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A lookahead to the potential starters for Kansas City and Detroit

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Yordan The Great, Sep 25, 2024.

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  1. Yordan The Great

    Yordan The Great Member

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    Detroit
    Skubal
    Reese
    Mize
    Montero
    Holton (opener)

    We all know know the imminent AL Cy Young winner Skubal. That's going to be a major challenge.

    Reese has only been back very recently from injury and has not gone past the 3rd inning in those 2 starts. He's clearly their 2nd best starter but he is limited in what he can give them.

    Mize has also returned from injury at the end of August. He too has failed to go deep in games in his 4 starts.

    Montero is the equivalent of our Montero but the starter version. He's all over the map. He is a rookie forced into the rotation since the end of June.

    My guess is he'll combo start Reese in game 2 or 3 and have Mize start the other.


    Kansas City
    Lugo
    Ragans
    Singer
    Wacha
    Marsh

    Marsh is definitely out of the post season rotation entirely.

    So the question then becomes Singer or Wacha in the 3rd in this short series? I'm betting on the veteran Wacha. Singer has struggled in the 2nd half of the season after a tremendous start. A 5.92 ERA since the start of August. Plus Wacha gives you valuable post season experience on his resume.

    Wacha since May 9, a 2.61 ERA and 18 of 21 starts allowing 2 runs or fewer. He's actually been their best starter as Lugo's sizzling first half has cooled off a great deal.

    Lugo since June 4 has a very pedestrian ERA of 3.85.

    Ragans is Mr. Reliable, doesn't miss starts. He's one of the hottest starters in September, 4 starts with a 1.08 ERA.

    I would go Ragans, Lugo, Wacha.

    I look at Kansas City as having Seattle's rotation (top 4) but a much better lineup. But that lineup has been shuffling the past few weeks with only Witt showing any life. Losing Vinnie Pasquantino has been huge for them. He was the most clutch hitter in baseball.

    Bullpens:
    Detroit with the huge advantage. What plagued them in the first 4 months of the season blowing late leads has totally resolved itself and they have one of the absolute best and deepest (7 quality relievers) pens in all of baseball.

    Kansas City has had a turbulent season regarding the bullpen and will go into the post season very vulnerable in late close games. Erceg has solidified the closer position but everyone behind him is pretty much a crapshoot.

    Conclusion:
    I would take the Tigers all day long. Yes you face the prospect of going down 1-0 because of Skubal but the Tigers aren't set up starter wise even for a short 3 game series. The Royals can go toe to toe with all 3 Astros starters. And their lineup is definitely more potent. That being said, the Tigers are 29-11 since August 11 (best in baseball) and they have won almost ever close game during this stretch. They simply believe they can win at this point.
     
    #1 Yordan The Great, Sep 25, 2024
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2024
    13 in 33, conquistador#11 and raining threes like this.
  2. Rileydog

    Rileydog Member

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    I prefer KC. They are night and day home vs road the last time I looked. The offensive numbers are so skewed it makes people wonder if they are cheating at home. Their SP are good, but the pen is relatively weak.

    Detroit is scary hot and their pen is formidable. Skubal can win a game himself, and Hinch can bullpen his way to another W.
     
    #2 Rileydog, Sep 25, 2024
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  3. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

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    KC’s offense has been absolutely pathetic for awhile now. It’s Bobby Witt and no one else. We have hit Ragans pretty well. Give me the Royals.
     
    #3 Htown Stros, Sep 25, 2024
    Zen Tabak, everyday eddie, raining threes and 2 others like this.
  4. Rileydog

    Rileydog Member

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    All that said, I would like the Minnesota twins please.
     
    #4 Rileydog, Sep 25, 2024
    13 in 33, conquistador#11, cbass and 2 others like this.
  5. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

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    Lol this would be the most ideal outcome but doubtful it happens. Minnesota does own the tiebreaker over the Royals though. And the Royals are going to be playing a desperate Braves team this weekend.
     
    #5 Htown Stros, Sep 25, 2024
    raining threes likes this.
  6. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

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    Also just a FYI…if Detroit and/or KC somehow have to win Sunday to get in, Skubal and Ragans are scheduled to start.

    With the games being Tues-Thurs, they would be pitching on short rest on Thursday if it even gets to game 3.
     
    #6 Htown Stros, Sep 25, 2024
    raining threes likes this.
  7. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard
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    Analysis on the managers? Not too familiar with whoever is in Detroit.
     
    #7 lnchan, Sep 25, 2024
    conquistador#11 and Stephen66 like this.
  8. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

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    Well we know his opinion on our manager lol
     
    #8 Htown Stros, Sep 25, 2024
  9. ashleyem

    ashleyem Member

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    #9 ashleyem, Sep 26, 2024
    vince likes this.
  10. torque

    torque Member
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    I want no part of Detroit. That team has an ace and is hot - that is the classic recipe for the underdog World Series run.
     
    #10 torque, Sep 26, 2024
    DaDakota, 13 in 33, rockbox and 2 others like this.
  11. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    Definitely would rather Houston play KC than Detroit. It’s interesting to me that both those teams really have their entire hopes built around 1 player. KC banks on Witt to generate offense and Detroit banks on Skubal to guarantee them a win each series. Baseball is fluky but I like Houston’s odds against either team. Wish it was a 5 game series instead of 3.
     
    #11 Snake Diggit, Sep 26, 2024
    13 in 33, everyday eddie, raining threes and 1 other person like this.
  12. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

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    Houston has the deepest and most experienced team among all the possibles.

    The shorter the series, the less that matters.
     
    #12 IdStrosfan, Sep 26, 2024
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  13. SuraGotMadHops

    SuraGotMadHops Member

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    I don't ever play the "I would rather play this team instead of that team" game because that has a way of biting you in the azz.

    I am also an overly nervous fan and all playoff opponents scare me, all the time.
     
    #13 SuraGotMadHops, Sep 26, 2024
    13 in 33, everyday eddie, conquistador#11 and 1 other person like this.
  14. raining threes

    raining threes Member

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    If the Stros face Detroit and Skubal wins a game, I'm betting Hinch can piece together a bullpen game for another win. How I'm wrong.
     
    #14 raining threes, Sep 26, 2024
  15. conquistador#11

    conquistador#11 Member

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    The format scares me more than the teams.
     
    #15 conquistador#11, Sep 26, 2024
    AkeemTheDreem86, lnchan, Nook and 1 other person like this.
  16. Radricky

    Radricky Member

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    #16 Radricky, Sep 26, 2024
    mikol13, Htown Stros and Snake Diggit like this.
  17. Radricky

    Radricky Member

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    Yeah really wish they could have secured the first round bye.
    I don’t even like 5 game series. A 3 game one is too random.
     
    #17 Radricky, Sep 26, 2024
    everyday eddie likes this.
  18. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I don't like playing teams that are really playing well - and Detroit is really playing well.

    The Tigers are 29-11 in this last 40 games.

    They are 3-0 against the Royals in that stretch... 4-2 against Baltimore.... 3-0 against the A's
     
    #18 Nook, Sep 26, 2024
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  19. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard
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    Yet Dodger and Yankee fans claim their first round failures due to rust.
     
    #19 lnchan, Sep 26, 2024
    13 in 33 likes this.
  20. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    Skubal and Ragans are both ace tuff. I don't care. They both have to go through our lineup.
     
    #20 PhiSlammaJamma, Sep 26, 2024
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