What is amazing is that the Astros managed to get 2 runs off Tommy Hanson from 4 hits, a walk and a ROE. Bourn, Barmes, Pence, Wallace, Hall and Quintero all went ofer. Matt Downs – of all people – provided all the offense tonight with a solo homer and a double, which drove in Clank who ROE.
The Braves weren’t exactly hitting like the 01 Mariners, but it was tough with the HP ump’s, uh, not real too consistant strike zone. He called a WHOLE lot of pitches on the outside black as balls and every now and then, to confise the pitcher, would call a strike on the exact same pitch he just called a ball – and he usually wouldn’t call pitches at the knees as strikes – although he called a pitch at Tommy Hansen’s ankle Strike 1 instead of Ball4. And we won’t count the number of inches off the plate – well, maybe 3 – that was Brian Bogusevic’s “strike 3″ – and all I can say is that I am getting tired of this crap.
I really don’t know whether the ball strike calls were always this bad or if it is just a LOT more obvious bcause of pitch Fx. Whatever, it is something that needs fixing a LOT more than we need instant replay.
sigh
I need someone to explain to me why Fernando Abad, who can barely get out leftys, was left in in the 7th to face 2 rightys. Why not send in Wilton Lopez BEFORE the go ahead run scores? I don’t get this. It’s not like Abad is this great lefty pitcher who kills rightys. How many games does the poor (swear word) have to lose? What IS it with Mills? He benches Wallace, who hits leftys better than rightys, against leftys. He keeps Abad in to face rightys when he can hardly get them out.
sigh
How many times can I type – well, at least we didn’t get shut out?
Tomorrow is Wandy vs Derek Lowe.
We all know that Wandy pitches better at home – but he’s had an absolutely TERRIBLE time at the Ted – 4 GS, 1 in relief, 20 IP with a 7.20 ERA. Checked the games in 2010 and 08: 5R/2 ER in 5 IP and 2 ER/5.1 IP. Which means I don’t wanna look up the carnage of his 2 previous starts. Let’s hope that curve curves. And that the HP umps don’t uck-say. And that the bullpen doesn’t blow it, as usual.
Derek Lowe, RHP has thrown 10 games 0ver 63 IP vs the Astros lifetime with a 3.43 ERA. Of course, that is over many years. Beat the Astros last year – 6 H, 1 BB, 1 ER/6 IP. He’s a groundball guy and we all know how much the Astros swing away. Actually, he’s pitching better this year than he has for the past few years in Atlanta – he’s lowered his H/9 and raised his K/9. Of course, it’s supposedly The Years Of The Pitchers – meaning that the steroids have all finally worn off after 6 years. Worn off the hitters I mean – not that the strike zone is weird or that the ball is deader.
And bad news, my friends – got told by people who know people that the banks have approved 300 mill in loans to Jim Crane to buy the team (Drayton is kicking in enough to get by the MLB debt load rule) which is seriously terrible news. All we can do is hope that Bud will turn this down or that someone will kick up fuss about all the leveraging. But probably not because it isn’t one of the glamour franchises and Bud doesn’t give a damm about that and neither do the networks and MLBAM won;t either as long as Crane manages to keep payroll above the unofficial minimum.
And don’t give me stuff about the farm/young players. Take a look at AAA – you see anyone on the roster who looks like ML material? Besides gonna be promoted no matter what Jordan Lyles? And Doug Arguello, who gets no props, don’t ask me why?
Now AA has 3 position players who look as if they have some possibility of getting somewheres – Wladimir Sutil, Brandon Wikoff (and I’m not holding my breath because he had a .580 OPS at Lancaster last year – THE best hitting park in high A) and JD Martinez (Jimmy Paredes is supposed to be a prospect, not sure why – doesn’t do much of anything very well, according to his stats, but you know how prospect people are) but the pitchers look like icky stuff – don’t get fooled by Urckfitz – he has a low ERA but has given up 13 RUNS and has a high WHIP.
A-ball Lexington has a few good hitters – and Jio Mier/De Shields are not among them – one OK starter, Tanner Bushue and one good reliever, righty Jason Chowning (28th round last year). But this is A ball and we’ve seen ALL kinds of guys kill A ball and then not be able to do well in AA.
Lancaster - high A – well, I can’t believe hitters’ numbers because the park grossly exaggerates offense, but there si one good pitcher so far – Jake Buchanan – 8th round last year – 7 GS, 49 IP, 0.93 WHIP.
We have no well thought of prospects in the farm. We really don’t, unfortunately. Crane isn’t gonna spend money he doesn’t have, neither.
Tags: Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, MLB
Lisa – I probably should have waited for today’s entry, but I posted a long reaction to today’s Jim Crane press conference in yesterday’s comments. Did you watch the press conference? If so, curious what you think.
re-posted:
For one thing, as first impressions go, Crane didn’t seem overly excited to be the new owner. I don’t think he smiled once, and after delivering some so-so introductory comments, he tried to leave the podium before answering a single question. McLane had to call him back up, to much laughter from the people in attendance.
Second, Crane’s money comments should scare the daylights out of Astros fans. Crane completely danced around any talk about money, except to say that he doesn’t like the Yankees’ way of spending and that his (long list of) partners “won’t be happy” to write checks during any rebuilding effort. In a side interview with a sports-talk radio station immediately after the press conference, Crane said that the payroll will “depend entirely on revenue,” which basically means that unless Astros fans start coming out in droves to watch last-place baseball, the payroll won’t be going up anytime soon. Crane also wouldn’t even confirm the amount of money he’s putting into the team or if he’s the largest shareholder. How strange is that? (The Astros press release included the names of 10 to 15 primary shareholders, but apparently some of the shareholders also have partners, so the financing of this deal seems McCourt-esque. Mike Ozanian at Forbes, the leading expert on MLB team finances, also confirmed that Crane will be borrowing about $300 million, and warned Selig about blindly approving the deal.)
Third, as for Crane’s specific plans, he said his style will be to focus on the draft and “build from the bottom.” That sounds good, in theory, but for a last-place team with a bottom-five farm system, that will mean four to eight years of really bad baseball. It’s not like the Astros have 12 high picks this year like Tampa. The Astros have *one* high pick in 2011, and they’ll have *one* high pick in 2012.
One insignificant but strange thing about the press conference was that Crane’s wife was apparently sitting in the front row with some other woman, and whenever anyone asked Crane about money, one or both women laughed very, very loudly. It was really bizarre.
One other perhaps insignificant but perhaps meaningful trend I noticed was that Drayton McLane made a point of describing the deal as being totally done. He repeatedly said things like “This will sail through the approval process,” etc. I’m not sure if this means Drayton already has Selig’s approval, or if it was kind of a “tell,” like in poker, that he knows there are possible bumps ahead because of Crane’s past EEOC problems and his debt-laden financing.
Interestingly, almost as soon as the press conference ended, this appeared online:
“NAACP wants close eye kept on Astros new owner”
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/sports&id=8134310
A few more stories like this and maybe this really isn’t a done deal. MLB owners can’t be thrilled about this sort of bad press rearing its ugly head. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, …
what you said – reposted your entry
what i would ALSO like to know is how crane has done with those icky n-words and bytchezz since the EEOC investigation – 50K for a “leadership program” is so much pennies for bull poopoo
i hopeHOPE more stuff that is not OK gets turned up
STILL have not gotten any verification that crane has been approved as a BIDDER/OWNER from mlb
Lisa – By the way, if you want to drum up additional discussion of Jim Crane’s finances and/or EEOC problems, you might want to bring these two links to the attention of your friends over at Baseball Think Factory’s Newsstand. As you know, articles posted there often tend to go viral among the baseball intelligentsia:
“NAACP wants close eye kept on new Astros owner”
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/sports&id=8134310
“Purchase Of Astros By Crane Will Rely Heavily On Debt”
http://blogs.forbes.com/mikeozanian/2011/05/16/purchase-of-astros-by-crane-will-rely-heavily-on-debt/
Lisa — “STILL have not gotten any verification that crane has been approved as a BIDDER/OWNER from mlb”
– Well, Jim Crane has definitely been approved as a bidder or else he wouldn’t have had access to the Astros’ financial records, which Crane said he’s seen. The only remaining question is whether Crane already has been assured (or can get) the support of 75% of the 30 MLB owners (which is required by MLB rules to approve any sale) or if that part isn’t as certain as Uncle D. claimed today.
Last year, MLB actively worked against Crane when he tried to buy the Rangers. Hopefully McLane’s friendship with Selig isn’t all that’s needed to get the Astros saddled with a debt-laden ownership group. (If debt can sink the Dodgers, just think what it can do to the lower-revenue Astros.)
ESPECIALLY considering what crane said at the presser about not spending money
It’s always good to play the astros so I can read your recaps, Lisa. Also, you know, for the easy wins. . .
From the pitch data i was watching, it looked like Kimbrel’s two best pitches in the 9th were both called balls, so I can agree that the ump was spotty.
WHO GIVES A CRAP?
Lisa I feel like the braves had the same strike zone. The K Stros are 6th in the majors in strikeouts and 29th in walks. Mills and his coaches sure are not preaching patience at the plate.
Good afternoon. I am not suprised at all that a POTENTIAL and YET TO BE approved owner would tip his hand about details of his plans as owner. What he has said, I am all for. The team has to be built from the bottom. Oh yes, it will take a little while. That is fine. Quite a few MLB teams have been sucessful with that approach. The AAA and AA clubs are thin. No suprise, because they have been thin for years. That does not mean you stop the commitment to the farm. That does not mean you spend a fat wad of cash of FA’s. We do not have multiple early picks like the Rays. Most MLB teams do not either. You still build the farm.
I am impressed with the research and insight given about Mr. Crane on this website. Because of that, I remain skeptical until his ownership is approved. I have lived through four owners of my favorite professional sports’ franchise. The last one one was not perfect, but he was the best owner this organization has ever had and a helluva nice and personable gentleman.
Sorry, meant to say that I am not suprised that a potential owner WOULD NOT tip his hand about details of his plans as owner…….
sceptor,
i am quickly getting to the place where i agree with you. it’s hard to keep any interest in a terrible team who the (supposed) new owner, in debt to his eyeballs, announces that he is not gonna spend any money on the team BEFORE the deal is signed
roger,
you can’t build from the farm when all you have on the farm is lousy players. there are no biggios. there are no berkmans. there are no oswalts. and brett wallace isn’t bagwell. no team has built from the bottom with only less than mediocre minor leaguers. you can’t build a farm unless you have GREAT trade chips or a LOT of high picks AND pay big money for big time prospects. you don’t go with jiovnni mier/delino deshields/matt bush.
charlie
agree that the HP ump wass wack with both teams – but with our team, it just mattered more
Roger — I guess there’s no sense going in circles on this point, but building from the bottom with only one first-round pick per year is a recipe for a decade of Pirates-style misery.
I know it’s trendy for baseball fans to worry about how baseball owners spend money — why the working-class ticket-buyers care if millionaires and billionaires spend money efficiently is beyond me — but the only way out of the current mess is spending, and LOTS of it, from the draft to international to major league free agents. If Crane only spends on the draft and not the others, the Astros are screwed. There’s no two ways about it.
Lisa, 9 k’s today. The one highlight for the Astros was that B.M.(appropriate initials for Mills) was that he di not bring Abad in.
abad finally got sent down and some long time AAA righty who has a minor league ERA over 4 was called up (his ERA is low this year – 21 IP)