affirmative.

A's at #7

Good thing the opinion of some ****ty ESPN reporter has absolutely no bearing on the season or playoffs

Ben Verlander's one is usually pretty good. I think it should release today. We were 11th last week fresh off of blowing 2 games vs SD, but recovering vs the BoSox in 3/4.

I would not be mad at putting the A's in front of us. They lead the division. They've won 6 of their last 7.

Same with the top 3 in the NL West.

Add in the Rays with the best record, a really good ChiSox team, and we're sitting around 7th.

I believe the Astros are 14-5 vs. the Red Sox, Rays, and A's.

that's rather strong vs. the top of the AL

Here is Straw's hardest hit ball on the year.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=22a8387d-9dab-4c1e-8d67-fdf8600f6066

Farmer1906 said:

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Here is Straw's hardest hit ball on the year.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=22a8387d-9dab-4c1e-8d67-fdf8600f6066

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I wish Straw would try to pull the ball a little more. I've never seen a righty hit fly balls so consistently to eight field.

He might actually find some gaps if he could try to pull it. At the very least it might get him back up the middle.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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redline248 said:

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These batters talking about being fine with pitchers doctoring balls are so full of sh-t.

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Probably because they know the guys on their team are heavy users.

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Not only that, you know deep down they hate how hard is to hit the sliders and curves that practically defy physics the way the move.

Honestly does it really make a difference with hitters?

Hitters hit mistakes. Does sticky stuff make you throw less mistakes?

I don't know but I always thought it makes a good pitch great but doesn't really make a bad pitch a good pitch.

If that makes any sense.

Guess what I'm trying to say is even you have sticky stuff on your hands you still have to make the pitch. If you don't it's gonna get hit.

I think Dusty feels compassion for an opponent in the series finale...if the Astros have won the first 2 or 3 games

Tucker won't see a single pitch all night

bearkatag15 said:

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Tucker won't see a single pitch all night

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Did Chas run over Dusty's dog or something? What is wrong with this guy...

Dusty Baker said Josh James had a setback and injured his hamstring during conditioning.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 10, 2021

Dusty Baker says even though Michael Brantley is not in the lineup, he could be used tonight as a pinch-hitter and will be in the lineup tomorrow night.

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) June 10, 2021

Ag_07 said:

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Honestly does it really make a difference with hitters?

Hitters hit mistakes. Does sticky stuff make you throw less mistakes?

I don't know but I always thought it makes a good pitch great but doesn't really make a bad pitch a good pitch.

If that makes any sense.

Guess what I'm trying to say is even you have sticky stuff on your hands you still have to make the pitch. If you don't it's gonna get hit.

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Well, the substances that allow you to enhance the grip are more likely to put the ball out of the zone if you make a mistake...it's going to delay your release point which makes it much more likely that a ball gets buried in the dirt in front of home.

Obviously, you could be trying to throw a cutter up in the zone or running a 2-seamer away from an opposite handed batter and groove one down the middle with the delay....but those are specific examples. Most of the time, your mistakes are going to wind-up in the dirt.

Air Yordan 🚀

The @astros slugger is #7 on our top 25 under 25! #YoungStarsWeek pic.twitter.com/kVOJer9eHh

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 10, 2021

Pretty good spot for Yordan. I'll be curious who besides Acuna, Tatis and Vlad Jr are in front of him.

Edit: Looks like #6 was released earlier today.

Bo knows 💪@BlueJays star Bo Bichette comes in at #6 on our list of the top 25 players under 25! #YoungStarsWeek pic.twitter.com/uqJTP9nnql

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 10, 2021

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Dusty Baker said Josh James had a setback and injured his hamstring during conditioning.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 10, 2021

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Turns out Mike Fiers is a true creepy ass pedophile.

He tried DMing this to an extremely young looking teenage relative of mine today. Age isn’t listed on her bio, but always gets mistaken for 15/16. Living NEAR Berkeley is listed though. So the intent of this fucker is obvious. pic.twitter.com/OLnNQOtDyZ

— Kershiser (@Kershiser77) June 10, 2021

Fiers is still trying to pull those underage girls

Farmer1906 said:

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Baez would be such a nice shot in the arm for the bullpen.

We have Javier out there. We trust Pressly to finish games. We may add another Javier-like guy (Urquidy, Odo, or Garcia). Stanek is a little hit or miss. Yall hate Raley, but he'll be fine as the #5 or 6 arm.

This cluster F may end up being decent enough. Especially with the offense and starters doing the MF thing.

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I want Baez back, but we don't really know what we have in him. I hope he's all he's advertised to be.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Baez would be such a nice shot in the arm for the bullpen.

We have Javier out there. We trust Pressly to finish games. We may add another Javier-like guy (Urquidy, Odo, or Garcia). Stanek is a little hit or miss. Yall hate Raley, but he'll be fine as the #5 or 6 arm.

This cluster F may end up being decent enough. Especially with the offense and starters doing the MF thing.

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I want Baez back, but we don't really know what we have in him. I hope he's all he's advertised to be.

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Baez isn't some unknown rookie, we have pretty large sample size of consistent data showing us what he is, which is a pretty damn good relief pitcher that will like be our 2nd or 3rd best bullpen arm this year

Well said

And honestly I really like Javier in the role he played last night.

A solid middle relief guy who can come in and take the game over. If needed possibly come in in a high leverage situation early and ride for a couple innings.

He could work out very well in that role.

The #Whitesox lose another valuable position player with second baseman Nick Madrigal going on the 60-day injured list with a proximal tear of his right hamstring. OF Brian Goodwin is replacing him on the roster.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 10, 2021

We face the white Sox next weekend. Huge blow to their lineup.

Ideally Javier keeps doing what he's doing. Paredes and Taylor keep looking solid, Stanek and Pressly prove they can shut it down in the 8th and 9th. Going into a playoff series that gives you 5 go to bullpen arms, and mix in Raley if you need someone to eat up an inning.

With LMJ coming back, that's a 12 person pitching staff that's really solid. The 13th spot can go to whoever is the hottest at the time.

Ag_07 said:

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Honestly does it really make a difference with hitters?

Hitters hit mistakes. Does sticky stuff make you throw less mistakes?

I don't know but I always thought it makes a good pitch great but doesn't really make a bad pitch a good pitch.

If that makes any sense.

Guess what I'm trying to say is even you have sticky stuff on your hands you still have to make the pitch. If you don't it's gonna get hit.

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This reminds me of the argument made during the steroid era..."you still have to be able to hit it."

Sure, but even when you make a mistake and the ball breaks 3 inches more than it's supposed to the batter could end up hitting a popup or smashing it into the ground

Ag_07 said:

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Well said

And honestly I really like Javier in the role he played last night.

A solid middle relief guy who can come in and take the game over. If needed possibly come in in a high leverage situation early and ride for a couple innings.

He could work out very well in that role.

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That is not too dissimilar to how RC and other college baseball coaches use some of their best bullpen arms. They bring them in the end multi-inning games or use them to high leverage situations even if its not the 8th or 9th.

tough injury for Madrigal and the White Sox.

he is/was a contender at 2B to make the all-star game

bearkatag15 said:

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Turns out Mike Fiers is a true creepy ass pedophile.

He tried DMing this to an extremely young looking teenage relative of mine today. Age isn’t listed on her bio, but always gets mistaken for 15/16. Living NEAR Berkeley is listed though. So the intent of this fucker is obvious. pic.twitter.com/OLnNQOtDyZ

— Kershiser (@Kershiser77) June 10, 2021

Fiers is still trying to pull those underage girls

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How does this stuff not blow up on him? This is as bad as anything Deshaun Watson did.