http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-Francisco-Liriano-still-not-used-to-new-11872224.php ...The pressure on Liriano to satisfy those expectations burdened him during his transitional period. He had gotten used to the lengthy process of preparing to start games. Now he is struggling to warm up quickly – to be ready in two minutes, he said - after getting the call to the bullpen. He still is unsure how to make that adjustment. "I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I'm trying to find that right now." He has had to temper the immediate, unfamiliar rush of adrenaline, which has flattened his slider and rattled his mechanics. Strom recommended his slider should decrease from 90 mph to 87 mph to give it more vertical movement. "The first couple games I was just trying to let it out, get loose quick and give everything I had from the first pitch in the bullpen — and then trying to come in and do the same thing," he said. "I have to find the in-between: Not too excited, not too low. Get a good rhythm with my mechanics." He also said his new role relies more on his fastball because he throws fewer off-speed pitches, in both the bullpen warm-up and games. "Not trying to be too picky," he said of his new approach to hitters. "Not trying to be too fine on the corners. That's a different role, but I'm trying to find a way to get my body used to it." He plans to start loosening up his body earlier, in the fourth or fifth innings of games. He has taken tips from Michael Feliz and Joe Musgrove, starters who have converted to relievers. Musgrove made the switch in July and has not allowed a run in 8 1/3 innings pitched in August. For now, Hinch likely will simplify Liriano's assignments to one or two left-handed hitters in an outing until the southpaw can prove more capable. "Everything has got to be quick," Liriano said, snapping his fingers. "Hopefully I get it going the next couple weeks. _______________________ Astros' Brian McCann dealing with tendinitis in right knee Speaking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since he went on the disabled list Monday, Astros catcher Brian McCann said an MRI revealed tendinitis and inflammation in his right knee. McCann had a cortisone shot Tuesday to try and relieve the inflammation. It doesn't sound as if he will be sidelined much if at all longer than the minimum 10 days required for a DL stint. The team should know more the further he's removed from the shot. "I need to rest and get it healed," McCann said. "When I come back we'll have five weeks (left) in the season and get ready for the playoffs." McCann said he had dealt with right knee trouble for "probably three weeks" before going on the DL. Sunday afternoon's series finale in Arlington, when he said he couldn't straighten out his leg and had difficulty walking down stairs, proved the final straw. McCann has struggled at the plate dating to late June. His OPS, as high as .866 on June 10, has dipped to .721. Having hit 13 home runs in 280 at-bats, he's in danger of snapping his streak of consecutive 20-homer seasons at nine.
Astros grant wish for nine-year-old cancer patient Cameron Gooch The Astros have been a bright spot in the life of nine-year-old Cameron Gooch, who has battled a rare form of cancer for the past year. Cameron, who started the third grade this week, has been fighting rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer that affects the muscles. Through his radiation and chemotherapy treatments, he's kept an eye on the Astros and even has been visited by some of his favorite players. Cameron told the folks at the Make-A-Wish Foundation that his wish was to be a Houston Astro for a day, and on Thursday, that wish came true. Before Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, Cameron, who finished his chemo treatments two weeks ago, suited up in his own Astros uniform with No. 17 and his last name stitched on the back. Cameron was given the star treatment. A limousine picked him up along with his parents and sister and took him to the ballpark. Astros relief pitcher Will Harris helped his new young teammate get through some media interviews on the field. He also made the rounds throughout the dugout and on the field during warmups. The players treated Cameron like he was on the team, walking over to him for high fives and chatting him up. He helped Astros manager A.J. Hinch take out the lineup card to the umpires and stood in the field with infielders Alex Bregman and Marwin Gonzalez during the national anthem. Spoiler
@lnchan From what I understand, you teach statistics among your various professional activities. Tonight I had to marvel that in a game that featured five errors, only four total runs scored. It would probably take the Elias Sports Bureau to tell us how frequent this feat is, but I'm guessing it's a statistical outlier. As someone who understands stats well, is there anything that we fans should take away from the Astros' recent string of low-scoring, low-hitting games despite having an offense that rates near the top of the MLB for the season? Also, I notice that many times fans talk about "regression to the mean" or "being due for regression" in a way that makes professional statisticians roll their eyes. Could you help us understand what regression really means in baseball and maybe give a couple of examples? Sorry to be a pest but I think this information could help fans like me understand better what the team is going through.
He the strike zone throughout the entire game yesterday ridiculous. And to have marwin's at bat taken away was not right, unfair. And quite frankly he is tired of it.
Not too many, no. When we were down 3, Bregman missed a game tying 3 run homer by 10-15 feet. Could have led to getting to the Arizona pen early and changed the complexion of the game.