Archive for the ‘Morgan Ensberg’ Category

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Astros, Women, Baseball And Stats

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

How’s THAT for a covering just about anything entry title???!!!

Sorry I haven’t written a new entry for a week or 2, but between work, kids being sick, Dog being sick, bad weather and lack of new Astros news, well, these things happen.

Richard Justice says that Ed Wade is not going to sign anyone else, which means that there may be a few NRIs to ST, or perhaps trades during ST which don’t cost the Astros any money, but basically, what you see is what you get. Merry Sunn-Shynne is still on vacation, so her cheery guest entry about how great the Astros will be is still pending.

I wanted to link to Morgan Ensberg’s latest entry, on women. That is, women baseball fans – and he is the exact opposite of the Tiger Woods/Ben Rothlisfool/Brett Farverite type of athlete who respects only a female’s ability to remove clothes and assume the appropriate reproductive function position. Morgan is unique in my experience of chatting with all KINDS of males or every age and color since I first started posting/commenting on the internet in 2002. He says that his reason for writing his column is to teach/explain baseball to fans. He answers every single comment AND he talks to female fans the same way that he talks to male fans.

Yes, I am serious. He talks to us as human beings (who cares wbout what they look like) who like/love baseball and really WANT to learn more. There is absolutely no, and I mean NO undercurrent of patiently patronizing all the maroon females who for some reason don’t happen to know the intracacies of positioning third basemen with each pitch. Or even ask why lefties can’t play second base. Or, why doesn’t the infield fly rule apply to foul popups? Or how can a batter interfere with a catcher if he swings at a pitch and hits it? None of the usual – let’s call it – exasperation (ahem) answering what may be to him, elementary sorts of questions. And this is a guy who played major league baseball and was an All-Star.

I would say that the most important thing that Morgan has taught me is – people are like baseball – youneverknow – and you might could guess, based on “best information” what they are like, but so many times you are just flat out dead wrong.

And speaking of guesses on best information, I’ve never understood the whole fantasy baseball writing obsession. The guys (I can’t find even ONE female who writes fantasy ball formulas) who write these difficult, intricate formulas, which require an extraordinary capacity for math and computers are, well, by definition stat geeks. So why are they obsessed with a gambling game whose 5 categories are comprised by 5 statistical categories – old ones, such as ERA, Wins, Saves, RBI, BA – which they think are outmoded and insignificant? An absolutely AMAZING amount of work and time is dedicated to predicting what player X is supposed to do this year, or what he is “worth.”

Once, I asked a brilliant (well, he is) stat geek to try to explain to me how he arrived at the numbers he did. He told me it would be a waste of his time (and mine) because I am incapable of understanding even the simplest part of the formula (which is true) but made me feel even stupider than I already am. Morgan would have at least tried.

And speaking of trying,

I have no idea how close Drayton is to selling the club. Thing I worry about is that most likely, within this or next year, 2 marquee franchises, the Dodgers (the McCourts never should have been allowed to buy it in the first place because of the fact that they lacked any solid financing) and the Mets (due to the fact that it looks as if the Wilpons are up to the tips of their noses in the cesspool of Bernie Madoff’s swindles and will be unable to extricate themselves, let alone with enough money (after the lawsuits) to run the franchise) and I would guess, that unless Drayton lowers his price enough to attract mid-market type investors, that he is going to be waiting until after those two sell. Yes, I’m just guessing, based on my observation that in general, hot and glamorous gets more attention than the average.

I have also heard tell that season ticket sales are not exactly moving themselves, and I wonder how much attendance is going to drop.

In other news, Andy Pettitte retired today – for real, I mean, not just his yearly thinking about it. Made me remember the 03/04 offseason, how much excitement his signing, then the possibility of Roger signing, created. Filled the news – seriously. And during stupor bowl season, too. Remember? Seems like yesterday.

Now, basically nothing. The only “news” is waiting to see if Hunter Pence is going to beat Tal Smith at arb (and I bet he doesn’t, based on what other similar guys have been getting, and based on the fact that Tal Smith loses about as often as I get phone calls from Grady Sizemore), and betting on how fat Clank is gonna be when he finally gets around to bother to go to Spring Training.

Only a few more weeks until Pitchers and Catchers report and I am counting the seconds. It always seems like THAT is the real beginning of the year – a new hope, even when you don’t have any substantial reason to have any. There’s just something about baseball makes you feel right when you see players trotting out on that beautiful, impossibly green grass to throw and catch balls. You can never stop thinking – I could do that – or – I wish I could do that. The end of winter, drab, cold, boring stuff like football. The start of something timeless, all over again.

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Posted in Morgan Ensberg | 11 Comments »

3/22/10: Morgan Ensberg Tells It Like It Is

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

What was it Jim Bouton said about baseball – something like – here and you thought you had a grip on baseball and all the time baseball had a grip on you?

Like the old song (almost) sez:

I Can’t Quit You, Baseball,
and I cain’t put you down for awhile.
Said you know I love you, baseball,
my love for you I could never hide.
Oh, when I find my self at a baseball game,
I know The Game’s my one desire.
When you hear me moaning and groaning,
you know it hurts me deep down inside to be gone.

(apologies Robert Plant and Jimmie Page)

Mo Ensberg looked for a job in baseball, couldn’t find one, so decided to spend his time (free) talking baseball WITH fans. So far, so honest. But, you know, I hope that his wanting to talk, to teach, isn’t breaking some kind of Omerta with The Powers That Be. Baseball people always talk in cliches, boring BORING stupid sounding cliches, never explaining, just engaging in endless circuitous “logic” if you can even call it that.

And now is the time of year that we get to hear some of the baseball writers and their usual outpouring of dislike of and resentment to those people who play with baseball numbers – both fantasy and professional statisticians (such as Tom Tango and Dan Szymborski.)

I’ve always wondered exactly why so many media baseball writers and columnists are so all fired eager to insist that absolutely NOTHING of any value WHATSOEVER could possibly be learned from stats or any sort (except for the old ones – RBI and batting average) and that anything that any baseball team could possibly want to know is already known by Those Infallible Scouts. And, of course, by implication, the BBWAA.

Is it just one of the endless manifestations of the “Back In My Day Ever Thang Was The Way Things Were Supposed To Be” syndrome? When didn’t nobody but Us Baseball Writers get to know anything? Or, perhaps, WRITE anything? When the baseball players, unless they were supadupa stahs had to kiss Writer butt to make them look good in the paper?

I’m sure that plays a part.

But after the Olympics, I got to thinking bout something somewhat different. I love watching the Men’s figure skating. Perfect bodies, skin tight costumes, graceful athletic movements – can’t beat it. But, these magnificent athletes (oh YES they are) are not participating in a SPORT, but rather in a competition that is judged. A great deal of the final score is the “artistic” component, which is determined ONLY by what each judge FEELS. There is no safe/out, there is no in/out of bounds, just opinion based on experience and personal taste. There is absolutely no absolute meaning of “artistic” or “graceful.”

Perhaps the translation of “artistic” in the world of baseball is our old friends, Mystique and Aura. Perhaps the fear is that numerical determinations of players, positioning, pitches, everything else, will make The Game too computer-like, with no place for the artistry, which is our other old friends, “Intangibles”, “Clutch”, “Grit”, “Knowing How To Play THE Game THE Right Way” and even “Makeup.” Too many stat-ists insist that if it can’t be measured, it doesn’t exist. But truth is that we really NEED our friend “Magic” in The Game.

And truth is that the saber haters really have nothing to fear. No matter how many cameras, no matter how many formulas, no matter how many dorks playing fantasy ball, no matter how many empty idiotic Bull Durham remarks, baseball will ALWAYS be the game of youneverknow because you can’t have mathematical certainty about any event which, by their own definition, MUST always carry an element of Luck.

And no computer geek can possibly remove the magic of gazing on the baseball field, that field of impossibly perfect, beautiful grass with its perfect diamond, its perfectly positioned bases, guys who look like the kid who sells you computer parts (Lincecom) or models in GQ (Sizemore) or is the BBQ wizard at your local rib joint (Ray King) or is the kid who mows your lawn (Wandy) or is a cashier at the Kroger (Wesley Wright - and yes he DOES look just like one of the sackers at a Kroger I go to) – and that if you brought your glove and even your Mama’s old baseball and said – you wanna play catch? – they would smile at you and say – sure there gf, just throw that puppy right here….

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Posted in Astros baseball, Morgan Ensberg | 2 Comments »

Whatever Happened To The 2005 Ex-Stros?

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

These past few weeks, I’ve been editing (had to because of the move) the entries I wrote in 04 and 05 – FINALLY done – those fun years we pulled it together after the ASB enough to make it to the playoffs. Amazing to re-read that stuff – 2004, the year we were supposed to be absolutely an AWESOME team, but lacked 1 starter and 2 relievers, and the team stayed at .500 even after The Lousy Jimy Williams was replaced by Phil “Rah-Rah” Gardner, until Roy-O stirred up a hornets nest by throwing at Michael Barrett on yet ANOTHER losing day when his gloves and bats had let him down yet AGAIN and the team suddenly started winning like crazy, but lost to St. Louis because of Dan F Miceli and also because of the failure of Drayton McLane to allow Gerry Hunsicker to get a starting pitcher to replace Andy Pettitte after he was lost for the year.

2005, the year in which we started off with Luke Scott in left – a guy the Organization HATED and couldn’t wait until he had a cold streak so that they could send him down; the year in which we lost every away game but 3 for the first 2 months; the year in which only Morgan Ensberg managed to hit before Lance Berkman came back in May and found his stroke; the year in which Jason Lane had his only full good year (you talk about a wasted career); the year in which Brad Lidge went from infallible to Dan F Miceli territory, giving up homers to the likes of Scott Podsednick in the World Series – which, by the way, I am REALLY grateful I got to go to, as I am pretty sure I won’t see the Astros in another WS in my lifetime…

But I digress…

I thought, just for fun, that we’d take a look at all the guys who used to be on the Astros, see who they were traded for (if they were traded) and how they’ve done since leaving. I’m also going to include a few minor leaguers who are now major leaguers. Please note that I haven’t made any comments about the guys who are “still here” – that’s for my first half review entry.

2005:

 C Brad Ausmus – played until 2008, left as a FA, then signed with the Dodgers for 09: hit .295 over 107 PA/36 games as Russell Martin’s backup. Still smoking hot, too… 
1B Lance Berkman – still here 
2B Craig Biggio - retired after wrecking the 07 season, beatified in 08
SS Adam Everett – was let go as a FA after the 07 season, spent 08 with the Twins (didn’t play much – had an injured shoulder), 09 with the Tigers, will play with Tigers in 2010 
3B Morgan Ensberg – traded to the Padres for chewing gum 8/07. Signed with the Yankees AAA team in 08, had a few crappy ABs when A-Rod was injured - now OOB - never was able to recover his stroke after injuring his shoulder in May 06
LF Chris Burke – traded to the DBax with Juan Gutierrez and Chad Qualls for Jose Valverde. Never recovered his stroke after HIS shoulder injury, neither. Was a utility guy for the DBax in 08, drifted between SanDiego, and AAA for the Braves and mariners last year. 
CF Willy Taveras – traded to the Rox with Jason Hirsh And Taylor Buchholz for Jason Jennings  after the 06 season. He posted a career high 89 OPS+ (.748 OPS) in 07, then went back to his usual suckage in spite of stealing a NL high 68 bases in 08. The Rox preferred Ryan Spilborghs, and let Willy go after 08, and he signed a 2 year deal with Dusty Baker and the Reds – he’s Dusty’s kind of leadoff guy. In 102 games (437 PA) he had a .275 OBP, a 48 OPS+ and 25 SB/6 CS.
RF Jason Lane – traded to the Padres 9/07  (from the minors) for nothing – still in the minors.

1B Mike Lamb – let go after the 07 season, signed with the Twins, got hurt, sucked, spent last year at AAA Buffalo, sucked
OF Orlando Palmeiro – retired after the 06 season
 
IF Jose Vizcaino – let go as FA after the season, signed with Giants, released, signed with WS champion Cardinals, then retired after the 06 series.
1B Jeff Bagwell - anointed as Saint after he retired after the 06 season. Which he shouldn’t have been, seeing as how he cost the Astros 17 mill by insisting on playing in ST that year (McLane shoulda just said NO, but I digress…)
UT Eric Bruntlett - traded to Phillies with Brad Lidge after the 07 season for Michael Bourn – won a Ring. Still can’t hit for spit, but he can play almost every position
C Raul Chavez – not re-signed after 05, bounced around, now with the Jays – still can’t hit 
LF Luke Scott – one of 5 traded to the Orioles for Tejada after 07 – has done well, a 111 and a 118 OPS+ over the past 2 years. Has more RCAA than Miguel Tejada over the same 2 years for 25 mill fewer dollars.
C Humberto Quintero – still here. Unfortunately. Can’t hit and is a lousy receiver.
UT Todd Self – now playing in the indys – last year in OB was at AA in 07 – had .947 OPS
OF Charles Gipson – retired after 05

RH SP Roy Oswalt – still here
LH SP Andy Pettitte –  wasn’t re-signed after 06, returned as FA to Yankees after Drayton refused to let him play Prima Donna and wouldn’t re-sign him. Still with MFY.
RH SP Roger Clemens – wasn’t resigned after 06, returned to Yankees with his former best bud. Now OOB – hasn’t started 10 year service contract with Astros because Roger chose to deny steroid/HGH use allegations by his former trainer instead of getting all teary-eyed and begging for forgiveness as his former best bud did.
RH SP Brandon Backe – DFA’d  last year after 13 innings – brought back after starting the year hurt, severely screwed by Cecil Cooper, who, in 07, left him in 3 games when he CLEARLY had nothing to “take one for the team” as Coop had exhausted his relievers.
LH SP Wandy Rodriguez – still here
RH SP Ezequiel Astacio - went to Rangers AAA club after 06 season, sucked there too, now OOB 
RH SP Brandon Duckworth – signed with Royals as FA after 05 season, spent 06, 07 and 08 bouncing back and forth between ML and AAA, naturally beat the Astros in his game facing us. Sucked at AAA last year

RH RP Chad Qualls – traded to Dbax after the 07 season for Valverde - used as both setup man and closer in 08, closer in 09. Has done well, will be their closer this year, too.
RH RP Chad Harville – put on waivers 8/05 picked up by Boston, in AAA in 06, now OOB
RH RP Dan Wheeler – great setup/closer in 06, had bad year in 07, traded to the Rays for Ty Wigginton 7/07, did great as setup/backup closer in 08 and 09
RH RP Russ Springer – not resigned after 06 season – Tim Purpura’s STUPIDEST move (I don’t blame him for Jennings, Carlos Lee or Woody Williams because those weren’t his decisions, they were Drayton’s) deciding he didn’t want a great 1 inning guy, replacing him with Rick White, who had 10 scoreless games, blew up, then was gone. Springer had ERA+ of 201 for the Cardinals in 07 and 183 in 08. Was league average for the A’s and Rays last year
RH SP/RP Mike Burns – very successful closer for Astros at AA in 04 and AAA in 05 – had 30 relief innings for Astros with 1.19 ERA, but they didn’t want to keep him, not sure why. AAA for Cincy in 06 did well, had a couple lousy innings in the ML, released, picked up by Boston, who converted him to a swing man/long relief. Spent 07 at AAA Boston, spent 08 at AAA Cubs, spent 09  with Milwaukee, spent the first half at AAA, called up after the ASB, won his start against the Astros 8/15/09. Naturally.
LH RP John Franco – the black hole of massive suckage who cost starters runs and wins, who was almost always bailed out by some other reliever, was mercifully released at the end of June. I STILL don’t understand Phil Garner’s massive infatuation for this guy.
LOOGY Mike Gallo – went from good in 05 to horrible in 06, was sent down at the end of May. Spent 07 at AAA Colorado and 08 at AAA Toronto. Now OOB.
RH RP Scott Strickland – Threw 4 ghastly innings. He never did recover from his injuries in the 03 season. Has spent the last 3 years at AAA for the Padres, Yankees and Dodgers.
RH RP Travis Driskill – threw 1 inning in 05, spent 06 at AAA Round Rock, spent 07 at AAA Round Rock, and threw 6 innings for the Astros which I can’t remember. Now OOB.

————————————

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Posted in Adam Everett, Astros baseball, Bandon Backe, Berkman, Biggio, Brad Ausmus, Brad Lidge, Bruntlett, Chris Burke, Dan Wheeler, Duckworth, Ensberg, Ezequiel Astacio, Jason Lane, Jeff Bagwell, Luke Scott, Mike Lamb, Morgan Ensberg, Pettitte, Phil Garner, Qualls, Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, Russ Springer, Wandy Rodriguez, Willy Taveras | 12 Comments »

6/1/08: Bad Pitching + Poor Hitting = Astros Get Swept By Brewers

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

How can I put this nicely?

This is reminding me of early 2005. I know there are plenty of fans out there who, for some reason, think that if you are a ML pitcher it means you should go out every single time and give up only a few hits, no homers and no runs AND throw a complete game of 150-200 pitches or whatever.
But the fact is that this is NOT 1968 any more. The baseballs are harder, the bats are faster, the parks are smaller and the strike zones are smaller too. There are 150 ML starters and their average ERA is around 4.50, which is 3 ER/6 IP. And the length of the average start is just under 6 IP. It’s modern baseball, like it or not.

And if a pitcher gives up 3 runs, the offense has to score 4 runs for his team to win. I mean, this is like duh.

And fact is that Matsui, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence have simply not been hitting.

Let’s take a lookand see how the Astros hitters have been doing over their 5 game losing streak:
Bourn: 3/16 with 1 triple, 2 BB, 1 SB,
Matsui: 1/17 with 1 SB, 1 CS
Tejada: 2/20 (ofer Milwaukee)
Lance: 7/18 with 3 doubles, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 RS
Lee: 4/20 with 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 RS
Pence: 2/17 (with the 5/5 game) with 1 doubles, 1 RS
Wiggy: 5/14, 1 double, 3 BB, 1 CS
Towles: 1/18 with 1 BB, 1 RBI
Ausmus: 0/7

So obviously, the problem is Towles with his 2 lousy RBIs from the #8 hole and he needs to be sent down, either for House, who can’t catch (and hasn’t hit for spit in the bigs) or Quintero, who can’t hit for spit in the bigs and who the pitchers hate throwing to.

sigh

And nobody can tell me that Lohse, Parra or Bush are more than mediocre pitchers, either. And Berkman, Lee, Tejada, Pence and Matsui managed exactly 3 runs against those guys. Pitiful is not a strong enough word.

Friday, Brandon Backe gives up THREE home runs.

Saturday, Jason Freaking Kendall, about the worst defensive catcher in the major leagues throws out THREE guys, including Matsui, stealing. what the heck???? Moehler and Villareal (no surprise) each give up a home run

Today, Chacon goes crazy because Tejada doesn’t get the ball to first fast enough to suit the ump (who blew the call) and an out wasn’t recorded, and Chacon let 3 more runs score before he got the last out. Coop pulls him after only ONE inning and refuses to talk about it. Cassel give up 2 home runs and SIX runs in 2.1 innings.

Astros pitchers are on pace to give up a major league record 390 homers this year. That is more than any of the terrible Devil Rays, Tigers, Marlins teams of the past 15 years, and that is saying something bad.

I wasn’t expecting a bunch of #4 starters to turn into aces, and I certainly wasn’t expecting our only ace to turn into a #4. But I sure did expect the #2-6 hitters to hit a lot better than this.

And of course, it is time to point the finger straight at JR Towles where it belongs. Yes, the pitchers will surely pitch better and the hitters will surely hit better once he’s gone from the team, yessiree. That all important #8 slot is responsible for losing.

Ah well.

Tomorrow is a day off before starting a series with the Pirates.
And if the losing continues, then CERTAINLY no one can help but understand that it is all Towles fault…

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Posted in Berkman, Brian Moehler, Carlos Lee, Cecil Cooper, Chacon, Chris Sampson, Hunter Pence, J.R. Towles, Jack Cassel, Kaz Matsui, Michael Bourn, Morgan Ensberg | 12 Comments »

Checking Up On The 2007 Astros Most Fans Wanted Off The Team

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

So, in 2007, who were The Most Hated Astros? Or perhaps I should say, who did the fans want off the team?

Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls (you can’t have a reliever who ever gives up homers), Chris Burke, Mo Ensberg, Jason Lane,  Adam Everett, Jason Jennings and Woody Williams. The fans, unlike the management, for the most part, wanted Luke Scott to be the regular RF. The fans WANTED to keep Mike Lamb, but the Organization didn’t let the door hit his ass on his way out. And of course, Drayton was most certainly NOT willing to eat Woody’s 6 mill and no other team would even consider it.

We all know that Lidge hurt his knee, needed some surgery and hasn’t pitched, but let’s see how those guys are doing with their new teams – just curious, you know.
- Chad Qualls (D-bax) – 5 IP, no homers, 3 hits, no walks, 5 K in 5 games. Good thing we got rid of THAT good for nothing. Our NEW bullpen guys are SOOOOOOO much better.
- Chris Burke (D-bax) – 15/38 in 14 G – 11 RS, 15 H, 5 doubles, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K, 2 SB, no CS: .395/.489/.763/1.252 – yeah, GOOD thing we got rid of that worthless good for nothing in favor of Kaz Matsui. Oh yeah, of COURSE these numbers are perfectly valid – didn’t we all decide by 20 ABs last year that Burkie-poo was washed up, useless, worthless? That he should be DFAd and Pence installed in center? Oh yes, you did.
- Luke Scott (Orioles) – 7/24 in 8 G – 4 RS, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 9 K, no GIDP: .292/.346/.667/1.013 – yeah, the Organization was right, he can’t hit/is always hurt (he DID have the flu – what a bad person to catch the flu)/is
- Adam Everett (Twins) – 7/29 – 3 RS, 3 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, no GIDP, no SB/CS: .241/.267/.345/.612 – yep, he’s hitting like Adam Everett AND fielding like Adam Everett. (Tejada is hitting like Adam Everett and fielding like Mark Loretta. NOT much improvement, I’d say…)
- Mike Lamb (Twins) – 8/21 with 4 RS and 3 doubles – 2 BB, 2 K: .381/.435/.524/.959 – he always was a better hitter than Ty Wigginton and his glove isn’t THAT much worse…
- Morgan Ensberg (Yankees) – 10/30 in 14 G – 7 RS, 5 2B, 2 BB, 9 K, 6 RBI: .300/.394/.500/.894. Well, seems he sure has cut down on all those walks that Astros fans so hated.
- Jason Lane (Yankees) – 9/35 in 14 G – 7 RS, 9 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K: .257/.297/.543/.840. Not bad, doesn’t hit for a high average, but he hits for power. How many Astros fans prefer a Mark Loretta hitter who hits for average but no power? Answer – most of em.
- Jason Jennings (Rangers) – 2 ER(3 R)/11.2 IP in 4 GS – 6 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 7 K – 1.54 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, .239 OBA. Too bad he couldn’t have fixed his owie BEFORE the season last year. He won’t stay THIS good pitching at The Ballpark, but I bet he looks a LOT better than he did LAST year. And I bet he outpitches the carcass of Woody Williams, too.
- Juan Gutierrez (D-bax) – 4G/1GS – 6 ER/8 IP – 7 H, no HR, 3 BB, 4 K – that’s OK, he looks like the AAA pitcher he should be this year no matter whose club he was sith
- Dennis Sarfate (Orioles) – 3 ER/6.2 IP 0ver 7 games: 5 H, no HR, 7 BB, 8 K: 2.70 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, .353 OBA – doesn’t look NEAR as good as he did in Sept, hunh? He’s walkin guys like he was still in the Astros bullpen…
- Mike Costanzo (Orioles) 11/35 in 17 games: 3 doubles, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 CS: .314/.333/.571/.904 – don’t know how he fields, but he sure looks better than Ty Wigginton
- Matt Albers (Orioles) – 5 ER/8.1 IP in 4 G/1 GS – 9 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 9 K – 5.40 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, .333 OBA. Well, every now and then, he actually did pitch well for the Astros. Guy was good n lousy – usually more lousy than good. Some things never change.
- Troy Patton (Orioles) – shredded shoulder – out for the year.

OK
Conclusions?

So far, Burke and Qualls are paying off BIG time for the Dbax who didn’t need Valverde. I agree that Lidge NEEDED a change of scenery and I would still feel that way if he had pitched 10 innings with 30 K, no BB, no H and had 10 saves. I know we had to find a closer SOMEwhere, but a guy who has one year’s success as a closer is not exactly a guarantee to do it the next year – remember what happened with Danny Kolb when he went from Milwaukee to Atlanta.

Tejada is not hitting worth spit and his fielding (according to people I know who have been watching the games in Fla) is worse than Loretta’s. Luke Scott and Costanzo are hitting great, Albers is his usual meh self, Sarfate seems to have regressed to his Brewers days and Patton has a torn shoulder – something from which a lot of pitchers don’t recover (think Carlos Hernandez – sob sob…) Tejada ALSO costs 13 mill a year for 2 years.

Lane and Ensberg are hitting just fine (of course, they hit just fine last year in ST too, and even then, a WHOLE lot of Astros fans weren’t willing to give them the benefit of the doubt – remember?)

Lamb is tearing the cover off the ball, Wiggy is not.
Even Dan Wheeler (3.40 ERA) and Trever Miller (1.93 ERA) are pitching well for the Rays (and our old friend Gerry Hunsicker.)

Yes, yes, I know ALL about small sample size. Yes, yes, I know that ST stats are irrelevant starting March 31, but so far, the guys we threw away are in general looking a WHOLE lot better than the ones we got, with the exception of Michael Bourn.

I think I’ll do a check on these self same guys at the ASB and compare them to the guys who replaced them – see how things worked out…

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Posted in Adam Everett, Brad Lidge, Chris Burke, Ensberg, Jason Jennings, Jason Lane, Josh Anderson, Juan Gutierrez, Luke Scott, Morgan Ensberg, Pitchers, Qualls, Sarfate, spring training, Troy Patton | 13 Comments »

2/2/08: Morgan Ensberg Joins Jason Lane In NY

Saturday, February 2nd, 2008

Well, we-all badly wanted them the heck off our team last year and Ed Wade sent them to the Padres for something or other. This year, the Yankees have picked up both of them and signed them to minor league contracts. Mo sure isn’t gonna push A-Rod off third, but he and Jason are going to compete for playing time at first. No question, Mo is a better overall player and if his shoulder has healed and he has worked at getting his swing back, he’s going to be a formidable addition to a formidable lineup.

Morgan will receive 1.25 mill if he makes the 25 man and he can receive another 2.25 mill in performance incentives. I wish the guy the best of luck – from everything I’ve read and heard, he’s a good and decent man.

Amazing to think that just a couple years back, we thought that Mo would be an anchor in the lineup for years to come. Here’s Richard Justice’s column on Mo written just a few short years ago.

July 6, 2005, 3:15PM
Ensberg’s role as leader takes shape
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Morgan Ensberg didn’t want to make it easy for them to kill him. He wanted them to know they were about to shoot a living, breathing human being.

Not that he figured it would make a difference. He’d prepared himself to die that night. He’d said a final prayer. He recites it without an ounce of emotion.

I don’t like that you’re putting me through this. I don’t know why you’re putting me through this. I would think you can do something else. But if this is your will, if this is what you want, then let’s go. Bring it.

He and five minor-league teammates had been tied up by two gun-toting men that spring night five years ago at a nondescript hotel near the Astros’ spring complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Life-changing experience
As the men ransacked the rooms looking for valuables, Ensberg and the others lay on beds and floors with blankets covering their heads.
“They were going to shoot us,” Ensberg said.
That’s when he began inching out from under the blanket. He wanted the men to see the top of his head.

He wanted them to understand what they were going to do.
“I wanted them to know they weren’t shooting blankets,” he said.

The night abruptly ended when a player in an adjoining room freed himself and phoned 911. One of the robbers escaped. The other was shot during a struggle with police.

Ensberg knows that nothing that happens to him, nothing he ever does, might impact him more dramatically than those two hours.
“I think about it every single day,” Ensberg said. “I had a gun at the back of my head. That’s not something you forget.”

He was changed in ways he’s still trying to understand. He’s less trustful of people. He’s more protective of his family. He’s extra careful about things such as home security.
“It really stinks to be this way,” he said.

Unique perspective
That night has provided a backdrop for everything that has happened since. That night is one reason Ensberg doesn’t throw his helmet or slam his bat into walls. That night is why he has a perspective most others don’t have.

“Baseball,” he said, “is nothing compared to something like that.”

He has been the National League’s best third baseman this season. But unless he replaces an injured player or the Dodgers’ Cesar Izturis went on the disabled list Tuesday, and there are already two other shortstops so Ensberg won’t be a member of the NL All-Star team next week in Detroit.

When reporters have come to him looking for even a touch of anger, they’ve been disappointed. He has heaped praise on NL starter Scott Rolen and said he’s happy to be considered for the team.
“I wasn’t blindsided by the selection process,” he said. “I know the rules.”
The rules are simple. Fans picked Rolen to start the game at third base. Players and managers picked Aramis Ramirez to be his backup.
Besides, it’s not that simple. This season has been so satisfying in so many ways more important than one All-Star Game. This season Ensberg finally has proved himself.

A long road

He said it wasn’t until early May that he finally felt comfortable that he belonged in the big leagues.
His road has been a long one. He’s one of those guys who has always paid an extra price, who has always been forced to prove he belonged.
“I’ve always been counted out,” Ensberg said. “I’ve always had people believe I didn’t belong. I think that has made me work maybe a little harder.”

He was better known as a basketball star at Redondo Union High School in the Los Angeles suburbs.
“To this day, I have friends who think I’m a better basketball player,” he said. “Well, I may have changed some minds this season.”

He didn’t get a single Division I scholarship offer in baseball or basketball. The Seattle Mariners did see a flash of potential. They took him in the 61st round but didn’t offer a contract.

Ensberg walked on at Southern California and eventually earned a scholarship. When he was draft eligible as a junior, all 30 teams passed.
The Astros did take a ninth-round flier on him after his senior season (1998). That’s not usually where future All-Stars are selected. Even Ensberg wasn’t all that confident.
“I gave myself four years, and then I was going to go get a job,” he said.

He started his fifth pro season in the big leagues. After 49 games, he was sent back to the minors. He was back for good in 2003, when he hit 25 home runs and pretty much convinced the Astros they had filled the position for good.

Then came last season.
Ensberg hit .192 in April. He went 203 at-bats without a home run and finished with 10.

Not one for alibis
What he refused to tell anyone is that he played with a bonfire in his right elbow. Until this spring when he told manager Phil Garner, he offered no alibis, accepted the criticism without complaint, and did the best he could with what he had.

“That shows me something,” Garner said. “That shows you he’s pretty tough. Even last year when he was hurt, he got some big hits down the stretch for us. When (Lance) Berkman and (Jeff) Kent were pitched around, he drove in some huge runs.”

Ensberg has been the Astros’ most valuable offensive player this season. With no Carlos Beltran or Kent, with Jeff Bagwell injured and Berkman missing the opening month, the Astros have been desperate for power.
They’re still the lowest-scoring offense in the National League, but without Ensberg’s 22 home runs and 60 RBIs, they’d be buried.
“We’d be in last place,” Garner said.

They’re 25-12 since a 15-30 start and have crept into position to make their sixth postseason trip in nine years.
As the mantle of leadership and production has shifted to the younger players, as they’ve become more comfortable by the day, the Astros are being transformed behind a new generation of players.
Ensberg is at the center of this new generation. He seems comfortable with the added responsibility.

People assume that leadership comes with speeches or tantrums. Leadership typically is by example.

The perfect response

Ensberg showed that kind of leadership last weekend in Cincinnati. When Reds pitcher Luke Hudson decked him with a pitch to his head, Ensberg got up, dusted himself off and hit the next pitch out of the park.
“That tells you he’s not afraid,” Garner said. “And he reacted like (Craig) Biggio and Bagwell would. He tossed the bat down and rounded the bases.”

The Astros intend to make Ensberg one of the faces of the franchise. He’s a Christian, a teetotaler who is unashamed to speak of prayer and faith.

When he was going so badly last season, he admitted he was waking at night with panic attacks.
“I finally did the only thing I could do,” he said. “I prayed.”
He’s articulate, unfailingly polite and pretty much a role model for what every professional athlete should be.

Attitude of gratitude

Last season a guy with the Rockets asked me what Ensberg was like. I shrugged and told him he was fine.
“I got him tickets to a game last week,” he said. “Most guys act like they’re doing you a favor by taking the tickets. Morgan sent me a handwritten note thanking me for them.”

Some have interpreted a soft personality as being a soft player. He’s not.
“What you’re seeing now is what I think is normal for him,” Astros hitting coach Gary Gaetti said. “He has the kind of power you’ve seen this year. Sometimes it doesn’t come through until you start believing it. Morgan believes.”
He’s making all of us believe. No All-Star Game is going to change that.

Hard to believe Mo fell so far so fast. Which is why I always say about baseball is that the one thing you know is that youneverknow…

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Posted in Morgan Ensberg | 8 Comments »

7/30/07: Switching Wiggington For Ensberg

Monday, July 30th, 2007

Still no cable, no TV and no computer in the house. But no games today, so hopefully by tomorrow….

OK, now down to business. Let’s talk trades.

Time for a quick looksee at Jennings – let’s say – so far, so bad. Before I declare this a HORRIBLE trade, I want to see if we get anything for Jennings, or if we sign him, offer him arb†and he declines, see what kind of draft pick we get for him. It just might could take 4 years before we can weigh the plusses/minuses. For example, take the Billy Wags trade – we got 3 pitchers who are already gone, but if you factor in the fact that we got Andy and Roger with Billy’s money, it wasn’t a total loss.

If you looked at the roster, there are some guys that contending teams (which, despite anything McLane says, is NOT the Astros) might could want – Oswalt (forget it), Lamb, Loretta, Lidge, Qualls, Wheeler and even Burke. Obviously Oswalt would bring the best package, but you can’t just replace an ace like him at his price so forget that. Lidge is next – yes, even after yesterday, but McLane is adamant about not trading him, and next year, he’ll bring less because of his impending free agency. Qualls has a bit more upside than Wheeler because he won’t be a FA for 3 years instead of one.

So who got traded?

Ty Wigginton was traded for Dan Wheeler. Yes, the D-Rays – Gerry Hunsicker again. This is making me wonder if any other GM is willing to do business with McLane, and I am wondering if Gerry is ripping us off again as he did in the Aubrey Huff trade. At least Wigginton will be under team control for a few years, unlike Huff.  (Wheeler is a 5th year guy this year, in case anyone was wondering)

So let’s take a look at Wigginton, our “prize.”

He’s a “3B” drafted by the Mets in the 17th round 1998 from U North Carolina -Asheville. In case yall wondering why 3B is in quotation marks, it’s because he one of the Mark Loretta type utility guys that Phil luuuuvvvvs – he plays RF, LF, 1st, second and third. He was called up in 2002 and hit .302 with a .526 SLG in 112 AB. Somehow, don’t ask me how, he came in 8th in the 2003 ROY voting – not sure what the voters rated the highest – his .225 BA, .396 SLG – which is an 85 OPS+, perhaps his 46 BB to 124 K in 573 AB, or perhaps his 16 errors with a league average range factor. Or perhaps it was simply the usual East Coast Bias???

The Mets traded him to the Pirates at the 2004 trading deadline for Kris Benson. I understand that – they had David Wright to play third. Wigginton didn’t exactly play well with the Pirates – in 15 games over 1 1/2 years, he batted .241 with an 86 OPS+ and by the way, his fielding was most definitely substandard and he made 15 errors in 115 games – for those of yall who are more impressed by numbers of errors made than by range, or lack thereof. Anyway, the Pirates released him after the 2005 season. You understand. They could play minimum wage guys Bautista and Sanchez instead and they would have had to pay Wigginton maybe 100K more. You don’t make 30 mill a year off a perpetually terrible team if you don’t pay special attention to those 100K deals.

But I digress.

Anyway, The Devil Rays signed him at the beginning of the 2006 season and they were so impressed with him that after the 2006 season – 444 AB, 25 2B, 24 HR, 32 BB, 97 K, .275 BA, .498 SLG, .828 OPS – 5 E in 34 games at 3B – and a revised zone rating (hardballtimes.com) of .590 (translation – makes Mike Lamb look like Scott Rolen) they went and signed Japanese baseball player Iwamura to a 3 year contract to play third.

So, checking bbref.com – his 162 game average shows .267 BA, .448 SLG – 34 doubles and 21 homers which is a perfectly average 100 OPS+ and his fielding, uh, is not good. But on the bright side, he seldom walks – only an average of 47 a year, and he strikes out over 100 times a year – mostly swinging!!!! The fans should LUUUUVVVV him, seeing as how they think defense doesn’t count unless it’s Chris Burke in center we’re talking about. And he’ll be only 30 at the end of the year, and we’ll have him under club control for 2 more years!!! A good young player, by Astros standards.

Mo, by the way, adjusted his stance (well, it looks like it to me) during the Mets series and since then has been hitting over .300. I wouldn’t be surprised if he IS picked up by some other team now that he has been DFA, and if he plays every day, I wouldn’t be surprised if he picks it up. (Note that Luke Scott says that he’s playing better and seeing the ball better since he’s been playing every day and not been platooned and his average has gone up over 20 points in 6 games. There’s a time and place to platoon and platooning a lefty who kills leftys is like, um, stoopiddd.)

So, seeing that Phil LUUUVVVVSSS to platoon, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lamb is going to face the rightys, so let’s see if Wigginton has Biggio type splits against leftys: well, not so much. Career, it’s 12 points of BA, 34 points of OBP and 55 points of SLG. This year, the average is the same, but the SLG is 139 points higher against leftys.

And, by the way, looking at various non-Astros fan sites, seems a whole LOT of fans think Mo got screwed and that he is a VERY good bet to get better. Unless his shoulder really IS shredded, and it is time for the guy to be honest with himself about it, he could definitely prosper with a new start. I hope he does, I really do.

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Posted in Morgan Ensberg, Ty Wigginton | 67 Comments »

7/14/07: Vanover 2 Oswalt Zip

Saturday, July 14th, 2007

AAnd it is yet another new lineup. Phil just luuuvvvvs to shake it up. Maybe it is my imagination, but it sure seems that when Roy pitches, he gets the best possible fielders available for each position.

But it wasn’t really the fielders who let Roy down, it was the home plate ump. And really, his own self for not keeping the ball down when he had to. And here’s the story…
Chris Burke, playing second and leading off, (WHERE HE BELONGS!!!) led off the game with a triple and scored on Pence’s groundout to second.

First 3 innings, Roy had that filthy fastball at the knees thing goin on and he looked stronger than I had seen him in a long time.

But then things went suddenly bad.

In the 4th, Barry Lamar was facing Derek Lowe and Fox split the screen and Roy lost his concentration right along with me. So Izturis fouled off a bunch of balls, Phil Garner talked to the ump about something, then Derrek Lee hit a long double to right, then Ramirez hit a double that stuck in the ivy. Oh, the something is that Roy got screwed out of a checked swing K of Izturis. Bad call by the HP ump – replay is very clear that Izturis never touched the ball and he DID go around. For a want of a K the shutout was lost…Oh jeezuz, Brad Ausmus makes a throwing error on out#3 and another run scores. (But defense doesn’t matter, yeah, I know. Just BA)  Roy throws 27 freaking pitches.

Cubs lead 3-1, thank you ump and Ausmus.

I remember when Roy was younger, he used to get emotional and have trouble when umps screwed up calls or fielders didn’t make plays and seems that is just what he did this game.

In the 5th, Bowen got out on the first pitch, then Lilly took him to a 3-2 count, then he walked Izturis, then the ump called ball 4 on Derrek Lee (a FB on the inside corner at the knees on strike 3. BAD call.) Then Roy didn’t keep the ball down and gave up a 2 run single through the 5.5 hole.

And now it’s Cubs 5 Stros 1

Goodbye ballgame. Brad Ausmus talks to Roy – too late. But, it’s like they told Wandy all year – you just CAN’T get emotional about things that don’t go your way.

You can’t give up when the Ted Lilly fools you by hitting a single instead of bunting and throw Sori a pitch to hit for a 3 run homer.

9 R/8 ER

I think that is a record for Roy – I see two 7 ER games in 05, an 8 R/7 ER game in 04 and a 7 ER game in 01. Holy Gawd. Roy now has a higher ERA than Wandy Rodriguez. Unbelieveable.

Sigh.

Astros bats didn’t exactly help Roy. Burke, Ensberg – 3/4 with 2 singles and a RBI double – and Ausmus got the hits. And Loretta managed to get a down the line double in the 9th when it no longer mattered. Yeah, a mini-rally you’d call it. A little too late. Lee did zero. Pence got a RBI from a groundout because Burke hustled, but otherwise he did nothing. Lance got the sombrero. Biggio got screwed out of a pinch hit single as Jacque Jones tricked the umps into thinking a trapped ball was caught.

I notice that suddenly Mo Ensberg is hitting. He’s 7/15 in the last 3 games he’s started. Wonder if he is gonna pull off a comeback his own self…

I didn’t see a single good defensive play. Not one. Hunter Pence is just as bad as Willy at coming forward to take away hits. He misjudged Ward’s fly to center and it dropped for a double. He and Lee have GOT to work out who goes after which balls. Berkman made a bad throw and missed the cutoff man – something he usually doesn’t do. And Brad Ausmus making a throwing error???!!!

As for the bullpen – the Astros’ bullpen is last in the NL in ERA but first in blowing saves/failing to hold a lead. Gee what a surprise. It sure doesn’t get real too much play, seeing as how it is much more important to say how Brad Lidge is a loser, but I think that dumping Russ Springer was a bad BAD mistake. Russ is now 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 32.1 IP for the Cards – his replacement, Rick White, was good for, I mean bad for 29.1 IP with a 7.67 ERA. Springer was supposed to be the defacto assistant pitching coach and every single reliever who was with the Astros last year has pitched significantly worse this year – more walks, hits and homers – oh, except for Brad Lidge, who we need to get rid of as soon as possible because he’s mental – I keep forgetting how mental he is when I look at the record of his performance this year. Sorry.
But I will definitely say that part of the higher ERAs is definitely the piss poor defense – you don’t make plays, you give up hits and sooner or later, this scores runs.

So tomorrow afternoon, it’s up to Wandy to be the stopper. And he’s 2-3 in 5 GS with a 4.70 ERA.

He faces Jason Marquis, who we know VERY well. Not sure if the wind will be blowing in again, but it might could hold back homers. Marquis is 6-5 in 18 GS with a 3.67 ERA – he’s 7-5 in 15 GS and 5 in relief against the Astros with a 4.97 ERA. Both pitchers have thrown 105.1 innings this year and given up 12 homers. Marquis has given up 92 hits, 41 walks and 62 K. Wandy has given up 98 hits, 26 BB and 92 K. Looks as if a few more of Wandy’s hits and walks have scored.

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Posted in Chris Burke, Morgan Ensberg, Roy Oswalt | 21 Comments »

7/7/07: The Long Game’s Journey Into Night – Mets Beat Moehler in 17th

Saturday, July 7th, 2007

OK all yall, let’s have some discussion about Phil and his managing decisions. The choice of position players. The incessant sac bunts. So here we go…

Phil decided to do his usual righty-lefty thing he loves so much and he played an all righty lineup against Glavine, including Mo Ensberg at third and Chris Burke in right. I could hear the screaming from a whole lot of furious Astros fans who think that neither Mo nor Burke have any redeeming value whatsoever.

And this is considering that Ausmus is 2/40; Berkman is 2/18; Bruntlett is 1/2, Burke is 1/11; Ensberg is 3/14 and Lamb and Scott have never faced him.

After 3 innings, Woody had pitched 3 innings getting 1,2,3 out and Husband looked at me and said – figures that the first time it looks like Woody is gonna pitch well that he is gonna get Clemensed.
And in the 4th, with Pence and Lee on base and Mo at bat, I just crossed my fingers and HOPED that the old Mo, who we have occasionally seen traces of, would show up. And YESSSSSSS!!! Mo makes Phil look like a GEEENYUSS by turning on a low outside slider and driving it to the LF bullpen, driving in Pence and Lee. Then Burke makes Phil look like a super GEEENYUSS by driving an outside FB to the RF bullpen – right under the glove of a diving Shawn Green – for a standup triple. Bruntlett flies out. The Underdawgs lead 3-0.

Woody went to 1-2 on David Wright to start off the 5th. Husband said – hey, you know he hasn’t given up a higggggggggggggggrrrrrpppphhh. And before I could finish clapping my hand over his fool mouth, Wright lined the very next pitch into center. Then, naturally, Delgado smashes a hanging breaker 400 something feet over the RF bullpen.

Underdawgs 3 – Husband and his mouth 2
And, by the way, Woody was lucky that Phil had the GEEEENYUSS to play Bruntlett at short. He was all ovah the baseball. He started a very nice GIDP in the second, handled 4 more nice plays. And Biggio handled plenty of GB to second quite well, at least for the first 9 inning.

Phil sent Woody back out for the 7th to face the 2 guys who had hit him the last time. Not the worst decision – after all, look at our bullpen and Woody had only thrown 85 pitches. So naturally, David Wright hammers the first strike of the inning (waist high meatball) to the Banco Popular window. Tie game.
So Woody finished up his night – 4 hits, 1 walk, 4 K, 2 HR, 3 ER, 99 pitches†in 7 IP. Pretty good, but would it be good enough?

Could the Underdawgs pull a victory from the jaws of tie-dom?

Ensberg popped out (hey, at least it wasn’t a strikout looking or even worse, a – shudder – walk!!!), Burke flied out, Bruntlett flied out and Ausmus, as usual, went ofer Glavine.
But wait – it is Woody going back out to start the 8th!!! Goodness gracious. Wellwellwell. Ledee struck out, Newhan the PH struck out, Reyes singled (just great – that dude gonna be on third before you can sneeze) and now Woody is done for the night.

So now let’s see if Phil is a GEENYUSS here – he pulls Bruntlett and sends Loretta to short and puts Lamb at first and sends in ground ball pitcher Chad Qualls. And Gotay singles, and the Jackal is up. And down swinging at a nice slider.

So Woody has now had 3 decent games in a row – hope this is a start of something good. Getting 3 runs over 7.2 innings from your #5 starter is pretty darn good.
STILL tied. This game has gone exactly 2 hours so far and here we are starting the bottom of the 8th. Good thing the pace has been so quick so far.

Heilman comes in and gets Lamb, Biggio and Pence out.
9th inning. Qualls is back (what, you got a better idea?) and gets Wright to fly out to the hill, gives up a single to Delgado, gets Lo Duca to ground to short and Loretta can’t turn the DP (what a surprise) so it’s LoDuca at first, then Green singles to center and Pence throws LoDuca out at third. Heilman is back and Loretta stays ofer the game, Lee lined out to third, Mo singled
and
could Chris Burke win this game???!!!

No, but he singles!!! so it’s 2 out, men on first and second for Lance. And in comes tough lefty Pedro Feliciano to get Lance to bat righty.

So is Phil a GEEEENNNYUSS for sending in Lance when he must have known that Willie would send in Feliciano, or should he have sent in Luke Scott, who hits leftys very well?

Well, Berkman Ks swinging, so THAT move didn’t work out for Phil.

10th inning – Wheeler in. Ledee struck out – and on a fat one down the middle, too, PH Valentin popped out, Reyes singled (Oh lordie, not that guy again and Wheels is sloooooooowwwwwww to the plate) and sure enough he’s on second before you can hardly blink, but then Wheeler gets Gotay swinging on a vicious slider – the best one I’ve seen him throw in a LONG time.

11th – the Mets send in Guillermo Mota, the righty, in to pitch. Funny I don’t hear people screaming DIRTY CHEAT and waving signs at Mota who was CAUGHT using steroids. I mean, I just can’t understand why. Unless, of course, using steroids is no big deal unless you are already one of the 3 greatest hitters of all time. Anyhow Brad Ausmus shakes off the spectre of Glavine and walks, then Lamb, batting .299 ????sac-bunts????!!!!! Has Phil LOST HIS MIND??? 8 doubles, 1 triple, 7 homers and he calls for a SAC-BUNT???? Sorry, that has got to one of the DUMBEST things I have ever seen Phil do.

So Biggio comes up and strikes out looking after swinging at ball 4 twice – but hey, it’s bettern walking, right?!!! Now, can Hunter The Perfect pull it off? Nope. He grounds out again.
In comes Wheeler to face the meat of the order. And The Jackal flies out, Wright singles, and now Wheeler has to try to keep Wright at first – the guy has stolen 18 bases so far and been caught once. Delgado flies out to shallow right and LoDuca goes down on strikes. Well, Danny’s ERA is back under 6, he got 3 swinging Ks over 2 IP and I’m hoping that he’s fixed whatever mechanical problem he’s had for the past month.

It’s the bottom of the inning and we had DARN well better win right now because, well, look at what is left in the bullpen. And Mota gets Loretta to groundout again and Lee flies out. Can Mo the Underdawg pull it off? No, because he was called out looking on ball 4 which crossed the plate barely above his ankles. Sorry, that was a BAD call. It’s bullstuff that poor Mo is gonna take endless **** from the fans – no one could have done anything with that pitch but get out.

12th – it’s just exactly 3 hours now. Borkowski comes in. Green singles (translation – Biggio doesn’t make the play), Ledee sac-bunts, PH Julio Franco, hitting .187, hits the ball to right and Green goes to third. In comes Trever Miller and my stomach knots and fortunately Reyes grounds out to Ensberg and Green can’t score. He then gets Gotay to strike out, stranding men on second and third. Whoa, Miller is suddenly getting the job done.

OK. Husband is getting restless. Lefty Schoenweis is in to face Underdawg Burke. And Burke singles – he’s gone 3/5 tonight. Palmeiro sac bunts (I suppose it’s OK because he’s facing a lefty) and Underdawg Brad Ausmus is up. And Burke steals third!!! Cmon, all we need is a single up the middle or a sac fly. But no, he grounds out to short. And it’s Lamb. Cmon boy, you didn’t get your chance last time. Just a single, just a single. But he walks Lamb and in comes setup man Joe Smith to face Biggio. Wonder if Smith can throw sliders or anything on the outside corner. But Biggio is hit by pitch – his 285th (needs 2 more to tie Hughie Jennings) and it’s bases loaded game on the line for Hitter Pence. But he strikes out swinging. No hero tonight.

13th inning – and mind, we have an afternoon game tomorrow. Biggio comes out, Burke moves to second and Palmeiro takes over in right. It’s Matt Albers in to face the Jackal, who grounds out. Wright strikes out then Delgado grounds out. That was a NICE 1,2,3 inning. And Joe Smith is back – CMON GUYS LET’S GOOOOOOOO. Loretta is up and he grounds out. Again. Then Lee is up and he files out. And it’s Mo The Underdawg back for another chance. But no, he pops out. Better than looking, right?

It’s been 4 hours now.

14th inning – Albers is back. LoDuca goes down swinging. Green goes down swinging. Ledee lines out and Albers has needed 17 pitches to get through 2 innings and he looks like the ace some people think he will grow to be. Joe Smith is back, Burke is up. Please Chris, remember the Braves’ game. Let’s do it again, PLEASE!!!! Husband is looking longingly at the exit and even though he isn’t dumb enough to say so YET, he’s thirsty and the concessions have been shut long ago. Burke reaches base AGAIN, this time he’s HBP and it’s Palmeiro time. Cmon Mr “contact hitter” – contact that ball into the gap. Burke is VERY fast. Oh fer chrissakes, what is this *(%&#%@! with the sac bunt??? Here’s a lefty facing a righty, Phil’s wet dream, so let’s contact the (%*&#! baseball out of the infield without giving up an out!!!!! But no, we get a stupid out wasting sac bunt. Then Brad grounds out and Burke is AGAIN at third. Cmon Lamb, hit the freaking ball up the middle. And Lamb walks again. Now it’s Luke Scott in to pinch hit and PLEEEEZZZE Luke, get the job done. Just a single, that is ALL we need. Hero time boy, hero time. And Scott smashes the ball 430′ but unfortunately it’s the freaking Jackal out there and of course he runs it down. I hate that guy.
Phil needs to quit giving up outs with those stupid sac bunts.

15th inning – Husband says he’s getting tired. We’ve long since moved down as the crowd has thinned a LOT. I tell him he won’t have long to stay seeing as how it’s Moehler pitching. He faces PH Damion Easley who pops out. Then Reyes flies out. Gotay singles to right, then it’s the Jackal. And there are all these pickoff throws – not sure why, Gotay doesn’t steal bases, but I guess a guy has to stay in practice. And sure enough, he steals his 4th base over the last 4 years. Figures. But it doesn’t matter because the Jackal walks anyhow and it’s Wright, who has been a pain all night. But he flies out to end the inning.

And the Mets send in Aaron Sele – they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, just like us. And Pence singles. Then Phil – I SWEAR I am gonna kick that fool – he has Loretta, a 300 hitter, SAC BUNT. Jeezus gawd. He never EVER learns. Yeah, Loretta is ofer tonight, but the guy is a 300 hitter, you don’t go by what a guy does on one night. All it does is open up first base and of COURSE the Mets IBB Lee to pitch to Ensberg, who GIDP. This was REALLY REALLY stupid strategy Phil. What, it never occurred to you they would IBB Carlos Lee to pitch to .220 hitter Mo Ensberg?

16th inning – I call my Mama to make sure the kidz are in bed. Nope, they still up watching the game. Grandmothers!!! You best believe she never let ME stay up like that when I was 5.

Anyhow, Moehler is back out there. Delgado grounds out, LoDuca grounds out, Green singles and Ledee grounds out. Ausmus has caught every inning and he has got to be back out there to catch Roy at 1 PM. And the guy is 38 years old too. Actually, they ALL look tired. Gee, what a surprise.
Sele is back out there and he strikes out Burke right after he sends a long fly just fowl of the LF chicken sandwich pole, then gets Palmeiro to ground out (maybe he should have bunted again – oh – forgot, there’s nobody on) and Ausmus is up. I’m too tired to shout out to remember the yellow line homer, but I don’t have much hope and sure enough, he strikes out looking.

17th inning – Husband looks at me, says, cmon Baby, why don’t we get on up and stretch our legs. Yeh, I know – towards the exit. He’s not foolin me.

Moehler goes back out. Looks like they’re out of hitters because Sele hits for himself and grounds out. But then he walks Reyes (not this again) , then gives up a 0-2 single to Gotay which moves Reyes to third and of course, it’s the Jackal, who is 0-7 and is due. And sure enough, he drives in Reyes with a single to right. I knew Moehler couldn’t pitch shutout baseball for long. And they have Billy Wags left.

Phil wasted too many outs with those idiotic sac bunts from 300 hitters. Remember the WS? When we couldn’t score anyone from third?

Anyway, Husband said firmly – cmon it has been FIVE hours and they are NOT coming back against Billy. And as we got up to leave Wright singled Gotay home. And NOW Phil pulls Moehler, sends in McLemore, sends Lamb to right (I am NOT kidding) and inserts Munson at first. WAIT, I tell Husband – THIS I gotta see. The thought of Mike Lamb even thinking of trying to get any ball hit anywhere near RF is, well, it would be funny if it wasn’t a horror show. Delgado and LoDuca strike out. No sideshow. But I bet Lamb was sweating bullets out there.

Husband looks at me – he says – might as well watch Billy strike out the side. Lamb lines out, Munson singles, Hitter Pence pops up and Loretta finishes up ofer.

Pence didn’t do one darn thing in this game and neither did Loretta, but you can be sure that the fans will find some way to knock Ensberg, who went 2 fer 6 and drove in 2 of the 3 runs – knock Burke, who was on base 4 of 6 times and drove in the other run as well as stole a base and then they will praise Pence and say wasn’t his energy on those strikeouts/groundouts WONderful?

Five hours, 10 minutes. Well, good thing is there wasn’t much traffic. At least it wasn’t raining going home.

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Posted in Chris Burke, Morgan Ensberg, Woody Williams | 24 Comments »

5/23/07: Morgan Ensberg’s Home Run Keeps Zito From Shutting Out The Astros

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007

Albers started out badly – walked the first 2 guys on 10 pitches. He sharpened up a bit but unfortunately, Quintero didn’t catch a sinker that sank in the dirt that Molina swung at and runners advanced, then scored on a single to right.

All in all, Albers really didn’t do so badly – gave up more walks than hits – and another walk scored on a sac fly in the third. He gave up 4 hits, 5 walks and struck out 4.

I guess Phil had already thrown in the towel in the 7th because he pulled the best defensive OF, Jason Lane and put in Orlando Palmeiro, who is hardly capable of handling the very difficult right field at PacBell. (Couldn’t he pull Biggio, send Loretta to second and put Lamb in at first? Or even send Luke Scott out to play right?)

He sent Rick White out to pitch – WHY??? He had just pitched 3 not very good innings just 2 days ago right after returning from the DL and he didn’t pitch very well tonight either. Of course, it would have helped if Mo Ensberg had let Adam Everett get Ryan Klesko’s grounder to short, which looked like a nice 6-4-3 GIDP. Of course, it would have helped if Lane, instead of Palmeiro, was playing right, as Palmeiro badly misjudged a fly ball and Bengie Molina, the slowest runner in the majors ended up with a bases clearing triple.

Brian Moehler stunk it up again. To be nice about it. As all yall remember, I really didn’t think he belonged on the roster in the first place, but hey he’s an ex-Tiger.

Except for Mo’s nice homer to left center, there wasn’t another well hit ball. When this team looks bad it looks BAD. The Giants sure learned how to pitch Pence, didn’t they? He’s getting hammered with outside nasty breaking stuff. He’s hit every single ball to short/3rd the past 3 games. He’s hardly seeing any fastballs except up and in, not surprising. I hope he can adjust. I hope all the hype and hoohah didn’t get in his head.

Lance finally got a night off. He needed it. Actually, ALL the guys need a night off. Or SOMEthing. Yeah I know this team always plays in PacBell as if this place was Dodger Stadium 1968 but this was just ridiculous.
What on earth can we do to fix this team?

sigh

I got NO idea how to get guys who used to hit out of a slump. I spent an entire entry praising Sean Berry’s work just a month ago, and now of course, the fans are calling for his head. And I don’t have grandiose ideas about how we could package all our poorly performing players in a deal for Carl Crawford or Miguel Cabrera.

I KNOW there is no way that Biggio is gonna do much of any sitting until he gets #3000 and he IS gonna bat leadoff, so unlike most fans, I’m not gonna waste one second talking about that.

I DO think that neither Orlando Palmeiro, who has barely hit the ball out of the infield 4 of 32 AB, nor Brian Moehler has any business on a ML roster. What I have seen of Quintero’s bat, game calling abilities and arm has NOT convinced me that he belongs here either.

As for what we have in the minors? (NO idea how these guys play defense, so I can’t comment on that)
- Danny Klassen, 3B, age 31 and a AAA lifer, is hitting decently – .312/355/459. IF he has a league average glove and can hit ML pitching…
- Jesse Garcia, SS, age 33 and another AAA lifer is also hitting decently – 319/351/455. The guy doesn’t walk or steal bases and he’s basically a Mark Loretta singles hitter with a few doubles, but if he is even league average with the glove, that already makes him bettern Loretta at short. Assuming he can hit ML pitching (ahem) that is, and that IS a pretty big assumption, yes I know it.
- Mark Saccomanno, 2B, age 27 (picked by Astros in the 23rd round of the 03 draft out of Baylor – age 23 to start his minor league career. The Stros LIKE em old.) – .305/336/576. Don’t know if he can play short, but…
- Bruntlett is stinking the place up, unfortunately.
- Burke started slowly, but he’s batting leadoff, walking, stealing bases and driving in some runs with sac flies. Naturally, they are playing him in the OF instead of letting him learn short.
-Eric Munson – yeah, the backup catcher from last year, as usual is hitting very well in AAA. The personal emails I have gotten from fans who watch the games say that his catching ability has greatly improved from last year.

So I would release Moehlers and Palmeiro, let Lamb be the lefty pinch hitter, go with an 11 man pitching staff for now and bring up 2 of either Klassen, Garcia or Saccomanno. IF Saccomanno can’t play short and is just a second baseman, well, we kind of have too many second basemen already and I would give a try to Klassen and Garcia. Yes I know they are “old” but like, so what? I couldn’t care less if they are not certified stamped genuwyne “prospects” – neither is Chris Sampson, even though he would be if he was 25 or under.

I would also send down Quintero and bring up Munson – maybe he can work better with Woody, who doesn’t seem to be doing real too well with the Q.

I know that a whole lot of fans want to bring up Troy Patton from AA, don’t ask me why, because it is stupid to have his butt sitting around in the bullpen when he could be pitching regularly in the minors and there is no room for him here in the rotation and there are a couple of guys at AAA who are pitching very well.

Yes I know that Jennings looked like icky dog poo in his last start at AAA, but they WILL bring him back up to pitch because McLane/Purpura can’t afford to look too bad in the Hirsh/Buchholz trade. (And I know no one believes me, but I STILL think Buchholz has MUCH better stuff and is a much better pitcher than Hirsh – he just has to quit getting killt by the Giants every time he faces them.)

And don’t start talking about releasing/trading Woody – it ain’t happening, get real.

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Posted in Matt Albers, Morgan Ensberg | 14 Comments »

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