Gameday Thread: ALDS : Astros @ Rays Game 3 10-7-2019

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Jesus somehow I forgot the Astros acquired Greinke...all you hear about is Verlander and Cole...what a scary top 3 to face in the playoffs

[Jay]

Four games today, it's a beautiful thing.

 

[Angel Oracle]

The Astros Invitational continues.

[krAbs]

This Astros team is incredible. Gotta think they area head and shoulders above every other team out there right now, especially in a playoff format. That hitting, combined with that 1-2-3 pitching, with good relief. Forget about it.

[fan_since79]

It's depressing to compare the Astros with our own team. The contrast is profound.

The offseason pitching signings will mean everything to our hopes to contend in 2020. Meanwhile, keep those draft picks coming and hope the kids can mature in the minors in the next couple of years. But the division title anytime soon? Not likely.

 

[krAbs]

2 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

It's depressing to compare the Astros with our own team. The contrast is profound.

The offseason pitching signings will mean everything to our hopes to contend in 2020. Meanwhile, keep those draft picks coming and hope the kids can mature in the minors in the next couple of years. But the division title anytime soon? Not likely.

 

The silver lining is that you can see SOME question marks around the future of the Astros rotation. Verlander is getting old, as is Greinke (and Greinke is actually starting to show it). If Cole walks, then your rotation is held down by two aging pitchers. Not sure how their farm looks for starting pitching, but they still certainly have young, talented hitting. But, SOME cracks, at least (as opposed to now, where the team looks kinda perfect).

[Vlad27Trout27]

It clear that teams like the Twins and Rays rely on the long Ball, but this doesn't work in the playoff, especially against power dominating pitching staffs. 

[krAbs]

Lol as I talk up the Astros, Greinke gets hit hard.

[Vlad27Trout27]

Just now, krAbs said:

The silver lining is that you can see SOME question marks around the future of the Astros rotation. Verlander is getting old, as is Greinke (and Greinke is actually starting to show it). If Cole walks, then your rotation is held down by two aging pitchers. Not sure how their farm looks for starting pitching, but they still certainly have young, talented hitting. But, SOME cracks, at least (as opposed to now, where the team looks kinda perfect).

Its the astros, they don't develop pitchers in their system, but they will randomly find some scrub and turn him into an Ace. I hope there luck runs out.   

[Vlad27Trout27]

Just now, krAbs said:

Lol as I talk up the Astros, Greinke gets hit hard.

Keep talking Sir, No one wants to see the Astros Winning!

[Lou]

Dbacks won the trade!

[Angel Oracle]

The last piece to the Astros puzzle was the lefty hitting Alvarez, as only Brantley previously supplied any lefty power at the plate.     Excellent lefty/righty balance now in the lineup 

[krAbs]

1 minute ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Keep talking Sir, No one wants to see the Astros Winning!

I mean...I kinda want to watch the Astros stomp on the Dodgers. Granted, maybe that makes us less likely to get Cole? IDK.

[Lou]

3 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Its the astros, they don't develop pitchers in their system, but they will randomly find some scrub and turn him into an Ace. I hope there luck runs out.   

who are all these scrubs that you are referring to? 

[Stradling]

Just now, Lou said:

who are all these scrubs that you are referring to? 

Charlie Morton

[Lou]

Just now, Stradling said:

Charlie Morton

he wasn't a scrub 

[Broad Street]

Why are these playoff games starting so early?

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

he wasn't a scrub 

4.54 ERA in the NL and a 1.44 WHIP.  His ERA+ went from an 84 to a 123.  May not be a scrub but certainly improved a ton going to a more difficult league, in a hitters ballpark and seeing improvement in all categories.  

[Lou]

ok, even if you count him as a scrub, who are the others? I'm waiting for the litany of starters who became aces. 

Verlander, Cole and Greinke sure as hell wouldn't qualify as scrubs. 

EDIT: in 2 of his last 3 full seasons in the NL, Morton had ERAs of 3.26 & 3.74. 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

ok, even if you count him as a scrub, who are the others? I'm waiting for the litany of starters who became aces. 

Verlander, Cole and Greinke sure as hell wouldn't qualify as scrubs. 

it isn't my narrative, I just came up with the one that I felt deserved mention.  

The narrative should read something along the lines of, "where pitchers meet their potential" and Cole and Verlander would apply in that narrative as well, since they came here after a down year or two (by their standards) and pitched at a VERY high level.  

[fan_since79]

25 minutes ago, Kody Mac said:

Why are these playoff games starting so early?

Four games today so they have to start early.

[Dick B Back]

Ji-Man has as many post season HRs as Trout. Somebody had to post it so why not a dick.

[krAbs]

IMO, it was not obvious that either Cole or Verlander were gonna be as good as they have been for the Astros. Both had bad numbers just prior to coming to the Astros, and I subjectively remember question marks being raised about both before they came.

Who was the "spin rate guy" who the Astros were able to turn into someone good for a while? Is he still doing anything? I think he was one of their top pitchers last time they went to the world series.

Edit - I think I'm thinking of McCullers. I remember seeing think pieces on how they took one of those dudes who no one saw anything in, and crafted a solid started, based on spin rate data. It could have been McHugh or Peacock also. None of them are looking all that hot, though.

[Taylor]

3 hours ago, Angels_Make_Me_Drink said:

Jesus somehow I forgot the Astros acquired Greinke...all you hear about is Verlander and Cole...what a scary top 3 to face in the playoffs

I agree.