I don't normal believe in systems but I am going to make this my system play of the season.
2* Texas-156
1* Texas-1.5
2* Texas-156
1* Texas-1.5
I respectfully disagree with this idea. The Astros will be better than people think, especially with their vastly underrated starting pitching... 1-through-5, they can pitch. They have an emerging lineup that already contains an all-star, couple of notable veterans, promise, and a huge sleeper in Chris Carter, who could easily go for 40 home runs if he stays healthy.
But we shall see what happens
But we shall see what happens
Cats I have to disagree with you on this. I do agree that Norris and Harrell are ok, but they are facing everyone else's one and two. This Double A lineup has no chance. I am betting 50 bucks on every game this year and rolling over the amount if they win. Should be a nice 5000 dollars in the account at the end of the season. I think the Marlins are another team you could do this. Have to eat the juice, but tonight 80 to win 50 feels good, and if not I will play for 130 tomorrow and start rolling in the cash. This team will be 55-107 at the end of the year.
Ehh, you'd be surprised what they do against top-line pitchers (Although it's always possible one of them regresses). The thing to be most excited about is the depth in their rotation. Humber is acceptable as a No. 3, if he stays consistent, which I think he can. Bedard has been tremendous before and showed signs of his old self throughout last year, while rookie Brad Peacock is a VERY intriguing option at the bottom of the staff. He's someone who will be eventually at some point in his career, so why not right away? He showed me something at the end of 2011 when he first debuted and looked solid.
And I wouldn't call their lineup a Double-A lineup lol. Chris Carter, Carlos Pena, and Brett Wallace are all legit power threats. Jose Altuve is an all-star. Justin Maxwell and Rick Ankiel are always interesting. Matt Dominguez has a chance to be something significant at third base. Ronny Cedeno is somewhat serviceable for what he does, and Jason Castro is a former high-end prospect at catcher who has been mired by injures, but when he's healthy, he's shown he can rake. And I think he can stay healthy.
The bullpen is shaky to me, but other than that, this looks like a team that will win more than 60 ballgames.
Good luck with whatever plan of action you decide.
Guys I will read your comments when Im not stoned, for now thank you gyno.
adding
team total Texas Rangers over 4.5-115
adding
team total Texas Rangers over 4.5-115
I hope you are not from Houston. I am and I can see all this optimism in the air, but you are talking about Brett Wallace and Pena right??? Dominguez take him. Maxwell is a .250 hitter. Altuve is a nice little player but who says he doesn't go down in stats. Take Bedard, NBC peacock, and Phil Humber who threw a no hitter and that is all. He is another pitcher with a 5.00 ERA. Guys there is tons of money betting against the Astros(yes there is juice, but you roll over the win and you will win big money). If you don't want to bet 50 bet 20 bucks it is still 2000 bucks in your pocket. They are in the AL and it is going to be ROUGH!!!
Haha I'm not but I've followed them as closely as anyone since 2009 (Which also has a lot to do with their awesome announce team Bill Brown and Jim Deshaies, although Deshaies is no longer with the club, unfortunately. Since your from Houston, I envision you're a big Bill Brown fan as well?). Lol as for Brett Wallace, I don't know. I just think the jury is still out on him, as we've seen shades of him being a productive player in stretches, which leads me to believe he can sustain it somehow. However, to me, this is his make or break year. If nothing special happens this year, time to give up on him and ship him elsewhere.
Pena is what he is: A stopgap until the younger guys can take over. He's obviously fallen from what he once was, but if he can give a .230 batting average with his usual high-end power, that's acceptable, in my opinion. Maxwell is much more than a.250 hitter. He's a very, very poor man's Andrew McCutchen in terms of being a complete centerfielder, with a somewhat high-end ceiling. I always thought there was something special about him since his Expos days, so we'll see what he can provide now in a full year as one of the veteran leaders. Maybe that brings out the best in him.
And we're just going to have to agree to disagree on their pitching. The back-end of it, to me, is underrated and can prove something, especially Peacock. But guys like Humber and Bedard, those are legitimate Major League options in the meantime.
Should be very interesting when all is said and done.
I know it's only one game, and I'm not going to sound like one of those retards who gets all excited from one game, but damn, an impressive first showing from this new-look Astros club. Good timely hitting, nice defense (Maxwell showing it all! Just like I said, "very poor man's Andrew McCutchen") quality pitching from my boy Bud Norris... I still stand strongly by my view that this team wins 60+ ballgames, although that's not asking too much.
And an over victory for myself. A great start to the year.
And an over victory for myself. A great start to the year.
Hahah all good man. I appreciate you acknowledging my hard work.
Speaking of bud... how about that Bud Norris tonight? On the contrary, this win for him really doesn't prove anything, other than maybe the fact that he can pitch in big-game situations (Which is a moot point, because the Astros won't be in many, if any, other big games this year). As the club's ace (Feels good to say that, having been his biggest fan since he first debuted in '09), he has to show improvement on the road, or they'll be in the heap of trouble that everyone expects them to be in. He's always been good at home; the home and road splits have been VERY evident since he was a rookie. Should be interesting to see how he does in his first road performance... but kudos to Bo Porter, a first year manager, for wisely setting up the rotation in a way where Bud has extra home starts going into the all-star break (Putting him first instead of second on the staff, which would have reportedly led to more road starts for Norris. A subtle, real quality managerial move)
