There have been World Series champions that were dependent on starting pitching. We’ve seen an instance where the Arizona Diamondbacks were dependent on Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling back in 2001. That’s a long time ago, and it’s possible that could happen again.
The Astros pitching starting staff has been compromised. Game 1 is Morton vs. Framber Valdez. Max Fried goes in Game 2 and Ian Kennedy in Game 3. For Houston, it’s not that certain and they probably won’t decide until Game 2 is over with.
Morton won a World Series with the Astros in 2017. Morton is loaded with postseason experience, and that can loom large. He’s pitched in 12 series with a 7-4 record and a 3.45 ERA. He is a money pitcher and that’s a valuable thing to have this late in the season and late in his career at the age of 37.
The Astros have a lineup to be feared, so pitching is the only way to have a chance. I think the Braves bullpen did shock the Los Angeles Dodgers in that last game. Maybe they can do it again.
In his two NLCS appearances, Freddie Freeman hit four home runs, drove in 10, and hit .326. I feel like he could be their most important hitter. Let’s not forget that Jorge Soler will be able to be the DH up to four times in this series. He’s a lot better hitter as a DH than when he’s forced to play the field.
- Ep. 197: Fields to Pittsburgh, Still Available Free Agentsby Full Press Coverage on March 18, 2024 at 8:00 pm
If the Braves win this, it has to be in six.
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deGrom Up For a Silver Slugger Award
Jacob deGrom has some hardware in his closet including two consecutive Cy Young Awards. If he wasn’t injured he would likely have won a third in 2021. This season the Mets ace hit .364 with a .758 OPS. Even with the time, he missed he has an excellent chance to win.
Luis Rojas Interviewing In San Diego
The Padres are looking for a manager, and they are interviewing former Mets skipper, Luis Rojas. A nice guy who all the players like, mainly because he never holds them accountable, could be good for a team that has ego-driven players like Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. He will make them feel like the most important players on the team and they won’t ever do anything wrong in his eyes. I’m not sure it will translate into more wins, but it will keep the two from yelling at each other in the dugout with the cameras rolling.