2023 Houston Astros Thread

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

Two more games left, fight like hell to extend. Find some clutch

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

We also must factor in maldy leading a players meeting before game 3 

[WBT 20,608]

40 minutes ago, Gut Wagon said:

I'm not confident but will be satisfied with the season even if we lose to the Rangers. That's because I've been convinced for months now that this team just isn't repeat champion material. We're still alive mainly because several teams who played better than ours somehow fell by the wayside. It's not as though we came on with a huge rush and got stronger month by month. We're a good team, but nothing about our play tells me we're great. Maybe we make this a close series anyway. 

The best team hardly ever wins the WS.  The better team barely wins any given series more than half the time.  Any of the last 4 teams can win it.

Edited October 17, 2023 by WBT

[David Dennison 18,922]

5 minutes ago, WBT said:

The best team hardly ever wins the WS.  The better team barely wins any given series more than half the time.  Any of the last 4 teams can win it.

Thanks for giving me 2019 flashbacks.

[Mo Horn 8,849]

35 minutes ago, WBT said:

The best team hardly ever wins the WS.  The better team barely wins any given series more than half the time.  Any of the last 4 teams can win it.

It's all about who gets hot and goes on a run, and whoever gets the breaks and gets lucky. Inevitably it's usually a matter of feet or even inches that determines who wins or loses. Last year the breaks fell our way. This year, not so much so far. 

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

if the ranger starters only throw breaking balls away, we're fucked 

zero reasons for to throw strikes at this point 

Edited October 17, 2023 by tx 3 putt

[HtownHorn 14,721]

Our hitting coaches apparently cannot teach our players to not swing at pitches that start off the plate and continue off the plate.

McCormick, Diaz, and Pena do it way too much. No plan to attack the opposite field at MMP by all our hitters except Brantley. Yordan gets a pass because he is actually locked in right now. Bregman, Altuve, and Tucker are killing this team right now. Those 3 are 10-59 for the playoffs. You already have an auto out in Maldonado. When you have 44% of your lineup playing at such a poor level you are going to struggle in the playoffs.

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

team hitting was solid all season, by the stats

the clutch hitting, sucked

[Gut Wagon 8,083]

7 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

team hitting was solid all season, by the stats

the clutch hitting, sucked

Agreed. I think our sporadic outbursts of double-digit scoring have led casual fans to think we're better offensively than we've actually been. Day in and day out, we've had no long stretches in which the majority of our guys have swung the bat well. Those short hot streaks by Alvarez, Tucker and Altuve in particular helped us make the playoffs, but they also camouflaged multiple gaping holes in our lineup. Put all that with a struggling rotation and here we are: a 90-win team hoping to get past a talented opponent who's playing well. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,078]

More group therapy time. Rationalizations. Recap. Preview. Listen and hopefully you will feel better. We felt better after doing the pod. 
Spotify:
https://spotify.link/An2dzjo8XDb
amazon:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8...-down-0-2?ref=dm_sh_fOysdcwUkvYjLbTtpoUmlyh1Y
apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breathing-orange-fire-a-houston-astros-podcast/id1683955456?i=1000631563810

[utxmike05 1,828]

I need Tuve, Tuck, Breg to catch whatever "virus" that Yordan has/had.

Also need Framber to just go find his nuts.

[Guadaloopy 10,973]

Fucking off day after two straight losses in the ALCS has me arguing with Helo in the ALCS thread.  Need a win tomorrow to get my mind right.

[WBT 20,608]

[n64ra 1,086]

18 hours ago, Lat22 said:

I’m strangely confident for being down 0-2 and hitting the road. 

The problem is we'll have to figure out how to win game 6 or 7 in Houston. Why can't the next 4 be in Arlington??

[Rockethorn1978 6,093]

Javier vs a banged up sherzer. We should win unless they smash javier

urquidy vs Heaney? Dunning? Also should win if Urquidy pitches well

verlander vs Montgomery. Both pitched well and Montgomery at home. Potential loss

back home down 3-2 and you guessed it. We get Valdez again. All I got is Valdez can’t have 3 straight shit games? If we win I love us winning game 7 with sherzer pitching.

so it’s not hopeless but definitely a hole Houston has never climbed out of before never winning a series down 0-2. We will see. At this point our hope is this team gets its head out of its ass and plays to their potential. 

[UTexasFight 9,492]

24 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

 

so it’s not hopeless but definitely a hole Houston has never climbed out of before never winning a series down 0-2. We will see. At this point our hope is this team gets its head out of its ass and plays to their potential. 

And yet twice in the past 5 years we’ve won 3 in a row after starting down at least 0-2

Edited October 17, 2023 by UTexasFight

[Rockethorn1978 6,093]

8 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

And yet twice in the past 5 years we’ve won 3 in a row after starting down at least 0-2

Lol I guess that’s what I get for repeating the talking heads on tv that said Houston has never won a series going down 0-2 before. I was too lazy to fact check but I couldn’t remember. Always seemed like we were 1-1 after two games or up 2-0. What series did we win down 0-2 and what years? I don’t remember.

[kevwun 15,797]

One of those we lost for sure because it was the World Series against the Nationals.

[Dutchrudder 11,141]

4 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Lol I guess that’s what I get for repeating the talking heads on tv that said Houston has never won a series going down 0-2 before. I was too lazy to fact check but I couldn’t remember. Always seemed like we were 1-1 after two games or up 2-0. What series did we win down 0-2 and what years? I don’t remember.

The 2019 World Series against the Nationals, every game was won by the Away team. So while winning 3 on the road, they lost the last 2...

[Guadaloopy 10,973]

4 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Lol I guess that’s what I get for repeating the talking heads on tv that said Houston has never won a series going down 0-2 before. I was too lazy to fact check but I couldn’t remember. Always seemed like we were 1-1 after two games or up 2-0. What series did we win down 0-2 and what years? I don’t remember.

We didn’t win those series, but we took them both to G7.  

We went 0-3 to TB in ‘20 ALCS before Correa played some hero ball.  

[Rockethorn1978 6,093]

Ok so they were right. Going down 0-2 we’ve never won a series. Maybe this team can add something to the long list of accomplishments. I think it’s doable but that Valdez start makes me cringe. I have confidence in everyone else but him right now. All I have is he can’t have 3 straight bad starts. 

[UTexasFight 9,492]

3 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Ok so they were right. Going down 0-2 we’ve never won a series. Maybe this team can add something to the long list of accomplishments. I think it’s doable but that Valdez start makes me cringe. I have confidence in everyone else but him right now. All I have is he can’t have 3 straight bad starts. 

Yeah, I didn’t say we won the series, but we’ve come all the way back to tie once, and led one of them after reeling off 3 straight wins. 

[runthebone 8,012]

Framber's only fucking job was not to be such a fucking mental basket case that he lost the game in the first inning, and apparently that was too much for him.

 

Fuck

[Gut Wagon 8,083]

It's obvious we need Tucker to wake up, but I didn't realize his production had this dramatic an impact in 2023: a 1.096 OPS in wins, just .609 in losses. Guess he'd better get going. 

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

I’d auto walk Yordan, the next two games 

[Guest]

On 10/16/2023 at 9:38 PM, tx 3 putt said:

if the ranger starters only throw breaking balls away, we're fucked 

zero reasons for to throw strikes at this point 

I felt that way with several batters so far this series.  These fuckers are whiffing for the fences.  I'd never throw them a fucking strike.

 

They will though...

[n64ra 1,086]

10 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

I’d auto walk Yordan, the next two games 

I'd advise the Rangers to pitch Alvarez down the middle every time.

[kevwun 15,797]

And also walk 2 or 3 guys before him

[Seasick Sailor 3,747]

Today is a great day to start a 4-game winning streak. 

[YChang 3,452]

I dunno how much self-reflection, coaching (ha!) or video reviews can help in such a short time can help... nonetheless go Stros!

[Scraps 13,562]

Today is a great day to start a 4-game winning streak. 

How bout 8 game?

[Halohal 498]

Go Astros

[patrickdrinksbeer 791]

happy kick-the-shit-outta-scherzer day!

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

48 minutes ago, patrickdrinksbeer said:

happy kick-the-shit-outta-scherzer day!

[utxmike05 1,828]

They are going to piss me off tonight no matter what the outcome:

a) they suck and lose again

b) they do good and win, thus making me yell again "why the fuk do you only do well on the road, and like jacking up my blood pressure?!"

[Scraps 13,562]

Lets get triggered!

[Scraps 13,562]

Also lulz

[Guadaloopy 10,973]

24 minutes ago, Scraps said:

Lets get triggered!
 

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

30 minutes ago, Scraps said:

Also lulz
 

I’d offer dubon a longer deal 

valuable bench guy, great locker room guy 

[tx 3 putt 77,038]

 

[sidis 9,832]

this is a road team all the way...time to turn this bitch around.

[Pimphand 5,764]

23 hours ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Lol I guess that’s what I get for repeating the talking heads on tv that said Houston has never won a series going down 0-2 before. I was too lazy to fact check but I couldn’t remember. Always seemed like we were 1-1 after two games or up 2-0. What series did we win down 0-2 and what years? I don’t remember.

2020 ALCS lost 3-4
2019 WS lost 3-4
2005 WS lost 0-4
2004 NLCS 0-2 lost 3-4
2001 NDLS 0-2 lost 0-3
1997 NLDS 0-2 lost 0-3

We have either gotten swept or pushed the series to the brink every time we went down 0-2 in the playoffs never any middle ground.

Note: We have never gotten swept in the LCS just the LDS & WS

Edited October 18, 2023 by Pimphand

[Pimphand 5,764]

The only time the Rangers have ever blown a 2-0 series lead was the 2015 ALDS against Toronto where they took the first two in Toronto then lost the last 3 with the capstone being this famous moment..
 

Note: The only time the Astros blew a 2-0 lead was in the 1981 NLDS vs the Dodgers but back then it was a 2-3 format and so the home team won all 5 games.

[Pimphand 5,764]

Teams that go up 2-0 in a 7 game series have gone 75-14 for an 84.27% winning PCT

Of the 14 times it has happened 10 were in the World Series, 2 in the NLCS, and 2 in the ALCS

Ironically 1985 both the NLCS & ALCS the teams rallied from 0-2 to win to set up the Don Denkinger Show Me State World Series

[Pimphand 5,764]

Teams that dropped the first two at home and won the 7 game series..

1996 WS Yankees over Braves won in 6
1986 WS Mets over Red Sox won in 7 (also trailed 2-3)ª
1985 WS Royals over Cardinals won in 7 (also trailed 1-3)*

ªBuckner error in G7
*Denkinger blew call in G6

Edited October 18, 2023 by Pimphand

[runthebone 8,012]

Just win tonight

[Trey3216 15,347]

23 minutes ago, Pimphand said:

Teams that dropped the first two at home and won the 7 game series..

1996 WS Yankees over Braves won in 6
1986 WS Mets over Red Sox won in 7 (also trailed 2-3)ª
1985 WS Royals over Cardinals won in 7 (also trailed 1-3)*

ªBuckner error in G7
*Denkinger blew call in G6

Buckner error was in Game 6

[Scraps 13,562]

Here we go...

[TonyTexas 10,515]

Well that’s different