*Tags: How Ryan Pressly got his groove back, and how Taylor Jones is hitting his way to a roster spot.
*Jose Altuve was thrown out trying to steal 2nd base, so I guess his leg is okay.
Astros 2019 American League Championship rings given to players & staff today include 11 baguette diamonds in the “H” representing the 11 postseason wins it took to win the AL title, 25 blue sapphires: # of home runs hit in 2019 postseason & 107 diamonds for club record 107 wins: pic.twitter.com/42AA6wGwW0— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) July 22, 2020
*The Royals' Hunter Dozier tested positive for COVID-19. He played against the Astros on Monday night. Hozier > Hunter Dozier. Dusty and the coaching staff are confident that no Astro came really anywhere near him (sick way of saying "he didn't get on base.")
*Check out Jake Kaplan's Astros 2020 Season Preview, or Do the Astros Have the Pitching To Stay On Top of the AL West?
*Then click here for McTaggart's really bold season preview.
*Here's ESPN's Baseball Writer Roundtable, with predictions and whatnot. Houston also came in at #4 in ESPN's Power Rankings.
*Mookie Betts is apparently signing a 12-year $360m extension with the Dodgers. Betts, who will be 28 in October, debuted on June 29, 2014. George Springer will be 31 in September, but also debuted just a couple of months before Betts, on April 16, 2014.
Betts: 794 games, 3629 PAs, .301/.374/.519, 134 OPS+, 139 HRs, 229 doubles, 470 RBI, 37.2 fWAR
Gerorge: 744 games, 3345 PAs, .270/.361/.488, 131 OPS+, 160 HRs, 131 doubles, 426 RBI, 24.6 fWAR.
Springer is probably the best outfielder to potentially hit free agency this off-season, now that Betts is off the board. George isn't going to get Mookie Money, but he's going to get some serious coin. Boston's Blunder: How LA got Mookie Betts for the next 13 years.
*No Astros feature in SI's MLB season preview of potential MVP and Cy Young picks.
*Dusty Baker, on protests and social justice.
*MLB and MLBPA are working on a last-minute deal to expand the 2020 postseason to 16 teams. Gotta hand it to Manfred, nobody tries to fix what doesn't need to be fixed quite like him.
*ESPN's Marly Rivera: How Gerrit Cole bought into the power of pinstripes.
*The
*Space City WX: Heads-up this weekend.
*Shoutout to the Houston Dash
.@HoustonDash beat Portland 1-0 to advance to the NWSL Challenge Cup Final on Sunday. First final in club history pic.twitter.com/7oqv9DyiGr— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) July 22, 2020
*If you have not watched "Home Game" on Netflix, specifically the first episode on "Calcio Storico," then you need to remedy that ASAP.
*A Musical Selection:
