Saturday Morning Hot Links

The Astros won 3-2 on a walkoff homer by Chas McCormick, despite outhitting the Mets 9-4, and drawing four walks.

-Lance McCullers threw 2IP, 2H/2ER, 2K:0BB.
-The Astros went 1x13 w/RISP.
-Carlos Correa was 2x3 with a double
-Alex Bregman was 1x3 with a walk
-George Springer was 1x3 with a walk and a stolen base

*17 of McCullers' 29 pitches went for strikes as he worked on his four-seam fastball location. LMJ:
The one thing I was working on today wasn't great, but all the other stuff I typically throw was excellent today. I've just got to keep on.

*The Astros made their first round of cuts today, sending seven pitchers to minor-league camp:
Cristian Javier, Kent Emanuel, Cionel Perez, Dean Deetz, Riley Ferrell, Brendan McCurry, and Ryan Hartman.

Dusty, on Cristian Javier:
Javier is a big-time talent. All the years I've been managing, this is probably the worst time of year for me because you're bursting bubbles out of people that are close to achieving their lifetime goal....You can't really tell them, 'You'd be the first call-up.' You don't want to lie to them or give them false hope. You want them to go down and work and don't get the big league-itis when you go down because you don't know how close you are to coming back. 

James Click, on Yordan Alvarez, who has been out since Tuesday:
This is something that he has dealt with before, and we're going to get a plan in place and we have every expectation he's going to be out there and going to be fine.

Also, Brandon Bailey (selected by the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft last December) was returned to the Astros.

*Justin Verlander is the one player the Astros can't live without.

*Myles Straw is planning on being an integral part of the Astros' season. Dusty, on Straw:
He's like three players in one. He can run, he can play different positions, and he's becoming better as a hitter. He's very valuable.

*In FanGraphs' Fantasy Shortstop Rankings, Alex Bregman (9th) outranked Carlos Correa (13th).

*Taylor Jones is making a big impression (get it, because he's 6'7") with the Astros. Jones:
Being on the 40-Man Roster, you know that you're getting close and you know they've got a plan for you and all that, so it's reassuring coming into camp. Once we got here and got rolling here, it's a good environment with Dusty being around. He provides a good players' environment where you feel comfortable.

*Today's game against the Cardinals will be available in Houston on MLB Network beginning at noon.

*SI released their Fantasy SP Rankings. Click the link for the write-ups.
2. Justin Verlander
19. Zack Greinke
47. Lance McCullers
55. Jose Urquidy
64. Josh James
118. Brad Peacock

...And Fantasy Closer Rankings:
6. Roberto Osuna
36. Ryan Pressly

*Former Astros Great Collin McHugh was introduced in Boston yesterday. On the Sign-Stealing Scandal:
You've got to be willing to stick up for what you believe in and what you believe is right and what you believe is wrong. And I think a lot of the guys on that team, including myself, are looking back and wishing we had been as brave in the moment as we thought we were beforehand.

*Jayson Stark: Managers are starting to put together strategy for the three-batter minimum rule.

*MLB's rule changes are only creating confusion for players. Click this link for more info regarding the former Angels' visiting clubhouse attendant who gave his signature pine-tar/rosin mix to pitchers.

*Aaron Judge has a broken rib and is out indefinitely. When was it broken? Apparently September 2019.

*In a wide-ranging Get Off My Lawn interview, Goose Gossage hates baseball and said Robin Yount and Paul Molitor were the best at stealing signs.

*Kris Bryant knows that, even as a rookie, he would have stepped up and stopped one of the elder statesmen of the game and his bench coach from stealing signs like the Astros did. What a hero.

*How to prepare now for the complete end of the world.

*How to tell if you have the flu, Coronavirus, or something else.

*Reddit lets users connect with one another via the Crisis Text Line partnership.

*A Musical Selection: