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Tri-City ValleyCats

Former 'Cats Get Their Postseason Shot

October 5, 2015 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


TROY, NY - The Major League Baseball postseason begins on Tuesday night as the New York Yankees host the Houston Astros in the American League wild-card game, and there are many former ValleyCats to keep your eye on.

Two of the most notable are 20 game winner and AL Cy Young Award candidate Dallas Keuchel, and member of the 200-hit club for the second straight season Jose Altuve. Both played with the 'Cats in 2009, and both figure to factor into the decision on Tuesday night.

Lefty ace Dallas Keuchel gets the starting nod for the Astros in the win or go home game, which will decide who moves on to play the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series.

The game will be played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, which is an important factor when you look at Keuchel's road record of 5-8 with a 3.77 ERA.

However, Keuchel has fared extremely well against the Yankees this season. In his two starts versus New York, Keuchel struck out 21 Yankee batters across 16 scoreless innings, allowing just nine hits while walking none.

Jose Altuve is coming off of a regular season in which he became the first Astro in franchise history to collect 200 hits in multiple seasons. He finished with a .313 batting average, good for third best in the American League and 10th best in the majors.

Following Altuve in the lineup is another former 'Cat, George Springer. A first round draft pick in 2011 (11th overall), Springer is one of the hottest hitting Astros heading into postseason play. In his last 10 games, Springer is batting .391 (18-for-46) with seven extra base hits, seven runs batted in, and two home runs.

Catcher Jason Castro, a 2008 ValleyCat, is the longest tenured Astro on the roster. He made his Major League debut with Houston in June of 2010, and after suffering through five losing seasons, will make his postseason debut behind the plate Tuesday night in New York.

Another guy to watch is outfielder Preston Tucker (2012 'Cat). He has struggled at the plate as of late (two for his last 13), but whether or not he starts, he's a left-handed option off of the bench for Astros manager A.J. Hinch. 2011 'Cat Matt Duffy, if he's included on the 25-man playoff roster, is another option off of the bench for Houston.

The final two former 'Cats with the Astros are both pitchers, Michael Feliz (2013) and Vincent Velasquez (2012). However, you most likely won't see them on the mound unless the Astros exhaust many of their other options in the bullpen.

Looking at the rest of the playoff picture, there are two other former 'Cats who have reached postseason play with their respective clubs, Ben Zobrist (2004) of the Royals, and Kike Hernandez (2010) of the Dodgers.

Zobrist was a trade-deadline acquisition for Kansas City, who has four years of postseason experience. He is a versatile defender who can play almost any position on the diamond, and provides a veteran presence for a club that led the American League in wins.

Aside from the many big names on the Dodgers roster such as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Jimmy Rollins and others, Kike Hernandez has also been a household name in Los Angeles this season. He quietly batted .307 in 76 games, and like Zobrist, can play almost any position in the field.

But more importantly, his youthful energy and sense of humor keeps the atmosphere light in the Dodgers clubhouse, and he plays hard whenever he's in the lineup.

So whoever you're rooting for in the 2015 MLB postseason, remember to keep tabs on those who have made their way from "The Joe" to "The Show!"

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