Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Wednesday Morning Hot Links

It's an emotional day at Astros County headquarters. Many of you were around for the predecessor of Lima Time Time, the Morning Drive - a short podcast I recorded as I drove to work, but also sometimes recorded while I walked Angus around the block. This would have been 2012-13, I believe. He was my dog. My wife and I will have been married for 15 years this summer and Angus has been here for 14 of them. When I took off down the street running barefoot after the Astros won the World Series, Angus took off with me - no leash - and walked back to the house. But now he's sick, riddled with cancer, and generally miserable. So today we have to say goodbye to Angus. See you, buddy.


The Astros did Good Things and beat the Giants in an even year, 11-2. Gerrit Cole was meh (two runs? Only eight strikeouts? Trade him.) and Tony Kemp broke out with 5RBI.

*Via SportsCenter, Gerrit Cole became the sixth-fastest starting pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts on the season since 1900.

*Houston scored eleven runs, or the number of runs they scored in the three-game Indians series. I don't think the Giants will be able to compete in the AL West this year. It's the most runs they've scored since May 7, when they put 16 on Oakland, and the third time they've scored 11+ runs. It's their 10th 6+ walk game of the season.

*Giants manager Bruce Bochy:
Across the board, all of the pitchers, our command was off tonight. We paid for it. Just a good hitting ballclub. The leadoff hitter was getting on, little things like that caught up with us.

That's true. The Astros got the leadoff runner on in each of Innings 3-7, and four of those five would later score in the inning.

*Tony Kemp was 2x2 with 5RBI coming on:
4th: 2-run single
6th: RBI sac fly
7th: 2-run single

Kemp:
Tonight was a good night. You can't say enough about what Cole did on the mound, as well. Getting 100 is definitely a great feat, especially in the month of May, so I can't say enough about him either.


*Correa and J.D. Davis were the only Astros in the lineup with no hits, but J.D. Davis also drew three walks and scored three times.

*The only blemish on Cole's start was a two-run home run by Brandon Crawford, who is Cole's brother-in-law - a fact that is beginning to approach McCoy/Shipley Levels of Repetition. Cole:
...He took a good pitch, put a good swing on it and got the home run. So obviously not thrilled about it, but I'm not terribly disappointed either.

Hinch:
We score double digits and don't hit a home run, I think we'll take that every night. It was a really good night of offense by a lot of different people in the lineup.

It was the most runs the Astros have scored without a home run since April 19, 2012 (also 11 runs, at Washington).

*Joe Smith needed two pitches to record two outs. In May Smith has thrown 4.2IP, 2H/1ER, 3K:1BB - a 1.93 ERA / 0.64 WHIP.

*Jose Altuve has 63 hits in 49 games (216 PAs). 15 of those hits are for extra-bases. Through 49 games in 2017 (207 PAs), Altuve had 56 hits, 21 of those were for extra-bases.

*This piece from Bryan Murphy in the McCovey Chronicles is Very Good:
When you do sit down to watch or listen to a Giants game later in the week, some things might've changed about them. They might all be dead. Literally murdered by the super-talented - nay, too talented - Houston Astros who won't realize their own strength.

*The Astros wore "We Play For Santa Fe" shirts during batting practice and donated the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle to the Santa Fe Strong Memorial Fund.

*Jake Kaplan on the plan for Forrest Whitley, as his 50-game suspension draws to a close - it's looking like mid-June due to a lat strain he suffered during his suspension.

*Sean Pendergast writes how releasing Jon Singleton is one wager Luhnow lost.

*Ohwhaddayaknow: The Astros are one of ten teams not on Hole Camels' no-trade list.

*Tyler Bauer: Not a fan of unfounded accusations.