Tonight will be your night to join in on a live blog for the Houston Astros opening night against the Cleveland Indians. The same rules as always apply: Post as much as you want, argue as much as you want, but please do so in a polite way. This blog is a family post and after a weekend full of family. The hope is that you treat the members here better than you do your own family….
Preview: Opening Night
The 2014 AL Cy Young winner was not King Felix Hernandez of the M’s (though there are good arguments for it being him). It was not new Washington National gazillionaire Max Scherzer, late of the Tigers, or Yankee Phillip Hughes or Red Sox/A’s Jon Lester or Rays/Tiger David Price.
So big kudos to you if you said it was the Astros’ opening night opponent Indian Corey Kluber (18-9 with a 2.44 ERA in 2014) who sounds like he should be the next boy band Justin Bieber wannabe… but with talent.
The pitching matchup between Kluber and Dallas Keuchel, who sounds like a North Texas deli sandwich is one of the best matchups on paper tonight when you consider Keuchel (12-9 with a 2.93 ERA) was also an AL top 10 starter last season. In 2014 Keuchel did not face Cleveland, but Kluber had a late season win (7 IP, 1 run) against the Astros.
On the offensive side, the Indians were right around league average in runs scored (4.13/game), BA (.253), OBP (.317) and OPS (.706) in 2014. They are hoping the pickup of All-Star Brandon Moss from the A’s (25 HR/81 RBI/.772 OPS) will give them a more solid middle of the lineup – teaming up with 1B rock superstar Carlos Santana (27/85/.792) and LF Michael Brantley (20/97/.890). They are also hoping that they get bounce back years from ex-Astro Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis, who populate the top of the lineup more often than their .314 and .310 OBP would suggest they should.
We’ve talked the Astros to death. Offensively they are hoping that Luis Valbuena + Evan Gattis + Colby Rasmus + Jed Lowrie makes up for losing Dexter Fowler and a whole lot more. They want their 3.88 runs/game to get above league average. However, Kluber may not be the right guy to help them with that quest.
So join in tonight and hopefully you can make this a memorable opening night for the Astros and for this blog.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
102 responses to “Astros Opening Night: Live Blog!!!”
Woohoo! Puh-laay ballllll!
Go Blue Devils!
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You will probably throw me off the blog Chip, but I was born in Wisconsin so I am pulling for the underdogs … or underBadgers in this case.
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Of course, we all know that Kentucky is already the national champ, so tonight is just for fun anyway! S-E-C!
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Go Bucky!
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Thanks for hosting the live blog, Dan. I’ll have to record the game and watch it later, as i have a series of meetings about ready to start. So, until tomorrow, here is Mr. Bill’s opening day Astro blessing:
May Chris Carter prove Mr. Bill horribly wrong 162 times in 2015.
May a continuous string of Springer Dingers replace the fake oranges as the spheroid objects being hauled by the rail cars on the great locomtive above left field.
May Dallas Keuchel put a ‘keuch’ in every opposing team’s offense bottle.
May Jose Altuve improve flirt with Ted Williams numbers and earn the nickname Al-FOOOUUUURRRR-vey!
May Luis Valbuena’s OBP exceed Dexter Fowler’s best by .25 points.
May Luke Gregerson become the next great Astro Save-Eeyore.
May Jason Castro regain that shimmering, shining, all-star glow.
May JFSF make the world forget Willy Mays and start saying ” Say Jay!
May Jed Lowrie keep his family fed and granny off the sauce [oops, I may be thinking about the wrong Jed].
May Hank Conger get stronger and stronger, hit the ball longer and longer, and never, ever break a thumb or a fonger.
May Wojo grow and grow and flow and flow in Stro’ Mojo.
May Roberto Hernandez not blow. Please.
May Mr. Rasmus become Mr. Blast-mus.
May our Peacock strut, our Fields blossom, and our Obie never want a kanobi [whether or not it happens to be legal in Colorado].
May MarGo make us forget about ‘That Girl’.
May Jim Crane find a golf partner that people in Texas can stomach at last.
May our resident highlanders Evan Gattis and Colin McHugh appear together at least one ‘star of the game’ interview this year dressed in kilts and blaring out “The Parting Glass” on bagpipes. Good night and joy be to you all.
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Classic Mr. Bill! We’ll expect another edition around the trade deadline! And…for every future opening day!
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Love it Mr Bill! I guess you have to stay away to not get spoilers here.
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How about Chris Carter with that gold glove like defense at 1B? 😉
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Singleton would have goofed it up….
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Nice top of the first – Keuchel mowed down the first 3 with nothing hit hard. Exactl lik he did last season.
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Altuve struck out – the bum
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Altuve grounded out to SS.
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Kluber matches Keuchel in the first – Springer hit one hard to right center and no Ks for once.
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I can’t tell you the last time I saw the Astros play on TV. And, this will be a rare treat for me…
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Well. I suppose we’ll have to revist the #1 conversation tomorrow if Mr. Keuchel keeps this up!
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Keuchel ain’t regressing so far – strikes out the side in the 2nd! Beautiful breaking pitches.
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How about Kid Keuchy striking out the side? Your 2015 AL Cy Young, ladies and gentlemen.
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It was impressive Tim
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Keep it up and he’ll be movin’ up this list:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/ranking-all-30-opening-day-starters-030239321.html
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I’m liking Keuchel’s pitching efficiency – 20 or 21 pitches.
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The way this game is going I will be able to watch tip off tonight. No issues with pace of play in the Astros game.
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I love it when the pitchers pitch with pace and so do the fielders
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The other K guy – Kluber does not want to give up the Cy
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Keuchel gives up the hit but gets them to keep pounding it into the ground – no runs thru 3 for him.
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great game thru 3
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Dang! Who was it knocking Carter’s D at 1B? Nothing spectacular, but steady!
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I took the garbage out – come back and Keuchel has 2 outs already
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That was a gold glove play by our gold glover.
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At this rate, Keuchel could get to the 7th, but we’ll get a chance to see that new $$$$ bullpen tonight! More likely, he’ll finish six…
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I wonder what his pitch count is this early in the season.
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Rangers sign Wandy to minor league deal.
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Praying for just an Astro hit (-; Keuchel looking strong, Tuve 2 Ks Yikes, opening day overload
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Altuve only has 1 K so far. Ground out to SS leading off the game.
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Dang gattis bullet right at LF
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He tattoed it Kevin.
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Two very different pitchers – one a power righty and one a finesse lefty – but young pitchers would do well to tape these guys and learn from it (yes I know nobody tapes anything anymore)
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Watching the broadcast on Root Sports tonight and the picture and camera work are gorgeous. The doohickey that gives the pitch count shows everything, unlike the spring training games.
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Don’t tease me OP. I’m just happy to see a game. I’d take it in black and white!
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Yikes Angel Hernandez is umping 1B – the guy can’t get thru a game without blowing a call
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Him and CB Bucknor are, by far, the worst umpires in baseball.
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Well at least they have instant replay for some calls now
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Nicely done Keuchel walks one but then gets a DP
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Keuchel 0 runs and 1 hit thru 5
This is feeling like the 1-0 24 inning game against the Mets in 1968.
Damn I’m old
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At 78 pitches, he’s probably got one more inning…then the pen…
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Keuchel is so good at locating his pitches. Every strike is on the edge of the strike zone somewhere.
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Carter made an out but I liked how he got a good long fly the other way on 2 strikes.
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Hey somebody stole our roof….
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Man – 5 innings and one hit total. Is this guys name – Yu Kluber?
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And we don’t have that hit – jinx – jinx.
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Rasmus snags one in LF that Carter Gattis and Grossman aren’t catching.
6 innings and Keuchel has given up the one hit and no runs
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We have a hit!
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And of course the first Astros hit is by Altuve.
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And the first SB….
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Springer!
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Way to go Altuve and Springer! No no-no. No shut out!
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You betcha!
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Huge 2 out hit Springer and the 1-0 lead
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woooohooooo now lets see some add on the next couple of innings.
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I hope Kluber is on an 80 pitch pitch count.
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We need a DP here.
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That’s how you pitch with 2 on and nobody out.
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Keuchel don’t need no stinking DPs – nice way to pirch out of it
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Pitch not pirch
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At 103 pitches for keuchel, you have to figure it’s Qualls/Neshek/Gregerson time, no?
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yepper chip. lets see how this revamped bullpen does.
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That has to be it
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Over 100 pitches. A switch-hitter and two lefthanders coming up. Will Sipp get the call?
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Qualls to start the 8th?
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Could be MD57
I did want to say how great that play was by Valbuena. Did not get an out but helped save a run definitely.
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I don’t think Matty D makes that play.
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Tim, that was a Brooks Robinson play. Few third baseman make that play.
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Agreed. That goes back to what I was saying on an earlier blog that the metrics say Valbuena is a better defensive 3B than Dominguez. Not that Matty D is bad, but Valbuena is better.
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And it is Sipp!
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