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

[TheLonestarDUCK]

1/2 Billion Dollars can’t come through

 

[fanman8825]

What a fuckin idiot Semian is. Nothing to do with Verlander. Just garbage discipline.

 

[yardimatt]

I am so tired of Semien.

 

[scotsman1948]

1st and 3rd 1 out and 2 pitches and Semien and Seager are out. WTF is wrong with these 2

 

[Senator_fan]

5 pitches and 4 outs between top 2 hitters. Can’t win that way.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Awful, selfish approaches by our top 2. No intelligence whatsoever. Make Verlander work. You have 1st and 3rd. See if you can draw a walk. See if you can work yourself into a hitter’s count where you can sit dead red on a fastball. Get his pitch count up!!!

You HAVE to make each at-bat count in some way. Raise the pitch count. Get on base. Move runners along. Do SOMETHING positive. One pitch outs are death.

 

[fanman8825]

Cant win Semian and Seager producing 4 outs on 5 pitches.
Very frustrating.

 

[jvett77]

Rangers are in danger of losing momentum to Houston and Verlander.

 

[WilltheThrill]

All Semien had to do was hit a ground ball or deep fly ball and the game is tied. Instead he did his usual first pitch swing garbage, and like he almost always does, he weakly popped out.

Is Tim Hyers working with him? Is he telling him to STOP doing that? If so, and Semien isn’t listening, demote or bench him!!!

 

[fanman8825]

Great catch Adolis. Maybe that will pump him up to hit a Hr

 

[fanman8825]

Awful, selfish approaches by our top 2. No intelligence whatsoever. Make Verlander work. You have 1st and 3rd. See if you can draw a walk. See if you can work yourself into a hitter’s count where you can sit dead red on a fastball. Get his pitch count up!!!

You HAVE to make each at-bat count in some way. Raise the pitch count. Get on base. Move runners along. Do SOMETHING positive. One pitch outs are death.

I am so frustrated with those two guys. It should be at the very least 1-1.

 

[DT LUNA]

Monty is keeping us close. Plenty of time if we play like a ALCS team.

 

[fanman8825]

All Semien had to do was hit a ground ball or deep fly ball and the game is tied. Instead he did his usual first pitch swing garbage, and like he almost always does, he weakly popped out.

Is Tim Hyers working with him? Is he telling him to STOP doing that? If so, and Semien isn’t listening, demote or bench him!!!

Think Semian just does what he wants. He never sees a pitch he does not like.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

All Semien had to do was hit a ground ball or deep fly ball and the game is tied. Instead he did his usual first pitch swing garbage, and like he almost always does, he weakly popped out.

Is Tim Hyers working with him? Is he telling him to STOP doing that? If so, and Semien isn’t listening, demote or bench him!!!

The approach to hitting sucks. Just wondering but why the heck can't we just TRY bunting with a runner on third and one out? Secure the tie and play from there.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Monty is keeping us close. Plenty of time if we play like a ALCS team.

That’s what is so, so frustrating. This series is EASILY still winnable with just some basic fundamentals. Monty and Eovaldi give us that luxury. We don’t have to put up 20 runs this game.

 

[fanman8825]

Monty is keeping us close. Plenty of time if we play like a ALCS team.

It’s ashame because he has to be almost perfect

 

[DT LUNA]

The approach to hitting sucks. Just wondering but why the heck can't we just TRY bunting with a runner on third and one out? Secure the tie and play from there.

Been wondering that for a long time.

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

Think Semian just does what he wants. He never sees a pitch he does not like.

Carter better be our lead off hitter next year

 

[Kelleyman]

What a fuckin idiot Semian is. Nothing to do with Verlander. Just garbage discipline.

That pitch was right down the middle
He just failed to get it done

 

[WilltheThrill]

The approach to hitting sucks. Just wondering but why the heck can't we just TRY bunting with a runner on third and one out? Secure the tie and play from there.

It’s just beyond comprehension. Semien’s approach (and much of the team’s) flies in the face of all baseball fundamentals. Our HS coach would have had us running bleachers after the game if we pulled the nonsense Semien does. It’s just very, very, very bad baseball that is entirely preventable. Nobody is holding a gun to your head and making you swing first pitch every time. Baseball is a hard game. But there are things you can do to tilt the scales more in your favor and at least give your team a better chance.

Make. Verlander. Work. If you strike out, at least you made him work hard to earn it.