I think you don't use the word 'struggle' correctly. Struggle tends to mean that the pitcher isn't executing his pitches. He is getting consistently hit hard. A pop fly triple (should have been a double - and that same ball by most of the hitters in the Angels line up would probably have been caught), a strike out, a line drive that would not have looked as hard hit had the infield been playing at normal depth and a ground out to the pitcher is not struggling. He was executing his pitches and he worked out of an unlucky jam. On the other hand, you saw a perfect example of struggling when Huston Street pitched the 9th. 2 walks and 2 hard hit base hits. Also, while you don't think you take extreme positions on players (or Hinch), most everyone else here does.
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Also, McHugh's first inning "struggles" came on a softly hit infield single, a hit by pitch that would make old timers cringe, a hard hit ball to arguably the best player in the game. After that he locked it down. McHugh could have really put the team in a hole, but he executed his pitches to the 4-6 hitters to get out of that inning with only 1 run given up.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Astros lineup <a href="https://t.co/KPtzhbRuxl">pic.twitter.com/KPtzhbRuxl</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/745635762880679941">June 22, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Really starting to come together. We're already back to .500, and a lot of things are trending upwards. Some recent results suggest Correa, Gomez, McHugh and Keuchel are gonna be good moving forward.
Agree--and I'd add Valbuena and Gattis (as a C) to the upward trend--except unfortunately Gomez's peripherals suggest he's getting pretty lucky right now. Perhaps that's just things evening out, but it also doesn't seem like he's necessarily "figured it out". Even if he's just a mostly singles guy going forward, I do think he's at least learned how to not be a black hole. And that's huge in itself.
Cangredude - if you care about why folks are irritated by you, and it seems unclear whether you care, one reason is the sheer volume of stuff you post. Have you ever been in a conversation where you can't get in a word because the other person talks incessantly? Or have you worked on a group project where one member of the group drives everyone nuts because he just buries the group with though, ideas and just constant talking? Or do you remember that time in school when there was the kid that would not stop raising his hand to talk or try to answer every question from the teacher? It's not my intent to insult you here, but you are that person here. And maybe you don't care, so keep spewing posts regardless of how people feel about it or what people think. Or maybe some part of you cares and would like to be better received here? If so, maybe dial it down, concise posts, fewer posts, etc. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm just not sure whether you are aware of these dynamics. Maybe you are and don't care, in which case please disregard and carry on.
This is the main problem... there are other boards out there where you can literally post anything/everything that comes to your mind (even non-related stuff), and nobody cares because nobody really has discussions there. This is just not the place for his "style" (if you can call it that). Seems like he thinks as long as he "talks baseball", its ok to do what he's doing... but it really isn't. Ignoring doesn't work when his posts take up 3/4ths of the page... and there's really no substance to anything being posted in the mass volume (especially when he'll take both sides of the argument... and then follow it up with 5 posts about "see what I said that was right!" type stuff that also doesn't have a place on this board). I don't think there's a chance that he's going to adapt or change. Hell, just when you thought he'd had enough and said he was "done", he not only came back... but he decided to have the highest volume posting night ever.
Not quite sure if having anybody in the 2 spot (splitting up the big 3) is technically helping??... I mean, they're still winning, so they probably won't change it too much now, but at the same time Altuve/Correa may conceivably average 1 less AB per game over the next several weeks because of it. If anything, its simply breaking up the monotony of sub-par hitters to follow them all.
Gomez's K rate over the last 14 games is 27%, which is still a high number, but it's well down from the 37% it was prior to this stretch. He's also walked 6 times, compared to 8 in his first 37 games. The .406 BABIP won't stick, but I'm not expecting him to be .933 OPS good. He's always been a player that K's a fair amount. In his best year he struck out 25%. And he's always had those really ugly at bats. I thought coming into the year he would be a .770ish OPS type player, and that's about what I expect moving forward.
That's a reasonable expectation. I guess I was overstating his luck, because you're right--.770-.800 is totally achievable right now. Add the SB potential which has showed up again, and you have a legit 2nd OF bat.
These helmets are sick. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So much awesomeness. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@astros</a>: We got some new helmets for <a href="https://twitter.com/JSMarisnick">@JSMarisnick</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterlessSpringer?src=hash">#TwitterlessSpringer</a>... <a href="https://t.co/Jj7TCGepWk">pic.twitter.com/Jj7TCGepWk</a></p>— Steve (@SteveinLC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveinLC/status/745647686380990464">June 22, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
True about that, but there are advantages to having them where they are now (they can drive in runs instead of being left on base). I really don't get Marwin in the 2 hole with his sub-.300 OBP against RHP. Valbuena's on base skills seem more valuable higher in the lineup, though his power surge has also shown he can drive runs in. Definitely don't like him behind Rasmus.
Jeez... GoGo coming around to a .700 - .800 OPS hitting changes this lineup dramatically. I like where we're going now... just wish we had started this trajectory about 2 weeks sooner. You know who would've helped that? Carlos Delgado... too soon?
Yeah, true... although if all three are clicking, they usually end up driving each other in (in addition to anybody from the bottom of the lineup), and they get the max number of AB's (really want to max out Correa while he's locked in right now... and the chance that he doesn't get to bat in 1st innings as is would be somewhat un-analytical). Maybe they can use the #2 spot to try and jump-start somebody... Rasmus would be one to consider, especially if Gomez can keep up his new swing/resurgence.
Gomez definitely found some "luck". I saw him hit one ball for a base hit down the right field line. He had no idea where he was hitting that ball. He looked confused that he actually got a hit. The announcers said as much. I guess the moral is you put a good swing on the ball and make good contact...good things happen. He's seeing the ball well and making good contact. It appears he is no longer just trying to drive every pitch to outer space. Unfortunately for me, I flipped off the game after the end of the 8th when the Astros hit into a double play that was executed supremely well by LA. I meant to come back for the 9th thinking it was not over. I forgot and we won. It's all good. Another impressive comeback win.
