Looked like a lot of empty seats in the upper levels, or do they not count those?
2019 ALDS - Rays vs. Astros - Gamethread
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
This 1pm on a Monday thing is ridiculous. But it’s good to check in and see a lead! KK and G-man bombs?
the Astros have amazing talent, but they're not quite as deep as before on the pitching side. they got Greinke because their rotation really was a tire fire after the front two, as well as preparing for Cole's departure.
so with Greinke looking bleh today, there is a weakness.
so with Greinke looking bleh today, there is a weakness.
I know what the numbers say about this Astros, but I’ve been less than impressed with them outside Verlander, Cole and Altuve.
Rays are really playing a good series. Any other team besides Houston and they might be looking at a series win
That’s why I wondered if those sections were closed. However, they looked to be sparsely populated. Frankly, I don’t give a damn.
He was the worst pitcher in baseball for a few weeks down the stretch, check out his box scores if you want to be amused.
i always underestimate Gurriel, had a much better year than i thought he did. 1-7 of the Astros lineup can definitely bring them back into this game. post all star break they had a team OPS of .887. That Bregman/Alvarez duo is like Betts/JDM last year
Houston has the best offense by WRC+ since the 1927 Yankees, I'll feel better in another inning or two.
Alvarez is pretty much a DH, although I think they should see if he can play 1B adequately. Tucker I think is a corner OF and not really a CF, but not sure.
I was really hoping things would somehow work out so they'd play the Yankees. That series would have been a toss-up.
Houston doesn’t have anything special for a fourth starter. Assume they don’t go with Verlander on 3 days rest. Big bat Rays plus their consistently solid pitching show up and a game 5 isn’t out of the question.
Game 5 would be Verlander on full rest vs Glasnow then Snell, both on full rest. That would be a hell of a game.
Game 5 would be Verlander on full rest vs Glasnow then Snell, both on full rest. That would be a hell of a game.
The first time he has ever started on 3 days rest in his career, not counting that odd ALDS game against NY on a Friday night that got rained out after two innings and both him and CC came back on 2 days rest.
Verlander on 3 days is interesting. Guess they figure they have Cole on full rest for Game 5, but seems early in the playoffs to go to 3 days rest on your ace. I suppose Glasnow will be available for an inning or two, depending on how the game is playing out.
Your whole mission is to burn out one of the aces. Verlander on 3 days is a good start. I love how Cash coined the phrase “Verlandered” after Game 1. Great gamesmanship. Please let there be a Game 5.
The Astros pitching depth is their Achilles heel. They have no 4th starter and their middle relief is Wade Miley. It might bite them in a longer series. Who starts Game 2 of the ALCS if this goes 5? Verlander on 3 days rest again? They’re a starter short.
If Houston wins, they can go Cole Verlander in the ALCS on normal rest. If Verlander loses and they use Cole, they will have to go Greinke game 1, Verlander game 2, and Cole game 3.
In other words, GO RAYS
I imagine a game 5 in this series being the spiritual successor to my favorite baseball game of all time, Game 5 of the 1986 NLCS, with Tampa’s hometown hero replaced by Tampa’s hometown team. Only with less cocaine.
I was at that game! Best game I ever went to but no one remembers it because game 6 was so epic. Ryan and Gooden went 19 innings combined...
7:07pm first pitch. Prime time thanks to Yankees closing out Twins.
Verlander vs Rays entire staff. Castillo up first, all arms except Morton available. Anderson and Pagan are well-rested and probably good for 2 innings each, if need be. Snell could see an inning. Need a virtuoso bullpen management performance from Cash and the front office tonight.
Verlander vs Rays entire staff. Castillo up first, all arms except Morton available. Anderson and Pagan are well-rested and probably good for 2 innings each, if need be. Snell could see an inning. Need a virtuoso bullpen management performance from Cash and the front office tonight.
The Rays are such a pain to play. Regardless of how this turns out, great season for Tampa, as the Rays have developed young talent that has learned to compete in the postseason. Tampa is not going away.
I feel strangely calm about this one. I think 3 day rest Verlander won’t be quite as dominant. Get a run or two early and let the mojo of the past month flow freely from there.
Can you promise us your Rays can beat the NYY? Because I am concerned that what's happening is the NYY are resting while the Rays and Astros wear each other out.
Well it's about time the Gashouse Gorillas caught a break; I mean honestly, I can't think of a more snake bitten franchise than theirs, none of their free agent signings ever pan out, their farm system going all the way back to the 1960's has been a barren wasteland, and don't even get me started on their futile attempts to win a World Series, heartbreak after heartbreak, they rank as #1 all time in the most gut wrenching and bizarre ways to lose playoff series.
They're such a likeable bunch too; how can you not get behind "Gardy", Quasimodo, Sherman Klump, Mongo, Pig Face, Chapman, Didi the annoying pain in the balls, Sanchy, plus their manager Boonie, remember how dejected that poor guy was when he made the final out in the 2003 ALCS vs the Red Sox, he's another guy you can't help rooting for.
And I really can't think of a more humble, sincere and deserving fan base than theirs.
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Stanton; his swing reminds me of the punch Mongo threw to lay out the horse in Blazing Saddles.
If by some miracle the Rays come all the way back and win this series, they will officially be a TEAM OF DESTINY. Outgunned, Outmanned, Outnumbered but never Outplanned.
Houston is 5-9 on the road in the postseason since 2017, and their offensive numbers plummet away from Minute Maid.
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