All series talk goes in here. Non series talk goes somewhere else. No PBP, that can be found from other sources if you need it. All games are broadcast on AT&T Sports SW unless otherwise noted. 6-17 Dylan Cease (R) vs. Jose Urquidy (R) 7:10 6-18 Carlos Rodon (L) vs. Luis Garcia (R) 7:10 6-19 Lance Lynn (R) vs. Framber Valdez (L) 6:15 FOX only 6-20 Dallas Keuchel (L) vs. Lance McCullers Jr. (R) 1:10
With Bregs and Tucker out, this looks to be a really tough series on paper. Doesn't happen often with us, but I would consider a split more than satisfactory. Having said that, this teams still plenty good enough to take the series.
Not a series I’d like to walk into shorthanded, but it is what it is. Let’s hope guys step up. Keep. Winning. Series.
I particularly want to rough up Rodon after his cute comments about the Stros and his own cheating ways. Should be a good test against the "best" team in baseball.
So does Tucker have the covids? He had just found his stride. Ugh. WWWW. The Stros will win all four. Make Dallas an emotional video then hit him up for 9 runs.
This definitely looks like a playoff teaser and perhaps we match up again come October. CWS has a very solid team but they are beatable. Lineup is obviously solid, and they’ve shored up their pen, but I’m still not sold on their starting rotation, especially with the recent increased attention to sticky substances. I mean, Rodon is NOT a sub-2 ERA pitcher. And while Lynn is good, he’s not Roger Clemens 1.5 ERA good. Over the remainder of the season, I expect them to regress back a bit, but that doesn’t make this series any less tough. Hoping for a 2-2 split. We’re on a roll, 12-4 in our last 16...hopefully some home cooking has us continuing our good play.
I wish MLB was enforcing the sticky substance ban today instead of Monday. I'm worried the rule will impact the Astros pitchers, but not as much as I think it will hurt the White Sox pitchers. We won't face him, but I am really surprised the Giolito guaranteed rate commercial still is shown.
White Sox have 2 starting pitchers that are striking out more than their previous years which means they maybe doing something MLB is against. This will be a great series to gauge against the best (if they aren't tampering balls) starting pitching staff in MLB this year. I could see us take the series, Stros camaraderie is high.
Cease's spin rate is up 150 rpm over 2 years ago and his velocity has decreased. Giolito's spin rate is up 400 rpm since entering the league. I'd put high odds on those two being cheaters and benefitting more than most pitchers. Lynn had a moderate spin rate jump when he joined the Rangers, but also had a velo increase that may account for it. Not sure if he's cheating, but if he is, there will likely be a decent drop in performance as his fastball has been amazing the last three years. Rodon...not sure if he's cheating or not. He's had a really good jump in velo. Not sure if the sticky stuff is responsible for that. Doesn't really get that high of a spin rate. Overall, the White Sox throw about 10% of the high velo, high spin fastballs in the majors, nearly double the Yankees, number 2.
The Sox lost Madrigal for the season, so that evens things some. If Moncada is out also, its a wash. Also, consider Bregman's OPS of .585 for June, he hasn't been helping the Astros win games on the offensive end in a while.
If Tube and Chazz Michael Michaels keep hitting two homeruns a game...and everyone else does their usual...I like our chances.
Not sure why McCormick is batting 2nd. With his contact issues, he's more the big bang type right now after the cleanup hitter instead of the on base type that bats before the cleanup hitter.
Yea... not my favorite lineup. I would have preferred this: Altuve Brantley Correa Alvarez Gurriel Toro McCormick Castro Straw
Why is it acceptable to hit a batter with a baseball at 90+ MPH but totally unacceptable to throw a bat at 30 MPH at a pitcher's feet?
