Astros @ Blue Jays July 8, 2017

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups for today's road matinee:

Astros

CFGeorge Springer (R)
RFJosh Reddick (L)
SSCarlos Correa (R)
DHEvan Gattis (R)
2BMarwin Gonzalez (S)
CBrian McCann (L)
1BY. Gurriel (R)
3BAlex Bregman (R)
LFNorichika Aoki (L)

HOU: Mike Fiers (R)  (5-3, 3.80)

Blue Jays

RF Jose Bautista (R)
C Russell Martin (R)
3B Josh Donaldson (R)
1B Justin Smoak (S)
DH Kendrys Morales (S)
SS Troy Tulowitzki (R)
LF E. Carrera (L)
CF Kevin Pillar (R)
2B Darwin Barney (R)

TOR: Marcus Stroman (R)  (8-5, 3.42)

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I'm watching yesterday's game now.

Altuve is hits.

[Andyzipp]

Not because of anything in particular this series, but I hate Russell Martin.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Gattis needs to earn his 3-0 green light. He's been shit at it recently.

[MusicMan]

Gattis needs to earn his 3-0 green light. He's been shit at it recently.

Was about to say the same thing.

He's now 0-3 on 3-0 this year.

[chuck]

Not because of anything in particular this series, but I hate Russell Martin.

For some reason, and I should say no particular reason, he has always really annoyed me.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Ladies and gentlemen, George Springer.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I nominate Primus's "Here Come the Bastards" as the walk-up music for this offense.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Such a variety of double plays we're producing today!

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Fiers is a rain delay.

[chuck]

Why the fuck do they do this? I understand their pimping the home food but who the fuck cares about this? FUCK. Brutal.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

The orange tops and gray pants is a smart-looking combo.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

How did Alex Cora get on staff? Did Hinch bring him?

[Knoxbanedoodle]

4 double plays through 5 innings.

[austro]

When is the last time a team hit into a double-play every inning? This team could actually do it. You obviously have to get guys on base every inning, and you need to hit balls hard.

[Lefty]

I nominate Primus's "Here Come the Bastards" as the walk-up music for this offense.

Springer Was a Race Car Driver would also work

[Andyzipp]

Why the fuck do they do this? I understand their pimping the home food but who the fuck cares about this? FUCK. Brutal.

My wife walked through the room when that was happening and asked, "who are those people and why do we care what they're eating?"

I had no answer.

[Andyzipp]

When is the last time a team hit into a double-play every inning? This team could actually do it. You obviously have to get guys on base every inning, and you need to hit balls hard.

Stroman is making his pitches. Other than the Donaldson spear of Correa's line drive (good luck for him), he's managed our lineup very well.

[astrojo]

Well, Fiers' homerless streak is as gone as that pitch to Donaldson

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Note to pitching staff: Don't piss off Donaldson.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Stroman, on the other hand, just looks stronger the third time through the order.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I've always held Darwin Barney's name against him.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I wonder if we're going to be in the running for Otani. I hope so.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Stroman's a pistol, a fireant.

[Andyzipp]

I wonder if we're going to be in the running for Otani. I hope so.

Don't think we can offer him more than 300k, so not likely.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Geez, we'd better go to work if we're going to score between 7 and 16 runs today!

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Don't think we can offer him more than 300k, so not likely.

Surely you can't be serious. He won't be eligible to sign until 2019, right?

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I like the idea of using Devenski here, but he is not sharp.

[doyce7]

Surely you can't be serious. He won't be eligible to sign until 2019, right?

He'll be eligible as soon as he's posted. Could be this off season. Could be the next one or 2019. It's whenever he wants really

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[hostros7]

Surely you can't be serious. He won't be eligible to sign until 2019, right?

He is subject to international signing pool rules until he's 25, which is in a couple years. Many of the big market teams are already maxed out and can only offer the $300k which is allowed when a team has reached its cap.


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[Nate Colbert]

Surely you can't be serious. He won't be eligible to sign until 2019, right?

Only in 2019 would he not be subject to the international spending pools. But he can come over sooner (and the Fighters have agreed to post him should he wish to do so). Beyond the $20MM posting fee (which goes to the Fighters), a team like the Astros currently under the penalty would as Zipp said only be able to offer him $300K.

[hostros7]

Devo throwing meat today.


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[austro]

Not the way I was hoping this game would unfold.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Devo throwing meat today.


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Meat Sauce. That's what a friend of my dad's used to call Doug Henry.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Only in 2019 would he not be subject to the international spending pools. But he can come over sooner (and the Fighters have agreed to post him should he wish to do so). Beyond the $20MM posting fee (which goes to the Fighters), a team like the Astros currently under the penalty would as Zipp said only be able to offer him $300K.

Nuts.

[The Spleen]

This bullpen is completely gassed. Really disturbing pattern last two weeks, with a starter struggling in mid/late innings and bullpen letting other team blow it open. Fortunately they've managed to slug their way out of trouble in most of those games. All Star break can't come soon enough...

[Knoxbanedoodle]

That game sucked.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Back to last night's game, there is a moment in the bottom of the 6th, one out one on, where the Jays broadcast seems to catch Marwin Gonzalez doing the pee-pee dance.

[chuck]

Mucha suerte, cuellos.

[austro]

This bullpen is completely gassed. Really disturbing pattern last two weeks, with a starter struggling in mid/late innings and bullpen letting other team blow it open. Fortunately they've managed to slug their way out of trouble in most of those games. All Star break can't come soon enough...

Need to get some starters back so that we can shift Martes and Peacock back to the 6th-7th inning roles and get Hoyt, Guduan, et al back to AAA where they can continue to work on their stuff. I think they'll eventually be useful or even good, but they need more experience.

[Nate Colbert]

Need to get some starters back so that we can shift Martes and Peacock back to the 6th-7th inning roles and get Hoyt, Guduan, et al back to AAA where they can continue to work on their stuff. I think they'll eventually be useful or even good, but they need more experience.

Guduan is already back in AAA. And I disagree about Hoyt--51 Ks vs just 6 walks in 32 IP is fucking sick. While he did go through a rough patch there, 4 of his last 5 outings have been of the scoreless variety.

[austro]

Guduan is already back in AAA. And I disagree about Hoyt--51 Ks vs just 6 walks in 32 IP is fucking sick. While he did go through a rough patch there, 4 of his last 5 outings have been of the scoreless variety.

Yeah, I know Guduan went down to make room for Morton. I was kind of speaking in more abstract terms, but I should have picked a better example.

Like you, I like Hoyt. But those two grand slams were a bit scarring, at least for me. Although there will be interesting choices to be made when Keuchel and McHugh come back. I think the only guys on the staff  with options left are Devo (won't be going), Feliz, Hoyt, Martes, McCullers (won't be going), and Musgrove. I'm not sure who in that group is first to go down.

[austro]

Mucha suerte, cuellos.

The US defense completely went to sleep on that Panamanian goal.

[chuck]

The US defense completely went to sleep on that Panamanian goal.

It's hard to defend a rebound like that. We had three or four very real chances after the goal that we didn't capitalize on. If we're going to score eight goals against Martinique to best the seven that the US will score we can't go around leaving goals on the field.

I really like these B-team games. I like watching young, untested players on both sides in games that mean something. They don't mean much, but they mean something.

[chuck]

Also, I think it was less a matter of falling asleep than just getting beaten on the edge. That's how both goals were scored.

[austro]

Also, I think it was less a matter of falling asleep than just getting beaten on the edge. That's how both goals were scored.

Oh, they were certainly beaten cleanly on the edge, and on the first attempt. But Guzan made an amazing (lucky?) save, and at the point the defense has to clean things up. They didn't, and they paid the price.

I'm with you about watching the young talent. It's fun to watch these guys try to make their case for the top squad.

[JimR]

Guduan is already back in AAA. And I disagree about Hoyt--51 Ks vs just 6 walks in 32 IP is fucking sick. While he did go through a rough patch there, 4 of his last 5 outings have been of the scoreless variety.

I agree with you about Hoyt.

[JimR]

Yeah, I know Guduan went down to make room for Morton. I was kind of speaking in more abstract terms, but I should have picked a better example.

Like you, I like Hoyt. But those two grand slams were a bit scarring, at least for me. Although there will be interesting choices to be made when Keuchel and McHugh come back. I think the only guys on the staff  with options left are Devo (won't be going), Feliz, Hoyt, Martes, McCullers (won't be going), and Musgrove. I'm not sure who in that group is first to go down.

There will be a trade(s).