Marco's Baseball Blog-o-Roonie 2017: World Series Points to Ponder

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE 2017: WORLD SERIES POINTS TO PONDER

1/How did the Astros do it? Beat the Yankees I mean. This team had only Altuve and Correa hitting well for the ALCS, and except for Yuli Gurriel hitting .250, the rest of the lineup all hit under .200...and four guys got like one hit in the whole damn series. Springer, Reddick, McCann, Gattis, Bregman...all fell heavily to the flaccid bat syndrome.

Somehow, the Astros won four of these games because they can't seem to lose at home (6-0 in the Playoffs so far). They win 2-1 in the first two games, mainly because of Altuve and then Verlander. Then they go to New York and get totally spooked by the blood lust of the Yankee fans and the magnificence aura of the Yankee Stadium. Their bullpen was pouring gallons of gas on every Yankee rally-fire.

Then they limp home after being whipped but good in New York and pitch Verlander again. He wins in clutch fashion and a couple of Astros actually get a hit. Springer, their completely invisible leadoff hitter up til now, cuts down on his swing and gets a hit.

Then Houston gets homers from Gattis and Altuve and their two effective starters they have left, Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers...hold the Yankees to 3 hits and they win Game 7.

2/The Astros should bunt their left handed hitters when the Dodgers shift on them. Mainly because they have been so very very bad at getting on base in front of Altuve and Correa.

As a matter of fact, the Dodgers should do the same thing...don't let their left-handed hitters hit into the shift.

3/The Astros only have two left handed pitchers...Keuchel and Liriano. Liriano couldn't get anybody out in the first two Playoff series. If that continues the Dodgers will kill the Astros in the later innings after the Astro starters tire. The Astros cannot win without some help from their bullpen after McCullers. Giles gave up 8 hits and 6 runs in his appearances in the ALCS. And he's the closer. Hinch just stopped pitching anybody else after the bullpen caved at Yankee Stadium in Game 4.

4/Chris Taylor of the Dodgers just homered off Keuchel's first pitch...a “Hit-Me” medium fastball over the middle.

Omen of things to come, I'm afraid, Astro fans.

5/ The Dodgers are rested, Seager is recovered from his back ailment looks like, the bullpen is loaded and effective. They match up starter wise with Kershaw, Rich Hill and Darvish. They have a better hitting lineup as a whole. The Astros can't use the DH in L.A. The Dodgers also have the home field advantage.

The Astros will have to have at least four gallant outings from their starters...at least 7 innings. If they go to the bullpen past McCullers, they will get killed late. (Unless Colin McHugh or somebody can pitch well...nobody else looks good at all and Hinch has no faith in them) Altuve and Correa will have to stay hot and a couple of other Astros hitters have to significantly improve their production.

Still, the Astros have spirit, the city of Houston is inspired and behind them, and they can't lose at home. (That won't last.)

If the 'Stros win one at Dodger Stadium I think they can win 2 out of 3 at Minute Maid. Then they have a chance if Keuchel or Verlander or Morton/McCullers can beat the Dodgers once at Dodger Stadium in Game 6 or 7.

If the Astros lose two games to start the Series in L.A. I don't think they can recover.

I call it Los Angeles Dodgers in 7 games.

Enjoy the Series...cause nobody (and least of all me) knows exactly what's going to happen!