MLB 2017 Regular Season

[Trouty]

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.

Dodgers in the WS? Boo!!!

I'd rather see Houston in it, and they're a division rival!!! Boo, Biggems, boo!

 

[Biggems]

Dodgers in the WS? Boo!!!

I'd rather see Houston in it, and they're a division rival!!! Boo, Biggems, boo!

To be honest, the one team above all others I would love to see the Astros beat in the WS is the Cardinals. I hate them more than any other team, still. A lifelong of hatred is hard to put aside after only a few years. A close 2nd is the Rangers.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

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.

I'm not concerned on how they played Boston or Cleveland... The pitching matchups did not favor the Astros due to injuries... If the top 2 starters are ready to go in the playoffs then I'm feeling pretty good about the Astro's chances.

 

[Trouty]

I'm not concerned on how they played Boston or Cleveland... The pitching matchups did not favor the Astros due to injuries... If the top 2 starters are ready to go in the playoffs then I'm feeling pretty good about the Astro's chances.

Mike, just curious as to what your take is on post 400?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Mike, just curious as to what your take is on post 400?

From what I've been reading all season is the chemistry of the Houston team is very good... I have no concerns over that.

The offense is simply outstanding. One of the best we've seen in MLB in a long time. It's so good they have at least two guys at triple A (Fisher & Moran) who are doing some outstanding things this season but are blocked at the MLB level.

It will come down to are Keuchel and McCullers going to be healthy for the playoffs.

If they are it will be a very difficult club to beat.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Texas rangers are sorry. I'm depressed

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Texas rangers are sorry. I'm depressed

Well they're caught in "no-mans" land...

They're not a good team. They're not a terrible team.

They're not a young team. They're not an old team.

They emptied they farm system to some degree to "finance" past playoff pushes.

And they sit with the 6th highest payroll in the league so they aren't going to be adding much there.

Personally I think they're on the verge of a few crummy seasons and have to think seriously about rebuilding at this point. But even that isn't going to be easy, there are going to be several high-spending teams that are on the rebuilding path:

Detroit #4 in spending
Toronto #5 in spending
San Francisco #7 in spending
Baltimore #8 in spending
Angels #11 in spending
NY Mets #13 in spending

That's a whole lotta teams spending a whole lotta coin who aren't close to fielding good clubs.

 

[Trouty]

Well they're caught in "no-mans" land...

They're not a good team. They're not a terrible team.

They're not a young team. They're not an old team.

They emptied they farm system to some degree to "finance" past playoff pushes.

And they sit with the 6th highest payroll in the league so they aren't going to be adding much there.

Personally I think they're on the verge of a few crummy seasons and have to think seriously about rebuilding at this point. But even that isn't going to be easy, there are going to be several high-spending teams that are on the rebuilding path:

Detroit #4 in spending
Toronto #5 in spending
San Francisco #7 in spending
Baltimore #8 in spending
Angels #11 in spending
NY Mets #13 in spending

That's a whole lotta teams spending a whole lotta coin who aren't close to fielding good clubs.

To be fair, after this year our bankroll will drop significantly when turd Hamilton and Wilson's contracts are of the books.

Pujols is still an albatross, tho. But the org doesn't seem to care.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Well they're caught in "no-mans" land...

They're not a good team. They're not a terrible team.

They're not a young team. They're not an old team.

They emptied they farm system to some degree to "finance" past playoff pushes.

And they sit with the 6th highest payroll in the league so they aren't going to be adding much there.

Personally I think they're on the verge of a few crummy seasons and have to think seriously about rebuilding at this point. But even that isn't going to be easy, there are going to be several high-spending teams that are on the rebuilding path:

Detroit #4 in spending
Toronto #5 in spending
San Francisco #7 in spending
Baltimore #8 in spending
Angels #11 in spending
NY Mets #13 in spending

That's a whole lotta teams spending a whole lotta coin who aren't close to fielding good clubs.

So there like my dallas mavericks. Sigh

 

[MichaelWinicki]

So there like my dallas mavericks. Sigh

Mavericks are probably ahead of the game because they know they're in a rebuilding mode.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

To be fair, after this year our bankroll will drop significantly when turd Hamilton and Wilson's contracts are of the books.

Pujols is still an albatross, tho. But the org doesn't seem to care.

It will be interesting to see who rebuilds faster... Rangers or the Angels. They are in a very similar situation.

 

[Tabascocat]

Do the Mets have another 2nd half comeback in them to get a WC? My magic 8-ball says no chance but we did get back two pitchers and Thor returns soon.

It is probably a pipe dream but they were playing good until they faced the Nats . NY is a second half team but it isn't in the cards this year I am afraid......

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Baseball America released their updated Midseason Top 100 Prospects list, and here's the Astros' list"

#11: Kyle Tucker (preseason #19)
#32: Franklin Perez (preseason #54)
#47: Francis Martes (preseason #15)
#53: Derek Fisher (preseason unranked)
#57: Forrest Whitley (preseason unranked)

Here are the other teams in the AL West:

Oakland: 3 (#26, #27, #93)
Seattle: 2 (#61, #83)
Texas: 1 (#34)
Anaheim: 1 (#96)


As far as other teams:

The Yankees have 7 players on the list.
The Mets have 1 player on the list.
The Orioles have 2 players on the list.
The Red Sox have 3 players on the list.
The Cubs have 2 players on the list.
The Blue Jays have 4 players on the list.

 

[Trouty]

Baseball America released their updated Midseason Top 100 Prospects list, and here's the Astros' list"

#11: Kyle Tucker (preseason #19)
#32: Franklin Perez (preseason #54)
#47: Francis Martes (preseason #15)
#53: Derek Fisher (preseason unranked)
#57: Forrest Whitley (preseason unranked)

Here are the other teams in the AL West:

Oakland: 3 (#26, #27, #93)
Seattle: 2 (#61, #83)
Texas: 1 (#34)
Anaheim: 1 (#96)


As far as other teams:

The Yankees have 7 players on the list.
The Mets have 1 player on the list.
The Orioles have 2 players on the list.
The Red Sox have 3 players on the list.
The Cubs have 2 players on the list.
The Blue Jays have 4 players on the list.

We do have some really young, great arms in the bullpen and on the DL, to be fair, Mike. We also drafted two studs this year in Joe Adell and Griffin Canning. Also, be on the look out in 2-3 years for a stud, Matt Thaiss!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

We do have some really young, great arms in the bullpen and on the DL, to be fair, Mike. We also drafted two studs this year in Joe Adell and Griffin Canning. Also, be on the look out in 2-3 years for a stud, Matt Thaiss!

They do have some good arms, Trout and a couple other parts.

The question will be how do they build on what they have?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Manny Machado...

.215 with a slugging % of .418

Wow!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

On the All-Star front, with Yu backing out, this will be the first time since 2007 the Rangers have not had an all-star representative.

Good to see Chris Devenski get an invite... The kid deserved it. His change-up, nicknamed "The circle of death" might be the best in the game.

 

[Trouty]

Manny Machado...

.215 with a slugging % of .418

Wow!

That's insane, Mike. He was the "next Mike Trout." This year it's Judge. Every year it's a new guy. We joke about it on my Halo board.

Machado will bounce back, but no one is Trout, it'll be 20 years before we see another Trout. Generational means something.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

That's insane, Mike. He was the "next Mike Trout." This year it's Judge. Every year it's a new guy. We joke about it on my Halo board.

Machado will bounce back, but no one is Trout, it'll be 20 years before we see another Trout. Generational means something.

May even be longer than that.

 

[Trouty]

May even be longer than that.

I support this comment with every ounce of my being, Mike!