Well, we are STILL 2 1/2 games up on the Phils for the WC. They AIN’T gonna go down quietly like the Marlins, whose failures are due to AJ Burnett’s bad attitude (yep, ALL his fault, un-hunh…)

We swept the Cards in their own House – the ONLY sweep of the Cards at home this year. They look T I R E D – they have won like 5 of their last 18 – of course, they don’t HAFTA win another game this year. Chris Carpenter didn’t look like he did the LAST 3 times we faced him when he shut us out twice. He managed to last 6 innings, gave up 6 runs, 5 earned.

Part of that is Reggie Sanders’ fault, for badly misplaying Morgan Ensberg’s easily catchable FB to left for what should have been the third out. It is really ridiculous that if fielders badly mis-play FB and that is not considered an error. However, Chris Carpenter immediately coughed up back to back HRs to Berkman and Lamb, which is NOT something he did the last 3 times we saw him. I don’t understand why TLR is not resting him, when it’s obvious to just about anyone else that he hasn’t looked like Mr. Cy Young Winner for about 2 weeks.

And oh YES, I do remember that it was just a few years ago that the Yankees looked like a AAA team the last few weeks of the season and went on to win the division and the WS…

We were lucky to win, actually. After giving up a SECOND double to Chris Carpenter, whose BA isn’t even up to MY weight, Brandon Backe made a BAD decision letting David Eckstein’s bunt roll past him for Ensberg to field. Which let Carpenter score his second run of the game when Edmonds singled. After getting Pujols out, Walker was up. I don’t understand why Phil pulled Brandon, since he had gotten Walker out twice without much trouble. He’s WAAAYYY too much in LUUUVVVV with the lefty vs lefty thing. Gallo got Walker to hit a RBI sac fly (of COURSE, letting one of Brandon’s runners score), then Scott Strickland coughed up a 2 run HR to Reggie Sanders. Strickland has NOT looked like he’s made a successful comeback from surgery 2 years ago, let me say it real nice like that.

Props to Willy Taveras, BTW, for not swinging at almost every single pitch thrown, and for managing to actually get a sac-fly RBI. I don’t know what his problem is with MOB, but it fer SHER is something he gotta work on like NOW if we gonna succeed in the playoffs. If you notice, this guy who has 23 bunt singles this year has not once been the bunter in a suicide squeeze. NO excuse for this.

And props to Willy for scoring on a Morgan Ensberg double into the LF corner – Eckstein was the relay guy and he doesn’t have a real strong throwing arm – if the relay guy had been Furcal, there would have been a play at the plate and I’m not sure Willy would have made it…

And last, but not least – way to go Luke Scott for that pinch hit double and run scored. I LIKE Luke Scott – I’m rooting for that boy to do as well Up Here as he did in spring training and the minors…

Well, if we were worried about closing out the season with a full house, having the Cubs to (or is it for) dinner was the way to go. Of course, being in the WC race at the end of the year, just like last year, is gonna pack the Box.

Our Magic Number is 2, and I HOPE that if we clinch it in the next 2 games, that Phil has the SENSE to rest Roger some more. Remember how he was too tired to win the 7th game of the NLCS last year???!!!

Tonight, it’s Wandy Rodriguez, LHP vs Glendon Rusch, RHP – the rematch

5 days ago, Wandy lost because he said his shoulder was tight and he couldn’t get it loose. He SAYS he feels just fine now, and I certainly hope so – not that Glendon Rusch looked GOOD – 9 H, 1 HR, 1 BB and 3 K in 5 IP.
Wandy this year: 10 – 9 in 21 GS and 3 in relief – 17 HR, 52 BB, 77 K over 121.2 IP with a 5.62 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a .278 BAA
vs. CHC: 1 – 2 in 3 GS – 4 HR, 7 BB, 12 K over 16.2 IP with a 7.02 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and a .313 BAA

–

Glendon Rusch, RHP
this year: 8 – 8 in 18 GS and 27 in relief with 1 CG SO – 13 HR, 52 BB, 106 K over 138.1 IP with a 4.62 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and a .303 BAA
vs. HOU: 6 – 6 in 16 GS and 3 in relief with 1 save – 14 HR, 39 BB, 76 K over 103.2 IP with a 3.99 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and a .278 BAA
@ the Box: 6 2 – 3 in 6 GS and 2 in relief with 1 save – 6 HR, 14 BB, 29 K over 40.2 IP with a 4.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and a .296 BAA

Tags: Chicago Cubs, Cubs, Houston Astros, MLB

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2005 at 12:37 am and is filed under Astros baseball, Bandon Backe, Luke Scott. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.