Yes, the Astros did pick up some pitcher named Justin Verlander at the waiver deadline, but the real news is they pulled an Angels OF named Cameron Maybin off the slag pile of waivers. The trade for Verlander has resulted in one direct win by the pitching stud, but Maybin has turned into a home run hitting hero, whacking three critical home runs in the last four games the Astros have played. On Sunday his three run homer flipped a 3-4 deficit to the Mets into a 6-4 lead on the way to an 8-6 win. The last two days, Astro fans awoke to see that Maybin had broken late inning ties with two run homers as the Astros swept past the M’s 3-1 and 5-3.
The Astros have a lot to thank the Detroit Tigers for at this point as they ride a seven game win streak into Oakland. First, the Tigers decided that their best deal at the waiver deadline was with the Astros and told Verlander it was Houston or nowhere. Second, they traded Justin Upton to the LA Angels. To make room for Upton, the Angels released……Cameron Maybin. There are other Detroit connections here. Maybin was a first round draft choice in 2005 by….the Tigers. Maybin is no stranger to Verlander. They played together twice, in Maybin’s rookie season of 2007 and again for one season in 2016.
While Verlander knew no other organization than the Tigers, Maybin has been a bit of a traveler being part of two high-profile trades, one to the Marlins (with a cast of 1000’s) for Miguel Cabrera and one from San Diego to Atlanta for Craig Kimbrel. When he was released by the Angels, every team in the AL had a shot at him before the Astros took him on along with the approx. $1.5 million owed him on his contract.
So what did the Astros think they were picking up in Maybin? Well frankly he would be a fourth or fifth OF. Good fielder, good base stealer, a Jake Marisnick with less power. Despite what he has done here, he only had six HRs and 22 RBIs with LA before the trade. His .235/.333/.685with the Angels pretty closely marked his career numbers. Before these three home runs he had not had a home run since June, ironically hitting three homers in five games between June 17 -June 22 and then going 40 games before the next one with the Astros.
They also knew they were getting a good person in Maybin – a nominee for the Roberto Clemente award along with Jose Altuve.
Going forward? Let’s face it. Maybin may not hit another home run this season or he may stay hot. Baseball is the most fickle and unpredictable of sports. But if all he did was help the Astros with their hitting mojo when they were struggling to stay ahead of the crazy hot Cleveland Indians….well that was a heck of a pickup.
CHIPALATTA 
I read a comment on TCB this morning that said Blummer had mentioned that Cameron Maybin told Chris Devenski that the Angels knew Devenski was tipping his pitches. Did anyone else hear that?
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I saw that also
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Becky had said in the previous post that Steve Sparks had mentioned that also. I had not read it anywhere else.
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Reddick’s catch in RF was as valuable as Maybin’s HR. A game changer.
My son got to watch the game with me last night and said that he loves watching Reddick play. He said he also loves watching Reddick using two hands when catching a fly ball. He had something to say about Ben Gamel’s error, too.
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Speed never slumps.
A really fast guy with great hands, a winning smile, and an infectious attitude provides essential energy even when he’s not hitting game-changing home runs.
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Despite Maybin’s hot start (and fetching smile), I still think he’s best coming off the bench to PR when the postseason gets here.
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And you forgot to mention his “bright” electric white bug shoes….
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On a side note, I was glad to see that Francisco Liriano got another out last night without giving up any walks, HBPs, hits, or WPs and without allowing any inherited runners to score. You see, it can be done, Liri!
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Luhnow has made some really bad choices during his tenure here. But when you pick up Maybin for nothing, and Marwin for Marco Duarte, he has made up for all of those dumb moves ++++++.
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And McHugh for nothing and Sipp for nothing – er – for a couple of the years….
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And Yuli, 2 spider men, and JV, he has done his JOB Kuddos, oh and Giles who has been awesome of Late, Devo from the CWS scrap heap, Martes maybe JFSF, YUP
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As well as Will Harris.
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Hey, Cam – let’s get loose together;
Sports Center’s watchin’, come on, show some Gold Glove leather!
We’re really takin’ charge with you and Justin ’round!
Keep stylin’ in electric shoes that barely touch the ground!
Sandy and Becky, have you seen them yet?
They’ve got other teams freaked out!
M-M-Maybinny and the Vet!
Oh, girls, they’re really wonderful, and their smiles, they cut through the fog!
They’ve got dope chemistry; and energy,
you know I read on the Chipster’s Blog!
M-M-Maybinny and the Vet!
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Mr. Bill, you missed your calling. Come on everybody, let’s sing along.
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A day off, then 4 games with the As coming up, starting tomorrow night:
Game 1, Fri. pm: McHugh v. Jharel Cotton
Game 2, Sat early: Morton v. Daniel Mengden
Game 3, Sat late: Peacock v. Daniel Gossett
Game 4. Sun. afternoon: Keuchel v. Kevin Graveman
How many do we win? [Assuming Cameron Maybin plays?]
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All four!
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The A’s, ALWAYS play us tough, so if I’m a betting girl (I am)… I’d say a split on the DH, and a win on Friday…..Sunday is Graveman, and LAWD he’s good. Not sure the guys will win Sundays game, that one is a crap shoot.
The Astros only REAL rival are the A’s. Everyone wants this instate rivalry to be the only one that counts…..we despise that other team in Texas, but the A’s, get with it when they play us! Always entertaining….and always respectful!!
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Becky, the Astros are 12 – 3 against the Athletics so far this season.
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A few observations:
I believe the Astros are exhausted fro the Events of the past two weeks. I think their win streak is amazing and that the day off will do them a world of good.
I like the matchup Friday night. I think McHugh has a chance to re-establish his place in the rotation with a great outing. September has been his time to shine
McCullers’s 76 pitches in over 5 innings was the best part of his performance last night.
I don’t know where Bopert gets his ideas from, but unless Maybin disappears entirely from hitting, I don’t see his role as a late inning guy only. If Fisher or Jake catch fire and Maybin goes ice cold, maybe we revisit the scene, but Maybin needs to be out there if he stays hot.
So, two nights in a row we get a young guys give multiple scoreless innings in relief. If LMJ and McHugh are back and healthy, we could have four guys like that for the playoffs. Imagine having DK, JV, LMJ and McHugh in a playoff rotation, and then having the luxury of having Devenski, Musgrove, Peacock and Morton, to be able to come out of the bullpen and having Giles, Gregerson and Harris to close out games as needed. And all of these guys will be rested, because the Astros are going to have 38 guys in the dugout when Gattis and Feliz return.
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OP…..I’m drooling over the thought of having a rotation and bullpen like that!!
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Moran is 3-3 for Quad Cities tonight with a double. Looks like he’s recovering nicely. Gattis is 0-3 – and hitless in his first two playoff games. Bandits have to win to stay alive. They lead 4-1 after 6 1/2.
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I guarantee you Moran will join the big club before the month ends. Hinch feels like he owes Collin Moran since he nearly lost an eye in Baltimore. Hide and watch!
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We’ll keep an “eye” on it… 😉
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LOL!!😃
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As a side note, Wilmer Flores is done for the year. The facial injury he suffered against us when he fouled that ball off his face is worse than they originally thought.
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Daveb…..if you’re out there somewhere, I’ve been checking on your island, and so far they are out of power but I didn’t find any deaths from this storm. I am concerned that the hurricane that’s following right behind Erma is going in on your area too.
Please know we are thinking of you and praying you have minimal or no damage.
I’m not sure when you will be able to get a flight out of the states, since the flights are cancelled all through that area. All we can do is give you our hand in frienship, and pray you will be safe. Keep us posted on yourself….ok? Becky⚾
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Irma….sorry!
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Ahhhh! The Moody Blues.
I Know You’re Out There, Somewhere.
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And if you want the wind of change to blow about you,
and you’re the only other person to know,
Don’t tell me – I’m just a singer in a rock and roll band!
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Trshack…come out and join in our conversations!! You can’t hide….you are welcome here!
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Jon Heyman has taken at least three shots at the Astros this week in his columns.
In case you haven’t noticed, Cleveland is also a better road team than they are at home this season.
Cameron Maybin says that the Astros hitting coaches have helped him get his swing back in shape.
The Tigers wanted Forrest Whitley. That’s why trade talks stalled. The Astros offered Franklin Perez at the last minute and that sealed the deal. But, and it’s my thinking only, the Astros said you can have Perez if you throw in a certain prospect to be named later. I have no idea who that player is. What I do know is that by the end of 2018 they will be looking for a new super utility player, as Marwin enters free agency. and other players on the team get more expensive.
The Angels have improved their team with the return of Garrett Richards and the additions of Upton and Brandon Phillips.
I’m not surprised at the departure of Tony D. It was inevitable.
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I’m being lazy (actually at work – can’t look right now) but what is Heyman picking on the Astros about?
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Letting go of the 8 scouts and Tony D.
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OK – this is going to be totally off-topic, outside sports and outside any mention of natural disasters including hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis.
OPs Moody Blues comment triggered me to want to talk a little bit about some music I recently purchased.
I am of the age that my heyday of music was from the late 60’s through the 70’s and most of the 80’s totally tied to classic rock and prog rock. Well a group that I loved back then, Styx, has put out a great new album (boy am I old school) called the Mission.
This is not Mr. Roboto revisited – Dennis DeYoung is not part of this – it is truthfully totally new music that is done in that old classic rock style. It is a concept album about a one-way mission to Mars and beyond, but it is the music that is special to me – not the “concept”.
If you listen all the way through you will hear pieces done in the style of old Styx and other great bands with terrific musicianship and great vocals.
“Hundred Million Miles From Home” has some Frampton voice box homage.
“Locomotive” – there is a guitar solo that brings back the late great Walter Becker of Steely Dan, who died last week
“Radio Silence” is classic old Styx
“Greater Good” could have been a hit for Queen
“Red Storm” has them channeling Pink Floyd
“Khedive” is more modern – like something from Muse (who channel Queen anyway)
“Outpost” is Kansas reenergized
Again this is driven by Tommy Shaw and James Young from the original Styx plus Lawrence Gowan who took Dennis DeYoung’s place.
I’m only throwing this out there, because I know that a lot of folks my age miss that old style music and this is not some weak, crap – but solid music with real voices and solid rock instruments.
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Everybody’s talkin’ about the new sound funny but it’s . . . .
Hot funk, cool punk, even if it’s old junk its . . . . .
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways its . . . . .
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I miss music. There isn’t anything out there that even resembles music. 😢
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I’m rather partial to the best band that no-one’s ever heard of – The Tedeschi Trucks Band. They still play music.
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Cool one Simon – Derek Trucks has those classic rock connections – his uncle played for the Allman Brothers and in later years he played guitar with them
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It’s still rock and roll to me
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i know its only rock n roll, but i like it
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As far as baseball goes – I wanna rock n roll all night ….
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Lest anyone think tonight is a gimme game, the A’s starter tonight, Jharel Cotton, is 2-0 with a 3.78 ERA in his last three starts. In his last start against the ‘Stros, he emerged a winner, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up only 2 runs. Astros hitters are only batting .217 against him.
An interesting side note, Cotton was one of the pieces the As acquired from the Dodgers in last year’s trade involving Rich Hill and our own Josh Reddick. Of course, Reddick never got comfortable in LA, and wound up signing with Houston as a FA in the offseason.
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That last Cotton game against the Stros was when the Astros committed two errors on one play before they ever got an out in the game. Peacock took the loss with the third run coming in on a Centeno passed ball. Worst game of the year with Peacock shafted by bad defense and most of the Astros big hitters having 0 fers. If I remember correctly, the only run we got was a homer by Marwin.
The Astros are due!
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That game is a sore spot in my mind. I was there. It was so boring the entire crowd took a nap.
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If you need an Astros baseball fix before 9:00 CDT when the game starts in Oakland, tune in to our Low A affliate’s deciding game in the first round of the playoffs. At 6:35 CDT Patrick Sandoval, Abraham Toro-Hernandez, Chuckie Robinson, Marcos Alamonte, Collin Moran, and Evan Gattis lead our Quad Cities River Bandits against the Peoria Chiefs [a Cardinals affiliate].
The Bandits won the season series against Peoria 9-8. The Mid-Western Division playoff series is presently knotted 1-1. The winner of this game moves on, the loser goes home.
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Gattis is not handling Low A pitching very well. So far he’s 0-9 with 3 Ks.
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Is a team out there that can beat Cleveland? This is ridiculous.
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Pretty loaded with pitching that’s for sure.
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Early Tuve HR puts us up 2-0.
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Congratulations to the River Bandits!
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Good evening all, and thanks for your thoughts! Becky, all is good. I’m back at home base tonight, having hitched a ride on the last boat to Nevis before it was pulled out of the water in anticipation of a glancing blow by Hurricane Jose tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll have another round of power outages and water service disruptions, but we remain thankful here that our blows have been miniscule in comparison to the complete devastation suffered by so many islands, and now likely Florida, in the path of Irma, destined to be recognized as the most brutal hurricane in recorded history.
At the same time, we’ve got to circle the wagons and live optimistically. I’m already impressed by the efforts of several nations and how they’ve so quickly reacted to the needs of their own territories, whether Dutch, French, English, US or independent. As American people, we’ve got to help the US Virgin Islands. It’s not just flooding, but total destruction of homes and infrastructure, especially on St. John and St. Thomas.
And I’m going to try and appreciate some good baseball too. Our team is one of the best again. They can win everything. I could sure use that distraction right now. Let’s do it. Screw Heyman. That’s what I think. And Simon, I’ve heard of them and I listen to them!
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Daveb…..Soo thankful you are home and safe! My prayers (as well as others on here) were answered! Houston is finally starting to stir again, but we are many months and some years away from any normalcy again. Yes!! As Erie Banks used to say “let’s play two”!! Thanks for letting us know you are safe my friend💙
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WOOOO Reddick goes yard for a 7-3 lead!!
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Yeah Reddick eating up his old team, walk, double, 2 runs, 3 RBIs – great job Josh!!
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McHugh lifted because of a blister……does that mean Fires comes back into the rotation if Collin’s, finger isn’t healed by his next start???……oh no.
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Opps! Tie game.
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Gregerson fooling no one. And hopefully somebody else, not Fiers.
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Hinch puts Fires in for another inning (fool) can’t get an out loads the bases and Gregersen gives up a grand slam. This crap makes me so dang mad I could strangle Hinch. 😠
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McHugh has a “fingernail alvulsion”……ripped his fingernail off I think. Don’t goggle it because it’s nasty.
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Ouch! I’ve had that as a partial rip and it is extremely painful.
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Game was lost when Fiers and Gregerson choked in the 7th
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Guess who will be back in the rotation……unless Hinch comes to his senses and leaves Peacock in, and leaves Fires in Siberia.
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I am guessing Peacock will stay in the rotation if McHugh is going to be out for awhile.
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Losing like this is completely unacceptable. These guys went out and hit like crazy, what more can you ask from Reddick, Yuli, and Altuve?? The guys gave you I dang runs!! *NOPE*….completely unacceptable.
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*8* runs.
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The As must have all been wearing smart watches.
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Watch the grand slam and the Powell homer that tied it. The dudes knew exactly what was coming, and went down to get those sliders and pull them out.
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I was thinking the same thing. Giles has been unhittable for about 8 weeks now and they hit him hard. It was like they knew what pitch was coming.
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That was a tough loss last night. I am going to go against the grain as I am not really too worried whether the Astros get the 1 or 2 seed in the A.L. playoffs. I feel confident they can beat Boston in the ALDS. Also, the AL WC team has won game 1 of the ALCS for the past 3 years and, if not for a bullpen meltdown by the 2015 Astros, the AL WC team would have been in the ALCS the past 3 years. I just want them to go into the playoffs playing well. I know most fans want the #1 seed and I understand it, but personally I am not as worried about it. This is just my thoughts.
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That’s a good thing for us to talk about after we mix up our signs, do some effective counter-espionage, and bulldoze our way through a double header today. Wise as serpents, harmless as great white sharks.
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I am convinced there is something getting tipped to the other teams at times. If a starter has 3 or more pitches, the batter can only guess right 1/3 of the time. A reliever is normally one in two pitches. When a team hits a fastball on the button, and a curve on the button, and a change-up on the button, that is being a lot more than “lucky.” Now part of it is when you can’t throw multiple pitches for strikes, then they can sit. But what we have seen, off and on, for a year and a half is there are games they guess right on pitch after pitch. If I were Hinch, I would tell McCann, ignore what I send you. Call the game on your own. Then if the teams continue to know what is coming, it is not stealing from the bench.
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Stealing pitches, tipping pitches, I don’t know, but I think we’re in the infancy of the concept. Every tendency by every pitcher is on video, every pitch ever thrown by a guy is on tape. And the old signal system from a catcher to a pitcher is indeed an old system, easily broken. But our guys also threw some crappy pitches last night. I hate going to bed up 7-3 and then losing.
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I’m with you fell asleep at 7-3 woke up this morning dang . Have I ever mentioned how much I will be glad when Fiers is no longer as Astro. I’m sure he is a good guy, but I’m way over him! Something about that dude just really bugs me.
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It’s a *Jake* day! Correa is the DH, and Gattis was activated.
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Ugh why is Centeno at catcher
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Morton is probably wondering the same thing.
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He only has 3 WPs and 4 SBs allowed in 123 innings [control and command is better – hold runners better – leaves less for Centeno to mess up on?]
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We obviously have not stolen the A’s signs.
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Nor have we found a way to confuse them with ours.
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Wow so far I know its a DH , but sort of a lame line up ,, Morton asleep. we look like that astros of August so far…
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This series is as bad as I have seen them play this year – even in August. The Astros of yesterday and today look inferior to last place Oakland by a LARGE margin. This could get really ugly.
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Centeno is probably coming out of the game……concussion. What in the he!! Is wrong with Morton??? JEEZE…. what else could go wrong.
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Our hitters are now officially listed as MIA.
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Stassi can run for a catcher pretty well.
That was a bad baserunning outcome for Bregman.
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And now a pick off. Grr.
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Two fielding errors and two mental errors on the bases. Not looking good.
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*PICKED OFF*……What is WRONG with these guys???!! I’m just shaking my head.
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The Astros have the talent but The As have the better execution. At least today.
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Which is odd because execution is usually a weakness for the a’s
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Hell of a defensive play from Marwin and Tyler
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Ok my equilibrium is a bit messed up.post strike so some of it might be me, but… is the camera shaking bothering anybody else?!
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Stroke, not strike
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BC, you are the guy that goes down the aisle behind home plate and yells to all those in the high dollar seats, “Does looking through that screen bother you?” And they all yell, “Until you said something, I never noticed the screen.”
So here I sit watching the “wobble.” THANKS.
Maybe the dang drums are causing it.
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Me
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At some point, the best teams stop taking themselves out of innings.
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I know what I think my eye sees. But here are a few numbers for Astros pitching.
Batting Average Against: 3rd best out of 15.
HRs allowed: 2nd best of 15. (That is surprising)
Total Bases allowed: 3rd best of 15.
Doubles allowed: 13th of 15.
I continue to see simple singles being doubles with the extreme shifts. I realize that it makes some plays outs, but when you continue to give that extra base, I just don’t get it. And as I was looking up the stats, another one for the A’s as outfield was shifted in the opposite field, and a single to center is now a double.
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About the shifts… when the infield is shifted, the outfield is shifted the other way and the catcher is calling for the pitches to be out and away from the hitters. That’s how those doubles against the shift come about.
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Clippard has the most off balance, uncomfortable windup I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like he came here and forgot how to pitch
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Is it time to officially say Clippard needs to be kicked to the curb? However what an embarrassing half assed effort by the whole team so far
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I don’t see any way Clippard makes the playoff roster. After that first week he’s been horrible. At least he only cost us money and not any players.
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Tyler Clippards theme song…. Walk this way, Walk On, Walk away Renee, Walk Away. I think you get the drift.
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