2023 Houston Astros Thread

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

11 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

I hope crane is aggressive this winter after we win our 3rd WS.

I thought we have 4 free agents, Souza will fill one spot. We’ll need a back up catcher. 

Edited October 9, 2023 by tx 3 putt

[Dennis Taylor 19,389]

7 hours ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Are we still doing the whole “why is maldy playing” bit? He’s gonna start more than Diaz like all season and it’s not changing. I don’t get the acting confused and outraged like there was a possibility Diaz would start and dusty will change his mind? 

The outrage is that Dusty continues to be that stupid/ stubborn to waddle Maldy out there when there isn't a single metric that shows he's the better option.  

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

20 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

we Don’t need to re sign him 

 

So, your deal is you just like the shitty players on the team and not the good ones right?  And this isn’t a bit?  You ride for maldonado and Dubon and that fucking shithead nitwit Dusty while talking about not re-signing Framber and other assorted dipshit nonsense- is that about right?  Did I miss some thing?  

Edited October 9, 2023 by Wulaw Horn

[Macklemore 2,946]

No wonder why we lost Game 2. Didn’t let gangsta Mac throw out the first pitch. FREE MATTRESS MACK! Fuck Manfred, fuck MLB and fuck Mattress Firm! Don’t disrespect an Htown legend.

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Macklemore

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

11 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

So, your deal is you just like the shitty players on the team and not the good ones right?  And this isn’t a bit?  You ride for maldonado and Dubon and that fucking shithead nitwit Dusty while talking about not re-signing Framber and other assorted dipshit nonsense- is that about right?  Did I miss some thing?  

 

if you want to resign a basket case, go for it. Having so much money tied up in Abreu and Montero really ties your hands. I don’t think framber is worth the money he’ll be able to sign for. His money will go to extending Altuve 

bregman will need a decision too 

Edited October 9, 2023 by tx 3 putt

[henrygandorf 29,230]

why can’t we have nice things?

[Harrison Stafford 3,393]

Instead of nice things, we have Dusty.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Harrison Stafford

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

This team isn’t going anywhere unless bregman and Tucker wake up 

 Maybe abreu can contribute something ?

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

Hit Diaz 5th

[UTexasFight 9,821]

26 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

why can’t we have nice things?

And why give Minnesota an extra 24 hours to gameplan for diaz instead of Brantley?

maybe it’s not that big of a deal but why make their job any easier than it has to be?

[UTexasFight 9,821]

Yordan in left with Javier on the mound gives me anxiety.

 

speaking of Yordan and anxiety, hope minny keeps the  fireworks to a minimum. Thankfully game is in the daytime 

Edited October 9, 2023 by UTexasFight

[Dutchrudder 11,249]

Astros batting stats vs Sonny Gray in the past. Not a ton of data, but not great. He's a great pitcher, only giving up 8 homeruns all year in 32 starts. He gave up 4+ runs twice in all those starts. It's gonna be tough.

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

51 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

if you want to resign a basket case, go for it. Having so much money tied up in Abreu and Montero really ties your hands. I don’t think framber is worth the money he’ll be able to sign for. His money will go to extending Altuve 

bregman will need a decision too 

Altuve’s money will go to extending Altuve. He’s already on the books at like 28M per. Just like Bregman is making 30 per. All you have to do is add years, they aren’t getting an actual raise. 
Framber was the best pitcher last postseason, our best pitcher this year and undoubtedly top 10 in the league. We have nobody else capable of acting as an ace. But sure, cast that aside. Just so long as Dusty and Maldy can come back in 24, right?  

Edited October 9, 2023 by Wulaw Horn

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

38 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

why can’t we have nice things?

What’s awesome about that is Yainer hits like 600 ops as a DH. So we will have not one but 2 Maldonado’s playing next game. So, that’s nice. 

32 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

This team isn’t going anywhere unless bregman and Tucker wake up 

 Maybe abreu can contribute something ?

We scored 8 runs. He has one of the rbi. I think you misspelled maldonado again in talking about people who suck and are worthless. 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Wulaw Horn

[Harrison Stafford 3,393]

25 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Astros batting stats vs Sonny Gray in the past. Not a ton of data, but not great. He's a great pitcher, only giving up 8 homeruns all year in 32 starts. He gave up 4+ runs twice in all those starts. It's gonna be tough.

We’re dooooooooomed.

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

16 minutes ago, Harrison Stafford said:

We’re dooooooooomed.

Not a doubt in my mind. 

[henrygandorf 29,230]

45 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

What’s awesome about that is Yainer hits like 600 ops as a DH. So we will have not one but 2 Maldonado’s playing next game. So, that’s nice. 

i'm willing to dismiss the "stats when playing in the field vs dh" as a small-sample anomaly, but hearing that yainer is the dh tells me two things - (1) maldonado is in the lineup and (2) brantley isn't.

[Js1 87,305]

Dusty and Maldy

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

8 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

i'm willing to dismiss the "stats when playing in the field vs dh" as a small-sample anomaly, but hearing that yainer is the dh tells me two things - (1) maldonado is in the lineup and (2) brantley isn't.

It goes beyond small sample size. I posted an article on the Dh penalty. It’s real. If you wanted to draw up a person it would disproportionately Affect that person is likely yainer. 

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

Braves are on the ropes

[Welch 640]

11 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It goes beyond small sample size. I posted an article on the Dh penalty. It’s real. If you wanted to draw up a person it would disproportionately Affect that person is likely yainer. 

And even though everyone knows this, it’s worth repeating: a good defensive catcher who can also hit is one of the most valuable commodities in baseball.  And one the Astros’ franchise hasn’t had since… ever?  I guess early Biggio?

So of course it makes sense to cede that advantage as often as possible.

[WBT 21,001]

f offdays

I'm still pissed about letting dipshit go up there and derp into a doubleplay after we caught a break on Pena's broken bat hit to the back of the pitchers mound.

[henrygandorf 29,230]

42 minutes ago, Welch said:

And even though everyone knows this, it’s worth repeating: a good defensive catcher who can also hit is one of the most valuable commodities in baseball.  And one the Astros’ franchise hasn’t had since… ever?  I guess early Biggio?

mitch meluskey had a magical season.  that's how rare it is.  i remember it very well.

[BornOrange 1,441]

Brantley has had success against Gray, so we sit him.

[TonyTexas 10,796]

22 minutes ago, BornOrange said:

Brantley has had success against Gray, so we sit him.

Yep. .300/.417/.400 in 20 ABs. As a team, current Astros are hitting.260/.336/.344 against Gray.  (includes Hensley’s 0/3)

[Scraps 13,813]

Yeah but all that wasn't Zombie Brantley

[runthebone 8,380]

I guess we know who won the Brown Baker power struggle.  The one who doesn't value math.

[Hornsbay22 485]

I dont get why at  Minute Maid the programming isn't directed for better fan interaction.   It could be way louder if they were fan directed.  Like why don't we have a video telling everyone to do the Chas Chomp, or Jose, jose, jose chant. 

[LTtxfan 50,038]

3 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Braves are on the ropes

Crazy comeback win by ATL  

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

26 minutes ago, Hornsbay22 said:

I dont get why at  Minute Maid the programming isn't directed for better fan interaction.   It could be way louder if they were fan directed.  Like why don't we have a video telling everyone to do the Chas Chomp, or Jose, jose, jose chant. 

[WBT 21,001]

1 hour ago, Hornsbay22 said:

I dont get why at  Minute Maid the programming isn't directed for better fan interaction.   It could be way louder if they were fan directed.  Like why don't we have a video telling everyone to do the Chas Chomp, or Jose, jose, jose chant. 

You should apply for a job at Bellmont

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

These diamondbacks would have crushed us 

[Guest]

11 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

I thought we have 4 free agents, Souza will fill one spot. We’ll need a back up catcher. 

What happens to Diaz?

[Halohal 557]

Go Astros 

[LCHorn 2,751]

12 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

mitch meluskey had a magical season.  that's how rare it is.  i remember it very well.

So HG's Meluskey reference sent me down the baseball reference rabbit hole--can you believe he's 50?

The reported "rumors" on him at the time was that pitchers hated throwing to him.  Ausmus was blocking Meluskey from starting full-time and I guess Hunsicker must have thought a lot of him and tough Tony because they traded Ausmus for a bunch of spare parts (I can't remember but I bet we can find Chron pieces saying they were looking for more offense at catcher).  Then they reverse course a couple of years later and trade Meluskey to get Ausmus back from Detroit. 

This is going to be an easy bit of trivia, but after '98 McLane let a free agent go and this is what followed.  I'm not Jayson Stark but it's got to be up there for the worst free agent NON-signing mistake. 

[Scraps 13,813]

We already know we are getting Mashitty/Diaz combo today.....we gonna get Dubon in for Chas too aren't we? 

[TejasPedro 1,918]

!

 

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

1 hour ago, LCHorn said:

So HG's Meluskey reference sent me down the baseball reference rabbit hole--can you believe he's 50?

The reported "rumors" on him at the time was that pitchers hated throwing to him.  Ausmus was blocking Meluskey from starting full-time and I guess Hunsicker must have thought a lot of him and tough Tony because they traded Ausmus for a bunch of spare parts (I can't remember but I bet we can find Chron pieces saying they were looking for more offense at catcher).  Then they reverse course a couple of years later and trade Meluskey to get Ausmus back from Detroit. 

This is going to be an easy bit of trivia, but after '98 McLane let a free agent go and this is what followed.  I'm not Jayson Stark but it's got to be up there for the worst free agent NON-signing mistake. 

It was chump change too.  Like 1M a year more than uncle D wanted to pay. 

[Gourmand 7,778]

17 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It was chump change too.  Like 1M a year more than uncle D wanted to pay. 

It was the fourth year of the contract they didn't want to pay, plus they didn't have the hometown advantage Arizona had at the time.

It was a mistake to not go all-in but they still may not have outbid the Dbacks.

[runthebone 8,380]

Let's win today.  Feels like this game could have playoff implications

[Rockethorn1978 6,206]

Need Javier to be stud today. Let’s see if we can continue our on the road success.

[UTPhil2006 3,930]

Feels like a good day for 10 runs 

[UTexasFight 9,821]

11 minutes ago, UTPhil2006 said:

Feels like a good day for 10 runs 

With the shadows, there may not be 10 runs total across both games in Minnesota 

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

32 minutes ago, UTPhil2006 said:

Feels like a good day for 10 runs 

10 Diaz home runs would be fun 

[Hank Chinaski 6,363]

17 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It goes beyond small sample size. I posted an article on the Dh penalty. It’s real. If you wanted to draw up a person it would disproportionately Affect that person is likely yainer. 

It is real, but the effect size described in the article was like 14 points of OPS. Which is something, but not an enormous difference over an entire season, much less a few games. There’s no reason to think Diaz is a great hitter when he catches and a terrible hitter when he DHs is there?

Note: I agree, of course, that he should be catching; not arguing that. Just saying that I think it is almost entirely small sample noise that makes him appear hapless as a DH. 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Hank Chinaski

[Wulaw Horn 19,599]

2 minutes ago, Hank Chinaski said:

It is real, but the effect size described in the article was like 14 points of OPS. Which is something, but not an enormous difference over an entire season, much less a few games. There’s no reason to think Diaz is a great hitter when he catches and a terrible hitter when he DHs is there?

Note: I agree, of course, that he should be catching; not arguing that. Just saying that I think it is almost entirely small sample noise that makes him appear hapless as a DH. 

I don't know. I suspect that the penalty would disproportionately affect rookies, and a guy that has "loses focus" stamped all over his scouting report would suffer more than most. I don't think it's truly a 400 point difference (because that's insane) but it wouldn't surprise me- in his case- if it's something like 80 or 100 points.  Which is pretty significant, of course. 

[Gourmand 7,778]

45 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

With the shadows, there may not be 10 runs total across both games in Minnesota 

 

[Dnaguy 12,724]

With their best pitcher on the mound, having anything less than your best hitting lineup is dumb.

But alas. We have a dumb manager.

Brantley, Diaz, and Chaz should all be in. Mashitty shouldn’t sniff the lineup today.

[tx 3 putt 78,787]

14 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

With their best pitcher on the mound, having anything less than your best hitting lineup is dumb.

But alas. We have a dumb manager.

Brantley, Diaz, and Chaz should all be in. Mashitty shouldn’t sniff the lineup today.

if he pitches better than Lopez, we are beyond fucked 

[Mitch Hedberg 2,117]