Friday Morning Hot Links

It's the first Post-Dusty Day in Astros history. 

Quotes from Dusty Day:

Dusty:

It was probably the quickest four years I've ever spent in my life. But that's what happens when you win. They were winning when I got here, winning while I was here and I wish them well.

Jim Crane, to Dusty:

You came in and helped us when we needed some help, and you did a great job. And I think you are the only guy that can do that in the business. You did a fantastic job, and the record speaks for itself. You will be missed, I know the players will miss you...You're a great guy and a great friend and thank you very much for what you did.

Dana Brown:

His greatest quality is his relationship with his players...I think he's outstanding with human beings, and it's a testament to his leadership.

Yordan Alvarez: 

Cristian Javier: "The living legend. Thank you!"

Yuli Gurriel: "Legend, thanks."

*Buster Olney: Dusty Baker connected generations through baseball.

*Check out Brian McTaggart's five questions for the Astros this off-season.

*McTaggart also has ten potential candidates to be the next manager of the Astros. Among names not listed in yesterday's post: Cubs bench coach Andy Green. 

That leaves us with the following names, in alphabetical order:

Brad Ausms, Jeff Bannister, Craig Counsell, Joe Espada, Joe Girardi, Andy Green, Mark Kotsay, Rodney Linares, Omar Lopez, Joe Maddon, Don Mattingly, Buck Showalter, Will Venable, Walt Weiss, Eric Young, Sr. 

*Former Ramgers Manager Jeff Bannister, on the possibility of managing the Astros:

It would be a 'pinch yourself' moment.

I would have an awful lot of crap to eat if Jaff Bennister is the next manager of the Astros.

*Jim Crane promises to work "quickly" to replace Dusty. 

*Paul Wall got Dusty some grillz. 

*The Athletic: What is Dusty Baker's legacy?

*The back of Chas McCormick's leg is going to hurt for a while, thanks to Aroldis Chapman's completely intentional HBP in Game 7.

*This guy from SI wonders if the Astros could pull off a trade for Cleveland's Shane Bieber.

*Former Astros Greats on the active rosters of the two teams in the World Series:

Six Flags:

-Defending World Series Champion Will Smith

-Bob Grossman

Arizona:

-Brent MF Strom

*A Musical Selection:

Wednesday Morning Hot Links

The Astros deployed the Full Lineup last night (Springer-Altuve-Brantley-Bregman-Alvarez-Correa-Gurriel-Reddick-Chirinos) and...scored two runs on nine hits. But! The Astros beat Cleveland 2-0 thanks to Justin Verlander. Houston is 69-39 with an eight-game lead on Oakland.

*Justin Verlander went 7IP, 2H/0ER, 13K:0BB.

Running out of ways to proclaim that what we're seeing is not normal.

This was only the 9th time in MLB this season that a pitcher has struck out at least 13 batters without issuing a walk. Verlander has two of them. Gerrit Cole has one.

It's only the 17th start in Astros franchise history in which a pitcher has 13+ K:0BB. Verlander has three of them. Here's the breakdown:

Verlander: 3
Larry Dierker: 2
J.R. Richard: 2
Mike Scott: 2
Gerrit Cole: 1
Mike Cuellar: 1
Turk Ferrell: 1
Randy Johnson: 1
Keuchel: 1
CFM: 1
Shane Reynolds: 1
Nolan Ryan: 1

Verlander:
I exorcised some demons here today. I haven't pitched well in this ballpark, and to do it against a great pitcher in Bieber, that was good.

It was the first time since June 21, 2014 that Verlander's team won at Cleveland when he started. Verlander credited a chat with Nolan Ryan:
It was pretty cool to sit there and have a conversation like that with my idol. Pretty special. He had some really good insights on some stuff that I hadn't really thought of, and I took it out there and pretty much right away started having some better results.

*It's the 7th time this season the Astros have held their opponent to two or fewer hits. They are [scans Baseball-Reference] 7-0 in those games. Verlander has started three of those seven games.

*The Astros got nine hits, but only three ABs w/RISP. That's a lot of scattered singles.

*Francona:
Biebs pitched terrific. That lineup gives you no...there's no breath. They come at you one through nine. Give the kid credit. We've seen him do that before.

*Jose Altuve got hisself another 3-hit game. Since July 13 (15 games), Altuve has 29 hits in 63 ABs. He has raised his batting average from .235 on June 20 to .301 on July 30.

Jose Altuve's OPS, June 20: .769
Jose Altuve's OPS, Today: .884

Not counting his first game back from the IL (which you can't really do but this is my damn blog), Altuve's last 32 games: .367/.399/.597. He has more Home Runs (7) than he does GIDPs (4).

Altuve's last 69 PAs: .453/.493/.781.

*Robinson Chirinos hit a home run, his first since June 14. Verlander, on Chirinos:
He gets lost a little bit in this dynamic lineup we have. For God sakes, the guy's hitting ninth. He's a special player and I think he should get some more credit.

*Top-6 in the Native Americans' lineup went 0x20 with 11K.

*Czech out the rumors from yesterday, as they relate to the Astros. Czech out the rumors from today, too!

*That's it for today. Too much going on all at once.

*A Musical Selection: