Astros: starting a future HOF'er Braves: starting a pitcher who just got called up earlier this month and has never started a major league game in his career What is happening?? Is this the twilight zone?
I think if Grienke, Odorizzi, and Javier can split this game up, they'll be fine. Keep em on short leashes, move on to the next if they get into trouble.
I’m confused on multiple levels. Not really attacking the move, just curious on why it was done? Usually I’ve seen managers do this if they have a half way decent hitter batting 9th, but Maldy is arguably just as bad. If he’s doing this blurry because thinks zack is just a better hitter, then poor maldy lol
Because Greinke will get one at bat, if that. Then for the rest of the game the Astros will be using pinch hitters for the 8th spot who are all better hitters than Maldonado.
Honestly, the order of Greinke and Maldonado doesn't matter to me. If there's a runner on first base with less less than 2 outs, both should be looking to bunt.
I’d normally say having the pitcher hitting 9th can potentially get you one extra inning on the mound without having to pinch hit, but I don’t think he’s going to hit a second time no matter what. Also, MLB says Greinke is the only pitcher other than Babe Ruth to start a WS game and not bat ninth.
Yes I know it's been done before. It's just that the dominoes keep lining up for us and we are not knocking them down. We are the favored team, Morton gets injured, Anderson gets pulled early in Game 3, now they are starting a rookie pitcher and running a bullpen game. All this and we are still down 2-1. It's almost an insult if we don't win tonight.
Because the Astros would rather have Maldy in his usual 9th spot where he is around a blistering .075 hitter compared to the 8th spot where he is a .000 hitter.
Yep, it's all very bizzaro world right now. I can't complain. My dad (passed 2016) never got to see this brand of HST baseball that I'm getting to see so I'm just soaking it in, along for the ride. Even if we fail to pull it out we still have bullets in the chamber going forward which is nice.
