All I know is, for Alvarez, the past 2 games, when he just swings for a simple hit, he has been getting on base.

Everyone needs some comic relief today.

I suggest going over to the Rangers off-season thread, which is mostly about how bad the Astros are and how much Houston people are obsessed with Dallas: https://texags.com/forums/53/topics/3065971/3

Good post. Puts some numbers to how much has gone their way thus far. Hopefully the series extends long enough to capture their regression back to the "mean" in each of those stats.

I really think we just have to beat them once and they'll start feeling a little pressure. They're riding high right now (and for good reason) but if things don't go their way in game 3, things could change in a heartbeat.

Wabs said:

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Who starts game 4 if we win game 3?

Who starts game 4 is we lose game 3?

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Peacock

Peacock

Beat40 said:

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I don't know why everyone all of a sudden wants all of this soft contact.

You increase your chances of getting a hit by hitting it harder. Smoking balls leads to more hits. We have done that, and it shows with how many guys are on base.

Literally the major problem offensively is finding those hits with RISP this postseason. It's been a huge problem. Soft contact is not going to help that. Maybe we do need a little blooper with RISP to loosen guys up, but I will take hard hits in those situations 10 times out of 10.

The lazy pop-ups with RISP has been what is most frustrating to me.

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It's not an issue of hitting the ball hard or not, it's an issue of continual attempts to pull everything. It's pathetic. You saw what Springer did when he hit the outside pitch to right field in game one.

07ag said:

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gigemJTH12 said:

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Who is yalls MVP?

Most Likely: Cole
Darkhorse: Yuli

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Most likely: altuve stays hot
dark horse: greinke, who picks up W's in games 3 and 7

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Let's hope the last prediction comes true and makes 07ag look like Nostradamus.

Keeper of The Spirits said:

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What will you do to swing the luck?

Here is my list:

Wash all Astros clothing
Change Astros hat/shirt combo out
Burn Jose Altuve candle during the game
Switching from Crawford Bock to 5% Tint
Buying my game 6 ticket to watch us win it all

Considering burning a picture of Juan Soto in the flames of the Altuve candle.
Also considering a poop slap

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I mean...as long as you film the poop slap, go for it!

BMX Bandit said:

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crowman2010 said:

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AGHouston11 said:

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I never understood how crowd noise helped or hurt a team in Baseball.

It cost us not hearing catcher interference last night though

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If you've never played on a big stage, you wouldn't understand...

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Which big stage did you play on that gave you this insight?

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I played in the American Legion state championship game...at Minute Maid. Biggest stage I ever got to, but the fan involvement was awesome. Definitely kept the adrenaline pumping.

I've also coached teams to championship games (youth baseball) and they absolutely feed off the energy.

The Gnats are a good team. A very good team. They have, in fact, won 8 in a row counting last night.

They have basically "coasted" through the Brewers, the Dodgers & the Cards. They have only had one 1-run game in that stretch. Pretty much "easy", "no stress" wins like last night's ended up being. They've got it all rolling in their favor.

They have been having "fun" and are, as a result, playing "loose". They have absolutely taken advantage of their run. On the flip side, our schedule and results have been tense and nothing that would resemble "easy".

Again, I fully expect the Astros will come out tomorrow night and look like a totally different team. Hopefully, they'll come out and punch the Gnats in the chops and go on roll from there.

And, finally, a disclaimer: I am not a shrink but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

crowman2010 said:

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Keeper of The Spirits said:

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What will you do to swing the luck?

Here is my list:

Wash all Astros clothing
Change Astros hat/shirt combo out
Burn Jose Altuve candle during the game
Switching from Crawford Bock to 5% Tint
Buying my game 6 ticket to watch us win it all

Considering burning a picture of Juan Soto in the flames of the Altuve candle.
Also considering a poop slap

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I mean...as long as you film the poop slap, go for it!

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You would never see me offer a poop slap! For some reason, I cannot do bathroom humor, probably the ass whippings I took as a kid for fart jokes.

mwm said:

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The Gnats are a good team. A very good team. They have, in fact, won 8 in a row counting last night.

They have basically "coasted" through the Brewers, the Dodgers & the Cards. They have only had one 1-run game in that stretch. Pretty much "easy", "no stress" wins like last night's ended up being. They've got it all rolling in their favor.

They have been having "fun" and are, as a result, playing "loose". They have absolutely taken advantage of their run. On the flip side, our schedule and results have been tense and nothing that would resemble "easy".

Again, I fully expect the Astros will come out tomorrow night and look like a totally different team. Hopefully, they'll come out and punch the Gnats in the chops and go on roll from there.

And, finally, a disclaimer: I am not a shrink but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

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8 straight and 18-2 in their last 20....that is colossally good. If they win they 100% deserve it....but it is almost understandable if you cant sustain that kind of production and fall back down to Earth in the next 3-4 losing the lead or possibly the whole thing, count me in the group hoping for the latter

And that was the only one run game. And it was the first of their 8-game streak.
Sometimes, a little luck or the other guy's mistake lights a fire.

I'm "all in" with you on the latter.

eATMup-Reveille said:

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Beat40 said:

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I don't know why everyone all of a sudden wants all of this soft contact.

You increase your chances of getting a hit by hitting it harder. Smoking balls leads to more hits. We have done that, and it shows with how many guys are on base.

Literally the major problem offensively is finding those hits with RISP this postseason. It's been a huge problem. Soft contact is not going to help that. Maybe we do need a little blooper with RISP to loosen guys up, but I will take hard hits in those situations 10 times out of 10.

The lazy pop-ups with RISP has been what is most frustrating to me.

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It's not an issue of hitting the ball hard or not, it's an issue of continual attempts to pull everything. It's pathetic. You saw what Springer did when he hit the outside pitch to right field in game one.

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Don't disagree with you on going with the pitch more. I absolutely want some of their approaches to be adjusted a little. I'm just saying it's a fact harder hit balls have a greater chance to be a hit than soft contact. It's a little bit of an overreaction to all of a sudden want small ball and soft contact.

Yep. Need to get a win if for no other reason than to extend the series and have a better chance of the Nats regressing back to expected production.

Deluxe said:

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Yep. Need to get a win if for no other reason than to extend the series and have a better chance of the Nats regressing back to expected production.

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I just want to win Game 3 to hopefully start putting a little pressure back on the Nats.

Everything is working for them, but the destiny or magic stuff is really a matter of Nats executing on the mound, in the field and at the plate. The Astros are failing in all 3 areas. It doesn't mean the series is over, but until the Astros change, there aren't enough games remaining.

History of prior WS results only determines what fans anticipate will happen, but until the games are actually played, they are irrelevant.

Last night's game looked like it might be a tight finish, like game 1. However, Bregman's miscues changed everything, and Nats stepped on Astros throats.

I think the series gets back to Houston. However, it is difficult to determine how much of that is based on my being an Astros fan, and how much is based on watching them break out of serious slumps numerous times this season.

I do think this team is resilient. I'm excited to see what happens in Game 3.

The "gnats" were down 3-1 into the 8th inning against Milwaukee in the play in game and were down late to the Dodgers in game 5 of the NLDS. They basically had to win the ten games before that to even make the post season. So definitely they have been coasting. Their last six games have clearly been a breeze though.

AustinCountyAg said:

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can we please stop with the Nats "destiny" talk and having them "regress back to themselves".

After the Nats terrible start they were arguably the second best team in the MLB behind the Astros. They are ****ing good.

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The nats are ironically enough a lot like the St Louis Blues hockey team. The Blues won the Stanley cup after being last in the League on Jan 3 about halfway thru the season. They somehow pulled it together and went on an absolute tear. They played at a top 5 Point per game pace the lead has ever seen ever from Jan 4 on. Their run included an 11 game win streak. People kept saying they'd "regress back to normal" but no one considered that this was the new normal.

Idk much about baseball but I am pulling for the Texas team.

I am sad to say it, but this series is over, and I wouldn't be shocked if we got swept. They hit the ball. They've shown they can hit our two aces and will probably destroy Greinke and whoever else we throw out there. It sucks.