Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2011 18:30:36 GMT -5
[shadow=red,left,300]Seattle Mariners (47-41) @ Houston Astros (50-38)[/shadow]
SEA: Jair Jurrjens (8-6, 4.28 ERA)
HOU: Clayton Kershaw (10-6, 3.24 ERA)
At the beginning of the season, it appeared the Mariners would be able to coast to an AL West Championship. Nobody expected NL Central transplant Houston to be leading the division after the All-Star Break, but here we are, 88 games in, with the Astros in first and the Mariners in second.
Seattle is a proven commodity with decent pitching and explosive hitting. The Mariners have seven players with at least nine home runs and a collective OPS of .794, second in the AL. Jair Jurrjens is popular player. He makes his third start as a Mariner after five and a half years in Tampa Bay. His first start was a rough one, getting touched up a bit by Bryan Pena and Kansas City, but he worked 6.1 scoreless frames in his last start, navigating 11 baserunners without allowing one to score.
However, the Astros are an unknown team. They have very little star power, and the worst offense in the AL. Aside from second year player Julio Duarte and young star Emilio King, the Astros offense is a who's-who of rookies, mediocrities, and disappointing veterans, prompting the team to trade promising pitcher Aiden Koman for Austin Gallagher.
While Houston's hitting has been inept, the team has the best starting staff in the league. The revival of tonight's starter, Clayton Kershaw, has been a major reason why.
In exactly 100 innings, Kershaw has allowed only 65 hits, with hitters batting .186 off him. Lefties have been particularly hopeless, batting .129 off Kershaw. He's been helped by a stellar bullpen that features no fewer than five lottery draft picks. Douglas Cluff has anchored the pen allowing an absurd one earned run in 41 innings.
Still, the pitching hasn't mattered much in previous games against Seattle. Houston is 1-3 against the Mariners scoring no more than one run in three of the four games.
Questions for the GM's:
Sam East, you've seen two shaky starts from Jair Jurrjens so far. He's been traded from a contender which raises some suspicions. Is he still a pitcher who can get you over the hump?
You're facing a pitcher who has been untouchable by lefty hitters, but who'll walk a statue if you give him a chance. Will you adjust your lineup to reflect this?
Houston just made a trade for Austin Gallagher. Give us a scouting report on Gallagher and how you'll work to him.
For Mike Meagher in your first loss to Seattle you had a runner on second base five times and failed to score all five times. In your second loss you stranded seven on base, hit into two double plays, and had a caught stealing. Yesterday you managed just three hits and had a caught stealing. What are you going to do to create more offense?
Your bullpen is certainly impressive. Have you entertained the thought of shipping some pieces out to get more hitting, or is Gallagher as far as you'll go.
Your playing Sang-chul Park at first base, though he hardly has any power. What is your future at the first base position and does Park play a part in that future at all?
SEA: Jair Jurrjens (8-6, 4.28 ERA)
HOU: Clayton Kershaw (10-6, 3.24 ERA)
At the beginning of the season, it appeared the Mariners would be able to coast to an AL West Championship. Nobody expected NL Central transplant Houston to be leading the division after the All-Star Break, but here we are, 88 games in, with the Astros in first and the Mariners in second.
Seattle is a proven commodity with decent pitching and explosive hitting. The Mariners have seven players with at least nine home runs and a collective OPS of .794, second in the AL. Jair Jurrjens is popular player. He makes his third start as a Mariner after five and a half years in Tampa Bay. His first start was a rough one, getting touched up a bit by Bryan Pena and Kansas City, but he worked 6.1 scoreless frames in his last start, navigating 11 baserunners without allowing one to score.
However, the Astros are an unknown team. They have very little star power, and the worst offense in the AL. Aside from second year player Julio Duarte and young star Emilio King, the Astros offense is a who's-who of rookies, mediocrities, and disappointing veterans, prompting the team to trade promising pitcher Aiden Koman for Austin Gallagher.
While Houston's hitting has been inept, the team has the best starting staff in the league. The revival of tonight's starter, Clayton Kershaw, has been a major reason why.
In exactly 100 innings, Kershaw has allowed only 65 hits, with hitters batting .186 off him. Lefties have been particularly hopeless, batting .129 off Kershaw. He's been helped by a stellar bullpen that features no fewer than five lottery draft picks. Douglas Cluff has anchored the pen allowing an absurd one earned run in 41 innings.
Still, the pitching hasn't mattered much in previous games against Seattle. Houston is 1-3 against the Mariners scoring no more than one run in three of the four games.
Questions for the GM's:
Sam East, you've seen two shaky starts from Jair Jurrjens so far. He's been traded from a contender which raises some suspicions. Is he still a pitcher who can get you over the hump?
You're facing a pitcher who has been untouchable by lefty hitters, but who'll walk a statue if you give him a chance. Will you adjust your lineup to reflect this?
Houston just made a trade for Austin Gallagher. Give us a scouting report on Gallagher and how you'll work to him.
For Mike Meagher in your first loss to Seattle you had a runner on second base five times and failed to score all five times. In your second loss you stranded seven on base, hit into two double plays, and had a caught stealing. Yesterday you managed just three hits and had a caught stealing. What are you going to do to create more offense?
Your bullpen is certainly impressive. Have you entertained the thought of shipping some pieces out to get more hitting, or is Gallagher as far as you'll go.
Your playing Sang-chul Park at first base, though he hardly has any power. What is your future at the first base position and does Park play a part in that future at all?