Villone's arm is going to fall off the mound tomorrow. He pitched yesterday and tuesday in relief. I hope we win today.....
I noticed that shanna. Maybe they will move Shane up a day to give Villone more time? I don't think that's a great idea, either. A better option would be to call up a minor leaguer. Brian Williams isn't good, but at least he's got a fresh arm. For the best chance of winning, though, I'd give the start to Dotel. He last pitched on Tuesday (1 inning) so he should be fresh if he doesn't pitch relief tonight.
Hey Guyz, Just wanted to let you know that you can call me if you want to find the bandwagon once we take 2 of 3 from the Cards and win the division this weekend so you can get back on. Alou is playing great and Bagwell is warming up. All we need if for Berkman to step up and get some key hits from Doggie and Vinny. Tonight - Wade Miller will win it for us Saturday - Its gonna be a tough game. Sunday - Shane vs DK HUGE game Astros win the division. Do not give up. Is this how yall were acting in 93-94/94-95 when the Rox were down? Go Astros!!!
Yeah, bringing up a minor leaguer might not be a bad idea. It would also bring in someone who hasn't been around this disaster the last week or so. If we win tonight and SF loses tonight (putting us in the playoffs), I saw screw it and play some scrubs all game on Saturday -- give Linebrink, Stone, Rodriguez each 3 innings or something. Let the bullpen rest, let the players rest. Maybe try to win Sunday w/ Shane, but don't mess him up by making him go on less rest. Or better yet, save Shane for game #1 of the playoffs and pitch Redding or someone on Sunday. If Miller pitches today, he shouldn't pitch again until Wednesday (Game #2), Oswalt is hopefully ready for Game #3, but we don't have a Game #1 pitcher just yet. That all assumes, of course, we make the playoffs first.
baquii sorry, I was letting off steam too. I have always been annoyed with Houston fans and sports writers dragging the Rockets into ineptness anecdotes of the real losing teams in this city. The Astros always choke, and always will be chokers until they do otherwise. (btw: I'm not a baseball fan anymore, and grew up brainwashed by my older brothers, who grew up in California, to be LA fans. yikes! My house was split between Dodgers and Giants...sorry for coming into your venting fan thread). I did become an Oiler fan when I moved here, because I don't think you can really follow a football team w/o regional telecasts like you can baseball...at least not in the 10 yrs ago. BobFinn* I know you don't mean to say that the article inspired them to win???? keep it simple....the loss inspired them to win. They did not need inspiration from a sportswriter. imo, that is dissing the determination of a Dream...who already showed he could crush Magic Johnson's Lakers in their prime. The guy knew how to win, and never choked. I take your comment to mean that the Chronicle sportswriters would not have been clever enough to come up with a name for championship city, had they first not said Choke prematurely. I'd agree with that. Desert Scar, There was no second Choke because the series wasn't over!! You can't be a choker until you are eliminated. Hell if the Rockets blowing one non-elimination game is Choke II, what about '81 mini-playoff when the 'stros had a 2-0 lead on the Dodgers only to lose 3 games in a row....should that be Choke I.
If the Rockets had choked in the playoffs for three years previous to 1994, then yes, this is how we would have acted.
I am going to assume you are right That is a good idea to pitch with the bullpen on Saturday. We do not have a decent starter for that day anways. Let me say for the record that I can not stand Ron Villone, Mr Choke. I am starting to think that he is Cato's white cousin. Man he really blew it last night... oh well Rest of the bullpen is pretty solid and Dotel/Wagner will shut em down.
It sounds like they are all fresh then, to me. I don't see why we would be prevented from calling up a guy just because his minor league season was over. In fact, I've heard of teams waiting until after the minor league playoffs were over to call someone up.
It was a three game series. We won the first, then lost the next two. 1986 was much tougher. Bob Knepper gives us a 3-0 lead going into the ninth, then the bullpen loses the lead, game tied...16 innings...aw hell, I can't continue. I saw every pitch of that game, and it still hurts too much.
My point is that none of them has pitched since then, or at least none of the AAA or AA guys. Rust would be a definite factor.
We did have a tough time with Seattle in the Early 90's Time for the Astros do beat their "Seattle" - Atlanta. Prior to 1997 we had not been to the playoffs since 1986. They just needed some experience.... Have a little hope.
Believe me, I have hope. It's just become too routine to not expect it. Let's take off the Astro colored glasses for a minute....Barry Bonds has a reputation as a playoff choker, and nothing he has done in the regular season will change that. The Braves won 10 divisional titles in a row, yet have one WS ring to show for it. And every October since 1997, the Astro's bats have gone silent. Just like Bonds or the Braves, they are gonna have to win to shed that reputation. You can't wish it away, or pretend it doesn't exist.
That's definitely true. Still I'd chance the rust before I threw Villone out there on 1 day rest or took a chance on Shane with 3 days rest. That's too much to ask out of either. Like I said, Dotel should be given real consideration as Saturday's starter (assuming that the dream scenario of SF loss, Houston win doesn't occur tonight). I think he could give us 4 or 5 solid innings.
IMHO, Dotel has become such a dominate set up man because 1) he has accepted the role, even revelled in it, and 2) he does not hold back. He knows he will be out there 2 innings max, so he lets it fly on every pitch. As a starter, two things could happen: He holds back, thus losing effectiveness, or he goes all out, in which case you will only get 2-3 innings out of him. I like your idea, I just don't think it will work.
Good To Hear. We will win. Braves are choke artist. They shell out the dough like NY but they just can't win the big ones. Five world series and only one ring. That is almost as bad as Buffalo. BTW - technically the Braves didnt win the division in 1994 - Montreal was winning but they cancelled the World Series because of the strike.
Believe me Wink, I'm there for every Astros game. It's just too hard sometimes. 1980- 4 out of the 5 games goes to extra innings. I was still a teenager, so my heart could take it 1986- I spent game one in a restuarant called "The Jalapeno Tree" on Nasa Rd. 1, watching a masterpiece by Mike Scott. Glenn Davis goes yard in the fourth inning, and the place erupts!! Astros win, 1-0. Game six....damn, I still can't relive it. My heart is weaker than in 1980 (probably from all the beer I drank during game 1) 1998 was our year. Playoff tested, Randy Johnson on the mound...and friggin Kevin Brown and his inhuman arm tortures me. I'm tellin ya Wink, physically, I can't go on like this. In basketball, no matter what happens till the day I die, I'll always have 1994 and 1995. They can't take that away from me. Football....eh, I was never a big football fan. So that just leaves the Astros....
I will give it to you man, you got the heart. Really stinks all those tough loses. I am realatively new to the Astros compared to you. Started watching in the Early 90's around 1991 I think. (Only 12 then) I am glad I missed all the heartbreak, makes it easier now. The late 90's versus SD and ATL really sucked. I was not into the Astros as much as I am now. I was still a Baltimore Orioles fan. That is pretty much over with... (Bye Cal) Astros are #1 now - don't miss a game. Football is great too - I am still a Chicago Bears fan - I still have 1985. ( 6 yrs old! )
I was just defining choking as blowing the biggest lead late in a playoff contest. I don't know if anyone else has lost an NBA playoff game being up 20 with 10 to go, might have happened other times, but certainly not very often if it did (I think it may have happened recently in the Eastern conference but can't remember for sure who/where). If you go by choking as having to result in elimination, then we could call Game 6 versus Utah in like 97 a choke city game, I think we were up by at least 10 with less than 10 minutes left. But obviously blowing late 10 point leads are near as common as 20 point leads, so it depends on how you look at choking. Also, when I see the Stros choke, I don't think it is lack of effort (at least in previous playoffs). If anything for many of the players it may be because they try too hard and are too conscious about playing the game. Just become they and the coach can't handle the pressure doesn't mean they are quitters, two entirely different things. Finally, the Rockets did take note (e.g., Elie's comments) of the ChokeCity headline. Not saying it made any difference, but they definetely took note of it and that Phx series still went down to a couple of key baskets, I am glad we don't have to relive history w/o the ChokeCity headlines.
