Second day in a row that Michael Bourn, renowned for his glove and feet, has driven in the winning runs. Clank should be taking notes.
I feel sorry for Doug Davis. Seems like for years, game after game, he’d lose to Clemens, Roy or Pettitte 1-0 or 2-1. And today he got Francoed by Sean Marshall, too.
Ah well.
I was surprised there was so few hits as the wind was blowing out something fierce. Only 2 homers, a leadoff by Fukudome and a 4th inning shot by Michaels to tie the game. And Michaels, in case yall curious, which you are, is 6 fer 39 with 3 walks, 2 doubles, a homer and 2 RBI. In comparison, J Happ is 7 fer 18 with 2 walks, a double, a homer and 4 RBI. Maybe we should send Happ up to PH, as the Cubs do with Zambrano and send Michaels packing…
As usual, Brett Wallace was benched. Clank played first – singled twice, got picked off first and struck out in his only chance to drive in runs, leaving 2 on. His slash line, in case you’re curious, is .251/.284/.384/.668. Fast Eddie is kiddding himself if he thinks that playing Clank every day will increase his trade value. He doesn’t have anything to offer ANY team.
Clint Barmes, signed for his hitting prowess, struck out with men on second and third, 2 out, twice – in the 7th and in the 9th. And his OPS is .674 – higher than 19 mill a year Carlos Lee.
The bullpen threw 3 hitless innings and Melancon finished up again, getting the S tonight. So far, Escalona is doing OK, although it’s hardly fair to judge a pitcher on 6.1 innings over 12 games.
We’ve now won 22 games on the year and are beginning to catch up with the other horrid ML clubs: the Cubs have won 23, the Pads (who we play tomorrow) and Nats 24, the Pirates and Rockies 25. The Twins are still leading the ML in losses (no Mauer, no Morneau, no pitching) and the Orioles and Royals have settled back down to their accustomed perch at the bottom of the AL with 25 wins each. Our death grip on the #2 pick in next year’s draft is weakening.
Not that it will matter, as the Astros won’t go for anyone who is actually GOOD because they’d have to deal with Boras (translation: PAY).
Last I heard, speaking of the draft, this year, the Astros have decided on some guy who has a firm committment to play football at some big football college and wants megabux to get bought out. So we’re gonna pick this guy, offer him slot, he’s gonna laugh, we won’t get a #1 pick and Drayton will save a couple mill.
In case you’re curious as to how our last couple of #1 picks are doing, Jiovanni Mier, the 2009 pick, is age 20, gonna be 21 on Aug 26 – he’s repeating A ball, hitting .259/.373/.412/.784. Big deal. He’s not first round quality.
Delino DeShields, Jr, age 18, going to turn 19 on Aug 6, is at A-ball, hitting .225/.303/.365/.669. He’s playing mostly second base, has made 8 errors/35 games (same as Mier). I know, he’s young. We’ll see…
Tags: Chicago Cubs, Cubs, Houston Astros, MLB
I wasn’t impressed with the Astros’ number 1 picks the last couple of years, and the numbers they’ve put up so far aren’t impressive either. I wonder if anyone in the organization has ever thought about selecting the best COLLEGE player available. Those college guys are older and more experienced, and usually a lot closer to being major league ready than guys like Meier or Deshields.
What I noticed with Bourn against lefties is that he’s going up and being aggressive. If he sees a first pitch that he can hit, he’s doing it. I like that approach. It keeps you from getting in a hole. Mo Ensberg should have tried it.
It sure is nice to see Keppinger at 2B.
That catch Kepp made in the 8th was miraculous. Or at least magical. Seeing it in real time, not knowing if he was going to catch it, there was No Way he was going to get to it.
All quiet on the Jim Crane/sale approval front. I thought the media would be all over the huge amount of debt in the deal (as well as Crane’s EEOC problems), but I haven’t seen a new news article in at least a week. I guess everyone is too busy worried about the Dodgers and Mets.
Nice baseball!
By the way, Royals picked up Felipe Paulino for cash, and so far has 9+ scoreless innings.
ann,
i am eagerly awaiting maury brown’s article which should be out VERY soon
Barely mentions the Astros, but here is Maury Brown’s latest article on debt and MLB teams: http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5260
Gee, I guess the Astros sale could be worse, huh?
check the last paragraph – i’d like to know why, in that case, bud would let a group with massive debt and not much money buy the astros.
Gray_Jay and Lisa — I replied to the above in the 6/2/2011 thread.