2024 Astros

[AggiesAreWe]

On June 18, the Astros were 10 games behind Seattle and 3.5 games back of Texas.

13 days later, Houston is just 3.5 back of Seattle and 4.5 ahead of Texas.

Stros need to continue this pace to the all star break.

[baddog]

1 hour ago, A BUC 77 said:

That was that ump's first time behind the plate.

Porter was behind the plate when Altuve argued a called 3rd strike for his 1st ejection. Porter was the 3rd base ump in this case. That’s why I said involved. 

[baddog]

Alvarez….what a clutch bat.

[rupert3]

Nicer 4 hitter for Brown   2 homer win 3-1.  Albarez was there for sure.

Roger Clements son Homer in bottom of 9.

They must have enoyed that 69 degree game

[AggiesAreWe]

After starting off the season 7-19, Astros have gone 36-22 since. Had the best record in baseball for the month of June.

Over a month ago Houston was 8th in the AL in runs scored, 13th in runs allowed. Now the Astros are 6th in runs scored and 7th in runs allowed. Offense has been consistent but the pitching has definitely improved.

Also, Houston leads all of MLB in team batting average (.265) and have the fewest team strikeouts (575) in all of MLB. Next lowest is Padres with 594.

Astros were at one point the worst team in baseball with blown save opps. At one point Houston had blown 10 saves in 18 opportunities. Now that stat is at 18 saves in 31 opps. So they have converted on 10 of last 13 save opportunities. Those blown save opps earlier in season could have Houston in 1st place right now.

The current projections (based on remaining schedules and current trends) has Houston winning division with 89 wins. Seattle predicted to finish with 87 wins. Rangers predicted to finish with 79 wins.

[baddog]

3 hours ago, AggiesAreWe said:

After starting off the season 7-19, Astros have gone 36-22 since. Had the best record in baseball for the month of June.

Over a month ago Houston was 8th in the AL in runs scored, 13th in runs allowed. Now the Astros are 6th in runs scored and 7th in runs allowed. Offense has been consistent but the pitching has definitely improved.

Also, Houston leads all of MLB in team batting average (.265) and have the fewest team strikeouts (575) in all of MLB. Next lowest is Padres with 594.

Astros were at one point the worst team in baseball with blown save opps. At one point Houston had blown 10 saves in 18 opportunities. Now that stat is at 18 saves in 31 opps. So they have converted on 10 of last 13 save opportunities. Those blown save opps earlier in season could have Houston in 1st place right now.

The current projections (based on remaining schedules and current trends) has Houston winning division with 89 wins. Seattle predicted to finish with 87 wins. Rangers predicted to finish with 79 wins.

Don’t know where you get all of those stats, but I like them. 
Duboń is a player they should try and find room for every game. He’s a very scrappy player and can play most positions. 

[AggiesAreWe]

3 minutes ago, baddog said:

Don’t know where you get all of those stats, but I like them. 
Duboń is a player they should try and find room for every game. He’s a very scrappy player and can play most positions. 

MLB and CBS Sports websites.

[baddog]

3 hours ago, AggiesAreWe said:

MLB and CBS Sports websites.

Thank you. I’m lazy sometimes. These are stats that the announcers use during games and I always wondered where they came from. 

[rupert3]

Arraghetti gave up too many run early and comeback came up short 7-6 loss.

Alvarez number 18

[baddog]

5 hours ago, rupert3 said:

Arraghetti gave up too many run early and comeback came up short 7-6 loss.

Alvarez number 18

At least the Mariners lost also. 

[1989NDN]

Question for the baseball experts.  7-6, Blue Jays leading the Astros in the top of the 9th.  Houston's Jeremy Pena leads off with a double.  Joey Loperfido up to bat.  Loperfido does NOT make any attempt to bunt Pena over to 3rd base!  What was Joe Espada thinking?  Instead, Loperfido strikes out.  Three swing for the fences misses.  I went nuts yelling at the TV and reiterating my call to fire the incompetent Espada and his entire staff.  One out.  Trey Cabbage up to bat.  Again, Espada fails to have Cabbage show bunt, much less successfully bunt Pena over to 3rd base.  Cabbage strikes out on three consecutive fast balls.  Altuve up to bat.  Flies out to CF.

Isn't the right move to have Loperfido bunt Pena over to 3rd base?  Put Pena 90-feet from the tie.  If Pena is standing on 3rd with one out, then anything can happen.  Pass ball, score; sac-fly, score; or put the ball in play, score.  Nope.  Not Espada.  That idiot has Loperfido and Cabbage swing and miss.  My colleagues at work say, that's old baseball.  Not the right play now.  What is this old baseball vs. new baseball.  Isn't the right play to ALWAYS bunt, move the runner to 3rd, and play for the tie?

Espada consistently makes the wrong move.  Espada and Josh Miller are incompetent with the Astros pitching staff.  They never go with feel or instinct.  Frustrating.  That's a discussion for another day.  What's the right play for the 9th inning...bunt or swing for the fences?    

[1989NDN]

I agree with the posters above.  I'd find a way for Dubon to play every game.

[baddog]

A couple games ago, he had Alvarez attempt a bunt with bases empty and 2 outs. I still haven’t figured that one out. 

[baddog]

1 hour ago, 1989NDN said:

Question for the baseball experts.  7-6, Blue Jays leading the Astros in the top of the 9th.  Houston's Jeremy Pena leads off with a double.  Joey Loperfido up to bat.  Loperfido does NOT make any attempt to bunt Pena over to 3rd base!  What was Joe Espada thinking?  Instead, Loperfido strikes out.  Three swing for the fences misses.  I went nuts yelling at the TV and reiterating my call to fire the incompetent Espada and his entire staff.  One out.  Trey Cabbage up to bat.  Again, Espada fails to have Cabbage show bunt, much less successfully bunt Pena over to 3rd base.  Cabbage strikes out on three consecutive fast balls.  Altuve up to bat.  Flies out to CF.

Isn't the right move to have Loperfido bunt Pena over to 3rd base?  Put Pena 90-feet from the tie.  If Pena is standing on 3rd with one out, then anything can happen.  Pass ball, score; sac-fly, score; or put the ball in play, score.  Nope.  Not Espada.  That idiot has Loperfido and Cabbage swing and miss.  My colleagues at work say, that's old baseball.  Not the right play now.  What is this old baseball vs. new baseball.  Isn't the right play to ALWAYS bunt, move the runner to 3rd, and play for the tie?

Espada consistently makes the wrong move.  Espada and Josh Miller are incompetent with the Astros pitching staff.  They never go with feel or instinct.  Frustrating.  That's a discussion for another day.  What's the right play for the 9th inning...bunt or swing for the fences?    

New baseball-old baseball….. there’s a difference? The correct call with no outs is to bunt the runner to 3rd. 

[A BUC 77]

Espada said bunting against that pitcher throwing upper 90's would be tough.  But I'm with you.  Bunt the ball.  My dad was jumping in his grave.

[myrecordwashorrible]

Your thoughts on Loperfido while valid has counter arguments.  Can Loperfido bunt very well would be first and doing it well in BP is a world of difference from, as Espada stated, from bunting 90 plus fast balls.  After the strike out though, I question why bunting Cabbage at all with an out on the board. With 2 outs it requires a hit to score, thus Cabbage should be swinging. 

As for Alvarez, if I recall the situation you mention, he likely did that on his own as the 3rd baseman was shifted way off the line.  I simply do not recall the score or what inning which would play a huge role in that decision. 

Dubon seeing more playing time...agreed.  

Fire Espada for that decision would mean you call for most managers to be fired. Yes, I realize you have other reasons as well. 

Interesting thought on bunting I have heard from an old timer that has changed his bunt thoughts.  He doesn't care for it much anymore because players strike out to expletive expletive  much to justify it very often. His statement, "I would have had him bunt, but the next fatherless child would strike out, so forget it."  Which is exactly what happened with Cabbage. Thus, to ALWAYS bunt, no for sure.  Do it in the same situation with different players, absolutely...but like an adult diaper...it depends.

[rupert3]

I guess they were used to come back wins without playing the odds that's all

[rupert3]

Reallyy nice 9-2 crazy win.  Everything happened

Alvarez number 18 dinger  Hit by pitch was a hero tonight  

[baddog]

14 hours ago, myrecordwashorrible said:

Your thoughts on Loperfido while valid has counter arguments.  Can Loperfido bunt very well would be first and doing it well in BP is a world of difference from, as Espada stated, from bunting 90 plus fast balls.  After the strike out though, I question why bunting Cabbage at all with an out on the board. With 2 outs it requires a hit to score, thus Cabbage should be swinging. 

As for Alvarez, if I recall the situation you mention, he likely did that on his own as the 3rd baseman was shifted way off the line.  I simply do not recall the score or what inning which would play a huge role in that decision. 

Dubon seeing more playing time...agreed.  

Fire Espada for that decision would mean you call for most managers to be fired. Yes, I realize you have other reasons as well. 

Interesting thought on bunting I have heard from an old timer that has changed his bunt thoughts.  He doesn't care for it much anymore because players strike out to expletive expletive  much to justify it very often. His statement, "I would have had him bunt, but the next fatherless child would strike out, so forget it."  Which is exactly what happened with Cabbage. Thus, to ALWAYS bunt, no for sure.  Do it in the same situation with different players, absolutely...but like an adult diaper...it depends.

All good points and probably why I’m not a manager in MLB. Top of the 9th with a runner on second and no outs, needing 1 run to tie or game over, the runner needs to be advanced to 3rd so that a sac fly comes in to play. If your batter can’t bunt, you pinch hit with someone who can. Baseball is all about percentages and I believe that bunting gives you the best chance at scoring that run. I’ll return to my armchair now. 

[rupert3]

Mariners lose and Rangers lose.  Now 2 games out of first and 5 games ahead of Rangers.

[AggiesAreWe]

5-3 win over Jays. Took 3 of 4.

Astros have won 12 of last 14.

[rupert3]

Really nice 5-3 series win.  Alvarez HBP twice and walked twice.  Scared of him.

Altuve an Alvarez to start All Star Game.

1 1/2 games out

[baddog]

37 minutes ago, AggiesAreWe said:

5-3 win over Jays. Took 3 of 4.

Astros have won 12 of last 14.

That’s incredible if your team is fully healthy. I think the Oriole sweep was the catalyst. Right now, Duboń is my favorite player. He was 2-4 today with an RBI. 

[baddog]

Mariners losing at the halfway mark 2-0.

[rupert3]

Mariners 7-2 bottom 7