Verlander?

[boardman]

I was trying to post this before the game began and it's gone bad already.
Did anyone else think that starting JV was a desperate move by a team that didnt have to be desperate? Is AJ scared of bringing The series finale back to Houston? I guess he's looking ahead to the rotation in the LCS but right now that seems to be a hasty move. At least he still.has an ace in the pocket. Guess that's why I'm not a MLB manager.

[Bankshot]

Calm down. The players are getting a cut of concession and merchandise sales if they bring it back for a game 5. They will close it out then.

[VitaMan]

Sounds like Verlander basically demanded to start this game

[boardman]

The way it looks now, if the Astros pull it off on Thursday and Cole pitches Verlander will.start Saturday on three days rest and Cole will start Sunday on even less rest unless they skip him and go with #3. The news is that JV talked his way into this start tonight. If they had gone with a four man rotation JV would have started game 5 leaving Cole and Greinke to start the LCS. Depending on the outcome of those two games and the fact that JV would be on full rest you would have had options for games 3 and 4. Now not so much.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

Sounds like Verlander basically demanded to start this game

That's what I'm reading

[VitaMan]

Should we be happy he got his head handed to him in the first inning ?

If stories are correct, he went above his manager.......big headed ?

[romroos]

Starting JV was AJ’s only move once Greinke couldn’t finish the 3rd.
I’m �� JV didn’t go above. None of the Stros would do that.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by romroos

Starting JV was AJ’s only move once Greinke couldn’t finish the 3rd.
I’m �� JV didn’t go above. None of the Stros would do that.

I disagree, Last night wasn't a must win. Roll a three inning starter out there and go deep in the bull pen...Hope the bats come to life. You bring your stud back to Houston, close it out and keep your rotation intact.


There is no way way Houston makes it through a 7 game series much less 2 with three starters in rotation. It's too much.


Even Atlanta had a 4th starter in the big three era. I particularly remember Kevin Millwood being able to eat up some innings.

[bbkid]

If they can't start hitting again, the number of starters won't matter! I agree that JV shouldn't have been in that game but it really didn't matter with no hitting. He didn't dig the hole so deep that they didn't have a chance.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by bbkid

If they can't start hitting again, the number of starters won't matter! I agree that JV shouldn't have been in that game but it really didn't matter with no hitting. He didn't dig the hole so deep that they didn't have a chance.

You're right, the bats went cold. I attribute that in part to the strategy of "starter by committee". The last two games the Astros batters have barely seen the same pitcher more than once through the lineup. Hopefully that will backfire on them tonight since they've now seen everything that Cash can throw at them.