The Pallilog
Yes, Astros fans, there is still a chance in this World Series
Oct 25, 2019, 6:56 am
Justin Verlander pitches Game 1. Bob Levey/Getty Images
I'm saying there's a chance!
For all my character flaws, being a water-carrying silly homer shill is not among them.
I'm saying there's a chance. For the Astros. In this World Series.
A great chance? No. But slim beats the heck out of none. The way the Nationals beat the heck out of the Astros in game two.
The Astros getting swept or losing in five is more likely than them beating Washington four times in five games. Still, the Astros pulling it off isn't some million-to-one shot. What odds would you have given against the Nationals beating Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander at Minute Maid Park on consecutive nights? Sports happen. Overwhelming momentum, positive or negative, exists. Until it doesn't. A game three win puts them right back in it. A game three loss…
Three times in the World Series the home team lost the first two games then rallied to win the Series. Last to do it, the 1996 Yankees, who dropped two in the Bronx to the defending champion Atlanta Braves then swept the next four. The other teams to go from 0-2 down at home to ultimate glory are the '86 Mets and the '85 Royals.
The Nationals are outstanding. From late May until now, five months, their record is better than the Astros' record. The Nats essentially wipe out the massive starting pitching advantage the Astros held over basically everybody else. The Astros' offense, overhyped by more than a few as one of the greatest of all time, has largely failed this postseason. Yes the hitters face better pitching in the playoffs than they do over the full regular season. Same is true for the Nationals. The Astro offense has been too often too impotent. Jose Altuve is the only guy up from his regular season production rate. The other six offensive mainstays (Springer, Bregman, Brantley, Alvarez, Gurriel, Correa) are all waaaaay down. Time is running out to turn that around.
Faint silver lining of the moment: if the Astros are to win this World Series they'll do so at home.
Where does he rank?
After Altuve's thrilling pennant winning home run vs. the Yankees, I wondered via Tweet whether Altuve now ranks number two in the Houston sports legend pantheon. Talking about greatness, ensuring status in the city forever. Is Altuve now ahead of Earl Campbell? There is no definitive right answer. Your response may be influenced by your age and/or by which sport you prefer. Recency bias can influence. Hakeem Olajuwon remains the very clear number one. No disrespect to individual sport athletes, but they're not relevant to this discussion. Apologies to Simone Biles and Carl Lewis, but cities don't swoon over and revere individual sport athletes.
Ugly situation
Infinitely less fun questions that came out of the AL winning celebration: How big of a jerk is now former Assistant General Manager Brandon Taubman? Or was it just one egregiously vile but not truly character defining moment? Sometimes one strike and you're out. Taubman's behavior was abhorrent and obviously fireable. How despicable was the Astros' handling of the situation? Very.
The Astros win a lot of games. President of Baseball Operations Jeff Luhnow has built a phenomenal baseball organization. It doesn't mean their poop doesn't stink. An amazing level of arrogance had Astros' upper management think theirs doesn't. Taubman was part of Luhnow's inner circle. That Luhnow didn't say anything until Wednesday was weak. His press conference content Thursday was in parts apologetic, embarrassing, and contemptible.
The Astros' first statement, their smear the messenger piece of garbage, was a disgrace. Taubman's apology line "if anyone was offended" was a disgrace. Many wrongs can be righted at least in part. The Astros righted theirs in part with their subsequent "real" investigation (with MLB leaning hard) and apology to Sports Illustrated, SI writer Stephanie Apstein, and others involved. Taubman will have to seek his redemption elsewhere.
When asked about the situation Tuesday before game one, Manager A.J. Hinch spoke briefly with the decency and dignity that escaped several others in the organization.
Slow start
What should be a compelling Rockets' season got underway with a thud Thursday night, a 16 point second half lead blown in a Toyota Center loss to Milwaukee. For the second straight offseason the Rockets did nickel-dimey stuff in filling out their roster, but it's a strong club that given generally good health from the mainstays should win a bunch (50+) of games. That is unlikely to culminate in an NBA Championship since the defense is unlikely to be elite and they'll mix in enough brick-laden three point shooting games to come up short.
Russell Westbrook is one of the worst three-point shooters in NBA history. Inside three weeks of turning 31 years old he's not going to suddenly become a good three-point shooter, but Westbrook is a one man fast break like the Rockets have never had, and the relentless passion and intensity with which he plays are compelling. That Harden fella should amass some pretty stout numbers again.
Buzzer Beaters
1. I'm not into karma, but if the Astros lose the Series, man are a whole bunch of people going to be thinking just desserts. 2. Justin Verlander being the only pitcher with an 0-5 World Series record doesn't seem fair. Who says sports are fair? 3. Toughest to name state capitals: Bronze-Kentucky's Silver-Missouri's Gold-Maine's
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Hunter Brown had eight strikeouts in six innings to remain one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Wednesday.
Chas McCormick homered for the first time in more than a month and Jose Altuve had three hits and two RBIs as the Astros bounced back to win the last game of the series after losing the first two in likely their final regular-season trip to the Coliseum.
The game was played before 14,978 fans, the third-largest crowd at the Coliseum this season.
Seth Brown had three hits for the A’s. Oakland had won five of six.
Hunter Brown (9-6) pitched around traffic in every inning he worked but limited the damage while winning for the eighth time in his last nine starts. The right-hander struck out the side twice and allowed eight hits with one walk.
During his strong stretch, Brown has lowered his ERA from 6.18 to 4.00.
Bryan Abreu, Taylor Scott and Bryan King retired three batters each to finish the game.
Lawrence Butler and Miguel Andujar got Oakland going early with back-to-back doubles in the first inning. Andujar was later thrown out by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña trying to score on a grounder.
Houston tied it in the second after Jon Singleton reached on a two-base fielding error by Seth Brown at first base, then scored on Alutve’s single to left field. Altuve tried to stretch the hit into a double but was thrown out by Andujar.
Peña added an RBI single that deflected off Oakland pitcher JP Sears’ foot and bounced into left field in the sixth.
Altuve and Alex Bregman each doubled in a run as part of a four-run seventh.
Smoked down the line. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/tLM7LxTLi9
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 24, 2024
Sears (7-8), unbeaten in his three previous starts this month, allowed eight runs (seven earned) and nine hits in six innings.
The A’s put two on with two outs in the seventh before Astros center fielder Jake Meyers made a tumbling catch on Brent Rooker’s short flyball to end the inning.
UP NEXT
Astros: Had not announced a scheduled starting pitcher for Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Minute Maid Park.
Athletics: The team plans to activate RHP Ross Stripling (1-9, 5.82 ERA) off the injured list to start Thursday’s series opener against the Angels. Stripling has been on a rehab assignment recovering from a strained right elbow.