Friday Morning Hot Links

The Astros did not play last night. I could not wake up yesterday morning. I went to sleep about 9:30pm, before the Astros started scoring Runs on Wednesday night, woke up, went back to bed, and after a couple of get-ups to eat some lunch and go to the bathroom, I didn't actually wake up until about 5:30pm yesterday. If I have to Rip Van Winkle myself through the playoffs, I will do it. 

The Mariners scored two runs in the 9th inning to beat the Rangers 3-2. 

Speaking of playoffs:

*AL Playoff Picture:

1. Baltimore (100-59)

2. Denton (89-70)

3. Minnesota (85-74)

4. Tampa (97-62)

5. Toronto (88-71)

6. Houston (87-72)

7. Seattle (86-73)

*AL West Division / Postseason Odds

FanGraphs:

Denton: 85.5% / 97.4%

Houston: 9.0% / 76%

Seattle: 5.5% / 33.5%

*Here's what has to happen the rest of the weekend for the Astros to Win the Division:

Houston goes 3-0 (putting Houston at 90 wins), Seattle goes no worse than 2-1, Rangers go no better than 1-2. By my count that's about it.

To make the Wild Card spot:

Houston has to match Seattle, since Seattle has the tie-breaker. So if Seattles goes 2-1, the Astros can go 2-1 but not 1-2. And so on. 

Here's a handy guide from the Chronicle.

*Julio Rodriguez still feels disrespected by the Astros and by Hector Neris. The Mariners lost five of six to the Rangers and Astros in the last week. Whatever you gotta do to find a little fire, my guy. Rodriguez thinks Neris used a homophobic slur. Neris says he didn't. MLB is looking into it.

*Joey Loperfido and Spencer Arrighetti have been named Astros Minor-League Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.

*The Athletic looked at who would make a better ALDS match-up for the Twins. Hint: it's not Houston.

*Number of Astros with 10+ Homers, 1994-2023:

11: 2023, 2017, 2015

10: 2019, 2018

9: 2000

8: 2022, 2021, 2016,

7: 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001

6: 2008, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1999, 1998

5: 2014, 2009, 1996

4: 2013, 2011, 2010, 1997

3: 2012, 1994

2: 1995

*The Orioles won the AL East, a day short of six months since FanGraphs put them at 1.3% to win the division.

*The Braves will have open-to-the-public workouts as they wait for the NLDS to start.

*Please never forget that Curt Schilling is absolute garbage.

*The Ringer: Dissecting Radiohead's "In Rainbows"

*How Corny Dog Queen Amber Fletcher Prepares for the State Fair of Texas.

*What To Watch, September 29:

Sevilla @ Barcelona: 2pm Central

Maple Leafs @ Canadiens: 6pm

Utah @ Oregon State: 8pm

Astros @ Diamondbacks: 8:40pm

Rangers @ Mariners: 9:10pm

*A Musical Selection:

Sunday Morning Hot Links

Wow! What a dumb game we all enjoy! The Astros had a 9-3 lead going into the bottom of the 7th and somehow managed to lose in extra innings, 13-12. Houston is 51-42. The Rangers obviously won, so it's back to 3GB. 

*The Astros are 1-7 in extra inning games this season. They're 17-28 in extras since the Ghost Runner rule was implemented in the 2020 season. 

Astros winning percentage, 9-inning games, 2020-present: .611 (264-168)

Astros winning percentage, extra-inning games, 2020-present: .377 (17-28)

*McTaggart noted that it's the first time the Astros have scored 12 runs in a game and lost since August 20, 2002.

*Martin Maldonado:

Shocking, you have to say. We lost a game with a big lead and with our best [pitchers] on the mound.

Framber left the game with what the Astros are describing as a cramp (Jeremy Pena left with a hamstring cramp, as well). His line: 6.1IP, 7H/5ER, 13K:2BB, 2HR. All five earned runs came off of the two homers. It's the second time this season he's allowed 2HR in the same game. His 13Ks are the most in a start since July 3, 2022...against Anaheim.

Chas McCormick:

I just hope Framber's OK at this point. I hope Pena's OK. We really can't afford any more injuries. It's a tough loss, but the Angels are a good team. They never quit tonight and they deserved to win that one.

*Ryan Pressly gave up five hits. He had given up five hits in his last 15 appearances (16IP) combined. Pressly's five hits allowed are the most since August 27, 2016. 

*Jose Abreu was 2x5 with a 3-run HR. 

Abreu, Opening Day-June 8 (when Yordan went out with an oblique): .217/.277/.265

Abreu, since June 8: .301/.331/.549.

*Mauricio Dubon was 3x6, his 6th 3-hit game of the season. 

*Chas McCormick was 3x3 with two walks - his second 3-hit game of the season, and his 15th multi-hit game of 2023. His five times reaching base in a single game are a career-high. 

*Martin Maldonado had two hits (and 2RBI) for the first time since June 3. The Astros are now 9-5 whenever Maldonado has an RBI. 

*Jose Altuve hopes to join the Astros on this road trip.

*Yordan Alvarez worked out in Houston and has yet to start the rehab assignment the Astros announced he would make three days ago. 

*Spencer Arrighetti is in the mix to bolster the rotation, according to Dana Brown.

*The Astros signed 11 draft picks, including 1st Rounder Brice Matthews, yesterday. Check the financials of what we know so far.

*The Ringer: The Top 10 Storylines of MLB's Second Half.

*NY Times: In the land of football, a cricket oasis arises outside of Houston.

*In a Behind-Closed-Doors friendly, we had Barnsley 1 - 9 Leeds United.

*Texas Monthly: The sole restaurants in small towns do much more than serve food.

*A Musical Selection, one that I wish would play every time I walk into a room. Any room:

Wednesday Morning Hot Links

You've gotta be kidding me. The Astros lost to the St. Louis MF Cardinals 4-2. Houston is 42-37, one game back of Anaheim in 3rd place, six back of East Aledo. They're 10-14 in June and have lost eight of their last eleven games. 

*Houston is 6-11 since Yordan Alvarez's oblique injury, hitting .240/.309/.407 as a team. They've scored two or fewer runs in seven of those 17 games.

*Martin Maldonado hit his second home run since May 24. It was his third extra-base hit this month, a June in which he's "hitting" .132/.220/.264.

*Framber's 4ER are the most he's allowed in a start since May 15, which is also the last time he gave up a home run before last night's dong by Cardinals 8-hole hitter Paul DeJong - the first homer hit off of Framber's curve all season.

Maldonado, on the Cardinals' approach:

I feel like they had a good approach, hitting the ball the other way, not chasing much. That was the difference. I think we made some good pitches, and they didn't hit that many ground balls like he normally gets.

How Framber became an Ace.

*Jose Altuve was out again with a sore heel. He's been limited to playing in 26 of the Astros' first 79 games of 2023. Jose Urquidy threw a 25-pitch bullpen session. He'll have a 30-pitch session on Friday before facing live hitters at MMP on the next home stand.

*Matt Kawahara: What Jose Abreu and Alex Cintron worked on during his reset last week.

*Dusty isn't panicking about Rafael Montero.

*Chandler Rome: Spencer Arrighetti - just promoted to Sugar Land - lost his identity, now it's back.

*NY Times: How Shahzad Ismaily Became Musicians' Favorite Musician.

*Rolling Stone: The biggest, messiest band breakups in music history.

*A Musical Selection:

Tuesday Morning Hot Links

The Astros had their first day off in 17 days yesterday. It was great. 

*Chandler Rome: How an offseason hospitalization led to a new outlook for hitting coach Alex Cintron.

*Breathin' Orange Fire: How should we approach losses in the middle of a division race?

*Spencer Arrighetti has a new nickname.

*The Masked Marvel is back! Here he is revisiting the Astros' 2003 Yankee Stadium no-hitter.

*Oakland fans are having a Reverse Boycott during tonight's game against Tampa. 

*Miami's Luis Arraez is chasing .400...all over the ballpark.

*Playoff Odds Check:

FanGraphs: 38.1% to win the division (Northeast Kennedale is at 44.6%), 69% to make the postseason.

Baseball-Reference: 53.3% to win the division, 88.3% to make the postseason.

*NASA's Apollo 11 Moon Quarantine broke down.

*Wrexham are planning a game in Philadelphia this summer.

*What brands are actually behind Trader Joe's snacks?

*A Musical Selection: