Contrary to what the Astros have said publicly, they are very aware that Lance was tipping his pitches. The Astros quality control coach figured it out and they will address it. The quality control coach was a catcher before he was a coach.
It will be fine. Framber and Wheeler are locked in as the starters in game 6. The Astros will likely try to save Garcia for an emergency, but they have enough arms to go to the pen tonight early, but after looking at the tape of Verlander, I don't think that it is going to be necessary.
Verlander breezed through three and then was unlucky with that double play ball. I feel ok about him. Hopefully the bats starting hitting the heck out of Thor and the bull pen.
That's what they call it? The "Quality Control (Pitching) Coach?" Fascinating. I would never have guessed it. Almost sounds corporate. I hope he has a cute secretary!
Verlander was rolling until some bad luck caused him to throw 31 pitches in a high stress inning. I think he will be ok, but with the bullpen the Astros have there is no reason to leave him out there if he gets into trouble. Hopefully Maldonado calls a better game too.
I feel good about this one, not sure why. I think because we are due a game, We've been up on these guys for most of the series. We are better. We just have to prove it, obviously.
Yeah, the Astros have a quality control coach. He usually makes sure nothing slips through the cracks and helps prepare the team and other coaches for upcoming match ups, etc. Dan Firova was a catcher in the big leagues and minors before he was a coach. He replaced Chris Speier who retired awhile ago. Basically the position is for someone that has worked in a lot of areas in baseball. Cintron and the bio-mechanics analyst were all trying to figure it out when Firova watched and identified it.
It is an old baseball reference - "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain"" (I don't literally mean rain) It is for when your rotation is garbage outside of a few guys and there isn't much you can do about it. The Phillies really want to steal game 5 and go into game 6 with Wheeler on the mound closing it out. If they have to get to a game seven, all hands on deck and they will worry about it then. So far their manager has tried to get one inning a game from his best relievers and roll with them being a little tired. The Astros get into the Phillies pen tonight and it will really impact the Phillies..... even if Wheeler goes 6 in game 6, they are going to need 3 pen innings most likely. Their lack of depth can hurt them.
