2 nits, picked: -- Roy certainly has not kept his mouth shut. He hasn't been Wagner, but he's made his displeasure known on more than one occasion before. -- Roy has done nothing but consistently win until 2008. Last year and this year he's been streaky, and his ERA is up. His WHIP is up, too. Back in '07, someone on here was pointing out signs that O was *slowly* *beginning* to decline. Dude got hammerred and tarred-n-feathered. But Roy this year is performing like an inconsistent #2 and being paid like a #1. And he wants to question other guys' effort to the media? I'm a huge fan, too; but I think he needs to shut his mouth and pitch.
I respect your opinion, msn. I just feel differently at this point about the whole situation. We'll see if any more information comes out over the next several months. Roy doesn't speak out often even if this wasn't the first time. Something pissed him off pretty good. By the way, Roy's WHIP this season is lower than it was in 2004 when he had 20 wins and was 3rd in CY voting. He could end up with a lower ERA as well, depending on how the rest of the season plays out. Last season, Roy pitched nearly 40 innings of scoreless baseball, breaking an Astros record. His WHIP last year ended up lower than both of his 20 win seasons. You are right though, his start to last season was awful. His start to this season was relatively poor, too, but he's always been a 2nd half pitcher. Very few pitchers in this league perform at the level Roy has, as consistently as Roy has, over the course of his career. He's on a short list with names like Santana and Martinez. Until his last 2 injuries (finger then back), he was as hot as any pitcher in baseball for several outings. His decline the past two years has been marginal from a statistical standpoint (and depending on the statitistic, not at all in some cases). The win total this season is probably more of a reflection of poor run support than anything else. Mike Hampton and his nearly 5 and a half ERA and 1.5 WHIP has as many wins as Roy. That ain't right no matter how you evaluate Roy's pitching this season. You also have to consider that it would have been easy for Roy to pack it up after the latest setback with the disc problem. He didn't do that though. Instead, he got some temporary relief and decided to gut it out.
You're right about the WHIP. Frankly, I'm stunned. It felt like he's been lit up more often this year than ever. I know he had that really hot streak - but he got hurt. Here's hoping he's solid the rest of the season. And, here's hoping he pitches like an ACE next April. I am sick and freaking tired of Roy, Lance, and the team in general with their damned sluggish starts. Those fat paychecks come in April, too. At any rate bro: the numbers aren't as bad, though he just doesn't seem to be the same force he used to be. (Of course, my "seemstobe" might be a load of crap.) My lasting impression of Roy will always be the following three: 1) killing as a rookie 2) standing there with that wicked grin while Barrett pitched a titty-fit 3) embarassing Pujols in '05 But right NOW, I'd really like him to just shut up and pitch. And pitch well.
I've definitely seen a decline in Roy's pitching the last two seasons. For a guy that relies on his stuff as much as he does, that's only natural. He isn't going to last forever. As many have pointed out, Wandy has a good chance at lasting longer because of his pitching style. The fact remains though that Roy has been remarkably consistent over the course of his career. Almost every ace has a season or two where they don't look like aces. Roy has had less than most. He's been the winningest pitcher in baseball since entering the league and he clearly hasn't always had a Yankees-caliber offense supporting him. In an era of drugs and prima donnas, even if this wasn't the first time Roy has spoken out in poor judgment, he's still a relatively good guy in my book, which is why I'm sort of siding with him until more information comes out. I have little doubt there will be more, too. Maybe I'll end up eating my words and CometsWin will be right that I have my head up my ass and am just being a homer. As of now, though, I will side with Roy over guys like Ed Wade, Cecil Cooper and Jerome Solomon.
Agreed! Agreed! I guess I'm not taking sides at all. I really have no defense for Wade, Coop, or the folks that are obviously half-assing it. I guess I've got such a disappointed taste in my mouth, not just from watching my team suck so hard for two years, but really from watching them quit like whiny b****es, that Roy whining to the media was just one more annoyance. And, I did say, "quit like whiny b****es." As soon as they put on the "Bud killed us" shirts last year, the season was over. They still had a good shot, but they declared themselves dead and they got rolled by what should have been a clearly inferior Atl team. This year, they bought T-shirts to make fun of their manager while half-assing it throughout the year. Whiny b****es. Stop printing t-shirts and do your (multi-million dollar) (child's game) freaking job. I know I don't sound like one, but I'm a homer with you. I just don't like seeing this team make excuses, jog out grounders, cry about their manager, choke their GM, and point fingers in the media. The Astros used to be better than that. Seriously, they're a couple felonies away from being the Cowboys.
They've got a loooooooong way to go to catch the Cowboys! How dare you, sir! Homers often sound the most cynical. I can relate to that. As far as the t-shirt thing last season, I seem to recall Hawkins being mostly responsible for that and I fully agree with you that it was pathetic. I posted as much somewhere around here. Regarding the most recent t-shirt accusation, as far as I know, it was only Richard Justice that sketchily suggested it. I have seen little proof of it beyond that. Maybe it's out there but I haven't seen it. If they did that, it's even worse than last year in my book because it's directed toward one of their own. No matter how bad Cooper has sucked, he doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. I'd really like to know if that was true or not and if so, what exactly happened. Justice's article wasn't very clear about it and I don't have much faith in a lot of the stuff he reports.
7 innings, 2 runs, 1.00 WHIP? I think I'll ride his tail all day on his next start, too. Who's starting today? Moehler? You suck, Moehler! Whiny titty-baby! Just shut up and pitch!
Roy is sounding more and more like Billy Wagner every day..... The Astros suck right now...the management has done a horrible job. DD
