[Official] World Series Phillies vs. Astros

Yeah pulling JV was never an option.
Stanek was never an option.
and we have no DH.

 

JV stunk again, hanging stuff left and right.

5-0 and he literally dropped a ball that would have been a double play and end of an inning sigh.

DD

 

Last team to blow a five-run lead in the World Series: Baker's Giants to the Angels in that fateful Game 6 in 2002 where he mismanaged his pitching staff.

Get your head out of your ass dusty. This is prime time. Theres no friendship. Win or go home.

 

Luckily this is Game 1 because if this next game was a clincher, the Stros would be done. AJ would have the guts to pull Verlander (like not pitching Cole in relief in World Series game). When the lead is closing, the manager has to slow the game, send the pitching coach to talk to Verlander, or send Maldy for more mound visits. Momentum is big in every sport. The next game Verlander pitches, Toothy better have a short leash because Verlander can implode again. It is now psychological for #35.

 

Verlander doesn't need to pitch anymore. It's insane that dusty will more than likely have him start another game. How much more proof do you need? Lol he's literally the worst pitcher in world series history. To think he's going to change all of sudden with all this proof is ridiculous.

 

Had to trust Verlander, didn't work out. It happens. The Phillies got us. Now we put trust in Valdez and come what may. We are still in a very good spot. The importance of any one game is an illusion. We just take it one game at a time until all of the games are spent.

 

Glad we got it out of the way, ripped the band-aid off and popped our cherry. Our team has poise, guts and resiliency. We still have this.

 

We have the best team in baseball. We will win this series! One loss isn't gonna stop us. We have the best pitchers in baseball. We have some of the best defensive players out there. We didn't get this far because of our batting. We've left tons of guys on base all year. Altuve is too good not to get back on fire. He has Astros spirit running through his veins. He wants this probably more than anybody. Alvarez is due for a home run or two. Bergman is due for a homer. Altuve is due for a homer. Pena can knock them out of the park. Tucker has his mojo back. Gurriel has been great. McConnel has been good. All we need is a different designated hitter to step it up a notch and get a rally going.

Time to take this World Series title back! Go Stros!

 

This whole notion that you have to "trust" Verlander in the 5th after that awful 4th inning is utter bs. Trust him by him doing what? He looked bad in the Ms game and the yanks had plenty of chances to blow that game open in the early innings. He's been bad ALL postseason. Why do we need to trust him after he already had a shitty 4th inning? He should've started the 5th on a short leash. After that walk he should've been pulled.

What has Verlander shown that you can trust him in the playoffs? What more do people need to see? It's like the harden fans who magically thought he would become kobe. Chokers will be chokers. Adapt before we get sent home.

 

Same feeling as last year. If you lose game 2, it's pretty much over.

 

This is the moment where the team has to decide if they are the "dynasty" that they have been hyped up to be. It was clear that the Astros took this team too lightly in Game 1. After 3 innings they had everything rolling, started popping champagne corks too early, forgot that there was another team desperate to win and then were smacked in the mouth. The warning signs were there, JV hanging pitch after pitch, Dusty expecting him to right the ship and the hitters forgetting to step on the Phillie throats after they were up 5. Astros were in trouble once Thomson started managing the game like it was Game 7 and Dusty managing like it was a Ranger game in July.

I am very curious if the come out with a chip on their shoulder today; not even that concerned if they lose either. Just want to see if they have the winning attitude and refuse to be another footnote to the latest Cinderella. This team is capable of winning 4 in a row against anybody on any field. No predictions because this is the first time they have been tested all season and really need to show which is the team of destiny. Every single news outlet and every non-Astro fanbase is salivating at the thought of another Astro meltdown. What's next?

 

This is the moment you miss badasses like a Springer, or a Correa. Not that his salary demand was negotiable.

Where's the fire?

 

I hate saying it, but Verlander is our baseball version of James Harden. Fvcking sucks.

 

Luckily, we have 24 other guys out there who get to use the ball.

 

Just woke up. That still sucked.

 

I like the energy but we’re never going to win if we have to wait on Bergman and McConnel.

 

And always will. Choke job by JV and Dusty.

 

This is the first adversity this team has faced this postseason. JV, Dusty and Click's contracts very likely won't be renewed if the Astros fail again in the WS. I really don't care if JV is brought back next year. He's not a difference maker in the most important series so they should not waste resources on him moving forward. If JV pitches again in this WS, he doesn't deserve to have a long leash. Dusty prioritized trying to get JV's first win in the WS over putting the Astros in the best position to get game 1. I'm also concerned about Yordan on this stage as well. There HAS to be a change at DH as too (Hensley, Vazquez, etc.) If the Astros can win tonight I still feel good moving forward but last night was an absolute choke and gut punch.

 

They are a dynasty. Their peers consider them so.

Unfortunately, they have been beaten by some hot teams.

Last night didn't feel like a Hot team beating them. It felt like JV being ass because the bullpen shut them down through the 9th as they did the M's and Y's.

If we were to rank the Astros hardest games in this series knowing trends and history.

You could argue last night was the one to steal.

Nola no hit the Astros last time and pair that with Verlander's postseason struggles it would look like this

Order of toughness of games:

1)Game 1 (Verlander Nola)
2)Game 5 ( Verlander Nola)
3)Game 2 (Framber Wheeler)
4) Game 6 (Framber Wheeler)
5) Game 3 (McCullers Ranger)
6) Game 4 (Javier Bullpen)
7) Game 7 (McCullers/Garcia vs Suarez/Bullpen)

As this series goes, the game gets harder for the weaker pitching staff. Houston wins tonight and they are still in the driver seat. I understand the Phillies play well at home, but the Astros are really good in the world series on the road. Tonight will be tough, but Framber keeps the ball on the ground against a team that likes to hit homeruns.

I would expect to see Hensley at DH tonight seeing Mancini's at bats tonight which were terrible, him getting hit for and Diaz last at bat.

Lets go win a series.

 

We need to stop saying this. The last Yankees start, JV hit a rough patch then looked like himself in the Yankees game. It is what it is. We can't play the "should have" card by saying he should have been removed in the 5th inning. Nothing you can do there.

The big miss was no Stanek in the 10th. Inexcusable as this same scenario was played out against Seattle with Stanek being used before some of the starters. It's almost like Dusty forgot that Houston was the home team and that getting to the bottom of the inning tied is more important than looking a few innings ahead. Really bizarre call. Other then that, Dusty was fine. Pulled Abreu at the correct time, and gave a veteran in Diaz a chance at the end which makes sense.

Hensley deserves the AB's in game 2. I will have a real gripe if we don't see him and his plate approach against Wheeler who has good stuff. Mancini and Diaz have looked overmatched against good pitching this postseason. Can't say the same for Hensley.