DAT 8/9: I'm your streak starter

If I were in Hinch's shoes, I'd call a brief team meeting and stress one thing.

"If you swing at the first pitch with RISP, it had better result in a run driven in. Because if it doesn't, expect not to play in the next game. At least."

Being aggressive at the plate does not equal being stupid.

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Hope to see Fiers at his best with a normal start today. Guy was a real team player taking that bullet Monday.

I'd like to see lowrie bat 4th and valbuena 5th. Luis has been good as of late but it seems every time you move him up he sucks.

Agreed. Jed needs to be up there in the order for sure. He puts together the most quality ABs of anyone not named Correa. Luis is starting to hit the ball the other way some and not try to hit everything out of the yard.

Gattis needs to move back in the order until he heats up and calms down up there. Getting himself out by swinging at the first thing he sees, usually below the knees because pitchers know he will go fishing, has gotten much more frequent lately.

Altuve, Gomez and Gattis are free swingers and decent bad-ball hitters, no doubt. But when you have runners on base, the pitcher is on the ropes. Make him work, knowing that he expects you to help him as a free swinger. You can always protect with two strikes and take advantage of your ability to hit tough pitches AFTER the pitcher proves he can and will throw strikes to get ahead in the count.

And when you show people you'll be patient for awhile? They start knowing they have to throw actual strikes to get ahead of you. Then, you can attack the first pitch a little more.

They want valbuena to be the permanent option at first I guess.

I like that lineup though

He is 6 of 14 this series.

My body is a little ready.

I'll take the walk with 2 outs all day. Get on base. Never know what can happen behind you.

Astros gonna RISP