Two really interesting things from there: #1: Too many weird shifts: The Astros play their corner outfielders toward the gaps. Monday night, they defended a hitter with one home run (Shane Victorino) with three infielders on the left side—and second baseman Jose Altuve turned a hit into a routine out by doing so. You can focus on the few balls that beat the shift, but Houston plays defense the way Vegas does the poker table: Over the long haul, the house wins. The stats show the Astros are better at turning batted balls into outs than any team in the league except the Blue Jays, who play their home games on artificial turf. #2: The other two worst-ever-on-the-road playoff teams won the World Series. The 1987 Twins apparently make the Astros look awesome on the road.
Why are you putting quotation marks around a comment that you completely made up?... Not only has no one said that, no one has even implied it. This is very simple: if Hinch burns Keuchel in any non-must-win game that specifically precludes him from then pitching in a must-win game, it is a fireable offense, IMO. I fully understand that winning a must-win game could lead to another must-win (ie a WC play-in game) - I'm not then suggesting that Keuchel has to pitch in that game, too. Again, as I've said over and over... the priority is *making* the postseason. You do whatever you have to do to accomplish that.
We are sitting here, on September 22, 2015, 1 game back of the division lead, and 3 games ahead for a playoff spot. I am going to go out on a limb and say that Hinch's job is pretty darn safe. It is absolutely a great thing that we, as fans, can have this discussion, but it seems like we are almost grasping at things to criticize. I understand that this is the forum to do so, and I'm not trying to stop anyone from voicing their opinion, but following this back and forth for the day seems a tad unnecessary. But to each their own, it's good to have a civil and respectful discussion. Instead of worrying about hypothetical fire-able offenses, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the rest of the season. Let's go Stros, let's finish the season strong!
No; there's only one must-win game. You have to win it for there to be *more* must-win games. If the Astros need to win one of two... the first game is *not* a must-win. And the second game is *only* a must-win if you lose game 1. These are the type of things Hinch has to be juggling, considering and planning for as the season winds down.
Yeah, fewer off days... and the fact that there's really nobody bad enough in the current rotation that warrants getting skipped in order to keep others on regular rest (especially since Feldman went down, and they went back to a 5 man rotation). They did give Fiers extra rest after his extended no-hitter outing, but even then the off-days allowed that to be pretty non-disruptive to the rest of the rotation. I also don't feel any pitcher (including Keuchel) is going to be better on 3 days rest... than any of the other 4 on full rest. (Yes, I'd even throw Fiers on full rest over Keuchel on 3 days rest... although it would never come to that in the playoffs as he's the 5th man). The excellent starting pitching (Arlington annihilation excluded) is what has been the most consistent aspect of this team all season.
What would you do if there was a division tie? Technically, that's not a must-win game as the loser would then go on to the WC game.
Easy, for me. Start the regularly-scheduled starter, assuming Keuchel is then your WC or game 1 starter. ETA: although, that's a fascinatingly good question because I, personally, would 1000% prefer the straight-to-ALDS route, so..... but, yeah - I think I go regular starter with Keuchel set-up for WC or game 1.
What if Keuchel was the regularly scheduled starter? Would you skip/save him for the LDS or possible WC game, and possibly pitch somebody else on short rest?
can somebody besides Hey Now please weigh in and explain to me how these two statements are much, if at all different, given the context of the debate that is currently taking place? Weighing in to mention that they are close enough, if not exactly the same would be equally useful and welcome. #1: "If hinch doesn't figure out a way for Keuchel to pitch in all the games that I'd ideally like him to pitch in, he has failed and he should be fired" #2: "This is very simple: if Hinch burns Keuchel in any non-must-win game that specifically precludes him from then pitching in a must-win game, it is a fireable offense, IMO."
So are you advocating that Hinch keeps our ace shelved in the final series until it's a must-win game? What if, by doing so, he then is forced to pitch him on Sunday, and can no longer pitch him in the WC game on the 3 days rest that you desire? What if, had he pitched him in a "non-must-win" game on Friday, he could have then avoided the "must-win" game, and could have then pitched him on 3 days rest in the WC game? Lot of wanting to have your cake and eat it too under your parameters. Not to mention a virtually winless proposition for Hinch.