These guys should be proud, they have solely and single-handedly put the Mariners in the race for the worst division in the league.

Fire Joe, fire Dana.

somebody please get Seattle to the airport

this is unbelievable domination

2-9 vs. the Mariners with both Astros' wins in extra innings

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Fire Joe, fire Dana.

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Should have happened in April

I blame Joe and Varsho for this one

varsho is not good

63-62 and 2-9 against a team that's 14 games under against everyone else. At least the run differential only dropped to -30 with that close shave.

But our eyes are lying about this team being complete ass because they're technically in first right now.

Mathguy64 said:

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That Walker HR will be the difference between playoffs and not.

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Walker went 0 for 8 with 5 K's after his big home run

at least he made it count

I'm betting this team in the hands of literally any other manager than Joe Espada is probably 10 games up in the division…that's how bad he is. Tonight was terrible, but it barely registers in a 3-year run of management incompetence. I'm telling you…Joe Espada should stack up below Brad Mills, Bo Porter, Jimy Williams.

So in the 54-54-54 theory, Joe has managed his way to losing how many of the 54 that really matter?

Cam is on heater and you bench him. Go **** yourself joe. What a horrible manger.

The D said:

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Cam is on heater and you bench him. Go **** yourself joe. What a horrible manger.

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With a day off tomorrow. And then not use him as a pinch hitter. It's mind boggling

tjack16 said:

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The D said:

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Cam is on heater and you bench him. Go **** yourself joe. What a horrible manger.

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With a day off tomorrow. And then not use him as a pinch hitter. It's mind boggling

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Don't you understand? He bats right handed. And LaMonte hits .215 against right handed pitching.

I mean it's standard LL baseball tactics man.

Woo was 1-8 with a 6.22 ERA on the road btw.

Varsho has 50 plate appearances with the Astros (after tonight's game)

he has 3 runs scored and 3 RBI

batting in the middle of the order

beyond awful

Triple S said:

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W said:

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Varsho has 50 plate appearances with the Astros (after tonight's game)

he has 3 runs scored and 3 RBI

batting in the middle of the order

beyond awful

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Another banner Dana trade works out!!!!

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...but why does Joe keep batting him so high?

Mathguy64 said:

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tjack16 said:

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The D said:

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Cam is on heater and you bench him. Go **** yourself joe. What a horrible manger.

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With a day off tomorrow. And then not use him as a pinch hitter. It's mind boggling

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Don't you understand? He bats right handed. And LaMonte hits .215 against right handed pitching.

I mean it's standard LL baseball tactics man.

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Espada learned from watching the softball episode of The Simpsons when Mr. Burns pinch-hits Homer for Darryl Strawberry even though Strawberry has 9 HRs in the game.

Burns: "You! Strawberry! Good effort today. Take a lap and hit the showers. I'm putting in a right-handed batter."
Strawberry: "You're pinch-hitting for me?"
Burns: "Yes. You're a left-hander... and so is the pitcher. If I send up a right-handed batter... it's called playing the percentages. It's what smart managers do to win ball games"
Strawberry. "But I've got nine home runs today."
Burns: "You should be very proud. Sit down. Simpson! You're batting for Strawberry."

Astros Bingo Update: 8-17-26
Spreadsheet Link

Reasons to Smile
You can do something productive tonight because we're off. I would suggest watching Lanterns on HBO if you haven't already.
Kyle Tucker is in an 0-for-19 slump and is hitting .185 in the last 30 days while the Dodgers have gone 6-11 since July 31 and got their asses handed to them at home by Milwaukee over the weekend. Skubal is now 0-2 in 3 games since the trade.

Reasons to Barf
Hunter Brown isn't an ace, and has scarcely been one this season.
Joe Espada continues to breathe free air on this planet as a MLB manager.

A Square to Remember
12 people are 2 wins away from picking up a square for Colorado winning at least 52 games. They got to 50 on Sunday and are on pace to lose fewer than 100 games this year (65-97) after going 43-119 last year, 61-101 in 2024, and 59-103 in 2023. A feel-good story.

If Framber doesn't beat the Pirates tonight, it will be officially impossible for him to win 13 games, unless he somehow becomes a reliever down the stretch, and that square will go active for anyone who picked <> on his 13 win achievement. It's a real shame that Framber, Tucker, and Bregman are all simultaneously having the worst years of their careers in 2026. Not that I'm bitter.

Astros' Flashback: August 17, 1972: The Astros slaughter the Expos 17-5 as Lee May has four hits including a 3-run homer. It gets so bad that Expos manager Gene Mauch puts shortstop Hector Torres, a former Astro, in to pitch the 9th inning. Torres later tells reporter it's his first time on the mound since "Mexican Little League". He gives up 5 hits and allows 2 runs. The Astros get 20 hits overall, with Cesar Cedeno going 3-for-5 with 4 runs and 4 RBI and Doug Rader going 3-for-6 with 3 RBI. The '72 squad is the Astros' best offense to date in their short history, scoring 10+ runs 12 times and leading the NL in runs scored.