Shouldn't that be a HR because it hit the yellow area? Isn't that what Ausmus's HR hit way out in left center under the conoco pumps to win that playoff game where Berkman hit the Grand Slam? I'm confused, looked like a HR to me. People should stop, for the mean time, complaining about Blum batting ahead of Pence.
Has to hit above the yellow line. Ausmus' HR hit the wall above the yellow line, thus it was a HR even though it bounced back into the field. (heckuva call in hindsight by the ump... they could have easily blown that one, and it could have cost the Astros that series.) Also, Blummer is hitting the ball on the screws now... don't mind him batting ahead of Pence. Also like the fact that Coop finally realizes that Lance is an OBP machine, and its best to have him batting ahead of Lee and Pence.
What I thought I saw on the first few replays was the ball hitting the top of the wall then hitting off a fan's hand then bouncing back onto the field. The fan in question seemed to get his finger jammed or something. On the very last replay, it seemed like it just hit the yellow line and bounced back in. I guess the fan jammed his finger on something else.
Blum is by no means the best defensive 3rd baseman out there but he sure does make it look easy most of the time. I know he's had a couple of bad plays recently but that may have had a little to do with the time off.
very, very underrated fielder. he's silky smooth out there with the glove and has great technique. easy to notice and appreciate after watching lamb, wigginton, and the final stages of ensberg's astros career (was great defensively in the beginning) over the past few seasons. blum is the perfect/prototype bench player, IMO. i was actually optimistic that he'd break 15 and possibly 20 hrs this season with a full-time gig, but I guess his power stroke has tailed off.
Well said. I thought Blum would be slugging a little better than he has so far but he's showed pretty good plate discipline. If he can start mixing in a few more XBHs, that would be great. Keppinger is sort of like our Mark Loretta off the bench, at least in terms of being a contact hitter with great plate discipline. Wigginton was very poor, defensively. I can't remember Lamb's defense too clearly but I believe it was a little better than Wiggy's, which isn't saying much. Our biggest hole, offensively, may end up being the catcher spot. Pudge's numbers are pretty bad and Q is just a terrible hitter as harsh as that may sound. If Pudge doesn't pick it up a little, I say give Towles another go around. I don't know if we have any options left on Q though.
Well, that didn't take long. I guess nobody should really expect Q to take a pitch or two and possibly walk in a run. He's got 0 walks so far this season after all. At least Towles can take some pitches and has a track record of success as a hitter at AAA.
I'm gonna say that wasn't Berkman's fault. That's a tough place to catch the ball with the runner's leg almost in the way, esp. for a lefty that has to reach across his body. I do think he could have made the play but I think the error should belong to Hampton.
Mikey has about a .380 OBP this season and has walked 2 more times than Q in about one third as many PAs. His career OPS is about 75 points higher than Q's.
Get. This. Run. Home. Boys Mikey did his job, handing the pen at least a 3 run lead with 6 outs to go.
Being completely owned by Mike Hampton is enough to make you sick. Well, at least if you're Pirates fan.
