I was gonna be sarcastic and write a headline something like – Jason C-Astro goes 0fer and allows a stolen base and it is all Chris Johnson and Oswaldo Navarro’s fault that the Astros lose.
Because apparently there is some sort of agreement between the media and the Organization that they will pimp the heck out of Castro and refuse to acknowledge the accomplishments of anyone else, especially Johnson – I liked how he got a paragraph at the end of the game summary and how the title said “young players” and not “Chris Johnson.”
But today, it was all Boogey – who went 2 fer 3 with a single, a double, a walk and 2 stolen bases – one of second, one of third – and he got stranded both times (now he knows how Bourn has felt most of the year) and Jason Michaels, who gave the Astros their only runs with a 2 run homer in the 4th.
But Keppinger, Lance (both GIDP with men on third) and went ofer and left men on base, Clank went 1 fer and left men on base and Pence went ofer and left FIVE on base. And Chris Johnson, C-Astro and Navarro were also all ofer. (And speaking of leaving MOB, every Ranger hitter except for Josh Hamilton left at LEAST 3 men on base – 15 hits, 7 walks, only 7 runs…)
Really, a sorry-ass showing.
Josh Banks wasn’t exactly what you might call good. To be nice about it. He is a guy who throws Jamie Moyer type slop – but without Jamie’s ability to keep the pitches moving out of the strike zone. Now I will say that the ump had a narrow zone and guys who throw 84 MPH “fast”balls have to live on the edges and first batter, first inning, 2 of the 3 called balls looked like strikes to me and gameday shows them on the edge. And it went from there..
1st inning: 3-2 FO, 1-2 GO, 1-1 E4, SB, 4 pitch walk (none close) 4 pitch walk (none close) 1-1 GO. 10 extra pitches, thank you Kepp.
2nd inning: 2-2 2B to LF, 3-3 FC 6-5 (very nice play Navarro to Johnson to get the lead runner), 7 pitch BB – and pitch #5 SHOULD have been strike 3, Now starting the second time through the lineup: 1-0 FO, 1st pitch GO.
3rd inning: 1st pitch golfed for a 2B to LF, RBI single on a mid-plate mid-thigh 84 MPH “Fast”ball, thrown out at second 8-6 (NICE) and no, Clank does NOT make that play; 1-1 FO, 0-1 IF single on a slow roller to short, 2-1 GO.
4th inning: here we go – and mind, Banks has no “new” pitch to show because his pitches are the change offn his change offn his change from 80 – 85 MPH and a slow curve he couldn’t get near the zone which he only threw a couple of times. 3-1 walk, shoulder high first pitch RBI 2B to CF;
OK – now here we are at Bank’s THIRD time through the lineup. He has already given up 4 walks, 3 doubles, 3 singles and 2 runs. No Ks, but he seldom strikes out hitters. The walks are the problem here – that and the fact that he is not keeping the ball down and the ball isn’t moving real too much…
Man on second, no outs. 2-1 GO, 0-2 single on a high and inside pitch, 2-1 HR on a crotch high inside 83 MPH pitch. He got the next 2 outs – a swinging K???!!! and 1-2 FO. But the score was already 5-2 and the Astros hitters were busy not hitting with MOB.
Why on earth Mills sent him out to start the 5th, I’m not sure, but he pulled him after he gave up a single on the first pitch, and sent Chacin in. Probably some sort of leftyrighty idiocy, like they BOTH hadn’t been pounding the guy all day. Naturally, Chacin let the runner score, as well as one of his own, and what can I say?
Fulchino came in and pitched the 6th, giving up 2 singles and no runs, and pitched the 7th, giving up 2 singles, a walk, then no runs with bases loaded, 1 out.
Byrdak came in to pitch the 8th, gave up a triple on a ball Pence misplayed, a walk, a K and a GIDP.
At least Fulchino and Byrdak had this nice opportunity to reduce their bloated ERAs – neither one of em look near as good as they did last year. Here and I was damfool enough to think that Fulchino could be the setup guy. More like the hitup guy.
Tomorrow night, it’s Roy vs Tommy Hunter. Yes, I said NIGHT. It is supposed to be shown on FSN, in spite of the hyped Yecchs vs Dodgers on ESPN. If the game isn’t shown, I’m not listening to Milo and I’ll just have to see what happens.
Tommy Hunter, RHP, was the Ranger’s 1st round pick in 07 from University of Alabama. He was fast tracked, like Strasburg (only without the media hysteria) not exactly sure why. His minor league numbers were not exactly dazzling – ERA of 3.41, WHIP 1.26, 9.3 H/9, 1 HR/9, 1.5 BB/9, 5.6 K/9. He was called up in 08 and threw 11 lousy innings. In 09, he threw 70 unimpressive minor league innings – WHIP of 1.40/ERA of 4.21 – 9.7 H/9, 2.5 BB/9, 6.4 K/9, but by GAW, he was called up. I guess it is one of those – he was CHOSEN to succeed and unchosen ones can rot. The Astros are not the only Organization who does this stuff.
Anyway, he threw 112 OK innings with an ERA 4.10/WHIP 1.36 – 9.6 H/9, 2.7 BB/9, 5.1 K/9.
This year, he started the year on the DL, was pitching at AAA until June 5, when he was called up. His line at AAA showed 6 GS over 26.2 IP with an ERA of 4.05 – 2 HR, 11 BB, 14 K. Meh.
Since he came up though, he has started 4 games over 23.1 IP – a CG vs the Rays (what on earth IS it about that team? They’ve been no-hit, what, 3 times over the past 12 months and this is when they are a REALLY good team – they only got no hit once when they were a TERRIBLE team and even the o3 Tigers didn’t get no-hit) and has given up 8 R/6 ER, 19 H, 1 HR, 6 BB, 16 K – ERA 2.31 (would be3 3.04 if the runs were all earned) and a 1.04 WHIP, far, FAR better than his minor league numbers or previous MLB numbers would ever indicate.
Well, small sample size, as they say. So hopefully, the Astros bats will bring em all up to his old levels.
Tags: Houston Astros, MLB, Texas Rangers
It’s nice (and strange) to actually have production from our fourth outfielder.
yes, BOTH of them
I was at the games on Friday and Saturday. It’s a real pleasure to see someone besides Carlos Lee trying to play left field. It was nice to see Bourn and Bourgeois in the outfield together–made me feel a lot better about the defense.
MIcahels hit his HR a long way into the wind. It was a hell of a shot.
I’m hoping that Roy can win on Sunday. The silver boot will stay in Arlington, but I’d like to see the Astros take two of three from the Rangers in their sorry yard.