 10-0 in the fourth inning. Griffin wanted to try to get five innings in as Jack Morris was going for his 20th win. The irony is, right after that swing, the ump called a rain delay.

[austro]

Aw, hell. That thing. I misunderstood you comment to say Gurriel's was "one of the best" and you were mentioning another good Astro AB as a comparison. Now that scab has been ripped open again.

Trying desperately to shift gears, what other notable *good* Astro AB's stand out to you all.  Not necessarily because of only a good outcome (Hatcher's HR!!!) but because of the excellent batsmanship?

This wasn't a high-leverage situation, as I recall, but it was one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen: Moises Alou turned on a ball thrown at his coconut and ripped it down the LF line.

[Bench]

What a game! Exhibit A to why I love this team. Correa's AB showed how much he has matured. His off-balance throw to get Gardner was incredible. Oh my, Yuli! Hostros said in the GZ his bat was Alou quick on the game winner. Great description. Need a win today. Only Devo is rested.

That was one of those season-defining signature wins, kind of like the big 9th inning comeback against the Angels in September 2015 that proved to be the difference in the wild card race.