Mathguy64 said:

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In 1979, JRR started 36 games. He finished 18 of them. Let that sink in. Half of his starts that season were complete games. One was an 11 inning CG. He also threw an 11 inning no decision against Seaver late in the season. Seaver only managed 9 innings that day. JRR threw 11 and Joe Sambito threw the other 2 for the win.

Of course times were different. The team had 55 CGs that season and there were 913 thrown across the league. The league average was 35.

Justin Verlander has 26 CGs in his career. His most was 6 in a season.

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The Porkchop Express said:

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In 2009, Sports Illustrated ran a 5-part "What If?" piece, writing fictional narratives about what might have happened in baseball if 5 different things in baseball had happened differently. The fifth and final one was "What if JR RIchard hadn't had a stroke?"

It is a bittersweet, heart-breaking read if you're a longtime Astro fan.

When Los Angeles Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda summoned someoneanyoneon his bench to pinch-hit against James Rodney Richard, strong men their eyes. Such temporary paralysis was common among Houston Astro opponents in the late '70s whenever the 6'8", 225-pound Richard pitched. Players called the affliction J. R.-thritis.

Joe Morgan has admitted fearing him. Dave Winfield still calls Richard the toughest pitcher he ever faced, Of stepping in against Richard's 98-mph fastball. Hill Buckner once said, "What you do depends on whether you value your life more than you value one at bat."
In midsummer of 1980 Richard was alone at the peak of his profession, a lock for the National League Cy Young Award, a starter in the All-Star Game, with 10 wins and a 1.89 ERA at midseason break, But on July 30, while working out at the Astrodome, he suffered a stroke and never pitched again in the major leagues.

Houston manager Bill Virdon called him "the best pitcher in baseball." And the best pitcher in baseball was, as Astro teammate Enos Cabell noted, "on his way to the Hall of Fame." Given what he already was, what J. R. Richard might have been seems limitless.

In 1979 J.R. Richard won 18 games, and he struck out 300 batters for the second time, something that no other National League righthander had ever done once. He also led the league with a 2.71 ERA. He was 29 years old.
In 1980 he won the Cy Young, as expected.
From 1981 to '85 the Houston Astros had a rotation that would have made the current Atlanta Brave starting pitchers look like slo-pitch softballers. The Astro staff consisted of Richard, a second banana by the name of Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton and a fourth starter who would win 221 games in his career, knuckleballer Joe Niekro. Houston mowed down opponents like a Toro.
In 1983 the Astros acquired a fifth starter named Mike Scott.
In 1986, in a timeless National League Championship Series, Houston beat the New York Mets. The Astros then dispatched the Boston Red Sox in what proved to be a surprisingly competitive Fall Classic. Richard the Lionhearted, 36 years old, started Games 1, 4 and 7 for Houston. Three Red Sox regulars missed those games with "flulike symptoms." (Alas, the aforementioned Buckner was not one of them.)

In 1988 J.R. Richard retired.

In 1989 Ryan was signed by the Texas Rangers and, with the shadow of Richard finally removed, at last received the national attention he deserved.
In 1993 J.R. Richard was elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He might have been the greatest pitcher ever.

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Yordan Alvarez's homers by country this year:

United States: 14
Canada: 3
Mexico: 2

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 5, 2024

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Yordan Alvarez's homers by country this year:

United States: 14
Canada: 3
Mexico: 2

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 5, 2024

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BadAggie said:

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45-42
2.5 games back of 3rd Wild Card spot
2.0 games back of Division lead

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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FrioAg 00 said:

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BadAggie said:

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45-42
2.5 games back of 3rd Wild Card spot
2.0 games back of Division lead

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We need to think bigger, and think ahead. It's time to start adding a "__ games back of a 1st round Bye"

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Baltimore and Cleveland are 10 up in the win column on us for the top 2 seeds. I don't think that's attainable. They aren't both going to pull a Seattle and start sucking for a month

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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As we approach the deadline, a yearly reminder to beware of fake accounts and trolls. Check the spelling on people's handles, not just their names and pictures, and disregard anyone associated with the FAX brand (including Holly Baylor). I've already seen some fake news start to float around on some of the accounts

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linkdude said:

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Umpire: Ben May
Final: Astros 5, Blue Jays 3#Relentless // #TOTHECORE#HOUvsTOR // #TORvsHOU

More stats for this game 👇https://t.co/ORVaW6B2Cy pic.twitter.com/z3tDoCkxKh

— Umpire Scorecards (@UmpScorecards) July 5, 2024

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Shawn Dubin could go 55-60 pitches today. Joe Espada said if Dubin is efficient the Astros would like to try to get him through the Twins' lineup twice.

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 5, 2024

mwm said:

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I'll be glad when the era of softball uniforms is gone.

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