Someone should ask Joe if he would have waited for Boston in the lobby of the bubble hotel.

He's literally the last remaining loudmouth.

Oh the bubble year?

The year LA won the flukeist WS ever.

What a clown

Correa would have broken that dude in half

We talking about Joe Kelly the Red Sox cheater?

Part 8, possibly the most satisfying stretch of baseball pre-playoffs of the 19-part Astros 2022 recap in anticipation of 2023.

June 25-July 5
Record: 9-1
Overall Record: 53-27
AL West Position: 1st place by 13 games
AL Overall Position: 4.5 games behind NY for top seed


Game 71, June 25, 2022, Astros 3, Yankees 0
@ Yankee Stadium
Attendance: 45,076
Record: 45-26

Well that's a funny looking "Greatest Team Ever Assembled." God's favorite starting nine looked like a bunch of Little Leaguers at the plate against the combined forces of Cristian Javier, Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressley, who never allowed a single hit to the Bronx Bombers while striking out 15 batters in the franchise's second combined no-hitter of the Yankees. It was the first time the Yankees had been shut out in more than a month, the first no-hitter at New Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009, and fell 19 years and 2 weeks after the Astros threw a combined no-hitter at old Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. Javier was filthy nasty, allowing 1 walk and striking out 13 batters in 7 innings, throwing 115 pitches. Hector Neris walked two batters in his inning but got out of trouble, and Ryan Pressly recorded the final three outs. Arson Judge was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. Remarkably, Joey Gallo only struck out once. The game was tied 0-0 until the top of the seventh when Yankee killer J.J. Matijevic homered off Gerit Cole to put the Astros on top. Jose Altuve hit his 853rd career home run off the Yankees in the top of the eighth and Yuli Gurriel added an RBi single in the top of the ninth.


Game 72, June 26, 2022, Yankees 6, Astros 3 (10)
@ Yankee Stadium
Attendance: 44,028
Record 45-27

The Yankees struck back with their biggest weapon to split the four-game series 2-2. Arson Judge blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to walk off the victory after the Astros blew a 3-0 lead through six innings. Jose Altuve led off the game with a solo home run, causing the mayor of New York to cancel the 4th of July, and Mauricio Dubon's two-run single made it 3-0 in the fourth. Jose Urquidy started the game and lasted into the bottom of the seventh before giving up a solo home run to Giancarlo Stanton. Dusty Baker, who clearly bet on the Yankees, decided the best idea was to bring in human flamethrower, and not the good kind, Phil Maton for the eighth, and he gave up a two-run bomb to DJ Mathieu to tie the game, then walked the next two guys before he got yanked. Despite a steal of third base by Jason Castro in the top of the 10th (that really happened, look it up), the Astros left bases loaded..Judge hit a three-run shot off Seth Martinez, who I totally forgot about until right now, to win the title Greatest Player Ever.


Game 73, June 28, 2022, Astros 9, Mets 1
@ Citi Field
Attendance: 36,673
Record 46-27

The Astros got on I-87 South, took I-278 west, and then Grand Central Parkway to Shea Road in Queens to resume whipping the Mets' ass. Houston scored 4 runs in the top of the 1st, 4 more in the 5th, and Framber Valdez improved to 8-3 with 8 innings of 6-hit shutout baseball. Kyle Tucker had a three-run bomb in the first inning and both Yordan Alvarez and Yuli Gurriel homered in the fifth. It was Alvarez's 23rd of the year and Tucker's 15th. Alvarez padded his RBI total to 56, with Tucker right behind him at 51. Alvarez was 3 for 3 with 2 RBI to raise his average to .321 on the year and his OPS to 1.081. Jake Meyers returned to the starting lineup in center field and went 2 for 4 with an RBI, his first of the season.


Game 74, June 29, 2022, Astros 2, Mets 0
@ Citi Field
Attendance: 29,230
Record 47-27

Justin Verlander continued to treat other teams' lineups like a joke only he could understand, throwing 8 innings of 2-hit shutout baseball, walking 1 and striking out 6 in a shutout of the Mets. The game was tied at 0-0 until the top of the ninth when the Mets replaced Edwin Diaz with Drew Smith. Kyle Tucker singled and was replaced on the basepaths by Yuli Gurriel on a forceout. One out later, as all of TexAgs saluted Dusty Baker's decision to leave Jason Castro in to hit with two outs and the go-ahead run in scoring position. Castro rewarded his most ardent fan club with a two-run homer down the right-field line.
Here's the stunned game thread
https://texags.com/forums/53/topics/3282003/499


Game 75, June 30, 2022, Astros 2, Yankees 1
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 40,674
Record 48-27


In the odd mid-season makeup game from the lockout, the Yankees came to Minute Maid to get some more masterful pitching shoved down their throats. Luis Garcia and four relievers combined to give up 1 run on 5 hits and strike out 11 batters white the Astros made the most of 3 hits of their own to beat the Bronx Bums again, cutting the gap between the two teams to 5- games. Alex Bregman doubled in Aledmys Diaz and Jake Meyers in the third inning for the Astros' only runs of the game. Arson Judge was 0 for 4, again.


Game 76, July 1, 2022, Astros 8, Angels 1
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 36,420
Record 49-27

The calendar turned but the Astros kept rolling, falling behind 1-0 and then blasting past the Angels with eight runs in the second and third innings. In his first start after his part of the combined no-hitter, Cristian Javier was close to perfect, allowing a first inning home run by Shohei Ohtani, then never giving up another hit while striking out 14 batters and no walks. Of the struggles at the plate, Mike Trout said, "Huh? I haven't gotten hurt yet? Weird." Javier made history, becoming just the second pitcher since 1901 with two straight starts of at least 7 innings, 10 or more strikeouts, one or fewer walks, and one or fewer hits, joining Max Scherzer of the 2015 Nationals. The Astros got big contributions from the bottom of the lineup as JJ Matijevic, Jake Meyers, and Chas McCormick combined to go 6-for-13 with 4 runs scored and 6 RBi. Meyers and McCormick each had a home run. Yordan Alvarez continued to sit out after suffering a collision at Yankee Stadium a few days earlier.


Game 77, July 2, 2022, Astros 9, Angels 1
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 35,332
Record: 50-27


The Angels continued to play elite baseball, improving on their two hits Friday with a three hit Saturday in a 9-1 loss. The Astros led 5-0 after two innings and cruised to their 50th win of the year, and their fifth straight. Jose Urquidy continued the run of remarkable starting pitching, allowing 2 hits and 1 run in 6 innings, striking out eight to improve to 7-3 on the year. Martin Maldonao hit a pair of home runs to give him seven on the year, and Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker each hit their 16th blast. Altuve went 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, sending his slugging percentage to .538 and his OPS to .899 for the year. Tucker was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.


Game 78, July 3, 2022, Astros 4, Angels 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 36,048
Record: 51-27

There goes The Kid! Jeremy Pena hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to complete the sweep of the Angels and give the Astros their sixth straight win. WIth two outs in the inning, Jose Altuve singled to center to keep the game alive and Pena belted the first pitch he saw to deep left-center for the game-winner. Batting second, Pena went 4 for 5 with two home runs, the other coming in the fourth inning. He drove in 3 runs and scored twice, raising his average to .278 and getting his OPS above .800. Altuve was 3 for 5 to raise his average to .280. Framber Valdez was magnificent in the no-decision, striking out 13 in 6 innings. It is Pena's second walkoff home run of his career.




Game 79, July 4, 2022, Astros 7, Royals 6
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 33,936
Record: 52-27

What's better than a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth? The exact same thing the next day! Yordan Alvarez got his first home run in a while off Scott Barlow with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the Astros beat the Royals on the Fourth of July, the team's 7th straight victory. Trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, the Astros tied it as the Royals' bullpen went ****oo crazy, walking three straight Astros to start the frame. Kyle Tucker had a two-run single to make it 6-5 and Yuli Gurriel followed with a single to tie the game. Jake Odorizzi got the start after a lengthy absence and was really bad, setting the stage for him to get traded a month later. Ryne Stanek got the win in relief. The Astros trailed 5-0 after three innings before clawing their way back.



Game 80, July 5, 2022, Astros 9, Royals 7
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 28,762
Record: 53-27

The Astros outslugged the Royals for a second straight game to win their eighth straight. Houston amassed 13 hits and blasted four home runs - one apiece by Jeremy Pena (12), Alex Bregman (10), Aledmys Diaz (4), and Yordan Alvarez (25). Diaz and Bregman each had 3 hits and 2 runs batted in. Luis Garciz got the win despite allowing 5 earned runs to improve to 7-5. Phil Maton shocked the world by pitching 2/3rds of a scoreless inning. Former Astro Zach Greinke took the loss, looking old as **** in allowing 10 runs and 6 earned runs in 5 innings

They did it on Alcantara’s also 🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/QSSg24Ewhp

— Jordan Miller (@jbm418) January 29, 2023

Speeling is heard

That is embarrassing.

You're a champ man. These are fun reads and remembrances. Thanks.

Justin Verlander on his Most "Valuble" Pitcher Award: pic.twitter.com/mFxNXc8YsZ

— FAX Sports: MLB  (@MLBONFAX) January 29, 2023

Rooting for Eagles today so that Philly fans can lose SB and WS several months apart.

Marvin said:

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Rooting for Eagles today so that Philly fans can lose SB and WS several months apart.

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You don't need that qualifier to root against Philly.

Marvin said:

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Rooting for Eagles today so that Philly fans can lose SB and WS several months apart.

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Great to finally see Mike Trout in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/dXJCi2VCLX

— Chris Castellani (@Castellani2014) January 29, 2023

That's gonna leave a mark.

Marvin said:

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Rooting for Eagles today so that Philly fans can lose SB and WS several months apart.

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They lost the MLS Cup. Hopefully, they can go 0-3!

The 1989 Aggie lineup looked very similar to this but with much better competition.

Marvin said:

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Rooting for Eagles today so that Philly fans can lose SB and WS several months apart.

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Imagine all the Rangerettes who were rooting for Philly in the WS who now can't root for Philly in the SB. They must be confused. Or more confused than normal.

Like pitching to Yordan Alvarez with men on base. https://t.co/5vs3BjlZ11

— Teddy Wilson (@reportbywilson) January 30, 2023

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Like pitching to Yordan Alvarez with men on base. https://t.co/5vs3BjlZ11

— Teddy Wilson (@reportbywilson) January 30, 2023

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They did plunk him once and Breggy cleared the bases.

Dude has been to more Eagles playoff games than Angels playoff games pic.twitter.com/ZyQeRIeTl7

— Seattle Sports Diaries Podcast (@SEASportDiaries) January 29, 2023

How about a little Monday morning motivation! 2:35 mark - Dubon is spring loaded and jumps out of the dugout at the crack of the bat.

Lance McCullers Jr., Michael Brantley & Kyle Tucker on Monday at the Mr. October Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic at The Floridian. Reggie Jackson hosts the tourney, which last year raised more than $600k for STEM programming in schools in Oakland, St. Louis, Detroit & the Bronx pic.twitter.com/RHsiVyVfno

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 30, 2023