***** Official Houston Astros 2019 Season Thread *****

6,885,677 Views | 74452 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by PSully97
Farmer1906
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JRC0811 said:

Lets win first before we talk about this... going to anger the baseball gods with this kind of talk.
We didn't bother to wait until the end of the year to discuss Cy Youngs, MVPs, gold gloves, etc. We talked about ALCS MVP too before Altuve walked it off.

But I see your point. That is why I was talking about most outstanding in my post.
Farmer1906
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Lena is a fun follow on twitter.
Mathguy64
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Cromagnum said:


How many times did you strike out the other day?
AgsMnn
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I really feel Yuli needs some recognition.
Guy does not strike out and his defense has been lights out.
gigemJTH12
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Anyone have the highlights of this?
Fat Bib Fortuna
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has there ever been a player who embraced the biggest stage in baseball more than Reggie Jackson?

from baseball-reference: he played in 27 world series games; 35-for-98 with 10 home runs
.357 BA, .457 OBP, .755 SLG, 1.212 OPS

77 World Series when he had the 3-HR game vs LA, he hit .450 and his OPS was 1.792.
McInnis
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Maybe an unappreciated aspect of the game is that the Astros got to save Harris and Osuna while giving Pressley a chance to get some confidence back. The Astros on the other hand should by now be getting quite familiar with Washington's pen. The fact they threw Dolittle last night probably doesn't speak well to their confidence in their other guys.
Diggity
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it's like he's Mr. October or something!
Farmer1906
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MuckRaker96 said:

has there ever been a player who embraced the biggest stage in baseball more than Reggie Jackson?

from baseball-reference: he played in 27 world series games; 35-for-98 with 10 home runs
.357 BA, .457 OBP, .755 SLG, 1.212 OPS

77 World Series when he had the 3-HR game vs LA, he hit .450 and his OPS was 1.792.


#5 All-time in WS OPS at 1.370 in 59 PA. 3 of the 4 ahead of him have only played in 1 WS (Bonds, Aikens, & Otis). Ortiz is #4 with 1.372 in the same # of PAs.
mm98
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MuckRaker96 said:

Correa's defense has been my MVP.


And Yuli
Farmer1906
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MuckRaker96 said:

has there ever been a player who embraced the biggest stage in baseball more than Reggie Jackson?

from baseball-reference: he played in 27 world series games; 35-for-98 with 10 home runs
.357 BA, .457 OBP, .755 SLG, 1.212 OPS

77 World Series when he had the 3-HR game vs LA, he hit .450 and his OPS was 1.792.
That WS is good for 8th best OPS.

In 1928 Lou Gehrig had a 2.433 in 17 PA. He went 6-11 with 4 HR and a double scoring 5 runs and driving in 9.
JJxvi
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World Series Career WPA
1. Lou Gehrig 2.3 (150 PA)
2. Charlie Keller 1.8 (79 PA)
3. Lance Berkman 1.7 (50 PA)
4. Mickey Mantle 1.5 (273 PA)
5. Home Run Baker 1.4 (97 PA)
6. Reggie Jackson 1.3 (116 PA)
7. George Springer 1.3 (59 PA)
8. David Ortiz 1.2 (59 PA)
9. Babe Ruth, 1.2 (167 PA)
10. Jimmie Foxx 1.2 (73 PA)
Ag_07
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gigemJTH12 said:



Anyone have the highlights of this?


No thanks on 8 years

Look Cole is a phenomenal pitcher and one of the best to wear an Astros uniform but the chances of him performing like this for another 8 years is VERY slim.

That's the definition of paying for past results.
Mathguy64
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I have no intention of talking about a WS MVP until we Take It Back. I mean if/when Hinch hoists the trophy in the ceremony Take It Back style.

Now, if you want to talk about what has been the most important part of the team to date, go ahead. Its the bull pen, and that includes Urkeeding. Game 1 and 2 starters got whacked and as important as Greinke was in Game 3, he didn't get past 5. The pen had to hold it together in game 3. Game 4 was a pen job and Urkeeding got 5 IP out of the pen. They held it together for the offense to finally get uncorked.

The single most important play was Greinke with the bowtie to Soto. That got in his head. Second most important was Yuli's dive to the bag in Game 4

So far, the pen has been the best part of the team.

What happens next I wont even think about until HInch puts the trophy in the air.
W
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regarding Cole...timing in life is everything. And his timing in hitting free agency is sublime. He's going to sign a contract for some amount between $200 MM and $250 MM.

one player I feel sympathy for is Yuli. His offense and defense have been outstanding in 2019 -- regular season and postseason. But he's not a free agent until after 2020. He will need to repeat his performance in 2020 to get one last really nice multi-year contract

Teddy Perkins
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gigemJTH12 said:



Anyone have the highlights of this?
Saying that Boras is going to ask for $300M and lists all the ways Cole is the best and how many ways he can beat you.

Quote:

How does Cole beat you? Let us count the ways.
His ability to get swings and misses with four different pitches his fastball, curve, slider and changeup.
Maldonado noted that Cole's 300th strikeout this season came on a changeup (Cole is now up to, ahem, 373 strikeouts for the season, including playoffs.)
"That's the great thing about Gerrit Cole," Maldonado said. "He can strike out anybody with any pitch."
During the regular season, Cole had a 36.6 whiff percentage with his fastball. That rate dropped to slightly more than 25 percent in his first four postseason starts before sinking to 14.8 percent on Sunday night.
Not to worry Cole got swings and misses on nine of his 20 breaking pitches in Game 5, a rate of 45 percent that was even higher than his rate of 37.7 percent during the regular season, according to STATS LLC.
"I thought this stuff was crisper, I thought we executed more pitches," Cole said.
His ability to make in-game adjustments.
Cole escaped a first-and-third, none-out jam in the second inning, preying on Ryan Zimmerman's aggressiveness to strike him out with a curveball, then inducing Victor Robles to ground into a double play.
"I don't know how many pitchers in baseball can get out of that unscathed," Hinch said.
From that point, Cole did not allow his third and final hit until Juan Soto's solo homer off a 99-mph fastball with one out in the seventh, but Strom maintained it was not the smoothest of outings.
"The fourth inning was real bad. He started yanking a lot of stuff. He was upset with his delivery," Strom said.
"He kind of got back on line in the fifth inning. His big thing is his direction, staying behind the ball. His glove got active. A lot of different things happened."
Cole retired nine straight hitters between a one-out walk to Anthony Rendon in the fourth and Soto's homer in the seventh.
His preparation.
I wrote about Cole's extensive note-taking after his victory over the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. He was at it again on Sunday night, retreating to an area behind the dugout between innings to refer to his notes and "kind of take stock of things," Strom said.
"The most impressive thing about him is the way he prepares coming into the game," Maldonado said. "He knows which count I want to throw this, which count I want to throw that. This guy is going to swing early. This guy is going to swing late. Which guy he can throw it by, which guy he's going to pitch backwards. There is stuff behind the scenes people don't know. I think he has learned from one of the best, if not the best JV."
That would be Justin Verlander, whose Hall of Fame resum includes only one blemish his 0-5 record and 5.73 ERA in six World Series starts. Cole's performance put Verlander in position to change that narrative, giving his teammate a chance to close out the Series at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night.
Maldonado acknowledged Cole had a "bad game" in Game 1 but said he had no doubt that Game 5 would be different, knowing Cole would be on regular rest, knowing he would not alter his routine.
"From the first pitch he threw warming up, (I thought), 'This is good. This is the guy.'"
Oh, Cole is the guy, all right. The Angels are his most obvious fit, given his roots in Orange County and the team's need for starting pitching under new manager Joe Maddon. But try to think of a high-revenue team that would not want Cole. All the usual suspects will enter the bidding, and maybe even some of the not-so-usual. No other free-agent pitcher in this class is of Coles' caliber Stephen Strasburg, if he opts out of his contract, is close, but he also is two years older.
aTm2004
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IMO, the most important on the team thus far:

1. Harris - No doubt. Dude has shut the door when he's put into bad situations
2. Greinke - His message to Soto changed the series, IMO
3. Yuli - He's kept their Usain Bolt off the base paths twice from his defense at first
4. Brantley - He's been Mr. Consistent at the plate and getting on base
W
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JJxvi said:

World Series Career WPA
1. Lou Gehrig 2.3 (150 PA)
2. Charlie Keller 1.8 (79 PA)
3. Lance Berkman 1.7 (50 PA)
4. Mickey Mantle 1.5 (273 PA)
5. Home Run Baker 1.4 (97 PA)
6. Reggie Jackson 1.3 (116 PA)
7. George Springer 1.3 (59 PA)
8. David Ortiz 1.2 (59 PA)
9. Babe Ruth, 1.2 (167 PA)
10. Jimmie Foxx 1.2 (73 PA)
so for the division era (1969-to-present)...Berkman is #1 followed by Reggie, Springer, and Ortiz
Ag_07
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Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?
Mathguy64
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?
No.

ETA, if we win this series, #35 will hang in the rafters.
JABQ04
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agsquirrel97 said:

JABQ04 said:

Game....blouses.

Win it on Tuesday. Great Birthday Present.
Don't know if you heard, but his birthday was yesterday.


Don't give a sheet about him, my birthday is this Tuesday.
expresswrittenconsent
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?

It's a pretty easy "NO". That shouldn't take away from his impact and importance but comeon.
Farmer1906
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Since its an off day.

Here are the current pitchers that got 7+ year contracts.

Tanaka - 7 year - 155 M - signed at age 25
He has one more year. I would say, in general, this worked out okay. His per year is 22 M which isn't crazy. From 14-19 he ranks 20th for WAR for starting pitchers. His real value has been in the postseason.

Price - 7 year - 217 M - signed at age 30
With 3 years and 96 M left, I cannot see this working out well for Boston. Price was never able to recapture the elite form he had with the Rays. His WAR since signing it is similar to guys like Tanner Roark & Gio Gonzalez. Complete boat anchor of a contract.

Strasburg - 7 year - 175 M - signed at age 27
I believe this was an extension before he hit the open market (someone correct me if wrong). 2x All Star and finished in the top 3 of the Cy once. He's been good and probably worth his 25 per. Assuming there isn't a steep decline from ages 31-34, this one might work out well.

Scherzer - 7 year - 210 M - signed at age 30
When this was announced I was flabbergasted that he got this deal. I KNEW it wouldn't work out. but since 2015 he's the best pitcher in baseball. 5x AS, 2 CYs, 2 more top 5 Cys (probably a 3rd this year). He's got 2 years left and he hasn't too many signed of slowing down. The WS injury is something to pay attention to moving forward.

Maeda - 8 year - 25 M - signed at age 28
Not really applicable, but acknowledging it happened.
BMX Bandit
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?


No.


ttha_aggie_09
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W said:

regarding Cole...timing in life is everything. And his timing in hitting free agency is sublime. He's going to sign a contract for some amount between $200 MM and $250 MM.

one player I feel sympathy for is Yuli. His offense and defense have been outstanding in 2019 -- regular season and postseason. But he's not a free agent until after 2020. He will need to repeat his performance in 2020 to get one last really nice multi-year contract


The battle for Cole will push his contract to $300MM
Wabs
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?
No way
jopatura
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?


No. Maybe if was the series clincher and our first WS. Maaaaaybe and that's a really long shot.

In the same way, I don't expect to ever see Beltran up there either. Even with coming back and earning back some goodwill, I still feel burned over what happened in 2004.
SW-14
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No way. He's only been here 2 seasons.
Farmer1906
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expresswrittenconsent said:

Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?

It's a pretty easy "NO". That shouldn't take away from his impact and importance but comeon.
Agreed.

I think the bar for retiring numbers has been way too low in Houston.

I would do it like this:
yes - bagwell, biggio, oswalt, ryan
maybe - berkman, cruz, cedeno, wynn, richard, dierker
no - everyone else for now
Cromagnum
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Since the Nationals love sharks so much, can we play the theme from Jaws everytime they get behind in pitch count?
Buck Compton
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It's not a discussion and the answer is no. There's already too many up there.

Being in the rafters should mean you were an all-time great and spent like 85% of that career (and most of those accomplishments) in Houston.
Ag_07
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Yeah but Beltran doesn't hold any franchise records.

Only reason I think debatable is Cole surpassed Nolan and JR for a handful of single season records.

Maybe we see that he ends up in this new HOF out in LF.
Farmer1906
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Buck Compton said:

It's not a discussion and the answer is no. There's already too many up there.

Being in the rafters should mean you were an all-time great and spent like 85% of that career (and most of those accomplishments) in Houston.
so no Ryan for Verlander for you?
tjack16
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Ag_07 said:

Here's a interesting off day discussion...

If the book is indeed closed on Cole's career as an Astro does his #45 jersey hang from the rafters at some point?
No... Kuechel has more of a claim to have his jersey retired than Cole.
n_touch
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Oh, Cole is the guy, all right. The Angels are his most obvious fit, given his roots in Orange County and the team's need for starting pitching under new manager Joe Maddon.
His choice is here of Angels. Obviously other teams will pay, but what type of team will he be joining? The question will come down to playoff wants and championships. Does he make the Angels that much better? They finished the year 35 games back. Granted we will drop off losing his production but it will not be a 35 game swing. Not to mention they will still have to be better than not just the Astros, but also the A's.

Cole has an interesting decision to make. Make a few more runs at the gold or join a mediocre team. Will be interesting to see where his mind is at.
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