Right now i think there are only 3 teams for 2 spots (Rangers, Astros and Twins) I think Rangers and Twins will go 18 and 10 in September (And i am giving those numbers having Astros tied Rangers in 4 game series at Texas, and Rangers losing 3 game series at Houston, and Twins losing 3 game series at Houston. The numbers for the Rangers would be: Texas would be 86 and 72 (4 game left with Angels) Twins 85 and 73 (4 games left vs (1 road vs Indians, 3 at home vs KC) Astros are 73 and 61 and i think they will go 15 and 12 in september, Meaning 88 and 71 (3 games left vs Arizona) Meaning, IF we continue playing average baseball and going .500 (like that past 3 months) we could end up 86 and 73 going to October 3 game series ON THE ROAD, vs Arizona 1 game behind Texas and tied in loss column with the Twins. IF Astros want to win the division, is time for them to step up, and win series on the road and at home because a .500 month is going to kill this team. We don't have an identity yet, are we a defensive team? Or are we going to sacrifice defense for hitting? Are we going to win the close games, low scoring games? Or Hinch will continue to make mistakes after mistakes on those close games? This team needs a major change in this month because for too long, we've been AVERAGE, and average will not cut it, WE NEED TO BE GOOD IN SEPTEMBER if we want to go to the playoffs. We must wanted instead of waiting for the other team to fail and lose games. Is time for us to be like the Yankees and Blue Jays, they are winning games, they want to go to the playoffs and they are doing their part, winning games. We need more help from the minors so we can pitch better match ups. We can't continue to give the ball to Neshek in the 8th when the other team is going to send lefties, if they do, then change him and pitch Perez or Thatcher. We must play our best centerfielder (iN CENTERFIELD) when we play in big ballparks and our pitcher is a fly ball pitcher. Last night, with Marisnick playing centerfield the game would had been 3 to 1 (instead of 3 to 3), less pitches by Kazmir, and he would had started the 6th inning instead of leaving the game in the 5th. No more Chris Carter. More Marwin Gonzalez. Once Springer is up, use the 3 outfielders that are playing good. If Tucker gets a couple of hits, unless the pitcher is a lefty, play him again, same goes with Marisnick, Gomez and Rasmus. Only outfielder taht is a regular, period is Springers, others should be used by match ups, who is hot, and defense. First base, use Marwin at 1st until he stops hitting and hitting 2nd in the lineup. Please, use Altuve in the 4th spot, he is our best hitter with men on base and will protect Correa. This is the lineup we should use: 1. Springer rf 2. Gonzalez 1b 3. Correa SS 4. Altuve 2b 5. Lowrie 3b 6. Gattis DH 7. RAsmus/Gomez/Tucker LF 8. Castro/Conger C 9. Marisnick CF Bullpen: Closer Gregerson 8th inning guy should be Harris, why??? He can get lefties and righties out. 7th inning Neshek and Oliver Perez, depending on matchups 6th inning Fields and Sipps, depending on match ups Qualls and Thatcher, depending on matchups I would not be afraid of using VV in tough situations in the bullpen. We need a long man from the minors, NOW. For me it was Buchanan, but he was DFA. We have a lot of guys now, we need to use Villar as pinch runner late (last night he could had scored in the 7th on Conger's double) With this team, we have a great defensive team with great rotation. I don't have to talk about our 5 starters because we have best rotation in baseball (in the AL), we should go with 5 starters, not 6. I still think we can win the division, but we really need Hinch to make better moves and play defense, with our rotation, thats what we need, we are going to score enough but last night defense failed us, and Kazmir would had done much better if we had our best defensive options out there. We can't continue to make those mistakes, other teams will not allowed us, they are very close to us. We need A GOOD month, we can't afford another AVERAGE month.
So you think two teams that have basically been slightly-better-than-0.500 teams all season will suddenly become the 2 best teams in baseball in September?
The Yankees went 14-14 in August. They had a hot July but otherwise have been a 0.500 team most of the season. Sound familiar?
The Rangers are playing a lot better over the last month than they have all season. They went exactly 18-10 in August.
Certainly - but teams do that. They also went 10-14 in July. Maybe the Rangers truly did improve and will be the best team in baseball from here on out. But it's far more likely that they simply had a cold month and a hot month and that September will be somewhere in between.
He's young and he's already surpassed his previous career high for IP (inane posts), it may be time to shut him down for the rest of the season.
Major, there are major difference with the Rangers right now, they are getting healthy, plus, they acquired Hamels. They got Holland back, and with Hamels, the rotation changes DRASTICALLY. Now they move Gallardo to second spot, and Hamels, Gallardo, Holland, and Lewis make a nice top 4 rotation, before, they had Wandy and Co. Second, they are playing teams that are just not good, so i can see them going 18 and 10, actually, they are already 2 and 0 so is more 16 and 10 from now on. My point is, we can't think we are going to win the division because Texas is going to lose, we need to think we are going to win the division because we are going to have a good month becuase been average could put that in jeopardy. Now, one member talked about the Yankees, good example, and i agree with you sir, thats why they had a very nice lead and LOST IT, because they were average for a long time, and Blue Jays caught them. But, last 2 series, Yankees have won BOTH, and they are winning the games they need to get to the playoffs. Now, Astros? They've lost the last 2 series. Can we continue with that trend and stay on top? My point is, no.
Look at this way, 2 weeks from today, we'll pretty much know whether the company playoffs and division are going to happen. Sweep the Twins and get a at least a .500 road trip and they're in the drivers seat. Glass half-full says their run differential will start some positive regression and they'll turn it around and have another month like April. Glass half-empty says they wasted amazing pitching in July and August, allowing the teams behind them to stay in the race. Coupled with inexperience, they can't close the deal. I am going glass half-full but not winning the division or making the playoffs would make this a disappointment of a season regardless of expectations back on opening day. This isn't a silver lining sports town, this is a winning city so let's see the Astros deliver and give us some exciting October baseball.
My gut feeling tells me we have an epic collapse on our hands. It's been a fun season either way, but sadly I think we're not making the playoffs.
Wouldn't shock me, but this team has been so schitzo this year (not surprising given their youth and the makeup of the lineup) that I have no idea what the hell is going to happen. Gonna be fun.
when streaky teams go streaking, there is an 8 game window where they stumble and fall back after all the winning. we have to capitalize when they do stumble. we're 12 games over .500 , closer to Toronto than the Rays. We also get back that springer guy. as far as the poster, i've never been annoyed by one since honeyboobear entered the texans forum. i do like honeyboobear in the hangout and the world of fashion though. we just need to find out what cangrejero is good at.
This would not be an epic collapse unless they missed the playoffs entirely by a wide margin. They did lose the division lead for a week in July and really haven't enjoyed anything resembling an insurmountable lead at any point in the season since May. It's not fun unless they make the playoffs. Historically, teams that fall apart in September don't fare as well going forward. This is especially so for a young team like this that needs at least a taste of October so they have something to build upon.
Would be very surprising... would mean that the excellent pitching absolutely collapses along with the lineup seeing absolutely no benefit from Springer coming back. They weren't always going to be as dominant a home team (and were bound to lose a home series at some point), but likewise, they aren't going to always be as inept a road team. It is frustrating that they weren't more pro-active to improve the 1B/DH situation with plausible in-house options... largely due to service time/40-man roster issues that should take more of a back seat when this team has a legit chance to win it all this year.
