Fast forward to Friday for Astros snapshot

It is difficult to remember this, but just like Carlos Gomez is not that far removed from great performances in 2014, the Astros are not that far removed from playing well against the Texas Rangers.

In 2014, the Astros were a solid 11-8 against the nemesis from the north. Even in 2015, they began the season with a decent 4-5 against the Rangers. But then the wheels came off and the Astros have been 2-14 against them ever since, including 0-6 to date in 2016.

It is simple, in the next four days the Astros could undo a ton of the good work they have put in during their recent 11 wins in 13 games streak. With four games against a team that not only has their number, but has a lot of team’s numbers this season, the Astros could run the gamut from hurting themselves badly to continuing their fine recent performance.

On Friday, they could wake up anywhere from three games behind the Texas Rangers to 11 games behind in the division. They have struggled mightily to get within two games of .500 and within four games of the second wild card. They have to get this King Kong sized monkey off their back in relation to their Arlington rival or kiss 2016 goodbye.

How do you think they will do in these four games?
How do you think they need to perform in these four games in order to not kill their momentum and ability to contend?

←
→

290 responses to “Fast forward to Friday for Astros snapshot”

Newer Comments »

  2. Well that was predictable. Both teams come into the game super hot and the Astros play against the “kryptonite” rangers. Odor “Astros slayer” kills us yet again. I was glad to see Giles in there for the 9th. He’s earned at least a chance to pitch in the clutch again. We’ve got to got to got to have better situational hitting. The inning where we had the bases loaded with one out comes to mind. Do we think that there is any way we can win the next 2 days with Hammels and Darvish going for them. Also they have to be licking their chops to be able to bat against Keuchel who they’ve owned since after the all star break last year. I’m just praying that we don’t get swept and can leave arlington with at least some of our dignity. I’d love to hear y’all’s thoughts.

    Like

    Reply

    • It’s frustrating, Robert. We just keep finding ways to lose against the Rangers. Bonehead plays in the 1st inning, hitting into 2 DPs with runners on 3rd and popping out with the bases loaded and 1 out. The Rangers get runners on 1st and 3rd in the 7th inning with 1 out and get a SF to the game. Then Correa bobbles a routine DP grounder in the 9th that would have ended the inning and the next hitter doubles off the wall. We just keep making mistakes and the Rangers keep taking advantage. I am at a loss on how to solve this and our chances don’t look good the next 2 nights.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Robert, I’m a guy who listened to Houston lose 17 straight games to the Phillies in 1962 and then beat them in the last game of the year when it meant nothing to anyone in the world but the Colt 45’s. Seen a lot over the years and and I see a team that is struggling to play decent baseball every day. They have talent but they are not near the team that the Rangers are. The Astros are an average team who struggles against the best team, with the best manager, in the AL West.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  4. * How do you think they will do in these four games?
    How do you think they need to perform in these four games in order to not kill their momentum and ability to contend?*

    I actually think they will be swept again, but out of kindness and the hope that springs eternal in the Astroholics chest I hope they will manage to win one game. I confess that I don’t know how they will pull it off though, as on paper it looks impossible for this horribly undisciplined team without an effective offensive strategy to beat the likes of Hamel and Darvish. But, hey, the odds are always against any MLB team running the table on any other MLB team – and the Astros are certainly due for some luck

    Like

    Reply

    • * How do you think they need to perform in these four games in order to not kill their momentum and ability to contend?*

      Easy to answer that. Their momentum is dead – it died the moment they left Houston en route to Arlington. And contend? They haven’t contended since the 2nd game of the season. They have no grit. They have no consistency. They are a computer simulation attempting to play a baseball game. They simply do not have any leadership – be it in the FO, at any coaching position, or on the field. They’ll win some games – probably around 70 – 75- by luck and by reason of occasional great performances by Altuve, Springer, Correa and McCullers. But one thing this organization, as currently configured and approaching the game, can do is ‘contend’.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. The Astros had some luck last night, such as when Valbuena made it to first on a bobble and then made it to 2nd on Fielder’s bad throw.
    But Springer who has been red hot faltered twice with runners at third and one out. Feliz who had been nails gives up a run. Lots of fails throughout the game.
    Sometimes when it seems like X can’t happen in baseball – X is what happens. Maybe they will win because it seems like they can’t.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Please note: they also had 3 errors [we only had 1 charged, but Fiers had a mental one in the 1st and Correa committed an uncharged one on the bobble].
    Also, Beltre left just as many men on base as Springer did [6], and Rua left just as many men on base as Gomez did [5].
    The difference in last night’s game is that, once again, we got outhit overall, struck out more often, and had four players [at #1, #3, and #5 in the batting order] who went hitless while they had only three hitless players, and theirs were all at the bottom of the lineup.

    Like

    Reply

  7. The Rangers did not play a good ballgame and still got a win. Our guys are just not real smart and not real good. A typical Astro first inning set the tone. We’ve seen it so many times before.

    Like

    Reply

  8. Time to get rid of the Albatross around their collective necks. We are not Jack and the Rangers are not the Giant but it’s time that somebody on the club and becomes the “Giant Killer”. These guys are no different in talent than our players so lets stop kidding ourselves by thinking we can’t beat them. If others can do it then so can we.
    Many years ago I used to play foosball in Houston and I was not a great player but I was a good journeyman goalie. I had a pretty good forward and we used to win a lot of local bar tournament. One night the the guy everybody said was unbeatable came to the bar tournament we played at. It was there first time we had ever played against the guy. Was he a great player? Yes, and we held our own. but got beat. In a bigger tourney, we met again. This time we prevailed mainly because we played good, didn’t make mistakes, and ignored the intimidation factor. The Astros can do the same and they will eventually win.

    Like

    Reply

  9. Here is an interesting thought: Who would you – and would you not – trade straight up:
    – Altuve for Odor?
    – Springer for Mazara?
    – Correa for Andrus?
    – Gomez for Desmond?
    – Valbuena for Beltre?
    – Castro for Wilson?
    – Gattis for Fielder?
    – White for Moreland?
    – Rasmus for Rua or Choo?
    – Keuchel for Hamel?
    – McHugh for Darvish?
    – Marwin for Profar?
    – McCullers for Perez?
    – Fiers for Holland?
    – Fister for Lewis?
    – Gregerson for Tolleson?
    – Giles for Bush?
    – Harris for Diekman?
    – Feliz for Dyson?
    – Hinch for Bannister
    – Jeff Luhnow for Jon Daniels

    Like

    Reply

    • -No
      -Not yet, need to see more of both
      -No
      -Of course
      -Yes
      -No
      -No because of Fielder’s declining production and contract
      -Maybe, but Moreland is also struggling
      -Maybe for Choo, but his injuries concern me
      -Maybe, but not sure if Hamels is really better
      -Yes, even with Yu’s injury history
      -Definitely
      -No
      -Probably, but Holland is not much better
      -No
      -No
      -No
      -No
      -No
      -Yes
      -Yes

      Like

      Reply

      • Luhnow drafts fairly well, even if he missed on two 1-1s, especially tough given our hole at 3B since like 1750 and Kris Bryant was passed over to take one of those.

        Outside of the draft, he has not done well. He mortgaged future pieces for Giles, Gomez and Fiers – and all three have not only been below expectations, they are all three major contributors to the suck. They have all performed below average, and in the case of Gomez, terribly. The pieces he moved to get those three could have landed Hamels. Look how that is working out for Texas.

        He lacks the ability to make the big move. He settles for signings like Feldman and Fister, trades for players like Gomez and Gattis. He didn’t bring Houston Springer, Keuchel, or Altuve, he inherited them. He guessed right on McHugh.

        I’ll give credit where credit is due. The move that landed him both Correa and McCullers was brilliant. He went against the grain, he took a player with 1-1 that most GM’s in baseball thought he was only doing to make someone else signable, and turned out that guy is as legit a 1-1 as anyone not named Harper (and maybe as good as that guy too). But he is also the same guy that traded for Carter, attempted to jam Singleton down our throats, got Valbuena, traded for Gomez and Fiers, moved a 1-1 and an even better pitcher then the 1-1 to get Giles, traded major leaguers performing at that level for a year of Hank Conger, the list goes on and on. He has been fleeced by better GM’s across the league. The Cardinals got the best of that guy when he was managing their minor league system, that’s his wheel house. His holes are exposed when he is the final decision maker though.

        Maybe he gets better over time. I don’t think he will be in Houston more than 2 more years, but his record in the draft, and names like Correa and McCullers will land him another job.

        Like

      • And remember all the money he gave to bullpen pieces that hardly threw a pitch in Houston? It’s easy to forget his history with bullpens since it finally worked out last year with Gregerson, Neshek and Sipp, but he has a history of bad money at the major league level.

        He did make some good trades to dump major leaguers to get minor leaguers, turning Myers into Devenski, Happ to a list of players that led to other moves, but judging trades and free agent signings from the major league level, definitely not in the “top half.”

        Liked by 1 person

      • Agreed, except for Singleton. He nherited Singleton and gave him a chance to prove he was the best 1B prospect in baseball, but I don’t think he rammed him down our throats. The other options were very limited. Singleton had the rating as best 1B prospect for a reason. He just couldn’t stay off the ganja and has failed in his opportunities. He has done well in the draft and in tge trades of Happ, Myers, Norris, Veras and Cosart. I still think the Astros will continue getting the best of the Gattis trade.

        Like

      • All the money he threw at bullpen pieces that hardly pitched in Houston? Are you talking about the whopping $5M paid to Jesse Crain and Matt Albers? In baseball parlance that is like $20 to you and I. Also, I find it ironic that you want to fault him for Albers injury when it happened during the season and he had no prior history of injuries. I also find it ironic that you want to say he failed on two 1-1 picks when the Aiken pick worked out fairly well for him. I would rather have Bregman and Cameron than Aiken and Nix, but that’s just me. He did fail on Appel, but overall, his draft history has been very good.

        Like

      • He would have still had Bregman at 5 regardless. Cameron is yet to show me that he is a superstar in the waiting.

        Like

      • Bregman would not have been there at 5. Almost all projections had him going 2-4 in the draft. However, even if Bregman was there at 5 the Astros then wouldn’t have Baby Tuck and he looks very impressive.

        Like

      • Tim, those GM ratings mean nothing to me, but it would be interesting to see what his 2016 rating is. Much has changed.

        Like

      • That’s the last rankings that came out, but I trust them more than fans opinions as Sporting News is unbiased in their assessment.

        Like

    • Good questions Mr. Bill. From this, I take away the following:
      1. Rangers starting rotation is better.
      2. Beltre would be a significant upgrade over Valbuena in performance and leadership.
      3. Any of their outfielders would be an upgrade over Gomez.
      4. They have more players that hit for higher averages in the starting lineup.
      5. Individual performance is not so different. But when all the individuals are put together, their team performs better. This points me toward roster construction and use. Do we have fewer “everyday” players than they do? Is the constant shuffling of players in and out for “computer” match-ups disrupting the ability of our guys to to get in to a comfortable groove?

      As you can see, I don’t have the answers. Just more questions.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • From that list, the Rangers I’d take are:
      Desmond (reluctantly)
      Better
      Moreland
      Hamels
      Dervish
      Profar
      Holland
      Bannister

      This assumes funding is not an issue but does consider contract status.

      We lost the game when Odor hit the sac fly to tie the game. All he did was lift a pitch to the OF. Our guys won’t do that. It’s almost like they avoid making smart plays. My other major complaint is with pitch locations and sequences from our pitchers. Putrid stuff.

      Like

      Reply

  10. I embody the thought of why HOU always seems to lose — in the opponents’ faces.. last night Odor, but usually its that look Beltre has. Or, how about “Mr.” Pujols ? I can go right down the line in the Look in their Eye. Podsednic, Leyritz, Dye, etc and so on. THEY just look like they own it, or want it more. Every time. That, to me, is a culture you have to breed. The eye of the tiger is real. In the Spring I asked ‘would guys like Preston and Gomez be ready for the stage’, but add any name to that this season; Correa, DK…? They just dont look like their headmaster is very vigilent. Or, if you prefer, it doesnt look like someone has popped them in the lip and asked “What are ya gonna do about it.”.

    This is exactly as we all knew, all roads thru Arlington! Now, it wouldnt surprise me if we do see what a champion is made of in Keuchel today. He seems to be struggling with that sweet spot, starting his slider too high, not getting cut, missing terribly – I’d say this is the back against the wall, cat in the corner game. We hung with them, Chippy’s. All is not lost if Springer or someone due shows up with a vengeance!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Tonight is the kind of game where 2015 Dallas Keuchel needs to show up (OK not the way he pitched against the Rangers).
    They need a tough as nails game where he goes 8 innings and gives up 0 or 1 runs. They need some kind of leadership here.

    Like

    Reply

    • Dan, I suppose you are right but I would like to respectfully disagree with you.
      I think last night is the type of game that was needed to turn the Astros around. They had the lead after a bad Fiers had matched Colby Lewis and their bullpen and their hitters couldn’t finish the Rangers off.
      When it came down to the last innings in a big game, they had the game and gave it away.
      Their offense left runners out there all night, their defense bobbled the ball at the most important times, Feliz couldn’t shut off the tying run, Giles couldn’t strike a guy out and Rasmus couldn’t go back and catch a ball that was catchable against the wall with the game hanging in the balance.
      One guy kept us in the game and that was Altuve. His will to win could not do it by himself.

      Like

      Reply

      • There are so many ways to look at last night’s game. Fiers and Lewis both gave up 4 runs and 8 hits – one of which was a HR for both starters. Lewis walked two but struck out four. Fiers walked only one but only struck out 2.

        The bullpen is an area where they beat us pretty soundly. Their bullpen gave up 1 run on 1 hit and 1 BB, with 4 Ks, and ours gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and 0 BBs with 5 Ks. It was all about the late inning hits. We got ZERO in the 8th and 9th; they got TWO in the 9th – and that beat us.

        Like

      • I think we are in agreement that they should have won last night, a game that was well within their control to win. I guess my point is the same one as when the Astros lost the two 2-1 games to the Rangers followed by a blowout in the “bring out your brooms” finale before this current hot streak…..you didn’t win yesterday – so the most important game is today.
        I still believe this team can win against the Rangers and win in this series. I think if they win today they will split this series. No – I did not fall and bump my head.

        Like

      • On that note, Op, I may be wrong since I havent watched much this year. It’s taken this long to get Giles to a place mentally and physically (pitching for the season in division leader’s hostile home, after Luke, etc.) Tip your cap to Odor who couldnt be stopped by anybody, but I think Giles has turned the corner with some filth. It just has to be harnassed. Twice last night in the 9th, Castro called the exact same pitch after strikes, which Mazara and Odor then hit. Stros have to be the worst team pitching with 2 strikes. Waste a pitch, change speed, change eye level – something! You throw the heat right by them, now keep them off balance. We’re just too predictable is the right word.

        Liked by 2 people

      • Pitch location was the problem, and as you state it was where Castro asked both times.

        On the Odor hit, could Rasmus really have caught it? My knee jerk reaction is that he should have played it off the wall and used his good arm to extend the inning. Then again, where was Gomez? I know that ball was in the corner, but on the video on my phone I can’t even see him during the play. If Rasmus is going to go for a catch you need someone sprinting to play the carom.

        Like

      • I watched the video three times this morning. With two outs, the runner is breaking from first on anything hit and if the ball bounces off the wall he is going to score, But the ball hit head high off of the B on the wall. If Rasmus is standing in front of the wall it is right in his glove. He either catches it or the game is over. He decided at the last second to turn toward the wall and try for the carom, and that move sealed the fate of his team in that game. Just one more play where something was or wasn’t done to get a win for Houston.

        Like

  12. The brilliance of your question, Mr Bill, in moving us right squarely with this notion that if Odor (or any other) came to play for us, all things would be equal in stats and he would gel into, or transform the position. If that were true, then why is there a perception for ex in the NFL that all good QB’s go to die in Cleveland, or the like?

    As we speculated with HAL, these decisions and how they play psychologically are important in a clubhouse. [As an aside, Garner used to confound me by not starting the best team in crucial games, but he always got the best out of Lane, or Viz, or you name it bc you could imagine them seething, waiting for their chance]. I really look to chemistry, or intensity as what’s driving a team. This blog may feel like we have to match up well, or fashion our team in such a way to combat who I consider our arch rival (enemy, hump to climb); it’s true! We have to be more adroit. Our mid/small market and lack of flexibility to be able to dip into a Hoyt, Musgrove, Reed – whomever. The full array does not the Hinchman have, and even if he did – we’re in a pennant race. The fire for a rookie doesnt get any hotter. We are all still hopeful that White is better, but not so (Pro)far. The Rangers seem to have an answer for everything we have up our sleeve, they have a dagger.

    Rome not built in a day. One of the things we revert to, like back in the Pence days, of chasing bad pitches. Out here in Vegas you are watching 8 games at a time. Other teams dont look so bad, mostly. I used to get so mad bc if a team is willing to waste that many pitches, as a hitter it’s respect. Patience. Make them come to you.

    Leadership and foresight are needed, Dan! I truly believe we have the players, but my one word for this problem is mystique. If we can overcome it? Despite what anyone says, last year we were six outs away, and we blinked, we were sweating, we didnt clamp down. Something has to harden you in that moment. Players themselves must face those challenges alone, managers have to put them in a position to win. The rest is usually tradition, until you create a new one.

    Like

    Reply

  13. Once again, I dont get it. Both teams going off at -105. We have the respect from the betting world that anything can happen vs Hamels? Wow

    Like

    Reply

    • You know, Mark, the same thing happened last year as well. I just think the betting public is assuming this will have to change. Let me just say I have raked taking the Rangers against the Astros and I have them again tonight. Until the Astros show they can beat them I might as well make some money off their misery.

      Like

      Reply

  14. The Astros are very much in the acquiring experience stage of their existence and that can be painful. From Crane to Luhnow to Hinch to most of the players they have a decided experience deficit with the Rangers. We do have high talent levels with some of our players but the mental part of the game is only acquired through the school of hard knocks and right now the Rangers are providing us a pretty stern schooling.

    Like

    Reply

    • Outside of Beltre and Fielder the Rangers didn’t play anyone over 30 last night. They are a very young team. Even “old man” Andrus, he of almost 5000 major league plate appearances, is 27.

      The Rangers offense is not markedly better than Houston. We have arguably the two most talented hitters on our roster between the two teams in Correa and Altuve – though I don’t want to take anything from Beltre, but he is past his prime. With Odor, Lua and Mazara in there I’m pretty sure the Rangers average age last night was lower than ours. It’s not like Andrus or Profar or old either, though Andrus is definitely experienced. What’s happened from the Rangers prospective is good starts from Desmond and Beltre, both well above last years paces, that have helped them survive Fielder doing his best Brett Wallace imitation. We walk more, they might have a smidgen more power, both teams have good speed – even if the Astros frustrate us with the more than occasional baserunning blunder – and both teams have holes in their lineups in all three of those parts.

      Now pitching is a different animal. They have the better rotation. If Hamels and Darvish stay healthy they should win the AL West. Why? Because its all in the pitching. I still think by the end of the year the Astros will be back in the hunt, but the rotation has got to improve, particularly Keuchel, and McCullers has to stay healthy and pitch well.

      Like

      Reply

  15. Truthfully…there does not seem to be a lot of tradition in baseball anymore. Teams like the Rangers, save for pitching, consist of many reasonably prices foreign players. Players are not promoted locally or from the college ranks and it can be difficult to follow and enjoy the progress of a hometown boy because there are so few.
    The Rangers currently have a good pipeline of low cost players…and they are good !
    Crain tried that while in the “rebuilding” phase..and failed miserbly, trotting out an inferior product while rubes like me continued to pay. The hope is always that they would get better and be a contender…..and so here we are.
    Tradition ??? No so much.

    Like

    Reply

    • True, TNT, but we discussed the core here, and that concept brings you to a sweet-looking 2017 and beyond. We were ahead of schedule last year, and spoiled apparently bc nobody hands you anything and the target (expectation) just gets bigger. Which is kind of a stupid argument bc we have coaches who are supposed to be running data constantly on weekly team trends etc. There is no “sneaking up” on someone. I’m just begging you the question, isn’t this blog and this family a tradition? Don’t we have an 18th inning shot, or the ghost of the will of Craig Biggio – maybe Correa has had a long enough night and remembers his humble beginnings. Maybe we summon the old Astrodome billboard, and send Hamels to an early shower, or better yet light it up with an angry Bull six shooters blazin’!

      Like

      Reply

  16. I don’t know what to say about it. Even the bad teams win around 40% of their games – which would suggest we could have expected 2 wins in the series. Baseball is usually about the law of averages and how you can swing it your way just over half the time. This bad juju against the Rangers is either the worst case of bad luck over a 16 game stretch in recent memory or the Astros are evaporating against them even when they are hot.

    Like

    Reply

  17. Im not sure why anybody is surprised anymore, Devin, when the game is decided on oppo field down the line hits? It baffles me when teams lose that way, but it’s so common. I realize its a game of tiny degrees, but corner fielders have to play the lines. As Odor was asking for time to get set in the box a few pitches, Giles was obviously anxious to deliver and disrupt rhythm. The nerves are still there, savoring the moment and being in his own world, ala Will Harris, Giles first big test fail. Rasmus didnt have much time to get set, and like the other astute positioning comments where we simply are pitching away from it – hard to fathom not being on same page. That ball was a dart and Odor knew when he hit it, it might go out. I cant hang much on Rasmus there, as he’s fighting against hope to make the catch, while looking foolish if its catchable to play off the wall. I saw it as bang-bang, should have pitched him lower half. Strap on big boy pants and bring your best with your best to Game 2.

    Soo, lets say we lose 3 of 4 – are we sellers yet? Let me guess, we need our draft picks, and this is the ‘grin and bear it’ team of ’16?

    Like

    Reply

    • I can’t fault the effort from Rasmus. Like you say, he made a split second decision and hoped he could catch it. JFSF did the same on a sinking liner from the OAK CF the other night and made the catch, but had it gotten under him the lead would have been lost. A game of inches….

      Like

      Reply

  18. Did anybody notice that Teoscar Hernandez had another multi-hit game last night to lead the Hooks to yet another victory? Teoscar now has his average up to .298 and his OBP up to .376? Since Bregman has cooled off lately, Teoscar could pass Alex to led the Hooks in BA any day now.

    Derek Fisher’s BA is also climbing rapidly, and is now sitting at .280. His OBP is .386.

    By the way, Brendan McCurry got his 12th save of the year last night with another perfect final inning [sigh – does anybody remember those?].

    Like

    Reply

    • Bregman is in a slump. But that.280 BABIP is going to let him rebound!
      Teoscar has stopped swinging for the fences and is a different player. AAA will tell us a lot about his future.
      Fisher walking a lot because of his power. He needs that K rate to come down.

      Like

      Reply

  19. For anyone interested, Fresno is playing Reno this afternoon, and leads 3-0 through 4 on a HR by Danny Worth [and two singles by Colin Moran]. Tucker, Duffy and Fontana also have hits for the Griz.

    Like

    Reply

      • Only thing is…Worth has never hit like this, not even in college with aluminum bats. At age 30, it’s hard to imagine he all of a sudden became this caliber of a hitter.

        Like

      • Someone made, what I believe is, a good suggestion over at TCB. With both Feldman and Feliz in the pen we have 2 guys that can go multiple innings in a game. Why not send down Devenski to stretch him out as a starter and bring up Hoyt? The Astros would have to open up a 40-man spot, but that can easily be done by DFAing Chapman.

        Like

  20. I see that, Billy, but so why even play if he’s got no shot? I say give him a flyer at spot start 2B (Altuve DH), or 1B, since nobody can hit the ball 5-9! The guy is strawberry wine in the field, and he’s earned his cup of coffee!

    I hear you on the shuffling comment, Nance, but I adhere to always be adding ‘one more big arm and bat’ to keep your vets on their toes. No complacency. The guys are down there toiling, and when lessons are not learned at MLB level, its time for bats in the showers and ‘the hardest thing a mgr has to do’. Shake it up

    This series has a ton riding on it, Astros careers hanging in the balance Lol!

    Like

    Reply

  22. Springer might be the best outfielder on the team. Unless he’s sore from something, he should be out there.

    Like

    Reply

  27. Our club has played under .500 ball for the past 162 regular season games. And I don’t think our minor league system is as strong as it was a year ago. We let some significant talent go last summer and got noting in return. As for last night, Keuchel gave us a gritty performance, but he’s a shadow of the guy we knew last year. And from the little details page, Marwin should have known where the shortstop was when White got his base hit up the middle. He should have scored. Like I said yesterday, our club is not that good and not that smart. Both winnable games that we did not win. And it looks like some pressure is building on the shoulders of our manager. It should.

    Like

    Reply

    • Dave,

      Not trying to be argumentative, but I don’t think the math works out. They are 4 games under .500 now, which means they would have to have been 3 games or less above .500 approximately a year ago for this to be true. The problem, as painful as it is to admit, is the Rangers. We have a very good record against the rest of baseball, but our nemesis to the north has just owned us and until this turns it will probably be more of the same.

      Like

      Reply

  28. Other than the 9-2 loss to the Rangers on the Sunday game of the series in Houston every loss this year has been by 3 runs or less. At this time it is clearly a mental issue with the Astros. They tighten up in big spots (have they knocked in even 1 run in this series when they had a man on 3rd with 1 out?) and are pressing. Until they finally beat the Rangers the noose will just keep getting tighter and tighter. The Astros are 28-24 against every other team in baseball they have played, but that 0-8 against the Rangers just sticks out like a beacon in the night. It’s frustrating and, if it was against any other team except the Rangers, it wouldn’t be as hard to swallow, but the fact our in-state division rival has just owned this series over the past 1 1/2 seasons makes it very difficult to handle. I even shudder using the word ‘rival’ as it is so one-sided I don’t think you can call it a rivalry. I keep saying it will eventually change, and I think it will, but it may not be for awhile. It’s not like the Rangers are an aging team that is on its last run. They have a very strong farm system and some of their key players are relatively young. This dominance could last for the next 2-3 years.

    Like

    Reply

    • Rasmus is in the lineup batting cleanup again. MarGo is at 1B, Castro at C, Gattis at DH with Gomez in CF, Springer in RF, VB at 3B and the same middle infield we have had almost every game.

      Like

      Reply

  31. *How do you think they will do in these four games?*

    Let’s revisit this, now that we are two games down. The best we can do now is split. To do that, we have to beat their starters, Darvish and Perez, because our embarrassing lack of any semblance of an offensive approach makes us helpless against their hard-throwing, low-in-the-zone strike-throwing bullpen. We have some hard throwers now, but they are told to throw the ball up in the zone, which means our hard throwers give away their strength, while theirs maximize theirs.

    Talent equivalence notwithstanding, this Astros’ team is simply not prepared by its management to beat the Rangers. Everything our management does plays right into the opposition’s strength. And everything Bannister has them do is strategically designed to exploit our weaknesses.

    By the way, does anybody remember earlier in the year when Giles would avoid interviews after a tough loss? I wish he had continued that practice Monday night. There is no need to say a word about the Rangers if you have not beaten them first. Now, before we can talk, we need to beat them at least 10 times.

    Like

    Reply

  32. On a better note, the Corpus Christi Hooks are now 35-21, and in first place in the Texas League. Yes, the Texas league also contains a Rangers affiliate. Right now we are up over the Rangers’ affiliate by 1.5 games.

    Like

    Reply

  34. Apparently Marisnick missed the second squeeze sign when he grounded into a DP with the lead run on third.
    That’s a mistake nobody knows about, that helped contribute to another loss, until it comes out the following day.

    Like

    Reply

    • That’s why I think there is really some weight on the shoulders of the manager at this point. Our guys make too many mistakes.

      Like

      Reply

  35. I’m going to keep posting on this blog until all of my friends come back here.
    Today is a bucket list day. I am going to ride a real train for the first time in my entire life. I am going to to ride with my wife, my daughter and my granddaughter.
    Today is going to be a good day in Houston.
    Becky, you are missed!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  37. This is an interesting stat.

    Since start of 2015:#Rangers vs teams not named Astros: 103-90 (10 RD)#Astros vs teams not named Rangers: 108-87 (144).

    Like

    Reply

  38. It looks like Tyler White needs to be sent down and work on his hitting. This is not good.

    April: 117 wRC+
    May: 83 wRC+
    June: -39 wRC+ (only 15 PA’s)

    Like

    Reply

    • Agreed. The thing that sticks out immediately to me is the fact that he is doing the same thing Tucker did when he was up here where he looks like he’s trying to pull everything (even when he’s not). Outside pitches are rough on him because of it.

      Like

      Reply

      • There is too much vertical head movement in his coil/load for my taste. I feel like he was quieter in the spring and early going and able to take the ball oppo. Now, it is mostly pop-up, grounder, swing and miss.

        Like

      • That’s what I’m seeing also, Devin. I missed the game last night as my son had a baseball game. I was following it on MLB At Bat app and saw White had a single to CF. Was it a hard hit ball or a seeing-eye single?

        Like

      • White is like all the others. Join the Astros and forget everything you knew about hitting. Leave the Astros and become a hitting machine
        Hitting coach?

        Like

  39. I have officially ridden a train. I believe the proper name for it would be the Metro Slow Rail. I have ridden faster burros.
    But I can say that I have seen downtown Houston for the first time in 25 years and it looked pretty good from the top of the Chase Building, too, which wasn’t there the last time. And Grampa has ridden a train!
    Alas, there was no Loews Theater and no Hebert’s Ritz. Some memories never die!
    Hebert’s was the best restaurant I have ever had the pleasure of dining in. It was so great, it is where we chose to have our wedding rehearsal dinner, way back in the middle ages.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      • For a brief period, I worked at Ray Rogers Club Bojangles downtown in the mid 70’s. Used to stop in Hebert’s for oysters and a draft beer. It was all I could afford in those days! A Houston classic.

        Like

      • Hey Dave, that’s cool. When we went for that graduation dinner, I couldn’t afford what my classmates ate, but it didn’t bother me. I had a good time anyway. So we were in the same boat. 🙂

        Like

    • Congratulations!
      Used to ride the train from Union Station to Crockett to visit my grandparents in the summer. It was air conditioned. Not much else was back then.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Thanks, Sandy. The train was slower than walking today, but the AC was wonderful!
        My wife first saw Houston when she pulled into Union Station back in the mid 60’s. I think she made a terrific move coming to Houston.(Terrific for me!).

        Like

    • Op you should take back a product called Bacon jam from HEB. It’s soo good on fried shrimp and a lot of different food! I first had it at a cool place in the Heights called the Liberty Kitchen. Take a bottle back with you to Oklahoma you won’t be disappointed.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Liberty Kitchen and Oyster Bar, 1050 Studewood.
        Thanks for the tip. Darn near every shrimp in OK is fried. Our daughter always has boiled shrimp for us when we come home to H-town.

        Liked by 1 person

    • Welcome to my neighborhood Gramps! Well I live out in Sugar Land but I work in the south part of downtown about 4 blocks west of the rail. The only time I ride the rail is to get down to the med center – a lot cheaper than parking down there.

      Like

      Reply

      • I used to live in Quail Valley, way back when. That’s where I fell in love with the game of golf. Lots and lots of memories that stretch from Bellaire to Rosenberg from the late 50’s thru the mid 90’s.

        Like

      • We lived in Missouri City from 1989 to 1995 and have lived in the land of Sugar ever done (except for a 1 yr aborted time in Katy).

        Liked by 2 people

  40. Jayson Stark
    ✔ ‎@jaysonst

    Phillies say Vince Velasquez left after two pitches with right biceps soreness. Never touched 90 mph with either pitch he threw

    Like

    Reply

  43. White should go someplace where he can play everyday. Unfortunately, we’ve got about four of those guys right now.

    Like

    Reply

  46. I know I’m beating a dead horse but here a couple of Astro road stats:

    BA, White second on team
    OBP, White third on team
    OPS, White second on team
    SLG, White first on team

    Now I know that White did a lot of this stuff early on, but Marwin is so bad on the road that the only guy he’s ahead of is Kratz. Kratz.

    That said, let White go back to AAA and get his stroke back playing every day. He is and will be a major league hitter. He’s been so bad in Houston that he can only get better there. It’s his problem, but somehow I think someone else had a hand in screwing him up so bad. How can you have a .190 BABIP at home?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  47. I’m not supposed to lament luck, but Correa really clocked that ball – a few feet either way and it probably is off the wall. Of course we only hit long fly balls with a guy on third and 2 outs – not with 0 or 1 out….

    Like

    Reply

    • Where would this team be without Doug Fister, who many of us (and I am one of many) were not feeling too good about after the first few starts….

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a comment