Berkman said that?? I didn't see it but man that sucks. Your ace pitcher gets into it again with the same dude and all he can say is "I'll be mad too if he hit me"?? I think that explains the lack of fire this team has. The Texans have only been in the league 3 seasons and if somebody tried to start something with Carr or Davis the entire team would have their back.
What kind of ticks me off more is particularly how Bush League it was executed by the Cubs. If you wanna get back at a guy, then fine- but notice they waited until Wood gets KO'd before retaliating. IMO, either Wood does it or no one does it all. Mercker was practically asking to get tossed and gets a warning. He's like the guy on the old school hockey teams who's supposed to start fights with the other teams' best players. Props to Roy for taking care of business.
I think this is a case of teammates not wanting to go out of their way to stick up for a player who won't stick up for himself first. When Roy plunked Barrett in Houston, he never walked toward the batter, but walked toward his dugout and never wanted to fight. I think when a pitcher throws a fastball at someone on purpose he should be willing to fight if necessary and thats what Barrett seems to feel. Thats why he intimidated Roy out there and was trying to get Roy to stand up for himself so they could have a go at it. Barret probably felt the instigator, Roy, slapped him and he wanted to cash in on his right to settle the score but Roy would not budge and that had to frustrate Barret out there. A lesser man would of still hit the weakling, but Barrett sensed that Roy was afraid to fight him, so he never physically harmed him. Barrett did the right thing in that situation. I would have thought he was the weak one IF he would have punched the initimidated and cowering Oswalt.
While Bagwell took the majority of the heat for his comments made after the Oswalt-Barrett I, Berkman made some remarks to the same effect that night as well. It's just that his weren't in the paper the next day (I remember hearing them on FOX that night) and so most might have missed it. I think he was said that Oswalt acted selfishly and should have stayed in the game because he's their ace. After hearing what he told Ash after yesterday's game, you're right, he sounds like someone who doesn't have Roy-O's back. I dunno what it is, this guy has been going out there since spring training with an injury and he gets no love or protection from his boys when he does something wrong... they actually dog-pile him. As for Bagwell, in today's chronicle they say that he was the first guy off the bench when Oswalt and Barrett had their exchange at the plate at the start of the second inning. From today's paper: Barrett started jawing before Oswalt even got in the batter's box. In a matter of seconds, Barrett got in Oswalt's face, prompting Bucknor to step in as the benches cleared. For the second time in five days, Bagwell was the first teammate to come to Oswalt's defense. "It was kind of amusing," Oswalt said. "When he came up on me, at first I thought the umpire actually walked up on me. After he started talking, I knew it was (Barrett). He said some things that weren't really threatening." Barrett wanted his money's worth. "I just felt I needed to say something and speak my peace," he said. After Oswalt grounded to short, Barrett chased him up the first base line and kept yelling after the out was made. "The first incident, he has the right to say what he wants to," Oswalt said. "When he started following me around on the field, then it gets a little oversensitive there. He's trying to sell it a little too much." "I think Roy was very professional today," Beltran said after going 4-for-5 with his fourth multi-home run game of the season. "When something like that happens, you want to back up your players. That gave us a little pump to go out there. We wanted to kill. We wanted to kill the opposing pitcher." BTW, I love Beltran's quote... I wish we could afford to keep him this off-season.
HOLY COW! What a turn of events. A ball that doesn't leave the infield scores three runs and Beltran from first as the Cubs commit two errors. Woohoo!!!! 5-0 Astros
Wow crazy 2nd inning. 3 runs on a play at first that should of ended the season. I'll give Garner credit for one thing. He's definitely made this team much more agressive rounding the bases, and doesn't stop applying pressure. I definitely like his style a lot more than the over analytical Jimy Williams. Atleast with Garner our guys don't look like they're playing asleep out there. As it stands I'd do whatever it takes to resign Beltran, and build around Berkman and Beltran. Ship Kent off, move Biggio back to 2nd. Ship Lane or Tavaras up to the Majors, and keep Bruntlett as a utility man, while making the best efforts possible to keep our pitching staff healthy and stick to this organization.
Considering that he would have to waive his no-trade clause first, then probably not... Kent won't go to a team that doesn't suit him, and there's definitely no way he'd give the OK to a trade DURING a game. But... crazier things have happened. Garner definitely looked like he was forced to make a move that he didn't want to do.
Man I wish we still had MILLER & PETTITTES in the rotations Seems like our only chances of winning is with OSWALTS or CLEMENS right now, and maybe Hernadez. Well tomorrow is the BIG MUST WIN!!! either go 4 games back of the CUBS or evening out this series.
Don't give up on Backe just yet. I will be suprised if he has another bad peformance anytime soon. and Im not just saying that because the dudes from Galveston.
Hopefully the Jackal will continue to build strength and confidence. Today's game is huge- cut the lead to 4 games, with series @Cinci and against Pittsburgh to follow, and we could find ourselves right in the thick again. Edit: Beltran has just reached 20/20 in the National League. 35 HR, 34 SB - excellent shot at 40/40. Bagwell with the RBI single! Excellent job producing a run with the legs by Beltran and Baggy came through.
Carlos is starting out slow w/ his velocity today... it'll probably pick up in the later innings, provided he doesn't get shelled in the first couple (and thus gets taken out of the game). This was a problem he had in New Orleans... he'd be strong for a couple of starts (especially after extra rest)... and then the third or fourth start, he'd take a while to get the velocity up.
