gigem1223 said:

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Kind of like your obsession with Joey Gallo.

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Hadn't realized he was THAT guy until your post.

I think if you know anything about physics and the conservation of momentum, you'd be hard pressed to believe Altuve doesn't juice.

Consider:
5'6"/167 lbs
Arm length
Bat length and weight

He is at a disadvantage when it comes to rotational velocity (arm length+bat length). The muscle mass to swing the same weight bat as a guy 6'4" is just not easily amassed on a 5'6" frame.

When people use language like:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Jose-Altuve-s-hitting-is-art-but-it-s-14515230.php

Quote:

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It's our expectations, they say, that are befuddled by Altuve's excellence.

"He has signals that go to his brain to his arms quicker than other people, and he can react to them," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He sees things like no one else sees things. It involves eyes, the way people are wired and their physical abilities.

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Quote:

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"Strength researchers talk about relative strength. I would imagine that Jos Altuve has a very high strength to body mass ratio, and he's able to make the most of his stature."

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Quote:

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"Pound for pound, he is the strongest guy in the clubhouse. He is a strong human being," Correa said. "He's fast. His legs are strong. He can squat more than anybody in the weight room. He can do maybe 20 pullups in a row, and nobody else can do that in here.

"His power is insane, and he can transfer it to the ball. Call it what you want, but the man is good."

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I don't disagree with any of that. But, the last time they were talking about special phsical pound-for-pound power... they were talking about guys like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa.

Can a guy like Altuve carry the muscle mass necessary to generate the number of HRs throughout an entire season without his body breaking down?

Look no farther than the 2017 season. It was a season in which at least 3... 4 MLB teams were called out for sign stealing. Boston. NYY. Houston. I don't care about the sign stealing, per se. Altuve won the MVP that season. He beat out players on his team for MVP and were getting the sign information. Judge was MVP-2, I believe. Dude was getting signs and Altuve was #1) Not of the character of a sign-stealer and everyone professes that he was not involved... AND #2) Not juicing?

Here is a secret... when MLB gave the "Therapeutic Use Exemption" (TUE) exemption, they saw something like 30+% of MLB suddenly diagnosed with ADD. This article indicates it is down to 9% in 2015, which the article says is still twice the normal population:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/12/01/mlb-joint-drug-report-therapeutic-use-exemptions-adderall/76634278/

Baseball is a game in which kids with ADD get weeded out pretty early. Agreed? So, to see the population equal would seem odd, let alone twice the level.

So, whether he is legally or illegally using something will be left to the skeptics. MLB found A-Rod tested positive in 2003 when he won the MVP with the Rangers. They hid it. MLB has done everything possible to build distrust with fans, including using juiced balls in some park with some teams, including the Yankees and Judge.

He is almost 34 and likely past what most consider peak (27-33) for a MLB player.

Does Adolis juice? I have said any LATAM player (and specifically the DR) is 50/50, in my view, as to whether they juice or not. Cuba. Venezuela. All possible. And I can't say I blame them.

I've mentioned Dave Valle's ministry Esperanza in the DR. His testimony was when he was sent to play there, kids were there begging for food and he grew fond of helping one day.

There are plenty of articles about how MLB is really hurting the DR. Young boys in the DR finish up their "school" around 12... 13 and try to get into these baseball academies. Then, it is baseball baseball baseball. The dream is to sign a contract for $10K+ which will be more than they could ever imagine. If they don't, they end up like Blanco working at a car wash in his early 20s... IF they are lucky. Most never get an education, nor a trade and remain in poverty.

So, if you look at Adolis. Or Blanco. Or any other player from LATAM, they have likely done whatever they needed to in order to get off the island.

So, yes... Altuve likely uses something legally or illegally than is restricted by MLB. Maybe he just gets ringworm a lot... or he is "ADD."

But, don't give me this **** that he is the only person ever to be able to do what he is doing. Lance Armstrong knew his competition was juicing because he was juicing and they were beating him.

I've played too much ball (of every kind) and taken too much science.

agent-maroon said:

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gigem1223 said:

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Kind of like your obsession with Joey Gallo.

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Hadn't realized he was THAT guy until your post.

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tjack16 said:

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Quincey P. Morris said:

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John Armfield said:

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LOL @ the "World Champs"

and do you dummies really think Altuvie juices?

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Do you really think Adolis does?

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I don't believe any of them are until they test positive. If the MLB wasn't afraid to suspend Tatis when he was at the height of his popularity for PEDs then they wouldn't spare Altuve and Adolis.

So no I don't think Adolis is. He's just insanely strong like many professional athletes are

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I take a different approach. You have got to be incredibly lazy or stupid to test positive for PEDs in MLB.

Sure, they suspended Tatis Jr. He was 23. It may have been on the ascending popularity, but he is nothing compared to what he will be in a couple years... or where he would have been. Ringworm? Really?

MLB doesn't care. The fact they now allow a TUE is sad. Chris Davis hit 53 HRs in 2013. At the start of the 2014 season, he tested positive for Adderall. He wasn't suspended for using Adderall. He had a TUE to use it in 2013. He was suspended because he either forgot... or was too lazy to renew it for 2014. Had he renewed it, he wouldn't have been suspended. He hit 47 HRs in 2015. Do you think he used Adderall? 100% he did.

This is the same problem I had in the mid-90s when hit came to juicing, only now... MLB gets to decide whom they are going to allow to juice and who they are not. It is like NIL. Before, only teams/players creative enough to hide it were involved. Now, the league sanctions it with silly little meaningless rules.

Ok... I'm going to step off my soap-box and probably get a drink.

The Porkchop Express said:

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gigem1223 said:

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Kind of like your obsession with Joey Gallo.

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Joey Gallo's balls.

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Apparently they run through your mind 24/7

The Porkchop Express said:

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agent-maroon said:

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gigem1223 said:

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Kind of like your obsession with Joey Gallo.

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Hadn't realized he was THAT guy until your post.

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Telling myself, "Don't break eye contact. Don't break eye contact. Don't break eye contact..." as I feel around behind my back for the knob on the exit door...

So... Altuve is Spanish for Bunyon?!

Altuve must have little man syndrome using that long bat. At least he's one of those little guys that can back it up.

South Platte said:

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When Altuve is in a groove, he's nearly impossible to get out. He barrels up everything and wears out left center to the left field line. He uses a 40" bat that weighs 10 lbs and he whips it around like the stick your toddler found on a walk.

Most of us from dfw long for the day he retires.

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There was a documentary years back where he said that he grew up meeting his friends in a sand parking lot. They played baseball with a bottle cap and a stick. Certainly helped with the hand eye coordination it seems.

Mr Gigem said:

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At least we all have common ground with our Ags being No. 1 this morning

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Are you so sure? The two seasons the Aggies have made it to Omaha since joining the SEC the Astros have won the World Series later that year.

Now nothing is certain with the Ags, running into a hot pitcher or your ace having an off night during regionals can quickly derail a run to Omaha but the Fightin' Texas Aggies are lookin' pretty good.

Vlad Guerrero (Sr) had a similar game they played which he says is the reason he can hit almost any pitch.

Here is his son Jr. which is likely what you are referencing and similar to what Sr was known to have played.



When I was in HS ('80s) we used a thin weighted bat and plastic golfballs. Something like this:

Is this considered unique, new, or innovative? Cause our coach was a moron.

Heineken-Ashi said:

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South Platte said:

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When Altuve is in a groove, he's nearly impossible to get out. He barrels up everything and wears out left center to the left field line. He uses a 40" bat that weighs 10 lbs and he whips it around like the stick your toddler found on a walk.

Most of us from dfw long for the day he retires.

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There was a documentary years back where he said that he grew up meeting his friends in a sand parking lot. They played baseball with a bottle cap and a stick. Certainly helped with the hand eye coordination it seems.

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Also imagine if he did was he was told and didn't come back to the 2nd day of tryouts when he was asked not to come back. I wonder how many hall of fame caliber players have been lost to that scouting system because of lack of opportunities

jkag89 said:

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Mr Gigem said:

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At least we all have common ground with our Ags being No. 1 this morning

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Are you so sure? The two seasons the Aggies have made it to Omaha since joining the SEC the Astros have won the World Series later that year.

Now nothing is certain with the Ags, running into a hot pitcher or your ace having an off night during regionals can quickly derail a run to Omaha but the Fightin' Texas Aggies are lookin' pretty good.

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But the Ags lost both times in Omaha, no?

Now, consider they make it after the Rangers have won the WS... the Ags are better poised to win the CWS... and bookend that with a Rangers back-to-back WS Championship.

You guys got pretty quiet on Altuve. No rebuttal? No defense?!

Let's move on to your GM.

This is a terrible take in any season. This season? What a moron with any self-awareness. The only dumber statement would be to say the guys are just tired after 7 consecutive post-seasons without realizing the best performer so far is likely the only guy you can actually claim that statement.

"Imagine having FIVE starters on the IL. We lead the league in IL time. These teams are all good. We're fine. We can still pitch, we can still defend and we can still hit. I'll let you know when to panic." - Astros GM Dana Brown with us on @SportsTalk790 @SeanUnfiltered

— Brian LaLima (@BLima790) April 17, 2024

I'll help:

10IL
Lowe - Missed all 18G

15IL
Bradford
Scherzer - Missed all 18G
Sborz - Got 3G
Hernandez - Missed all 18G
Burke

60IL
Mahle - Missed all 18G
Coleman - Missed all 18G
deGrom - Missed all 18G
Jung - Played 4G
Foscue

And Seager missed all of ST.

We've had injuries and I still expect the Rangers to have done better and they need to play better with whomever they have. "That's how Baseball Go."

DallasAg 94 said:

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You guys got pretty quiet on Altuve. No rebuttal? No defense?!

Let's move on to your GM.

This is a terrible take in any season. This season? What a moron with any self-awareness. The only dumber statement would be to say the guys are just tired after 7 consecutive post-seasons without realizing the best performer so far is likely the only guy you can actually claim that statement.

"Imagine having FIVE starters on the IL. We lead the league in IL time. These teams are all good. We're fine. We can still pitch, we can still defend and we can still hit. I'll let you know when to panic." - Astros GM Dana Brown with us on @SportsTalk790 @SeanUnfiltered

— Brian LaLima (@BLima790) April 17, 2024

I'll help:

10IL
Lowe - Missed all 18G

15IL
Bradford
Scherzer - Missed all 18G
Sborz - Got 3G
Hernandez - Missed all 18G
Burke

60IL
Mahle - Missed all 18G
Coleman - Missed all 18G
deGrom - Missed all 18G
Jung - Played 4G
Foscue

And Seager missed all of ST.

We've had injuries and I still expect the Rangers to have done better and they need to play better with whomever they have. "That's how Baseball Go."

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What would you like the GM to say, "We're playing like **** OMG I quit?" Softball interviews on radio stations are worthless.

Altuve, you say? Altuve's better than the top 10 rangers of all time combined (Joey Gallo excluded). Happy now?

I was never a fan of Gallo... preferred Odor... now THAT is a 2B'er with POP.

But, Altuve can't be better than A-Rod, Raffy, Jose Canseco, Chris Davis, Nellie Cruz OR Adolis Garcia.... can he?

If so, you would probably have to think Altuve would beat Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France?!

Our GM CY was on the radio this week and was asked about recent woes. He said, our team is really disappointed that they haven't performed to the level of expectations." Followed by I don't make excuses. The players know they need to do better. (Loosely translated)

2:40 mark for the question
5:05 comments about performance

He was then asked about Burke (RP) punching a wall and breaking his hand.
right after the comments above at 5:05. I think everyone can relate.

https://www.audacy.com/1053thefan/sports/texas-rangers/chris-young-on-rangers-injuries-potential-leiter-call-up

DallasAg 94 said:

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I was never a fan of Gallo... preferred Odor... now THAT is a 2B'er with POP.

But, Altuve can't be better than A-Rod, Raffy, Jose Canseco, Chris Davis, Nellie Cruz OR Adolis Garcia.... can he?

If so, you would probably have to think Altuve would beat Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France?!

Our GM CY was on the radio this week and was asked about recent woes. He said, our team is really disappointed that they haven't performed to the level of expectations." Followed by I don't make excuses. The players know they need to do better. (Loosely translated)

2:40 mark for the question
5:05 comments about performance

He was then asked about Burke (RP) punching a wall and breaking his hand.
right after the comments above at 5:05. I think everyone can relate.

https://www.audacy.com/1053thefan/sports/texas-rangers/chris-young-on-rangers-injuries-potential-leiter-call-up

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Through in Pudge and you've got the Magnificent Steroid Seven

Pudge. Juan-Do... we have many to choose from.

Are the Astros the best 6-14 team in baseball?

I'd say they are. They have Blanco flirting with no hitters every time he goes out. Altuve is hitting well. And the team has high xBA. Also umpires have it out for them if you look at umpire score cards.

If Bregman can return to his 2017 form, look out!!

South Platte said:

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Holy crap, Astros. Get it together. It's not this hard to win baseball games. You know at some point the wins will come in bunches but this is laughable.

Where would you be without picking up Blanco from the line of immigrants filing through Eagle Pass?

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Nah... Blanco was out in the Players Lot washing cars when they found him.

Quote:

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If only our Astros could play the Rangers more...

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On pace to get you 7 wins for the season. How many times do you play Toronto?

As poorly as this season is going, I'm willing to risk ALCS flashbacks for a better than 50-50 shot at a W.

Serious question for the Astros fans.

What exactly is happening? 20 games in isn't exactly a small sample size at this point as it accounts for 12% of the season. Do you see long term issues that can't be fixed, or is this just an unfortunate timing of things going wrong?

It sucks to be wasting a white hot start for Altuve. Seems like each year us Rangers fans or other fanbases are thinking, "Surely this'll be there year that Altuve starts his decline." But dammit if he doesn't just keep coming out and proving himself year after year.

Also, where does Jose Abreu rank on biggest busts regarding free agent signing.

I swear I'm not dogpiling, it's honestly just one of the biggest mysteries of the season so far regarding y'all's record.