Posts Tagged ‘Pirates’

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9/7/11: In Which J Happ Regresses To His Mean And Jim Crane STILL Is Not Approved

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

Happ-less was back to his old ways – too many pitches – 4 walks, 5 hits, unfortunately, 2 of them were homers. And only 5 innings and 120 pitches, at that.

Then it was a question of WHICH Astros reliever would give it up and it was Wilton Lopez – and it wasn’t someone else’s runners, for once – he got Francoed his own self.

and sure as God made little green apples, there was Jason Michaels in the OF again, who, again was ofer. It sure is tough to stay interested in this team when they do stupid stuff like this.

sigh

And Chris Berman is reporting that what is holding up the Astros sale is Crane’s refusal to move the team to the AL West (thereby completing Bud’s dream of completely destroying the AL and NL by forcing interleague games every day – and pretty soon people won’t even know why there are 2 leagues, not just a Major League with geographical devisions). Which I have a very VERY hard time believing. He can lose just as well in the AL as he can in the NL – and you rake it in with a losing lousy team, remember. As long as you are not Wilpon/Madoff or McCourt.

On the other hand, Maury Brown says that his sources tell him different -  that there are problems with Crane not related to which league he is going to put his terrible team in.

I also have heard that hs is supposedly raising 375 mill by selling off 15 mill chunks of shares to 35 different buyers, which is what Wilpon apparently is trying (and failing) to do in NY. Going to be interesting to see how Bud, of IF Bad manages to extract the Mets/Dodgers from their broke-ass overleveraged owners. And to see if Bud will saddle himself with yet another owner with no money and no backing.

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Posted in J.A. Happ | 11 Comments »

9/6/11: Quintero Drives In The Winning Runs As Astros Beat Pirates

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

It was leftys lineup day – you know Millsie-poo and JB Shuck got a rare start in left as JD Martinez got a day off. Well, not TOTALLY leftys lineup day because Clank played first instead of Brett Wallace. Can’t have him sitting too much with THAT contract.

Today, the leftys most certainly did not outperform the rightys – not that this would make any sort of impression on Millsie-poo. Astros 1-3 hitters went ofer the ball game: Schafer wore the sombrero, Altuve went ofer 5 and Shuck went ofer 4.

Stros scored in the second – Clank singled, then stole second when Doumit wasn’t looking – not that Doumit is any good at throwing out runners, Bogu singled, then Paredes hit a grounder to the right of the second baseman – tough enough to field that Clank scored and Bogu was out at second. Q then doubled to the RF wall and Paredes beat the throw home.

Rightys 2 Leftys 1

4th inning, Paredes singled, Barmes singled – 2 outs and Q grounds out

Rightys 3 Leftys 2

And that was all she wrote for hits vs Righty Lincoln. You notice that the rightys out hit the leftys.

7th inning – righty Resop pitching: lefty Paredes singled, righty Barmes singled. Q hits a grounder, Barmes out, Paredes to third. Paredes fails to score on the squeeze – that is, he didn’t start running BEFORE contact was made – the bunt went to the pitcher who threw Paredes out at home. The guy is not a good baserunner.

Rightys 4 leftys 3

9th inning: righty Veras pitching: Bogu walks, Paredes singles, Q singles them home.

Rightys 5 Leftys 4 – we can call it a tie if you want to count walks.

To summarize, 3 of the 4 runs driven in were bya a righty hitter vs a righty pitcher. Of course, that wouldn’t matter to Millsie-poo.

Maalox did a good job in the 9th, giving up only a single to Derrek Lee – it looks strange to see him in a Pirates uni after 8 years with the C*bs.

Tomorrow, it’s J Happ vs lefty Brian Burres. And you know that means Useless Michaels in right and Bourgeois in center. UGH. Why WHY are we not using Sept to see if Bogu and Shuck CAN hit leftys instead of playing creaky lousy vets who are not gonna be with the team next year???

Brian Burres was drafted in the 31st round in 2000 by the Giants. I take my hat off to any pick after the 10th round who makes it to the majors – a 31st rounder who has managed to spend at least part of the last 6 years in the majors is worth noticing. Even if he is not a good pitcher, he’s managed to hang on.

He’s had 1 start for the Bucs this year, beagt the Cubs, giving up 5 hits, 1 run over 5 IP.

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Posted in Quintero | 3 Comments »

8/30/11: Henry Sosa Pitches 6 EXCELLENT Innings And Beats Pirates

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Henry Sosa did an OUTSTANDING job tonight – 2 hits, 1 walk, 7 K – 1 ER on a walk, sac-bunt, then a single.  He only threw 89 pitches, looked great in the 6th and was only pulled for a pinch hitter, as the Astros had quite a rally going.

The Stros had at least 1 man on base in every inning, but no one scored until Jose Altuve hit a solo homer into the Crawford Boxes in the 5th. Guess he had to think inside the Box – hahahaha.

The 6th was just insane – Paredes singled, went to second on a balk – Charlie Morton was a little crazy tonight – 6 hits, 4 walks (2 IBB to Corporan – snicker) 2 WP and a balk. Paredes stole 3rd base and Barmes GO. Then, don’t ask me why, Corporan was IBB AGAIN. I mean, the guy can barely hit a FB down the middle. It’s one thing in the 4th inning – there won’t be a PH if the pitcher is the last out, but in the 6th? Downs came in to PH (Millsie-poo must have been serious – it wasn’t Michaels) and singled home Paredes to give the Astros the lead.

Morton out, Chris Leroux (who had shut the Astros DOWN earlier this year) in and he gives up a single UTM – juuuust out of reach of Cedeno to Schafer. Bases loaded. Altuve swings at the first pitch, another single UTM, 1 run in, bases still loaded. JD singles, 2 runs in. Clank goes to 3-2, hits an opposite field single, Altuve scores.

Leroux hasn’t gotten a single out and has let both of Morton’s runs score.

Daniel McCutchen in – gets Bogu to 3-2, then he lines out to third. Paredes hits an 0-2 to the LF corner, JD scores. Barmes flies out. SIX runs have scored and Astros lead 7-1.

7th inning – Wesley Wright comes in, gets 1,2,3 out. Mc Cutchen pitches the 8th, gives up a single to Corporan, who scores on a JD Maartinez single – Brownie and Deshaeis say that he is 1 RBI away from tying the ML August record RBIs.

8th inning – who should appear to relieve but the ol WB – no, I really AM serious – I mean, starters don’t usually come in for an inning of work in middle relief when they had a normal length start 2 days before. Gave up a single, a swinging K, a popup then another swinging K. Guess he had something he wanted to work on and it was his day for a bullpen anyway.

Resop in, gets 2 swinging Ks and a grounder.

9th – my GAWD, the ol WB is STILL pitching. What on earth? I can’t remember seeing a starter throw more than 1 relief inning unless it is extra innings. He gives up a line drive homer to RF to McCutchen (Andrew, that is) but gets the other 3 outs, the last one on a great running catch by JD Martinez. He’s gotten a LOT better out there in left since he’s been learning that tricky LF.

Tomorrow, it’s righty James McDonald vs J Happ. McDonald beat the Astros earlier this year, 3 ER/5.2 IP. But he’s not been overwhelming, 4.22 ERA/1.47 WHIP, .267 BAA over 145 IP.

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Posted in Henry Sosa, JD Martinez, Jose Altuve | 3 Comments »

8/29/11: Wandy Strikes Out 13 Hitters, ALL Swinging And Beats Pirates

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Wandy was a strike throwing machine through 3 innings – struck out the side in the second, swinging. He struck out the side in the 4th, too, after FIRST giving up a double to the LF bullpen, a opposite field line drive homer that just cleared the fence near the RF flagpole, then a double off the RF bullpen, then a double off the scoreboard - 3 runs. 4 pitches, all mid plate, flat FB. Don’t know what happened there…

He started off with an 8 pitch walk in the 5th, but then got 3 outs – even with a WP. Another walk in the 6th, but 3 outs, the last 2 swinging. 1,2,3 in the 7th. 7 IP – 4 H, 4 W, 3 R, 13 K – his personal K record.

You know, fangraphs says he has the best curveball in the ML – gets the most outs with it. All Yew Peeple who think that he’s replacement level at best.

And Ross Ohlendorf pitched VERY well – for him, too. I think they had him on a pitch count because he was pulled after the 5th, leading 3-2, having thrown only 70 pitches. Got 1,2,3 out for the first 3 innings. Then JD Martinez hit a 2 out single and Clank walked – seemed to me that he’s taking more walks this year, and he’s got 47 in 129 games – he might could even reach his career high of 58 in 06. Then Bogusevic doubled to the LF corner to drive in JD – at least we won’t get shutout.

By the way, speaking of Bogu, Millsie-poo talked about him yesterday, on the record, about him maybe earning the RF job, and Millsie-poo made it VERY clear he was gonna continue the platoon with Bourgeois and Michales, especially as Michaels is hitting a robust .218 against leftys. Too bad he didn’t get asked if Schafer was always gonna be platooned vs leftys, too.

In the 5th, Barmes doubled, Corporan Kd, Wandy grounded out – no bunting?? then Altuve singled Barmes home, but JD grounded out to 3rd.

In the 6th, righty middle reliever Jason Grilli comes in – one of those guys nearing the end who changes teams every year now – and walks Clank on 4 straight pitches, but Bogu GIDP. He then walks Paredes, gives up a single on a hanging curve, then Corporan GO after 2 balls. Sigh – the guy can hardly throw a strike – should have made him work a little more.

In the 7th, Bourgeois pinch hits – he’s hitting a rough patch lately, has had only 3 singles and 5 walks over the past 2 weeks - and grounds out. Schafer is HBP, Altuve doubles him to 3rd.

Grilli out, Jose Veras, who shut the Astros DOWN earlier this year, is out. He give up a chopper to third to JD (who isn’t hitting those serious line drives lately – he’d better get adjusting) but Brandon Wood, the third baseman can’t get a clear shot to the catcher to get Schafer at home, so the game is tied. Then Carlos hits a low fastball juuuuuust over the line in the Crawford Boxes for a 3 run homer.

First time this year Wandy has left while losing and the team has come back for him. Bogu doubles, but Paredes and Barmes strand him.

Top of the 8th, David Carpenter comes in and gets 1,2,3 out. Maalox is warming up in the pen for the 9th and I’m feeling VERY nervous – hoping we get like 6 more runs.

In comes lefty Tony Watson. Corporan strikes out again. Bourgeois singles and steals second. Schafer singles, but the ball is barely over the head of the second baseman and Boogy had to wait to start for 3rd to make sure the ball wasn’t caught. Then Altuve has a perfect push bunt down the first base line and Bourgeois scores – NOT a squeeze because he didn’t start home the second the ball was pitched. Then there is a double steal, only it’s called DI because Doumit didn’t bother to notice/throw. Downs comes in to pinch hit and bad baserunning happens. He hits the ball to the SS, who throws to first, who throws back to the SS to tag Altuve off second – he didn’t look to make sure Schafer was running, which he wasn’t.  Then they forget that’s 3 outs, so they throw to home to try to get Schafer, who broke late, guess he figured he’d try to score if Altuve could get himself in a rundown. They looked ridiculous.

Top of the 9th – it’s Juan Abreu (the reliever who Fast Eddie drooled over from the Bourn trade because he throws hard) who gets 2 Ks, then gives up a walk. Next pitch is way up and out. Out trots Clank, then Corporan, then Broakie. Then it’s strike 1, fouls 1-3, 2 balls way out of the zone, then a FB straight down the middle, which is hit to the Warning track in front of The Hill – Schafer needs to learn to play that Hill…

So Abreu, who looked nervous as heck, was pulled and Maalox comes in, throws strike 1 right down the middle, which fortunately Tabata takes – he finally gets him to K on a borderline FB and my blood pressure comes back down and Wandy gets his W.

UPDATE: sorry for late posting – I screwed up and this didn’t post last night when I thought I did…

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Posted in Wandy Rodriguez | 2 Comments »

7/17/11: Melancon Loses Extra Innings Game To Pirates All By Himself

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

I am starting to REALLY not like Mills/Brocail.

Wandy is pitching great – man on second, 2 out, a guy new to the ML hitting 100 (the #8 hitter) and Wandy is ordered to IBB the guy instead of going after him. Seriously what the HECK? WHY IS HE IBBing some nobody guy IN THE SECOND INNING when he is leading 1-0 and the GOOD hitters aren’t hitting?

YOU DON’T INTENTIONALLY WALK HITTERS LIKE FRYER!!!!

And you WANT to get him out and have the pitcher come up to start the next inning. This is baseball strategy 101. This one is NOT on Ed Wade. This is ENTIRELY Millsie-poo and Broakey-poo and this is sinking to Cecil Cooper level incompetence. Even Jim Deshaeis said that you don’t IBB Fryer and this was BEFORE the pitcher doubled in the runs.

And no, Millsie-poo and Broakey-poo and not gonna get fired as long as Draytie-poo still officially owns the Astros because he does not want to spend one more penny, lets be real. This season is in the toilet as much as the 07 Year Of The Biggio Worship was – only then, then bullpen was better so we didn’t lose so many games. Also Clank and Lance were still hitting so there was more run production, but I digress…

And Carlos Corporan isn’t hitting any better (grounded out with 2 on 1 out and hit into a GIDP)than Towles so can Wandy have his catcher back please? Thank you. Yes, I AM hoping that is why all of a sudden he is doing lousy, because he is.

He struck em out right n left – 11 in 5.2 innings, but besides the idiotic IBB in the 2nd, he walked 2, gave up 4 doubles and 4 singles – 4 ER. And yeah i know that the HP ump wasn’t exactly real too good at calling balls/strikes – he tossed Brad Mills in the second when Jeff Kent drew ball 4 and it got called strike 2 – turned out for the best because Kepp The Sluggah hit his second homer in 2 days. Where was I? Oh yeah – Wandy averaged 4.2 pitches/batter faced – trouble was that he faced too many of em.

And Clankie-poo clunked with runners on base.

Wandy was saved (hahaha) from yet another loss by Johnson-ie, who tied it up with a RBI double in the 8th.

Melancon came in to pitch the top of the 9th in a tie game. Yep, your best reliever right then is a good idea – and mind, FRodsie, Del Rosario-ie and Escalonie have already been used and ain’t real too much left. 3 outs, 11 pitches. Very good.

Bottom of the 9th, Hanrahan still in there – pinch hitter Downsie-poo strikes out, Jason Michaels (and people, PLEASE stop asking me why he’s still on the team – the answer is that he’s an ex-Phillie, is Ed Wade’s petsie-poo and we need Veteran Presence to keep this young team on its steady winning keel. We can’t be trying out any young players in years like this where we’re competing for The Prize) pops up abd Bourn-ie grounds out. No infield hit – he’s leading the league in IF hits with 26. Isn’t that special? We’re leading the league in something besides losses and blown saves. Kewl or WHAT???

Top of the 10th, Melancon back out. Good – he darn well BETTER not be tired after 2 weeks of nothing. He gets 1,2,3 out on 8 pitches. EXCELLENT.

Chris Leroux (the AAA guy who shut us down last night) is up – he gets Barmes and Kepp. Pence singles and Clank popsup. Or some kind of out that wasn’t any sort of like 420′ fly ball onto Tal’s Hill or something. He doesn’t hit homers like that – even homers to the Conoco Pump any more.

Top of the 11th – Melancon back out. He’d only thrown 20 pitches – and we had AnRodsie, David Carpenter and Wilton Lopez left (Abad is gone, remember?) He gives up a double, a flyout (runner doesn’t advance) then makes an error on an easy GB – runner goes to 3rd, man safe at first, then uncorks a wild pitch – or is it passed ball – here and Quintero is supposed to be this great defender and the go ahead run scores. Runner who should have been out goes to second. Next batter singles him home.

Aneury Rodsie comes in to relieve. Fact is that Melancon SHOULD have been pulled after the error because he always freaks out when he lets a guy reach/score on error – anyone notice how many errors the pitchers are making this year???!!! Millsie-poo don’t never learn and Broakie-poo don’t neither. No wonder Arnesberg had, uh, um, differences of opinion.

There goes the ballgame.

Oh, I forgot. AnRodsie gets a nice groundout. TWO outs. So Millsie-poo has him intentionally walk – let me do that again – INTENTIONALLY WALK – the next batter (at least he’s a decent hitter and it’s late innings) to face the #3 hitter, an even better hitter, Andrew McCutchen . And by cracky, Aneury Rodsie makes a throwing error, run scores, everyone safe.

I hate intentional walks.

Chris Resop goes in for the save, but the Astros have had it and roll over.

Our death grip on last place in MLB is still secure. This team is so bad – you wanna know HOW bad? My husband said something bout hows about we turn on the WOMEN’s soccer game. And they are wearing baggy tshirts, baggy knee length shorts, ugly shoes and knee socks, not bikinis. And he hates soccer…

But he’s bout almost got a point. This team is almost unwatchable. I can’t hardly imagine the pain of watching what will be left after we dump Bournie-poo (who is hitting .290 and made 2 awesome catches today) Keppie and Pencie-doo. Wandy is looking lost without Towlsie and Arnesbergie. I hate this calling ballplayers all this -ie stuff – drat that Milo-ie. But I would bet there’s 29 teams out there think they could turn him around, contract and all. We’ll get to watch Mikie and Downsie and Sanchezie play full time. Isn’t that EXCITING??? Maybe we can let some AA pitcher come up who Fast Eddie is dying to bring up to show how great the minors are since he took over in 07!!! Won’t that be FUNNNN?

Another bad team, the Nats comes in tomorrow, and it’s our old pal, Jason Marquis, who we’ve been facing for 10+ years vs Jordan Lyles, still ofer, with a 4.60 ERA. He’s actually pitched decently these past 2 months except for July 3 when he had his head handed to him by these self same Pittsburgh Pirates – he lasted 1.1 innings, gave up 6 runs. He’s not been ace though – BAA of .291 and WHIP of 1.45. Remember Felipe Paulino – the Astros gave up on him because he couldn’t “win?” Well, he still gets no run support but he’s pitching very well for KC as a starter – got a 3.60 ERA/1.24 WHIP – 8 GS, 56 IP. We should have given Happ to the Rockies and kept Paulino.

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Posted in Wandy Rodriguez | 12 Comments »

7/16/11: In Which The Home Plate Ump Blows A Call In The Astros Favor For Once And Beat Pirates For Win #31

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

Here and I had the entry almost written – Wilton Lopez Blows yet ANOTHER Save Because That Maroon Mills Keeps Sending Him In And Wiltie Allows Over 50% Of His Inherited Runners To Score And Here We Go Again.

I have given Millsie-poo the benefit of the doubt about stuff like insisting on playing Jason Michaels/Clank whenever we face a lefty – I mean, is that HIS stupid idea or do orders come from Fast Eddie. But him insisting on bringing in Wilton Lopez when the score is tied/we’re ahead when there are runners on is just crazy – Lopez fails more than he succeeds – meaning fails to prevent the runner/runners from scoring. I know he doesn’t have Lidge/Dotel/Wagner or even Qualls/Wheeler/Lidge (BITGOD when they were all awesome) but Wilton Lopez is his WORST choice.

sigh

Bud wasn’t exactly at his best – gave up 3 solo homers (what, he’s competing with the ol WB or something?) a double, 5 singles, 2 walks and he made another throwing error. He didn’t give up any SB because he kept Alex Presley and McCutchen off the bases.

But he was winning to start the 6th – ahead 3-1 – Clank had scored in the 1st on a passed ball and Jeff Keppinger had hit a 2 run job into the Crawford Boxes in the 3rd. He gave up a solo homer to Overbay on a 3-2 FB down the middle, then a solo homer to Brandon Wood (he only hits against the Astros – hey, who doesn’t) on a 2-2 hanging slider, then a double to McHenry the catcher (Doumit WHO?) that went to the RF wall. He got the pitcher on a foul popup, then struck out Presley, then D’Arnaud singled.

So we have men on first and 3rd, 2 out, Walker up. So naturally, Wiltie-poo gives up a RBI single to center – not some dribbler that just got through – and there goes the ballgame.

I was gonna shut the TV off – I mean, these days, the other team goes ahead and that is all she wrote, but then a miracle happened.

Maholm had been pulled after 5, then Daniel McCutchen and Chris Resop pitched a 1,2,3 6th and 7th. Jose Veras, who has shut the Astros DOWN, came on to pitch the 8th. He walks Pence. Then Clank is up and he hits one of those little nubbers near the mound – but Hunter had been running and Veras could only get Clank. So Brett Wallace is called in to pinch hit for the pitcher (sorry – there had been a double switch and Clank was pulled and Matt Downs slotted in the pitcher’s spot) and Pence takes off for 3rd on the 1-1. Easy stolen base – the pitcher hardly noticed.

Then, the impossible happened. Pence had taken a large lead off 3rd – Brettsie-poo had hit a chopper out to short, D’Arnaud fielded the ball cleanly, threw a strike to the catcher, who swiped Pence on the arm as he was sliding to the plate and – miracle of miracles, Pence who is clearly out, was called safe. Tie game again.

Bogusevic comes in to run for Wallace. And another miracle happens – Barmes hits a ball to the left of the 3rd baseman, Brandon Wood, and he bobbles the ball and Bogusevic goes to 3rd. Veras is besides himself – he SHOULD have had 3 outs and a Hold, but now he’s got 1 out, men on 1st and 3rd and a Loss hanging over him. Quintero hits a clean single to left – his first hit since he came back to the ML club (you notice that fans don’t complain that he can’t hit the way that fans – well the male ones – groused that Ausmus couldn’t hit) to score Bogusevic and that was it for Veras.

Very tough loss dude. The Stros pitchers feel your pain.

So this guy Leroux, just up from AAA, comes in, gets Downsie-poo to popup, then Michael Bourn hits an opposite field single to score Barmsie-poo. Sanchez makes the 3rd out.

Escalona pitches a 1,2,3 8th and Melancon, coming into a save situation for the first time since (have to look up the game log) June 26 when he came in with 2 on, 1 out in the 8th, Houston leading 8-7, and blew the save. He did come into a 1-1 tie game on July 3, and he lost that one all by his lonesome – no blown save. His last save in a save opportunity was June 8. Yes, that is how bad this team really is.

Tomorrow afternoon, it’s Wandy vs Kevin Correia. Unless someone has head something different, Wandy will not be getting Towles back – we’ll see if he does any better pitching to Corporan than he has the other times.

He’ll be facing All-Star Kevin Correia and his 4.01 ERA. All-Star??? Too many guys had pitched on Sunday, I guess. I think he got in because he has 11 wins (run support, anyone?) – anyway, he has a 1.28 ERA, 9.5 H/9, 2 BB/9 and 4.6 K/9.

I sure hope that Wandy brings his A game. We haven’t won a series since we played the Dodgers a month ago.

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Posted in Bud Norris, Hunter Pence | 4 Comments »

Stuck On 29 For The 5th Game In A Row: Even Wandy Can’t Win

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

Wonder if we’re even gonna make 30 wins by the break.

Wandy didn’t have his usual outstanding control tonight – and giving up a homer to Brandon Wood and his .500 OPS is like Brad Lidge giving up a homer to Scott Podsednik. Wandy gave up a run on 2 broken bat bloop hits, and was all tired out by the 6th when he gave up another 2.

Clint Barmes hit a homer to prevent a shutout. I was looking over some of my entries from 05 and it struck me how many times we got shut out, even after the team turned it around after 15-30. We’ve only been shutout twice in spite of the fact that the starting pitchers’ ERAs are incredibly lower this year (among guys who have thrown at least 13 games) and in spite of the fact that this team has the lowest number of homers hit in the majors.

Clank and Pence left everyone on base.

There’s just nothing new or good to say about this unspeakably terrible team.

Fernando Abad just wengt back on the suckage, I mean disabled list and Fernando Rodriguez is back up and we now have the triple Rod pitchiing.

Should I mention that Lance Berkman is now leading the National League in homers with 23? And that tonight he just hit the longest homer in the 5 year history of Busch 3?

And that for the first time I can remember in years, BBTN led off with the NL Central games? Instead of Saint Jeter and his almost 3000? Funny I disremember a whole lot of fuss leading up to Craig Biggio’s 3000th and he sure nuff didn’t get no hour long HBO show about his incredible wonderfullnesshood getting 3000.

I don’t know how the Pirates fans dealt with their horrid team with no future stuff for 18 years.

Still no news about the Astros sale. I would guess that decisions are getting put off until after the ASB – and are depending on the Frank McCourt saga.

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Posted in Wandy Rodriguez | 7 Comments »

6/16/11: If Jim Crane Was Unwanted By MLB 8 Months Ago, Why Is He Suddenly OK?

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

I understand where Bud Selig comes from most of the time.

What he cares about:

#1 – trying to find SOME way to give baseball players, major and minor league, as little as possible so that the owners can get most of the pie.

#2 – minimal media controversy while trying to make himself/owners look good and greedy ballplayers/agents look bad/greedy/ungrateful.

#3 – obedient owners who understand that the most important thing, next to screwing the players out of as much money as possible, is to accept their role and understand that some teams are more popular than others and the popular teams should get as much national face as possible and be in the playoffs as much as possible. Some teams are getting paid from the luxury tax/revenue sharing to suck. Their owners must blame the greedy players.

Crane and his lack of any sort of serious cash, was unacceptable to MLB during the bidding for the Rangers – and yes, we ALL know that Bud wanted Nolan Ryan in as owner.

MLB knows only too well that the other bidders for the Astros had real money and no leveraging and Crane has only leveraging, so why is he OK? Might could it be that Bud wants re-alignment and Crane agreed to screw the Astros fans and the city of Houston by agreeing to move the Astros to the AL West, where not only would the games start too late, but would be polluted by the stench that is the DH?

Coule it be that he knows that Crane has no money and therefore will let the payroll drop into handouts territory and then claim that the greedy players and their greedy agents is what is preventing the Astros from signing top prospects/FA or keeping good players?

Revenge is a dish best tasted cold, as my Daddy sez, and he ought to know.

No one but Houstonians really care about the Astros. There isn’t going to be any rivalry between us and the Dallas Rangers – really silly to pretend otherwise (see Silver Booted) as neither city cares real too particular much about the other.

The local media either have no interest in investigating Crane, or have been censored (yeah, surrrre – where is the Houston Press? Does Crane own THEIR advertisers as he does the Chron’s? And what about sports radio? Or do the “reporters” just want to whine and complain about how athletes are overpaid and get all the hottest wimmen and are lazy anyhow – instead of, you know, like, investigating??)

But Maury Brown, writing for Forbes, asks if Crane could be controversial. Crane’s war profiteering in Iraq

let me repeat that – WAR PROFITEERING IN IRAQ

is not controversial. His discriminating against wimmin and darkies is not controversial, and neither are reports of his companies lawyers shredding documents that the EEOC wanted and not providing others – anyhow, all yall know how Those People are always complaining about discrimination just because they “lack the necessities” (oh dear GAWD if only Crane could have been found to have pulled an Al Campanis – but I don’t guess that would be as controversial as Rep Weiner’s pulled weiner.

Nobody but Maury and a few of us Astros fans cares if Crane has no money, has nefarious business dealings and continues to drive the Astros to the dark pit of the major league – no matter WHICH league, to serve as something for the Big Popular Teams to beat up on. And that’s the truth. Crane isn’t getting any media coverage for the simple reason that he either hasn’t sent photographs of his nekkid youknowwhat to people who can’t WAIT to tell everyone about it so that some females can be shockedSHOCKED that some man would wave his Weiner in front of a camera, or he hasn’t been stupid enough to use his real name or account where he could be traced.

One of the commenters here on my blog said he hopes Crane stops “the stupidity” and all I can say is – well, he SURE as heck isn’t spending any money – he’s said so right out first media interview he did about buying the Astros. He can fire Fast Eddie, all right, but exactly who is he going to replace him with? Biggio? Bagwell? Gerry Hunsicker? Andrew Friedman, who wants to leave an extremely successful franchise and come to a guy who won’t spend and who got the team with less money than his father’s group did?

Fire Millsie-poo? Who again left an ineffective reliever in to get killt and give up 3 runs (no wonder Arnesberg had “philosophical differences” with SOMEone).

He’s gonna replace Millsie-poo with, like now WHO is this great manager just eagerly waiting to come? Biggio?

Getting the band back together?

I guess I should say something about how the hitters aren’t hitting with RISP and how the bullpen has returned to awfulness and how J Happ needed 108 pitches to get through 5 innings, giving up 6 H, 4 BB and 2 runs. Or how Brett Wallace is looking more and more like Mo Vaughn with the glove but without the home run bat.

I would, but I’m too depressed.

Jordan Lyles tonight – hope he pitches well and gets some run support.

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Posted in J.A. Happ | 14 Comments »

5/8/11: Jason Bourgeois Goes Out On Top

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

I HAD to say SOMEthing good…

Well, just got home from a VERY good weekend in Galveston. Yes it’s late. Yes, it’s the only way to escape bumper to bumper traffic on the Gulf Freeway. Yes, kidz were wide awake and eager to let us know how much they didn’t even notice we were gone to have a good time on the beach without them and had COMPLETELY forgot the meaning of bedtime. Yes you ARE right and granma has COMPLETELY forgot how she used to make her OWN kidz mind and go to bed and not stay up watching TV.
 
Mama said, on her way out the door – Chris Resop was all set to be the Astros hero, but the bullpen wasn’t gonna stand for THAT. Yeh, the TV was on the Astros games and you best believe the kidz didn’t give granma not stuff about THAT.
 
Chris Resop.
Chris Resop.
 
Hmmmm – check out the box scores:
 
FRIDAY – In which Clank is back, we face a lefty, so Wallace gets benched. That is horsestuff – but you know that 19 mill is >>>> 1/2 mill. And Bourgeois leads off with Michael Bourn batting in the 2 hole. Now THAT is teh KEWL. (Does anyone REALLY think that Mills has ANY say in whether Clank plays or not – any more than Phil Garner had any say in where Saint Biggio hit in the lineup in 07?) Boogey is on FAHR, says he’s seeing the ball great. He’s fielding great, hitting great, running great, playin LF like it was meant to be played.
 
Wandy is outpitched by Maholm – both throw 7 innings, give up 5 hits and 2 walks, but Wandy leaves losing by 1 run – a solo homer by Neil Walker breaking a 1-1 tie.
 
Chris Resop to the rescue. Bourgeois had singled, stolen second, scored on a single in the first. Michael Bourn up. He walks, steals second, strolls home on a double to score the tying run. Resop out, Veras in, Clank singles Pence home for the go-ahead run.
 
I don’t know whether or not to be happy or sad that Clank had a good game – it means that Wallace will be benched when we face leftys and/or Bourgeois won’t play as much. Then again, if Clank manages to resurrect himself, he just MIGHT could get traded, youneverknow.
 
Wandy holds his breath, crosses fingers, prays, as Wilton Lopez, the setup man (I think) comes in for the 8th. He gives up a walk, sac-bunt, groundout. Man on 3rd, 2 outs. Garett Jones, the lefty up. Guess Millsie don’t trust Lopez to get leftys out – in comes Abad, down goes Jones.
 
In comes Hanrahan, their closer (I see that they aren’t afraid to seend in the closer when they are down only 1 run – youneverknow – they might could even let him pitch TWO innings. It’s Pittsburgh – they’re desperate…) PH Wallace walks, Bourgeois singles, Bourn Ks, Pence and Clank get out.
 
Mark Melancon, new closer since Brandon Lyon came down with a disabling case of suckage, mows em down 1,2,3.
 
WANDY WINS (a little payback for his last game where he threw 8 scoreless and got a ND for his trouble.)
 
SATURDAY – In Which Bud Norris Pitches Well But Charlie Morton Pitches Better (apparently they have taught him to throw like Roy Halliday) and Jason Bourgeois starts at 2B for the first time this year (hopefully an encouraging sign). Bud threw 6 good innings and 1 bad 3 run inning, but Morton gave up only a RBI single to Clank, scoring Michael Bourn.
 
Bad News: bullpen suckage once more – Jose Valdez, back up, replacing Brandon Lyon, is just as bad as the guy he replaced – leaves with bases loaded, 2 outs. Enerio Del Rosario comes in, immediately lets his runs score with a double and a wild pitch.
 
Badder News: Clint Barmes doesn’t hit like Jeff Kent – no power and he sure as heck isn’t driving in runs. And he doesn’t seem to be turning any more plays than Sanchez did.
 
Worse-est news: Bourgeois pulls a muscle in his side and has to come out of the game. He is replaced by Joe Suckage Inglett.
 
 
SUNDAY: J Happ manages, for once to not suck (6 H, 4 BB, 2 ER – left bases loaded in the 1st and 5th) and Michael Bourn breaks his 28 game on base streak. At the end of the 6th, Stros losing 2-0, having managed 3 hits and 2 walks against James McDonald and his 6+ ERA. Brett Wallace has stumbled a bit in his lat 4 games – he left bases loaded in the 4th. Maybe all this benching is getting to him.
 
Chris Resop to the rescue
Chris Resop to the rescue
Go Chris Resop!!
Go Chris Resop!!!
 
CJ hits the 3rd pitch over the LF wall to break up the shutout. Bill Hall singles (you giving up hits to Bill Hall, you ain’t no good) and Quintero doubles him home. Tie game.
 
Resop out, Beimel in. Angel Sanchez bunts to the pitcher and Quintero scores FROM SECOND on the bunt???!!! Now THAT is a replay I have GOTS to see. Stros take the lead 3-2.
 
Fulchino gets 1,2,3 out. Daniel McCutchen (failed supposed to be ace starter) gives up a double to Clank who goes to third on  throwing error then scores on a Brett Wallace sac-fly.
 
8th inning – Abad in to face lefty Jones – gets him out. Millsie, Mr. Matchup, leaves him in to face 2 rightys- one singles, the next one walks. Where is Wilton Lopez? nyway, Ryan Doumit, another righty hits  3 run homer. NOW Wilton Lopez comes in?
 
Big Deal – too late. Bad is now 1-3 with 2 BS and a 7.50 ERA. Don’t bother asking how Ryan Rowland-Smith is doing because the answer is lousy. Might as well bring back Wesley Wright.
 
Fast Eddie’s strength is supposed to be assembling bullpens – but this year, his pile of scrap heap guys is beyond suck.
 
Tomorrow, we’re seeing Reds again – rematch between Travis Wood and Aneury Rodriguez. In case you forgot – the bullpen lost that one too…

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Posted in Bud Norris, Fernando Abad, J.A. Happ, Jason Bourgeois, Wandy Rodriguez | 13 Comments »

5/6/11: Weekend At Pirates

Friday, May 6th, 2011

This weekend, Husby and I are off to Galveston for the weekend for a little birthday celebration so I’ll leave yall with the Pirates series matchups:

Friday, it’s the Wand Man vs lefty Paul Maholm – one of their 1st rounders who actually worked out for them – he came up in 05 and has put in at least 30 starts/year since. Has only 1 year when his ERA+ rose above 100 – it was 114 in 08. His career ERA+ is 95, and he’s is right thre this year, too. So fat, he’s started 6 games over 37 innings with a 4.14 ERA/1.30 WHIP and a .244 BAA.
-Like bout every other pitcher, he pitches better at home: 84 GS over 547.1 IP: 3.86 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, .266 BAA. Approximately 9 H/9 IP, .67 HR/9 IP, 2.77 BB/9 and 5.2 K/9.
- he pitched great vs Houston last year: 3-3 with 1 CG SO: 29.2 IP: 1.44 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, .220 BAA. Yeah, I’m only giving last year’s stats even though they are small sample size because last year’s team is most similar to this year’s and has no resemblance whatsoever to the 05/06 team, so why include it?

Wandy hasn’t done that well at PNC: 2-4 in 7 GS over 39.2 IP: 49H, 1 HR, 11 BB, 39 K: 4.99 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and a .301 BAA. UGH.
- only players on the team who have hit him well are Garrett Atkins, who is 9 fer 21 with 3 doubles and 2 HR, and Matt Diaz, ex Brave, who is 6 fer 17 with 2 doubles.

Saturday, It’s Bud Norris vs righty Charlie Morton

Bud, the 6th round pick of the 06 draft by – The Hated Tim Purpura (along with Chris Johnson – not every pick of his turned to poopoo) – is the Astros only power pitcher. He seems to have figured something out over the past 4 games and hasn’t been having his usual problem with suddenly, for no reason, his command completely vanishes – and he’s leading the staff in ERA – he’s not given up any ER in 3 of his 6 starts and is also leading the staff in K/9 – yeah I know that doesn’t always mean wins. He’s pitched 35.2 innings: 4 HR, 12 BB, 43 K: 3.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, .237 BAA.

- at PNC: well, let me be kind and say, uh, small sample size – 2 GS over 9.1 IP with a 8.68 ERA. But he’s gonna do MUCH better this time, I’m SURE.

Charlie Morton was picked by the Braves in the 3rd round of the 02 draft by the Braves. He’s one of those guys who the scouts LUUUUVVVEd – said he had great stuff and attractively applied makeup. Somehow, it didn’t show up real too mcuh in his minor league stats or major league stats, so Bobby Cox and Schuerholz gave up on him in 08 and traded him to the Pirates for Nate McLouth (who immediately sank into a deep well of massive suckage as soona s he arrived in Atlanta) but the Pirates really LUUUVVVED Charlie – they were SURE he was gonna be good. He wasn’t in 09. He was worse last year.  So this year, they made him over – delivery, motion, glove, blush and lipstick, everything. And so fra, he sure nuff has pitched better.

- so far, he’s thrown 6 games over 38.1 IP: 34 H, 2 HR, 23 BB!!!!!!! 19 K: 3.52 ERA. 1.58 WHIP, .245 BAA. Hmmmmmmmm – looks like he’s traded a bunch of hits for walks and isn’t giving up many homers. He must be stranding a lot of guys on base.  He’s also significantly decreased his HR/9 as well. He has only 1 UER so far – last year he had 17 UER in just a little over twice the IP. Will be interesting to see what happens.

- he’s pitched pretty well at PNC: 16 GS over 91 IP: 91 H, 7 HR, 35 BB, 54K: 3.56 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a .266 BAA. The Astros have so far, eaten him alive – will have to see how he does this year. Youneverknow…

Sunday, it’s J Happ vs James McDonald.

JA Happ has 6 starts, 1 QS, over 34.2 IP: 37 H, 5 HR, 15 BB, 25 K: 6.23 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a .285 BAA. In the past, he’d always managed to keep the number of hits less than 1/inning, although he struggled with walks – but managed to strand lots of runners and keep the scoring low. He hasn’t had the same sort of success this year – either with preventing hits or keeping them from scoring. He can’t blame the defense THAT much – no unearned runs. Just not throwing well.

- he’s started 2 games at PNC, lost them both. Threw 14 innings, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 BB, 8 K 3 ER: 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .216 BAA. He best hope he has better luck this time around.

James McDonald was drafted in the 11th roundof the 02 draft by the Dodgers. He came up in 08, relieved in 6 innings. In 09, he was a reliever who had 4 spot starts and neded the year with a 100ERA+ over 63 IP: 8.7 H/9. 0.9 HR/9. 4.9 BB/9 !!!! and 7.7 K/9: 4.00 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Last year, he threw 7.2 dreadful innings for LA and was traded at the deadline for reliever Octavio Dotel. The Pirates stopped bouncing him between the bullpen and the rotation and gave him 11 starts over 64 IP: 3.52 ERA, 1.30 WHIP: 8.3 H/9, 3.4 BB/9, 8.6 K/9 and 0.4 HR/9.

Unfortunately, this year, he’s had a bit of difficulty repeating the post ASB numbers.6 GS over 30.2 IP: 34 H, 6 HR, 17 BB, 20 K: 6.75 ERA, 1.66 WHIP. Although his last 2 starts against punchless Padres and Giants were pretty good.

At PNC, he’s pitched 51 innings with a 3.18 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a .227BAA: 41 H, 4 HR, 27 BB, 43 K. He’s thrown 4 innings against Astros hitters that he’d REALLY like to forget…

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Posted in Bud Norris, J.A. Happ, Wandy Rodriguez | 3 Comments »

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