Posts Tagged ‘Cubs’

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Lance Berkman Announces His Presence With Authority And Sends His 7th Career Grand Slam Over The RF Bullpen

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Well glory be!!!

This is the hardest I saw Lance hit a baseball all year – he turned on a Andrew Cashner 95 MPH FB and absolutely rocketed that ball out of the park. I almost fell over. He had struck out earlier with men on first and 3rd with 2 out and I wasn’t expecting miracles with bases loaded, 2 out – not that there had to be any miracles, as Angel Sanchez had driven in a run to break up the 0-0 tie and Pence added a security run immediately after.

Every time I think that Lance is going to start hitting again, I’ve been wrong. I hope this is the beginning of something good, instead of one of those dying gasps. I’ve been most unhappy about Lance not being able to hit a ball much further than the Crawford Boxes and had decided that he was simply played out. Man, I HOPE I’m wrong…

EDIT: looked at the replay again and I originally thought the ball went into the Restaurant just in front of the rightmost edge of the Budweiser sign, but I was wrong. And the 7 career grannys include the 2 he’s hit in the playoffs.

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Posted in Berkman | 10 Comments »

Cubs Pitchers Give Up 11 Hits, But Astros Leave All But 2 On Base And Lose

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Wesley Wright wasn’t BAD, but unfortunately, although he only walked 1, gave up 8 hits over 5 innings, 4 of the runs scored, so he lost.

The real problem was that the Astros hitters (and I’m lookin at YOU, Clank, Lance, Pence!!!) didn’t drive in but 2 – Lance drove in 1 in the 1st and Pence drove in 1 in the 7th). In fact, every hitter except for Keppinger left at least 1 on base.

Bourn has picked it up, Angel Sanchez is still hitting well, Chris Johnson is still hitting well, and Jason Castro is struggling. Maybe we should move him to the 2-hole.

We face Ted Lilly tonight – sorry, I thought it was last night, instead of Silva.

And posting will be pretty sporadic this week – life is interfering with baseball and writing, sorry.

1 week left till the deadline. Haren was traded yesterday, and Oswalt is the only ace left. I have heard from multiple sources that many teams are inquiring about Myers, Pence and Bourn AND that Fast Eddie and Drayton are, to put it VERY mildly, extremely difficult to deal with. Gee, what a surprise. Sort of reminds me of the girl won’t agree to be with any man unless he looks like Brad Pitt age 30 (and has his $$$ too) or any guy who refuses to touch any female unless she looks like Beyonce (replace with your particular hottie of choice) and ends up with no one.

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Posted in Wesley Wright | 6 Comments »

7/21/10: Relievers Manage To Hold On Long Enough To Sqeeze By C*bs

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

It was a pitching duel for 11 innings with the score tied 1-1.

Berkman/Clank/Pence all went ofer – as in didn’t even reach base, didn’t score any runs, didn’t drive in any. A sorry performance. And Clank did his usual lollygagging after a ball to left and did such a terrible job of getting it and throwing it back that Ted Lilly, the PITCHER, scored from 1B. Clank’s gone from 2 tool to no-tool, as someone said.

Bourn didn’t start (lefty), and Bourgeois went 1 fer 3 with a SB. Angel Sanchez stayed in the 2-hole and again went 3 fer 6 – and it can’t be because Berkman is exactly “protecting” him. Sanchez is now hitting over .300 and Tommy Manzella just might not get his job back – except that Sanchez isn’t really much of a glove man and I’m tired of guys playing short who are crappy fielders. Yeah, I know, everyone else is sick of anyone playing SS who doesn’t hit .300.

Quintero had a lousy day – ofer and a passed ball.

Kepp went 2 fer 5 (still in the 6-hole) and CJ went 1 fer 4 with a run scored.

Lindstrom came in to relieve in the 8th inning – gave up a single, but got 3 outs. He came back for the 9th (stunned shock – imagine a reliever, especially a CLOSER pitching more than 1 inning!!!!! Chaos!!! Cats and dogs living together!!!!!) So naturally, he made it, uh, interesting in the 9th. Gave up a single, got a K, then another single, then a flyout. And then, with men on second and third, Mills pulled him – no I am not kidding, brought in Byrdak, who got the lefty out.

Mills pulls his CLOSER because he doesn’t think he can get a lefty out as well as a lefty reliever.

Should I mention, at this point, that Lindstrom, Lyon and Byrdak ALL have WHIPs over 1.50?

Anyway, Lyon comes in for the 10th and immediately makes things, uh, Interesting (ahem) – gives up a double, a FO, an IBB, a walk, a K, then a FO. In the 11th, a single, a sac-bunt, an IBB and 2 FO.

After the Stros score 3 in the top of the 12th (Jason Michaels drives in the go-ahead 2 runs with a double, then Angel Sanchez drives him with what turns out to be the winning single) Chacin comes in to try to nail down a 3 run save (Majewski already being returned to AAA after his 4 run inning last night) and immediately makes things, uh, INteresting. Yes, this IS a recurring pattern…

He gets 2 quick outs, then gives up a walk, then a homer. He gots 1 run left to go and an empty bullpen. So naturally, he can’t just get the last out – nooooooo. He gives up a single (and out trots Arnesberg, reminding him that he can join his bud Majewski ANYtime he wants, or he can get this last out here. So he gives up a 6 pitch walk, then the last blessed flyout.

Man, the C*bs are as bad as we are this year.

Tomorrow, a blessed day off.

Oh yeah – Fast Eddie picked up 2 guys off the scrap heap – Nelson Figueroa, a righty pitcher who pitched some for the Phils this year, pitched for the Mets last year, and has been around a LONG time. He’s 36, was drafted by the Mets in the 30th round of the 95 draft. Somehow, he’s only pitched 403 ML innings – and for 5 different teams. He threw 36 innings for the Phils this year – 1 start, 12 games in relief, with a 3.46 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, .220 BAA – which is considerably better than his career numbers of 4.47/1.43/.269.  He’ll be taking the Moehler swingman/long reliever role, I’d guess.

sigh

This year’s bullpen is really missing Alberto Arias and Sammy Gervacio (both hurt) and the 2009 version of Jeff Fulchino. Along with the pre-ASB/pre-injury Sampson.

Also, we now have a new utility infielder, Anderson Hernandez. Oswaldo Navarro was sent back down, which is just as well, seeing as how it was more than obvious that someone didn’t want to play him, for whatever reason. He’s a 27 year old switch-hitting SS, claimed off waivers from Cleveland, where he was hitting .246/.270/.295/.565. He was originally signed by the Tigers out of the DR (and he’s a lil guy, too – they SAY he’s 5-9 which means he’s prolly David Eckstein size) and traded to the Mets in 05 for Vance Wilson.

The Mets gave him 18 AB in 05, 66 AB in 06 and 3 AB in 07, and let’s say he wasn’t really up to ML pitching. He was in AAA in 08 when the Mets traded him to the Nats for Luis Ayala and he hit VERY well in the Nats’ lineup – 81 AB – 10 BB – .333/.407/.383 (I mean very well for HIM, don’t be picky here) and returned to earth in 09 – 281 AB, .252/.310/.322 – and in August, was traded back to the Mets for a minor leaguer. He posted virtually the same numbers in 135 AB.

He was picked up on waivers by Cleveland in March 2010, and this year, had only 61 AB.

He has a .711 OPS vs rightys and a .586 OPS vs leftys. What is very interesting is that he always hit worst at any home stadium – .386 OPS at Shea, .454 in Cleveland and .565 at Nationals Park.

His career away OPS is .759 over 275 AB.

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Posted in Astros baseball | 11 Comments »

Mills Leaves Wesley Wright In The 5th To Throw 33 Pitches

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

and give up 5 runs – thanks to a SERIOUS 2 base effup by Keppinger, who missed an easy GIDP (threw the ball away) and then to Castro, who had a passed ball (and frankly, there are too many pitches which are scored as WP which are really balls that should have been blocked) on what should have been a K for the 3rd out (and yes, I know that none of the 5 runs given up that inning were earned, but just the same,

I simply could NOT believe that Mills left poor Wesley in, when he was CLEARLY exhausted to face Aramis Ramirez – and, of course, he gave up a 3 run homer on a hanging curve.

I understand wanting to give your pitcher confidence and a W, but just the same, it is a manager’s job to know when his pitcher is so tired that he can hardly even throw the ball.

And this on a night when Wesley was spotted SEVEN runs off the usually tough Ryan Dempster. Actually, up until that horrid 5th inning, I thought that Wesley might could even throw a complete game, as he was sailing along.

I like how Andrew Cashner (a Houston boy who Drayton refused to sign because he didn’t want to pay him a decent bonus) got Berkman, Pence and Clank out on 5 pitches.

I hate to say it, but it is getting to be about time to move Berkman from the 3-hole, maybe to the 2-hole because he is basically a singles hitter/walker these days.

Chris Johnson, by the way, hit HR #2 – like 400+ feet to almost dead center. Man I hope he’s for real…

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Posted in Wesley Wright | 6 Comments »

Chris Johnson FINALLY Hits His First ML Home Run!!!!!

Monday, July 19th, 2010

So I’m a fangrrrrrl. CJ falling 1 double short of the cycle was teh kewl!!!!!!!

Tonight, it was all CJ and Jason Castro (hitting a 3 run bomb to complement CJ’s 2 run job) providing the POWAH!!!!

And it sure nuff was really something to see 10 Astros come to the plate in the 1st inning. I disremember that ever happening before. Too bad Sanchez ended the inning with bases loaded.

Wandy was not exactly at his best and as usual, DLee and ARam were not kind to him. Wandy was obviously tired when he started the 6th – probably as a result of his hitting a double and running the bases the previous inning (yeh, he’s batting .286 – a LOT higher than some other high paid guys I could mention) and gave up a solo shot and a 2 run shot. He got lucky that inning because Soriano ran his fool self into an out at second for the last out.

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Posted in Chris Johnson, Jason Castro, Wandy Rodriguez | 2 Comments »

Berkman, Lee And Pence Are Beginning To Pound The Ball And That’s BAD News For The Astros Future

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Don’t get me wrong – I seriously LUUUUVVVVV beating the C*bs. But the trouble with winning a little is that Drayton McLane is like Kevin Bacon in the riot scene from “Animal House” screaming ALL IS WELL while getting run over.

Justice reports that the Astros are not looking to trade anyone at the deadline (Roy???) because (don’t ask me why) they still think they can win. Win like WHAT?

Winning would be the worst possible thing to happen to this franchise because it would convince McLane that he is right and rookies/minor leaguers are worthless except as trade bait. And the draft is tomorrow. There sure nuff is a WHOLE lot of talk about how we have all these picks in the first round, but if Drayton is bound and determined to get warm bodies who will sign for slot (translation – NO Boras, NO Hendricks Brothers) then there really isn’t real too much reason to talk much about it. Looks right now as if the only really good pick they’ve had since 08 is Jordan Lyles. Not that they would bring anyone up who is doing great (see Chris Johnson) unless there were injuries and then they would sign some Old Guy who is no good offn waivers…

Yeah, I know, Jason Castro. Whose SLG is lower than his OBP. But we’ve gotten used to Kevin Cash, so like, whatever.

Anyway, about the game:

Geoff Blum at short again – crucial to play those vets at positions they aren’t any good at so that young players won’t develop and Drayton can point out how youngsters aren’t any good.

Michael Bourn led off the game with a bunt single and scored. It is amazing how many times he’s gotten on base and scored the first run and it is almost always a good sign.

What is teh kewl is that the Astros FINALLY got to Randy Wells – 8 singles, a homer, a IBB and a walk and SIX runs. He started the game giving up 3 straight singles and a home run by Carlos, who appears to have remembered how to hit – maybe he’s you know, getting in shape???

And bad news for Chris Johnson – Pedro Feliz, for ONCE, managed to hit with men on base, drove in 2 runs. I’m getting tired of hearing bout his *(%&#$%@! hitting streak. He doesn’t hit worth spit WITH MEN ON BASE and his batting average is still .210 or something.

Carlos hit HR #8 – a line drive about 340′ into the CBoxes, and he is swinging at fewer and fewer bad pitches. Up his trade value…

Tomorrow, Wandy and the Stros are off to Coors to face the Rox and Jason Hummell, RHP, who has thrown 2 games, 12.1 IP vs the Astros – 11 H, 2 BB, 8 K. He had a BAD start to the year, sucking badly in 5 of his first 6 starts, but has done better in the last 2 vs the Giants, giving up 3 ER over 12 IP, 14 H, 2 BB and 13 K (and yes, I know that he’s faced 2 lousy hitting teams…)

Wandy has actually pitched very well at Coors – 3-1 in 5 GS with a 3.55 ERA and 1.26 ERA over 25.1 IP. Let’s hope he keeps it up. I mean keeps it down…

And the Stros are gonna miss Uvaldo Jiminez this go-round. Gee, what a SHAME…

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Posted in Berkman, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence | 8 Comments »

6/5/10- Roy Oswalt Pitches Lousy, Loses To Cubs

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Well, Roy has had a WHOLE lot to gripe about over the past few months – no run support, crappy fielding losing him games, but this time is was no one’s fault but his own.

He started out shaky, giving up a long fly ball to Riot, then a double waaaayyy to the LF bullpen (and for once, it wasn’t Carlos’ fault) then got lucky when DLee LODP. Balls just weren’t snapping somehow. Second inning, he gave up a homer to Aramis Ramirez, hitting like less that Roy’s weight on a 1-2 on a straight changeup.

I knew it wasn’t gonna be good.

By the way, best thing about Saturday games is Jeff Bagwell in the booth. Listening to him talk about the pitches and situations is worth taping the games. And really even subscribing to mlb.tv and watching the replay. Not surprised he ended up on TV instead of with Milo and the clounzz in the boooth – Milo already got rid of one really sharp, excellent ex-player (Alan Ashby) and he certainly wasn’t gonna have nobody like Baggy showing him up.

Where was I?

Oh yeah – Roy got therough the 3rd on 6 pitches, but then ran into trouble in the 4th. Baggy said that Roy wasn’t finishing his pitches, and was using a higher than normal number of changeups. He gave up 2 runs on a single, double, single and sac-fly.

He got lucky in the 5th when Koyie Hill hit a ball down the RF line – hit the corner of the stands jutting out, ricocheted to Pence who picked the ball and threw out Hill at second. Later that inning, Riot got on when Feliz made yet another bad throw (he is most DEFINITELY not superior with the glove in ANY way to Blum – and actually, I seldom see him make good plays, let alone great ones) but then Berkman made a very nice play to feed Colvin’s grounder to Roy.

In the 6th, DLee led off with a double to the LF bullpen, then Byrd drove him in with a double to right center. He then got 3 quick outs.

In the 7th, he walked Hill, then Dempster laid down a bunt, which bounced right in front of home plate. Q couldn’t get to the ball, literally fell over Dempster, and when he picked himself up, decided not to throw to second, but just get the out at first. I don’t get why on earth it wasn’t obstruction, and neither did JD, Baggy or Brownie. Riot hit a ball to left, then Roy threw an unmoving slider dopwn the middle to Colvin who promptly sent it into the upper deck in right. DL then flew out to the warning track right in front of the Hill.

I think Baggy is right that DLee is obviously hurt and not running well – he did make a great play jumping to get a bad throw, then swiping Clank to get an out. I think Baggy is right that Ramirez can’t catch up to a FB – every ball he hit was offspeed.

Fulchino has got something VERY wrong – he can’t seem to throw anything in the strike zone and the few times he does, they are cookies. He came in in the 8th, gave up 2 singles and a walk to load the bases, then got a VERY kewl GIDP – 5-2-3. He threw 1 pitch to Hill, then Mills came out, pulled him and sent Chacin in – who went to 3-2, then threw a nice meaty slider mid-plate and Hill doubled, so Fulchino got Francoed there. But he is NOT the same guy we saw last year.

Wesley Wright came in to mopup (hadn’t thrown a pitch in a week) and gave up a leadoff walk, a groundout, struck out DLee, then got Aramis to groundout to third – and Feliz made ANOTHER bad throw, which Lance somehow twisted his body to pick.

Baggy said that Dempster was an excellent pitcher with a lethal slider, which he threw around 40% of the time. LOTS of swings and misses.

Pence did VERY well, went to 3-2 counts every single AB (YAY!!!) and Bourn went to 3-2 counts twice, walked, stole a base, then Berkman drove him in. Hepp hit his first homer 330′ into the Crawford Boxes on a slider that didn’t slide real too much. Quintero hit a hanging slider into the first window over the LF bullpen and he doubled home a run in the 9th – good day.

Not real too much more to say here.

Tomorrow, we face righty Randy Wells, who has started 3 games and given up 1 unearned run over 20.2 IP. 17 H, 7 BB, 9 K. The guys better hit with MOB…

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Posted in Roy Oswalt | No Comments »

Bourn And Berkman Back Felipe Paulino’s First Win of 2010

Friday, June 4th, 2010

YES, you read that right!!! The Astros managed THREE, yes, THREE runs (woulda been 4 if Berkman hadn’t gotten hisself thrown out on yet another baserunning booboo) and Paulino went 8 innings giving up only 1 run. He threw 120 pitches, but he really cruised through the 6th, 7th and 8th, needing only 41 pitches – only 1 really well hit ball and that was Fontenot’s drive to the LF bullpen that Bourn ran down all the way from deep center beating Clank to the ball (naturally) and making a superlative catch.

Paulino struck out 7, 6 swinging, and ended up giving up 3 doubles, 2 singles, a walk and an IBB to DLee to load the bases to face Aramis, who popped up to the Astros bullpen – Lance leaned over the railing to catch it.

And speaking of Lance, he’s remembered how to hit – went 3 fer 4 including a double hitting righty off the scoreboard (and yeah, Sori didn’t play it very well) and drove in 2 and FINALLY managed to steal a base – still looks as if he’s not exactly running well.

Bourn went 3 fer 5 with 2 singles, 1 double, stole a base, scored 2 runs and made catches all OVAH the place.

And it really was great to beat Zambrano for the first time in, like forEVAH. He had a lot of trouble with his location, but suddenly he remembered where he was and which team he was facing and he sharpened up. He looks like he’s lost his energy, looks like this is a job, not a game. Don’t know what’s happened to him, but I hardly recognised the guy.

He couldn’t find the plate in the first – gave up a leadoff single to Bourn, got Kepp out on a hitnrun, gave up a RBI single to Lance (who thought he’d go to second on the non-existant throw home to get Bourn – and he thought wrong – let’s put it like that…) then a double to Clank (who would have had another RBI if Berkman had stayed at first) then he walked Sullivan on a 3-1, then Blum on a 3-1 and then with bases loaded, Feliz popped out to shallow right to end it – only 1 lousy run.

Z was on a pitch count, I think, and Lou pulled him in the 5th after Felipe Kd, then Bourn singled and stole second, then Kepp drove him home with a single to center. The Cubs tried to get Michael out, but he was just too darn fast and he slid headfirst across home with a swipe tag, and just barely avoided getting his hand stepped on.

Then Tom Gorzellany came in to relieve. Lance doubled in Kepp, then Carlos was IBB – shows that he MUST be lookin like he’s hitting again, even if he is still batting .216, and then Mills smartly pulled Sullivan, who can barely hit RIGHTYS, and sent in Pence to PH – yeah, I forgot – Sullivan started the night in right – we need them lefty bats. Anyhow, Pence walked on 4 straight, then Blum, batting righty, struck out leaving bases loaded. Then Sweet Lou sent in a rookie reliever named Stevens, and he got Feliz out, leaving bases loaded AGAIN. Feliz DID actually manage to get a hit – but it was off Bobby Howry who is, uh, hittable (ahem – 8.75 ERA, .340 BAA) so Lou brought in Marmol who got Q and Michaels without any difficulty.

Andrew Cashner, RHP, local boy (who Justice says offered to sign with teh Astros for like 175 K – a big hometown discount -the year before he was drafted by the Cubs in the first round for almost 2 mill and was sneered at by Timmy P, Drayton or both) pitched the 7th, and except for giving up a single to Lance, looked VERY good. The boy made it to the ML after spending a little over 1 year in the minors. He has a crisp 97 MPH FB and a very nice breaker. The Cubs I guess are keeping him in the bullpen for a little to break him into the majors – I hope he doesn’t get Joba’d.

Anyhow, Matt Lindstrom was brought in to close, even though Byrdak and Lopez had been warming up, and I held my breath, seeing as how he’d had such poor control his last 4 outings, but he got 3 outs with 8 pitches and only threw 2 balls.

The only problem with winning is there is no real incentive for Drayton/Fast Eddie to get rid of Feliz/Sullivan and bring up minor leaguers.

Tomorrow, it’s Roy-O vs Ryan Dempster

Dempster is 4-10 in 19 GS and 26 in relief vs the Astros with a 4.57 ERA, 1.41 WHIP.

This year, he too has been the victim of lousy run support, so he has a 3-5 record, but he has a 3.72 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a .213 BAA. We faced him back in April, he gave up 4 hits, 2 BB, 1 R over 7.2 IP and didn’t get a W because his bullpen blew it.

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Posted in Berkman, Felipe Paulino, Michael Bourn | 4 Comments »

Astros Get First Come From Behind Win Of The Year Against The Cubs

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Wandy pitched VERY well, although he had fewer strikeouts than usual. No question about it, the best he has done all year, including ST – and at Wrigley, where he usually gets hammered. I see that they have decided to have him throw his change a significant amount of the time, instead of the curve. Which was just as well, because he didn’t have his usual good control of it.

He threw 58 FB, 35 strikes; 27 curves, 12 strikes; 20 changeups, 14 strikes. He got 2 strikeouts on changes and 1 on a curve (Dempster.) He gave up 1 walk, 5 singles and a double down the line and not one hard hit ball. 7 IP, 105 pitches.

The hitters managed to score a run in the 8th OFF MARMOL, then scored a run in the 9th off MARMOL – a guy who almost always shuts the Stros DOWN, and then the winning run off Marshall. Lindstrom nailed down the save again. Too bad they couldn’t have scored those 3 runs while Wandy was still pitching. The Astros haven’t scored even one run with Wandy on the mound.

Blum came back and did well after his few days off – and just maybe, Mills just might could do the same for Pence and Clank, because they are just not having good swings. Clank is not looking for a pitch to drive, he’s basically swinging at anything anywheres near the strike zone. Pence did get 2 singles – both groundballs – one up the middle and one to the 5.5 hole, but he still doesn’t look good – who knows, maybe hitting 2 singles on the same day will help him to do whatever it is he needs to get out of this slump.

And no one is walking, as usual, except for Bourn.

I hear tell that Drayton has called some sort of team meeting when the guys get home tonight. Wonder what he’s gonna do – Fast Eddie has been burning up the phone lines, and has told other Organizations that there is no one who is not available in the right trade, including Jason Castro!!! Yep. You read that right.

I have this bad feeling that Drayton is again going to insist that his GM trade away young players for Veteran Presence. It is what he does, given half a chance, and tigers don’t usually change their stripes…

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Posted in Astros baseball, Wandy Rodriguez | 13 Comments »

In Which JR Towles Goes 3 for 4 To Help Roy Oswalt Beat The Cubs For Win #1

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

Yeah, I know the last post was short – but I had to go off with Husband and kids the second the ballgame ended and therefore I am kind of continuing things here.

Roy pitched an awesome ballgame, especially considering that the HP ump didn’t give him the corners or the low strike. The wind blowing in sure nuff helped, too. Roy went 7 IP – and he didn’t go longer because he had to throw a lot of extra pitches when Feliz didn’t get to a bloop popup that Berkman would have gotten in his sleep – looks as if 1B is tougher to play than people give the fielder credit for, when the ump didn’t give him strike 3 on DLee in the 4th – was RIGHT down the middle and when Feliz let an easy grounder clank off his glove in the 7th. It adds up to 16 pitches…

Let’s talk about hitting:

Clank went the other way with an outside pitch in the 2nd, hitting a clean single to right. He hit a ball very hard and very squarely to left in the 3rd, but the wind knocked it down – the wind giveth and the wind taketh away. He actually went to a 3-2 count (???!!!) in the 6th, but popped it up and then had a routine FO in the 8th. This is actually good, because he didn’t flail helplessly at whatever and at pitches out of the zone. He also wasn’t swinging at the first pitch, no matter where it is (like not a strike) and hopefully, this means he just might could be coming out of his slump.

Pence also went the other way with an outside pitch for a single to right – not trying to hit a homer every time up. He also slid to break up the DP, so Chris Johnson’s FC grounder drove in a run. Good job. Unfortunately, he didn’t show any patience at his other ABs and hit 2 routine grounders and an easy FB. Doesn’t look real too good right now.

Keppinger had 3 groundouts and an RBI single.

JR Towles had a great night though – 2 solid singles to right and a homer high off the foul pole in left – amazing considering the strength of that wind – so he drove in 2, scored 2 and went 3 fer 4. He is now outhitting both Pence and Clank, but is trailing Tommy Manzella and Chris Johnson.

Only 1 walk, and that was ROY OSWALT, the freaking PITCHER. This team has SEVEN walks for the entire YEAR. You’d think that with the horrible hitting, that they would value getting on base SOMEhow, but noooooooo…

The best hitter, Michael Bourn, was kept out of the lineup because it was a lefty starting and like, so what if he can hit leftys as well as rightys?

So far, Mills looks just like Coop to me – except the players like him. Same lack of imagination, same inability to judge when to pull a pitcher, same obsession with platooning when it isn’t necessary, too. BAH

And tomorrow, it’s the Wand Man (who had better get his youknowwhat together) vs Ryan Dempster, who the Astros have done fairly well against over the years. The current Astros have hit him well, even Keppinger.

Wandy has done pretty well against the Cubs: 4-4 in 13 GS over 79.2 IP – but has given up 12!!! homers. Even so, he has a 3.84 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .264 BAA. Trouble is that he gets hit HARD at Wrigley – let’s hope he can go out there and get that filthy curve working again.

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Posted in Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, J.R. Towles, Roy Oswalt | 8 Comments »

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