2023 Astros - Defending WS Champs

[spidersal]

I hope you are right, however I think they will be the 6th seed after the Cleveland, New York, and Baltimore series. Hopefully from there, they will pick it up and have a chance to win their division. Bielak’s last 2 starts have been disappointing, Maton’s  last 3 appearances have been poor, and I don’t know if Martinez, and Montero have been any good at all this season

[WOSdrummer99]

Rangers got a Mets pitcher. So I predict he don't make it to the playoffs. They also just traded for another starter from the cards. It's said they now have the best rotation in MLB.

Astros looking to make a big splash as well. Let's hope so we need the help. 

[baddog]

11 hours ago, spidersal said:

Are you sure they are playing good enough to make the playoffs as of right now, because their pitching staff is doing some big time struggling 

Pitching staff struggling because they know they have to be perfect every time. There has been some bad fielding as well. That said, we are still in great position. Lot of baseball left. The cream is rising. 

[AggiesAreWe]

Stros with a 7-3 win over Cleveland

[baddog]

7 hours ago, AggiesAreWe said:

Stros with a 7-3 win over Cleveland

Great comeback win down 2-0 in the 1st. 

[BEARCPA]

France might be the team's MVP so far this season.

[baddog]

45 minutes ago, BEARCPA said:

France might be the team's MVP so far this season.

Doing very well. Reminds me of “Wild Thing”.

[BEARCPA]

Looks like JV is heading back to Houston!

[rupert3]

I don't know if the fans will embrace him or not, I have mixed feelings about it because he abandoned us once.  I wonder if Kate had anything to do with it.

All about $$$$

[WOSdrummer99]

6 minutes ago, rupert3 said:

All about $$$$

That's exactly why. Get it when u can. Never leave money on the table. I think that gives us a much better chance. He'll be comfortable back in Htown.

[rupert3]

9 minutes ago, WOSdrummer99 said:

That's exactly why. Get it when u can. Never leave money on the table. I think that gives us a much better chance. He'll be comfortable back in Htown.

I hold a grudge for when they let Nolan go.  But that is just me. They are still my Stros.  I hope he indeed gets us back in the game. Or helps.  Urquirdy should be back pretty soon too.

Then again I hope it don't upset the applecart so to say that makes them change the way the other players play.

[rupert3]

LOL, I guess I am just too old school.

[baddog]

30 minutes ago, rupert3 said:

I hold a grudge for when they let Nolan go.  But that is just me. They are still my Stros.  I hope he indeed gets us back in the game. Or helps.  Urquirdy should be back pretty soon too.

Then again I hope it don't upset the applecart so to say that makes them change the way the other players play.

If I remember correctly, Nolan wanted a mere $million per year and was turned down. As for Verlander, who doesn’t like him? I have to admit his pitching did not help us win the WS. Valdez and Javier were the better pitchers.

[snakehead26]

3 hours ago, baddog said:

If I remember correctly, Nolan wanted a mere $million per year and was turned down. As for Verlander, who doesn’t like him? I have to admit his pitching did not help us win the WS. Valdez and Javier were the better pitchers.

I think it's a good deal for all. When Verlander walked the Astros had three other starting pitchers they were counting on. Two were injured for the season (Garcia, McCullers) and a third Urquidy has been out and is returning soon.

Having another quality starter should help all involved. They could go to a six man rotation so some of these pitchers would not have such dead arms.  If it helps the other starters then the bullpen should not be taxed as much. Also, we would not have to shuffle these pitchers that are not major league quality up and down (Blanco, Bielak, and Dubin).

So if it works out this way we should have all around healthier players and a better chance to get to the WS.

 

[baddog]

8 minutes ago, snakehead26 said:

I think it's a good deal for all. When Verlander walked the Astros had three other starting pitchers they were counting on. Two were injured for the season (Garcia, McCullers) and a third Urquidy has been out and is returning soon.

Having another quality starter should help all involved. They could go to a six man rotation so some of these pitchers would not have such dead arms.  If it helps the other starters then the bullpen should not be taxed as much. Also, we would not have to shuffle these pitchers that are not major league quality up and down (Blanco, Bielak, and Dubin).

So if it works out this way we should have all around healthier players and a better chance to get to the WS.

 

I understand that. i’m a Verlander fan. I’m just making unpopular statements. Verlander pitched us into the playoffs and won some playoff games, but the world series…..others stepped up, and the Peña bats took over. Seriously, our biggest problem right now is run support. With our starting pitching injuries, Verlander is a welcome acquisition, but even he needs run support……ask Nolan Ryan about run support. He lost so many games 1-0…2-1… yada yada yada….

[baddog]

I also have a problem dealing away top prospects. I will still like to watch baseball after this year. Verlander maybe has one more year. If he is the best we can do, why isn’t he still a Met?

[snakehead26]

7 minutes ago, baddog said:

I understand that. i’m a Verlander fan. I’m just making unpopular statements. Verlander pitched us into the playoffs and won some playoff games, but the world series…..others stepped up, and the Peña bats took over. Seriously, our biggest problem right now is run support. With our starting pitching injuries, Verlander is a welcome acquisition, but even he needs run support……ask Nolan Ryan about run support. He lost so many games 1-0…2-1… yada yada yada….

 

[snakehead26]

41 minutes ago, baddog said:

I also have a problem dealing away top prospects. I will still like to watch baseball after this year. Verlander maybe has one more year. If he is the best we can do, why isn’t he still a Met?

Of course you know it is about trying to win now. We don't know if those prospects will pan out and if they do when they will pan out. Also, we don't know if Verlander will pitch well or not so it is just a roll of the dice.

[snakehead26]

42 minutes ago, baddog said:

I understand that. i’m a Verlander fan. I’m just making unpopular statements. Verlander pitched us into the playoffs and won some playoff games, but the world series…..others stepped up, and the Peña bats took over. Seriously, our biggest problem right now is run support. With our starting pitching injuries, Verlander is a welcome acquisition, but even he needs run support……ask Nolan Ryan about run support. He lost so many games 1-0…2-1… yada yada yada….

Yep I was Astro fan back in 1980 as well...or  you can ask Roger Clemens in 2005. Astros lost 5 games he started 1-0 including three consecutive starts.

More run support would definitely help and it lowers the pitching stress knowing= you don't have to be perfect.

The thing I was looking at was the games from start of season to the middle of June our ERA was 3.3. In games since middle of June our ERA has ballooned to 4.84.

[WOSdrummer99]

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[rupert3]

Valdez a NO NO 2-0  Wow

[snakehead26]

24 minutes ago, rupert3 said:

Valdez a NO NO 2-0  Wow

Great outing by Valdez. He wants to show he is still ace of the staff. Encouraging that Brown and him both had good outings their last starts. Hopefully we can get Javier back  to being his old self again.

[WOSdrummer99]

I think the pressure on Framber is less now. He had a much better season last year knowing that he didn't have to shoulder so much load. This is what adding a Verlander type can do. And as a result he had the best game of his career. They call it Maddox when it's less than 100 pitches. Only took him 93 pitches and faced the minimum 27 batters. Only 1 walk.

[baddog]

7 hours ago, WOSdrummer99 said:

I think the pressure on Framber is less now. He had a much better season last year knowing that he didn't have to shoulder so much load. This is what adding a Verlander type can do. And as a result he had the best game of his career. They call it Maddox when it's less than 100 pitches. Only took him 93 pitches and faced the minimum 27 batters. Only 1 walk.

So happy for Framber. One walk from a perfect game. 

[AggiesAreWe]

On 7/30/2023 at 9:17 PM, spidersal said:

I hope you are right, however I think they will be the 6th seed after the Cleveland, New York, and Baltimore series. Hopefully from there, they will pick it up and have a chance to win their division. Bielak’s last 2 starts have been disappointing, Maton’s  last 3 appearances have been poor, and I don’t know if Martinez, and Montero have been any good at all this season

Your prediction is off to a roaring start.

Stros sweep Cleveland.