Championship Series' Day 4: Blood in the Water

 

It's clear to me now that this ALCS isn't going to be simple. The Rangers aren't going to finish this thing in four, but they're not exactly going to keel over and die either. 

The Astros welcoming Max Scherzer back from the IL with a barrage of runs is something I figured was possible but hoped wouldn't happen. It was all too predictable. "Oh, wait til they see our secret weapon", and then he shows up and does nothing. Did they rush Scherzer? Possibly? But at the same time, oh noooo, not Dane Dunning or Jon Gray starting a game, ANYTHING but that... 

The Astros scoring 8 runs doesn't shock me either. They're the Astros, they do this. Alvarez was responsible for 3 of them, of course he was, he's a force of nature and I curse the baseball gods that he wound up in Houston rather than someplace cool. Cristian Javier was great in this start despite not doing well during the regular season, of course he was. Cristian Javier exists solely to defy me at this point. I used to be fine with him, now he's infuriating as hell. You no hit both my teams in one season, you get on my shit list, and he's there. 

Two of the other heroes from this game, Jose Altuve and Martin Maldonado, are already on said list. Altuve had a massive homer that was basically just the Astros' way of showing off. Maldonado had a pair of RBIs himself. Maldonado used to have some charm to him, but he makes the playoffs every year and gets to be a postseason hero despite being a below average catcher. He's in it for the t-shirts at this point. It's nice when he has a cool moment, and last year his cool moment was leaning into a pitch in order to bring up the guy that'd seal the World Series win, but he's worn out his novelty for me. 

The Rangers did a lot right in this game, including scoring 5 points off the bullpen, playing incredible defense and robbing Jose Altuve of a few other near-homers, and getting a 2-homer night out of Josh Jung. Last game, Alvarez had 2 homers in a loss, now Jung gets to do the same. The Rangers could very easily just make it an easy win [like Arizona], but they're bloodthirsty, and they're not going down without a fight.

The Rangers have two more games at home, one of which is certainly going to be played with a series lead. Tonight I assume they're putting up either Dane Dunning or Andrew Heaney [probably Heaney], while Houston will likely be going with Jose Urquidy. This is manageable. They just need to keep focused and play the same kind of defense and late-game-ferocity that they did last night. I'm not worried yet. We'll see how this one goes.

Also tonight we've got Phils-D'Backs round 3. Brandon Pfaadt vs. Ranger Suarez. With a home crowd that will be diluted by Philly fans who saw cheap tickets on stubhub and couldn't resist the opportunity. Oh boy.

Maldy Must Be Getting Sick of These

 

That's four no-nos caught as an Astro for Martin Maldonado. Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier et al v1, Cristian Javier et al v2, and now Framber Valdez. And as of yesterday, that means 3/5ths of the Houston rotation has a no-no in the last 5 years. 

The second I saw Framber Valdez was hitless through 5, I just sort of...thought about it. Do I want this or don't I? I mean, it's against Cleveland, and yes it's Houston and we don't want them to win, but the Rangers were pulling out a win anyway to stay atop the AL West. And it's not like it was Javier again, or against one of my teams again, or something devious. Framber Valdez is a great pitcher, he's this good all the time, he's hitless through 5...instead of jinxing it, I just let it go. Didn't check the score again til after it finished. Which was the correct tactic. 

Look...a game like this in a week like this could mean that the Astros still end up lapping the Rangers and leading us towards another disappointing outcome, but like...I'm kinda glad this no-no happened anyhow. Y'know, Valdez may be the most talented guy they have left, he deserved an accolade like this. Plus, it does add to the slow trend of solo no-hitters we're seeing more of than last year; German had his, now Valdez has his. It's still something that's possible, even as more pitchers are only going for 5 innings per start. 

It's a very cool moment that I'm gonna enjoy while it lasts, because I reckon the Astros are gonna get mighty infuriating awfully soon.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Astros

 

Well...the Astros certainly did win a World Series this year.

I'm not saying this as if they weren't the best team. No, they WERE the best team for it. Typically, though, in recent history, the really good regular season teams have hysterical comeuppances, a lot like the Mets and Dodgers did this year. So the Astros being the best all year and waltzing to the end, over much more deserving teams like the Mariners and Phillies...yeah, kinda anticlimactic. They had a hell of a team, so many assets, so many heroes...but yeah, storywise it wasn't a great ending. 

Aledmys Diaz has been the Astros' chief utility man for the last few years, and he had another nice season filling multiple roles for the team well into the playoffs. Diaz hit .243 this year with 12 homers, 38 RBIs and 74 hits. I'm glad he's come into his own in Houston, as he struggled to really find a niche after leaving the Cardinals. 

2023 Prediction: A less-competitive team is gonna sign him and let him start again. 

Luis Garcia might be THE unsung hero of the Astros' rotation at this point. If you've got Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers, Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy, the idea is you really don't need anyone else. And yes, by the postseason Garcia was being used as a long reliever. But...Garcia still had some nice stuff for his sophomore season, with a 15-8 record, a 3.72 ERA and 157 Ks. Maybe not as flashy as Valdez or Verlander, but insanely efficient.

2023 Prediction: In a slightly less populous rotation, Garcia will have a true standout season and get an ASG nod. This year was Valdez' turn to emerge, now it's Garcia's.

Martin Maldonado exists solely for his defense at this point, and I think that's fine with the Astros. They got Christian Vazquez as an offensive catcher for the postseason, and they're chasing somebody like Willson Contreras for the long term, but Machete's defense was one of the edges the Astros had during the postseason. That and Machete's tendency to lean all the way over the base, get hit by a pitch and bring up the guy that'll win the Series for them. 

At the plate, though, business as usual for late-career Maldonado. .186 average, a team-low 64 hits, 15 homers and 116 Ks. You don't get him for his offense, though, and Machete earned his ring as a defensive machine, so I've gotta give him that.

2023 Prediction: I'm really thinking they're gonna use Maldy as a backup. If not, they reeeeally should.

The Astros' best relief performance this year came from former Tampa Bay opener Ryne Stanek, who's transitioned admirably from the 1st inning to the eighth. Stanek was rock-solid in 59 appearances, with a shockingly low 1.15 ERA, 62 strikeouts and only 8 runs allowed. While not the comeback that Hector Neris was or the ninth inning year Ryan Pressly had, Stanek was the picture of consistency for a completely unhittable bullpen.

2023 Prediction: Probably won't compare to his 2022, but will still make some crucial postseason appearances for the 'Stros. 

I already documented Christian Vazquez during the regular season, so here's the Astros' other deadline acquisition, Orioles hero Trey Mancini, whose presence on this Astros team at least added a slight silver lining. Mancini, himself truly a holdover at first in between peak Gurriel and the Abreu deal starting next year, did a lackluster job in Houston, hitting below .200 during the regular season and only mustering one hit during the postseason. It could be chalked up to a new team and a new city, but the bottom line is that Mancini finally got to play in the postseason. Hopefully not the last time.

2023 Prediction: Somebody'll sign him as an everyday DH, and he'll hopefully have enough time to get back to his Baltimore-era production. 

Tomorrow, we discuss a few stragglers from the forgettable 2022 A's.

Division Series' Day 6: Clarity and Thickening

 This was, unfortunately, bound to happen.

As the Red Sox-Rays game was balanced enough to amount for an upset...the Astros were always going to be better than the White Sox. The difference between Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa is that Baker is going the same direction the Astros are, and is driving them further even despite cheating accusations and things like that. LaRussa is holding the White Sox back, and driving them in separate directions. And the sad part is, LaRussa has a very good chance of keeping his job this offseason, because the Sox don't realize he's a problem yet, or enough of a problem that requires replacing. 

The Astros did their thing, the whole gang was beating up Carlos Rodon and friends. Martin Maldonado joined Altuve, Bregman, Brantley and the rest in bringing the margin over 10 and making it possible for anyone other than Gavin Sheets to get anything done for the Sox. The once-mighty White Sox season ended with a whimper, setting up a Red Sox-Astros ALCS that is not one of the more interesting matchups we had this year.

As for the Sox...they gave it their all.Even without Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert most of the season, they still powered through, with an excellent rotation, some great unsung heroes throughout [Andrew Vaughn being chief among them]. They also proved that they can be a contender after a 2020 season that let a lot of false contenders into the playoffs. I really hope they can strike back in 2022 and climb further than they did this year.

Meanwhile, the Braves similarly clobbered a thought-to-be-impenetrable pitching staff, taking Eric Lauer and the bullpen for a ride, and making this a very close, very tense game, with great work on both sides, Brewers getting RBIs, Braves fighting through. If it wasn't for Freddie Freeman, we'd be going to Game 5, but Freeman got the better of Josh Hader, who just had a pretty awful postseason overall I think, and Will Smith got through the ninth without tanking himself. The Braves came into some insane momentum in September and have been riding it ever since, which should make it very interesting for whoever wins in SF Thursday night.

As for the Brewers...I really thought this was their year. The pitching looked so damn good this year that I really thought they'd get through Atlanta and be a serious favorite for the World Series. Alas, that was not the case, and heroes like Christian Yelich, Freddy Peralta and Brandon Woodruff struggled in the heat of things this week. Next season should also be a big year for them, but I foresee tight competition between them, the Cardinals and the Reds. They'll need Yelich fully back to really make a statement. 

The only team to force a Game 5 yesterday were the Dodgers, who railed against Anthony Desclafani, with big moments from Trea Turner, Mookie Betts and Will Smith. As intimidating as the Giants have looked this year, the Dodgers may be just as good, with enough punch and big players to account for some major chaos. Walker Buehler, even on short rest, was still incredible on the mound, adding another piece of evidence for his Cy Young case. Game 5 may come down to Julio Urias and Logan Webb, and it may just be a battle of which youngster will make a mistake first. And who will capitalize the most.

Excited for Thursday. Sox-Astros seems kinda simple, but this NLCS has the potential to be wild. 

Machete Catches Again (In Space)

Martin Maldonado has spent the past two postseason runs as an auxiliary catcher in Houston, so it was only natural for them to give him a starting job here for once. But it kind of makes sense, as this is the part of July where he ends up being traded here anyway.

Machete is facing some differences with this specific Astros squad. First of all, Dusty Baker is manager, and he seems to be off to an  alright start with the club. Secondly, Justin Verlander just hit  the DL and will probably be  out for the remainder of the season. And lastly, every single club in the majors hates them for cheating, something done a year before Machete joined the club in the first place.

Good news is the Astros are up 2-1 after a productive series against the Mariners. They still have an ace to spare with Zack Greinke, who was...human but alright today against the M's. Machete himself already has 5 hits in 3  games, including 6 RBIs, so he's an improvement. Brantley, Correa and Gurriel seem to be off to the best starts, and they're relying more on hits than  on straight homers. And Abraham Toro and Kyle Tucker's bench work has confirmed that this team still has depth.

Now, the real test is gonna be  rotation depth, because aside from Greinke and McCullers, the Astros may not have many solid arms left to really provide a front [thanks Wade and Gerrit, for leaving]. A great lineup can only get you so far [see: Phillies, Philadelphia], and a great farm system can  only produce so many accurate starting pitchers. You can hope someone like Josh James or Framber Valdez will be able to willfully start games, but...with  the Dodgers heading to town  soon, with their expansive, impressive rotation, will it be enough?

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of catchers, a reliable-hitting backstop for a less-than-reliable NL West team.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Astros

The Houston Astros very nearly won their second World Series. Or, if they hadn't have cheated, their first World Series. But, thanks to the gradual overpowering of the Nationals, they wound up in second place, which is where they belong for stealing signs. Or, like...much lower than 2nd. 18th. Yeah.

Regardless, Yordan Alvarez and Justin Verlander won awards this year, possibly outside of any cheating attempts. Alvarez is a powerful hitter in the same vein as Dave Parker, and Verlander is a Hall of Famer next decade.

Jake Marisnick, after a disappointing 2018, came back as a member of the outfield platoon with Josh Reddick. Though Reddick had the better year, Marisnick had a higher slugging percentage.
Why Him in 2019?: He was the bench player extraordinaire for the AL Champion team.
2020 Prediction: Marisnick will not end the season on the Astros' active roster.

 Zack Greinke was the biggest name dealt at the deadline, and he did not disappoint in Houston, going 8-1 with a 3.02 in the regular season. His postseason numbers were less consistent, as he was felled by Tampa, and failed to garner a playoff win.
Why Him in 2019?: His move to Houston is the most important one in terms of getting the Astros to the postseason. Said trade also moves Josh Rojas and Seth Beer to Arizona, and both could be deadly soon.
2020 Prediction: This will be Greinke's last Cy Young-caliber year, and the last year the sportswriters will use to make a HOF case.

 Jose Urquidy was an odd household name for this Astros team, but he burst onto the scene in June and slowly became a rotation asset, especially during the postseason.
Why Him in 2019?: Got the win in Game 4 of the World Series, which isn't bad for a rookie.
2020 Prediction: Will edge Peacock out of a starting spot and become a solid sleeper hit in a full year in Houston.

Aaron Sanchez was a deadline deal for the Astros that paid off for a few weeks before an injury robbed them of the strong Sanchez for the rest of the year.
Why Him in 2019?: One of his starts was a combined no-hitter, also featuring Sanchez' trade-mate Joe Biagini.
2020 Prediction: Will be a solid third to Verlander and Greinke. (EDIT- so much for that! Hopefully someone good picks him up)

 The proposed fifth-starter, Brad Peacock, was injured for a lot of this year, and despite his strong starting numbers, ended the season as a member of the bullpen staff.
Why Him in 2019?: His injury paved the way for Jose Urquidy, and, eventually, Zack Greinke.
2020 Prediction: Peacock will be back to a primary bullpen man, though a few late-season starts will boost his free agency appeal for 2021.

The Astros' big rookie this year, at least according to Topps, was Kyle Tucker. It's not as if they wasted their time they should have spent on Alvarez or anything. Tucker had 22 glorious games for Houston, 6 less than he did in 2018, and had a .269 average with 11 RBIs and his first 4 home runs. His postseason numbers were a little more sparse.
Why Him in 2019?: He had a better rookie campaign than he did in 2018, his ACTUAL rookie campaign.
2020 Prediction: A boosted lineup appearance. By the postseason, he'll be starting games.

 Machete Maldonado, for the second year in a row, ended the year in an Astros uniform, though his 2018 (with a solid campaign for Anaheim), was a bit more stable than his 2019 (being Salvador Perez' replacement, getting traded to Chicago for no reason only to land in Houston a week later). Maldonado's 32 games as an Astro weren't as starry as his time there last year, but he had a better OPS than he did in Kansas City
Why Him in 2019?: Machete had a .312 average in the postseason, and made up for a quieter run in 2018.
2020 Prediction: Either some club will sign him as a backup or Houston will make him their full-time, because his 2019 was a nice preview of his abilities.

 3 years after his ASG nomination, Will Harris had his best full season yet, ending the year with a 1.50 ERA, and notching 62 strikeouts in 60 innings.
Why Him in 2019?: In a messy year for the Astros' bullpen, Harris was the sole constant.
2020 Prediction: A team that's kinda out of the question will sign Harris, and he'll help them contend. I'd say someone like the White Sox or Cardinals?

And one more Topps-lauded rookie for the road. Josh James came in as a threat to start, but found his calling in the bullpen, notching 100 strikeouts in 61 innings, and being an impressive postseason asset, despite giving up some crucial runs in the World Series.
Why Him in 2019?: He was the best, and most prolific, rookie pitcher for the Astros.
2020 Prediction: He'll snag Harris' spot in the bullpen and expand on his already-strong 2019.

Coming Tomorrow- Those impressive Wild-Card-contending Oakland A's.

What the Halo

Back on the endless quest to be the team that loses to the Yankees, the Angels are still trying to catch up to Minnesota, while the Rangers and Orioles are catching up to the Angels. It's this neverending chase that's probably only going to end when the proverbial music stops.

The Angels might be the strangest case, though. They're not working with a hell of a lot, and have accumulated a ragtag team of acquisitions, cheap bench guys, and people you wouldn't expect to be playing for a competing roster, to help them fight the Twins. So far, the acquisitions of Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton have been working out well for them, and even bit players like Eric Young and Tyler Skaggs are being pushed into high gear.

The pitching is still problematic, as despite Parker Bridwell doing a pretty nice job, the other options of Ricky Nolasco, Jesse Chavez and Andrew Heaney are far from exceptional. The good news is...Garrett Richards SEEMS TO BE coming back! He started a game a few days ago, it went...alright. Like, good for him, bad for the team. So the bottom line is that if the ace, if Garrett Richards, can get back to his full form in this last month of the season....maybe they'll be alright?

I don't know, it's hard to say. The momentum that the Twins have right now counteracts the Angels' momentum, as the Angels have been losing games and the Twins...haven't. The Twins get to play the Padres this week, while the Angels are probably gonna have 3 taken away from them by the Astros. So the way this schedule's working out...might not happen. But I'm impressed with how far they came this year, and I'm impressed by their desire to have a team with great performances that are not just limited to Mike Trout.

Coming Tonight: He may not be doing too spectacularly since the trade, but at least they can go back to selling Panda hats at AT&T Park.