My bad. I missed your point on this. Toronto did very well in run-diff but missed the playoffs Saying you "haven't bothered to check" is cap. Carry on
Not trying to imply anything, just saying how I interpreted it given the context. Yes, sometimes even when you make good contact (and the Astros did), you still hit it where the defense is. Not striking out doesn't guarantee good results at the sample size of one or two games. My point was the Astros were able to stop striking out while not giving up much power and the difference in their offense has been significant and the overall results 1 WS win, 2 WS trips, 4 ALCS trips have been good.
All I want to know is... is there a hidden Sport Illustrated article from 4 years ago that says Astros will win in 2021 with Correa on the cover?
https://theathletic.com/2873595/202...-it-all-and-why-they-might-go-home-next-week/ Why your favorite remaining MLB team might win it all — and why they might go home next week 2. Houston Astros (95-67) Why they might win it all: The lineup is still the lineup. Don’t worry. All spring and all summer, the Astros heard the fans howling about the cheating. Only a handful of 2017 Astros remain in the organization. Those guys are still producing, even if doesn’t match their output from the tainted seasons. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa rebounded from wretched 2020 seasons. Michael Brantley just keeps producing. Kyle Tucker took another step forward. Unlike last year, Yordan Alvarez will be healthy for the playoffs. Houston has the sort of offense that can ruin a pitcher’s life. Whatever happens, this group is unlikely to be cowed by hostile environments on the road. By now, they are used to it. Why they might go home next week: The bullpen is in flux. At the trade deadline, general manager James Click completed several deals to fortify his relievers, adding Kendall Graveman, Yimi García and Phil Maton. Neither García nor Maton worked out. Graveman was effective, but still regressed from his peak in Seattle; he had a 0.82 ERA as a Mariner in 2021 and a 3.13 ERA as an Astro. Most of Houston’s most effective pitchers have been starters. Building a bridge to closer Ryan Pressly will require creativity from Click, manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Brent Strom. If you wanted to see Zack Greinke pitch in relief, then this postseason is for you.
https://theathletic.com/2873497/202...es-players-and-scouts-make-their-predictions/ Insiders’ picks for the MLB Division Series: Coaches, players and scouts make their predictions AL Division Series: Chicago White Sox versus Houston Astros AL coach: This one is going to be interesting. In playing both of these teams this season, I thought that the White Sox were the best club in the American League. But after looking at it a little closer, I think that the Astros have a better overall group of players and pitchers. The Astros have postseason experience all over their roster and guys like Yuli Gurriel and Michael Brantley put the ball in play and don’t strike out much. AL coach’s pick: Astros NL coach: A lot depends on the injury to Carlos Rodón, who is one of the better pitchers in the game. Still, I’m gonna have to go with the White Sox. Dangerous lineup. It sounds like their starting pitching is going to be at least semi-healthy. Their bullpen has two of the better relievers in the game working in the back end, Liam Hendricks and Craig Kimbrel. Each is experienced and each can throw one-plus inning. It doesn’t get much better than that. NL coach’s pick: White Sox AL scout: Whew, this one is a toughie. Houston has only two good starters, but they like their bullpen and, obviously, their lineup’s good. The White Sox have pretty darn good starters. I haven’t seen either one of these teams play very much, so I’m gonna I’m just gonna go with the White Sox. I like their power and I like José Abreu. They have a tough lineup — that (shortstop Tim) Anderson kid is real good. Not to say that the Astros’ lineup isn’t good; it is. I just think the starting pitching is a little bit better with Chicago. Both managers have been through the wars in the playoffs. They’re both really good managers, so I don’t know if one has any advantage over the other. AL scout’s pick: White Sox NL scout: I don’t have a great feel for the Astros pitching staff, but this lineup has a ton of postseason experience and is built well for success against the quality of pitching seen in October. I’m curious to see how the White Sox lineup responds to playoff baseball. This matchup feels like the one most likely to be dictated by the offense as opposed to the pitching. Astros won the season series, 5-2, and I expect them to win this postseason series as well. NL scout’s pick: Astros AL player: I’m gonna go Astros. I don’t want to, but I’m going to do it because I think they’re a more complete team. I think they have good pitching, good hitting, good bullpen. I think their lineup is a lot better than the White Sox is. I think the White Sox have better starters as a group. But I think the lineup for the Astros is too strong. I think Yuli Gurriel has two big hits in the series and Alex Bregman comes up with a big homer. I think the White Sox are gonna win two games, but the Astros will win the series in five. AL player’s pick: Astros NL player: I like the White Sox in this series because I like the consistency of their starting pitching. I like the back end of their bullpen with Michael Kopech, Craig Kimbel and Liam Hendricks coming in at the end. Their lineup is full of just so much power. I get that the Astros have been (in the playoffs) a lot and they understand it, while the White Sox are kind of a newer playoff team. But I think the White Sox cemented it for me by adding some older guys, the pieces that have that experience — Yasmani Grandal, Hendricks and Kimbrel. I think that is going to help level them out a little bit. I just don’t see the Astros’ starting pitching being able to hang. NL player’s pick: White Sox
Those seem like reasonable takes. I do think people underestimate the Astros starting pitching particularly the depth, but if healthy the White Sox have an advantage there. If the White Sox aren't at full health the Astros should have the advantage. Obviously in a 5 game series anything can happen.
https://theathletic.com/2889788/202...es-players-and-scouts-make-their-predictions/ ALCS: Astros vs. Red Sox AL coach: I like the Astros here. That lineup grinds at-bats and puts the ball in play. But what I’ve learned from this last round is that all the teams are beat-up right now and that it’s so hard to predict the winners. That said, since I have to take somebody, I’ll take the Astros. AL coach’s pick: Astros NL coach: I wasn’t a big believer in the Astros last year and they made it (to the ALCS), which is further than I thought they would go. I’m in the same boat this year. I think this is going to be an interesting series that goes seven games. There’s going to be a lot of runs scored because (Fenway Park and Minute Maid Park) both are really good parks for offense. It’s probably going to come down to starting pitching, and I do believe in the Red Sox’s pitchers a little bit more than I believe in the Astros’ pitchers. I think (Boston right-hander) Nathan Eovaldi is going to be a big difference-maker. He’s been a part of a lot of big games, he’s nasty right now, he looks to be healthy, and he’s also shown the ability to come out of the bullpen. I don’t know that the Astros have anybody who they can rely on. They’re going to rely on just a bunch of different matchup options. NL coach’s pick: Red Sox AL scout’s pick: Astros NL scout: My easiest pick in the division round was the Astros over the White Sox, so it’s good that I got that one right, at least. This series features two very good and very deep lineups that are challenging to navigate. The uncertainty surrounding Lance McCullers Jr.’s arm health and availability — or apparent lack thereof — could be the difference in how this series ends up. The Astros lineup’s postseason experience and success is formidable and their interior defense is exceptional. Their left-handed hitters all handle left-handed pitching well and won’t be as neutralized facing Chris Sale as some lineups might be. It’s easy to see why Houston is favored, but this Red Sox squad has something going — that Alex Cora mojo — that I didn’t give enough credence to in the ALDS. If they can manage a two-game split in Houston, those next three games at Fenway will be something to watch. Boston is playing as well as they have all season. I love this matchup; it should be a heavyweight bout with those lineups. Despite Houston going 5-2 versus Boston during the season, I’m going contrarian and taking the Red Sox. NL scout’s pick: Red Sox AL player: I want the Red Sox to win it, but I think the Astros are seeing the ball too well right now. I think the Red Sox will win a couple of games, but I think the Astros will win the series in six. I think the Astros’ lineup is going to start to expose the Red Sox a bit. The Tampa Bay Rays had a lot of swing-and-miss; I think the Astros are going to be able to see it a little bit better. Plus, the Red Sox just aren’t deep enough in pitching. Carlos Correa, I think, is going to have a really good series. He’s feeling really confident right now. AL player’s pick: Astros NL player: After watching the two Division Series, I really like the Red Sox. I think their offense is going to be able to get it done. As long as Chris Sale does something remotely Chris Sale-like instead of what he did against the Rays (one inning pitched, five runs allowed in Game 2 of the ALDS), I think Boston is going to be solid. Both offenses are going to be fun to watch and it’s going to be a high-scoring series. The Astros showed against the White Sox in the other ALDS that they can hit the fastball. They knocked Michael Kopech around pretty well and they got to Carlos Rodón eventually. They’re not afraid to hit heaters. But when I think of the Red Sox, I think more Eduardo Rodriguez with that changeup, Sale is not really a fastball-heavy guy anymore and Eovaldi throws everything. So I like that matchup for the Red Sox pitchers against the Astros. I don’t know if it necessarily will be a difference-maker, but I think it will be really huge for the Red Sox if Sale is able to deliver twice in this series. NL player’s pick: Red Sox
That NL coach has no idea what he's talking about. MMP is neutral to batters/pitchers. And even without LMJ, Astros rotation was near top of the AL. I guess being out of the NL Central means he probably doesn't seem to be watching them at all. Is Alex Cora mojo code for illegal sign stealing? Is it just me or the Astros the most polarizing team in MLB right now with all the former Astros really supportive and then there's the haters... and the NL player again... being a fastball focus team has been all year round thing not just last series
Surprised at the amount of terrible take you see within people in the league. To me it comes down to ownership, a smart owner will hire smart people and it tends to trickle down the organization. If you get stuck with a dumb owner he can easily get conned like Easterbunny did to Cal.
Everyone hates us but the guys that have played us know what's up. When we are focused, we rake against even the best pitching proven by our record against winning teams. The only team that scared me was the Giants and they are out. You have to have elite pitching or consistently put up 7 runs of offense to beat us in a 7 game series.
Remember coaches awarded Palmeiro a gold glove for 28 games in the field. NL coaches and players scout their own league much more than the other side unless they are due up in their schedule.
538 projections for the Astros went down 2% for beating the Red Sox after the McCullers news... but Dodgers beating Giants shrunk our World Series chances to 20%
It's interesting that all the NL people that were polled picked the Red Sox while all the AL folks picked the Astros. I'm sure there's a lot of reluctant respect coming from the AL side since they see the Astros significantly more, but the rift was striking.
