For the longest time I was donned by my Twitter followers
and peers the “Yankees Wizard” for my uncanny, and sometime mystical, ability
to predict what was going to happen before it happened. While my predictions
have become fewer and fewer because life has gotten so damn busy apparently it
doesn’t mean the ability is gone because I all but called that the New York
Yankees would take down the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS three weeks before
the series even began. I labeled the post “Why I’m Not Afraid of the Cleveland
Indians in the Postseason” and guess what, I’m baaaaack. This time I’m not
afraid the Houston Astros and I am prepared to tell you why. #TAKE17.
The Houston Astros starting pitching has been fantastic this
year and it only got better when the team pulled off a last minute trade to
acquire veteran right-hander Justin Verlander. The Boston Red Sox felt the
wrath of that starting pitching as well as the wrath of MVP candidate Jose
Altuve in the ALDS but the Yankees are not the Red Sox. While New York has
struggled against Dallas Keuchel throughout his young career, and to be fair
everyone in the league has, New York has done extremely well against Verlander
to the tune of the below stats. Shout out to Baseball Reference for the tables.
Verlander vs. Yankees Offense
Verlander vs. Yankees win/loss:
Verlander vs. Yankees Offense
I | Split | G | AB | R | H | 2B | HR | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 18 | 440 | 56 | 117 | 20 | 18 | 38 | 101 | .266 | .327 | .443 | .770 |
I | Split | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | HR | SO | WHIP | SO9 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 6 | 7 | 3.87 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 111.2 | 117 | 56 | 18 | 101 | 1.388 | 8.1 |
The Yankees have done well against Verlander and have done
generally well against the other Houston pitchers not named Keuchel as well.
Keuchel can’t win all four games for Houston which means the Yankees have a legitimate
chance at this thing here with the Astros. All New York has to do is get
through their starting pitching early and get to the lackluster bullpen out in
Houston and the team should have a chance to win every single night. While New
York has one of the best bullpen’s in all of MLB and in the postseason this
year the Astros do not, in fact Houston had one of the worst bullpens among all
the postseason-bound teams here in 2017.
I am not saying the Yankees are World Series bound, I’m not
saying that they aren’t either mind you, but what I am saying is that I am not
heading into this ALCS as a fan thinking my team is about to be heading home
after four-or-five games. Even seven games. I’m not worried about the Houston
Astros and I don’t believe that this young, feisty and naïve team that doesn’t
know when they should quit is either. That, my friends, is scary for the
Houston Astros. About as scary as the Yankees bullpen has been this postseason.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)