Please limit talk in this thread to this series. Other topics should be discussed in the appropriate threads. Play-by-play is not allowed. If you need that, there are other places to find it. Political discussions belong in the D&D forum not in here. All games are broadcast on Space City Network unless otherwise noted. 7-3 Nick Martinez (R) vs. Spencer Arrighetti (R) 7:10 Apple TV only 7-4 Drew Rasmussen (R) vs. Hunter Brown (R) 6:10 7-5 TBD vs. Peter Lambert (R) 2:30 Peacock only
Big gut check series after dropping that series to the Twins. 3 more series (9 games) before the all star break and 8 more series (24 games) before the trade deadline. Astros seem like pretty committed buyers at this point but melting down and going like 2-7 before the break or 7-14 before the Rangers series before the deadline might change things. Conversely, going 6-3 before the break or 14-7 before that last series might incentivize them go buy harder.
14-7, 7-14, or a larger +/- on wins make the decision to buy/sell easier. The more likely outcome, IMO, is something closer to .500, like a 12-12 or 13-11 record. What's the course at that point? Maybe it depends on the standings?
Astros pitchers have opportunity to drop Yandy's BA -- 0-fer the series sounds nice. They have to do it though. Tri Crown action Series WIN - balances the MIN series Series LOSS - bad home stand, regression.
Series loss can break this team confidence. Altuve, Yordan, Paredes, Walker those Top 4 must step up. Last Twins series was brutally bad for those 4.
Rangers and Mariners winning. Astros are 2.5x closer to 4th than 1st. Differential. Dumpster juice. Astros have now positioned themselves to need a series victory against arguably the best AL team just to avoid losing 500 ground this home stand. Arrighetti has proven capable with his no-hit bids against good offenses when he didn't necessarily pitch well the previous game. Sweep the Rays. Shock the world. Yandy 1-12 .
Nick Allen has been waaay better in the 9 spot than 8th the last two years - over 300 OPS better this year. Why don't you care about that? You seem infatuated with Jake Meyers.
If you understood what you were arguing, the logical conclusion would be.... Jake 7th. Jake "not-8th" is the argument. And no one was guaranteeing success anywhere -- like you and others kept bloviating. The argument is, "try something not-8th".
