Same schedule as the past few years... Tue/Wed at Houston, Fri-Sun at Washington DC, Tue/Wed again in Houston if we need it, all 8pm starts, all FOX, more of Buck/Smoltz for better or worse (probably worse... you kidding me Buck with "one of the greatest ALCS plays in history" on the Brantley DP?).
Houston's rotation is almost certainly Cole, Verlander, Greinke, Urquidy/bullpen.
Nationals rotation you know will be Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Sanchez. the exact order though I'm not sure between Scherzer & Strasburg.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long series. Sure, the Nats could come out with zero offense like most of the NLDS (they were dominated by Buehler twice, not a great sign for Cole/Verlander) and lose quickly. But they have the SPs to win a couple 3-2, 1-0 type of games and steal them away from Cole/Verlander. And the Astros offense has been inconsistent at best all postseason, while the Nats have had significant contributions from all around their lineup with Kendrick, Zimmerman, Eaton, Robles, even their catchers here and there while Rendon has actually been producing like an MVP (Bregman... nope not yet) and Soto certainly has been much better than Alvarez.
I'm curious how the interleague lineup adjustments will go. For the Astros, they will probably just sit Alvarez, already at DH, unless he comes alive in the next two games, and try to find him a good PH matchup against one of the Nats' middling RH relievers, which they do have plenty of. who do the Nats have on their bench that can serve as a good DH? Maybe Kendrick and put Dozier in at 2B the whole game?
Houston's rotation is almost certainly Cole, Verlander, Greinke, Urquidy/bullpen.
Nationals rotation you know will be Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Sanchez. the exact order though I'm not sure between Scherzer & Strasburg.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long series. Sure, the Nats could come out with zero offense like most of the NLDS (they were dominated by Buehler twice, not a great sign for Cole/Verlander) and lose quickly. But they have the SPs to win a couple 3-2, 1-0 type of games and steal them away from Cole/Verlander. And the Astros offense has been inconsistent at best all postseason, while the Nats have had significant contributions from all around their lineup with Kendrick, Zimmerman, Eaton, Robles, even their catchers here and there while Rendon has actually been producing like an MVP (Bregman... nope not yet) and Soto certainly has been much better than Alvarez.
I'm curious how the interleague lineup adjustments will go. For the Astros, they will probably just sit Alvarez, already at DH, unless he comes alive in the next two games, and try to find him a good PH matchup against one of the Nats' middling RH relievers, which they do have plenty of. who do the Nats have on their bench that can serve as a good DH? Maybe Kendrick and put Dozier in at 2B the whole game?
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