2023 ALCS Game One — Rangers, Astros Pregame Manager Notes
HOUSTON, Oct. 15 — The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros are facing one another Sunday night in Game One of the ALCS. This is the first time in LCS history that both teams are from the same state. Prior to the game, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and Astros manager Dusty Baker met with the media. Here are the highlights.
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Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy
- Teams managed by Bochy have won 13 of their last 14 postseason series. He said there is “no key to it” but that his players “do their thing, play well,” get a good pitch to hit, and get timely hits. “There’s no secret sauce to this, trust me.”
- The last time a Bruce Bochy-managed team played a Game One in Houston was the 1998 National League Division Series, when the San Diego Padres faced the then-National League Astros. Kevin Brown pitched for the Padres against future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson. Bochy recalled what a great matchup it was, as Brown struck out 16 in eight innings. “(He) gave us all we needed. You’re facing the Big Unit, you need your guy to pitch well, and he did that. Tight ballgame, but Kevin led the way and helped lead us to the World Series that year.”
- Jon Gray is back on the roster but is not “stretched out” enough to start, so he’ll be pitching in relief “for the most part.” Bochy said he might start in Game Four or Five, however.
- Max Scherzer will start at some point. Bochy is thinking either Game Three or Game Four, but he could be available in relief for Game One, if needed, such as if the game goes to extra innings.
Astros Manager Dusty Baker
- Baker, when asked about how crowd noise affects these games, said the energy that’s produced from the crowd noise affects the game a lot. “Hopefully, you get the crowd into it as soon as possible on your side,” he said.
“These guys are entertainers. They thrive on the energy in the building which is very difficult. The difference between now and the COVID year, when there was nobody in the stands. It was a totally different kind of feeling and ballgame. And you’ve got to produce all this on your own. But with the crowd, they help send you some positive energy, and a lot of positive results come from there.”
- The Astros went 9–4 against the Rangers in the regular season, but they know “this is a new season.” Baker said, “I’ve been on teams as a player and manager that were handled by the opposition and we end up beating them, or when I was a player I think we beat — the Phillies beat us 10 out of 12 times and then we swept them in the playoffs.
“So it’s a new time and new day. You try to use that to your advantage. But today is what counts.”
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