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2022 Houston Astros Thread


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11 hours ago, HtownHorn said:

We can hope.

Nah. It was stupid, Yordan knows it was stupid, he was embarrassed, etc. I don’t see the point in taking your best bat out of the lineup.

Besides, Dusty gives them all so many days off anyway, how would he even know it’s a punishment? 

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11 minutes ago, Hank Chinaski said:

Nah. It was stupid, Yordan knows it was stupid, he was embarrassed, etc. I don’t see the point in taking your best bat out of the lineup.

Besides, Dusty gives them all so many days off anyway, how would he even know it’s a punishment? 

He wouldn’t but the baseball gods would.

kinda like college football self-imposed sanctions. Bench him in hopes the baseball gods come down easy.

 

(Joking…kinda)

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Yordan is one of the smartest baseball guys on this team, and this team is full of smart players. it was a bonehead mistake, I read nothing into it. I fully expect the locker room to be making fun of him today. 

 

also, how the hell doesn't that ball get out of here. these baseballs are duds 

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“When I took him out for a pinch-[runner], he came to me immediately and he said that he messed up. I said, ‘Yeah, I know,’” Baker said. “Baseball’s a game; like life, it teaches you lessons sometimes. That probably won’t happen again. I’m glad we won the game. We all thought it was gone, but the ball is not gone until it disappears over the fence. Like I said, he learned a lesson. He really [would have] felt bad had we lost that ballgame. Sometimes, you need your teammates to bail you out.”

 

Quote

"I think I froze a little bit after I hit the ball,” Alvarez said. “I thought the ball was gone. Obviously, that doesn't justify me not running."

Alvarez immediately went to Baker in the dugout and apologized.

“Super happy we won the game, but still a little bit upset that I disrespected my teammates and the game a little bit there,” Alvarez said.

 

Edited by WBT
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13 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

also, how the hell doesn't that ball get out of here. these baseballs are duds 

Per Baseball Savant, the total MLB wOBA is 22 points below the expected wOBA, which is based on contact quality, BB and K rates. The difference between the two has been within a few points each of the last few seasons. I don’t know if it’s the humidors but the balls this year are dead. (I’m sure MLB will deny that they’re different and switch back to juiced balls at some point in the middle of the season, because that’s a very MLB thing to do.)

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7 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I suspected that was exactly how it would play out. He’s not a malingerer or malcontent and he knows he ducked up. We won the game anyway. Any punishment would be absurd. 


the guys riding his ass will be punishment enough. The team has a great locker room 

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19 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

car sliding GIF

Yessir. 
i loved AJ from his first press conference. Just a great combination of manager players respect and play for and a guy who doesn’t do dumb ass unforced strategic shit like bat Goodrum in the top third of the lineup. 

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48 minutes ago, Gut Wagon said:

The fact that Alvarez missile ran out of fuel before reaching the yellow line only reinforces how manly young Mr. Peña has been so far. 

One was pulled (so was Altuve's) and one was oppo.  I was reading the ESPN article and a quote stuck in my mind "maybe they shouldn't do anything with the balls- middle IF aren't going oppo for a home run anymore but the big boys are still eating.  I wonder if there's any way the new balls and how far they carry are affected by spin based upon if the ball is going pull field or oppo.  I know in golf when the wind is in your face a fade gets blown up moreso while a hook feels like it bores through the wind and carries a little better. I wonder if something similar is happening here?  I assume the spin on a baseball is different from pull side to opposite field side, but I'm not fucking physicist.  

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6 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

Tongue in cheek.

Absolutely  know that’ll never happen.

will be interesting if someone ever gives him another opportunity/mlb allows it 

It's amazing that someone hasn't hired him. If nothing else it could give a tight wad owner cover to burn down his payroll for 3 or 5 years and convince his fan base he was trying to do the right thing with the guy who had proven he could do it.  JL must just be absolutely hated throughout the industry.  My buddy that interacted with him a couple times said seemingly nice guy.

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36 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

One was pulled (so was Altuve's) and one was oppo.  I was reading the ESPN article and a quote stuck in my mind "maybe they shouldn't do anything with the balls- middle IF aren't going oppo for a home run anymore but the big boys are still eating.  I wonder if there's any way the new balls and how far they carry are affected by spin based upon if the ball is going pull field or oppo.  I know in golf when the wind is in your face a fade gets blown up moreso while a hook feels like it bores through the wind and carries a little better. I wonder if something similar is happening here?  I assume the spin on a baseball is different from pull side to opposite field side, but I'm not fucking physicist.  

My observation (poorly stated) wasn't so much about Yordan's long "single." I was just pondering how many blasts Peña already has hit during a period of reportedly less-lively baseballs. He's not a huge guy and didn't arrive with a slugger's reputation, but he's already clubbed some serious shots.

As for the golf analogy on hooks vs. slices, I haven't played enough golf to have any real take on that. But your explanation makes sense to me.  

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24 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It's amazing that someone hasn't hired him. If nothing else it could give a tight wad owner cover to burn down his payroll for 3 or 5 years and convince his fan base he was trying to do the right thing with the guy who had proven he could do it.  JL must just be absolutely hated throughout the industry.  My buddy that interacted with him a couple times said seemingly nice guy.

This is my read as well. If this were the nfl, he’d have about 10 offers I feel like. NFL is loaded with tight wad, a-hole owners and that’s the kind of organization /boss I envision him landing at. Idk enough about MLB owners to know who fits that description.

when Crane bought the team, what I knew about him them, fit that to a T. But he’s spent way may than I would have I envisioned (although my expectations circa 2013 were only really grounded in the low bar set from the Drayton years). And on the personality side, I’m sure he was/still is an a-hole but sure seems to be dead set on doing everything he can publicly to avoid that type of perception

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6 minutes ago, Gut Wagon said:

My observation (poorly stated) wasn't so much about Yordan's long "single." I was just pondering how many blasts Peña already has hit during a period of reportedly less-lively baseballs. He's not a huge guy and didn't arrive with a slugger's reputation, but he's already clubbed some serious shots.

 

Meanwhile in Minnesota…

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33863746/carlos-correa-follow-tests-potentially-fractured-finger-minnesota-twins-say
 

But no schadenfruede here. Nosiree….

well, maybe just a little. 
ok. maybe a lot.

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10 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

This is my read as well. If this were the nfl, he’d have about 10 offers I feel like. NFL is loaded with tight wad, a-hole owners and that’s the kind of organization /boss I envision him landing at. Idk enough about MLB owners to know who fits that description.

when Crane bought the team, what I knew about him them, fit that to a T. But he’s spent way may than I would have I envisioned (although my expectations circa 2013 were only really grounded in the low bar set from the Drayton years). And on the personality side, I’m sure he was/still is an a-hole but sure seems to be dead set on doing everything he can publicly to avoid that type of perception


the cubs won their World Series with a great core, and then wasted that core away. The Astros are still at it and going to make a serious WS run again this year. With a new core of young players in place. 
 

crane has far exceeded my expectations as an owner 

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3 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Yordan is one of the smartest baseball guys on this team, and this team is full of smart players. it was a bonehead mistake, I read nothing into it. I fully expect the locker room to be making fun of him today. 

 

also, how the hell doesn't that ball get out of here. these baseballs are duds 

The balls are really bad.  Though it should help us since we have so many flyball pitchers like JV and Javier.

Edited by Starfleet Command
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6 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

the cubs won their World Series with a great core, and then wasted that core away. The Astros are still at it and going to make a serious WS run again this year. With a new core of young players in place. 

and a couple bucks to spend.

people can bitch about acquisitions and choices we've made, but so far injuries have been the killer.

we needed yordan in 2020, jv last year, and mccullers this year.  there are other examples i'm sure.

and none of the guys i was interested in have done much, and some have been a huge net negative (cough, semien).  also pena is looking like a monster and the decision to throw money at verlander is looking good.

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10 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:


the cubs won their World Series with a great core, and then wasted that core away. The Astros are still at it and going to make a serious WS run again this year. With a new core of young players in place. 
 

crane has far exceeded my expectations as an owner 

I was thinking about that - could have essentially a second core formed from Yordan, Tucker, Pena, and potentially Meyers when he returns.  Matijevic could also be a solid replacement at 1B for Yuli if he takes another step at the plate.  That's five potential above average players to build around.

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1 minute ago, Starfleet Command said:

The balls are really bad. 

speaking of semien, the ball he cracked into to dead left against us was about as sure as any homer i've ever seen/heard off the bat.  don't think it even made the warning track.  i know arlington is deep to straightaway left but that was ridiculous.

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Just now, Starfleet Command said:

I was thinking about that - could have essentially a second core formed from Yordan, Tucker, Pena, and potentially Meyers when he returns.  Matijevic could also be a solid replacement at 1B for Yuli if he takes another step at the plate.  That's five potential above average players to build around.

+ korey lee.

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2 minutes ago, Starfleet Command said:

I was thinking about that - could have essentially a second core formed from Yordan, Tucker, Pena, and potentially Meyers when he returns.  Matijevic could also be a solid replacement at 1B for Yuli if he takes another step at the plate.  That's five potential above average players to build around.


Javier 

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4 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

and a couple bucks to spend.

people can bitch about acquisitions and choices we've made, but so far injuries have been the killer.

we needed yordan in 2020, jv last year, and mccullers this year.  there are other examples i'm sure.

and none of the guys i was interested in have done much, and some have been a huge net negative (cough, semien).  also pena is looking like a monster and the decision to throw money at verlander is looking good.

Yeah. If I’m nitpicking, I didn’t like trading Straw, as I prefer him to McCormick (he brings unique elements to the team and has been a good player), but that decision was made with Meyers in mind too. And most of what I didn’t like was the return, so if Maton proves me wrong I’ll be happy. I also would have preferred bringing in a guy like Villar to Goodrum. Villar is actually a productive offensive player. But yeah, I didn’t have a big problem with any of the other moves/non-moves beyond these. 

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8 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

+ korey lee.

I want to see him hit better but the potential is there.  Same with Leon.  Both those guys have a ceiling that is in the above average or better range.  Then you have Brown with elite stuff and almost ready to be promoted.  The IF Valdez who has been destroying AA (nearly 20% BB% and .300 ISO) at 23.  This is why, no matter how many publications disagree, the Astros' system is not at the bottom.  It may not be the best anymore, but there are still diamonds to be uncovered.

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5 hours ago, Starfleet Command said:

I was thinking about that - could have essentially a second core formed from Yordan, Tucker, Pena, and potentially Meyers when he returns.  Matijevic could also be a solid replacement at 1B for Yuli if he takes another step at the plate.  That's five potential above average players to build around.

and Lee and Leon. Considering what the Astros are getting out of their CF and C positions, if those 2 guys can bring a consistent .720 OPS, then the Astros are going to have a great lineup.

Edited by HtownHorn
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