I was looking at player postseason stats last night and it seems like most of our guys were really cold last October. When you compare the last four postseasons, 2019 was a down year for Correa, Springer, and Bregman. Altuve played pretty well, but not as good as 2017. Brantley was ok. I remember last year all through the playoffs feeling like something just wasn't right, and we relied on pitching to get us through, with a few occasional bursts of offense. I think it was the pressure and the expectations last year, whereas this year, the playoffs are more like a release. We're not supposed to be here, and we can finally answer everything we've been hearing.

Wabs said:

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What will be interesting is to see who makes offers to Springer over the off season (Please Astros re-sign him).

After all the **** other teams and their fans have talked about the "cheating Astros", now they want to add one of them to their team? Kinda like Dodger fan rooting for Mookie and David Price after they came over from the cheating Red Sox.

Another interesting one will be to see who (if anyone) signs rat face coward snitch ***** Fiers.You think any players really want him in their clubhouse?

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I could see the Mets going hard after Springer with a new owner looking to spend.

Don't we get Smith and Osuna back? Maybe bring back Peacock?

3B Paul 97 said:

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Don't we get Smith and Osuna back? Maybe bring back Peacock?

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Osuna is likely having Tommy John surgery. Smith will be back next year.

Deluxe said:

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Beat40 said:

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I actually hope we focus less on the bullpen and more on starter types. Sure, a strong bullpen is fine, but this postseason is once again confirming what we already know. Good starting pitching is how you win.

It makes logical sense too. Starters are starters because they have the best stuff to go multiple innings. Most bullpen guys have one, maybe two really good pitches, but they can't make it more than an inning or two without getting knocked around. You need reliability out of your bullpen for sure, but we have crushed elite bullpens, and I think that has to do with them ultimately not being as good as starters. Also, one guy has an off inning and you can be toast.

In the Dodgers broadcast last night, they talked about how Roberts told his guys to try to work long ABs to get more relievers in there. Said he believed seeing them more mitigated whatever advantages they had. He should know because he saw first hand how we did it to his bullpen in 2017.

All in all, I'm for adding some bullpen help, but we get Joe Smith back next year as well as Peacock. Sure, add another guy or two, but don't go crazy. I'd rather us try to find another starter or two.

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That's a fair point. I guess at the end of the day, we just want to bring pitchers who are best at getting batters out and then find roles for them. And it's probably easier to take a starter and mold him to a bullpen role than the opposite.

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I agree with you. I want guys who can get outs. So, in reality, I guess I don't care too much because you do have to balance between the regular season and postseason. Gotta have the pen to get through the season, but maybe an additional starter or two to go with a different postseason strategy.

Beat40 said:

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I agree with you. I want guys who can get outs. So, in reality, I guess I don't care too much because you do have to balance between the regular season and postseason. Gotta have the pen to get through the season, but maybe an additional starter or two to go with a different postseason strategy.

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Also, I doubt this "no off days" playoff scheduling will persist going forward. But if it does, that's a game changer in terms of how to assemble a staff.

Off days will always be a part of playoffs due to travel. Now, if baseball goes to neutral sites, then off dates do become unnecessary.

I assume Dusty will carry 1 or 2 fewer position players and add 1 or 2 more pitchers to the bullpen. I'd like to see Cionel Perez in specific situations.

Ask Boone and the Yankee players to demand that the letter be opened. Should be easy for them if it contains nothing nefarious.

**** Joe Smith

Don't want his ass back

Oh look. National media saying everyone should be soooooooo angry right now. **** 'em. I did enjoy the little tidbit at the end on why you should root for the Astros


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30064947/so-houston-astros-headed-another-alcs-how-angry-be

Deluxe said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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astros4545 said:

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**** Joe Smith

Don't want his ass back

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I do. He's a quality arm and would be so clutch vs the Yankees with his ability to get righties out.

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I'd take him back right now even if his arm is only in shape enough to throw 75 mph

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I was wishing for his arm during Game 3.. his arm would have helped solidify a pretty good bullpen. (I agree .. don't hold it against him to pick family first.)

wangus12 said:

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Oh look. National media saying everyone should be soooooooo angry right now. **** 'em. I did enjoy the little tidbit at the end on why you should root for the Astros


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30064947/so-houston-astros-headed-another-alcs-how-angry-be

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Delicious, salty tears!!!

No way we get rid of Greinke with Verlander out.

Are starting rotation needs a veteran presence. We've been lucky our rookies have done well but that can easily change

We'll see

AggiEE said:

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No way we get rid of Greinke with Verlander out.

Are starting rotation needs a veteran presence. We've been lucky our rookies have done well but that can easily change

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I agree with you, but I'm not sure if Greinke actually provides much veteran presence.

Cromagnum said:

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I've changed my mind. I want the Yankees and Dodgers again so we can shut them both up ourselves.

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I want the Yankees, but would prefer to play the Braves in the WS. Maybe it's nostalgia, but I also feel like if we ended up playing the dodgers and lost we'd never hear the end of it. Maybe I need to get a dog.

The biggest difference between the Astros cheating and everyone else is the way they did it--banging on a trash can---something that can be detected by anyone that can find youtube and has decent hearing. There were dozens of games archived on the internet that made it obvious once you knew what to listen for. I don't think MLB necessarily wanted to open the can of worms, but once it was out there, they had to deal with it somehow.

The other "smoking guns" of Apple watches, iPads, etc can be dismissed or explained away. The very obvious thumping cannot.

It's almost like the idiots that film themselves doing something illegal and then post it on the internet. Others may do the same thing and get away with it, but the Astros did it in a manner that they couldn't deny or explain away like other teams have.