A’s Notes: Astros shrug off resentment-filled rivalry with A’s after eliminating Oakland from playoffs,
Though there was room for resentment, the Astros expressed nothing but respect for the A’s after closing out their postseason series with Oakland in four games.
Houston will take on the winner of the divisionround series between the Yankees and Rays one year after former Astros pitcher, and current A’s starter, Mike Fiers blew the whistle onHouston’s sign-stealing controversy that made them the most hated team in Major League Baseball.
A f ter expres sing throughout the season and postseason a desire to prove the haters wrong, Houston did an about-face after finishing off the A’s — aside fromawinking tweet fired off byHouston catcher Martín Maldonado shortly after the final out.
“Absolutely not,” Correa
said when asked if the controversy motivated the team. “We were motivated because we want to win. We want to bring another championship to the city of Houston. We know what it feels like, andwewanted to feel like that once again.”
DID LAUREA NO KNOW WHAT WAS COMING? » The Houston Astros know howmuch of a difference it can make when a batter knows what pitch is coming. For a brief moment in Game 4 of the ALDS, it appearedOakland A’s center fielder Ramón
Laureano also knew what that advantage felt like.
Astros starter Zack Greinke made the unusual decision to send a hand signal to his catcher Maldonado during Laureano’s at-bat, holding up two fingers. Seconds later, Laureano blasted an off-speed offering fromGreinke deep into the left center field bleachers at Dodger Stadium.
“That’s justwhat I’vebeen doing,” Greinke explained. “I just switch the pitch so that doesn’t waste time shaking off and stuff. So just a way to save some time.”
Greinke fired his slider, the pitch hung over the plate, and Laureano sent it 449 feet for a mammoth home run.
MELVIN INJURES FOOT » After picking up a foot injury in batting practice, Bob Melvin left the A’s pitching changes to pitching coach Scott Emerson in Game 4.
It was a surprising sight for A’s observers without advance notice, but Melvin downplayed the situation after the game.
“I’mfine,” he said. “I just had a little foot thing pop up during batting practice so I didn’t want to limp out there, limp back and take a bunch of time.”