Astros Series

[Aristotelian]

Just now, SteveA said:

Built in off days for the playoffs.   Most of the time rarely more than 2 days in a row without an off day; only time there are 3 in a row are 3/4/5 in the ALCS and WS.

You can pitch your premium relievers in pretty much every close game in the postseason.

The problem is quality, not quantity. Do we have guys we can really trust to shorten the game? Outside of Cano I'm not sure. Even with everyone fresh I'm not sure we have what it takes to match up against the elite teams. I think we are going to regret settling on Fuji for our trade deadline guy.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

The problem is quality, not quantity. Do we have guys we can really trust to shorten the game? Outside of Cano I'm not sure. Even with everyone fresh I'm not sure we have what it takes to match up against the elite teams. I think we are going to regret settling on Fuji for our trade deadline guy.

The price was right.

Elias wasn't willing to pony up for someone more highly regarded.

[mddisney]

Two out of three ain’t bad

[NashLumber]

21 minutes ago, O's84 said:

Offense couldn't come through today. Pen was stretched so thin.  I am concerned about the pen for the playoffs.

 

Agreed. That thin pen leaves the O's so little room for error. In games like today, one mistake often makes the difference in what was a 1-0 game late. 

[SteveA]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Yep. All of a sudden Coulombe doesn't seem so trustworthy. That leaves us with Cano and Perez if you squint. Might come down to Felix.

Oh good Lord.   What does trustworthy mean?   That he can't ever  give up a run?

He had 13 consecutive scoreless outings.   Then he gave up a HR the other night.   And yes, he gave up a run tonight.   He's still a good relief pitcher.   Is he perfect?   Is he 1996 Rivera or 2014 Britton?   No, he'll give up a run once in a while.

But if you start talking about not "trusting" a guy because he has occasionally allowed a run, you can't manage scared.   He's a good pitcher, you bring him in when you need a good pitcher.

Today wasn't idael for him because we brought him in against a team that is almost all righthanded.   In a perfect world you spot him vs lefty hitters.   We happened to be playing a RH heavy team, and we had very few bullpen options, so he got the situation he did.   And he gave up a run and lost the game.

But overall, his ERA is still under 2.6, his WHIP is around 1.1.   He's pitched in 57 games and allowed runs in 11 and not allowed runs in 46.   He's a good pitcher.   Period.    His 2 appearances in the last 72 hours were not good. 

If a batter goes 0 for 8, no one says we can't use him anymore because he's not trustworthy.   If his overall stats are good, then he's good.    But if a relief pitcher gives up a run in a tight game, suddenly it's different.   

Fortunately managers don't manage scared.   If he is one of our better relief pitchers (spoiler alert:  he is) he will get used in tight games.

[eddie83]

Just now, SteveA said:

Oh good Lord.   What does trustworthy mean?   That he can't ever  give up a run?

He had 13 consecutive scoreless outings.   Then he gave up a HR the other night.   And yes, he gave up a run tonight.   He's still a good relief pitcher.   Is he perfect?   Is he 1996 Rivera or 2014 Britton?   No, he'll give up a run once in a while.

But if you start talking about not "trusting" a guy because he has occasionally allowed a run, you can't manage scared.   He's a good pitcher, you bring him in when you need a good pitcher.

Today wasn't idael for him because we brought him in against a team that is almost all righthanded.   In a perfect world you spot him vs lefty hitters.   We happened to be playing a RH heavy team, and we had very few bullpen options, so he got the situation he did.   And he gave up a run and lost the game.

But overall, his ERA is still under 2.6, his WHIP is around 1.1.   He's pitched in 57 games and allowed runs in 11 and not allowed runs in 46.   He's a good pitcher.   Period.    His 2 appearances in the last 72 hours were not good. 

If a batter goes 0 for 8, no one says we can't use him anymore because he's not trustworthy.   If his overall stats are good, then he's good.    But if a relief pitcher gives up a run in a tight game, suddenly it's different.   

Fortunately managers don't manage scared.   If he is one of our better relief pitchers (spoiler alert:  he is) he will get used in tight games.

Bloop double today started it all. It happens. 

[O's84]

3 minutes ago, Hallas said:

Not *that* worried about the pen during the playoffs, any more than I would be after losing our dominant closer.  We've had a lot of bullpen days thanks to the extra inning games in TB and the first game in Houston.

I feel like we're one impact reliever short.  Not saying anyone was predicting Bautista to go down but it was an area of need and it would have gone a ways in offsetting the blow.  And bullpens are just so impactful in the playoffs.  It would be nice to have that fireman that comes in the 6th for example, and snuffs out a jam.  Maybe Hall can be that guy but I'm not 100% convinced at this point. 

 

 

[Uli2001]

1 hour ago, Satyr3206 said:

Anyone have a broom?

They will never a better chance to sweep the WS Champs in their homefield. A shame, but it is what it is.

[SteveA]

8 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

The problem is quality, not quantity. Do we have guys we can really trust to shorten the game? Outside of Cano I'm not sure. Even with everyone fresh I'm not sure we have what it takes to match up against the elite teams. I think we are going to regret settling on Fuji for our trade deadline guy.

Cano, Perez, and Coulombe are very good relief pitchers.

Webb, Baumann, and Hall are pretty good.

You're right, maybe our bullpen, without Bautista, isn't quite as good as some of the teams we are competing against.   And we might lose because of it.  Or we might lose because our starters are not as good as the opposing starters.   Or our hitters aren't as good as the opposing hitters.   It's certainly possible, even though this colleciton of hitters, starters, and relievers has put together the 2nd best record in MLB this year.

And I agree we should have done more to improve the pen at the trade deadline.

But I think our pen will be a lot better in the postseason because if he is even on the roster at all, Fuji won't be pitching in the 8th inning of a close game.

I believe this year we have probably won a lot more games by beating up on the opponents' bullpen than we have lost by our bullpen blowing it.   

But I got news for you, bullpen was only half the reason we lost today.   The other half was offense.   Somehow people feel like if the offense fails it's no big deal, they will go out and get them tomorrow, but if the bullpen fails it is proof that they will continue to fail

Hyde made a choice last game to use two guys for a 3rd consecutive day, something he hasn't done all year.   That choice won us last night's game and cost us today's.   If he had tried to get through the 9th without Cano and Perez last night, maybe we lose that game, but we probably win today.

[Frobby]

11 minutes ago, mddisney said:

Two out of three ain’t bad

I would have signed in blood for that before this series started.   

[RZNJ]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I would have signed in blood for that before this series started.   

Whose blood?

[Frobby]

Just now, RZNJ said:

Whose blood?

Yours would have sufficed. 

[Hallas]

9 minutes ago, O's84 said:

I feel like we're one impact reliever short.  Not saying anyone was predicting Bautista to go down but it was an area of need and it would have gone a ways in offsetting the blow.  And bullpens are just so impactful in the playoffs.  It would be nice to have that fireman that comes in the 6th for example, and snuffs out a jam.  Maybe Hall can be that guy but I'm not 100% convinced at this point. 

 

 

Fair point.

 

Today was going to be rough in any kind of close/late scenario though, with your 2 best relievers out of commission because they pitched 3 straight days prior.

[O's84]

2 minutes ago, Hallas said:

Fair point.

 

Today was going to be rough in any kind of close/late scenario though, with your 2 best relievers out of commission because they pitched 3 straight days prior.

Yeah, Hyde didn't have very many options today.  He rolled the dice with Fuji over sticking with Webb and lost.  It is hard to  win a game 1-0, even if you're playing the Athletics, let alone the Astros. 

At the end of the day 2 out of 3 ain't bad.  Now let's hope the Angels help us out.

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 minute ago, O's84 said:

Yeah, Hyde didn't have very many options today.  He rolled the dice with Fuji over sticking with Webb and lost.  It is hard to  win a game 1-0, even if you're playing the Athletics, let alone the Astros. 

At the end of the day 2 out of 3 ain't bad.  Now let's hope the Angels help us out.

 

Out best bet is going to be the Blue Jays battling with the Rays. I’m hoping there’s a few players on the Angels with something to prove and can scratch out a win to at least avoid the sweep.