Doubt is the avid fan’s closest friend and biggest antagonist. We agonize over every pitch; self torture ourselves over every small setback or change in the narrative. This is probably doubly true at playoff time as the Sword of Damocles dangles over our favorite team’s season and legacy.
Today as the Astros head into the 4th game of the ALCS with the Yankees holding a 2-1 lead in the series, there are a number of reasons to face the future with a positive attitude.
There is payback coming
After three games, the Astros’ cumulative numbers are .173 BA/ .274 OBP/ .591 OPS and they have only scored 7 runs in the series. Alex Bregman (.143), George Springer (.083), Yordan Alvarez (.000), Yuli Gurriel (.091), Robinson Chirinos (.000), Aledmys Diaz (.000) and Jake Marisnick (.000) are all below the Mendoza line with 4 of the 7 still back at the starting line. This will change.
Four games in four days
The Yankees are much more dependent on their bullpen for innings than the Astros with Domingo German gone and Luis Severino on a pitch count. Their pen has averaged more than 5 innings per game in the first three games and if that continues with no days off …. this could be problematic for skipper Aaron Boone.
Starting Pitching
Yes Masahiro Tanaka had a great outing against the Astros in Game 1 and comes back tonight. But historically, the Astros have done very well against Tanaka (0-2, 6.62 ERA in 7 regular season starts against Houston). When you look at Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole being available to pitch on regular rest in 3 of the next 4 games (if needed). This should put the Astros in better position going forward against Tanaka, James Paxton, the next two games and Severino in a 7th game or with less rest in a 6th. The 6th game may be a battle of bullpens, but again, the Astros may well have a better rested bullpen.
The Astros are in the Yankees’ heads
If you have a team worried about you stealing signs when (as blogger daveb so aptly stated) “….we get shut out 7 zip in the opener and only scratch out 3 runs in 11 innings in game two”….. then you are in their brains; you own their brains.
Karma is coming
When you throw things at players and say nasty things about their wives and kids, karma can be a b*&%h. There are choices being made every game by the Yankee fans around these ruffians and by the Yankee front office through their security to not stop this nonsense. I hope Josh Reddick hits a homer every game until they back off.
2017 still lives
The Yanks know we beat them in 2017. Our team knows we beat them in 2017. That can count for a lot in the back of each team’s minds.
The Astros are the better team
The Astros have much better starting pitching, equal offensive power, better fielding and a little less of a bullpen. And frankly they have a better manager. All this and the cameras in the bullpen, the mini-drones we fly in front of the catcher, and the whistlers we keep busy in the dugout give the Astros the edge in a best 2 out of 4 min-series. By the way I was just kidding about the cameras, mini-drones and whistlers….unless the Yanks are reading this, in which case THEY ARE REAL!
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
113 responses to “Positives as the Astros head into game 4”
Things:
The attitudes our guys have are “we’re taking it one game at a time” is a reflection on a really good manager.
I hope the guys can end this tonight….they NEED the rest!
Kevin!!! Dude we missed you! Glad you’re feeling better!
*When asked by the media if Zack heard what the Yankee fans said he answered
Softly “no I didn’t hear them”*. He DID hear them. We live in a mean and hateful country. It makes me want to take a baseball bat and knock their teeth out.
I flew New York trips for 33yrs, so I know how rude some of those people are, but they took it to another level last night. Something is very wrong with some of our fellow Americans..those people who said these things are despicable, ignorant humans.
I say a prayer for our guys, and theirs that no one would get hurt and if we lose, lose with grace. GO ‘STROS⚾!!
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Guess I misunderstood. Just got home and game is already in progress.
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This is starting to smell like gm 5 & 7 of the 2017 WS. Sparks will fly tonight folks, we’d better buckle up
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Corrections, gm 2 & 5 of the 2017 WS, my bad, don’t know what I was thinking.
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Offense is pressing and that’s not good. Paxton getting a lot of calls out of the zone.
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Even Uncle Mike isn’t happy with the zone.
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For what ever it’s worth I was checking the average time of the commercials between bats and it’s running about 2:30 each change. Not counting pitching changes and other delays that ads about 45 minutes to the game. I guess that’s why the game lasted over 4 hours last night.
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Let Your will be done
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Uncharacteristic 9 SO’s already for the Stro’s, an unfortunate result of that pressing. A loud out is exactly that, a loud out. Don’t want our guys trying to emulate the Bronx Bombers with the long ball. Be glad when YA get’s back in sync, poor kids starts out nearly every AB in a 0-2, 1-2 hole & the SO’s are piling. A nice scoring rally might settle some nerves
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Ok you Dudes and Dudetts…..what happens Saturday? Is it a bullpen day, and Cole would start Sunday? I can’t believe these guys are laying down for the yankees. Mind boggling really, (((jeeze))). Now I’m really stressed.😣.
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I’m wondering the same thing.
I say go for it tomorrow. Giving them another game is just plain trouble.
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Well, we jumped out to a 3-1 with some timely hitting, albeit the long ball. We have yet to have an offensive outburst. The Yanks jumped on JV early but he has since held them in check. I liked the last AB by GS, he put the ball in play with good results without his usual knee buckling swing. Besides pressing, some guys frustrated making hard contact with no good results. Keep it up & good things will happen.
With so many good hitters in this lineup they should hardly get caught up pressing. Bad things usually happen & they look terrible doing it, just like this AB by YA against Britton.
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No analyzing for me tonight. We won 2 of 3 in NY.
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Pitiful game. Justin made the adjustment (a little late) but the rest of the guys laid an egg. Who do the yankees start tomorrow??? Severino?? Who pitches for them Sunday. I hate that our guys get in so late tomorrow morning….gotta take care of business guys.
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I guess Urquidy will pitch tomorrow but unless the offense shows up it won;t make any difference. Maybe they’ll relax and score a bunch of runs and win. t would be nice if when we do hit the ball (yuli) it’s right at a Yankee player. Let;s send them back to NY tomorrow night!
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I really don’t question Hinch’s decisions much. Don’t always agree. But the “ bullpen game needed to be tonight. We need to keep our fingers crossed.
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I agree with you but I guess Hinch wanted to shut the door and figured JV was his better shot. I’d rather had lost last night with the bullpen and had JV ready for tonight. That’s not taking away anything from our pitchers but the Stankees are all amped up having beat JV. He just had too much Adrenalin going in the 1st. The same for Paxton, just that our offensive offense chocked and didn’t come through.
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45, I thought about that. But Verlander was the best option to win and finish the series in 5 games. And then the club would have had a full weekend of downtime. And Cole would have been ready to open that other series with Verlander still on regular rest for game 2. If anyone told me the Astros would be coming home from New York up 3-2 before the series started, I’d have jumped at it. It’s all right in front of our guys. It’s up to them to get it done.
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Agree Dave, I never thought they would win 2 in NY, Last 2 games at home all we could ask for, if they cant get it done at home, then shame on us! I think we have like 5 guys hitting under .100 in the ALCS wow
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The good thing about yesterday is that ac45, Devin, roadthriller, Kevin and Billy C. showed up. Regular ac45 really had me worried. There are still some others we haven’t heard from. I agree with the sentiment that if I’d been offered two out of three in NY, I’d have taken it. It’s just that I wanted those wonderful Yankees to be able to snuggle down in their own beds last night.
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I just called my kids and asked them to take me to the hospital. Please pray for them and my wife and me. It’s my heart.
I love you.
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It’s done OP, keep updated when you can. Praying all goes well
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Oh my – Lord please help old pro and his family
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Consider it done OP, update when you can.
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OH NO!!! I will pray without ceasing until we know you are alright🙏🙏❤
Old Pro….NOTHING is more important than YOUR health. God bless you my friend🙏
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OH NO!
Praying for you and your family.
Please let us know when you can.
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We all love you!
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Oh Dear Lord, protect this man and his family. Keep him here with them and us. He’s got more work to do.
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Father, hear our appeal for OP and his family. We love you too.
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Father God place Your healing hands on our friend Old Pro.Guide the doctors hands for a healing. We leave him in Your hands. In Jesus name Amen.
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Dan, if you or Chip have any access we do not have, please let us know.
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I’m on the road right now – I’ll check what I can – probably have a personal email but that might be something only he uses
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