Mike Hampton went out there today as if his job was in serious jeopardy and gave up a leadoff homer in the first on a mid-plate, mid thigh meatball, then a 9 pitch walk to Freddy Sanchez, but escaped with a GIDP. He gave up only 2 more hits but no runs over the next 6 innings. Actually, I don’t know why Coop pulled him after the 7th inning, as he was only at 90 pitches and had breezed through on only 9 pitches.
Actually, I do know. You see, the Astros were only leading by 1 run and The Roolz say that you HAFTA put the setup guy in the 8th and the closer in the 9th no matter how the starter is doing.
Michael Bourn got the day off (facing a lefty, dontchu know) and seeing as how he’s only hitting .333/.353/.455/.808, it was important to start Jason Michaels instead – and he went 0fer 4. Fortunately, Michaels didn’t cost us the ball game with glove, as he had only one ball hit to center – a can of corn in the 5th.
Quintero (!!!) singled in Berkman in the second, who scored from second – and this time, he didn’t get called out when he was safe!! and then Hampton and gang played small ball – Single, single, WP, RBI single to score the go ahead run.
Maysonet hit leadoff in Bourn’s place, going 2 fer 4 – he was stranded both times, but hey, he’s still hitting. I’ll go for that. Carlos has now gone 2 weeks without an RBI – I’ll bet that’s a career high for him, too.
Berkman, by the way, hit his usual numbers in May – .295/.396/.545/.942 – 26 fer 88 with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 19 RBI, 16 BB, 15 K and 3 GIDP. I was kind of amused that Coop moved him to the 5-hole, but Lance didn’t seem to be real too upset about it. I guess Coop for once had the sense to say something to Lance BEFORE he announced it to the media/gave the umps the lineup card.
And it is back home to face the Rox, who just fired their manager, Clint Hurdle and replaced him with the gawdawful Jim Tracy. Remember him from Pittsburgh? I sure do, and as much as I don’t care for Cooper, he’s Joe Torre next to Tracy.
And to start things off, it’s Roy vs Aaron Cook, the Rox ace now that Jeff Francis is on the DL. He’s started 7 games, relieved in 1 over 45.1 IP vs the Astros – 46 H, 4 HR, 14 BB, 22 K – 3.57 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, .264 BAA.
He LIKEY pitching at the Box – he’s started 5 games, won 3, got a ND in 2, has a 2.37 ERA/1.32 WHIP/.265 BAA.
I sure hope that Roy pitches an ACE game – he really needs to. He REALLY needs to.
Tags: Houston Astros
Interestingly, we have 4 guys in the top 33 for OPS (and 5 in the top 37 of OBP) and yet we have the lowest scoring team in the league. Weird. 4 out of 33 means there are 29 from the 15 other team — less than two per team while we have four. Amazing lack of production with runners in scoring position.
Ese es dos.
I also found it rather curious that Lance got pushed down. Although I think it is already benefitting Carlos Lee.
By the way Lisa I read this article on a Red Sox blog and thought of you.
http://toeingtherubber.weei.com/rant/i-float-as-the-clouds-on-air-do/
I heard a nasty rumor on MLB tv this morning. It seems that the lastros are seriously considering trading Roy to the Phillies. It seems Ed Wade was sent here to strip our pitching dept. to the bone. He is doing a good job of it of course we do have Paulino to fill in with his lovely era
mark,
i REALLY enjoyed that blog entry. and appreciate the plug…
- grinning
you men aren’t as different from us grrrls and our jealousies as you like to think u are…
steve,
i wouldn’t be real too surprised that roy is agreeing to consider trades. not at all. sure seems to me that he does NOT like cooper (not that i blame him) or dewey, and for all we know, he might could have ASKED for a trade. not sure really, who the phils would give back…
but hey, wouldn’t you like to see more of russ ortiz/jose capellan/arias in the rotation???