I found this interesting and, hey, maybe you will find this interesting, too. The last time the Astros played the Nationals was August 9, 2012. Here is who played in that game:
Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes, Matt Downs, Ben Francisco, Marwin Gonzalez, J.D. Martinez, Justin Maxwell, Scott Moore, Steve Pearce, Chris Snyder, Brett Wallace; Xavier Cedeno, C.J. Fick, Lucas Harrell, Fernando Rodriguez, Mickey Storey, Wesley Wright.
17 players. Only two are still with the franchise: Altuve and Marwin. (Ed. Note: I tweeted out that Altuve was the only one left. I'm a ninny and forgot about Marwin.)
Anyhow, the Astros and Nationals split the series from 2009-2011.
Tonight will see Gio Gonzalez start the game for the Fightin' Gritties. So far Gonzalez is 3-1 with 30IP, 23H/10ER, 29K:11BB. This will be his sixth start of the season. His one bad game came at Atlanta on April 13, when he allowed 9H/6ER, 6K:4BB in 6IP. In the two starts (12IP) since, he's allowed 8H/3ER, 12K:4BB. In two starts against Houston, both in 2012, he has thrown 16IP, 11H/3ER, 15K:4BB.
In 28 PAs, current Astros hitters are hitting .320/.357/.560 off Gonzalez, let by Altuve (.500/.571/.667) and Dexter Fowler (.500/.500/1.167) and Jesus Guzman (.400/.500/.600). But those gaudy numbers come in a grant total of 19 PAs. Corporan and Marwin are a combined 0x7 against Gonzalez.
Some useful splits ("BatAh" = Batter Ahead in the Count; "PitAh" = Pitcher Ahead in the Count):
| 2014 | .211/.285/.367 | 29K:11BB |
| vs RHP | .211/.276/.347 | 25K:9BB |
| vs LHP | .214/.333/.500 | 4K:2BB |
| Road | .261/.333/.565 | 12K:5BB |
| BatAh | .412/.556/.853 | 6K:11BB |
| PitAh | .056/.053/.111 | 17K:0BB |
| RISP | .261/.345/.565 | 8K:3BB |
Jarred Cosart takes the mound for the Astros, looking to be more like the April 23 starter who went 6.2IP, 4H/2ER, 4K:3BB and not the April 18 starter who went 0.1IP, 3H/7ER, 0K:4BB. If you're interested in manipulating the numbers to say that Cosart is a front-line pitcher, we can do that by removing his start against the A's. In the four starts that didn't include Oakland, Cosart has thrown 24.2IP, 14H/10ER, 19K:9BB. That's not too shabby.
He's never faced the Nationals, of course.
