Thought that as well but seeing the replay, would have been close. Can't remember if anyone was at 2nd or Correa was still running to 2nd when Diaz got the ball. And if Diaz went for the tag, runner could have stopped running to allow the base runner reach 1st safely.
I'm not sure the ball was hit hard enough for a DP if they were playing at DP depth. They brought the infield in and there was no way they were making the DP in the configuration they were in. Nobody was anywhere near 2nd to take a throw. Going home was really the only option. Regardless of that, if the pitchers don't walk/hit batters then you don't have to worry about that situation or the Tucker play. James has been consistently bad at walking hitters and Pressley has been consistently bad at putting runners on base with walks and hits. Both of them have been a recipe for self destruction all season.
The Good: Correa's defense AGAIN Springer is officially back Gurriel also homered for his first hit in seemingly forever The Bad: Josh James should never pitch in an Astros uniform again. Tucker did not impress today The Ugly: Bullpen woes strike again. This team has become practically unwatchable. They just aren't playing with passion. Back to 500. The definition of mediocre. You are what your record says you are.
This was Baker's lost. Who puts a pitcher with a 10.00 ERA with a 2 run lead? And he just came back from IL. If you listened to Kalas, he wasn't confident that JJ could do the job. All those extra-inning games we lost when we could of bunted and all those trades that didn't make is making the A's division a lot sooner than later.
I barely have any words for this team anymore. The bullpen is truly a joke. **** this season. Just utterly demoralizing.
I think I can save you the trouble on this one. Just eliminate your good and bad sections for last game and put everything under Ugly, lol. Man, I don't know about James. I feel for the guy getting activated again and then getting torched (his fault). James, to me, isn't in the same category YET as Devo or Biagini. That being said, the dude might find himself on another roster come next season though.
He hasn't been bad, but he also hasn't been as sharp as he's been the last two seasons. Some of it is bad luck...currently has a .385 BABIP, but some of it is that he's giving up less ground balls this year...currently at 47.5% GB% where he was slightly over 50% the last couple of years. He's also walking more this year (3.52/9 compared to 1.99/9 last year and 2.79 the year before).
They likely do take the current state of health into account, hence why the Yankees odds are much lower. The AL certainly is weak. Even this "powerhouse" Oakland team could easily lose a 3 game series at a neutral site to... the Yankees!
I think his pitch sequencing is entirely off. Should be throwing more curveballs/sliders which are his best out pitches. He hasn't had the late break on them in the zone consistently which says he's either still recovering from his injury or his mechanics aren't fully back yet.
Only one thing to do now...finger point. I certainly hope the window for competing for a championship hasn't passed. It kind of feels like it has. This is just a nightmare season. No proper spring training and our top three in the lineup are basically not performing like they should. Injuries galore to pitching and players. We had questions coming in about pitching without all the injuries. We never got to see our regular pitchers healthy. And, the pitchers we lost didn't help. I just can't help but feel that championship window has passed. How many more key players will be lose next year? Are we on a downward trend? Right now...it's hard to argue these players are having any fun out there. They look miserable.
The Astros are still playing? In all seriousness, I know there are people hoping Verlander, Bregman, Springer, Altuve, McCullers and Taylor are healthy. However, even if they are some how all healthy (which is a real stretch), the likelihood of all of them playing like they typically do is low. So I assume you go with a rotation of: Greinke/Verlander/Valdez/Javier Then move McCullers to the pen to close games (I cannot see him being healthy) with Urquidy and Paredes as well and just HOPE Pressly and Taylor are good enough to hold on? You use Scrubb, Perez and Peacock sparingly? Your line up is..... Springer Brantley Bregman Tucker Gurriel Correa Altuve Reddick Maldonado I guess anything is possible but I don't see it being a very realistic possibility....... It would be incredibly sweet if the Astros did some how win the WS though, with Altuve winning WS MVP
I would argue that as counter intuitive as it is, this shortened season has actually OPENED up the Astros window as long as Verlander doesn't need TJ and Alvarez is healthy. The Astros came into this season with holes in their rotation, pen and the outfield. The Astros potentially have a #3 starter under long term control in Valdez, a potential long term starter in Javier under long term control.... and lets see how Urquidy pitches the rest of the way..... going into next year the Astros could have a very good 3-5 in their rotation for pennies, when before the season they expected having to spend money to address the hole through free agency. That clears up money for elsewhere. While Valdez certainly isn't Cole, he has pitched extremely well and the advanced stats point to him finally have command and control of his pitches. In the pen the Astros lost Osuna, but also do not have to pay him in arbitration and guys like Paredes and Taylor look like they could be useful for years. That potentially saves them money on a signing as well. Then in the outfield, Tucker has finally emerged as a corner outfielder and not just a replacement level one either, but a possible all star level one. That saves the Astros a lot of money. The players they could lose are Gurriel, Brantley and Springer. Gurriel and Springer have not had the type of years to get teams to over pay. Also the fact that there were no fans in the seats and the animosity between the owners and players may mean teams do not throw the kind of money at Springer that he would have gotten a year ago. As for Gurriel he is an aging first baseman with a good but not great bat, his cost should be controllable. Brantley has shown that he can still really hit, but he is also aging and may be limited to a DH spot or at a minimum a split between DH and OF. So while this season has sucked, it has overall be GOOD for the long term.
The pitching isnt there but IMO the lineup gives you a chance . I think its the best lineup weve ever had. Especially if altuve can get things going .
2021 Lineup with every FA leaving and no additions: 1. Altuve 2B 2. Bregman 3B 3. Tucker RF 4. Alvarez DH 5. Correa SS 6. Diaz 1B 7. Straw CF 8. Maldonado C 9. McCormick LF Bench: Stubbs, Toro, Jones Verlander Greinke Valdez Javier Urquidy Pen: Pressly, Paredes, Taylor, Scrubb, Peacock, Smith, McCullers, James With Springer, Brantley, Gurriel coming off the books, you should have money to sign a left fielder and a bullpen piece. The above team + Brantley and Hendrix/Greene/Colome/Treinen is definitely a contender in 2021.
