All series talk goes in here. Non series talk goes somewhere else. No PBP, that can be found from other sources if you need it. All games are broadcast on AT&T Sports SW unless otherwise noted 8-2 Yusei Kikuchi (L) vs. Wade Miley (L) 7:10 8-3 Marco Gonzales (L) vs. Aaron Sanchez (R) 6:10 8-4 TBD vs. Justin Verlander (R) 1:10
Will be interesting to see if the Aaron Sanchez reclamation project will work. I have faith that the pitching staff, coaches and analytics team will help him out but won't be expecting significant results until next year.
Sanchez era over his last 11 starts ( 8.69 era ) is almost better than the Yankees starters since the all Star Break ( 7.51 era ). So there is that.
Now it is all about seeding in the playoffs. You want to roll in the number one seed and on a hot streak. Being the favorites means nothing; winning it is the ticket and that won't be easy.
Totally curious to see Aaron Sanchez. He seems like exactly the kind of pitcher the Astros can turn around. He's really a gigantic wild card in that Fisher trade.
52 games left. We're a clean 70-40 right now. Only need to win 58% of the remaining games to grab a third season in a row with 100+ wins. Recall that from 2011-2013, the Astros managed three straight seasons of 100 losses. Another interesting fact while I'm on the page: the Astros are only 87 net wins away from squaring the entire history of the franchise at an even .500. Currently, since the 1962 Colt 45s season, the team is 4564-4651, .495 W-L%. At the rate this team is going, it may even that franchise record by the end of next season.
The Astros have a history of injecting new life into pitchers' careers. All three of our current starters are beneficiaries of that, and so was Morton, so there is a trend. Sanchez is going to have Strom, Verlander, and Greinke as available teachers. I mean, that's a damn good looking scenario for our reclamation project of him as @Bear_Bryant put it.
With Houston teams in really any sport, I always get nervous about their complacency in facing teams they should unquestionably beat. However, I think these moves at the deadline have the potential to really run a lightning bolt through the team just like the Verlander trade did. You just added another veteran Cy Young winner to the team. You've got two now...again. You have a potential winner in Cole this year. You have the stalwart Wade Miley. And you've got new guys to help out just as much as they help you out. You go out, and you win, no ifs, ands, or buts. I think they will.
With these Astros I'm as confident as I've ever been with any Houston team. They are proven winners. All we have to do is play the games. So much fun to be a fan of this team!
