MLB 2017 Regular Season

[MichaelWinicki]

One interesting aspect of this season is that several guys are throwing a knuckle-curve... Lance McCullers Jr. being one of them.

I like the pitch.

I'd like to see more guys throwing a knuckleball. You would think with all these pitchers throwing the ball at 95+mph and guys that could throw a knuckleball could really throw off batter timing.

 

[Trouty]

One interesting aspect of this season is that several guys are throwing a knuckle-curve... Lance McCullers Jr. being one of them.

I like the pitch.

I'd like to see more guys throwing a knuckleball. You would think with all these pitchers throwing the ball at 95+mph and guys that could throw a knuckleball could really throw off batter timing.

You watching this Yanks game, Mike?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

You watching this Yanks game, Mike?

No... watching something else tonight, but was hitting the MLB page on occasion to check up on the scores.

Some nights I just can't tolerate the slowness of today's game. It was far more crisp in the 70's.

 

[Trouty]

No... watching something else tonight, but was hitting the MLB page on occasion to check up on the scores.

Some nights I just can't tolerate the slowness of today's game. It was far more crisp in the 70's.

It's been a very whacky game. Lots of errors.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

It's been a very whacky game. Lots of errors.

But a great result!

 

[FloridaRob]

Hopefully hte mets trade everyone and tank the season like the Astros did a few years ago. That seemed to have worked out well for Houston. That or just have Mets management cry Uncle and quit period. This is embarrasing.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Hopefully hte mets trade everyone and tank the season like the Astros did a few years ago. That seemed to have worked out well for Houston. That or just have Mets management cry Uncle and quit period. This is embarrasing.

I think it takes a lot of courage for any team to go "full tank" and be willing to accept the wrath of the fan base and media while doing it.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Speaking of the Houston "tank".

The 2017 team has won 51 games.

The 2013 team won 51 games– all season.

I think both positions is extremely difficult.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

I think it takes a lot of courage for any team to go "full tank" and be willing to accept the wrath of the fan base and media while doing it.

Its a huge gamble. You never know how prospects will pan out. Everybody thinks load up and build for the future but prospects dont always pan out. But if a team isnt going anywhere its cost effective and at least gives a team a shot at getting better.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Its a huge gamble. You never know how prospects will pan out. Everybody thinks load up and build for the future but prospects dont always pan out. But if a team isnt going anywhere its cost effective and at least gives a team a shot at getting better.

Great point.

If you suck at picking talent then that part of it can blow up in your face.

Hopefully between improved draft positioning and the gaining of extra picks, by the trading off of players, a few gems are found.

But yeah the other advantage is being able to hit the "reset" button on the team's payroll allowing them to re-invest in new players.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Great point.

If you suck at picking talent then that part of it can blow up in your face.

Hopefully between improved draft positioning and the gaining of extra picks, by the trading off of players, a few gems are found.

But yeah the other advantage is being able to hit the "reset" button on the team's payroll allowing them to re-invest in new players.

You just never know on any player. Look at Kevin Gausman for the Orioles. #4 overall pick. Jim Palmer always talks about how blessed he is with the arm he has. Last year he looked like he was finally putting it together. This year he's a head case it seems. Huge disappointment. Probably every team would have taken him with a high pick. He still may get it together but who knows. All the talent in the world but so far hasnt panned out.

 

[Trouty]

Angels still treading water. Won 5 of our last 6 series.

Trout, get back!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

You just never know on any player. Look at Kevin Gausman for the Orioles. #4 overall pick. Jim Palmer always talks about how blessed he is with the arm he has. Last year he looked like he was finally putting it together. This year he's a head case it seems. Huge disappointment. Probably every team would have taken him with a high pick. He still may get it together but who knows. All the talent in the world but so far hasnt panned out.

Houston had the same thing with Appel. You simply aren't going to hit on many picks.

But if you hit on a few of them... Well then.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Hopefully hte mets trade everyone and tank the season like the Astros did a few years ago. That seemed to have worked out well for Houston. That or just have Mets management cry Uncle and quit period. This is embarrasing.

The Mets have problems... many but...

Two of which are:

1. They have too much if the inmates running the asylum. Terry is a good manager. Slightly better than Wade as head coach.

2. In addition to bullet point 1... they don't know how to handle their pitchers. These guys never learned how to mentally pitch a game. Everything is heat. No arm can withstand that.

And that I put on manager.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Something to consider...

The pitching staffs of the three teams in the AL that lead their divisions lead the league in K's.

Interesting enough.

But it gets better...

Those three teams also lead the league in the fewest K's by their respective offenses.

So they lead the league in getting K's and lead the league in not getting K'ed.

I watched the Houston offense that led the league in K's and homers in '13 and it wasn't nearly as effective as this offense that will not hit as many homers but makes contact a heck of a lot more. I think offenses that are homer and K heavy are much more likely to go into extended slumps.

Maybe we'll start seeing a changing of the guard where K's will again be looked upon as the ultimate failure by the batter and guys will concentrate more on simply making contact.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Houston starts off the 2nd half of the season with a win and take 2 out of 3 from the Yankees.

The Yankees have lost their ability to win 1-run games. The loss to Houston yesterday (Saturday) was a killer IMO.

I think this Yankee team is what they are... A good, up & coming team that is still missing a couple parts from being a contender.

Houston is 55 and 27. I was surprised to see they were the AL's best team over the past 10 games when it seemed they haven't played that well– giving up 3 grand slams in the process. It goes to show you that Houston has a monster on its hands at this point. Give them Keuchel, Morton, and McHugh back in the starting rotation and it's only becomes a question how deep in the playoffs they go.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Of the 79 games remaining, when looking at the records of their opponents today, Houston will have 18 games against teams with records better than .500

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Houston was off yesterday... Everyone else in the division lost. A 15 game lead on the 4th of July.

 

[Biggems]

Houston was off yesterday... Everyone else in the division lost. A 15 game lead on the 4th of July.

It should be more, but they have given away a handful of games, plus the Dallas injury. I cannot complain too much. We are actually playing sound baseball for the most part. I love that we are actually hitting for average now, something that drove me nuts in the last several years. So, not only are we near the tops in HRs and 2Bs, but also BA, hits, runs, and RBIs. Also as a positive, we are near the bottom of the list on Ks, though uncharacteristically, Altuve has been striking out a lot this season. We have been giving up a lot of HRs, far too many for my taste. I would like to see our pitchers do a better job of keeping the ball in the park. Still, we are one of the best teams in the league at staff ERA, so I cannot complain too much.

We have struggled against Boston, Detroit, and even Cleveland. Unfortunately, we will probably have to go through one or two of those to get to the WS.

Thankfully, we only have to face one NL team. While we have a commanding lead in the AL standings, there are 4-5 teams in the NL that would be only single digit games behind us, with the Dodgers being right on our glutes.

I would love to see an Astros-Dodgers WS........since the Astros are my favorite team and the Dodgers used to own the 2A affiliate here in San Antonio when I was a child.......got to see Fernando, Sax, Mitchell, Scoscia, etc.

 

[Trouty]

Houston was off yesterday... Everyone else in the division lost. A 15 game lead on the 4th of July.

They are incredibly impressive this season, Mike. They're true test will be this postseason and being able to capitalize on their amazing run. We've seen all to often great regular season teams fizzle out in the playoffs. Even incredibly deep teams do so every year. The post season is where moxy and chemistry are almost as important as the talent on the club. It's seems like this is even more integral in baseball than the other sports, for some reason (maybe hockey is it's only equal in this regard).

Houston playoff baseball is gonna be fun.