bearkatag15 said:

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Just met Jose Abreu at Bucees!!! OMG!!! @astros dude was sooo nice! @LockedOnAstros pic.twitter.com/sDXrKO1JBm

— Htown Wheelhouse™️2X World Series Champs '17, '22 (@HtownWheelhouse) October 21, 2023

lol imagine being at Buccees and seeing Jose Abreu after that game

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LoL that's by neighbor across the street, Brett.

LoL. Aggie word.

Oh, and another thing, I don't care at all if it was on purpose. If you act like a pimp sometimes you get slapped back.

512Ag said:

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Which ***** ass player hid behind anonymity? I guess he's afraid mean old Maldy might target him next.
From The Athletic:
"Another Rangers player, granted anonymity in exchange for his candor, essentially accused Maldonado of masterminding the whole thing.

"One of the best relievers in baseball just suddenly lost command?" the player asked, referring to Abreu. "Maldonado's smart. They got exactly what they wanted, Adolis riled up. Crazy coincidence, isn't it?"

Maldonado is certainly smart. He also can be an irritant. And evidently, he is inside the Rangers' heads."

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The Rangers player is only partially correct. This wasn't a ploy by only Maldy. JV, Maldy, and Dusty all got together and hatched the plan before the 6th inning. They could see the Astros bats were struggling. While they knew JV could have just finished the game himself and win 2-1, they felt like they needed to make a spark happen to propel the team for the rest of the playoffs. So, the three veterans got together and hatched the plan. They knew that if Garcia got a big HR, he would showboat and act a fool. So JV made the sacrifice and dropped a meat ball right into his power zone. As expected, Garcia did his thing. At that moment, all three of them looked at each other because they knew they had the Rangers. The next time up, Maldy called for up and in, knowing Garcia would be a little ***** about it. That's when Dusty went to work. He dragged that argument out knowing that not only knowing it would make LeClerc sit, but also he could see the fire start to burn inside the offense. Dusty played his part perfectly. He didn't need to give the team any words of encouragement, he knew they were about to do what was expected. It was all calculated, and perfectly executed.

Go back and watch the tape. The truth is out there. Maldy, Dusty, and JV cold ass gangster. The Rangers might be out there playing chess, but those three are out there playing Hunger Games.

I think y'all are nuts. If Maldy called it and Abreu trusted him to do it, then they're the dumbest players in baseball and we deserved to lose last night.

Nanomachines son said:

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Bob Lee said:

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512Ag said:

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Which ***** ass player hid behind anonymity? I guess he's afraid mean old Maldy might target him next.
From The Athletic:
"Another Rangers player, granted anonymity in exchange for his candor, essentially accused Maldonado of masterminding the whole thing.

"One of the best relievers in baseball just suddenly lost command?" the player asked, referring to Abreu. "Maldonado's smart. They got exactly what they wanted, Adolis riled up. Crazy coincidence, isn't it?"

Maldonado is certainly smart. He also can be an irritant. And evidently, he is inside the Rangers' heads."

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Maldonado is a clever player, but the mythology surrounding him is fantastic, and it's kind of self fulfilling. The more people believe these things, the more they come true.

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The mythology continues to grow the more he massively over performs in the playoffs and is constantly involved in crazy scenarios through no fault of his own. Everyone knows his analytics are among the best in the league so there is already a mystic surrounding his brain wherein everyone thinks he knows just how to get into other player's heads.

He's reaching stratospheric levels now since hitters go straight for him instead of the pitcher who hit the batter.

He will carry this over when he becomes a coach. The guy is going to be able to coach in this sport the rest of his life if he wants.

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That was the thing for me. I can't remember a player getting hit and essentially ignoring the pitcher and going for the catcher. What does Garcia do there if Diaz is catching that inning? Does he keep his cool? Intentional or not, deserved or not, Maldonado is so on their heads.

Farmer1906 said:

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I think y'all are nuts. If Maldy called it and Abreu trusted him to do it, then they're the dumbest players in baseball and we deserved to lose last night.

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We won

Deluxe said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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I think y'all are nuts. If Maldy called it and Abreu trusted him to do it, then they're the dumbest players in baseball and we deserved to lose last night.

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We won

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And they won't forget it.

Farmer1906 said:

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I think y'all are nuts. If Maldy called it and Abreu trusted him to do it, then they're the dumbest players in baseball and we deserved to lose last night.

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Agreed. Calling up and in or high and tight - sure. As you've pointed out that's where you should pitch him anyway, and nothing wrong with a little brushback to get him off the plate.

If actual beaning was called by anyone on the Astros' side, it's amongst the most ballsy gangster calls in the modern postseason.

Nanomachines son said:

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Bob Lee said:

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512Ag said:

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Which ***** ass player hid behind anonymity? I guess he's afraid mean old Maldy might target him next.
From The Athletic:
"Another Rangers player, granted anonymity in exchange for his candor, essentially accused Maldonado of masterminding the whole thing.

"One of the best relievers in baseball just suddenly lost command?" the player asked, referring to Abreu. "Maldonado's smart. They got exactly what they wanted, Adolis riled up. Crazy coincidence, isn't it?"

Maldonado is certainly smart. He also can be an irritant. And evidently, he is inside the Rangers' heads."

---

Maldonado is a clever player, but the mythology surrounding him is fantastic, and it's kind of self fulfilling. The more people believe these things, the more they come true.

---

The mythology continues to grow the more he massively over performs in the playoffs and is constantly involved in crazy scenarios through no fault of his own. Everyone knows his analytics are among the best in the league so there is already a mystic surrounding his brain wherein everyone thinks he knows just how to get into other player's heads.

He's reaching stratospheric levels now since hitters go straight for him instead of the pitcher who hit the batter.

He will carry this over when he becomes a coach. The guy is going to be able to coach in this sport the rest of his life if he wants.

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Maldy as Forrest Gump who just inexplicably finds himself in the middle of everything. Love it.

bearkatag15 said:

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Just met Jose Abreu at Bucees!!! OMG!!! @astros dude was sooo nice! @LockedOnAstros pic.twitter.com/sDXrKO1JBm

— Htown Wheelhouse™️2X World Series Champs '17, '22 (@HtownWheelhouse) October 21, 2023

lol imagine being at Buccees and seeing Jose Abreu after that game

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When Abreu isn't covered in pine tar and doesn't have a massive dip in.

Shirt is more than half way buttoned up... it's an imposter

Texas A&M said:

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Let's be honest, how many times have you watched this clip since the end of the game? I missed it live, so I probably went overboard on how many times I've watched it since I got home last night.

The hit heard all around Texas. pic.twitter.com/cWhkQIfBfk

— Houston Astros (@astros) October 21, 2023

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That is an extremely loud stadium for a HR hit by the away team.

AustinAg2K said:

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512Ag said:

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Which ***** ass player hid behind anonymity? I guess he's afraid mean old Maldy might target him next.
From The Athletic:
"Another Rangers player, granted anonymity in exchange for his candor, essentially accused Maldonado of masterminding the whole thing.

"One of the best relievers in baseball just suddenly lost command?" the player asked, referring to Abreu. "Maldonado's smart. They got exactly what they wanted, Adolis riled up. Crazy coincidence, isn't it?"

Maldonado is certainly smart. He also can be an irritant. And evidently, he is inside the Rangers' heads."

---

The Rangers player is only partially correct. This wasn't a ploy by only Maldy. JV, Maldy, and Dusty all got together and hatched the plan before the 6th inning. They could see the Astros bats were struggling. While they knew JV could have just finished the game himself and win 2-1, they felt like they needed to make a spark happen to propel the team for the rest of the playoffs. So, the three veterans got together and hatched the plan. They knew that if Garcia got a big HR, he would showboat and act a fool. So JV made the sacrifice and dropped a meat ball right into his power zone. As expected, Garcia did his thing. At that moment, all three of them looked at each other because they knew they had the Rangers. The next time up, Maldy called for up and in, knowing Garcia would be a little ***** about it. That's when Dusty went to work. He dragged that argument out knowing that not only knowing it would make LeClerc sit, but also he could see the fire start to burn inside the offense. Dusty played his part perfectly. He didn't need to give the team any words of encouragement, he knew they were about to do what was expected. It was all calculated, and perfectly executed.

Go back and watch the tape. The truth is out there. Maldy, Dusty, and JV cold ass gangster. The Rangers might be out there playing chess, but those three are out there playing Hunger Games.

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Tucker with the long play to have a slump buster to bring Leclerc in for the final out of the 8th

So I missed this. A dude that hasn't pitched since June (for the Brewers) was ejected in the 8th inning flare up? Who the hell is Matt Bush and what did he do?

October off days…

agdaddy04 said:

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What's wild is that people wanted to replace him all year on this thread. People get laser focused on one team for 162 games and don't realize how good he is and how other teams would do anything to have him on their squad.

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I've never wavered on him and always thought anyone doing so just had no perspective. He was the real 2022 WS MVP and here he is again being that dude.

Did Abreu purposely hit Garcia?

I guess we'll never know...

dermdoc said:

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Do you have a link where to get that shirt?

Farmer1906 said:

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I think y'all are nuts. If Maldy called it and Abreu trusted him to do it, then they're the dumbest players in baseball and we deserved to lose last night.

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Agreed. I cannot imagine a single team in a pivotal game 5 of the ALCS would put two runners on with none out in the 8th in a two-run game. Much less one that's been in seven straight ALCSes. Thinking otherwise literally just demands suspension of disbelief to me.

I've seen JV say in multiple interviews that even he wasn't mad Garcia pimped it, he understood the moment. Why pick now and not Spring Training to make a point about it, assuming anyone else even cared?

Does anyone video of the entire scuffle because live I could've sworn Garcia gave that umpire a shove and after that the ump backed off and that's when Yordan was there.

If he didn't shove him then he came awfully close.

Woods Ag said:

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I think it's crazy we're all acting like there aren't unwritten rules about etiquette, and that it's preposterous that we plugged him intentially.

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Sure. But anyone with a better than average baseball IQ understands it makes no sense in that moment. He's going to have at bats in game 6 to send that message when a pivotal swing game isn't on the line and defensively you aren't stressed in a late inning.

That's what's great about the Rangers crying like little *****es. They have to argue an illogical excuse for blowing the game when reality is they couldn't handle the moment and choked when it mattered. And whether it was intentional or not is irrelevant outside of a losers mentality.

A Ranger player speaking anonymously to the press is so on point for that group. Bunch of betas.

Anyone with that level of baseball IQ knows its a momentum game and things like this and your manager getting thrown out for some ****in reason since the dawn of time gets teams fired up. These things unite and energize a team. You stick up for your guy, you back him and you go to war, and the bats come alive.

You think 80 year old Baker was really losing his mind out there after they threw the pitcher out? He just couldn't believe it... lol. It's not even surprising, but it works and always has.

Deluxe said:

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AustinAg2K said:

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The Rangers player is only partially correct. This wasn't a ploy by only Maldy. JV, Maldy, and Dusty all got together and hatched the plan before the 6th inning. They could see the Astros bats were struggling. While they knew JV could have just finished the game himself and win 2-1, they felt like they needed to make a spark happen to propel the team for the rest of the playoffs. So, the three veterans got together and hatched the plan. They knew that if Garcia got a big HR, he would showboat and act a fool. So JV made the sacrifice and dropped a meat ball right into his power zone. As expected, Garcia did his thing. At that moment, all three of them looked at each other because they knew they had the Rangers. The next time up, Maldy called for up and in, knowing Garcia would be a little ***** about it. That's when Dusty went to work. He dragged that argument out knowing that not only knowing it would make LeClerc sit, but also he could see the fire start to burn inside the offense. Dusty played his part perfectly. He didn't need to give the team any words of encouragement, he knew they were about to do what was expected. It was all calculated, and perfectly executed.

Go back and watch the tape. The truth is out there. Maldy, Dusty, and JV cold ass gangster. The Rangers might be out there playing chess, but those three are out there playing Hunger Games.

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You say some words of truth in there, but there's a literal 0% chance JV wanted or planned for Garcia to hit the initial go-ahead HR.

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JV was cussing in the dugout like we had just won the ALDS. Guarantee he was disappointed in himself.