Offensively challenged. 92 comments


As abysmal as Rougned Odor’s 2017 season was, and it was abysmal, he would be the offensive star of the Houston Astros in this Championship Series.

That’s how bad their offense has been. Odor-rific.

Josh Reddick, 0-for-13. George Springer, 1-for14. Marwin Gonzalez, 1-for-12. Alex Bregman, 2-for-13.

Through the first four games, the Astros are batting .153, with an OPS of .474. Pitchers hit better than that.

One bases-loaded double in yesterday’s game accounted for three of the four runs the Astros scored. Other than that, they have score six runs in four games.

The post-season is when reputations are made on the positive side, and when reputations are made on the negative side. After winning the first two games of the series, Houston goes into today’s game with the Yankees the underdog. If they don’t figure out a way to start hitting, they are going back to Houston to lose this thing in front of their home crowd.

While Houston’s starters are better than New York’s, it doesn’t matter. In a seven-game series, starting pitching is the least important aspect of baseball. The post-season has become a contest of bullpens. And the New York’s bullpen is better than Houston’s.

And if New York’s offense continues being better than Houston’s, this dream season for the Astros will be over in two games.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

 

Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90) vs Masahiro Tanaka (13-12, 4.74)
Game time: 4:08 on FS1

How the Astros hit against Tanaka.
How the Yankees hit against

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Alex Wood (16-3, 2.72) vs Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53)
Game time: 8:08 on TBS

How the Dodgers hit against Arrieta.
How the Cubs hit against Wood.