gehringer_2

OK - amend that....

They wanted to keep the save in order for Holton.....

We need to get a run off Hader to make Espada think about it being possible.

I think the 4 out thing is going to be Hinch's contribution to future std practice. Old conventional wisdom was to avoid the up and down, but bring a guy in to get the one out, he's mentally more ready to start the ninth. EDIT: OK, no coal for Riley

vivo gladio, mori gladio

win or lose, after 50 pitches they won't see Blanco again.

Yeah - get rule V'd, thrown back, cut twice, work a clean inning in the playoffs a couple years later. Of course.

woo-hoo - runs them bases.

Wenceel is due

Riley earning a lump of coal in his stocking for today.

Man, he's had more than one high stress inning and is at 88 pitches. Do you send him back out? Probably not in the regular season, but who knows how Hinch is gaming this out.

Channeling Fenway

I think he was so PO'd just then he decided he needed a little time.

Randazzo owes the Tigers some calls this inning.

He's trying to inherit Javy's glove!

Randazzo decided the top of the 5th is his.

Ibanez doesn't make the turn as fast as Colt, but I don't think they turn that one unless Sweeney had charged it.

a little BaBIP luck for the Astros.

empty seats at the juice box?

Sweeney looking like quite the pick-up so far. A LH shortstop you don't have to platoon for is quite the luxury.

I think another RH bat behind Tork might have been a good idea today - or maybe Perez behind him.

jeez, Skubal didn't even get loose.

wrong

just doing my bit to deny Elon more clicks.....

True - the present tense is probably even more important in Football than Baseball, which my usual frame for thinking about analytics. Once a football game starts you are watching 20-30 individual one-on-one contests going on plus how your QB is doing and how those match-ups are playing out in real time, plus what the opposing coach does or what you believe he will do, will supersede most of what history can tell you.