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SPORTS Wednesday 26 OctOber 2022
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Series-bound Astros keep on winning

By DAVID BRANDT and James Click. Many of
AP Sports Writer the best players from that
They’re off to the World Se- 2017 team have retired or
ries for a fourth time in six moved on to other teams.
seasons, a remarkable feat Star outfielder George
of staying power for a fran- Springer left for the Blue
chise in any era of baseball Jays. Two-time All-Star short-
history, let alone one that stop Carlos Correa signed
includes a 12-team playoff with the Twins. Right-hand-
gauntlet filled with poten- ed pitcher Charlie Morton
tial pitfalls. left for the Rays and is now
Astros pitcher Lance Mc- with the Braves.
Cullers Jr. put it succiently Altuve is among those who
on Sunday night: “This is not have witnessed it all. Now
easy.” his team is back in the
Even so, the dichotomy World Series: The Astros host
that is this generation of the Phillies in Game 1 on Fri-
Houston Astros will prob- day. “When you talk about
ably never go away. Springer, Charlie Morton,
They left no doubt that Carlos Correa, you’re talk-
they’re the best team in ing about all superstars,
the American League this and to get players to fill that
season, sweeping aside spot it’s not easy,” Altuve
slugger Aaron Judge and Houston Astros players, from left, Mauricio Dubon, Jeremy Pena, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman, said before Game 4 on Sun-
the New York Yankees in joke before Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Seattle Mariners in day. “The fact that we’re
four games after Sunday’s Houston, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. still playing really good and
6-5 victory. Associated Press being in these situations,
It should be a lovable the Astros were found to runs and wins, there was a we knew the one thing that like I said, we just have to
group. There’s pint-sized have illicitly stolen signs that hint of another emotion. we could do is we could give a lot of credit to the
star Jose Altuve, two-time season still lingers, even Grudging respect. win and we could win and front office group.” Judge
All-Star Alex Bregman, ace though 21 of the 26 players “They got better treatment win a lot,” McCullers said. “I set the AL record for hom-
right-hander Justin Verland- on this year’s ALCS roster here this time than in previ- understand people are still ers with 62 this season and
er and a slew of up-and- were not on the 2017 team. ous times here,” Baker said. not going to like us. They’re the debate raged about
coming players like ALCS Only Altuve, Bregman, Mc- “So maybe it was a differ- going to boo us, but at whether he should be con-
MVP Jeremy Peña, Yordan Cullers, Verlander and Yuli ent crowd or maybe the some point you have to re- sidered the all-time single-
Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. Gurriel remain. The quintet crowd has finally forgiven spect what we’re doing.” season record holder. Barry
There’s also Dusty Baker, has endured a firehose of things of the past.” It’s a franchise that’s kept Bonds, Mark McGwire and
the 73-year-old manager hate from fans and even That’s probably wishful rolling despite the upheav- Sammy Sosa all hit more in
who is still searching for his fellow players since the thinking.But it’s also prob- al the cheating scandal the National League, but
first World Series title and scandal was brought to ably time to admit that wrought. Manager A.J. for many, their accomplish-
the oldest man to lead a light before the 2020 sea- these Astros trash cans or Hinch and general man- ments are overshadowed
team to the Fall Classic. son. The catcalls were still no trash cans are simply re- ager Jeff Luhnow were sus- by links to performance-
And yet... heard at Yankee Stadium ally good at baseball. pended for a year by MLB enhancing drugs.
The stench of the 2017 over the past few days, but “When everything hap- and eventually fired before Now the debate will rage
cheating scandal when as the Astros piled up the pened a few years ago, being replaced by Baker about the Astros. q

AP source: Schumaker hired as manager of Miami Marlins

By TIM REYNOLDS He comes to Miami from ended, and he and the ted .278 in 1,149 games while in camp with the Pa-
AP Sports Writer St. Louis, where he spent Marlins’ front office own- while primarily playing sec- dres on a minor-league
MIAMI (AP) — Skip Schu- this season as the bench er Bruce Sherman and ond base and the outfield. deal.q

maker was a candidate coach. Schumaker had general manager Kim Ng He retired in March 2016
to take over as manager been a first-base coach agreed it would be best for
of the Boston Red Sox and and associate manager both sides not to enter into
New York Mets in recent for San Diego from 2018 a new deal.
years, only to see those through 2021, then joined That prompted a search by
clubs pick someone else. the Cardinals’ staff. Miami, and Schumaker be-
The Miami Marlins didn’t let The 42-year-old Schumaker came the pick.
him get away. takes over in Miami for Don Schumaker played in the
Schumaker has been hired Mattingly, who managed majors for 11 seasons, most-
by the Marlins to become the Marlins for seven sea- ly with the Cardinals, and
the 16th manager in fran- sons. Mattingly went 443- now gets his first manage-
chise history, a person with 587 with Miami, winning the rial opportunity with Miami
knowledge of the negotia- NL Manager of the Year which shares a spring train-
tions said Tuesday. The per- award after leading the ing complex in Jupiter, Flor-
son spoke on condition of Marlins to the playoffs in the ida, with St. Louis.
anonymity to The Associat- pandemic-shortened 2020 Schumaker was a starter
ed Press because the Mar- season. for the Cardinals team that This is a 2022 photo of Skip Schumaker, bench coach of the St.
lins had not announced Mattingly’s contract ex- won the 2011 World Series. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
the hiring. pired when this season The California native bat- Associated Press