That would be the saddest thing ever. This is like the equivalent of having the best defense in football and not make the playoff
Consistency matters. The last homestand we were abysmal offensively for 6 games but laid it on Colorado 12-1 in the last game. So we ended the homestand dead even on run differential but were 1-6. Did we play our competition evenly last homestand in your opinion or were we outplayed? If you think we were outplayed overall last homestand you essentially acknowledge that run differential isn’t the end all be all stat. You can’t win many game scoring 1,2,2,3,3,12 like we did that homestand even if the aggregate run average winds up being respectable. All this said our run differential is basically flat the past 2 months. We were around plus 175 in late June or so and are still right in that neighborhood. So if that’s your go to metric we’ve been average the past 2 months.
I said, have Correa DH a few games to see if that gets him back into it. Then put him back at SS, and the new bat at DH after like two games or something. Maybe an off day or something gives him a refresh. There's a difference. Gattis is the odd man out in this plan. Somebody didn't read the post.
Last year, we would of won the game last night. Our bullpen is playing with cigarette in its mouth. It seems like many years ago that we started a momentous streak in Seattle and eating grasshoppers. We rarely get blown away last year, this year it seems to be the norm. We can't shut down people and we can't come from behind. We maybe 2017 version of the Cubs.
I like Gonzalez as a new cleanup hitter. Definitely move Correa down (6/7) at least for the time. Again, for the last time, I just suggested bench him for a day or two, put him at DH the next day, and then back at SS and gradually move him back up the lineup. I think that will do the trick, but hey, what do I know? Some people commenting on the Crawfish Boxes are even open to making Gonzalez the everyday SS LOL. I support having Altuve DH a good number of games especially if his knee isn't 100% so that he can play 2B comfortably come playoffs and is fully rested. Sounds like Hinch may go with that, in which case, Gattis would have a really tough time getting at bats.
Same people that were whining and shortsighted last year to move Springer out of lead off during the World Series. Their opinions change on a game to game basis. I've lived with ADD for my entire life but these guys put me to shame when it comes to baseball. I wonder if that changes the pitches Correa will see...especially with a moderately hot Marwin and Yuli hitting behind him. I wonder how having a healthy starting 9 for the first time in about 2 months changes the offensive outlook when guys like Gattis, Kemp, Reddick, etc are in their more appropriate places in the batting order?
The important thing here is that they get to face 78 year old Mike Leake tonight. Seriously, how that guy somehow turned managing a rag-tag band of Little League misfits to a win over a perennial Texas powerhouse in an exhibition between games of an Astros doubleheader 41 years ago into a viable career as a Major League starter is beyond me. Wait...what?
Yes, they are better than us right now. But it's August 21, so just under a quarter of the season left, and we have been without 3 of our core hitters for a large part of that slump, including the MVP. So yes, we are elite, we won the freaking World Series last year and brought back nearly the same squad plus some. And we are still tied for the division, so this stretch does not "define the season". There is still plenty of time to pick up steam and reclaim the division, though it won't be as easy as last year, and get some confidence heading into the playoffs.
And I'm sure their fans are relieved that they are facing Brad Peacock in his first start this season.
