Breathin' Orange Fire

I write a Substack on the Astros that sketches out my thoughts and analysis in greater detail than social media allows. I'd ask each of you to consider subscribing to the Substack--it is and always will be free. orangefire.substack.com

One man's thought.

An #Astros fun fact

1. The President of my College was a higher up in the Justice Department during the Obama Administration.

The top team this season in the NL. The top team this season in the AL. The World Series matchup we deserve. Let's get it.

Some have assumed that nothing will happen with transactions until after the lockout ends. That was not what happened in 2021-22 (e.g. Verlander signed with the Astros in late November), and it's not what is expected to happen this year. www.nytimes.com/athletic/771...

A reminder that Jim Crane thinks his GM should be an important functionary rather than the head of the baseball operations department. This move undercut a man they haven't even hired yet.

The restaurant where they are out of you.

There's already an incessant narrative about this Brewers/Rays World Series being a meeting of "underdogs" despite having their leagues' best records this year and sustained regular season success over the last decade. A good reminder that a lockout isn't about parity - it's just wage suppression.

The issues with the Astros over the last few seasons--lack of young stars, poor farm system, inefficient free agent spending, Jim Cranes influence--are all front office issues. Yet Joe Espada is paying the price for that. My thoughts: orangefire.substack.com/p/joe-espada...

The World Series will match the small market Brewers with the small market Rays or Guardians. If Rob Manfred was capable of human emotions, he'd be devastated.

The Brewers were the best team in the NL all season. And that stood up over the last 4 games.

3 games this week do not prove that the Brewers are better than the Dodgers. But the fact the Brewers won more games over 162 does. #NotSurprised

Having a bullpen of death is such a weapon in the postseason. C.F. 2022 Astros 2026 Brewers

You're always "dealing" until the moment you are not.

Go for it, Joe. You owe Jim Crane as much respect as he gives you. Which is of course zero.

Is Joe Espada still the manager? Are the Astros interviewing GM candidates? Is Jim Crane awake? The big questions surrounding the Astros on this day.

Is Joe Espada still the manager/Do the #Astros even have a front office? Enters Week 2

All sorts of bad things will no doubt happen in the world soon enough but at least we're not going to have to endure a Dodgers/Yankees World Series this year.

A good reminder...we've had no reporting since the end of the season on the Astros GM search. Heck, we haven't even heard what they're going to do with Joe Espada.

Republicans Super PAcs are spending a lot of money, but it's unlear they are spending that money in a useful way. @jonathanbernstein.bsky.social

orangefire.substack.com/p/what-type-...

Meyers is as good as gone from this list. Sousa and Trammell are also candidates to be non-tendered, but their low salaries mean there is little financial benefit to doing so.

So we can ask this question now. We haven't heard anything about the search for a new GM. What's up there?

I don't know how many innings Lambert can go, but in the ideal, it's him, Abreu, and Hader the rest of the way. I assume Lambert will start the 6th at this point. If he can get through that inning, it makes it easier to go to Abreu next.

Paredes at DH. Nick Allen starts.

I got anxious hoping they'd get to the playoffs because it would offer something positive in an otherwise dreary season. Now that we're here, the playoffs are all langniappe. Fuck it, we ball.

orangefire.substack.com/p/youre-tell...

Eyes emoji

I assume the goal here is a time through the order. But can go with AJB as long as he is effective. He's not limited. Puts more pressure in the 6th and 7th inning when Blubaugh usually pitches.

Proposition: the Astros would be better off starting Nick Allen at 2B; Altuve at DH; Yordan in LF at Daiken Park. That improves defense at 2B, and over the course of the season, Allen outhit our LF options (Trammell; Wade, etc.).

Fun fact. Lucas Spence finished 2nd on the Astros in OPS+. Behind Yordan (duh) but ahead of Paredes and Pena. #Mantle2:ElectricBoogaloo

Much like Sunday, the plan here is to work backwards. Expect 4 innings from Blubaugh, Abreu, and Hader. The question becomes how can they piece it together through the first 5 innings. Like Sunday, it would really help if they scored 9 runs.