Oct 17 2017

Astros need to get their offensive mojo back

Three games is really not a slump, but in a seven game series it can be a killer trend that needs to be reversed.

And that is where the Houston Astros stand entering the critical fourth game of their series with the New York Yankees. They drilled the Boston Red Sox in four games with an offense that was the equivalent of having nine prime time Jose Altuves in the lineup. They are extremely fortunate to be up 2-1 in the ALCS as they have been hitting like they have nine Rick Ankiels circa 2013 in the lineup.

The Astros have squeezed out five runs in the first three games of this series thanks mostly to the power bat of Carlos Correa, the legs of Jose Altuve and the third game wildness of Dellin Betances. What do they need going forward?

  • They need to continue to ride Altuve and Correa as far as their hot streaks will take them
  • They need someone else to step up because through three games, Altuve and Correa have nine of their 14 hits and have scored four of their five runs and knocked in three of those.
  • Who needs to step up? Take your pick
  • Yuli Gurriel at 2-for-9 is the only player other than Altuve or Correa with 2 hits – we know what he can do when he gets super hot as in the ALDS.

The bottom line is that the Astros need to take the pressure off the Lance McCullers Jr. / Brad Peacock tandem they will likely use on Tuesday and get some folks not only on base, but all the way home. Their offense has been predicated on being deep and turning over. They need to take some pitches and take some pitches the other way and get back to what made this team the most fearsome offense in baseball.

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119 comments on “Astros need to get their offensive mojo back”

  1. The obvious we need to Hit, and no Harris unless we have a solid lead. Defensively, no more Maybin, Margo in left it’s your pal. Gattis behind the plate not until ST, he is a liability back there in many aspects. We will need to think of any hit that McCann gets is a bonus. The whole team need to quit trying to jerk pull everything, they need to go Oppo Taco, especially in Yankee stadium, They are rolling over pitches for week grounders or pop ups to much.

    Spinger need a exorcism, he look lost

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    • The rolling over pitches is frustrating to watch. It’s like the team gets a couple bombs and everyone starts trying to one-up each other. Springer is the catalyst and the prime offender here. If he starts smashing line drives back through the box we’ll see the offense start rolling again.

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  2. is it that difficult to beat a shift? Gattis, Reddick? How is it that you can’t get a sure hit by punching one to the left side of the infield with a hole big enough to drive a 747 through. Time to start playing smart baseball. Look at all the dinky, bloop hits the Yankees got yesterday and they made good on the results. We on the other hand didn’t look good at all. Sabathia wasn’t that good, it was that we were that bad. Trying to pull the ball instead of going with the pitch. That’s why there were numerous pop outs and weak ground outs.
    We’re a better baseball team than this so let’s start showing that we are.

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    • Break out the torches and pitchforks for me, but this is an issue I place squarely on Hinch and Hudgens. This is the playoffs. Every baserunner is magnified. We lost the game yesterday because of a couple dink homers and a lunging swing for a home run by Todd Frazier. Our guys are either ignoring the plan when they get in the box or they aren’t being given a good plan to execute. Either way, the coaching staff needs to reign them back in.

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    • Zanuda, If it was easy to beat the shifts, there would be no shifts. These guys have been hitting the ball to the same place since Little League. However, I know more guys could drop a bunt down for an infield hit. Seems like they want to do bigger damage though. Selfish?

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      • Trying to pull the ball and bouncing into a double play is damage, but to us, not them. Just saying it sure doesn’t hurt to try once and a while to keep them honest. After all, the Yankees executed it to perfection last night and the result was 3 runs. You take what they give you.

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  3. The Yankees pitching staff shut down the Indian’s offense. So far, the Yankees pitching staff has shut down the Astros offense.
    The Astros need to start hitting, because the Yankees aren’t gonna give up.
    If you want the World Series, you had better start earning it.

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    • OP, how does this tm go from Studs to Duds over night. It was painful to watch them flailing away at pitches out of the zone all evening. It boggles the mind how abruptly this happened. What have they done to get so out of sync or is the pitching that good? They have been smashing flame thowers all season and I expect they will again. I know they can’t bulldoze tms every gm, but this free swinging out of character is just painful

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  4. I’ll go back to what I said last night…….starting McCullers today is a bad idea. This kid loses his focus when he starts walking guys, and then he melts down and gives up runs. Is New York too big of a stage for these guys? Sony Gray is a two faced pitcher…..he’s either gonna be the very good pitcher who used to hand these guys their butts to them, or the guy we beat like a drum in Oakland this summer. All I can hope is that these guys have seen him enough, that they can sit on some of the stuff he throws. This is a game the Astros absolutely have to win. PERIOD.

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  12. Bregman makes Gray work through a 10 pitch AB that ends in a groundout, Beltran hits a double and Marwin strands him.
    LMJ throws 23 pitches through two perfect innings.

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  14. 0-0 through 3 innings. LMJ gives up what is described as a single – pop up to Jose Altuve. I assume it was a bloop over his head. Lance with 40 pitches thru three and no help from his friends’ bats so far.

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    • Watching CC take a low fastball then swing at 2 pitches in the dirt. YG saves the day with a 3 run hit. Our guys look tight as drums at the plate. Better not complain, we’re winning and Lance locked in

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  24. Here I am!! I’m eating every word I typed today about Lance McCullers Jr.!!
    He did a FABULOUS JOB THROUGH 6!! If we can hold on and win this game we will cruise to a series WIN!! YAAAAA-HOOOO!!!

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  25. Been commuting home so heard Yuli’s big hit on the radio. Now I’m at my father-inlaw’s house and he is watching it on delay so I have to pretend I don’t know Gurriel hit a 2 run double

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  26. Well he’s pitched 6 innings as well as any closer. Lance has the talent and guts. Still very young. Wonder if he gets Judge to lead off the 7th.

    You know Zanuda, I almost resent that pathetic comment. This Astro club is fighting the most pedigreed baseball club in history tooth and nail.

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    • The comment was meant as to how we have been hitting up to this point. Not the team or what we have accomplished this far. It’s frustrating when you know you or (the team) can do so much more but they flounder like a fish out of the water. I don’t know if you’re watching the game but. Up to last inning they just weren’t playing the baseball they are capable of. And like everyone else on this blog I’m passionate about my team. Have been since 1962.

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  29. I had to finally turn it off. I have ear plugs in my ears, but my husband would doesn’t like baseball stil, has the game on. I can’t listen to or watch this ugly ballgame any more. I broke me😣

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  33. This game is eerily similar to the Kansas City game back in 2015 during the playoffs in MMP. Recall, the Astros were 6 outs away and an error by Correa opened the gates. Tonight, 6 outs away and an error by Correa opens the gates once again.

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      • Tim, I was in the shower, listening to the radio, when the announcer stated that he committed an error. I suppose the “error” was cleared up while I had soap in my hair, eh? 😉

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  34. Only watched the 8th and part of the ninth. Smoltz saying “Good take” on an obvious strike almost makes one think the fix is in.

    Now DK has to have an honest strike zone or its over.

    The umpires didn’t cost the game but they certainly alter how and where you pitch. When the first pitch is a strike, called a ball (or vice versa) it changes that at bat. And in Little League you learn to NEVER chase the runner to the next base.

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  35. I would imagine Hinch is gonna lay awake tonight trying to figure out who he can depend on out of the bullpen. Altuve isn’t hitting…Correa isn’t hitting, Bregman isn’t hitting, Reddick isn’t hitting, neither one of the catchers are hitting……Marwin got his FIRST hit of the series tonight. The guys picked a really bad time to go into a team wide slump. Playing a *CLEAN* game is essential…..and they aren’t doing that.
    I’m sooo dam sad😣.

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  36. I feel so blessed that I’m actually enjoying October baseball with our stros. It beats the heck out f watching the Rangers last year. However, you can tell a team and organization that has been here so many times and the new kids. The big stage has gotten to us so far. We have been out hit. bull pen pitched, and coached.

    Going to need a heck of a Game 5 by more than DK, like the other 8 guys that have stunk it up so far, including tuve and CC. maybe some one can actually pitch out of the pen, that would be nice. Praying

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  37. Hey folks – have faith. We don’t expect this team to give up and we can’t give up either. The bullpen struggled badly tonight. But they are going to have to get it back together if we are to stand a shot. Just remember this is the first playoffs for guys like Giles and Devo and Musgrove and the nerves can get to them. But they will need to come through for us to win – so hopefully they got the crap out of their systems and can come back strong. Need the offense to get out front early and often. Need to whack the Yanks on the side of the head tomorrow. Just pull out a snow shovel and give them a good Fargo whack on the head.

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  38. The four best teams in MLB are still playing. Our guys are deadlocked at two games with the Yankees. I don’t think we’ve stunk it up. We’ve won two very tough games and lost two tough games against the best competition in the world.

    Did anyone think it was going to be a cakewalk?

    I’ll say this. The media talks too damn much about the storied Yankee mystique. Well, there is something to it. They took back a series from an excellent Cleveland team. They took back a game from us tonight. The media also talks about our weakness, the bullpen, too damn much. But so far, they are right.

    We’ve got every opportunity to change the script though, with our two best starters, two games at home if both are needed and an offense that still has a chance to wake up. We’ve also got a bullpen under just criticism that we”ve seen get outs in the past. Will anyone step up?

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  39. One thing about being on the other side of the world is I do not have to listen to the large market announcers. I just look at the box scores the day after. Here are my thoughts:

    1. The Yankees are determined not to let Altuve beat them. They are giving him nothing even remotely hittable.

    2. Springer and Reddick – and a lot of other guys – are overdue.

    3. Without Springer and Reddick setting a table and putting pressure on the Yankee pitcher, offense is hard to come by.

    4. In their home stadium, the Yanks know what pitch is coming. Electronic sign stealing and signalling? Try some new mutli-course signs, and throw in some intentional misleads.

    5. When you get only three hits against the Yankees in Yankee Stadium, winning is a miracle. Thanks to Yuli, we had a chance to pull it off!

    6. The Yanks own the strike zone in NY. I can hardly even blame our relievers. Nothing they throw in a critical situation NY is going to be called a strike. Hopefully we will get a fair shake in Houston.

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    • I am sick to my stomach about the loss last night, but you are exactly right. Springer, Reddick and Bregman have got to start hitting or this magical run will end before expected. Hopefully, Keuchel pitches a gem today, but I am concerned that suddenly the strikes at the bottom of the strikezone won’t be called like they were in Game 1.

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  41. The television networks, national media and MLB would all be delighted with an old fashioned Dodger – Yankee World Series.

    At this point we’ve taken on the underdog spoiler role. I’m good with that.

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  42. Does anyone have some kind of Ju Bo voodoo ritual we can all perform today for the bats, sort of like Pedro Cerrano in Major League, I ‘m getting desperate all my favorite shirts and hats haven’t worked

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  43. The entire year the offense has been bailing out this clubs pitching. It’s put up or shut up time and the offense must perform NOW! If not we’ll be left to ponder what might have been.
    Another note. Tonight Keuchel has to be nails! This series is far from over but if we don’t win tonight I’m fearful that we won’t win the series.

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  44. My stomach dropped, and my hope left when our defense faltered in the last two innings yesterday. I actually went to my bathroom and cried. I’ve been too disappointed for too many years, yesterday was just another dissapointment. I have no idea why our guys picked this series to stop hitting, but they did. No matter HOW good Keuchel and Verlander pitch…..they can’t win if the guys behind them don’t score runs. I’m sad that’s all. Have a good day everyone, I’m done.

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  45. It is important that this team do what it has done most of the season and have a very short memory. The vets need to lead with attitude and performance – they need to get off to a good start and go for the throat today. This is not the game to score a few runs and sit back.
    I’m going to do what I always do, which is stick with this team all the way. They have disappointed at times, but they have more than made up for it all the way through the season. I believe in them and believe they can beat this Yankee team.

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    • Dan, none of these games is the one to score a few runs and sit back. An Astro who shall remain nameless said yesterday he thought that lead should have been good enough to win. Can somebody take the boy aside for instruction? I too am doing what I’ve always done: stick with them. I was watching when Altuve slid and did the impossible with home plate on Saturday. They’ve plowed through what should have been season-ending injuries. And they’re still making October orange in spite of what could have been a jinx induced by Sports Illustrated. This THANG IS NOT OVER. Yogi said so.

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  46. I, like others could not handle the bottom of the 8th and beyond last night. I actually was about an inch from hitting the guy next to me with a beer bottle or whatever else I could find. If he is a typical Yankee fan they can all kiss my @#!. Most of them and this one especially needled me though out this series and constantly made derogatory comments about the Astros. I honestly can’t remember getting that angry in a long time. Fortunately, I had the good sense to pay my tab and leave. I won’t be going back to that place anytime soon. It’s a shame when people can not even watch a sporting event with out trying to provoke people. Sports have become just like politics which is a shame.

    OK, now to the Astros. My thoughts on the game. (And this is not Monday morning quarterback because I said it as it was happening).
    1. Hinch should not have pulled LMJ. He made one mistake to Judge and he paid the price. Judge can’t seem to hit pitches low and away. When we pitch him there we get a K. Otherwise he hits it big time.
    2. When you can’t throw a 1st pitch strike, you’re already behind the 8 ball. These guys are no slouches and they will wait you out. They take 90% of the 1st pitches anyway so throw a strike. We couldn’t and the results were inevitable.
    3. Does Brad Peacock even play for the Astros anymore? I think you get my point.
    4. And I remember us talking back in August about where in the world have our hitters gone? Here in the ALCS, they have obviously returned back to that place. If we don’t hit, we won’t advance. It’s pretty simple. We lack plate discipline which other teams seem to have. I’d guess 75% of the curves, sliders, etc. that the Yankee pitchers threw were out of the zone. But we always seem to take the 1st pitch fastball for a strike.
    5. Still not trying to outsmart the shift on certain guys.
    6. Loosen up and have fun. We’re much too tight.

    Did I miss anything? I want us to to win as much as everybody else does except maybe for Becky who is off the charts with her support. I’m only a step behind you girl. We are a better team than these guys. I don’t care what they have going for them, history, etc., but we can and should beat these guys. Let’s get them today and then close the door on them on Friday.

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  48. I still like our chances. had someone said we will be tied 2-2 with the yankees in the acls and our next two pitchers up are keuchel in ny and verlander in houston. with game 7 if necessary in houston, I would have been pretty happy about it.

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  50. Hinch told the umps today if one more thing is thrown on the field by the fans, he would pull his team off the field.PERIOD. Also…..A.J.Hinch’s, family had beer thrown on them Monday night. Classy Yankee fans, don’t you think. I certainly hope Dallas Keuchel wins his game today. See ya later everybody.

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