The Astros are the baseball version of a Dusty Baker Spotify playlist ⚡️ Tom Verducci’s Daily Cover story, on the World Series championship both Houston and its manager needed:
What happened after that was one of the most remarkable displays of pitching power and precision ever witnessed in a World Series, at least against a lineup with the DH. Over the next three games, Houston outscored Philadelphia 12–3 while holding the Phillies to a .101 batting average and striking out 38 batters., who threw with such cold-blooded poise as a minor leaguer he was nicknamed El Reptil. Javier throws fastballs as if skimming river rocks across still waters.
Says Maldonado, “I’ve never seen a staff like this one, the way we can strike guys out. At the same time, I give a lot of credit to the analytical people; the pitching coach, Justin Miller; even Dusty and the coaching staff. I would say they prepared all year for us to pitch like this in the postseason.”
Maldonado’s heads-up hit by pitch started the sixth-inning rally that ultimately decided the World Series.Kyle Schwarber had barely finished his trot around the bases after smashing a Valdez sinker for a sixth-inning home run and a 1–0 Philadelphia lead in Game 6 when an idea came to Maldonado, the Astros’ wise catcher, a pitching-whisperer sort.
. He must be to get 3,313 plate appearances while hitting .209. It is the worst batting average in baseball history for anyone who came to the plate so much. But as smart as Maldonado is behind the plate, he proved equally sharp in the batter’s box. Instead of taking his usual spot toward the middle of the box, Maldonado nestled up to the chalk line next to the plate, practically daring Wheeler to hit him with that sinker.
“I’ve got to get on base for the guys behind me,” Maldonado says. “I know Altuve is going to put the ball in play, Jeremy’s been hot and Yordan is our best hitter.”
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