Series Thread: Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros in the 2023 ALCS October 15-23

[fanman8825]

We all knew it was going to be either Heaney or Dunning. Bochy knew which one would start, days ago, or at least he should have. Oh well, we all know now.

I thought it was going to be Dunning starting or a combination with Heaney coming in later. This team has to score some runs tomorrow night. 1 thru 6 went 18-2 last night. That’s not going to cut it.

 

[fanman8825]

If you look at Urquidy’s numbers they are awful but he has pitched better in his last 3 starts.

Yes I have seen his stats as well but the team needs to be patient with Urquidy and ride the momentum from the home crowd.
Iam sick of getting thumped at home by the Astros.

 

[WilltheThrill]

What people fail to realize about Bochy is that, while he technically doesn’t win or lose games for the team, he absolutely does adversely affect their chances of winning.

Take tonight for example. Bochy didn’t give up the 2-run single to Maldonado. He didn’t give up the HR to Altuve. He didn’t cause Semien and Seager to do nothing at the plate. But he DID make an absolutely avoidable mistake by bringing in Will f’ing Smith into a crucial point in the game. This is the same Will Smith who has had FAR and away the worst numbers in the bullpen since July. This is the same Will Smith who has blown chance after chance and been virtually unusable. This isn’t armchair quarterback stuff here. This isn’t reactionary stuff after-the-fact. Anyone with even HALF of a brain knew that bringing in Will Smith was a horrible, horrible idea with an extremely small chance of working. And what happened? He got one line drive out, then walked a hitter and gave up a 2-run single. Beyond predictable. And in case anyone wants to pretend that Will Smith had in fact been a good pitcher, you should know that Yordan Alvarez hits lefties better than righties. True story. Right there in black and white for all to see. Information that is readily available to everyone (including Bochy) on multiple sites. As a manager, you’re either old school and manage by gut feeling/eye test, or you’re new school and manage according to data and analytics. Will Smith passes NEITHER of those tests. There was absolutely ZERO reason to bring him in. It was the equivalent of having Austin Hedges pinch hit for Corey Seager. Zero logic. Zero data. Just stupid.

And it blew up in our faces. So did Bochy lose the game tonight? Technically, no. Did he make the hill that much harder to climb? Absolutely.

Which would have been better in the 9th inning against Pressly… an 8-5 deficit or a 6-5 deficit? Maybe we lose both ways, but there was zero reason to make our task 3 runs instead of 1. And this is FAR from the first time he’s done this nonsense.

Aroldis Chapman on back-to-back nights (repeatedly) ring a bell?

 

[Senator_fan]

Scherzer in line to start game 7 if necessary. He has now given up 12 runs in 7 innings at home to the Astros in his last 2 games against them.

 

[fanman8825]

What people fail to realize about Bochy is that, while he technically doesn’t win or lose games for the team, he absolutely does adversely affect their chances of winning.

Take tonight for example. Bochy didn’t give up the 2-run single to Maldonado. He didn’t give up the HR to Altuve. He didn’t cause Semien and Seager to do nothing at the plate. But he DID make an absolutely avoidable mistake by bringing in Will f’ing Smith into a crucial point in the game. This is the same Will Smith who has had FAR and away the worst numbers in the bullpen since July. This is the same Will Smith who has blown chance after chance and been virtually unusable. This isn’t armchair quarterback stuff here. This isn’t reactionary stuff after-the-fact. Anyone with even HALF of a brain knew that bringing in Will Smith was a horrible, horrible idea with an extremely small chance of working. And what happened? He got one line drive out, then walked a hitter and gave up a 2-run single. Beyond predictable. And in case anyone wants to pretend that Will Smith had in fact been a good pitcher, you should know that Yordan Alvarez hits lefties better than righties. True story. Right there in black and white for all to see. Information that is readily available to everyone (including Bochy) on multiple sites. As a manager, you’re either old school and manage by gut feeling/eye test, or you’re new school and manage according to data and analytics. Will Smith passes NEITHER of those tests. There was absolutely ZERO reason to bring him in. It was the equivalent of having Austin Hedges pinch hit for Corey Seager. Zero logic. Zero data. Just stupid.

And it blew up in our faces. So did Bochy lose the game tonight? Technically, no. Did he make the hill that much harder to climb? Absolutely.

Which would have been better in the 9th inning against Pressly… an 8-5 deficit or a 6-5 deficit? Maybe we lose both ways, but there was zero reason to make our task 3 runs instead of 1. And this is FAR from the first time he’s done this nonsense.

Aroldis Chapman on back-to-back nights (repeatedly) ring a bell?

I
[email protected]

What people fail to realize about Bochy is that, while he technically doesn’t win or lose games for the team, he absolutely does adversely affect their chances of winning.

Take tonight for example. Bochy didn’t give up the 2-run single to Maldonado. He didn’t give up the HR to Altuve. He didn’t cause Semien and Seager to do nothing at the plate. But he DID make an absolutely avoidable mistake by bringing in Will f’ing Smith into a crucial point in the game. This is the same Will Smith who has had FAR and away the worst numbers in the bullpen since July. This is the same Will Smith who has blown chance after chance and been virtually unusable. This isn’t armchair quarterback stuff here. This isn’t reactionary stuff after-the-fact. Anyone with even HALF of a brain knew that bringing in Will Smith was a horrible, horrible idea with an extremely small chance of working. And what happened? He got one line drive out, then walked a hitter and gave up a 2-run single. Beyond predictable. And in case anyone wants to pretend that Will Smith had in fact been a good pitcher, you should know that Yordan Alvarez hits lefties better than righties. True story. Right there in black and white for all to see. Information that is readily available to everyone (including Bochy) on multiple sites. As a manager, you’re either old school and manage by gut feeling/eye test, or you’re new school and manage according to data and analytics. Will Smith passes NEITHER of those tests. There was absolutely ZERO reason to bring him in. It was the equivalent of having Austin Hedges pinch hit for Corey Seager. Zero logic. Zero data. Just stupid.

And it blew up in our faces. So did Bochy lose the game tonight? Technically, no. Did he make the hill that much harder to climb? Absolutely.

Which would have been better in the 9th inning against Pressly… an 8-5 deficit or a 6-5 deficit? Maybe we lose both ways, but there was zero reason to make our task 3 runs instead of 1. And this is FAR from the first time he’s done this nonsense.

Aroldis Chapman on back-to-back nights (repeatedly) ring a bell?

Bochy is very fortunate using Chapman in game 1 and 2 didn’t come back to bite the team. Chapman was shaky in game 1 and I would prefer to not see him at all. I hate the walks and all the other tension he brings.

 

[fanman8825]

Scherzer in line to start game 7 if necessary. He has now given up 12 runs in 7 innings at home to the Astros in his last 2 games against them.

Exactly. We have to end this in 5 or 6 games. I Don’t trust Scherzer in a game 7

 

[Senator_fan]

Exactly. We have to end this in 5 or 6 games. I Don’t trust Scherzer in a game 7

A sane person would not either but Bochy said he would go to him again. I don’t know if he meant for game 3 if he had to do it over or another game after tonight.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

 

[jaar01]

If it goes to a game 7, Scherzer will not be the starter.

 

[fanman8825]

the

A sane person would not either but Bochy said he would go to him again. I don’t know if he meant for game 3 if he had to do it over or another game after tonight.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Hoping we don’t have to find out

 

[fanman8825]

If it goes to a game 7, Scherzer will not be the starter.

Who starts Dunning?

 

[saddles]

The Rangers have to win these next two games if they are to go to the World Series. It is time for the offense to score in double digits tonight.

 

[saddles]

Bochy going with Heanry over Dunning has a ripple effect in that that means Heaney cannot replace Chapman in Bochy's eighth inning strategy. These piggy back games should be Dunning and Bradford with Heaney becoming the set up man.

 

[fanman8825]

The Rangers have to win these next two games if they are to go to the World Series. It is time for the offense to score in double digits tonight.

The Rangers have to win these next two games if they are to go to the World Series. It is time for the offense to score in double digits tonight.

I feel the same way. Rangers have to stop making Houston look the home team at Globe Life. The opportunity is here tonight to put up some runs. It’s time for the top of the order to start producing

 

[saddles]

I feel the same way. Rangers have to stop making Houston look the home team at Globe Life. The opportunity is here tonight to put up some runs. It’s time for the top of the order to start producing

And when they produce early, they simply cannot coast the rest of the way.

 

[scotsman1948]

Bochy going with Heanry over Dunning has a ripple effect in that that means Heaney cannot replace Chapman in Bochy's eighth inning strategy. These piggy back games should be Dunning and Bradford with Heaney becoming the set up man.

What do you see in Heaney in your 8th inning strategy that most don’t see?

 

[Kelleyman]

Thinking if this goes to 6 games or more we will see Heaney again

Tonight we need the win and he is likely better against Yordan and Brantley who is getting hot

 

[saddles]

What do you see in Heaney in your 8th inning strategy that most don’t see?

Others on here have suggested the same thing. It wasn't even my idea originally.

The biggest thing I see is that Chapman has failed.

What do you not see as Heaney being a much better option than Chapman?

 

[saddles]

Thinking if this goes to 6 games or more we will see Heaney again

Tonight we need the win and he is likely better against Yordan and Brantley who is getting hot

Besides Eovaldi, Montgomery, Sborz and Leclerc, the utilization of the pitching personnel could use a lot of improvement. It took a 7 game series to expose that.

 

[saddles]

Chapman should not be on the roster if we make it to the World Series. Will Smith should only be available to pitch in blowouts; not in games that we and the opponent are still in.

 

[scotsman1948]

Others on here have suggested the same thing. It wasn't even my idea originally.

The biggest thing I see is that Chapman has failed.

What do you not see as Heaney being a much better option than Chapman?

It’s not a matter of him being a better option it’s just I have tried to imagine him in the role and I just don’t see it. Maybe it would work maybe not