Astros @ Braves

[Castor27]

All game talk goes in here. Please do not give play by play. If you need play by play go to CBS, ESPN, or Yahoo.

Pitching Proabables:

5-05 Brandon Backe (2-1, 5.93) vs. John Thomson (2-2, 2.81) 6:35 on FSSW

5-06 Roy Oswalt (4-2, 3.29) vs. John Smoltz (2-3, 3.22) 6:35 on FSSW

5-07 Andy Pettitte, LHP (2-2, 3.23) vs. Horacio Ramirez, LHP (1-2, 4.84) 6:05 on FSSW

5-08 TBA vs. TBA 12:05 on FSSW

[NJRocket]

LLWL

gonna be a tough long road trip

[Random.]

We've actually scored more runs this season than the Braves, 112 to 111.

But their pitching sure looks goods.

I hope we can break out on the road woes, and maybe Berkman's return can give the Astros a lift.

LWWL.

[RocketMan Tex]

LWWL

Zeke is pitching for us on Sunday.

[Groogrux]

WWWL

[PhiSlammaJamma]

It's like taking a leaf from a twig. WWW

[RocketFan007]

This just in, Willy is fast.

[Random.]

Originally posted by RocketFan007
This just in, Willy is fast.

I like waiting for him to steal.

[RocketFan007]

Biggio smashes a double off the wall.

Second and third, no outs.

EDIT: Viz bounce out score Tvareas and moves Biggio over.

[Random.]

The TBS guys said Berkman might play some first?

That makes perfect sense actually, given our first base issues and his healing ACL.

[Nick]

Originally posted by Random.
The TBS guys said Berkman might play some first?

That makes perfect sense actually, given our first base issues and his healing ACL.

He already was our 1B of the future... especially since one is on the way out, and we have no real 1B prospects in the system (but a slew of OF prospects).

Right now, w/ Bagwell's injury and his ACL... this could just be speeding up the inevitable.

[Random.]

Maybe Backe shouldn't be pitching so soon after that flu he had....

[Surfguy]

Backe can kiss my ass.

[Uprising]

WOW, how did this happen?!

4 runs for the Braves with NO OUTS still in the 1st! :eek:

[Nick]

Originally posted by Surfguy
Backe can kiss my ass.

That's probably how he got the flu in the first place... ;)

[Aceshigh7]

Ausmus really sucks. That was a passed ball, not a wild pitch.

[rrj_gamz]

LWWL

Heck, with Berkman, we have to have some hope, right?

[Random.]

Tonight's Lineup is Interesting:

W. Taveras
C. Biggio
L. Berkman
M. Lamb
M. Ensberg
J. Lane rf
A. Everett ss
R. Chavez c
R. Oswalt p

Berkman 3rd hitter and playing 1st Base. Lane demoted to 6th.

[JPM0016]

Any idea how much time Bagwell is expected to miss?

[Surfguy]

A repeat opening of last night's game. Men on 1st and 3rd...nobody out.

:mad:

[Random.]

Originally posted by Surfguy
A repeat opening of last night's game. Men on 1st and 3rd...nobody out.

:mad:

With that 3 Run Homer, this is becoming a lot like last night...

[Surfguy]

This game was over before it began. I am so sick of this. I'm wondering if we will ever win a road game again at this point?

[fya]

Sell the team

[Surfguy]

We are just getting shelled. It's only the 2nd inning and we're down 6-0. Oswalt is freaking pitching! OH MY GOD!

Both Lamb and Taveras missed balls they should have caught...Taveras especially(he totally misjudged a ball and broke the wrong way).

[Random.]

Originally posted by Surfguy
This game was over before it began. I am so sick of this. I'm wondering if we will ever win a road game again at this point?

Cheer up, Reds just gave up 10 runs in the first inning to the Dodgers. So by comparison we are an elite team.... :D

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by Surfguy
We are just getting shelled. It's only the 2nd inning and we're down 6-0. Oswalt is freaking pitching! OH MY GOD!

Both Lamb and Taveras missed balls they should have caught...Taveras especially(he totally misjudged a ball and broke the wrong way). Better put all your emotions on the Rockets wagon because this Astros wagon might be down for a couple of years. There is nothing exciting about this team's future.

[fya]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=4826


Thanks Mclane!

[Rule0001]

Originally posted by fya
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=4826


Thanks Mclane!


k?

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by Rule0001
k?

He's just a whiner who's getting off on the Astros having a subpar season.

He forgets that the owner that he hates so much is the same owner who signed Kent in the first place.

[Rule0001]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
He's just a whiner who's getting off on the Astros having a subpar season.

He forgets that the owner that he hates so much is the same owner who signed Kent in the first place.


http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/haterade2.gif

believe my nigga fya has been sippin' on some of this!

[Surfguy]

I'm ringing in with an early vibe. Today is the day we win one on the road! Go Pettitte!

[Xenon]

Yikes! Berkman with the stolen base. Who expected that? Don't do that again though, Berkman. :D

[Random.]

So...how about those 'Stros?

[RocketManJosh]

Wow I am used to turning to the Stros after the Rockets get knocked out of the playoffs, but I'm not sure that is going to work out very well this year ... At least it doesnt look like the Stros are going to break my heart this year.

How long is it till Football season? Ugh!! A long time

[rikesh316]

There is no interest in this horrible team and that should teach Drayton McLane. I hear the attendence is like averging 7,000 less people and it will continue to go down, you get what you pay for.

[fya]

Originally posted by rikesh316
There is no interest in this horrible team and that should teach Drayton McLane. I hear the attendence is like averging 7,000 less people and it will continue to go down, you get what you pay for.

Amen

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by rikesh316
There is no interest in this horrible team and that should teach Drayton McLane. I hear the attendence is like averging 7,000 less people and it will continue to go down, you get what you pay for.

All it will teach them is that the vocal majority of Astros fans are whiny bitches.

[pgabriel]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
All it will teach them is that the vocal majority of Astros fans are whiny bitches.

you're right, fans should be estatic about this team.

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by pgabriel
you're right, fans should be estatic about this team.

That's exactly what I meant. :rolleyes:

[Random.]

I'm excited for today.

With Biggio, Bagwell, and Berkman all taking the day off, we should score 10+ runs.

Then Again. Maybe not.

[Nick]

Astacio's stuff looks just nasty... but he's still got to get it all together mentally (in terms of when to challenge with a fastball in the zone, or a splitter out of the zone, or a splitter in the zone, etc.).

He kinda reminds me of Carlos Zambrano before he became decent... of course, that guy is still the biggest head-case in the game.

Irregardless... if this team ever wins a road series, it will be the only time they'll deserve more attention, b/c right now they're a bad team in a division full of bad teams (minus the Cardinals).

[kaleidosky]

Originally posted by Nick
Astacio's stuff looks just nasty... but he's still got to get it all together mentally (in terms of when to challenge with a fastball in the zone, or a splitter out of the zone, or a splitter in the zone, etc.).

He kinda reminds me of Carlos Zambrano before he became decent... of course, that guy is still the biggest head-case in the game.

Irregardless... if this team ever wins a road series, it will be the only time they'll deserve more attention, b/c right now they're a bad team in a division full of bad teams (minus the Cardinals).

I think Zambrano's velocity separated him.. zeke can't top out like that.

[Nick]

Originally posted by kaleidosky
I think Zambrano's velocity separated him.. zeke can't top out like that.

Are you kidding me? As I just read that, Astacio just threw two 96mph fastballs by Furcal, and it looked like it was easy gas.

Zambrano tops out at around 98mph... but his most effective pitch is his sinker which only gets up to 90-92 (which is damn fast for a sinker).

Astacio is a guy who needs to get ahead in the count with his fastball or curveball... and then strike em out with his splitter. He's already got 4 K's today, and he had 6 in his first game. He can strike guys out... but he's getting burned my making mistakes in the zone on pitches that should never be in the zone (splitters, and his changeup).

[Surfguy]

Another day...the same tune. It's just unbelievable. How can we be this bad?

This has to be the worst series I've ever seen the Astros play EVER. And, this comes after the rockets worst playoff loss ever.

8-0 Braves in the 3rd inning

[Nick]

This is exactly what I'm talking about.... Astacio has got a 96 mph fastball, yet he's throwing hanging slider after hanging slider.

Either Chavez needs to call better pitches, or Astacio needs to be taught what pitches to throw to get MLB players out.

[Groogrux]

Not a good past 16 hours for Houston sports.

40-pt loss in a game 7 and 8-0 through 3 in Atlanta.

Oh well, we could be starving children with no internet access, right? :)

[Surfguy]

Somebody needs to be fired. I don't care who it is. Just do it.

YOUR FIRED (SOMEBODY) !

Don't ever get into a rivalry with Atlanta again!

8 9 0 ATL
0 1 0 HOU 4th inning

[whag00]

13 - 0 Braves

Wow...just Wow.

[Surfguy]

The Astros are the laughing stock of the league.

Who do you want to play at home always? Houston!

[SamCassell]

YAS (yet another shutout)

Adam Everett back down to .210 on the season.

[lalala902102001]

Great. The Astros managed one hit and gave up 13 runs.

Give me a reason to watch this team.

[kaleidosky]

wow, hampton really sticking it to us. he's been pitching well this year though.. saw an L coming, but not like this.. not like this (to quote the matrix)

[Uprising]

:( Well, this looks like it's going to be one hell of a long summer (offseason).

[kaleidosky]

Originally posted by lalala902102001
Great. The Astros managed one hit and gave up 13 runs.

Give me a reason to watch this team.

reason? Maybe just cause it's your team.

geez, just nailed a pretty decent pitch by harville..low and outside half

[Surfguy]

mike hampton just jacked a homerun off of Hardville. I guess he got his revenge...if he need that. If that just doesn't sum up how bad a sports weekend for Houston fans it has been. This weekend will live in infamy.

[Uprising]

Originally posted by Surfguy
mike hampton just jacked a homerun off of Hardville. I guess he got his revenge...if he need that. If that just doesn't sum up how bad a sports weekend for Houston fans it has been. This weekend will live in infamy.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry right now.

[arkoe]

Oh holy Hell. Why don't you go see if there's an Astros game on arkoe? Why oh why did my brain have to come up with that stupendous idea.

[kaleidosky]

Originally posted by Nick
Are you kidding me? As I just read that, Astacio just threw two 96mph fastballs by Furcal, and it looked like it was easy gas.

Zambrano tops out at around 98mph... but his most effective pitch is his sinker which only gets up to 90-92 (which is damn fast for a sinker).

Astacio is a guy who needs to get ahead in the count with his fastball or curveball... and then strike em out with his splitter. He's already got 4 K's today, and he had 6 in his first game. He can strike guys out... but he's getting burned my making mistakes in the zone on pitches that should never be in the zone (splitters, and his changeup).


I guess my thought was that...there are a decent # of guys who can hit 96. But that extra oopmh, especially with starters (up to 98 and 99) is tougher to find. And I feel like younger guys can get away with not understanding mentally (the stuff you've been talking about) by throwing the ridiculous gas. Zeke can top out, but not like Zambrano.. I was thinking with just a little more heat, he could've gotten away with a lot more while learning

[PhiSlammaJamma]

A Mother's day clunker.

[fya]

Originally posted by Surfguy
Somebody needs to be fired. I don't care who it is. Just do it.

YOUR FIRED (SOMEBODY) !

Don't ever get into a rivalry with Atlanta again!

8 9 0 ATL
0 1 0 HOU 4th inning

Mlcane needs to sell the team and fire purpura while you're at it.

[Random.]

Originally posted by fya
Mlcane needs to sell the team and fire purpura while you're at it.

I don't think it's Purpura's fault. If you don't have your owner's support (read: Money) then there isn't much you can do but bring up rookies.

Coinciding with Bagwell becoming near useless and Berkman's injury, this really is pretty much what we should have expected.

[bigtexxx]

Astacio sucks. Our hitting sucks worse. Today's lineup could rank amongst the worst OF ALL TIME.

[torque]

Did Garner just concede this game? Why leave out Bagwell, Biggio and Berkman for the same game??? Couldn't he have broken it up, 1 game each.

What message does this send to Astacio: I dont think you can win Ezequiel, so I'm giving my good hitters a rest.

Thats no way at all to treat a prospect pitcher at all.

[Xenon]

The problem is the Astros offense has become very average. Every single position player save for Berkman is either average or below average offensively.

In years past we had position players that simply tore it up offensively. Biggio, Bagwell, Kent, Beltran...When these guys were hitting they could carry the rest of the team on their backs. We haven't had this happen this season. Lane was probably the closest with his 1st week of the season, but the rest have been pitifully average with no power at all.

There really is little we can do at this point. We can and should give up Clemens for some kind of hitting prospects. We absolutely need a slugging 3rd baseman that can field. We need to play Lane all season to see if he is the answer in left. If not then we shop for someone that is. Same for Taveras.

It's going to be a long season unfortunately. :(

[RocketManJosh]

Originally posted by Xenon
The problem is the Astros offense has become very average. Every single position player save for Berkman is either average or below average offensively.



The scary thing is that the Astros offense is not even close to very average ... This is the worst offensive team I have seen the Astros have in a long time. Personell-wise they have an average offensive time, but production-wise, the offense is extremely below average

Just like the Rockets though, I still love em. Time to rebuild and start anew.

[wrath_of_khan]

My rose-colored glasses are officially off. Actually now they're in the trash can. They were off the last time we couldn't score any runs for Rocket.

(I'll still follow and root for the team, though!)

[Tdogg]

Nice

we lose 16-0 today

I sure hope the Braves have blisters or splinters in their hands for all of the hits and runs they got from today's game.

All I can say is, man these Stros need some serious help.

It' sad when the only teams that you can be glad that you aren't are colorado, kansas city, and maybe tampa bay.

[The Real Shady]

I bet Gerry Hunsicker is laughing his ass off right now.

[Furious Jam]

Originally posted by Xenon
The problem is the Astros offense has become very average.

Dude, I wish they were average. They are far below average.

This year is lost because the club let Boras play them - fine, whatever, people make mistakes.

But Uncle Drayton better open his wallet next year. Assuming that Bagwell continues to cash his checks at 1st base next year, we'll need major help at catcher, shortstop, and 3rd. You need a star at one of those positions to help carry this team.

[fya]

Swept.

Sell the team Mclane. I hear Matress Mac is interested..

[H-Town Info]

this is going to be a long summer of boring astros play....................

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by fya
Swept.

Sell the team Mclane. I hear Matress Mac is interested..

Yawn.

I seriously get the feeling that some of you are enjoying this. Go root for the someone else.

[pgabriel]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
That's exactly what I meant. :rolleyes:

Now you’re just being silly. The Astros don’t have enough good will in the bank for them to expect fans to endure this product with no “whining”. They have been a good team in the past 10 years but that has still only equaled one playoff series victory and their prospects for the future right now are grim.

[Groogrux]

Originally posted by pgabriel
Now you’re just being silly. The Astros don’t have enough good will in the bank for them to expect fans to endure this product with no “whining”. They have been a good team in the past 10 years but that has still only equaled one playoff series victory and their prospects for the future right now are grim.

McLane had nothing to do with the fact that the bats disappeared in the playoffs up until this past postseason.

And while the prospects for this team aren't exactly the rosiest in the league, grim is much too harsh a word. When you have players like Berkman, Oswalt, Pettitte and Lidge among some decent up and comers (who won't always play like they are now), along with some payroll flexibility, your future's not grim.