Major league hitters do what is called “adjust.” Last week, Wesley Wright beat the Brewers by throwing high strikes. Oh – and by not throwing lots of pitches outside the strike zone.
Today, with Balking Bob behind HP, Wesley couldn’t get ANY borderline strikes – high, low, inside, outside – and he didn’t help himself by throwing even more pitches waaaayyy out of the zone. (Of course, Gallardo got ALL of the borderline pitches called as strikes. I absolutely HATE it when umps play favorites like this. You disbelieve me, got look at Chris Johnson’s AB in the 6th – he was called out on 3 pitches, ALL of which were called balls for Astros pitchers. I am awaiting our new robot strike calling overlords. Along with replay cameras – an umpire in the booth to immediately overrule any calls which are incorrect.)
Mills mercifully pulled him with 1 out in the second after Wesley had walked Prince and Braun on 8 straight pitches (like I said about NO borderline strikes), then an IF popup, then new CF Lorenzo Cain hit a bullet juuuuust over the 3B bag (too bad ol Balkin Bob wasn’t at third to eff THAT one up, too). Naturally, Figueroa let THAT run score, too. (If Melvin/Macha have any sense, they won’t reinstate Carlos Gomez in center after he gets off the DL – however, most Organizations have a problem if a rookie comes up and significantly outplays the veteran – see Edwin Maysonet…)
Was it just last month that the Astros had the best ERA in the majors? Flukes, you know.
At the end of top of the second, it was Astros 2, Crew 8.
Could someone PLEASE explain to me why, no matter the situation, Pedro Suckage Feliz is ALWAYS the first PH sent in. Is it Mills’ firm belief that the absolute worst hitter should ALWAYS pinch hit at the first opportunity? I don’t get it – not even COOPER was that crazy. Naturally, Feliz was sent up to hit with 2 on 1 out in the bottom of the second, and naturally, he grounded out weakly to third, as usual.
Astros completely threw in the towel after Chacin gave up a 3 run homer in the 4th to make it 11-4. Get this:
Brett Wallace got a single and scored in. But he also made a rookie mistake – batting in back of Clank, who was walked on 4 straight pitches, he swung at 3 straight pitches, ALL out of the zone. He’ll learn. He was punished by being pulled after the inning was over and Clank was installed at first. Yeah, that’ll REALLY learn him good. I understand pulling a guy for dogging it – but being overeager with the bat? He didn’t ignore a bunt sign or anything. Good grief.
After that, I was SOOO disgusted that I went out in the backyard with Husband to eat BBQ and didn’t even bother to turn up the sound.
I will tell you that Clank didn’t make an error. I will tell you that CJ turned a nice DP and didn’t miss any. I will tell you that Angel Sanchez fielded a ball, made a throw that pulled Wallace offn the bag and the “infield hit” scored a run. Also Chris Johnson reached base for the 21st consecutive time today – he went 1 fer 4 with a run scored and he’s still batting 7th – we wouldn’t want him – like, you know – driving in runs or anything.
You don’t wanna hear how many men got left on base.
And Jeff Fulchino needed only 20 pitches to pitch 2 innings – no hits, no walks, no HBP. Let’s hope his DL stint really DID do him some good. Byrdak pitched a scoreless with a walk and Lopez managed to escape a 2 hit inning without runs scoring.

