Cards sweep, Carlos the Jackal remembers how to hit and Astros get closer and closer to that Sacred All Time Road Loss Record.
Watched Bud pitch. His motion has really changed since the beginning of the year. I don’t know how to do GIFs, but his motion used to be short, compact, with him bringing his hands up to his face, almost. He has a much longer stride, and he seems to, how to put it, have a longer throw. He gave up 6 hits, FIVE walks (and the ump was dead right every single call) and a homer on a hanging slider. He threw 111 pitches, 60 strikes, 51 balls.
Of his strikes:
called strike – 17
swinging strike – 9
foul – 18
hit – 6
groundout 1
flyout – 7
called K – 2
swinging K – 5
swinging strikes on
FB – 2 1 1
slider – 2 1 1
3 ball counts that did not end in a walk: 4 (plus 5 walks, 3 on 4 straight balls)
He threw (that I count) 5 changeups, all of which were balls.
He used to look determined, the bulldog look. Now he looks grim, almost a I’m Gonna Get Through This Somehow – kind of look. It’s not that he “expects” to lose or has no confidence, but sort of a, I Can Get Through This – kind of look, not expectant, not quite resigned, but definitely NOT the old Bud. He’s jinxed – no matter what he does out there, he just CAN’T win. And I’m sure he didn’t appreciate Wesley Wright letting his 2 stranded runners score after he left in the 6th.
He’s throwing too many pitches – too many balls, and I mean WAAAY out of the strike zone and not one of those Chase Me pitches on a 0-2. He’s having too many pitches fouled off – not enough movement. He also got lucky because both Brandon Barnes, who I’m liking more and more, made a fabulous diving catch as did Jason Maxwell.
I don’t know what to do with the poor boy. He’s not having more success with this delivery than he did with his delivery at the beginning of the year when he was winning. I’m not sure why it has been changed like this, or if it has been done deliberately or accidentally. But I’m sure he’ll be relieved when this year is just OVER. Not sure what they’re gonna do with him. It’s not like they have all these young starters ready to come up. There has been talk for years about turning him into a closer, but really, at least with THIS team, he’s more valuable as a starter for the simple reason that we are using Fernando Abad, Armando Galarraga, Edgar Gonzalez, etc, as starters, and Bud is still better than they are.
sigh
I don’t guess I have to talk about the Astros doing their usual suckage with bases loaded/RISP/MOB, do I? Because there really isn’t anything new to say. Unfortunately.
And Wandy had a lousy game today to put the Pirates below .500 – so we aren’t gonna see him in the upcoming series. Pirates have removed James McDonald, who turned into a pumpkin, from the starting rotation (and Erik Bedard is gone), so we’ll be facing rookie John Locke, who wasn’t real too especially good last time we faced him.
We’re home again, so we’ll have to wait until next week to see if we can’t improve upon that road loss record
Well another loss for Bud – ever since he got taken out of that Giants game in San Fran he has not been the same. Might be time to look at trading him, since he is due a big raise (or maybe not the way he has pitched lately). As for the Pirates – wow they might not finish above .500 again – what a shame. Not that i am a Pirate fan, but it would be nice to see them get that moneky off their backs! So they say by the end of the month they want to hire a new manager, well that seems to leave out Porter who will be going to the playoffs – you cant hire anyone while they are still playing – can you???
When I see big changes in throwing motion or batting technique, I think injury. Hope that is not the case with Norris. I was really impressed with Bud ‘s pitching vs. the Brewers a couple years back. He worked quick and kept his delivery tight.
robert,
you can hire them (unofficially)but you can’t announce it. i mean, they are still with their old team until the end of the Series.
billy,
i would not be even a little surprised if bud is hurting somewhere and is trying to pitch around it. he really doesn’t look like the same guy. and he looks, well, let me call it discouraged.
My take on Norris, is his hip is hurting and it’s effecting his follow through.
He’s had a hip problem, on and off for two years. The blister on his finger, I’m afraid will keep happening…….not too much you can do about that. Leaving the bases loaded yesterday, just shows us this really *IS* a bad team. Just think of what a guy like Kevin Youkillis could have done in that situation! We could have had three grand slams!!
becky
i really wish they’d shut down the poor guy. this is ridiculous. it’s not like he’s gonna get to pitch us into the postseason or something. i hope he’s able to rehab over the winter.