Nothing like clinching a title in Houston!

Sorry One Post.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Yeah Houston is home so I would have liked to see the Astros pull it out.

I went to game one of the ALDS vs the Rays and took the train to the game. Everyone on the train was decked out in orange and the vibe on the street was just electric. Felt proud to be a Houstonian that day.

Astros - Dodgers was the best of this decade. Game 7 was anticlimactic but on the whole, best series.

There have been a ton of great World Series this decade. Only Royals-Mets and Red Sox-Dodgers stand out as stinkers, and the former gets away with it because it was the longtime-buttmonkey Royals actually kicking ass.

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Cole's reticence to talk to reporters Taubman related? Astros were a different team @MMP vs DC this series. Taubman co-MVP with Strasburg.



Whatever the case, he gawn from the Astros:

#TeamBoras:

Of course Hinch is going to get boxed around for not putting Cole in ( on 2 days rest ) because people
are stupid and assume it would’ve been lights out see ya Nats when in reality the outcome would’ve more than likely been the same . How about you score more than 2 runs and not leave 10 men on base ? That’s why you lost not because a starter running on fumes wasn’t put into a tie game and wasn’t going to be able to go more than a couple innings anyway. It was actually kind of refreshing to see a manager not shit his pants and actually trust the bullpen that was good enough to be a part of 107 plus wins .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

At any rate, it was good to see an organization as arrogant as theirs get some comeuppance. Maybe baseball shouldn't belong to lawyers, accountants, and McKinsey consultants after all.

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If Maddon managed the way Hinch did and lost this place would have exploded. No Cole, weird sac bunt call in the second inning, and I would have let Greinke have one more batter in seventh.

At that point, yeah, Greinke's already faced Rendon/Soto, might as well let him pitch to the middle of the order. Hinch maybe shouldn't have sent Verlander and Greinke back out in the 7th in either game. Verlander had been sitting due to Strasburg's extended bottom of the 6th. At least Greinke wasn't sitting long, thanks to the double-play. Your starters get you through 6 with a chance to win, you gotta find 9 outs in your bullpen. Give your relievers a clean slate to start instead of bringing them in with men on base. And maybe roster a left-handed reliever against the Nats.

Good to see Scherzer on a WS winning team.

Yeah, I would imagine if Maddon had pulled Hendricks, and had Arietta warmed up but instead went with Carl Edwards Jr, there would have been an uproar. As it was, there was consternation even though they won.

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This is a more general observation more than anything else and not specific to last night.

I am completely against the direction of baseball where starters are pulled early for fear of the dreaded third time through the order. Top line starters are ready to pitch 100-120 pitches every fifth day. Pulling them earlier then assumes the next guy out of the bullpen is going to be better. It also assumes that the number of relievers needed to finish nine innings collectively are going to be better. Sure on paper it seems like they might.

Where so much of it fails is that every time you change pitchers, the guy you bring in is an unknown quantity on that day, while the starter you pulled is known. You know the starters fastball velocity and how well his other pitches are working. The reliever set may not have it and often has control issues from the get go. If you use five relievers, it is likely two or more won’t have it that day.

Now, for the playoffs, bringing in a starter like Cole is even more fraught with issues. We’ve all seen how starters are most vulnerable in that first inning. Their breaking stuff is usually not ready because they are too juiced up. So using a guy like Cole for an inning or two is dangerous because his first inning is often the problem spot.

Over the season, you watch managers blow through the bullpen trying to find guys that can get outs. Well they pulled the guy that showed he could get outs. I think pitching starters at least six and sometimes seven innings over the course of the season is a better option. How is your fifth or sixth bullpen guy better than your number three starter?

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I didn't realize Greinke wasted three-and-two-thirds years on go-nowhere Diamondbacks teams. Reminds me of Marian Hossa and his career years in witness protection with the Atlanta Thrashers.

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If I recall he had all those head case problems with the Dodgers, and no one wanted to pay him. But the DBacks ponied up....

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Hawaii (fuck) You

$206.5/6 isn't what you pay for someone whom no one else will pay.

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Two words- Jason Heyward

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Hawaii (fuck) You

And he turned down more money from the Cards.

Thanks, Jason !

Yeah, I guess there was the Soriano contract, too. I forget that baseball front offices all talk a big game about being smart and then get really dumb. Well, thankfully, collusion put paid to that.

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Absolutely the offense failed to come through in big situations consistently this series. And that cost them big.

But the bullpen has let the Astros down all series. Going back to that well again, with Greinke only throwing 80 pitches and with Cole available, is just asking for trouble.

Hinch managed scared.

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I’m having a hard time believing a guy with a ring and 2 other WS appearances is scared . He puts Cole in and he gets lit up or would be “ Why did he put a guy in relief who has never relieved in his career and started a game 2 days ago , that’s what the bullpen is for !! . He managed fine . They didn’t hit when it counted .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Is Minute Maid Park the only stadium in baseball history that has had a road AL and a road NL team win celebrate a World Series in the building?

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County Stadium would have to be the other if there's another.

EDIT: nope, the '58 Yankees clinched in Milwaukee but the '82 Cardinals clinched in St. Louis

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The Brewers have only played in one World Series and IIRC that was clinched in St Louie.

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Right but the Milwaukee Braves played at County Stadium too.

The only other stadium I can think of that straddled leagues is RFK Stadium and the Senators Mk. II were never in the same galaxy as the World Series.

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THIS.
Davey Martinez showed faith in his starter who was pitching very well to get out of his own jam. Hinch get scared and pulled Grenke and it blew up in his face. That walk to Soto was strike 3, but the ump was not giving away that low strike. Squeezed Scherzer on a few, as well. Grenke was still dealing after the Soto walk. It was stupid, but very typical for Hinch to over-manage the situation and go to a less quality pitcher.

It was a great series....not a Nationals fan, but they certainly earned the win. I don't get Eaton and Kendrick's HR celebration...burrito and grade school.

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I will point out that the although the offense failed to come through in big situation in games 6 and 7 s, all of those big situations came against guys named Strasburg, Scherzer, and Corbin. Those guys have something to do with the Astros lack of runs.

Scherzer is one of the rare players signed to a huge long-term contract that has actually earned the money. He is 5 years into the 7-yr deal, and each year he has been in the top-5 in Cy Young voting (I'm assuming he'll be top-5 this year) and has never had an ERA over 3.

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2005 continues to make history even today!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

For those who don't believe in "clutch":

Anthony Rendon in the 7th inning and later in Nats elimination games:

Walk, double, home run, double, home run, double, home run

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White Sox should offer him an incentive laden contract.

The Polo Grounds has to have at least one. Maybe the old White Sox stadium 1906-07/08?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.