Friday, April 20, 2018

Friday Morning Hot Links

Everything is okay again, guys. The Astros won three out of four in Seattle and are 13-7 overall heading into a series against the 2014 Astros Chicago White Sox. Milwaukee, Colorado, and San Diego are the only other teams that have played 20 games this season. Minnesota, at 13, have played the fewest.

*The Astros scored 16 runs in the past two games, 20 in the last three. They scored 21 runs from April 9-16. Mariners manager Scott Servais:
We got shut down. You have to give Houston credit. Their pitching is as advertised. Their guys are throwing the ball really well. They really did - they shut us down in this series.

Jose Altuve was 3x4 two doubles, a walk, and 4RBI - his first 4RBI game since July 4, 2017 against Atlanta, and the 7th of his career.

Max Stassi was 2x3 with a solo home run, a walk, and three runs scored. It was Stassi's 2nd home run of the year, tying his previous career high, set in 2017.

*Hinch:
A couple pitchers avoided major injuries on comebackers, and a triple play I really don't want to talk about.

See, Evan Gattis forgot how many outs there were and didn't jog it out the first base, allowing the Mariners to turn a triple play. Gattis:
It was just a mistake. I knew how many outs there were. It was about grounding into a double play. At the time I wanted to laugh on the inside because of how stupid it was but it was a 0-0 game. I think I got so mad I couldn't think straight.

*Charlie Morton threw 7IP, 3H/0ER, 8K:0BB, needing just 86 pitches to get through seven. It's his third start without allowing an earned run. Seattle was 15x100 against Astros starters this series. Morton:
That can changed quick and I know that. In 2015 I had a really good start my first five starts...went into DC and I gave up nine runs in two-thirds of an inning. My goal is to just go out there and give quality innings and not think about overall how things are going. 

*Jean Segura, on Morton:
It's unbelievable. He goes from throwing 91 four years ago and now he's throwing 98. I don't get it. I thought when you get older your velocity goes down. 

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article209371864.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article209371864.html#storylink=cpy

*It's the seventh straight start in which the pitchers has gone 7+ IP and allowed two or fewer runs.

*Tony Sipp gave up 1H/2ER, 0K:1BB in 0.2IP. His ERA is back to 9.00 and the world spins comfortably on its axis.

*Did you miss Kenneth this series? He apparently came into Seattle with back tightness and the Astros held him out as a precautionary measure. Hinch:
Luckily our starting pitchers have gone deep into games, and I don't have enough innings for all our relievers, so Giles being down a few days hasn't impacted us.

*Myles Straw is turning heads in this installment of The Athletic's Minor League Matters.

*The Red Sox outscored the Angels 27-3 in a three-game sweep in Anaheim.

*Missed this from last week: In The Athletic, Friend of AC Sung Min Kim wrote about Former Astros Great Lucas Harrell and how playing in Korea has been more like a dream than an exile. Pitcher Jae-Kuk Ryu, on Harrell:
He's just unbelievable. There is no guy as weird as him, at all.