Sunday, July 16, 2017

Sunday Morning Hot Links

*Gosh, where have we seen a ball up the middle bounce of Tony Sipp's glove and lead to multiple runs instead of a routine double play before? Astros lose to the Twins for the 1st time this season, 4-2.

*Joe Musgrove, by inning:
1st: 1H/1ER (Dozier solo home run), 1K:0BB
2nd: 1H/0ER, 0K:0BB
3rd: 0H/0ER, 1K:0BB
4th: 2H/0ER, 2K:0BB
5th: 2H/1ER, 1K:1BB
6th: 2H, 1BB

*The Astros are 6-9 (not nice) in Musgrove's 15 starts this season. Musgrove's two starts since coming back from Fresno: 10.2IP, 13H/8ER, 11K:2BB.

*The Astros and Angels were the only two AL West teams to lose last night, so the division lead stands at 15.5 games over the Rangers with 71 games left.

*Marwin kept it real when discussing losing to Ervin Santana:
The pitcher is trying to get us out. We're not facing a pitching machine, you know. He did good today. He threw a good game. And he's one of the best pitchers in the league. It was just one of those games. We're not going to score ten runs every game. 

*The Astros loaded the bases in three separate innings, were 1x9 w/RISP, and left 11 on base for the 2nd straight game. Hinch:
When things don't go your way, there are a lot of what-ifs, a lot of could-haves, there's a lot of nonsense. You have to try to win the at-bats, and we did, just came up short. 

*Jose Altuve hit his 14th home run of the season. In 2016 Altuve hit a career-high 24 home runs in 717 plate appearances, averaging a home run every 29.875 plate appearances. He has 14 home runs in 390 plate appearances this season, one every 27.857 PAs.

*Yuli Gurriel was 2x4 with an RBI double. In his first seven games of the season, Gurriel hit .125/.125/.167. Since then he's hitting .314/.341/.520.

*If you missed it yesterday, there is a raffle to benefit George Springer's SAY Foundation, in which the winner receives a sweet-ass working replica of Minute Maid Park.

*Reymin Guduan was called up to replace Will Harris as he rests his shoulder. Hinch, on why Guduan got the call:
They've got a lot of switch-hitters on [the Twins] and a lot of left-handed hitters on the Mariners. Adding him, we wanted to have multiple left-handed options out of the bullpen. 

*Dallas Keuchel will make a rehab start tomorrow (Monday) in Corpus. Keuchel:
I'm really anxious. That's the most fun part, the competition...So as long as I feel good and continue to progress, I'm hoping to be out there soon. It's going to be a little bit of a process just based on how I respond to Monday...I feel like a normal person for the first time in a while. That feels really good.

*The Astros are doing background work on a possible trade for the Giants' Jeff Samadzija. The Shark is 4-10 on a terrible Giants team, but has a league-leading 1.1 BB/9 and a league-leading 9.07 K:BB ratio. If traded, though, the Astros would be on the hook for the rest of his $19.8m salary for 2017 and $59.4m through the 2020 season (unless the Giants paid down some of his salary).

*Peter Gammons writes that, if you want Marcus Stroman or Gerrit Cole, it's going to cost someone on the 25-Man roster.

*Here's a cool story about Torii Hunter and an 8-year old George Springer.

*Buster Olney writes that the Braves are open to moving Julio Teheran and the A's hope Sonny Gray absolutely kills starts to drive up his value.

*Chris Archer talked a lot with Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers over the All-Star Break, writes Marc Topkin. Archer, on the Astros' All-Star contingent:
You can tell they're like brothers. It really stands out. 

Also Topkin, on Colby Rasmus:
As a colleague who covered him earlier in his career told me: Think of the most country player you've ever covered, then go about six more miles into the woods. 

*Jenny Dial Creech: It's okay to be excited.

*Last night Forrest Whitley threw 5.2IP, 3H/0ER, 10K:1BB in a 6-2 win over Frederick. In three starts for Buies Creek, Whitley has thrown 15.2IP, 8H/1ER, 24K:2BB.

*Myles Straw is hitting .318/.423/.408 for Buies Creek with 53K:59BB. The .318 AVG is tied for 2nd in the Carolina League, while the .423 OBP leads the league by 32 points. His .831 OPS is 8th in the league.

*Yordan Alvarez was a late scratch from last night's BCA game, fueling #HugWatch speculation, but he was just a little dinged up.

*Mike Foltynewicz is starting to thrive in Atlanta.

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