The Pallilog
Pallilo's view: Choke or just give credit to the Yankees?
Oct 20, 2017, 3:00 am
Sometimes athletes just fail. It doesn’t mean they choked. Of course, sometimes they do choke. So what gives with the Astros’ offense in the American League Championship Series? It has been jarring to see the best offense in Major League Baseball basically curl up in the fetal position and be as utterly inept as it was through the first five games against the Yankees.
The Astros’ offense deserved to get swept in four. Two runs were enough to win each of the first two games of the series thanks to the fabulous pitching of Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander. Game three saw one meaningless ninth inning run in an 8-1 loss. In the Gag Game 6-4 game four loss, only two earned runs among the four plated. Then a big fat ugly goose egg in game five. It was the Bungle in The Bronx, or as a friend suggested to me, DeBacle in DeBronx. A pitiful sum of six consequential earned runs mustered over five games.
Baseball isn’t golf. The opponent has direct bearing on the outcome. The Yankees have pitched spectacularly. They had the third best ERA in the American League this season. Their bullpen is sensational, and going into the series the Yankee pen over the Astro pen was the biggest edge New York had. One of baseball’s longest standing clichés is good pitching beats good hitting. In this series it has beaten it to a bloody pulp. But that doesn’t explain the magnitude of the Astros’ offensive failings.
George Springer can be slump prone and has gotten very few good swings. Marwin Gonzalez has looked generally awful at the plate. Josh Reddick and Alex Bregman are fiery players whose intensity helps make them the players they are. Both seem to be pressing with that intensity perhaps turning against them. Carlos Correa appeared overanxious and lost his control of the strike zone. Even Jose Altuve was contaminated, going 0-for-the Bronx. There was no reason to expect significant contributions from Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. That leaves only Yuli Gurriel having holding up his end of the bargain in the batter’s box.
Sports Happens. Within a short series of games, prior long term data just isn’t very relevant. Right now Astro batters don’t need analytics, they need an analyst. A clinical analyst. Who works very quickly.
For all that, the spit-the-bit “we’ve blown it, it’s over” mentality held by plenty of Astros’ fans after game five amuses me. If your players took that mentality you would vilify them! Momentum can be so fickle. Up two games to none who had all the momentum? Leading 4-0 in game four who had all the momentum? A saying usually applied to an NBA Playoff series is that the series doesn’t truly begin until a road team wins a game. Well, this series now ends in six if the road team finally wins a game. Otherwise Houston hosts its first ever baseball game seven Saturday night.
Given the alternative, anyone who is a Houston fan desperately wants that game seven at Minute Maid Park. But the Rockets should be forgiven if in a quiet place a part of them thinks, “Really?” The Rockets’ home opener is Saturday night against the Mavericks. If concurrently the Astros are playing Game 7 who the heck would prioritize the Rockets-Mavs? Well, the Rockets themselves obviously. Rockets’ employees, most I guess. Those who hate baseball, who are beneath contempt. Vastly overshadowed because of the late night game time following the Astros’ bullpen implosion, what an opening night win for the Rockets roaring back from 13 points down starting the fourth quarter to beat the Warriors in Oakland. That does not announce the Rockets are on equal footing with the Champs. But for those unaware or not yet in hoop mode, the Rockets (pending the X-factor of injuries) are going to win 50+ again this season.
Open week for the Texans. Open week, it’s not a bye! The Texans in a different style remain what they have regularly been under Head Coach Bill O’Brien: mediocre. In the AFC South mediocrity means first place, a share of it anyway with the likewise 3-3 Jaguars and Titans. Holding the schedule edge Jacksonville is the favorite right now. If the Texans can’t avenge their season opening humiliating loss to the Jags with a December win in Florida it’s highly unlikely they win the division. First problems first. A road trip to Seattle next week will pose by far DeShaun Watson’s toughest challenge from a defense to date.
BUZZER BEATERS: 1. It is not too early to be genuinely concerned about Chris Paul’s sore knee. 2. The Cleveland Browns would beat Alabama by at least a field goal. 3. Best pie brand specific: Gold-Goode Company pecan Silver-Truluck’s key lime Bronze-Marisa’s deep dish apple
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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