2024 Astros

[rupert3]

Nice 6-0 3 hit shutout.  New guys so most of it.

Back on track.

[1989NDN]

Nice game tonight vs. Baltimore by Gamel, Myers, and Whitcomb at the bottom of the lineup.  Interesting developments since the All-Star break.  Seattle fired Servais with the Mariners sitting 5 games off the lead and Texas is still 10 games back.  I hope the Astros can stay hot and finish the AL west race in first place.  What's everyone's thoughts about (1) the Astros possibly going to a six-man starting pitching rotation, and (2) Bregman saying his elbow may keep him from playing everyday down the stretch?

[rupert3]

Terrible bullpem blow.  Leading 5-2 in bottom 8th and Abreu loads bases then gives up Grand Slam and another run.  Just crazy. 7-5 loss

[rupert3]

Well lose 3-2 on only 2 dingers and 4 hits for Stros.  Maybe split tomorrow

[baddog]

Infield has been making terrible errors. Should have let Framber pitch the final out of the inning. First thing I ever learned playing infield was to CHARGE the ball.

[baddog]

Only Peña can score from 1st on a base hit. That guy can fly

[rupert3]

Nice 2 hit 6-3 win for the split.  Hader 28 saves.  Bregman/Diaz back to back dingers

Mariners and Rangers win

[AggiesAreWe]

2 minutes ago, rupert3 said:

Nice 2 hit 6-3 win for the split.  Hader 28 saves.  Bregman/Diaz back to back dingers

Mariners and Rangers win

Rangers lost

[rupert3]

9 minutes ago, AggiesAreWe said:

Rangers lost

Ur right sorry

[rupert3]

Phillies walk off single bottom 10  3-2 .  Kinda uneventful game ho-hum

[1989NDN]

Joe Espada strikes again.  Sigh.  70-61.

[rupert3]

Well another ho hum 5-0 game loss with only4 hits

If they don't start hitting soon we gonna be eating dust.

[spidersal]

Astros are folding fast. About 2 weeks from being behind Seattle Continue to play guys that can’t hit Peña outstanding SS but can’t hit. Myers and McCormick are excellent outfielders but can’t hit and do not have a 1st baseman that can hit. They better get it together or they will be sitting at home this postseason GM needs to go

[1989NDN]

The offense is feast or famine.  Kyle Tucker seems done for the year.  I wonder if the Astros are going to reconsider their efforts to re-sign him long term.  Also, with Bregman’s elbow injury, might the Astros forego resigning him?  The Astros are desperate to find production, so they are bringing in 35-year-old Jason Heyward hoping to catch lightening in a bottle, but I think he’s done.  This reminds me of the Jose Abreu situation.  A washed-up player who can’t hit.  As pointed out above, the Astros have enough of those players already.  They don’t need another old player who can’t hit.  Even as the Astros fold, I’m not sure either Seattle or Texas wants to make a run.  There is still time for both of those teams to get hot and catch the Astros, but maybe the Astros will right the ship and win just enough to get into the playoffs.  I’m not a Dana Brown or Joe Espada fan.  I’d like to get rid of both of them and tell Jeff Bagwell that he is no longer welcome anywhere near the GM’s office.  We don’t need his advice to bring in garbage.  Anyone have the number for Jeff Luhnow or James Click?  Go Astros!

[baddog]

14 hours ago, spidersal said:

Astros are folding fast. About 2 weeks from being behind Seattle Continue to play guys that can’t hit Peña outstanding SS but can’t hit. Myers and McCormick are excellent outfielders but can’t hit and do not have a 1st baseman that can hit. They better get it together or they will be sitting at home this postseason GM needs to go

I may disagree with some decisions by the front office and play on the field, but I never give up on my team. I’ll be at the KC game this coming Saturday. Win or lose, I always have a good time going to Minute Maid. Gamel has been a pleasant surprise batting over .400. Phillies are tied with the Dodgers and Yankees for the best record in baseball, so they are no slouch. 

[AggiesAreWe]

Astros are 7th in runs scored in AL and currently have the 3rd highest team batting avg. (.260) in all of baseball. Only Padres and Diamondbacks have higher batting average. Also, Houston has the 3rd fewest team strikeouts in all of baseball. Only Padres and Royals have struck out fewer times than the Astros.

Now as of late, it's been the hitting with runner on or scoring position that Houston has been poor. That has to get better.

Astros pitching is still improving. Now down to a season best team ERA of 3.75. They are also now 2nd in AL in runs allowed.

Houston is in the middle of an 18 game schedule where they do not have a day off. This current road trip is a doozy with Baltimore and Philly. If Houston can get the win this afternoon, I actually am ok with them going 3-4 on the road against those two opponents.

The goal for Houston is to get to 86-87 wins. Seattle will not get to that number. Astros can go 17-13 the rest of the season and that will most likely win the division. I just don't see Seattle going 21-8 or 20-9 the remainder of the season. 

Yes the Astros have lost 6 of their last 8 games. But Seattle has only won 3 of their last 8 and just 4 of their last 14 games against lesser opponents (minus the 3 games they had against the Dodgers) MLB currently has Houston as an 88% chance to win the division and 90% chance to make playoffs.

But I am not surprised by some comments from the "glass half empty" section.

[Chester86]

I personally am okay with a little cool down right now.  They have a very tough stretch with the Orioles/Phillies/Royals.  They split with the Orioles, and if they can win one from the Phillies and split with the Royals I’ll be happy.  Hopefully we’ll get some people back, get them acclimatized and back in playing shape, the pitchers who have been slumping can get hot and we can make another deep run.  Lots of ifs - but I like our chances.

[spidersal]

Excellent post by AggiesAreWe, until the last sentence Even though they should have won 3 of 4 vs Orioles (pitching letdown), the players that I mentioned have poor batting averages Yes they are very good on defense, however they are struggling at the plate, especially with runners on base. Do they still have a chance to win the division(absolutely), but to do it their hitting, especially with runners on base must improve

you have some excellent comments, but it just annoys you when I post some factual comments. Have a good week

[AggiesAreWe]

45 minutes ago, spidersal said:

Excellent post by AggiesAreWe, until the last sentence Even though they should have won 3 of 4 vs Orioles (pitching letdown), the players that I mentioned have poor batting averages Yes they are very good on defense, however they are struggling at the plate, especially with runners on base. Do they still have a chance to win the division(absolutely), but to do it their hitting, especially with runners on base must improve

you have some excellent comments, but it just annoys you when I post some factual comments. Have a good week

You post your opinion, not facts.

Like Pena can't hit but his average is .275, 15 points above the team average and 30th in the AL. There are 114 players in the AL batting worse than Pena. His average is 26 points higher than the AL overall average (.249)

I post stats (which are facts). 

[AggiesAreWe]

10-0 win for the Astros. 18 hits

Arrighetti with 11 K's, no runs and just 2 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Houston remains 3.5 ahead of Seattle

[1989NDN]

Offensive explosion today!  I'll take it.  Arrighetti with another strong game.  Big props to him for saving our bullpen ahead of the KC series.  GO ASTROS!

[baddog]

Alvarez was 4-4 with 3 HRs and 4 RBIs. Bats weren’t silent this time. Shutting out the Phillies is a great feat.

[spidersal]

Nice win today and they hit the ball. AggiesAreWe, thanks for your input, I stand corrected on Peña, however on target on the others mentioned

[AggiesAreWe]

4 minutes ago, spidersal said:

Nice win today and they hit the ball. AggiesAreWe, thanks for your input, I stand corrected on Peña, however on target on the others mentioned

Pretty sure every team in the MLB #7-9 hitters don't hit very well. As to why they bat at the bottom of the order. MLB is full of 7-9 hitters batting under .250. 

Not hard to point that out.

[spidersal]

Again you are correct and that is exactly what my post stated except for my mistake on Peña which you corrected, so I would say my post was not an opionion