Astros win WS

The Houston Astros won the WS by winning game 6, 4-1, over the Philadelphia Phillies last night. Rookie SS Jeremy Pena, who won the ALCS MVP over the Yankees, made it a double by winning the WS MVP as well by hitting .400 (10 for 25). He became the first AL Player to achieve that double.

For Houston manager Dusty Baker, he finally wins a WS as a manager, at the age of 73. Some stats from MLB.com (I won’t list all): Baker won a WS title as a player for the Dodgers in 1981. Now this. 41-year difference. He is the only man to win a postseason MVP award (1977 NLCS MVP) and win a title as manager. He isn’t just the oldest World Series-winning manager, he’s the oldest manager or head coach in MLB, NBA, NFL or NHL history to win a championship, per STATS.

This is mind-blowing:  Just how long has Baker been around? When he made his managerial debut on April 6, 1993 with the Giants, the opposing team’s leadoff hitter was Geronimo Peña, the father of Jeremy Peña, who won ALCS and World Series MVP for the Astros this postseason. That outstanding connection was noted by NBC Sports Chicago’s Chris Kamka. What goes around comes around!

It’s not just about the postseason wait. It’s the regular-season time spent, too. Baker has managed 3,884 regular-season games, 10th-most all-time, which is also the most at the time of a manager’s first title.

The manager with most games managed without winning a title is Gene Mauch. Dusty was getting close to Mauch, just 58 games away. He doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. The manager now that is closest to Mauch? Buck Showalter, who is 653 games short of Mauch. (Just over 4 years).

More from MLB.com:

Among 94 teams that saw their bullpens log 35 or more innings in a single postseason, the Astros accomplished all of this:

• The lowest ERA: 0.83, with just five earned runs over 54 1/3 innings
• The lowest opponents’ batting average: .126
• The lowest opponents’ on-base percentage: .215
• The lowest opponents’ slugging percentage: .208
• The lowest WHIP: 0.75

Houston’s bullpen is also the first to throw at least 40 innings in a single postseason and post a sub-1.00 ERA.

In Game 6, Kyle Schwarber broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth with a HR, but after Phillies’ Manager Rob Thomson made a pitching change, Yordan Alvarez hit a 3-run HR (a 450 ft bomb) in the bottom of the sixth. Houston tacked on another run later in the inning and that was all the runs scored in the game.

The Phillies, who were no-hit in Game 4, only managed three hits in this game.

Trevino, LeMahieu Gold Glove winners.

Jose Trevino and D.J. LeMahieu were named winners of the Gold Glove Award for defensive excellence yesterday. For catcher Trevino, it is his first. For LeMahieu, his fourth, but first in a newly created category for utility men.

Nominated for the award but losing out were Yankee P Jameson Taillon, 1B Anthony Rizzo and LF Andrew Benintendi. Why OF Aaron Judge, an excellent defender as well as slugger, wasn’t nominated, escapes me.

Trevino was also up for, but lost out on, the Roberto Clemente Award for community service. That was won by Justin Turner of the Dodgers.

A couple of guys with Yankees’ ties were interviewed for, but didn’t get, managerial positions. One was current Yankees’ bench coach Carlos Mendoza, another was former Yankees coach Joe Espada, and another was former Yankees 2B Miguel Cairo. Cairo took over as interim manager for the White Sox when 76-year-old Tony LaRussa’s health failed him and forced him to retire again. Instead, the White Sox went with Pedro Grifol and the Royals have chosen Matt Quataro. These follow Texas’ choice to bring Bruce Bochy out of retirement.

The Astros got hammered by the Phillies in Game 3 of the WS last night 7-0. The Phils hit five HR, and before one of them, Bryce Harper, who had homered, was giving advice to Alec Bohm, who then homered. Could Harper have seen something that Astro starter Lance McCullers, Jr. was tipping pitches? McCullers denies doing so of course, but you have to wonder.

The Phils took a two-games-to one lead in the Series, and the decisions of both managers regarding their rotations now are a factor. With the rainout, Phillies’ manager Rob Thomson (a former Yankees coach) switched off of Game 3 scheduled starter Noah Syndergaard to Ranger Suarez, keeping Aaron Nola on his regular rest for Game 4. Suarez rewarded the Phils with shutout pitching. Meanwhile, Astros’ manager Dusty Baker kept his rotation the same, starting McCullers, who got rocked, and instead of bringing back Justin Verlander for Game 4, appears to be sticking with Cristian Javier. Javier better come through, because if the Phils win Game 4 to go up three games to one, Philadelphia will REALLY be rocking for Game 5. Of course, Verlander has been surprisingly bad in WS play, going 0-6, 6.07. But you think sooner or later he’d pitch a good one, right? But the choice of whether to switch after the rainout (Thomson did) or not (Baker) could play a huge part as far as the Series is concerned.

Houston wins AL Pennant. Also, Yankees prospects in the Arizona Fall League.

Houston has won the AL pennant, beating the Red Sox in 6 games. They face the winner of the Dodgers/Braves series in the World Series. Right now the Braves are up three games to two, with games 6 and if necessary 7, both in Atlanta.

I have family outside of LA, so go Dodgers. No matter who wins in the NL, I’ll be rooting for the NL team in the World Series. No forgiveness to Houston for the cheating scandal of a few years back, although I do respect Dusty Baker, who was not involved in that.

For Houston, it is their third pennant in the last five years. They won the WS in 2017, and lost it in 2019.

Meanwhile, Yankee prospects playing in the Arizona Fall League are P Clay Aguilar, P Harold Cortijo, P Zach Greene, P Tanner Myatt, C Austin Wells, Infielder Andres Chaparro, and Outfielder Elijah Dunham. Wells is the organization’s #6 ranked prospect, Dunham #24. They all are playing for the Surprise Sagueros. Through 5 games, Wells is 9 for 18, 3 doubles, a triple, a HR, and 5 RBI. Wells hitting isn’t a problem, but the question is whether his defense will keep him at catcher.

Jon Heyman predicts that the Yanks will sign both free agents SS Corey Seager and P Robbie Ray this offseason. We’ll see.

Baker pleading for the A*trori*k* to be protected.

Dusty Baker is in a tough situation. He has to protect players he didn’t manage when those players cheated in the past few years. Now he is begging MLB to help protect them.

One thing you learn at an early age. Respect isn’t given, it is earned. And once lost, you have to work two or three times as hard to re-earn it.

I don’t advocate beanballs, but if some pitcher decides to fire a pitch at some Astro hitters’ butt or plunk him in the ribs, I would not mind that at all.

Put it this way. Houston is damned lucky. Imagine if they were facing a lawsuit because of a hitter— knowing what pitch was coming— hitting a line drive that hit a pitcher in the head.

So looking at it THAT way, I have no problem with some pitchers looking for retaliation. But once that pitch is thrown, then warnings have to be given out so that the game doesn’t get out of hand.

But Houston, you asked for it. And some of your comments defending yourselves are flat out ridiculous, like the little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Meanwhile, a couple of Little League organizations have removed the name Astros from their league because they don’t want kids associated with a name now synonymous with cheating. They want kids doing things the right way.

I do like this, from Mike Vaccaro’s NY Post column:

Dick Schlott: Were the umpires deaf during the Astros games? It is incumbent on the umpire crews to see and hear what is going on, including strange noises coming out of a dugout!
Vac: And to think, all these years, people thought you could only make fun of umpires being blind, not deaf.

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Looking at pictures of Yankees’ C Gary Sanchez in spring training, it looks like he lost a good deal of weight. Looks trim and chiseled and hopefully more mobile behind the plate. Hopefully it helps him stay off the DL more often.

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Another minor signing: Yanks sign Chad Bettis RHP, 31 in April. Bettis went 1-6, 6.08 in 39 games for Colorado in 2019 (3 starts). ERA+ 86. He is 31-31 in his career with an ERA of 5.12 (ERA+ 93). His best years were in 2016 when he went 14-8, 4.79, ERA+ 101 in 32 starts, and the year before when in 20 starts he went 8-6, 4.23, ERA+ 110. His 162 game average is 8-8, 5.12, ERA+ 93, 24 starts, 20 more appearances in relief.

No offense to Bettis, but it appears to be a depth signing. Not much to get excited about. Granted Colorado doesn’t help his numbers, but…

Baker managing ASG? And a passing.

In an article on MLB.com, Will Leitch mentions about Dusty Baker being the Manager of the Astros this year, and in that article, has a sentence about Baker managing the next All-Star Game.

No offense to Dusty, but I don’t think he should manage by “default.” Since Hinch was suspended because of the Astros’ scandal, and fired because of it,  I feel the honor should then go to Aaron Boone, whose team lost last year’s ALCS.

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Gil Coan, OF for the Washington Senators, 1946-1953, Baltimore Orioles (1955-1956), Chicago White Sox (1955), N.Y. Giants (1955-1956) passed away at the age of 97. Coan finished 23rd in MVP voting in 1951, when he hit .303-9-62.

His 162 g. average was .254-7-49 with 15 SB. OPS+ 84. 1950 and 1951 were his best years–by far—of his MLB career.

When I was a kid, I had a lot of baseball cards. Kept them in an old cedar-chest. I had some old Gil Coan card from the 1950s, probably got it from my dad.

Until the cat we had at that time mistook the chest and the cards for a litter box. Yuk.

I wonder about the value of some of the cards that had to get tossed out.

Not Coan’s, but say a Nolan Ryan rookie card? Dang that cat.

Yankees let Girardi go. Who replaces him?

So Joe Girardi’s contract has expired, and the Yankees are going in a different direction. They decided not to retain him.

So which direction do they go in?

Girardi in 10 years averaged 91-71. In ten years, he took the Yanks to the postseason six times.

He ranks sixth as far as tenure and games won in Yankees’ history.

He won a WS. Three times he took the team to the ALCS but lost. He lost one series in the ALDS and lost another year in the WC game.

He oversaw the fading out of Pettitte, Jeter, Mo, Posada and A-Rod, not to mention Teixeira.

So I break it down, the manager search, into categories.

A lot may depend on someone who may be a long-term solution with the young guys.

Popular

Willie Randolph and Don Mattingly. Both Yankees’ legends. Willie hasn’t managed since the Mets. No second offers. Donnie is still under contract with Florida. Will they let him go?

Experienced, and available.

Brad Ausmus. Just canned by the Tigers.
Dusty Baker.Just canned by Washington. I am not a fan of his.
Pete Mackanin. Just canned by the Phillies, bumped into their front office.
Terry Collins. just canned by the Mets.
John Farrell, just canned by Boston.

I don’t think they’ll go with that list above.

Other candidates include:

In the organization:
Josh Paul, in the organization.
Tim Naehring, in the organization, former MLB player.
Tony Pena, coach, Managed KC for a few years, but older than they may want. Did win a mgr. of the year w/KC, but too old for a young team?

Guys in the minors now, like

Al Pedrique: current SWB mgr. Guys had to go through him to get to the majors. Since he knew these youngsters at AAA, does he follow them to the majors?

Jay Bell. Former MLB SS managed at Tampa (A+) this year.

An ex-MLB Mgr. associated w/the Yankees:
Trey Hillman, two full years and part of a third w/kc. Currently managing a Korean club.

Guys in the majors, like:

Kevin Long: Mets hitting coach, formerly NYY hitting coach.

Current Yankees coaches like:

Joe Espada, 3B Coach
Robbie Thomson Bench Coach

 

So where do they go from here?

Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner are finalists for Gold Glove awards.

As for the Arizona Fall League, Scottsdale tied 4-4.

2B Yankees’ Prospect Kyle Holder was 1 for 4 and scored a run. .417.

WS Game 3 is tonight.

 

 

 

 

ALCS Game 6. Astros win, force deciding Game 7, 7-1.

Once again, the Yankees could not solve Justin Verlander, and as a result, the American League pennant will be decided in a do-or-die Game 7.

Houston beat the Yankees, 7-1.

It was a good pitching duel for four innings, as Luis Severino matched Verlander.

But in the fifth, Severino cracked, walking three, giving up three runs, and getting knocked out of the game. It seemed like he may have gotten squeezed a bit that inning. Walk, out, walk, and then a ground-rule double by ex-Yankee Brian McCann made it 1-0. Walk to load the bases, then after an out, a single by Altuve to make it 3-0 and knock out Severino. Green got the last out of the inning.

The Yanks got two on in the sixth, and Gary Sanchez had a 3-0 count on him. I don’t mind the green light there, but it has to be a fastball in a certain spot. You can’t just swing at anything. Sanchez got a breaking ball and put a bad swing on it and it was a weak groundout for the final out. You can’t do that.

In the seventh, the Yanks got two on, and Todd Frazier just missed tying the game when his long drive, which would have been a double, was caught at the wall. Maybe four feet higher…

The Yanks got on the board in the eighth when Judge homered, but any chance for a comeback evaporated when Houston got four in the bottom of the eighth. David Robertson came in and Altuve (him again) homered. Correa doubled, Bregman singled, and Gurriel doubled in two, and went to third on an error by Didi. A SF made it 7-1.

So Game 7 tonight, CC vs. Morton. It’ll be an interesting night, what with the Yankees’ game going on at the same time as PSU-Michigan college football and also ND-USC college football.

Severino (Loss) 4 2/3 IP,  3 R, 3 H, 4 W, 3 K.
Green 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Robertson 0 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Have to say this for a friend…. come on, Yanks, win it for Momma B!

In the Arizona Fall League, Scottsdale lost 2-0. Yankees’ prospect OF Estevan Florial was 1 for 4 and P Andrew Schwaab pitched a scoreless inning of relief, giving up one hit, no walks, or strikeouts.

Ex-Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire was hired to manage the Tigers. Meanwhile, the Nationals canned Dusty Baker.

Yanks set rotation, Cubs knock off Nats, and AFL news.

The Yanks have set their rotation for the ALCS. In a bit of a surprise, Sonny Gray was pushed back to Game 4.

Game 1 will have Tanaka, then he’ll be followed by Severino, then CC, then Gray. Houston will open with Keuchel, followed by Verlander.

With lefty Keuchel going, does Girardi go to Holliday at DH? Houston has a short LF porch, and Headley and Ellsbury didn’t do much if anything in the ALDS vs. Cleveland.

After losing Game 4 to Washington at home on Tuesday, the Cubs rebounded by beating the Nationals, 9-8 Thursday night, coming back from an early 4-1 deficit. So the NLCS will be the defending champion Cubs going up against the Dodgers.  Washington can’t get over the hump. Same for its manager, Dusty Baker.

In the Arizona Fall League, 19-yr. old OF Yankees’ prospect Estevan Florial went 4 for 5 and scored 3 runs in Scottsdale’s 8-0 win last night. Billy McKinney, an OF learning 1B, drove in 4 runs. SS Thairo Estrada was 1 for 5. Andrew Schwaab pitched one inning of scoreless relief, striking out one.

Don Lock, an OF for the Senators, Phillies and Red Sox from 1962-1969, passed away at the age of 81. He hit 27 HR and drove in 82 runs for the 1963 Senators, and followed it up with 28 and 80 in 1964 for them. His 162 g. avg. was .238-21-66, OPS+ 111.

Also, Johnny Herrnstein, 1B for the 1964 Phillies that Phlopped at the end of the season, passed away at the age of 79. He joins Bunning, Green, Amaro and Sievers as members of the 1964 Phillies who all passed away this year. In that 1964 season, Herrnstein hit .234-6-25, OPS+ 82. He played for the Phillies from 1962-1966, the Cubs in 1966 and the Braves in 1966. In 239 games, he hit .220-8-34, OPS+ 67 in 450 career at bats.

 

 

Baker, not Black, gets Nats manager job

It was being reported last week, and I copied, that Bud Black would become the Nationals’ new manager.

Wrong.

It’s Dusty Baker instead.

Apparently negotiations with Black fell through, and Baker is now the choice.

S.T. Game 28. Eovaldi and Headley lead Yanks to 7-0 win.

When the Yanks traded Martin Prado and David Phelps for Nathan Eovaldi, the criticism against the 25 year old was on his 15-35 lifetime record so far. Yes, he threw hard, but….

Maybe pitching coach Larry Rothschild is turning Eovaldi from a hard thrower into a PITCHER. Eovaldi’s strong spring contined as the Yanks #4 starter tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings today in a 7-0 Yankees spring training win.

Hopefully he is a late bloomer and now, with experience, starts to turn it on.

Chase Headley backed him up with three hits, including a HR, and 3 RBI. Headley has been having a great spring.

Today marked A-Rod’s debut at 1B.

It’s too bad Rob Refsnyder needs more work on his defense, (five errors this spring), because the dude can hit. He had two more hits and an RBI today. If I make it to a game SWB plays, either in SWB or against LV (close to my home), I’ll be sure to keep my eye on Refsnyder.

Today’s pitching line:

Eovaldi 4 2/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 5 K.

Whitley one batter and a strikeout.

Rogers 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H 0 walks and 2 K.

It appears as if Whitley and Rogers will both make the team as the long men.

Shreve 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 0 K. He has a shot at the last bullpen spot.

Ramirez 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 2 k.

Moves: The Yanks released Scott Baker. They would like to re-sign him and put him at AAA, but if he gets a major league offer elsewhere….

Jacob Lindgren is coming on fast, but the Yanks don’t want it to be too fast. He was sent down. Probably a good thing, since he has just 19 minor league games and 24 2/3 minor league innings (with 48 K) under his belt. But he’ll be in the Bronx very soon.

Bryan Mitchell and Kyle Davies are also ticketed for AAA.

From the LOHUD Yankees blog.;

Today’s cuts in Yankees camp:

· Optioned RHP Bryan Mitchell and OF Ramon Flores to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

· Reassigned RHP Kyle Davies,  C Francisco Arcia, INF Cole Figueroa, INF Jonathan Galvez, OF Slade Heathcott, C Kyle Higashioka, LHP Jacob Lindgren and RHP Nick Rumbelow to minor league camp.

· Unconditionally released RHP Scott Baker.