2017 World Series: Game 6 live blog

A few years ago, you thought we’d be talking about Jarred Cosart, Mike Foltynewicz, Jason Castro, Jonathan Singleton or maybe even Max Stassi, Dexter Fowler or Josh Fields when the Astros’ next World Series rolled around.

Back in 2014, though, no one would have predicted — not even Sports Illustrated — that we’d be kicking around names like Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, Brian McCann or Yuli Gurriel as heros in a 2017 World Series. To be sure, everyone knew Jose Altuve, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel and Carlos Correa would be part of the nucleus, but the formation of this team has been one of the great stories of MLB history.

How many players have come through the system who had “core” written on their locker, but now toil for other teams or not at all? The all-time roster is replete with either failures, disappointments or bridges to 2017.

Is there a particular player you just knew would be part of the inner core who is no longer with the team?

Verlander is one acquisition that few saw coming. Some wanted Sonny Gray this summer. Many just lost it when Jeff Luhnow couldn’t pick up Jose Quintana. Others thought Yu Darvish might be here. Some called for a strong addition to the bullpen that never came.

But here we are in Game 7. Yes, yes. I realize that technically it’s Game 6 of the 2017 World Series, but virtually every game has had the drama of a winner-take-all Game 7.

Most every pitcher with the possible exception of Dallas Keuchel will be available tonight. Keuchel would undoubtedly get a start in a possible real Game 7 Wednesday.

But for now, there is one game tonight. For all the marbles, at least for the Astros. Couple of questions to help get you started.

  • Which one player who didn’t work out, was traded or released since 2011 or so would you just absolutely love to have on this team?
  • Which player were you most wrong on? In other words, you just knew they would be a bust (and weren’t) or you knew they would be greatness and failed?
  • Who will be the hero the rest of the way, either tonight or tomorrow night?
  • Set us up for tonight. Where will you watch? Who will be watching with you? What snacks and beverages do you have at the ready?
  • Make your prediction now for tonight. And for the series.

FYI, we’ve had visitors from these countries during the month of October: St. Kitts, South Africa, Antiqua and Barbuda, the UK, Bermuda, Netherlands, Barbados, Ireland, Canada, Bhutan, Taiwan, Germany, Costa Rica, China, Venezuela, Switzerland and other nations.

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80 responses to “2017 World Series: Game 6 live blog”

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  1. Bhutan. That was me! Apologies for not posting, continue to lurk. JD Martinez would be useful but there have been so many personnel home runs it almost seems unfair to mention JD.

    Gonna be a long affair tonight, but sez here JV will be collecting his first career save.

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  2. I can’t imagine any team would be excited to face LMJ in a game they have to win. As an Astros fan, there have to be conflicted emotions surrounding this. He could go out and dominate like he has done so many times. Or…he could get upset by one little thing and lose focus. I’m just excited we have this opportunity to watch him.

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  3. There have been many questions posed by the Chipalatta fan base this year regarding whether Lance McCullers, Jr. is – or is not – a future ace for this team. Tonight’s game could go a long way toward answering those questions.

    Meanwhile, our Astros are in Game 7 of the World Series. Fall Ball is where it is at!

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  5. we are right where we want to be (despite all of the griping above) game 7 of the World Series wooohoooo. this team has fought all year long, they deserve fans that will fight all year long with them. my prediction before the series was Astros in seven. I still hold that view. this is a very good TEAM, not just verlander and eight more. the Team will win tonite.

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  6. I want to apologize for my two red hot posts last night. I showed how frustrated I was, and how dissapointed I was. It’s only a baseball game, not the end of the world. Sorry I ranted and raved. I need to put it in perspective, 8 people lost their lives in New York yesterday, the Astros lost a baseball game.
    Again…..please forgive me. Thanks, Becky⚾

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    • It’s OK Becky – sports at its best is a distraction from the reality of terror drivers in New York. At its worst it makes us angry – more angry than we should be about a game. But what else do we invest this many hours over our lives to do?

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    • No apologies needed Becky. I was thinking the same thing about what happened in NY. But baseball is one of the good things we can focus on in this crazy world.

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  7. I was doing well until we fell behind in the 6th last night – just had a feeling we could not rely on coming back against such a good bullpen one more time.
    It is important that McCullers keep it together, but it is more important that the offense make some noise. With Reddick in such a funk it is like having two pitchers at the end of the lineup. He’s not even getting loud outs.
    I have believed in this team through the ups and downs over the last 50+ years. This is it – this is the game. Go grab destiny guys.

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  8. A thought on tonite’s game. LMJ to start and if we need somebody to go 3 – 4 innings I suggest Morton. Reason is clear. The Dodger batters have trouble hitting the curve ball. They eventually catch up with the fast ball and sliders are a50/50 proposition. And hopefully Hinch won’t jerk LMJ/Morton out the first time he gives up a walk or a hit. Yes it’s game 7 of the World Series but as Oddball said in Kelley’s Heroes, “Have a little faith baby”. I’ve got lots in our Astro’s. Anyway after we win we can all sit back “catch some rays, drink some wine and eat some cheese.” And while I’m at it I want our batters in reference to the Dodger pitchers. ” We’re going to hold onto him by the nose and we’re going to kick him in the ass. We’re going to kick the hell out of him all the time and we’re going to go through him like crap through a goose!”

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    • That’s my hope for the plan with the pitchers as well. One other thing to consider – there aren’t any more games to be played. You don’t need to keep anyone on a pitch count. As long as the pitcher isn’t laboring and is throwing effective pitches, keep him in there. If he’s struggling, get the next guy up and tell him to pitch like he’ll never pitch again! They’ve got four months of rest beginning tomorrow.

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  9. Somewhere back there, Sandy (I think), said it was asinine to have two sets of rules – different in each league. Can you imagine, in the NFL, the AFC has to kick field goals and PATs with a drop kick, and the NFC teams can use a tee. But it depends on who has the home field. Or in the NBA, the 3 point shot is allowed in the East, but counts as only for 2 in the West – again depending on whose court the game is played.

    Our team was built for the American League. But lets be honest, if we were still in the National League, we would not have Beltran, Gattis, AND McCann. Yes, it is the same field, weather, and baseball, but the composition of each team is done using the current rules.

    That is one area that needs to be addressed to level the playing field.

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  10. We all know how delicate McCullers can be. He *does* get rattled and loses focus……that is what jumps out to me about tonight. I’d rather let Charlie start and let McCullers come in and do what he did last week. I hate pinning all our hopes on a young 23yr old who we know, walks a tight rope every single time he takes the ball. I’m a realist……I can see the train wreck coming😣

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