Roy was traded away over a year ago, but this is his first time pitching in Houston since then. He got a big hand from the sparse crowd. He’s spent a good deal of the year on the DL – a few weeks in May, then 6 weeks in the middle of the season. He’s having his worst year since he came to the bigs in 01 – his WHIP is 1.45, ERA 3.88, and yes I know he had a higher ERA in 09, but this year, he’s giving up more hits/9 and getting only 6.1 K/9 – his lowest ever.
He was our staff ace for so many years, 02-09, that it is tough to see him as the #4 or 5 guy, even if it is on the best team in the majors.
He looked like the Roy we know and love in the first inning, getting a quick 1,2,3 with 11 pitches, and in the second inning – a single, GIDP and popup with 12 pitches. The “fast”ball is down to 91-92 MPH and he’s throwing a lot more changeups and not many sliders these days. Third inning, he wasn’t quite as crisp, giving up a walk and a single. 4th inning, he looked, well, more tired – he doesn’t have his old get the ball, throw the ball immediately movements, doesn’t seem to have the old impatience. Gave up 2 runs – surprised it wasn’t more. All in all, he gave up 11 hits, 2 walks and 5 runs to the worst team in the majors.
I wonder if he really means it about retiring when this contract is up (at the end of the year) – yeah, he ain’t who he used to be, but then again, all kinds of guys didn’t retire before they were mere shadows of their former selves…
JD Martinez broke his long slump, going 3 fer 4 and Clank hit a popup into the Crawford Boxes for a 2 run homer – went maybe 350′ – made me wonder how many homers on popups Roy has given up into those Crawford Boxes over these years. Bogu went 1 fer 4 – drove in one and scored one. Paredes had a “hit” when the SS and 2B collided and neither could play the ball. Quintero went 2 fer 3 and drove in 1.
Hard to believe that these Astros scored 5 runs off Roy and that the Phillies only got 6 hits and 3 walks and 1 run.
Hunter Pence got a big hand, too. The Phillie Phans LUUUUVVVV the guy, not surprisingly – amazing how much face he gets in the national media now that he’s there and not here. He went 2 fer 4 with a double and a stolen base.
Sad how many Astros fans are now really watching the Phils, the Braves and the Cards, following the Ex-Stros. I would really love to see Roy and Hunter, along with Brad Lidge, get a Ring. Or Michael Bourn get a Ring. Or Lance Berkman get a Ring.
Tomorrow night, it’s another Ex-Phillie, J Happ vs Cole Hamels, LHP – which means Jason EFF Michaels in right unless for some unknown reason, lefty Jordan Schafer is permitted to face a lefty and Bourgeois is in right instead. Hamels is pitching the best season of his career: 2.06 ERA. 0.95 WHIP and a .207 BAA. Funny that he’s getting overlooked because of Roy Halliday and his complete games and Cliff Lee and his shutouts. And Clayton Kershaw and his strikeouts.
Wonder which number will be larger – the number of Astros wins or the number of Phillie losses…
I will never understand why a pitcher, especially a veteran like Oswalt will throw a 0-2 count FB right down the center of the plate to any hitter especially a carlos lee instead of a waste pitch or 2 to see if he will chase it. The trouble with Roy he has always tried to challange the hitter way two many times under this circumstance and inveribly has gotten burned more times then naught.
yeah, he does – but not usually when he’s losing and not usually to a decent hitter – although i DO remember jack wilson hitting a few of those 0-2 meatballs into the CBoxes