October is here and the Astros matter

Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005. That was the last time the Astros won a meaningful game in October.

It was a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League (I know, it still hurts) Championship Series. On a fly ball to Jason Lane in right field in St. Louis, Roy Oswalt had just earned himself a new bulldozer. Chad Qualls had pitched the 8th inning. Dan Wheeler the 9th. Lane had also hit a home run.

Nearly 10 full years later, the Astros have another win — one that truly matters — in October. Well, unless you count the wins last week in Arizona. Those were nice, but this one truly matters.

It’s good to be back. It’s good to matter in October once again.

Here’s a few thoughts to get you started, but please take the conversation where you will. After all, we’ve all been waiting a long time to matter in October.

1. Dallas Keuchel repeatedly said post-game that the short rest didn’t affect him at all. In fact, he’d rather pitch on short rest than long rest. At what point last night did you stop worrying about the short rest thing?

2. Everyone interviewed said that Colby Rasmus’ homer allowed them to breathe a sigh of relief. How did you breathe when he flipped that bat and started trotting?

As a side note to that, on Facebook I posted a photo of colby jack cheese with the message, “Hey, Masahiro Tanaka, do you know what this is? It’s a little Colby Jack. #colbyrasmus.” My Royals-loving brother actually said I was funny. So, there’s another victory on the night.

3. Carlos Gomez’s homer felt even better to me. One run is nice. Insurance — especially with Keuchel on the mound — is better. Was that the point you thought they might really do this? Was it Jose Altuve’s RBI single? Something before that? Not until Marwin Gonzalez recorded the 27th out?

4. Unsettling fact: Houston managed only five hits. A win is a win, but that’s a lot of 0-fers out of this potent lineup. Concerned heading into Kansas City?

5. Speaking of concern; the Yankees had two on and two out with Alex Rodriguez coming to the plate. So A.J. Hinch wanders out to the mound with Chad Qualls warmed up in the bullpen. Show of hands: Who screamed at their TV?

6. Did you miss Alan Ashby and Bill Brown in the booth? I thought the girl did well, but the guys annoyed the heck out of me. Maybe I just missed familiar voices.

 

What impressions do you have from last night? Just happy to have a win? Happy to be ahead of schedule and to once again matter in October?

Yeah. Me too.

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142 responses to “October is here and the Astros matter”

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  1. I enjoy Kruk. Lady seemed knowledgeable. I still miss JD. Sept. made me skeptical of the bullpen until the 3rd out in the 9th. I screamed when I saw what I thought to be Qualls warming up and then again with Perez. Nice trick played on the Yankees. (lower case)

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  2. From this point on all we will face will be TOR guys. Unless one of them has a really bad off night, I don’t expect us to have any 10-hit games. I expect a lot of strikeouts. I just hope our TORs are better on the nights we play than theirs are. And i hope that in the supercharged playoff environment we get the one thing we have not gotten all year – timely hitting that makes the opposing pitcher pay a hig price for BBs and HBPs. I think the guys with the best chance to come through for us big time are at the top of the order, Marwin Gonzales, and Carlos Gomez. Gomez’ high-intensity personality should thrive in the super-hyped playoff environment.

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  3. I noticed that Keuchel turned his back on Hinch when he came out. I don’t think je was pleased. Maybe Hinch wanted to see how he felt but I think Hinch was ready to make a change. Glad it didn’t happen. No Qualls about it.
    Gomez is a spark plug, that’s for sure. That one HR almost made the trade palatable. If we want to advance the 0fers has got to be rectified. Otherwise, well we know what that means. I like Kruk but he didn’t seem to be in it. Enjoyed Chris Archer’s analysis. Kudos to Carter on taking the walks. Remember, a walk is just like a hit. And Villar’s stolen base.

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    • For most teams a walk is as good as a hit. For the Astros, not so much. We have to have the worst post-walk BA and post-HBP batting average in history. To walk an Astro with a hot bat is usually a very effective strategy, as we do not have a single ‘rally-stretcher’ OBP type-player below #3 in the order. Fortunately for us, Hinch batted Carter 8th, and one of Carter’s BBs came with less than 2 outs, giving the top of the order a chance to do what no one from 2-9 ever seems to do.

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  4. I knew Colby’s ball was gone because he didn’t run. He knew he had gotten all of it.
    Qualls was warming up to face one batter. He never had to face him.
    I’m pretty sure with having eight available relievers in the pen that Hinch had plans to use them in tandem as needed, with Qualls facing one righty and Perez facing a lefty or matched up with Neshek or Harris in the eighth.
    What was great about this game is that the entire team now has a taste of the playoffs and know what it is like. One game, win or walk away, now has given them an education.
    Wasn’t it great to get a home run from Gomez and then have Jake, from State Farm, to put in CF when Gomez started hurting? How about Villar to run for a patient Carter, follow by Marwin to play 1B late in the game?
    I thought the announcers were fine. They talked about all the things the Astros have done right this year and didn’t harp on the things they did poorly.
    I think New York was impressed by the Astros and depressed about their team.
    What I didn’t like about the broadcast was ESPN moving to the morgue for Girardi’s press conference and not staying with the Astros’ celebration. That was just plain awkward.

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  5. #1. Was not worried about Keuchel ever. Guy knows his stuff.
    #2. Rasmus says he’s fine when crowd yells at him, even about his hair. “They don’t know me from the man in the moon.” The homer was a bonus.
    #3. Gomez homer just a little more crow for me, since I’ve whined about the trade, but not totally convinced yet.
    #4. There’s some crazy little players there and we’re gonna get us some.
    $5. The only time in the entire game I was concerned was when Hinch walked to the mound with Squalls on the radar. Yes, I talked to the TV. But Hinch was just buying time, I think. Keuchel gave him his back. Pure drama.

    I watched the whole game, my first whole game of the season. No nerves. Somehow I knew down deep where you know, they had this.

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  6. OP saw your post last night and laughed I never got stressed, I stayed calm, I didn’t yell, now my wife was going bonkers she looks at me like what’s wrong with you, I said this game to me was a plus if we win great if not I’m OK. LOL NOT. Besides the 2 homers to me the biggest moment 1 on, 1 out, and Sipp paints the corner on BIRD HUGE K. That’s when I said we got this!

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  7. The darling wife and I quit worrying about Dallas when he had the quick third inning. He is a real bulldog out there.

    A huge sigh of relief was exhausted when Rasmus hit that moonshot. By the way… has it came down yet???

    I felt the Astros would do it since the end of the Arizona game. Dallas has the same reputation that JR Richard had when he pitched against teams. All these two have to do is just throw their glove up on the mound and the other team gives up. Just as JR owned some teams, Dallas owns the (SPIT) Yankees.

    I do wonder about the hitting still but if the club can hit the homeruns, even if they are solo shots, our starters can hold the other team in check and we will win.

    My hand is up! Yes, we both screamed at Hinch when he came out to check on Dallas. I told the wife that maybe Hinch is just checking Dallas’ temperature. Funny thing, when the television screen showed Qualls warming up we both screamed in unison, “NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” Then they showed Hinch on the mound then Qualls again and we both screamed in unison again, “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” Afterwards, I saw Perez warming and I screamed, “NOOOOO!!!!!”

    Yes, I missed our guys announcing the game. Did it seem to y’all as if the girl’s microphone was turned lower than the guys’?

    Real October baseball! Nothing like it! The wife still has her World Series cap and I told her to find it and wear!. I wore my old white cap with the late 90s’ navy and gold star on it!

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    • I forgot to mention, we noticed Tanaka was not able to throw a low pitch for a strike at all. So I coined a phrase and it was picked up by the wife…”If it’s low, then let it go.” After the second inning, the Astros’ right handed batters seemed to realize that Tanaka could not hit the low and outside corner and laid off. Gosh, even the free-swinging Carter realized that and walked a few times. Castro, however, did not get the memo.

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  8. I thought the Jessica Mendoza was fantastic. Normally, when I watch the other teams’ broadcast I do not enjoy their crew and miss Julia Morales. Last night I felt like they should have taken the mics away from the other guys more often.

    ESPN tweeted out last night that the Astros starting nine earned $27,859,980 in salary in ’15. Jacoby Ellsbury, not starting, earned $21,142,857. I’m not quite full-bopert decrying salary disparities and perceived penny pinching, but fully support using the resources wisely instead of just throwing dollars down the drain. This leads me into my next statement: give Altuve a rraise and get those Keuchel contract negotiations going as soon as the World Series ends. I don’t want to see either of those guys in pinstripes!!!

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  10. I stopped worrying about Keuchel in the third. He had the Yanks number and his confidence was obvious. I did, however, worry that Hinch would pull him too soon and blow the lead.

    I was happy with Rasmus HR but still nervous, felt a bit better when Gomez hit one, but when Altuve singled in Villar I was able to enjoy the rest of the game with a good feeling.

    I was ready to go hide when I saw Qualls warming up, same with Perez, and yes I screamed at the TV, dog, and husband.

    I did miss the locals. ESPN has never been my favorite. The girl was very baseball savvy the guys were OK. At least they were reasonably fair. That’s all That matters.
    Interviewing Girardi first was embarrassing. I hate the Yankees but I felt sorry for him. How unprofessional was that?

    I feel like OP1, To say these guys have exceeded my expectations is a huge understatement. I’m so very proud of these guys this morning. We’re still playing baseball in October. Pinch me!!!

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  11. Looking at the AL playoffs now from a historical prospective, you have four teams that do not fit the normal baseball totem pole. Rangers, Royals, Blue Jays and the Astros.
    I’m not sure that it means anything other than the fact that it is different. It feels fresh and it feels great to be relevant in something that is new.

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  12. You know what’s really awesome we are all not blogging on who the Astros will take with a top 3 pick in the draft. Or wow I sure hope so and so does well in the AFL. It’s Frigging October Baseball WAHOOOOO!

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  13. These guys seem to be developing a certain poise as that wade into the playoffs. It was not a real good Yankee team they beat last night, but anytime anyone goes into the Bronx and silences the crowd like that, well, our young team was not intimidated. That game was a microcosm of the 2015 Astros. Great starting pitching, lack of timely hits, a couple of huge homers, excellent defense, stolen bases, and most importantly, our good bullpen made an appearance. If the pen is solid, we could go pretty deep into this post season. That’s the key. And our guys don’t really have any pressure on them. Nobody expects them to do anything.

    I did not miss our broadcast guys one bit. They have become redundant. Anyone else notice Brent Strom doing his little happy dance in the background last night? A good laugh. Keuchel was getting some calls last night. Calls Cy Young gets.

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  14. Anyone else feel like this is exceptionally special?
    I’ve witnessed every Astros playoff team that’s come along but this one is somehow different. I feel like I helped raise these kids. I feel a very personal pride.

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    • Sandy that is cool perspective and so true. We have watched a lot of these guys from Rookie ball to The Bigs. I could swear somewhere along the way I changed Altuve, Springer and CC diapers (-;

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  15. For the play-offs:
    1. I like Villar as a pinch-runner or as a last-ditch pinch hitter only.
    2. I hope Preston Tucker gets some chances at DH against righties.
    3. I hope Carlos Gomez stays healthy enough to contribute some each game.
    4. I hope Carlos Correa amazes everyone both with the bat and with the glove.
    5. I hope Valbuena and Carter make us forget the horrible year they had at the plate.
    6. I hope George Springer leads everyone in the play-offs with extra-base hits, runs scored, and highlight-reel catches.
    7. I hope Jason Castro catches each game.
    8. I hope we get 7 or more innings per start out of each starter from this point forward.
    9. I hope if KC walks or hits any of our hitters, our next hitter steps up and drills a monster home run.

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    • If the Royals hit one of our guys, I hope he is ejected IMMEDIATELY. Every team who has played them this year, has had at least one guy get plunked. They play dirty.

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  16. I listened to Robert Ford on the radio…..he is awesome calling the games, his side kick not so much. I thought the young lady held her own in the ESPN booth……good for her! I was never worried about Keuchel, he wanted this game more than anything! I did scream at the tv, when Mr. Whiney butt Brian McCann was screaming at the home plate umpire….and then after he got back in the dugout. He needed to shut up and take a seat….the umpire called a good game for BOTH pitchers. Tanaka was nervous and it showed…..he just couldn’t throw strikes. When I heard that Qualls was warming up, I wanted to cry…that’s how much I don’t trust him anymore. Sipp was a little shaky too, but settled down after the walk. All in all, I started out in a panic, but it quickly went away after the Rasmus homerun. Gomez inured himself after that homerun so….I would be surprised to see him play tomorrow, or the rest of the week.
    Keuchel pitches again on Sunday at Minute Maid, where he feels at home.
    So, people what’s your prediction?? Will the Astros push this series to game 5, or do you think the Royals take it in 3 ??? McCullers will shine, that’s my prediction!!

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  17. Last night’s game had me asking questions and answering some:
    – Why does Jason Castro swing at balls at his shoe tops (though his bat does not reach them) and takes balls right smack in the middle of the zone?
    – Why would anyone throw Rasmus a low inside fastball? It is like begging him to launch one.
    – Why would you ever throw a pitch in the strike zone to Gattis? He will swing at anything within a foot of the strike zone – so throw him stuff 11″ outside it.
    – Does anyone get more hits off of unhittable pitches than Altuve? 90% of the batters would have grounded that one out or popped it out, but he can pull a ball a foot outside of the plate and plop it into left field.
    – Was Hinch just screwing with the Yankees hopes and dreams going out to “get” Keuchel with Qualls warming up?
    – Is Keuchel a lefty version of Roy O? Ice water in those veins.
    – Does anyone else feel like watching Keuchel is like watching Glavine? The batters don’t feel intimidated but can’t get the bat squarely on the ball and end up 0 for 3.
    – I did not think the A-Rod out was as important as the Tony Sipp strikeout of Bird. I had no doubt Keuchel when he was left out there was going to get the out. Sipp scared the heck out of me.
    – Did anyone else expect Keuchel to turn around and knockout Hinch with a round house kick to the head if he tried to take the ball? Has any manager ever been killed in prime time?
    – Does everyone else think they would love to see Keuchel cloned and pitch every game of every season?
    – Did anyone else switch over to ESPN2 Baseball Tonight and see Castro, Conger and Qualls (I think) interviewed? The height of silliness was Conger pulling the analysts foot from under the table to reveal his non-dress shoes….I get the feeling Conger drank more champagne than he sprayed.
    – Is everyone else like me – thinking that it was critical for the Astros to get into a real playoff series to make everything worthwhile? The playoff game was fun but would have been disappointing as the end.

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    • Is anyone in the playoffs an easier out that Castro at the plate, man his bad right now, and no I don’t want Conger The Bonger.!

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    • A shame we can’t have Stassi for catcher. Castro calls a great game and is a excellent catcher but he can’t hit for squat.Gattis needs to learn how to take a pitch and not go fishing. Key for other pitcher’s to beat the Astro’s. Throw the fist pitch for a strike (except for Altuve) and then throw pitches down and away.I’ll say one thing for Carter. His plate discipline is very good. Just wish he could get the bat on the ball more often when he swings. I also was nervous when Sipp was pitching but he did the job. More kudos for Harris & Gregerson.

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    • Alex Rodriguez called Keuchel a lefty Greg Maddux, with a better slider.
      Tanaka did not throw that pitch to Rasmus. He was aiming that fastball outside and pulled it. He did the same thing a half a doxen times last night, but every other time it was against a right handed batter.
      I think Qualls was up in case the Yankees got a run with a righty coming up.

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    • – hitting is tough when all you do is react. Once you start thinking in the box, you may as well walk back to the dugout.
      – Rasmus is susceptible to up and in pitches. Sometimes they miss low and get burned.
      – anything away. Recall the pitch he tomahawked earlier in the year…
      – Vlad Guererro, but he is long since retired. Tony Pena too.
      – I think Hinch changed his mind halfway to the mound.
      – I don’t know about the Roy O comparison. I recall Oswalt losing shutouts in the 7th inning routinely. I would call it extreme stubbornness with him.
      – I think AL Leiter is a better comp
      – I agree…was quite worried he would groove the fastball on the full count.
      – no comment
      – you have solved the long game time problem
      – missed it…but there is a reason the guys love Conger
      – yes…and it’s unfair of me as a fan to feel that way…but in my defense I want the team going into next year with a sense of accomplishment rather than listening to a storyline about a Sept collapse.

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  18. I was very comfortable going into the game– as I had convinced myself we would and should win. But, as the innings went along I got increasingly nervous, as I realized I had only been fooling myself with pre-game bravado. I have seen way too many late inning losses— and when I see a score like up 3-0 all I can remember is the 1986 Mets game— where we were leading by that score in the 9th. Enough said.
    I screamed at the TV, and my brother in law (a Yankee fan), for the entire 8th-9th inning.
    What I hated about the coverage was the ever present pitch-framing rectangle that ESPN insisted on using. Never saw that before.

    Not concerned about KC—but then again it’s only mid-day Wed.

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    • Oh please. Oh why? Why did you bring up 1986? I was doing so well today and now the spectre of Bob Knepper, deep thinker, who thought himself right out of that 3-0 lead, flaming out in the ninth, back when pitchers still pitched mostly full games, and the game dragging on till the 16th. Thanks, though, for bringing up the rectangle. I’ll just focus on that, cause I can deal with superimpositions.

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      • I remember that day so well. I left work ahead in the ninth. The ride home was hellish. That was the first baseball game I cried over.
        Still hurts.

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  19. For those, like myself, that follow betting lines the Astros, as expected, are underdogs to win the series against K.C. However, of all the teams that open on the road the oddsmakers favor the Astros the most of possibly pulling off the upset. The Royals are only -140 to win the series while the Dodgers are -195 and the Jays are -225. Just food for thought.

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    • If we get past the Royals, I think we’ll go to the Series.

      Seriously.

      And if it’s anybody but the Cardinals, we’ll win.

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      • This Cubs team looks scary good. They are stacked offensively and have the 2-headed monster of Arrieta and Lester. I think they have a very good shot at beating the Cardinals, assuming they hold on to win today.

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  20. * Was that the point you thought they might really do this? *

    I felt pretty confident they had it when I saw Keuchel get two backward Ks in the bottom of the first.

    I really felt it was our night when I saw Tanaka’s pitch count kept rising, and saw him consistently having trouble hitting his spots.

    When Colby golfed that little down and inner into the right field seats, the only thing I was concerned about at all was the bullpen – especially Fields and Qualls. My first thought was ‘be careful with Young and McCann’.

    When Gomez connected and I Tanaka’s eyes went from nervous to defeated, I started smiling and never looked back.

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  21. I’m watching a pretty good game tonight, with the Cubs and Pirates. Both starting pitchers are AWESOME, and it should be a really well played game. Do you realize that the Cubs have more wins than we do!! I’m kinds glad we aren’t in the NL central this year…..it is a STRONG division!! Whose gonna watch the Astros, and whose gonna watch the Texans tomorrow night!! Sorry fellas…..I think your football team is in real trouble!!
    Touching on what Sandy said earlier, it seems like yesterday that we were getting a good look at that little kid from Corpus….Altuve! He looked like a little kid standing at the plate….and I was afraid he was going to get hurt, because he was so little! And then waiting to see Springer make his debut at Minute Maid!! Now we couldn’t fathom not seeing both of them in the lineup everyday along with our Shiney new short stop!! Can’t wait until tomorrow night!!

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  22. Kazmir is starting on Friday…….I don’t know what to think of that one. I just hope it’s a clean game, and he can go more than three innings. Ugh.

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    • Really? I was expecting LMJ to start Friday. Hope he can get through the first couple of innings unscathed. It almost looks like he’s expecting things to go wrong right from the start.

      If we can win one in KC I think we have an excellent chance.

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      • Hinch is saving McCullers and Fries for 4th game…..after that who knows! I just hope Kazmir has a clean game, and doesn’t shoot himself in the foot like he has in the last 3-4 starts. We NEED him to be the guy we thought Luhnow traded for.

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    • He had one or two starts against KC this year that were lights out. Hopefully he can find a little juice in the tank and give is 6+ good innings…but more importantly, McHugh can give us the advantage tomorrow by pitching like he did in Phoenix.

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      • maybe the extra time off between starts rejuvenates him and ups his velocity back into low nineties fast ball

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  23. When I said Knepp was a deep thinker, that was not a putdown. He was. It’s just that deep thinking can get you in deep doo-doo (quoting Geo H.W. Bush) in the game of baseball. I will always believe he thought himself out of the 1986 win. Shallow thinking can keep you from a world of hurt at the right time.

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  24. Knepper had a history of pitching some really great games for the Astros, where he would be leading 2-0 or 2-1 going into the 9th and then manage to lose. The playoff wasn’t the only time. I can’t speak to his cerebral qualities, but overthinking and self-doubt do seem to correlate with talent.
    My older son, the Pirate fan, is really screaming tonight. It isn’t pretty here in Pittsburgh.

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    • Roger, I don’t think we could hang with the NL Central, if we were still in the NL.
      Funny how getting a REALLY good manager like Maddon, and some very good young talent could turn the bus around!! I wish we culd have landed him for Houston…….but he wanted to go to the Cubbies. Cole was over matched tonight. Pure and simple. Jake Arieta is a STUD.

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      • We got Hinch, and he is to us what Maddon is to the Cubs, so both teams won. I think with a different manager, we don’t make the playoffs.

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      • Billy….I’m not saying Hinch is a bad manager at ALL, and we are very lucky indeed to have A.J. Hinch for a manager. But…just think of the years, and years of losing the Cubs have had, never even SNIFFING the post season. So yes, I’m very happy the Cubs have finally found a manager like Maddon to lead them to winning baseball!! They deserve it.

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      • Agreed, Becky. If I had a choice, it’d be us v the Cubs or the Cardinals (for revenge for the info leak!)

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    • The Polo Grounds is also where the Giants played before moving to San Fran. Right? The Dodgers played at Ebbits Field?
      The Brooklyn Dodgers was my first favorite team.

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    • Roger, I was there too, either in 62 or 63, before the Mets moved into Shea. At this point, I don’t remember much else other than our next door neighbor took a bunch of us kids and magically got us great seats right behind the dugout. In those days, the ticket guys would hold back good seats for ticket buyers willing to “grease the palm”.

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  31. I think all bets against Houston might be premature.
    The worst road team in the American League is deep into the longest road trip of the season, and with every game having huge meaning, they are 5-2 so far.
    After an up and down season, they played one of their best games in New York and have two pitchers who we would have jumped up and down to have going in any month except September.
    September is gone!
    I like McHugh and Kazmir going for us in the first two games and KC will start off throwing three righties against us. We can win if the Astros of October show up.

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    • Exactly! We only need to win a one game at KC to flip the advantage to our favor…and we all know how good the team has been at home.

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  33. Told my husband we are eating supper REAL early tonight, because I don’t want to miss any of the pregame stuff!! I’m one of the few people in Houston who still gets the paper, and today’s had a great four page piece on our team as well as the Royals.
    I’m still pinching myself at how we got here!!

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  34. Today’s To-do List:

    1. Do an interview for a column I write (for money … yes, Chipaholics, I’m an actual professional writer).
    2. Take daughter driving since she’s 15 and needs the practice.
    3. Go to chiropractor since my knee and back are a little sore
    4. Take dog to the vet to see why she won’t stop scratching. (Already checked. It’s not fleas.)
    5. Take friend’s son to soccer because she has meetings and her partner has work.
    6. Cook some dinner.
    7. WATCH THE ASTROS BEAT KANSAS CITY.

    I expect each of these items to happen as I’ve listed them.

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  35. Good news here: Preston Tucker added to the ALDS roster.
    NO QUALLS…..NO VILLERROR….and Matt Duffy was left off as well.

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    • I’m not surprised. Villar doesn’t hit well left handed, Tucker does and we will be facing a lot of righties. Fields doesn’t surprise me either because he throws hard and had the fifth highest pitching WAR on the team. He pitched very well all year except September and I already have posted my feelings about September.
      The Astros are going with what got them here. Power!
      Conger has more power than Stassi, Tucker has more power than Villar and Fields has more than Qualls.
      Remember that we have two days off in a five game series. That gives Castro and the bullpen plenty of rest. Relievers can pitch two games in a row and then have a day off. What you don’t want is a reliever who cannot come in and get a huge strikeout. Qualls has been hittable since before the ASG and cannot seem to keep his pitches down. He still might be bothered by that injury that put him on the DL earlier this summer. Fields has thrown only 21 pitches vs the Royals this year.
      Between Marwin, Lowrie and Valbuena, we have three guys who can play every infield position, and Marwin is also an extra outfielder. I expect Tucker to be a pinch hitter in this series or play LF in Houston if Gomez can’t go all out because of his injury. Gomez or Marisnick will be on the bench if we need a pinch runner.
      Unless I read the Astros incorrectly, and that is possible, I still see Gattis at DH in the first game.

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      • If Gattis MUST DH I hope they move him down in the lineup. He leaves too many runners on base.

        I wish they would DH Tucker tonight.

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    • We do our best Diane – but some times life and making money trumps the love we have for producing posts for y’all. We may have spoiled y’all a bit, because we have really put them out more often lately. Glad you want us to keep writing them.

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      • That’s okay, Dan. I’m at work and it’s easy for me to check back and not so easy for you — I saw your to-do list. Hope you’ve checked off a few of those, and I’m especially waiting for the fulfillment of #7. (Either tonight or tomorrow for sure.) 🙂

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  39. Okay!
    1. Since we have Fields instead of Qualls, how do we expect Fields to be used.
    2. What’s your lineup for tonight?
    3. What night appears to be the best chance for the Astros to take a game in KC.
    4. Will the Astros try to take advantage of the huge power alleys in their park or swing for the fences?
    5. KC was the first team I saw this season to shift their left fielder away from the line and take left center away from us and we grounded out to 3B a lot. Do they continue that and do the Astros try to put the ball into the corner?
    6. How much will the Royals miss Shields, who owned us?

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  40. Carter is batting seventh and he has hit .260 this year batting in that spot.
    Gomez obviously isn’t ready, but I wouldn’t fret about Jake playing CF and batting ninth. Jake hit 55 points higher against righties than lefties this year. Jake has hit for much higher BA/OBP/SLG on the road than at home(55 to 65 points higher on each). Marisnick was 3 for 10 at Kauffman, with a stolen base. Jake has hit .250 batting #9 this year. Jake also hits much better early in the count than late in the count, which means he is a much better hitter when aggressive, than when he is guessing.
    Altuve
    Springer
    Correa
    Rasmus
    Gattis
    Valbuena
    Carter
    Castro
    Marisnick
    Castro is 4 for 8 lifetime against Ventura.

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  41. I would be surprised to see Gomez in any of these games. I’ve had an ingury like he has, and I am just a house wife…..I can not imagine how much he is hurting.
    Reason why we probably won’t see Tucker playing left field, is that outfield is HUGE and Tucker would be over matched out there. BUT……I would love for Hinch to DH him….but that’s not happening tonight. Rangers won 5-3 today, but both teams had players leave with inguries. Josh Donaldson, and Beltre both left the game today.
    Ok folks…..we are only 45 min till game time!!!

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    • Becky, I’m not going to root for injuries, but sure would like to see Tex-Tor games go about 18 innings a few times this series.

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  42. 1oldpro, good points on Jake being in the lineup. And it does give us the best defensive outfield in baseball. So do you have a rationale for Gattis at DH rather than Tucker?

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  43. Dan, in the middle of driving home I realized the to-do list was Brian’s, not yours. That’s how much the whole thing is on my mind. Sorry about that. But hey Brian,
    I still want #7. 🙂

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