BASEBALL 2017---Bring it On!!!

[skeeter]

Good game 1.

I would have liked a different outcome, but it was a nice pitching duel.
Kershaw only made one costly mistake, Kuechel made a couple.
Only one error that didn't hurt the Dodgers.
And, it was all over before 10:00 pm Central, which is rare.

Looking forward to tonight.

The Astros are unstoppable at home but they're still gonna need to pick up a game or two in LA. Fingers crossed.

[EasyAce]

The Astros are unstoppable at home but they're still gonna need to pick up a game or two in LA. Fingers crossed.

They're not exactly unstoppable at home, no matter how lopsidedly they played
there against a Yankee team that failed to make adjustments to Minute Maid Park.
The Astros had a higher winning percentage on the road than at home this year:
593 at home, which is good enough; but .654 on the road. They must win at
Dodger Stadium tonight if they want to win this Series. Their odds for Game Two
are far better with Justin Verlander starting---but if the Astro hitters don't start
hitting in earnest, since they don't have nine Jose Altuves in the lineup, the Astros
could be in big trouble.

But you never know---especially if the Dodgers stick to their program, lay off Verlander's
breaking balls, and wear him down into throwing them fastballs. If the Dodgers find a
way to peck Verlander out of the game early and get fast and loose in the Astro bullpen,
the Dodgers have a chance of going to Houston ahead 2-0 in the Series.

[Cyber Liberty]

They're not exactly unstoppable at home, no matter how lopsidedly they played
there against a Yankee team that failed to make adjustments to Minute Maid Park.
The Astros had a higher winning percentage on the road than at home this year:
593 at home, which is good enough; but .654 on the road. They must win at
Dodger Stadium tonight if they want to win this Series. Their odds for Game Two
are far better with Justin Verlander starting---but if the Astro hitters don't start
hitting in earnest, since they don't have nine Jose Altuves in the lineup, the Astros
could be in big trouble.

But you never know---especially if the Dodgers stick to their program, lay off Verlander's
breaking balls, and wear him down into throwing them fastballs. If the Dodgers find a
way to peck Verlander out of the game early and get fast and loose in the Astro bullpen,
the Dodgers have a chance of going to Houston ahead 2-0 in the Series.

Good preview, Miss Slippy and I will be watching for that....

[skeeter]

They're not exactly unstoppable at home, no matter how lopsidedly they played
there against a Yankee team that failed to make adjustments to Minute Maid Park.
The Astros had a higher winning percentage on the road than at home this year:
593 at home, which is good enough; but .654 on the road. They must win at
Dodger Stadium tonight if they want to win this Series. Their odds for Game Two
are far better with Justin Verlander starting---but if the Astro hitters don't start
hitting in earnest, since they don't have nine Jose Altuves in the lineup, the Astros
could be in big trouble.

But you never know---especially if the Dodgers stick to their program, lay off Verlander's
breaking balls, and wear him down into throwing them fastballs. If the Dodgers find a
way to peck Verlander out of the game early and get fast and loose in the Astro bullpen,
the Dodgers have a chance of going to Houston ahead 2-0 in the Series.

I should've qualified my 'unstoppable' statement with 'postseason'. Astros are something like .730 at home this year.

[Slip18]

@Slip18
It was a great game, wasn't it?!
And @EasyAce is a treasure.  I had to drop out of the thread early last night to help my kiddo study for a test, and will be late to the party tonight because I have tennis, but I will tune in as soon as I can and definitely be watching for/reading the recap.

Yayyyyy!  I fed my ten cars early!  But they hop and bop on me all night.  Two are kittens.  Someone help me.  Oh, @Freya

[EasyAce]

Yayyyyy!  I fed my ten cars early!

What do you feed them----regular, hi-test?

[Cyber Liberty]

What do you feed them----regular, hi-test?

They're "cats," and we are afraid of what the swarm will do next...but we love them.

[Slip18]

They're "cats," and we are afraid of what the swarm will do next...but we love them.

@EasyAce

If'n we don't feed them their canned food in the evening, they just may take a chunk out of us!

They only have kibble all day long.  But that evening feeding is hysterical!  Ten cats, eight cans.  And, of course, some only like certain food.  Okay, tuna here, salmon here, chicken over here, oh, and you like beef!  Picky little critters!  They have us trained!

@Freya
Are you ready for this???

[Polly Ticks]

@EasyAce

And, of course, some only like certain food.  Okay, tuna here, salmon here, chicken over here, oh, and you like beef!  Picky little critters!  They have us trained!

Sounds like my kids!!
 

[AllThatJazzZ]

What a game! Such an emotional rollercoaster for all the fans, but especially for us Astros fans who needed one in the win column. Looking forward to 3 games at home.

How's this for a prediction? Houston in 5.

[skeeter]

What a game! Such an emotional rollercoaster for all the fans, but especially for us Astros fans who needed one in the win column. Looking forward to 3 games at home.

How's this for a prediction? Houston in 5.

Here's hoping your prediction becomes reality. I've had a soft spot for Houston since 2010!

[Cyber Liberty]

Here's hoping your prediction becomes reality. I've had a soft spot for Houston since 2010!

I have a soft spot for the Astros because they don't spell their name D-O-D-G-E-R-S.  :nometalk:

[skeeter]

I have a soft spot for the Astros because they don't spell their name D-O-D-G-E-R-S.  :nometalk:

 

[Machiavelli]

Steve Garvey apparently wasn't impressed with the playing in game 2.

@EasyAce

[EasyAce]

Steve Garvey apparently wasn't impressed with the playing in game 2.

@EasyAce

@Machiavelli
I'm not impressed with Steve Garvey's analysis:

* "Too many" strikeouts? Would he rather see guys hit into double plays? That's happened a few times
in the Series so far, too. It happened to Garvey a lot, too---he averaged grounding into seventeen
double plays per 162 games lifetime and once led the league by grounding into 25 in 1979.

* Not enough bunts? Other than a few plays showing bunt as decoys here and there, do you really
pay some of these guys to bunt? You weren't paid to bunt, Buster---you averaged two
sacrifice bunts per 162 games lifetime. When you dropped seven down in 1977, they probably sent
you to the doctor for a checkup. Must have been running a fever.

* Garvey complains about efficiency---but did he notice the Dodgers scored six runs on five hits? What's
he looking for, a 1-0 shutout? A 15-1 blowout?

Speaking of efficiency, I should take seriously a guy who was once described as a Clockwork Baseball
Player who had a program for getting his hits and stuck to the program no matter whether the situations
when he batted called for doing something outside his little program. You know, something that
might actually help his team?

[Cyber Liberty]

Steve Garvey apparently wasn't impressed with the playing in game 2.

@EasyAce

I agree with the writer about bunts and Hit 'n' Runs.  Those are crimes of opportunity, and there just haven't been that many these last two games.

[GrouchoTex]

I have no team in this "fight." It is so nice to see two excellent teams duke it out.  Everyone has to be proud of their teams!  I am certainly proud enough myself for them!

Game 2 tonight!

We should all thank @EasyAce for putting the thread out for us.

Did you see the thread, Groucho?  If you wish, I will put the "at"  sign for you so you can join in the fun!

I'm going to miss game 3 unfortunately.
But, I am going out for a good cause.
Asleep at the wheel is playing at the Redneck Country Club, and they are raising money to restore old Texas dance halls.
I'll have my phone on MLB at bat, and they do have TV's there, that I am sure will be on the game.

I sure was nice to see Springer, Altuve, Correa, and Gonzales play in game 2 like they have for most of the regular season.

[EasyAce]

I agree with the writer about bunts and Hit 'n' Runs.  Those are crimes of opportunity, and there just haven't been that many these last two games.

@Cyber Liberty
I was surprised a little bit that the Dodgers didn't think more about a running game. With Brian
McCann and/or Evan Gattis behind the plate the Astros are vulnerable to a running game. Dallas
Keuchel and Justin Verlander have good moves to first base but they're just slow enough to the
plate and McCann and Gattis have weak arms and terrible caught-stealing percentages. I didn't
notice that Lance McCullers, Jr. and Charlie Morton were that much quicker to the plate, though
each of them seems to have a decent ability to hold runners, but McCann and Gattis could be
easy targets for Dodger baserunning.

You notice, too, that the Dodgers haven't started Yasmani Grandal yet---he's no asset if the Astros
want to run on him, while Austin Barnes has a good throwing arm, not top of the line but good
enough to take running thoughts away. But Grandal can hit. It won't shock me if Grandal is the
DH for the Dodgers on the Houston leg of the Series with Barnes still behind the plate.

[Slip18]

Sounds like my kids!!
 

You, too? 

There is one canned food that is a little more expensive, but nothing is too expensive for the @CyberLiberty cat, Fah-ray-ed!  It actually looks good enough to eat.  Salmon in white sauce with spinach!  Honestly.

Another one likes her food with a little bit of cat milk.

Sometimes I feel like a short order cook for cats!

[Slip18]

I'm going to miss game 3 unfortunately.
But, I am going out for a good cause.
Asleep at the wheel is playing at the Redneck Country Club, and they are raising money to restore old Texas dance halls.
I'll have my phone on MLB at bat, and they do have TV's there, that I am sure will be on the game.

I sure was nice to see Springer, Altuve, Correa, and Gonzales play in game 2 like they have for most of the regular season.

That was an unbelievable game, Groucho!

Have fun tomorrow night raising money to restore old Texas dance halls.  Do a little line dancing for me, okay?

So much better to restore rather than tear down...

[Slip18]

@Machiavelli
@EasyAce
@Cyber Liberty

This is from Wikipedia re Steve Garvey's depature from the Dodgers to the Padres:  It provoked some Girl Scouts to picket the Dodger Stadium ~ and ~ helped the Padres increase its season ticket sales by 6,000 seats.

His very first hit was off of Denny Lemaster of the Astros.  I just found that little factoid, too.

I know Garvey was a great first baseman, but the Girl Scouts picketing?  Made me laugh.

Excuse me. LOL!

[Slip18]

 To all my friends on the ⚾ thread:

Injured an elbow twice yesterday mailing packages at UPS.  Have had surgery on this ulner nerve before.  The pain is pretty much gone, but the numbness is still there.  Can't post for a while!

But I will be reading and watching! Go Astros! Go Dodgers! LOL!

Slip

[musiclady]

To all my friends on the ⚾ thread:

Injured an elbow twice yesterday mailing packages at UPS.  Have had surgery on this ulner nerve before.  The pain is pretty much gone, but the numbness is still there.  Can't post for a while!

But I will be reading and watching! Go Astros! Go Dodgers! LOL!

Slip

Oh, dear!! I'm so sorry to hear that!  Take care of yourself!

(And I will clap for you, since your elbow's temporarily out of commission. ^-^)


Oh, and btw.............. BUCKEYES BEAT PENN STATE - 39-38!!!

It is a GOOD day in OHIO!!

[Polly Ticks]

To all my friends on the ⚾ thread:

Injured an elbow twice yesterday mailing packages at UPS.  Have had surgery on this ulner nerve before.  The pain is pretty much gone, but the numbness is still there.  Can't post for a while!

But I will be reading and watching! Go Astros! Go Dodgers! LOL!

Slip

@Slip18  Feel better soon!
 

[Cyber Liberty]

@Slip18  Feel better soon!
 

I hope so.  The poor dear is down hard.