Astros hire Baseball Prospectus analyst Mike Fast

By Aaron GleemanJan 24, 2012, 1:50 PM EDT
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As if hiring a sabermetrically inclined general manager in Jeff Luhnow wasn’t proof enough that the Astros are becoming a new-school organization, Luhnow just used Twitter to announce the hiring of Baseball Prospectus analyst Mike Fast:

Fast (who later confirmed the news) isn’t a household name in the baseball fan world, but in the baseball analysis world he’s a pretty big deal and the hiring is a very smart move by the Astros. And having a GM who’s so active on Twitter is pretty great too, although Luhnow may feel a little bit differently about interacting with fans if the honeymoon period gives way to another 100-loss season.

World Series Game 1 will feature Dallas Keuchel vs. Clayton Kershaw

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By Ashley VarelaOct 22, 2017, 12:15 PM EDT
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The Dodgers and Astros have selected their starters for Game 1 of the World Series. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel will open the series for the Astros, while fellow lefty Clayton Kershaw will take the mound for the first of two home games at Dodger Stadium.

Keuchel, 29, has been a steady presence for the Astros this postseason. He clinched Game 2 of the ALDS with 5 2/3 innings of one-run, seven-strikeout ball against the Red Sox and returned for his second postseason win with seven scoreless innings against the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS. He was outmatched in Game 5 of the Championship Series, however, scattering four runs and eight strikeouts across 4 2/3 innings while the Yankees worked their way up to a 5-0 shutout. Nevertheless, he’s perhaps the Astros’ strongest arm behind ALCS MVP Justin Verlander and has not surrendered a single home run in 17 1/3 consecutive innings this postseason.

Kershaw, on the other hand, has had a less consistent track record in the playoffs. While his postseason yips have been well-documented thus far, his struggles on the mound haven’t always led to disaster — at least not this time around. The Dodgers are 3-0 in all three of Kershaw’s starts this month and enjoyed a quality start from their ace during Game 5 of the NLCS last Thursday. The 29-year-old southpaw recorded his second win of the playoffs with a run, three hits, a walk and five strikeouts over six innings. Unlike Keuchel, he’s given up a home run in each of his outings to date (and four homers in Game 1 of the NLDS).

Game 1 is set for Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM ET. The Dodgers have home field advantage through Games 1 and 2 before the series moves to Houston, and will try to capitalize on that advantage in order to extend their postseason winning streak at Dodger Stadium. They’re 4-0 at home and 3-1 on the road this October, while the Astros boast a 6-0 advantage in Houston and a significantly less impressive 1-4 record away from home.