Power Pros Forum

Balanced attack leads to Houston victory

The Astros struck a balance between good offense and good pitching to win Game 1 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians, 7-4. The game went back and forth for several innings, but in the fifth, a three-run double by shortstop Nicholas Gordon scored the go-ahead run, and Houston never looked back. Cleveland also had some good offense, with Clint Frazier and Kyle Skipworth getting two hits apiece, and Skipworth and Carlos Santana homering, but they were never able to consistently put the ball in the strike zone, with seven batters walked.

The series will continue tomorrow night, as RHP Matt Wisler (11-11, 4.45) faces off against RHP Danny Salazar (13-10, 4.18) in Game 2.

Box Score
Pitching/Other

Shootout leads to 9-6 Cleveland win

Cleveland tied the ALDS matchup between themselves and the Houston Astros on Saturday night with a 9-6 victory. Catcher Kyle Skipworth and third baseman Carlos Santana each hit three-run home runs - Skipworth’s in the second inning and Santana’s in the fifth, both off Houston starter Matt Wisler, who took the loss. For the Astros, Jason Castro was a single short of the cycle, and also had a three-run homer. In the end, it came down to pitching, and the Houston bullpen faltered, as Riley Ferrell and Zac Rosscup each allowed runs in the seventh inning after the Astros had pulled within one with a five-run top half of the inning.

Box Score
Pitching/Other

After a travel day Sunday, the series will resume on Monday the 16th. Lefty Francisco Liriano (19-8, 3.96) will take the mound for the Indians, with right-handed ace Stephen Strasburg (15-7, 2.72) countering for Houston.

Injury updates: Outfielder Austin Wates was diagnosed with a separated shoulder and is out three to four weeks. In addition, infielder Scooter Gennett suffered strep throat and will miss a few days while recovering. Wates has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, but no replacement can be added for either player until the series is over. Should Houston advance that far, left fielder Robbie Grossman as well as possibly Nick Williams could join the team.

Houston shuts out Cleveland, takes series lead

Nicholas Gordon drove in the eventual winning run in the second inning, Hunter Renfroe’s first hit of the playoffs was a two-run double, and Stephen Strasburg and Aroldis Chapman combined to pitch a shutout in the Astros’ 3-0 victory over the Indians in Game 3 of the ALDS Tuesday night. A crowd of 40,701 was on hand at Minute Maid Park, and they got quite a quick game - and a pleasing one for home fans. The game only lasted 2 hours and 22 minutes, so fans got out before 9:30 despite the game starting at 7:05. They didn’t see a lot of offense, but what did come was from the home team.

Full Box Score

The series continues tomorrow as left-hander Patrick Corbin (13-11, 3.36) attempts to put Cleveland away, with Game 1 starter Rob Carr (5-5, 3.36; 4.2 IP, 6 ER) on the mound for the Tribe. Second baseman Scooter Gennett will not be with the team as he continues to nurse a strep-infected throat.

You can't win without Scooter

Boyd ties record as Cleveland knots it up

B.J. Boyd tied the playoff record with 3 doubles, Carlos Santana homered, and Cleveland tied the series at 2 with an 8-4 victory over the Astros. Santana's homer, a 451-foot blast in the fourth inning, was part of the second of four two-run innings by the Indians. They had to get a lot of offense as starting pitcher Rob Carr exited early after walking 5 batters and allowing 3 runs in 3.1 innings. Almost nothing went well for Houston, other than having no injuries.

Box Score
Pitching/Other

The series will continue Thursday night with RHP Noah Syndergaard (13-6, 3.54/W, 6 IP, 4 ER) facing off against RHP Danny Salazar (13-10, 4.18/W, 6.2 IP, 6 R, 2 ER).

We lost game 5

Carlos Santana had two homers and Ronny Rodriguez had his first two hits of the playoffs including another homer. We lost 8-2. Rizzo had three hits though!

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Offseason 2017 Recap

Award Winners

Cy Young:
AL - Stephen Strasburg, Astros - 15-7, 2.72 ERA, 267 K
NL - Michael Wacha, Cardinals - 19-9, 3.03 ERA, 217 K

MVP:
AL - Mike Trout, Angels - .329, 39 HR, 96 RBI, 25 SB (Rizzo finished second!)
NL - Joey Votto, Reds - .317, 34 HR, 106 RBI

I was named AL Manager of the Year despite not being the team's manager, this did not faze our actual manager Terry Francona though...

Other News

This is amazing

In other news, Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the HOF, and the Rays acquired Ian Desmond.

Also, here's the playoff tree

UPDATE: Matt Harvey was traded to the Twins, and Kyle Schwarber to the Indians (from the Yankees).

Transactions

Houston traded reliever Boone Logan, outfielder Slade Heathcott, and catcher Jason Castro to Kansas City for pitcher Tyler Kolek and $10 million in cash. The move was made as a salary-cutting deal, as Logan and Castro had become overpaid and underperforming. Heathcott was thrown in due to having Hunter Renfroe and Drew Stubbs available in right field, and the return of a good prospect in Kolek and a massive amount of cash was viewed as good by the Astros management.

In addition, the Astros signed pitchers Aaron Crow and Brandon McCarthy to one-year contracts. Crow's is worth $1.05 million, while McCarthy will receive $1 million even. This will reportedly wrap up the Houston off-season, as they are quite satisfied with their returning roster, having lost nobody to free agency or retirement, and having made the playoffs.

Astros make unexpected free-agent signing

The Astros apparently weren't done after all. They signed starting pitcher Chris Sale to a five-year, $65 million contract today. Sale will slot into the Houston rotation behind the winner of four straight Cy Young awards, Stephen Strasburg. After him will likely follow Patrick Corbin and Noah Syndergaard, followed by either Brandon McCarthy or Matt Wisler. Sale, 28, had a 3.69 ERA, 17-11 record, and 224 strikeouts last season for the White Sox.

In addition, Houston made a deal with Colorado, sending Jarred Cosart and Daniel Robertson in exchange for catcher Ryan Casteel and $4 million in cash. The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Stryker Trahan, who was on the 60-day disabled list, and gives the Astros another young catcher to work with. The Astros also acquired minor-league outfielder Brad Zimmer in the deal.

In non-Houston news, pitcher Edwin Escobar (torn UCL) suffered a career-ending injury while recovering, and will retire at the young age of 25.

I like Chris Sale. But I feel like you're turning the Astros into the Yankees.

I got like a 98 one time, that's the best score I've gotten. 105 is impressive!

You're confused, obviously. We have traded all of our players away as opposed to the Yankees who would bat them in the top half of the order until they retire

98? Weak. I am an OOTP god after all.

Hmm... I wonder how you thought of that

Preseason 2018 Recap

-The top 100 prospects included no Astros. The number-one prospect was St. Louis outfielder Blake Rutherford. Rutherford hit .276 with 16 home runs last season in single-A.

Astros Opening Day Roster

The Astros will keep a six-man rotation to open the season, as neither Brandon McCarthy nor Matt Wisler distinguished themselves from each other. The rotation will be as follows:

RHP Stephen Strasburg
LHP Chris Sale
LHP Patrick Corbin
RHP Noah Syndergaard
RHP Brandon McCarthy
RHP Matt Wisler

Following them will be a short six-man bullpen:

LHP Zac Rosscup, RHP Matty Ott, and RHP Aaron Crow will pitch in middle relief. RHP Riley Ferrell and LHP Kevin Chapman will be the set-up men to LHP Aroldis Chapman, the team’s closer.

The lineup did not change much with the exception of third base, where Brock Holt takes over for Cody Asche:

LHB Scooter Gennett, 2B
SHB Robbie Grossman, LF
LHB Anthony Rizzo, 1B
LHB Dan Vogelbach, DH
LHB Nicholas Gordon, SS
RHB Hunter Renfroe, RF
SHB Tucker Barnhart, C
LHB Brock Holt, 3B
RHB Lewis Brinson, CF

In NL parks, Renfroe will hit cleanup and the bottom third will all slide up one spot.

The bench is as follows:

RHB Ryan Casteel - Catcher
LHB Nolan Fontana - Middle Infield
LHB Cody Asche - Corner Infield
LHB Nick Williams - Outfield

More evidence that the Astros are the new Yankees

True that man

Why take starts away from Sale and Strastburg and not just alternate between Wisler and McCarthy as 5th men?

Well, considering how I don't have a Strastburg on my team, I can't really take starts away from him...

In all seriousness though, great advice and that is exactly what I'm going to do.