Astros Hit 100 Wins for 2nd Time in Club History

September 30, 2017

Astros Reach 2017 Season Win #100
**************************************
….and they write it on the bricks of a solid, not perfect, season!

ASTRO*NOTES

Thanks largely to the 3-RBI night of 3rd-baseman Alex Bregman and the clutch pitching of starter Charlie Morton and relievers Devenski, Harris, and Giles, the Houston Astros recorded their second 100-win season in MLB history. The other time came about in 1998 when Manager Larry Dierker’s Killer Bee Astros finished as Champions of the NL Central Division before getting knocked out of the playoffs – in spite of the Killer Bee threat and the presence of late season future HOF pitching ace Randy Johnson.

It happens.

The important thing is – that was then. This is now. And as long as we have the humility to remember that the presence of a late season future HOF pitcher is no more of a guarantee of success in 2017 than it was 19 years ago in 1998, we will take Justin Verlander and his 5-0, 1.06 ERA mark as an Astros ace since September 1st as the blessing it truly is – but we take nothing for granted. As the club makes another serious move on a possible World Series year with the aid of another potential HOF pitcher, Justin Verlander just seems to be more committed to the Houston Astros beyond 2017 than Randy Johnson was beyond the 1998 season, in spite of that heart-in-our-throats year (10-1, 1.28 ERA) the tall guy ran through his foes as an Astro starter from August 1st of that season. Both men gave Houston all they each had to give during both of their late season stretch appearances as Astros.

Johnson left Houston for Arizona after 1998. We have hopes of keeping Verlander in 2018, regardless of what happens this year. That being said, we take nothing for granted. Let’s just play the games and win the one that’s on the schedule for today. It does help to feel that the club is hot again – and at just the right time.

The Astros won with double-digit power scoring and good pitching over Boston, 12-2, on Thursday night. Last night, Friday, the same hot Astros club won, 3-2, with strategic hitting and good pitching and defense. The only outcome difference was the run differential that came with each night. Friday night, the Astros won a “losable game”, but their pitching and defense refused to let it happen.

If the Astros win the Saturday and Sunday series and season closing games, they will finish with a 102-60 mark that matches the regular season record of their their 1998 NL counterpart.

No matter what. The Pecan Park Eagle is with them all the way. One game at a time.

We could not be happier at this point with the baseball feast that is now upon us as members of the Houston Astros fan base.

Play ball, Astros! ~ Give ‘Em all you’ve got! ~ And thank you for being our guys!

And thank you, AJ Hinch, for the great job of stewardship you’ve performed as our Astros manager! ~ You da’ man!

 

••••••••••••••••••••

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/29/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 102 58 .638   ~   L   L
INDIANS 101 59 .631   L   ~   1.0
ASTROS 100 60 .625   1.0   ~   2.0
NATIONALS 97 63 .606   ~   5.0   5.0

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 2, INDIANS 2, ASTROS 2, NATIONALS 2

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/29/2017

ASTROS 3 – RED SOX 2

INDIANS 10 – WHITE SOX 1

NATIONALS 6 – PIRATES 1

ROCKIES 9 – DODGERS 1

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/29/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 584 203 39 4 24 .348
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 515 170 27 5 18 .330
3 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 580 184 55 6 29 .317
4 ERIC HOSMER KC 600 190 31 1 24 .317
4 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
NC * CARLOS CORREA HOU 419 131 25 1 24 .313
6 MIKE TROUT LAA 394 121 25 3 32 .307
7 JOE MAUER MIN 521 159 35 1 7 .305
8 JOSE ABREU CWS 615 187 42 6 33 .304
9 MARWUN GONZALEZ HOU 455 138 34 0 23 .303
10 LORENZO CAIN KC 580 174 27 5 15 .300
  OTHER ASTROS    
13 YULI GURRIEL HOU 523 155 41 1 18 .296
19 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 550 158 39 5 19 .287
22 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 544 155 29 0 34 .285

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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Astros Win 4th Straight Double Digit Run Game

September 29, 2017

“Congratulations, Jose Altuve! I knew you could do it!”
**********
~ Mighty Mouse

 

ASTRO*NOTES

Carlos Correa on End-of-Season Tear. Carlos Correa went 8 for 9 in the Astros’ just concluded back-to-back 12-2 laughers over the Rangers and Red Sox – and those two wins were merely the back door on a club record of now 4 straight double digit wins. The first three extra-largers were all over the “point-that-silver-boot-where-it-hurts-the-most-and-put-us-out-of-our-misery” Texas Rangers. Then the virus simply caught the plane for Boston with the Astros and poured itself all over the beantowners in the two clubs’ first foray into Fenway.

Had he not missed so much time with the hand injury and surgery, Correa would now be the #4 hitter on the AL official list of top batting average hitters. He’s going to fall short of qualifying. Even if he gains 12 more plate appearances in the club’s last 3 games in Boston, Correa will still only have 485 plate appearances on the year. Divide that projected figure by the 162-game season number and it only comes to 2.99, far short of the 3.1 average number of plate appearances per game that are needed to qualify for an official ranking. Regardless of that fact, the young man is rolling to a great finish in the close keystone company of his amazing up-the-middle infield partner, the one and only Jose Altuve.

Is there a “chance” in deep baseball history that Manager John McGraw of the 1908 New York Giants might have relished having the services of Correa-to-Altuve-to-Gurriel as his best answer to Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance of the Chicago Cubs?

Is 200 hits per season enough? Apparently not. After getting his 200th hit of the 2017 season in the daytime finale on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas, Jose Altuve celebrated Thursday night in Boston by ticking off 3 more hits in his first 3 trips to the plate against Boston. The 3 for 4 night puts Altuve back at .350 with 203 hits in the bag for the 4th straight 200-hit season, a for-sure title to his 3rd batting championship in 4 years, and a most probable lock on the AL MVP honors for the season over Aaron Judge of the Yankees – that is, unless this “NY Bias” really does exceed all embarrassing boundaries on evaluative error.

So, what does Astros Manager AJ Hinch do? Does he turn the little Venezuelan version of an extremely talented “energizer bunny” loose to simply build on his stats in the last three games in Boston, maybe rationalize it being about catching Cleveland for the AL home field advantage in the Playoffs? Or does he rest and protect the one irreplaceable regular position player asset the Astros possess by benching Altuve from the last three games in Boston? Sounds like a no-brainer to me, but what do I know?

unidentified
baseball god

 Proud as a Peacock. Brad Peacock did more than enough to secure his place as the #3 man in the Playoff Series rotation last night, even if he has looked sharper at other times. The guy is now going to finish the year at 13-2 with a 3.00 ERA. How many years have the Astros only dreamed of having a guy like Peacock at this critical time of the year. The thing I like most about Brad is his emotional makeup. He’s laid back and humble – and he never seems to force things on a night in which certain pitches aren’t working as well. – He just goes to some kind of Plan B – and goes with some other pitch – or sequence of deliveries.

Weekend Strategy. Rest the weary. Keep your metal on the pedal, but spread the opportunity for offensive joy. Don’t do anything stupid. Try not to get anybody hurt. And don’t forget your “no tricks please” prayers to the baseball gods.

 

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/28/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 102 57 .642   ~   L   L
INDIANS 100 59 .629   L   ~   2.0
ASTROS 99 60 .623   1   ~   3.0
NATIONALS 96 63 .604   ~   6.0   6.0

 L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 3, INDIANS 3, ASTROS 3, NATIONALS 3

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/28/2017

ASTROS 12 – RED SOX 2

INDIANS 4 – TWINS 2

NATIONALS 5 – PIRATES 4

DODGERS (day off for Beach Boys Oldies Fan Concert in Malibu)

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/28/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 580 203 39 4 24 .350
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 511 169 27 5 18 .331
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 596 189 31 1 24 .317
NC * CARLOS CORREA HOU 416 131 25 1 24 .315
4 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
5 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 577 181 53 6 29 .314
6 MIKE TROUT LAA 392 120 25 3 31 .306
7 JOSE ABREU CWS 611 187 42 6 33 .306
8 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 452 138 34 0 23 .305
9 JOE MAUER MIN 521 159 35 1 7 .305
10 LORENZO CAIN KC 576 173 27 5 15 .300
  OTHER ASTROS    
12 YULI GURRIEL HOU 519 154 41 1 18 .297
20 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 541 155 29 0 34 .287
23 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 546 155 38 5 18 .284

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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Altuve Bags Hit #200 for 4th Straight Year

September 28, 2017

His 200th Hit Hatched a Smile About This Wide!

 

ASTRO*NOTES

ALTUVE WRAPS UP HIT # 200. Have you ever hung in there daily for weeks to make sure you had a chance to see a player achieve a certain baseball number over the long season – and then missed it – because you didn’t know the next game – the record-setting game – was going to be a day game – and not the night game you assumed it would be?

Yep. It happened to me yesterday. Even though I work with a report on the standings daily, I neglected to confirm the starting time for the series and season finale between the Astros and Rangers at Arlington on Wednesday. As a result, I got to watch Jose Altuve getting his 200th hit on digital tape at Channel 2 in Houston with reporter Randy McIlvoy. It apparently was a slicing single to right center, one that brought the whole Astros dugout to a standing state of applause – and also a far-spreading smile of joy and relief to the rapidly becoming most famous and most talented little big man to ever play big league baseball.

The hit was Altuve’s only safety on the day, but it gave him his fourth consecutive 200-hit season and simply helped him further on the way to his third AL batting title in four years, while also doing nothing to hurt his runaway chances for designation as the AL MVP in 2017. The one-hit day did drop Altuve’s average a point – from .348 to .347 – but no other batter is even close to a last weekend series over take of the little giant from Venezuela. Avisail Garcia of the White Sox is Jose’s nearest BA competitor, but at .329, he is not likely to catch our favorite son this late in the game.

Congratulations, Jose Altuve! Just stay healthy in the four game Red Sox series end to the season and then go get ’em in the first round of the playoffs, whomever they may be.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, 9/27/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 102 57 .642   ~   L   L
INDIANS 99 59 .627   L   ~   2.5
ASTROS 98 60 .620   1   ~   3.5
NATIONALS 95 63 .601   ~   6.5   6.5

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 3, INDIANS 4, ASTROS 4, NATIONALS 4

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, 9/27/2017

ASTROS 12 – RANGERS 2

INDIANS 4 – TWINS 2

PHILLIES 7 – NATIONALS 5

DODGERS 10 – PADRES 0

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, 9/27/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 576 200 38 4 24 .347
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 507 167 26 5 18 .329
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 593 189 31 1 24 .319
4 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 573 181 53 6 29 .316
5 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
NC * CARLOS CORREA HOU 412 127 24 1 23 .308
6 JOSE ABREU CWS 607 187 42 6 33 .308
7 MIKE TROUT LAA 392 120 25 3 31 .306
8 JOE MAUER MIN 521 159 35 1 7 .305
9 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 448 135 32 0 23 .301
10 LORENZO CAIN KC 573 172 27 5 15 .300
  OTHER ASTROS    
12 YULI GURRIEL HOU 515 153 41 1 18 .297
21 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 537 154 29 0 34 .287
23 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 541 154 38 5 17 .285

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Winning Series is Easy to Figure

September 27, 2017

In earlier times, winning the World Series was much easier to figure in most seasons. All your club had to do was get past Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees – and it was all theirs to keep.

 

ASTRO*NOTES

One Game Back of Cleveland. The Astros gained a full game on the Indians last night and now stand only one full game back from a tie for best AL record and home field advantage in the league playoffs that come up immediately after season’s end. If the ‘Stros beat out the Indians for best record, they will open at home throughout the AL playoffs, starting probably against the wild card Yankees. If the Indians hold on to the best AL record, the Astros would still open at home, but against the AL East champion Red Sox, as the Indians open at home, probably against the wild card Yankees.

TODAY’S 152–HIT CLUB. For today, at least, and as you may note in today’s stat chart, Yuli Gurriel, George Springer, and Alex Bregman are all tied on the season with 152 hits each. Josh Reddick barely misses out with only 150 hits on the year. Who knows? Maybe Reddick will get get two hits in the Astros’ last game against the Rangers while the other contender bats go silent for another 24 hours? If so, the club hits Beantown for the final series of the regular season armed with a 4-man, “154-Hit” club!

Altuve Resting at 199. Unfortunately, Jose Altuve missed out on last night’s Silver Boot clinching 14-3 hit slam win over the Rangers last night because of that HBP he took on the left wrist late in the first Ranger series game two nights ago. Had he played lat night, it’s hard to see how he would have missed out on getting 2017 season hit #200 and probably more against the kind of stuff that was being served up at room temperature by Cole Hamels and all last night. -Maybe tonight’s the night. – All I know is that the little Rangers pitcher who dusted Jose “up and in” on the HBP got my worst thought wishes full-bore as I saw the thing unfold on the AT&T Sports-net broadcast when it did. This morning I cannot even recall the guilty pitcher’s name, but my wishes at the time for his ultimately permanent new home remain clearly in mind.

Astros Playoff Rotation. It’s not rocket science, especially given the talent level that’s available as picks for Games 1 and 2 – and the now confirmed doubtfulness about the health and mind-set readiness of Lance McCullers for Game 3. The Pecan Park Eagle is going with these four pitchers in this order: (1) Justin Verlander, (2) Dallas Keuchel, (3) Charlie Morton, and (4) Brad Peacock.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED TUESDAY, 9/26/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 100 57 .637   ~   L   L
INDIANS 98 59 .624   L   ~   2.0
ASTROS 97 60 .618   1   ~   3.0
NATIONALS 95 62 .605   ~   5.0   5.0

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 5, INDIANS 5, ASTROS 5, NATIONALS 5

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED TUESDAY, 9/26/2017

ASTROS 14 – RANGERS 3

TWINS 8 – INDIANS 6

PHILLIES 4 – NATIONALS 1

DODGERS (did not play, but enjoyed a winnable day off)

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED TUESDAY, 9/26/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 572 199 38 4 24 .348
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 503 166 25 5 18 .330
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 590 189 31 1 24 .320
4 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 568 180 52 6 29 .317
5 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
6 MIKE TROUT LAA 388 120 25 3 31 .309
7 JOE MAUER MIN 517 159 35 1 7 .308
8 JOSE ABREU CWS 602 185 42 6 33 .307
9 LORENZO CAIN KC 573 173 27 5 15 .302
10 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 444 134 32 0 23 .302
  ALL TOP 40 ASTROS
NC * CARLOS CORREA HOU 407 123 23 1 21 .302
13 YULI GURRIEL HOU 513 152 40 1 18 .296
21 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 533 152 29 0 33 .285
23 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 536 152 37 5 17 .284

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

********************

Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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How the MLB Looked on July 19

September 26, 2017

 

On July 19, 2017, the Houston Chronicle sports pages section headlines read: “Simply thumb-struck”. Carlos Correa had just gone through hand surgery for that thumb-injury he suffered on a slide at home and now he was out and scheduled to return no sooner than late in the season, if at all.

I had saved that paper as an anchor point perspective on “how things were then” for a brief look at “how things are now” with the Houston Astros’ 2017 season as a result.

And here it is:

Carlos Correa. Carlos Correa was hitting .320 and playing gods-level defense through his final pre-injury game of Tuesday, July 18. He’s been back a while now – and only last night – he made another of those “angels in the infield” plays to retire Ranger runner Elvis Andrus at first. Oh yes, first baseman Tyler White also had an angel working on his leg extension during the same play or the whole jaw-dropping execution could never have been completed. – As for hitting, Correa has been less productive and powerful since his return from the DL. He went 0 for 5 Monday, 9/25, against Texas to fall below .300 at .299. The drop did not remove him from the Top Ten for Average because he hasn’t been able to put together enough plate appearances per games played by the Astros to qualify for a ranking position. We can only hope that the repaired thumb is not still bothering him in subtle ways he choose not discuss. The hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico, obviously, is also weighing heavily upon his mind, as it is with Carlos Beltran. This will definitely be a time for healing on may levels.

The Houston Astros. We choose to let the standings, then and now, speak to how things have changed for the Astros since July 19, and those factors include, but also go way beyond the significant DL loss of Carlos Correa to what has happened.

On July 19, the Astros were 62-31, good enough for 1st place in the AL West with a 15.5 lead over 2nd place Seattle. Today, September 26, the Astros are 96-60, with a 9-day clinch on the 2017 AL West title, and with a window-dressing 19.0 game lead over the 2nd place Angels.

But …. however …. nevertheless ….. the Astros record since July 19 has been a mere 34-29 – a blushing bare peak above .500 for a club that began the season like the baseball version of a California forest fire.

Unquenchable the Astro flames were not. Look at the record of the Cleveland Indians this year, first back on July 19, when they were 48-43 – and a mere 1.5 games up on the AL Central Twins. Back then the Astros held a 13 game lead over the Indians for home field advantage in the then faraway post-season AL Playoffs. Now, on September 26, the Indians hold a 2.0 game lead over the Astros for the AL home field advantage – and they trail the Dodgers of the NL by only 1.5 games for home field advantage through the World Series.

How did the Indians do it? It’s easier in a brief column to stick to writing what they have done since July 19.

Since July 19, the Indians have won 50 and lost only 15 – while throwing in a new AL record for consecutive wins at 22.

Very interesting.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED MONDAY, 9/25/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 100 57 .637   ~   L   L
INDIANS 98 58 .628   L   ~   1.5
ASTROS 96 60 .615   2.0   ~   3.5
NATIONALS 95 61 .609   ~   4.5   4.5

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 5, INDIANS 6, ASTROS 6, NATIONALS 6

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED MONDAY, 9/25/2017

ASTROS 11 – Rangers 2

INDIANS (lost win to technicality; did not play Monday)

NATIONALS 3 – Phillies 1

DODGERS 9 – Padres 3

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED MONDAY, 9/25/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 572 199 38 4 24 .348
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 500 165 24 4 18 .330
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 586 188 30 1 24 .321
4 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 564 179 51 6 29 .317
5 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
6 MIKE TROUT LAA 385 119 25 3 30 .309
7 JOE MAUER MIN 513 158 35 1 7 .308
8 JOSE ABREU CWS 598 182 41 6 31 .304
9 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 441 133 32 0 23 .302
10 LORENZO CAIN KC 569 171 27 5 15 .301
  ALL TOP 40 ASTROS
NC * CARLOS CORREA HOU 402 120 21 1 21 .299
14 YULI GURRIEL HOU 509 150 39 1 18 .295
22 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 530 150 28 0 33 .283
26 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 531 149 37 5 17 .281

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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It Only Hurts for a Little While

September 25, 2017

“Fanned Out”
By
Charles Dana Gibson
1867-1944
~~~~~~~~~
These Astro fans finally got over the sad news that Larry Anderson had been traded to the Boston Red Sox.

 

ASTRO*NOTES

The HFA RACE. It’s not the end of the world. The Dodgers and Indians are looking more and more like a two-horse race for home field advantage through the World Series as we head into the last week of the season.

Altuve Needs Two. Two more hits and our incredible hitting man, Jose Altuve, racks up his 4th consecutive 200-hit season on his way to his 3rd AL batting championship in 4 years and an MVP award that feels ever the more like a coronation of the biggest big man to ever play the game. Let’s hope he gets them in Arlington tonight and puts that bear to bed forever.

The Batting Title Qualifier Rule About Minimal Participation. With 382 official times at bat, the long-injured Mike Trout returned to the list of qualified AL hitters by batting average yesterday, whereas, Carlos Correa has a higher total number of times at bat at 397, but still remains unqualified on the basis of insufficient service. The reason for this apparent error is simple.

It isn’t an error.

Eligibility for hitting recognition is not based upon official times at bat. It is based upon a player’s total plate appearances, averaged by the number of games his team of record has played to date.

If a player averages 3.1 or higher on plate appearances for all the games his team has played to date, he will be eligible for an official ranking and a possible batting title.

To get that number, you simply divide a player’s total plate appearances by the number of total games his team has played to date. If you get a number that is 3.1 or higher, he is eligible. Otherwise, he is not. This comparison of Trout and Correa crisply shows the difference between barely making it and barely missing it:

PLAYER TEAM PA / TG = ES
Mike Trout Angels 482 / 155 = 3.109
Carlos Correa Astros 453 / 155 = 2.923

PA = PLAYER’S TOTAL PLATE APPEARANCES

/ = DIVIDED BY

TG = PLAYER’S TEAM GAMES PLAYED TO DATE

ES = ELIGIBILITY SCORE IS 3.1. ANY SCORE OF 3.1 OR HIGHER QUALIFIES THE BATTER FOR HIS OFFICIAL RANKING. AS WE SEE FROM OUR TABLE, TROUT JUST BECAME ELIGIBLE AGAIN YESTERDAY. CORREA REMAINS SHY OF THE 3.1 MARK.

Footnote: If a player is under contract to more than a single MLB club in the same season, obviously, you get the same correct answers by simply holding him accountable for the total number of games he was under contract to separate teams. If a guy is 90 games a Cub and 60 games a Giant in 2017, the total of 150 is the number to use in the batting eligibility division work.

Simple enough.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED SUNDAY, 9/24/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 99 57 .635   ~   L   L
INDIANS 98 58 .628   L   ~   1.0
ASTROS 95 60 .613   2.5   ~   3.5
NATIONALS 94 61 .606   ~   4.5   4.5

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 6, INDIANS 6, ASTROS 7, NATIONALS 7 

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED SUNDAY, 9/24/2017

ANGELS 7 – ASTROS 5

INDIANS 4 – MARINERS 2

NATIONALS 3 – METS 2

DODGERS 3 – GIANTS 1

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED SUNDAY, 9/24/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 569 198 38 4 24 .348
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 496 164 24 4 18 .331
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 582 187 30 1 24 .321
4 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 564 179 51 6 29 .317
5 JOSH REDDICK HOU 477 150 34 4 13 .314
6 MIKE TROUT LAA 382 118 25 3 29 .309
7 JOE MAUER MIN 513 158 35 1 7 .308
8 JOSE ABREU CWS 598 182 41 6 31 .304
NR * CARLOS CORREA HOU 397 120 21 1 21 .302
9 LORENZO CAIN KC 566 170 26 5 15 .300
10 JONATHAN SCHOOP BAL 603 180 35 0 32 .299
  ALL TOP 40 ASTROS
12 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 436 129 32 0 22 .296
14 YULI GURRIEL HOU 509 150 39 1 18 .295
22 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 525 149 28 0 33 .284
29 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 528 147 36 5 17 .278

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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What’s Cooking, Baseball Gods?

September 24, 2017

We wonder what chicanery the baseball gods are cooking up for the 2017 World Series?

 

In 2005, many fans hoped that the then NL-based Astros’ hunger for a first World Series win in their first opportunity over 43 years (1962-2005) would carry them past the Chicago White Sox. As you know, it did not. The White Sox deprivation far exceeded the Astros wait, and, when the Sox won in 2005, it ended an 88-year gap between their two most recent White Sox World Series wins of 1917 and 2005.

If the length of wait sometimes determines who will win the World Series, here are the results for the four possible matches between our four best record clubs, two from each league, in 2017:

Under Condition 1: The Rule only goes into Effect for the World Series:

Astros (1962-2017) 55 years win over Dodgers (1988-2017) 29 years

Nationals (1924-2017) 93 years win over Astros (1962-2017) 55 years

Indians (1948-2017) 69 years win over Dodgers (1988-2017) 29 years

Nationals (1924-2017) 93 years win over Indians (1948-2017) 69 years

Under Condition 2: The Rule also determines which two teams reach the World Series

Under that finer case qualification, there is only one result:

Nationals (1924-2017) 93 years win over Indians (1948-2017) 69 years

Under Condition 3: Other Teams Not Named Here Become Qualifiers:

Either reconfigure or throw the whole thing out as a waste of Sunday morning time. 🙂

~ PS: There are no true wastes of time. If we ever hope to better understand how the baseball gods think along their ways to arranging everything and everyone by fate and destiny, we must be willing to humbly dabble in the same absurd corners of both math and reason where they walk – and sometimes stumble – and not be afraid of the boogeyman.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED SATURDAY, 9/23/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 98 57 .632   ~   L   L
INDIANS 97 58 .626   L   ~   1.0
ASTROS 95 59 .617   1.5   ~   2.5
NATIONALS 93 61 .604   ~   4.5   4.5

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series. 

GAMES TO PLAY: DODGERS 7, INDIANS 7, ASTROS 8, NATIONALS 8

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED SATURDAY, 9/23/2017

ASTROS 3 – ANGELS 0

INDIANS 11 – MARINERS 4

NATIONALS 4 – METS 3

GIANTS 2 – DODGERS 1

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED SATURDAY, 9/23/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 566 196 38 4 24 .346
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 492 162 23 4 17 .329
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 579 186 30 1 24 .321
4 JOSH REDDICK HOU 473 150 34 4 13 .317
5 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 560 177 51 6 28 .316
6 JOE MAUER MIN 508 156 35 1 7 .307
7 JOSE ABREU CWS 598 182 41 6 31 .304
8 LORENZO CAIN KC 563 169 26 5 14 .303
NR * CARLOS CORREA HOU 394 119 21 1 21 .302
9 YULI GURRIEL HOU 505 150 39 1 18 .297
10 ELVIS ANDRUS TEX 613 182 42 4 20 .297
  ALL TOP 40 ASTROS
11 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 436 129 32 0 22 .296
21 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 521 148 28 0 32 .284
27 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 523 146 36 5 16 .279

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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The Tiger Who Came in from the Cold

September 23, 2017

A few days ago, George Springer (L) shared s sure smile of agreement with new Astro teammate Justin Verlander that clinching the AL WEST feels so good.

 

ASTRO*NOTES

The 4-game career statistics of Justin Verlander as a Houston Astro speak loudly and plainly for his value to the club’s chances in the forthcoming 2017 post-season playoffs. In fact, it’s now pretty much impossible to think that we even could have entertained serious thoughts of lasting very long without help on his level at the front door of our starting rotation. All things considered, that evidence already had been stacking up at the time that GM Jeff Luhnow and Verlander fiancee Kate Upton went to work as independent forces to make it happen at the literal last minute of legal possibility.

Luhnow had to sell the idea to the Tigers; Upton had to convince Justin that she was 100% supportive of his choice to move on from Detroit for a serious Series run with the Astros. And they both got it done because Justin Verlander wanted it to happen too. Every Verlander body movement and facial expression on the field, in the dugout, or anywhere else on candid camera simply screams the roaring joy of this tiger who came in from the cold for another shot – or more – at baseball’s biggest prize. The guy fits both the team’s baseball needs and its rollicking big bopper temperament to an absolute tee.

Thank you, baseball gods, for smiling sunshine of another more spiritual nature upon our Harvey-soaked Houston baseball landscape of the mind!

And, oh yes, here’s the briefest of summaries on the so-far dazzling Astros career of the already great Justin Verlander.

The real story lays within the heart and soul of this smiling assassin of enemy team hitting excess:

ASTRO STATS W L ERA G/GS/CG IP R/ER HR H BB SO HBP
Justin Verlander 4 0 0.64 4/4/0 28.0 2/2 2 11 5 32 1

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/22/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 98 56 .636   ~   L   L
INDIANS 96 58 .623   L   ~   2.0
ASTROS 94 59 .614   1.5   ~   3.5
NATIONALS 92 61 .601   ~   5.5   5.5

L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/22/2017

ASTROS 3 – ANGELS 0

MARINERS 3 – INDIANS 1

METS 7 – NATIONALS 6

DODGERS 4 – GIANTS 2

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AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

THRU GAMES PLAYED FRIDAY, 9/22/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 566 196 38 4 24 .346
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 488 161 23 4 17 .330
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 575 184 30 1 24 .320
4 JOSH REDDICK HOU 473 150 34 4 13 .317
5 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 557 174 51 6 27 .312
6 JOE MAUER MIN 504 155 35 1 7 .308
7 JOSE ABREU CWS 594 181 41 6 31 .305
8 LORENZO CAIN KC 558 169 26 5 14 .303
9 ELVIS ANDRUS TEX 609 182 42 4 20 .299
10 YULI GURRIEL HOU 502 150 39 1 18 .299
       
OTHER TOP 40
RANK HOUSTON ASTROS TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
NR * CARLOS CORREA HOU 391 116 20 1 21 .297
14 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 432 126 30 0 22 .292
21 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 521 148 28 0 32 .284
27 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 520 145 36 5 16 .279

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS TEMPORARILY REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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Hooray for Hollywood Astro Fiancee Kisses

September 22, 2017

QUESTION: How are the kisses that Astros pitcher Justin Verlander gives to his beautiful movie actress/model fiancee Kate Upton different from the ones we everyday guys plant on our own little Houston ladies of squeeze?
ANSWER: Justin’s kisses have to pass a screen test.

 

Thank you, Tony Cavender, for alerting us here at The Pecan Park Eagle to the great little article on the role that fiancee Kate Upton played in Justin Verlander’s decision to leave his long-time base with the Detroit Tigers and give himself over baseball-wise – in body, soul and golden arm – to the Houston Astros.

If you haven’t read it, please do so. Here’s the ESPN source link:

‘Thank Goodness’ for Kate Upton, Fiancé Tells ESPN

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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The Season of the Orange Rose is at Hand

September 22, 2017

After 55 years of great anticipation, the Season of the Orange Rose is at hand in Houston. Let’s hope that 2017 will be the joyously high time in which we all get to see it blossom in baseball as beautifully as this incredibly pictured example does in caring hands.

 

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Our Astros 2017 Playoff Starting Pitcher Candidates: Who gets the rose? And who gets the hose?

Justin Verlander is one of our two no-brainers for a rose – and he should be our #1 starter.

Dallas Keuchel is the only lefty. On the other hand, thank goodness one of our two “best shot/no-brainer starters is Dallas Keuchel – and he just happens to hold both baseballs and roses in his left hand.

Once we get past our two former Cy Young pitchers, we run out of easy roses in dealing with whatever else is to be for this important short-term rotation.

Lance McCullers is also as certain as his cantankerous back will allow him to be. It would be nice to see McCullers have one problem-free start prior to the AL playoffs. If that doesn’t happen, Manager Hinch bears the extra burden of deciding whether to risk using the young man in the third game of any first series – or at all, for that matter.

Brad Peacock becomes more lovable with each most recent appearance. This quiet-spoken young man and new father is now putting up one of the best records on the team or league as a steady and reliable starter. His stability offers some ease to the ongoing touch-and-go condition of young Mr. McCullers.

Charlie Morton is another steady influence too most of the time and a guy who also is putting up some some good team numbers. Morton and Peacock both have shared the “first responder” role that had to be filled when both McCullers and Collin McHugh were lost to the Astros for so much of the 2017 season due to injuries. The Question now is – will they be expected to start during the playoffs – or will they be moved into shoring up spots on the relief pitcher schedule? Morton hasn’t been used in relief by the Astros, so far.

Collin McHugh is hard for some of us to figure. Is he ready to be placed on the line as a starter in one of these do-or-die series that are coming up for the Astros in October? More gray-matter usage material is already in the lap of A.J. Hinch on that decision too.

We like Joe Musgrove exactly where he is now – in the pen. It seems to fit his temperament and stuff pretty well. He simply exudes greater command of his pitches as a reliever.

Mike Fiers ate a lot of starter innings during the season. I keep wishing he’d find that magic key that unlocks all of his ability on the mound that we know from previous starts he’s capable of using to the fullest extent, but that’s a rehab goal that has no room for trial as a playoff starter. We would prefer to see Mike used in relief only during the playoffs.

At any rate that’s our take, and without two answers that only Manager Hinch possesses. – How many guys will actually figure into the Astros starting rotation during the first round of the playoffs? – And who will they actually be?

2017 Houston Astros Playoff Starters Pool

# Pitcher W L ERA G/GS IP H BB SO HR
1 J Verlander 13 8 3.50 31/31 193.0 163 70 202 25
2 D Keuchel (L) 13 5 2.96 22/22 139.2 111 46 117 14
3 L McCullers 7 3 3.97 20/20 111.0 104 37 122 7
4 B Peacock 12 2 2.98 33/20 127.0 96 56 159 9
5 C Morton 12 7 3.75 23/23 134.1 117 49 154 11
6 C McHugh 3 2 3.44 10/10 52.1 50 16 48 6
7 J Musgrove 7 8 4.83 36/15 108.0 116 28 97 18
8 M Fiers 8 10 5.22 29/28 153.1 157 62 146 32

What do you think? How many starters will Hinch use? And who will they be?

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE RACES, GB IN EACH

THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/21/2017

CLUB W L W%   AL   NL   WS
DODGERS 97 56 .634   ~   L   L
INDIANS 96 57 .627   L   ~   1.0
ASTROS 93 59 .612   2.5   ~   3.5
NATIONALS 92 60 .605   ~   4.5   4.5

 L = LEADER BY LEAGUE AND WS OVERALL.

Overall Leader gets home field advantage (HFA) in World Series.

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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE SERIOUS CONTENDER SCORES

THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/21/2017

WHITE SOX 3 – ASTROS 1

INDIANS 4 – ANGELS 1

BRAVES 3 – NATIONALS 2

DODGERS 5 – PHILLIES 4

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 AMERICAN LEAGUE BATTING AVERAGE LEADERS

 THRU GAMES PLAYED THURSDAY, 9/21/2017

RANK PLAYER TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
1 JOSE ALTUVE HOU 563 195 38 4 24 .346
2 AVISAIL GARCIA CWS 484 161 23 4 17 .333
3 ERIC HOSMER KC 571 183 30 1 24 .320
4 JOSH REDDICK HOU 471 149 33 4 13 .316
5 JOSE RAMERIZ CLE 553 174 51 6 27 .315
6 JOE MAUER MIN 499 155 35 1 7 .311
7 JOSE ABREU CWS 590 179 40 6 31 .303
8 LORENZO CAIN KC 553 167 26 5 14 .302
9 ELVIS ANDRUS TEX 605 182 42 4 20 .301
10 YULI GURRIEL HOU 499 149 39 1 17 .299
       
OTHER TOP 40
RANK HOUSTON ASTROS TEAM AB H 2B 3B HR BA
NR * CARLOS CORREA HOU 391 116 20 1 21 .297
13 MARWIN GONZALEZ HOU 430 126 30 0 22 .293
19 GEORGE SPRINGER HOU 517 148 28 0 32 .286
24 ALEX BREGMAN HOU 518 145 36 5 16 .280

NR * LOST TIME ON THE DL HAS TEMPORARILY REMOVED CORREA FROM AN OFFICIAL QUALIFYING PLACE IN THE RANKING OF TOP 40 HITTERS.

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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