Yep, I think Hand is their closer now, with Cody Allen as the set-up guy, and Andrew Miller is now a middle reliever. Miller and Allen battled injuries all year. I think Miller is still pitching hurt, but Allen has been pitching better. The back end of their bullpen is much better now than it was a few months ago.
Everyone knows Correa is awesome and when he isn't hurt he is one of the elite players on the team. However we see what a bad back can do to a great player. Will he be healthy? Stay tuned....
There was plenty of backhanded praise to Correa even when he was doing well... as too many people already presume he's off to a bigger market when he hits free agency, looking for the biggest payday ever. Never really heard that sort of "fear" with the other guys. The Astros should be just as concerned about Bregman leaving as they are Correa/Springer... but again, not going to worry about that for 4 years.
You should feel good about this team. It’s freaking awesome and when Carlos Correa is your biggest issue you u are in good shape. That still doesn’t mean Kluber and Carrasco don’t shove it up our ass sidewise two or three times in 5 days and we lose a heartbreaker. But yeah, you should feel good about this team. It’s one of the most amazing pieces of roster building I’ve ever seen in my life. FO is absurdly good. Development staff. Scouts. AJ. It’s all a great infrastructure to maximize every last bit of talent in the players and the players are good dudes that have completely bought in. And even for all that we’d be at best what, 3/2 favorite in this series.
Yeah someone on here said it the other day (I cant remember who)...this very well may be the best team we see in our lifetime.
I am quite nervous that we might get the Kevin Brown treatment this year. Clevelands rotation. Damn... That and our inconsistent bats. Nail biter for sure.
Yep, I said that before. Also, Marwin def needs to be batting 4th or 5th when Kluber starts. He has the best numbers against him in our lineup IIRC. Correa's numbers against Kluber are not pretty. Wouldn't mind Marwin, Reddick, McCann, and Kemp (if he makes the roster) all start against him (Correa can always come in to pinch hit/defensive substitute). This is why I wanted to add another lefty bat. But it is what it is. As for catchers, I'd use McCann against Kluber, Maldonado against the others.
U fans get this wrong in baseball all the time. Catcher is not an offensive position. Anything you get offensively is a bonus and sdomdary to the defensive and play calling responsibilities behind the plate. They will base the catching decisions on who is on the mound for the Astros not who is on the mound for the opposition. And that’s how it should be, imo.
Oh, I agree with you. But I am hoping it helps set our mindset. Hopefully providing some confidence, while avoiding hubris (which I don't think is a realistic problem). Since baseball is a game of failure, I really do believe that having the mindset that we are always in the game, and we can always comes back, is so valuable. Last year's playoffs in general, and specifically the World Series, was equivalent to two heavyweights landing blow after blow, while both fighters refused to yield. There were several "punch to the gut" moments, where Houston teams of past would have crumbled. But we didn't, we got right back up, and punched back. Perhaps it was because I just read The Series chapter in Astroball, but that means something to me. I just want us to have fun and play good baseball. Should be a great series.
I understand that. But, even though McCann's role has declined since the Machete trade, he will still definitely play some role,
Not the same record (July-Sept: CLE 47-34; HOU 48-29; that's a six-game difference over 162), and certainly not the same competition. Over their final 56 games (August & September), Cleveland played 13 games v. teams that would finish '18 with a winning record. (And, of course, went 6-7 with -11 run differential.) It was two more than the total number of games the Astros played... just against the 89-win Mariners (11). Meanwhile, the Astros played 14 *other* games against teams that would make the playoffs (Dodgers, Rockies, A's & Red Sox). Of their final 53 games, 25 (47%) were against teams that won at least 89 games, more than double Cleveland's percentage. Short series; they have a terrific rotation and enough bats - ANYTHING can happen - blah, blah, blah. The Astros are a significantly better team
what does that have to do with anything? baseball playoffs are a total crapshoot - reigning champs, most talent, most wins, best lineup yada yada yada.... they almost mean nothing. if you're betting on this team bc they're the "reigning champs" than you haven't watched enough baseball in your life. we're good enough to sweep this series. unfortunately so are the indians. i like our chances relative to any other team in these playoffs but we're just as susceptible as any other team to bowing out in the first round. baseball is simply a more random, unpredictable sport.
it has plenty to do with it when reading stuff like the stros are wildly unpredictable and inconsistent and how other teams out match this team somehow. you don't become the champs and win 100+ games in your 2nd year by being such. but I won't be the one to downplay and kid myself out of enjoying a historical team. Bc it's not likely to happen again soon in this generation
I dont think its about the Astros being wildly unpredictable. Its about how in a 5 or 7 game series, the results can vary wildly. What we did last year has no bearing on the outcomes this year. Every series matchup could go our way or not. Think the Cubs, having ended the season tied for the division lead with 95 wins, the most (tied) of any NL team expected to score only 1 run in both their tiebreaker and wildcard games and go down in flames that quick? Sure, we are not the Cubs. But the point is anything can happen and being the defending WS champs doesn't make us immune to anything.
Sure. His role will be catching Keuchel because Keuchel is the one that deals best with the running game and Keuchel has the most experience with MCCann. We are at a point where Verlander and Cole have basically thrown as many games to machete as MCCann since they’ve been here such a short amount of time.
I'd expect McCann will be the primary catcher with Maldanado used for after pinch running situations. There are enough days off that he shouldn't have an issue catching every game like last year.
Their bullpen was a big weakness most of the year, but I don't think it is as big a weakness as it was from April through the all star break. And it sounds like Bauer will now be pitching out of the pen as well, so it could even be considered a strength.
