This series has sweep written all over it! Joking aside ... Keuchel's last outing was great because he didn't pitch too many pitches and there were virtually no high stress pitches because he was spotted such a big lead. I think that is really going to help him going on short rest tomorrow. We have to take this game!!!
Astros in playoffs for first time in a decade - Going up against a team that will bring major attention to this up and coming group of Luhnites that represent H-Town.
Got my tix...sec 306 row 2. Flight booked...new astros gear. Dont know where im sleeping...but it will be worth it.
I wonder if it is at all relevant that Keuchel started the ASG on 2 days rest... One of the biggest appearances in his life and he pitched 2 innings of 2 hit, 2R/0ER baseball. I know that he was not expecting to pitch much that day, but that still says something. I think this guy has ice running through his veins and will avenge the previous most important start (9/16 against the Rangers) with this start.
hard to beat a team 2, 3 times in a row... I'm sure the yanks will adjust to DK's pitching, hope he'll counterpunch his strategy. I expect the stros offense score no more than 3 runs...
Too many Chandler Parsons references on this Houston Astros forum for my taste. Dallas basketball is like twice removed from being relevant here...
While I am glad Dallas is pitching, we all do realize that he is not near the performer on the road as at home, right?
Still above average/all-star caliber on the road (esp if you exclude that outlier Arlington start)... downright HOF/one of best ever at home. He's the best option tomorrow... esp against the lefty-heavy Yankees.
Damn, I wish this were at MMP. Then I'd have no doubt the Stros would win. I still give them a slight edge since Keuchel(even on 3 days rest) will be handful for the Yankees, but that offense has had a bad habit of going ice cold on the road.
I'm somewhat happy that I won't have to be exposed to 20K t-shirt Yankee fans infesting MMP... and anything can happen in one game (even the Astros, and DK, losing at home). Hell, they put it on the Yankees on the road (in Dallas' start) for 15 runs... and coming off the 21 run game the other night... I'm not as pessimistic about their road offense.
This. Yankees are so lefty/switch dominant that they are at a severe disadvantage against Keuchel. I'm gonna guess they stack the deck with as much RHHs as possible though. Ellsbury Refsnyder Rodriguez Beltran Young Bird McCann Headley Gregorius There are only 3 pure RHHs in that lineup and 2 switch hitters.
All that is true. But winning that last Arizona game would have given us a huge advantage rather than a mild/moderate one.
They've been better offensively(although facing D-Backs pitching never hurts), but they still have those games where they're just horrendous with runners in scoring position. And you're not gonna win playoff games with multibase hits and home runs.
True... it would have. But it being only one game mitigates everything. And TBH, this team getting that game at MMP was always vastly improbable... to the point that the Astros didn't even consider it as an option when selling tickets. Pretty sure the team's mindset was likely always pointing towards playing this game in NY. Not saying I wouldn't love the opportunity to see them live amongst 20K of my closest t-shirt wearing Yankee fan friends (hell, that probably would have guaranteed the sell-out...whereas the game may not sell out in NYC).
That happens at home too (could have put the Angels out of the race altogether in that last series)... I think the most stabilizing aspect for this lineup is having a hot Springer and a ultra-hot Carter. You get those guys going, and I really doubt it matters where they play.
