Who do the Twins have lined up to pitch? Gray? Berryos is gone. Keppler. Who else is on the Twins. Johan Dhuran does well as a relief pitcher, eh? But most relievers don't face the likes of Altuve, Bregman, Yordan, Tucker blah blah blah. Looks like a big mismatch to me. Stros have the big guns with experience and will be a miracle if the Twins keep a game within 3 runs if you ask me.
Pablo López and Sonny Gray are as good as any one-two rotation punch in the playoffs, and they should be able to start three times in a five-game series. Twins retooled their late-inning bullpen mix down the stretch, getting Brock Stewart and Chris Paddack back from injury, shifting starters Louie Varland and Kenta Maeda to the bullpen and sticking with Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar and Jhoan Duran as their high-leverage trio. They’re able to mix and match relief options in a way they couldn’t until mid-September, with high-octane raw stuff up and down the depth chart. Game one will be Verlander vs Joe Ryan (4.51 era) Astros must take game one.
I don’t have the stats to back this up but I feel like the Astros hit better against guys with high-octane raw stuff. It’s the Chris Bassitt’s and Jordan Lyles of the world that are throwing junk that seems to give this team issues it seems.
They also have Kenta Maeda. His Era is high because his 1st or 2nd game of the season was really bad but since returning from his injury, looks decent. Doesn't look like he goes deep into games. Five or six innings.
JV vs Ryan Valdez vs Lopez Javier vs Gray #4 vs #4 JV vs Lopez Lopez ain't no joke. Astros indeed MUST win game 1.
I’m changing my prediction. Bailey Ober (3.53 era last 35 innings) will get the start game one for the Twins. He’s looked better then Ryan (4.51 era). Ober has been more consistent this year and stats show he is better at limiting quality contact over Ryan. Astros haven’t faced Ober this year. Astros faced Ryan twice and hit him hard. Ober (3.43) vs Verlander (3.22) game one Lopez (3.66) vs Framber (3.45) game two Grey (2.79) vs Javier (4.56) game three Ryan (4.51) vs France (3.83/Urquidy (5.29) game 4 Lopez vs Verlander game 5 With the way Astros offense has struggled at home and the unknowns of what we will get from Javier. This series feels like a pick’m series and could go 5. Need to see playoff Astros offense wake up.
Twins Bullpen There are Pitchers that throw 103 mph. Astros Hitters better be ready. Astros Pitchers better be Ready. Home Crowd Energy
Yep Twins pitching makes me Nervous. For most of the Twins history they’ve been noted for hitting, weak pitching and especially weak bullpens. This Twins team is different and no accident they snapped an 18 game playoff losing streak. Besides pitching Correa looks like he’s returned back to the “what time is it!” Playoff Correa. He’ll be fired up to play back in MMP.
Something will have to go really wrong for Maeda to start. He’s in the bullpen and hasn’t been good due to injury.
The series has two days off so both Framber and Verlander would be on 4/5 days rest for game 5. Twins aren’t as good at hitting lefties and Framber might get the call game 5 if necessary.
The Astros Batters have to be More Focused and Not wasting at bats. Astros are Mediocre at Home. Astros Batters need to Foul off Pitches more and work the Count. Easier said than Done. Twins Pitching has All Stars to Dominant Power Pitchers. Twins Pitching is really Dominant, Solid, Elite Bullpen Arms that Throw 103 mph.
Oooh. Scary!. Must be Halloween. We win or we lose. Just play loose. Attempt at humor - Jim n' I are coming to town. Get it?
Historically Verlander has owned the Twins going back to his days in Detroit. Dusty being Dusty might want to go with him for a game 5 if necessary. Also for those thinking the Twins pitchers are going to be cowed by the Stros hitters if I remember correctly back in one of the games in Houston Duran came in in the 9th in a tie game and struck out Altuve and Bregman. Watch the highlights from their last game and he was throwing absolutely filthy stuff.
We saw Sonny Gray and Lopez having trouble early on. The Blue Jays couldn't bring people home and made some mistakes. I think the Stros can get hits. Definately can't do like Vlad Guerro and be caught on the bases.
I heard on the radio (I have not independently verified) that during this golden age, the Astros have one a ridiculous 18 of 23 games in the ALDS round, and are undefeated at home. I know we have advanced to the ALCS a billion years in a row, so this rings true. At the same time, that is an outlandish winning percentage in the ALDS and being undefeated at home in such a long stretch is incredible. All of which to say ... intellectually, this is a 60/40, 55/45 matchup and its anybody's series. BUT, until someone proves otherwise, we are going to freaking advance to the ALCS because the Astros have been and are inevitable.
