Angels at Astros, April 23 2018

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 1

Roof open
OF left to right is Marwin/Marisnick/Springer
Cole starting

Kinsler flies out to Marwin in left
Trout Ks swinging on a 98 mph heater
Upton Ks swinging

Mid 1
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 1

Skaggs pitching

Springer grounds out 6-3
Altuve grounds out 5-3
Correa shoots a ball past 1B into the corner for a double
Yuli gets the count full,  then walks
Bregman grounds to 3rd, Yuli out 5-4 on a FC


End 1
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 2

Pujols lines sharply up the middle rought into the shifted Altuve's glove
Valbuena down 0-2, taps weakly to Cole, out 1-3
Cozart grounds out 5-3


Mid 2

Angels 0
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 2

Gonzalez hitting from the right side, singles up the middle (after yanking one deep but foul)
Gattis gidp 6-4-3
McCann flies to right

End 2
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Knoxbanedoodle]

This team has been binging on GIDPs—an unusually high percentage of which seem to fall on the first or second pitch of at bats.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 3

Calhoun Ks swinging
Young flies out F8
Maldonado flies out F9

Mid 3
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 3

Marisnick grounds first pitch to short,  out 6-3
Springer grounds out 4-3
Altuve down 0-2, flares one to right that either Kinsler or Calhoun could catch but neither did; single
Correa goes 2-0 then 2-2, taps softly to 3rd, out 5-3

End 3
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Correa took two cookies to even the count then swung at a slider. Painful.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 4

Kinsler grounds to Altuve left of the bag in the shift, out 4-3
Trout flies out to CF
Upton down looking

Mid 4
Angels 0
Astros 0

[hostros7]

Soft tossin’ lefties seem to have perplexed Astros hitters for decades.


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[Greg M]

Please be locked in Marwin.  Bring Gattis with you.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 4

Yuli lines out to RF
Bregman flies out to left
Gonzalez breaks his bat on a foul,  new bat produces a single to the right side
Gattis down 0-2, fouls, takes a close one just outside,  another in the dirt, grounds to Valbuena at 3rd who forces Marwin 5-4

End 4
Angels 0
Astros 0

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm here now. Did I miss anything?

[Greg M]

I'm here now. Did I miss anything?

Just Cole's mastery.  Struck out Trout on a 98 MPH heeter. 

[BudGirl]

Skaggs seems to be having his way withe Astros too.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Well shit.

[hostros7]

Not sure if we should attribute this change in circumstances to SD’s arrival, Greg’s jinxing, or some combination of the two.


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[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 5

Pujols with shift on (Altuve to the left of Correa) Ks swinging on a slider in the dirt
Valbuena gets ahead 2-0, takes a strike,  then singles thru the shift to RF
Cozart goes to 3-1, walks
Calhoun up with 2 on, singles to right,  Valbuena scores, Cozart to 3rd
Young up with shift on,  works a full count then grounds to Altuve standing to the left of 2B; Altuve steps on the bag and fires to first to complete the 4-3 double play

Mid 5
Angels 1
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Well shit.

+1

[Texifornia]

Drop a crooked number...

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Perfectly played double play.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 5

McCann down looking on a nice curve
Marisnick down 0-2, fouls a couple,  takes a low breaker,  then Ks swinging on a high FB
Springer lines out sharply to CF

End 5
Angels 1
Astros 0

[Greg M]

Not sure if we should attribute this change in circumstances to SD’s arrival, Greg’s jinxing, or some combination of the two.


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I take responsibility.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

The Tyler Skaggs are arch rivals with the Lufkin Skanks.

[Greg M]

When I was a kid, there was a grocery store called Skaggs Alpha Beta.  Still can't believe it went out of business.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

When I was a kid, there was a grocery store called Skaggs Alpha Beta.  Still can't believe it went out of business.

I remember them in OKC in the 70s, I believe they were bought up by Albertsons.

[austro]

Springer can't get to a Trout foul pop-up, next pitch nearly decapitates Cole. Ump declines to call strike 3 on Upton, next pitch is rattled off the CF wall for a run-scoring double. So close.

[Texifornia]

Rockets are crushing Minnesota.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 6

Maldonado flies out F8
Kinsler down looking
Trout lines a laser beam straight back over Cole's head for a single (this after he softly popped into foul territory near RF line; Springer dove but couldn't snag it- seems he didn't get a great read on it)
Upton goes 1-1 as Trout steals 2nd, a 1-2 wild pitch sends him to 3rd, ball 3 is just outside,  payoff pitch is blasted of the wall in center; Trout scores,  Upton in with a double
Pujols also goes full,  McCann confers, Pujols fouls a couple then walks on a pitch in the dirt
Valbuena down 0-2, Ks swinging

Mid 6
Angels 2
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

I remember them in OKC in the 70s, I believe they were bought up by Albertsons.

My wife's first job was as a cashier at Skaggs AB/Albertsons.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Springer can't get to a Trout foul pop-up, next pitch nearly decapitates Cole. Ump declines to call strike 3 on Upton, next pitch is rattled off the CF wall for a run-scoring double. So close.

Springer didn't read that very well.   

[Lefty]

Rockets are crushing Minnesota.

Outscored them 50-20 in the 3rd.

[Greg M]

Rockets are crushing Minnesota.

Does that explain the unimpressive attendance?

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 6

Altuve flies out to the track in right
Correa lines sharply to 2B, ball is trapped but he's out easily 4-3
Yuli grounds out 6-3

End 6
Angels 2
Astros 0

[Texifornia]

Home field is an advantage, right?

[Texifornia]

With an under-worked bullpen I didn't expect Cole in the 7th.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 7

Cozart can't check his swing,  Ks
Calhoun flies to left
Young pops out F5

Mid 7
Angels 2
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

With an under-worked bullpen I didn't expect Cole in the 7th.

Neither did I.

He's a tough customer.

[HudsonHawk]

Outscored them 50-20 in the 3rd.

And the Twolves are outscoring the Rockets 25-12...5 minutes left....if they blow a 30-point 4Q lead, I'm going to blame some people in this room, and then I do not forgive.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 7

Bregman pops out to Pujols in foul territory (no help from the 2 terrified ladies in the first row who didn't stand)
Gonzalez Ks on a foul tip
Gattis goes to 3-1, pops out to the catcher just behind the plate

End 7
Angels 2
Astros 0

[Astros Fan in Big D]

And the Twolves are outscoring the Rockets 25-12...5 minutes left....if they blow a 30-point 4Q lead, I'm going to blame some people in this room, and then I do not forgive.

 They're gonna squeak it out,  Don Corleone.

[BudGirl]

Did the Astros leave the bats in Chicago?  Seriously, how can they go that cold in less than 24 hours.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Ken Forsch is GTA

[hostros7]

The astros need to summon some of the Rockets’ 3Q juice.


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[The Spleen]

They're gonna squeak it out,  Don Corleone.

That 19 point squeaker.... whew.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Top 8

Rondon relieves Cole

Maldonado grounds to Altuve in the shift,  out 4-3
Kinsler grounds out 6-3
Trout gets to a full count, walks
Upton goes to 1-1 as Trout steals 2nd again; Upton goes full,  grounds up the middle to Altuve just to the right of the bag,  out 4-3

Mid 8
Angels 2
Astros 0

[HudsonHawk]

Someone rattle the bats

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Somebody grab pbp.

Got to help with bedtimes.

[The Spleen]

Someone rattle the bats

They have bats?

[hostros7]

Ugh - not a good AB by Carlos


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[hostros7]

Ugh - not a good AB by Carlos


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[HudsonHawk]

Ugh - not a good AB by Carlos


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Gamecast showed him take a hanging slider right down the middle in order to swing and miss at a slider in the dirt.  That true?

[Texifornia]

Ugh - not a good AB by Carlos


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Takes the melon he should have hit onto Crawford and then Ks on one in the dirt.

[hostros7]

Gamecast showed him take a hanging slider right down the middle in order to swing and miss at a slider in the dirt.  That true?

Unfortunately. He swung at one in the dirt near the opposite batter’s box and then took one right down Main Street.


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[BudGirl]

Gamecast showed him take a hanging slider right down the middle in order to swing and miss at a slider in the dirt.  That true?

yes

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Gamecast showed him take a hanging slider right down the middle in order to swing and miss at a slider in the dirt.  That true?

Absolutely.  Took the only hittable pitch of the AB.  On a rookie making his MLB debut.

[hostros7]

Takes the melon he should have hit onto Crawford and then Ks on one in the dirt.

A melon out of the back of the cement mixer.


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[Texifornia]

Just three runs to walk this thing off.

Seems vauntable.

[HudsonHawk]

Gamecast shows Marwin take a 2-0 cookie only to punch out on sliders in the dirt. 

[BizidyDizidy]

Have a bad feeling about this...

[HudsonHawk]

I guess you could argue the Gattis kept the inning alive by punching out weakly.

[BizidyDizidy]

Certainly better than I expected

[austro]

Monday bat siesta.

[hostros7]

Damn.


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[hostros7]

I guess you could argue the Gattis kept the inning alive by punching out weakly.

He exceeded my very low expectations.


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[austro]

I think Yuli has a fundamental misunderstanding of the idea behind the swim move.

[MRaup]

What a shitburger of a game, and a double shitburger of an ending. Not even the tying run.

[HudsonHawk]

WTF happened? 

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Bottom 8

Stassi hits for McCann, J Anderson (RHP) in relief

Stassi flies out
Reddick hits for Marisnick makes an out of some sort that I missed
Springer singles sharply up the middle
Altuve singles to shallow center,  Springer to 3rd
Correa Ks on a slider in the dirt after taking a hanger right down the middle



Top 9
McHugh puts them down in order

Bottom 9

Middleton pitching

Yuli singles up the middle
Bregman goes to 3-1, walks
Gonzalez up hitting from the left side, gets ahead 2-0, takes a strike,  swings at/misses a low slider, then Ks on another slider that was a little higher
Gattis takes 2 strikes,  the second right down the middle, then Ks swinging on a FB
Stassi takes the same first pitch slider for a strike thatGattis saw, then a FB for a strike,  3rd pitch is in the dirt,  runners try to advance.  Call on the field Yuli is safe at 3rd.  Will be reviewed,  and he will be out.

Final
Angels 2
Astros 0

[HudsonHawk]

Caught stealing 3B to end the game?  WTF?

[austro]

WTF happened? 

Ball bounced away from the catcher, both runners tried to move up, and Yuli was late on his break and slid into the tag for the final out. Kind of a fitting end, really.

[TerryPuhl21]

Bad decision by Yuli for sure, but I am sick and tired of watching our batters take fucking gut pitches down the middle and then look back at the ump like he is the one with the fucking problem. SWING THE MOTHER FUCKING BAT!!!!!


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[Astros Fan in Big D]

WTF happened?

Slider in the dirt,  ball kicks away but not far.  Yuli slides head first,  throw was good and his left hand goes right into the glove.

[HudsonHawk]

Ball bounced away from the catcher, both runners tried to move up, and Yuli was late on his break and slid into the tag for the final out. Kind of a fitting end, really.

Considering the bottom third of the lineup strikes fear in the hearts of no one, their only chance to tie it up was three consecutive wild pitches.

[HudsonHawk]

Bad decision by Yuli for sure, but I am sick and tired of watching our batters take fucking gut pitches down the middle and then look back at the ump like he is the one with the fucking problem. SWING THE MOTHER FUCKING BAT!!!!!


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Patience is good, but this team does take an alarming number of hittable pitches, especially the guys who you expect to drive in runs. 

[austro]

Considering the bottom third of the lineup strikes fear in the hearts of no one, their only chance to tie it up was three consecutive wild pitches.

Yeah, their only real hope was that Marwin would guess right on a pitch. Once he struck out, there wasn't really much of a chance.

[BudGirl]

Considering the bottom third of the lineup strikes fear in the hearts of no one, their only chance to tie it up was three consecutive wild pitches.

Except Reddick was already in for marisnick.  But gattis is the bigger problem to me.  Which isn't to say that Fisher and marisnick aren't big problems.  Where's Aoki when you need him?

[WVastro]

When I was a kid, there was a grocery store called Skaggs Alpha Beta.  Still can't believe it went out of business.

I remember Skaggs in OKC/Norman growing up. We had to go to Foodway(?) though because my Dad worked for a distributor (Scrivner)  that supplied that place. I think it was a Foodway. Does that sound about right to any other Okies in here?

[HudsonHawk]

Except Reddick was already in for marisnick.  But gattis is the bigger problem to me.  Which isn't to say that Fisher and marisnick aren't big problems.  Where's Aoki when you need him?

Given the need and expectation, no player on the roster has been worse than Gattis.  And it's not even close. 

[Astros Fan in Big D]

The Correa AB in the 8th was the real chance.

He swung out of his shoes on the first pitch,  a slider that started low and ended in/near the dirt.

Then took that hanging slider.

Totally took the kid off the hook.

As for the 9th, the Marwin K was the death knell.   Got ahead,  then the guy made good pitches.

Gattis was helpless,  and Stassi was about to K before Yuli got nabbed.

[austro]

Given the need and expectation, no player on the roster has been worse than Gattis.  And it's not even close. 

Yeah, at least Marisnick and Fisher bring defense and speed. Gattis has exactly one job, and he's failing at it badly.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Given the need and expectation, no player on the roster has been worse than Gattis.  And it's not even close.

Yep.

DH vs a good defender destined for the 9th spot.

[TerryPuhl21]

Given the need and expectation, no player on the roster has been worse than Gattis.  And it's not even close.

Post of the night


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[TerryPuhl21]

Yeah, at least Marisnick and Fisher bring defense and speed. Gattis has exactly one job, and he's failing at it badly.

Ditto!!


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[TerryPuhl21]

I would much rather give Gattis’ AB’s to JD Davis than continuing to watch this crap.

On another note, with our starting pitching doing this well, carrying the extra bullpen arm over another hitter, preferably a left handed one, is a real problem.


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[juliogotay]

When I was a kid, there was a grocery store called Skaggs Alpha Beta.  Still can't believe it went out of business.

Alpha Beta was a marketing concept referring to organizing groceries in the store in alphabetic order. Albertson's eventually bought out Skaggs.

[Greg M]

Alpha Beta was a marketing concept referring to organizing groceries in the store in alphabetic order. Albertson's eventually bought out Skaggs.

Learn something new all the time

[jbm]

Alpha Beta was a marketing concept referring to organizing groceries in the store in alphabetic order.

There's some logic at first glance to this (I could probably find the toothpicks), but I suspect a lot of problems ensued.

[chuck]

There's some logic at first glance to this (I could probably find the toothpicks), but I suspect a lot of problems ensued.

It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of in my life.

I don't know how much time you guys spend in Latin American or even Spanish bookstores, but for some unknowable reason they all, and I mean ALL arrange books within a section in some indecipherable, random way. Fiction. You'd think that would be pretty easy, right? Hey, look, there's Things Fall Apart! What do we have over here? Thirty seven books by Zola I'll never read. In the middle? It's predictable!

Maybe that's what's so distasteful to the Latin reader. Some places arrange by publisher. I love that. In order to find what you're looking for first you must know the Latin American publisher of that writer. And then you have to guess where they have them hidden unless you just happen to recognize the spine design from afar like the old Penguin paperbacks or Columbia cassettes. Other places by size, by color, by tossing them down by the boxload from the second floor science section and letting their pattern of arrangement on the floor somehow dictate their order on the shelf.

If I ever manage to find a public library around here I'll enter with great anticipation.

I was in Germany not long ago and I suspect most will be unsurprised to learn that alphabetization of genres within a given bookstore does in fact seem to be accepted best practice.

[juliogotay]

There's some logic at first glance to this (I could probably find the toothpicks), but I suspect a lot of problems ensued.

I don't think this concept really took hold.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I only wanted apples and zucchini and I had to walk through the whole damn store.