Astros @ Dodgers

[Castor27]

Pitching Matchups:

7-8 -- koko (1-1, 7.56) vs. Edwin jackson (1-0, 4.05) 9:10 on KNWS

7-9 -- Andy Pettitte (4-2, 4.37) vs. Jeff Weaver (6-8, 4.26) 9:10 on KNWS

7-10 -- Roger Clemens (10-2, 2.54) vs. Wilson Alvarez (2-3, 3.77) 3:10 on Fox

7-11 -- Pete Munro (1-2, 4.45) vs. Lima Time (7-3, 4.42) 3:10 on FSSW

Jeff Kent is expected to return for this series. I probably won't see either of the first 2 games because some jackass at my cable company moved all the internet service to a different band without checking. That caused some problems with KNWS and a couple of other channels :mad:

[ron413]

Duckworth= koko?

When did that happen??? soso is more appropriate...

[amed]

The Astros should take 3 of 4.

[fatman510]

I'm going to tonights game and Saturdays game...I'm pumped about seeing Raj live.

WWWL

[JPM0016]

9-6 Win

11-3 Win

8-1 Win

7-5 Win

I'm an Optimist. It turns around tonight

[Preston27]

WWWLimatime.

[Groogrux]

LWWL

[MadMax]

LWWW

[Buck Turgidson]

The Blue Bastards are going down hard.

Edwin Jackson has seriously nasty stuff.

How long has it been since Milton Bradley's last meltdown & ejection?

[DaDakota]

WWWW

[Castor27]

Originally posted by ron413
Duckworth= koko?

When did that happen??? soso is more appropriate...

Duckworth has been koko since the beginning of the season. He will continue to be until he does something. Then maybe we can start calling him T-Bone.

[Austin70]

Originally posted by Castor27
Duckworth has been koko since the beginning of the season. He will continue to be until he does something. Then maybe we can start calling him T-Bone.

Or Mammy would do.

[codell]

Originally posted by Austin70
Or Mammy would do.

Thats "Gammy".

[whag00]

LLWL

Any chance they will pitch Oswalt on Sunday on 3 days rest? after all Jimy's job could be riding on that game....

[Austin70]

Originally posted by codell
Thats "Gammy".

Thanks, I was close.

[NIKEstrad]

Guys, you've got it all wrong.

The reason for Duckworth's lack of success was that he had lost his nickname, ergo lost his identity, ergo lost his ability to pitch.

Dotel is gone. Brandon Duckworth is "Ducky" again. 7 IP, 0 ER. Take it to the bank.

[deepellumrocket]

Originally posted by NIKEstrad
Guys, you've got it all wrong.

The reason for Duckworth's lack of success was that he had lost his nickname, ergo lost his identity, ergo lost his ability to pitch.

Dotel is gone. Brandon Duckworth is "Ducky" again. 7 IP, 0 ER. Take it to the bank.

I say he has to earn that nickname back. A quality start tonight would be a step toward that. 7 IP, 0 ER might lock it up for him.

Go KoKo!

[sonique15]

SWEEEEEEEP! :D

Cmon 'Stros.....PLZ....

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by fatman510
I'm going to tonights game and Saturdays game...I'm pumped about seeing Raj live.

WWWL Ray J? :confused:

[PhiSlammaJamma]

wwww

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by MadMax
LWWW Wuz up Max!! You sure have been quiet the last few days...I wonder why :cool: We are making a move. Count on it!

[MadMax]

Originally posted by Lil Francis
Wuz up Max!! You sure have been quiet the last few days...I wonder why :cool: We are making a move. Count on it!

quiet?? dude, i've posted like a madman here.

make whatever move you want. the braves are not winning the NL East. they're just not.

[HillBoy]

Originally posted by amed
The Astros should take 3 of 4.
The way they're hitting, they will LOSE 3 of 4.

[gunn]

LLWL

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by MadMax
quiet?? dude, i've posted like a madman here.

make whatever move you want. the braves are not winning the NL East. they're just not. Yeah ok keep believing that. Is JD having a breakout season or what? I thought he would hit 25 this season but he has a shot for 35.

[MadMax]

Originally posted by Lil Francis
Yeah ok keep believing that. Is JD having a breakout season or what? I thought he would hit 25 this season but he has a shot for 35.

he's on my fantasy team, and he's kicking butt. great season. i'm rooting for him, now that he's no longer a redbird.

but he's not going to win this division for that team. either the marlins or the phils will get their act together soon.

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by MadMax
he's on my fantasy team, and he's kicking butt. great season. i'm rooting for him, now that he's no longer a redbird.

but he's not going to win this division for that team. either the marlins or the phils will get their act together soon. Giles will be back in a week ;)

[Surfguy]

Biggio is having one hell of a season so far offensively. You have to give him credit. He seems re-newed after changing is batting technique. Another 2 run blast tonite for Craig. 2 - 0 Astros.

[RocketManJosh]

Geeze ... 2nd base is not our defensive strong suit

Kent has to get to those balls ... we can't afford to give them free baserunners with koko pitching

[Joshfast]

3-2 Dodgers, Gallo coming in.

Edwin Jackson looks like he has calmed down. Doesn't look good :(

[Nick]

Even though it was a good piece of hitting, still unfortunate to give up the go-ahead hit to the pitcher.

Duckworth actually had good stuff... but that dropped pop-fly spelled doom no matter how good his stuff was.

And while we're at it, somebody escort Mike Gallo off of this team. His 4 pitch performance tonight (4 balls) was probably too much for his arm to take.

Great job Mike... :rolleyes:

[RocketManJosh]

well I wouldn't say koko had good stuff tonight since he consistently was at 2-0 and 3-1 counts. That's not a recipe of success for a major league pitcher.

Pettitte better be ready to at least go 7 tomorrow ... we are going to need it.

[Nick]

I was just simply speaking of his ability to strike guys out, and the fact that when hitters did make contact, it wasn't good contact.

I didn't say he was lights out... just that his stuff was decent.

[RocketManJosh]

Originally posted by Nick
I was just simply speaking of his ability to strike guys out, and the fact that when hitters did make contact, it wasn't good contact.

I didn't say he was lights out... just that his stuff was decent.

yeah i agree with you .. He worked his way out in a few spots ... im just really frustrated with this team right now. Man! after a frustrating Rockets season, this team is hard to watch

[punk dee]

Rocket on the Tonight Show with that dude that has a huge chin! 7/8

[Nick]

In the long run, a (hopefully) contending team simply can't keep throwing guys like Kirk Bullinger and Mike Gallo in games that matter.

These guys remind me of Joe Slusarski during 2000, and how he was in almost every single game, yet we were awful.

[RocketManJosh]

This bullpen is just excruciating to watch ... Bullinger gives up couple more and he made 38 pitches this inning

And why the hell does Viz keep cutting those throws off? ... they are going to be reasonably close plays at the plate and Ausmus could still throw the guy out at third if he lets it go through

[Nick]

Originally posted by RocketManJosh
This bullpen is just excruciating to watch ... Bullinger gives up couple more and he made 38 pitches this inning

And why the hell does Viz keep cutting those throws off? ... they are going to be reasonably close plays at the plate and Ausmus could still throw the guy out at third if he lets it go through

Agreed on bullinger... but you can't be serious about Biggio's throws.

They would be nowhere near catching Ventura (who, btw, is the slowest person on the face of the planet)... and that alone shows you how good of shape his arm is in.

But, he's the only guy who's hit tonight, so he's exempt from further criticism by me.

[RocketManJosh]

Originally posted by Nick
Agreed on bullinger... but you can't be serious about Biggio's throws.

They would be nowhere near catching Ventura (who, btw, is the slowest person on the face of the planet)... and that alone shows you how good of shape his arm is in.

But, he's the only guy who's hit tonight, so he's exempt from further criticism by me.

Watch the replay ... the throws were on line and even with the runner a quarter of the way up the line ... with a good block of the plate Ausmus could have made a play.

Ausmus even went out to talk to Viz right after he cut it off. I'm watching the Dodgers announcers and even they thought Ausmus had a shot to make a play both times so saying it was nowhere near catching Ventura is completely wrong.

[Nick]

Originally posted by RocketManJosh
Watch the replay ... the throws were on line and even with the runner a quarter of the way up the line ... with a good block of the plate Ausmus could have made a play.

Ausmus even went out to talk to Viz right after he cut it off. I'm watching the Dodgers announcers and even they thought Ausmus had a shot to make a play both times so saying it was nowhere near catching Ventura is completely wrong.

Maybe on the second play, but even then it was less than 50/50.

I'm watching the Houston feed... the only beef they had on the play was they thought Viz should have been able to block the ball initially at 3rd, before it got thru the hole.

Everything about those plays should = a play at the plate.... a hot shot to left field, a very very slow runner in Ventura, and a pretty accurate throw... but both of Biggio's throws barely even got to Viz 3 feet in front of home, thus making it even more unlikely that it would have beaten Ventura at the plate.

But, I guess its better to argue about these plays, then to discuss how horrible the Astros bullpen is, and how the Dodgers seem to catch every single thing the Astros hit (meanwhile, we can't catch a simple pop-fly to second base). :D

[rockets-#1]

"These guys suck!"

"We suck again!"

"These guys ain't so f****** good!"

[Agent27]

Two comments:

1) Please take Bagwell out of the two hole. That's just stupid. He has only one hit batting second and that one should have been ruled an error. I'd rather have anybody on this team except Ausmus hitting second instead of Jeff.

2) Mike Gallo is not a situational lefty. He actually pitches better against righties. He should never ever be brought in to just pitch to a left handed batter. Unfortunately, that's how Jimmy has been using him of late.

[Khopesh]

How about Kent not being able to grab a ball between himself and the bag.

Thought he was supposed to be leading the charge.

Clearly this team doesn't care anymore. Someone needs to come in and clean house. What's Davey Johnson doing??

[Buck Turgidson]

hamstring

[Khopesh]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
hamstring

In that case, why is he playing? It's not like we don't have Viz on the bench.

[Lil Francis]

Just think as terrible as the Astros have played in the first half they are still only 4 games out of the Wild Card. The division title is gone but they still have a shot at the Wild Card.

[Hammer755]

Originally posted by Agent27
Two comments:

1) Please take Bagwell out of the two hole. That's just stupid. He has only one hit batting second and that one should have been ruled an error. I'd rather have anybody on this team except Ausmus hitting second instead of Jeff.

I disagree. At this point in his career, Bagwell is ideally suited for the 2-hole. He draws a ton of walks - even with his batting average dipping, he is still maintaining a near-0.400 OBP. He's nowhere near the power hitter he once was, but will still get 50 extra-base hits this year. The only mark against him is that he strikes out an awful lot, which I still would take given his other numbers.

Theoretically, this team should be scoring runs in bunches. After a hot couple of weeks, Biggio's OBP is up near 0.370. Combined with Bags' 0.390, Beltran, Berkman, & Kent should continue to get ample RBI opportunities.

[Buck Turgidson]

Originally posted by RocketManJosh
Watch the replay ... the throws were on line and even with the runner a quarter of the way up the line ... with a good block of the plate Ausmus could have made a play.

Ausmus even went out to talk to Viz right after he cut it off. I'm watching the Dodgers announcers and even they thought Ausmus had a shot to make a play both times so saying it was nowhere near catching Ventura is completely wrong.
a) Those throws, especially the first one, were dying by the time they got to Viz;
b) Ausmus is horrible at blocking the plate, seems like he fears contact at times;
c) It's Ausmus's job to tell Viz whether to cut it or not.

[franchise403]

Of course our only run tonight has come from Beltran.:rolleyes:

[NIKEstrad]

Downright sad.

Our offense tonight consists of Beltran, Ausmus, and Pettitte. We need this all-star break to start fresh, hopefully.

Pettitte is pitching extremely well, I hope we can reward him for this...to their credit, Weaver can have pretty nasty stuff.

[whag00]

Beltran hurt...Hope its not serious.

[NIKEstrad]

An 8th inning run? Palmeiro bloop double, Biggio bunts him over, and Viz drives him in with a single. Nice execution.

Lidge in for the 8th/9th (we hope)...Bagwell in as a defensive replacement for Lamb, and Beltran out(?!?!) with Lane in center. Beltran apparently has stiffness in his knee from fouling a pitch off.

[Surfguy]

OH WHAT A FINISH!!! WE WIN!!!

THAT'S A SEASON TURNAROUND PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!

[Nick]

Lidge IS our bullpen.... Lidge IS our MVP so far.... Lidge has all the guts of the warrior that Dotel (see tonight's game: Oak vs. Cleveland) never had.

Lidge... Love it.

[whag00]

That DP was THE play of the year...and judging by the players reactions that could (hopefully) turn the season around...

[Joshfast]

Just have to say...

WHAT A FINISH!!

http://smilies.jeeptalk.org/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gif

[Nick]

While that play was amazing (my heart is still racing from it)... you can't overlook Pettite's best start of the year tonight.

Until that homerun, he was flat-out dealing to the hitters... and hopefully this will help propel him into his much needed routine, and he can finish out this season strong.

Let me say it again, though... Lidge is amazing.

why he'll revolutionize our closer position:
a.) he WILL start to pitch 2 innings if he has to... wagner was never effective at that.

b.) his unhittable slider.

c.) he's shown more guts and moxy in his first few save opportunities than any other first-time closer I've seen in the modern era.

[NIKEstrad]

Pettitte was fantastic...I'll go to war with him, Roger, and Roy.

Lidge is gutsy...I don't like the idea of the guy going 2 innings consistently (you can't ask a guy to go 2 innings 3 nights in a row), but it's good to know he can.

The announcers talked about what a nice play Bagwell and Lidge made, but man, the footwork by Everett on that DP was absolutely fantastic. Shawn Green is a pretty speedy guy- 30/30 a couple years ago, and with lame shouldered Bagwell starting it, it was not an easy play to turn.

And kudos to Viz for hanging onto the ball off that absolutely PERFECT throw by Ausmus...Bradley went in cleats up- didn't look like the cleanest play to me. I wonder how things would've happened if that had been Kent taking that throw- words for sure.

Huge, huge, huge.

[Deji]

I was behind home plate. I thought Lidge was going to blow it for sure. Alot of the Dodger's fans were booing the strike calls during the bottom of the 9th as well. To be honest, as feral as LA fans are, there was some merit to their complaints. Some of those strikes could have easily been called balls and a run might have been walked in.

Also, I booed Ventura when the Dodgers trotted him out. I'll never forget when he charged Ryan on the mound. :-)

Glad to have the Dodgers fans jeering at my stros hat as I walked to the car but man...I'm missing Wagner...

[fatman510]

Originally posted by Deji
I was behind home plate. I thought Lidge was going to blow it for sure. Alot of the Dodger's fans were booing the strike calls during the bottom of the 9th as well. To be honest, as feral as LA fans are, there was some merit to their complaints. Some of those strikes could have easily been called balls and a run might have been walked in.

Also, I booed Ventura when the Dodgers trotted him out. I'll never forget when he charged Ryan on the mound. :-)

Glad to have the Dodgers fans jeering at my stros hat as I walked to the car but man...I'm missing Wagner...
I was on the first base side wearing a Berkman jersey and screaming my head off. :)

[Jameson Paulz]

I just got home from the game.

Awesome.

Had great seats behind the plate.

Dodger hitters could not figure Pettite out.

Ninth inning was one of the best endings I have ever attended. (Especially since I was among Dodger fans).

[Nick]

Originally posted by Deji
Glad to have the Dodgers fans jeering at my stros hat as I walked to the car but man...I'm missing Wagner...

Wagner could never give you 2 inning saves... ;)

What this team is really missing is a dotel/Mota-like setup man... right now, Weathers, Miceli, Harville, et. al are really not getting the job done, thus causing Jimy to go straight for Lidge tonight.

He can't keep that up in every tight 1-inning game on the road... sooner or later, he'll have to trust Miceli or whoever to take the hill in the 8th.

[arkoe]

I know this is generally frowned upon, but I'm going to post a link to the forum at www.astrosdaily.com. Remember late in the 7-2 loss to the Dodgers where they walked three straight at the beginning of the lineup then Bagwell (if I remember right) grounded into a double play to kill the inning? Turns out there should have been four straight walks to start that inning. Take a look for yourself.

http://www.raykerby.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1346

[Behad]

Originally posted by arkoe
I know this is generally frowned upon, but I'm going to post a link to the forum at www.astrosdaily.com. Remember late in the 7-2 loss to the Dodgers where they walked three straight at the beginning of the lineup then Bagwell (if I remember right) grounded into a double play to kill the inning? Turns out there should have been four straight walks to start that inning. Take a look for yourself.

http://www.raykerby.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1346

Damn! That really sucks. Yet that sums up this Astros season perfectly - everyone on the team, from the manager on down to the players to the press box - is so totally disinterested in the game that they miss a blown walk. Wow.

MadMax or Rocketman95...is BW3 still on for today?

[Preston27]

Originally posted by arkoe
I know this is generally frowned upon, but I'm going to post a link to the forum at www.astrosdaily.com. Remember late in the 7-2 loss to the Dodgers where they walked three straight at the beginning of the lineup then Bagwell (if I remember right) grounded into a double play to kill the inning? Turns out there should have been four straight walks to start that inning. Take a look for yourself.

http://www.raykerby.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1346

The announcers didn't even catch that. The umps for that game need a good talking-to, the MLB is paying them too good of money for them not to be able to count to 4, and I hope Palmeiro got blasted by Jimy for not realizing it either.

This team is really making me mad, but I have a feeling they'll turn it around after the all-star break.

[bobrek]

Originally posted by arkoe
I know this is generally frowned upon, but I'm going to post a link to the forum at www.astrosdaily.com. Remember late in the 7-2 loss to the Dodgers where they walked three straight at the beginning of the lineup then Bagwell (if I remember right) grounded into a double play to kill the inning? Turns out there should have been four straight walks to start that inning. Take a look for yourself.

http://www.raykerby.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1346

Do you really think that everything would have happened exactly the same had Palmeiro walked to lead off the inning? If Biggio and Bagwell followed with walks do you think the pitcher would have been left in to face Beltran?

Granted the Astros got hosed because the count was screwed up (why didn't anyone in the Astros' dugout notice?), but to say that there would have been 4 consecutive walks is not necessarily true. For all we know, Biggio may have hit a 2 run HR after the Palmeiro walk or grounded into a DP.

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by Behad
MadMax or Rocketman95...is BW3 still on for today?

YES! I'll be there around 2:00-2:30.

[Behad]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
YES! I'll be there around 2:00-2:30.

Are there many video games there? My 15 yr old may be coming with me.....

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by Behad
Are there many video games there? My 15 yr old may be coming with me.....

Um, some Golden Tee machines and some darts. I think they got rid of Smeg's favorite game though.

[Nick]

btw... I hope everybody in here is "rooting" for the Cardinals when they play the Cubs.

Nobody is stopping STL right now... they're just too damn hot (even hotter than we were at the higher/early points of the season)...

We'll still eventually make our move towards the division title, but for now... lets get everybody else in the NL on even playing field, and take our chances from there.

Let the Cardinals run off with this thing, get complacent, and end up faltering again in the playoffs (see 2001 Seattle Mariners).

Whoever wins the wildcard wins the NLCS... again. You heard it here first.

[arkoe]

Originally posted by bobrek
Do you really think that everything would have happened exactly the same had Palmeiro walked to lead off the inning? If Biggio and Bagwell followed with walks do you think the pitcher would have been left in to face Beltran?

Well, that depends on your own philosophical beliefs - something that I hate talking about and don't see a point in getting into here. However, I stated it in that way to catch my readers' attention. The chances that that one walk would have changed the outcome of the game is highly unlikely.

My basic point in posting it here is the same as the original poster's, to point out that NO one was paying attention.

Determinism vs. Free Will, three of the most boring weeks in a classroom I've ever spent.

[RocketManJosh]

Is there a reason Beltran is out of the game? I'm not able to see the game today since its not on MLB extra innings.

If it's solely to give him a rest, then I just don't like the move unless he asked for it. We are in a critical time right now and getting to within 1.5 games of the wild card going into the break would be huge.

[Nick]

Originally posted by RocketManJosh
Is there a reason Beltran is out of the game? I'm not able to see the game today since its not on MLB extra innings.

If it's solely to give him a rest, then I just don't like the move unless he asked for it. We are in a critical time right now and getting to within 1.5 games of the wild card going into the break would be huge.

He was taken out of last night's game, because of a sore knee that he fouled a pitch off earlier in the game.

I assume its because of the injury... Jimy doesn't rest his good players who are under 30 (Everett, Berkman, Beltran).

[Texas Stoke]

Berkman is the most unagressive, hesitant, weakest baserunner I have ever seen.

[Surfguy]

Yea...Clemens really helped us get to the World Series in this game when we needed it. :rolleyes: :D

[Joshfast]

we could have the top 5 starters in the league but if we don't score any runs we won't win anything. I don't even remember the last Astros blowout win.

This team is so depressing to watch - just going through the motions, no passion, no fire.

[The Real Shady]

Another stinker. Blow this team up.

[RocketManJosh]

Originally posted by Surfguy
Yea...Clemens really helped us get to the World Series in this game when we needed it. :rolleyes: :D

This game was far from Clemens fault ... He pitched a decent game and has certainly done his part this year

[desihooper]

Inept offense.... I still think that it's almost mathematically impossible for this offense to be this bad too much longer.

[Agent27]

Originally posted by smashfast
I don't even remember the last Astros blowout win.

May 30 vs St. Louis: 7-1 win.

[fya]

Lima time today. Watch him no hit the Stros.

[Nick]

There's 1 run for the Dodgers... that's all Lima will need today (I'm serious...).

The worst thing for hitters in a slump is to face a pitcher they KNOW they should hit, and get plenty of homeruns off of.

Also, even though I don't think its a bad thing to show emotion on the mound, Lima is posing no matter what... even if its just first bater of the game. That's a little excessive.

[Nick]

Ugh... how many easy pop flies can one team drop in a year???

You CAN'T make these damn mistakes almost every game, when you can't hit worth anything.

Ugh.

[NIKEstrad]

Disgusting. This team can't even get up for games when freaking Roy and Roger are on the mound.

Roy dominated Shawn Green into a weak grounder to 3rd. Infield hit. Pops up Werth- oops.

At least we get to see Taveras in MMP and Burke play on the other channel.
....

Bagwell hitting a ball hard?!? Way to go. Double.

[Nick]

Originally posted by NIKEstrad
Bagwell hitting a ball hard?!? Way to go. Double.

And that's about it for the inning... is there a place in vegas where we can bet on things like this??

I'd be making $$$ hand over foot so far this season, on every time the Astros fail to drive in a lead-off hitter, or could get dominated by a pitcher with a +4 or +5 ERA no matter what.

[RiceRocket1]

Amazing. A lead-off double and we don't get the run home. :rolleyes:

[RiceRocket1]

Originally posted by Nick
And that's about it for the inning... is there a place in vegas where we can bet on things like this??

I'd be making $$$ hand over foot so far this season, on every time the Astros fail to drive in a lead-off hitter, or could get dominated by a pitcher with a +4 or +5 ERA no matter what.

Don't forget scoring no runs when we load the bases with no outs...

[Nick]

Originally posted by RiceRocket1
Amazing. A lead-off double and we don't get the run home. :rolleyes:

With your 3-4-5 hitters, no less.

[Nick]

Originally posted by NIKEstrad
Disgusting. This team can't even get up for games when freaking Roy and Roger are on the mound.

Roy dominated Shawn Green into a weak grounder to 3rd. Infield hit. Pops up Werth- oops.


What's worse about that pop-up is that the Astros have hit 4-5 pitches in the exact same place where Kent was trying to field this one, and Cora has handled those pop-ups with ease.

What a waste of Roy's gem today... 7 K's thru 4, and the guy is working on 3 days rest.

WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT YOUR PITCHER'S TO DO FOR YOU?!?

Maybe if we had an awful pitching staff like the Reds or the Indians, this team would start producing... right now, they don't deserve these pitchers.

[BigCountry132]

This might be jimy's last game as the astros manager.

[codell]

Originally posted by BigCountry132
This might be jimy's last game as the astros manager.

I have this strange feeling that it might be also.

Out of respect for the all-star game, and Jimy's position on the staff, I doubt they would do anything until Wednesday or Thursday.

[adw]

Damn Beltran is good.

[Nick]

We only have one stud on this team... his name is Beltran.

I've avoided this discussion since he joined the team, but you can't find many clutch players in this league... and the Astros don't have those. Beltran is one they should really try to keep (Richard Justice be dammned!)

[NIKEstrad]

Incredible. The timeliness of Beltran home runs is just uncanny. Go-ahead, tie-breakers, game-tying. Just awesome.

Roy is pitching a damn good game for 3 days rest. It really should be 2-1 right now.

[Nick]

Oswalt still gets a quality start... that's all you can ask for, especially when this game should be 2-2.

[Nick]

That's probably it for Jimy... this just wasn't his year.

[RiceRocket1]

This team is done. It is tough to keep caring anymore. The bullpen is horrible so even if we ever do remember how to hit it may not matter.

[Castor27]

Man this team is terrible. when we have the bases loaded with no outs we get nothing. When the opponents have it loaded at anytime they get Slams.

[rockets-#1]

Damn it Weathers! That guy sucks. Worst trade for years - Doggy for that loser. Astros now lose a series to the damn Dodger, what a dissapointment.

[Nick]

This was a series that the Astros HAD to show some signs of life in... but when your offense and bullpen gave you no chance to win any of these games, its pretty clear that a change is neccessary.

The sad thing is, this team has gotten great pitching out of Clemens and Oswalt every start this month... and the team itself is no better off for it.

[Mr. Mooch]

Memo to: Jimy

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/vol18/issue43/music.reissues.4.jpg

[supposed to symbolize 'Happy Trails']

[HillBoy]

Originally posted by Nick
We only have one stud on this team... his name is Beltran.

I've avoided this discussion since he joined the team, but you can't find many clutch players in this league... and the Astros don't have those. Beltran is one they should really try to keep (Richard Justice be dammned!)
Yeah, I think that they should try to keep him also but with the "Lastros" it always comes back to money. That's why they let Alou and Wagner go and why they'll let Beltran go although $15 million a season IS a bit steep. What's the over & under on Jimy Williams getting canned on Wednesday?

[pgabriel]

Originally posted by Nick
This was a series that the Astros HAD to show some signs of life in... but when your offense and bullpen gave you no chance to win any of these games, its pretty clear that a change is neccessary.



This Bullpen has to many close games to deal with this season. I will not blame them for any losses. This offense sucks and that's the problem. Period. When the biggest lead your bullpen gets to work with is usually on 2 runs this is what you should expect. We were spoiled last year by the bull pen and now we are seeing how much of a hand it had in keeping us in race last year. But that was a luxury.