A few things to note about the Astros as assembled. First, they are an enormously streaky team. For a while their pitching is amazing, then is sucks. For a while (a long-while) their batting sucks, then it gets hot. When everything was aligned you saw a 12 game win-streak...when most everything was off you saw June-early August. Seems like they are back to so-so in both categories, with Oswalt/Clemens/Lidge still being great. The other thing to note is that the team has never been good in the clutch. Whether it was playoffs or trying to clinch them (last year), when the money is really on the table, the team doesn't know how to win. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but this is how it has been. I hope they can change it, but don't expect the best from them.
Boy, Oliver Perez really threw this offense out of sync. If they can't score more than one run againt Noah Lowry in a game in which their ace is on the mound, we are screwed. Especially when we're lucky to get more than 4 innings out of 3/5 of our starting rotation. 2 innings in Hernandez's case.
huge mistake by Viz, but I think an even worse play by Ausmus First off his arm is terrible and made a very weak throw to second on the steal and even though Viz didnt make a great throw Ausmus still should have been able to get that on the hop. It was in a good location. I think he pulled off cuz he was thinking about the concussion. He shouldnt be in the game if he is still worried about that. Besides Chavez is the normal catcher for Roy. Why mess with that?
Why didn't Ausmus bunt? We need to start playing small ball like the Giants if we want to scrap out wins from games like these.
Maybe we should be happy they got back into the race with that incredible run. Maybe we should applaude the great individual efforts we have seen out of Clemens, Oswalt, Berkman, Beltran and Lidge this year. Maybe we should be more balanced and positive people...but, Jesus H. Christ, can we beat the Giants in a big game just once?!! Viz is killing us out there. They get all of the 2 out hits, we can't buy one. They make the big defensive stab to end an ending, we kick it around like a Jackie Chan movie. For the love of God, Astros, can you stop looking like the Bad News Bears everytime you play the Giants?! We are making this rookie pitcher look like Sandy Koufax. Sorry, had to vent. Go Astros. Away. Far away
What happened to Oswalt today? I can't watch the game, but is it side effects of his side injury? Was he just off today?
He didn't look good and it might be due to the injury. I, however, can't believe that we started Ausmus instead of Chavez. Chavez has caught Roy all year and they had some good stuff working together lately. Unless Chavez is hurt, there was no reason to mix that up.
Chavez wasn't hurt... its just that his bat has been AWFUL these last few games that he's caught. Ausmus has caught Roy for the majority of his career, and for the majority of his career, he's the winningest pitcher in baseball with a sub 3.00 ERA. I honestly think he handles Roy better than Chavez does... so him catching tonight should not have been an issue. The Giants just have a great lineup. I was hesitant to say they were the better team simply because they have mediocre starting pitching behind Schmidt, and an awful bullpen. But, considering we haven't even seen the bullpen in these first two games thanks to gems by Tomko and Noah (who can be good pitchers, provided they have a lead and they can throw free and easy... which they did), it makes it downright impossible to win these games.
It is just so frustrating watching these no-name pitchers make our batters look clueless in big games. I stayed up until 12:45 AM on the East Coast for this? Oh, and I hate the Pirates now. They take 3 of 5 from us and then lay down against the Cubs. I still love Roy, though. I suspect he was hurting out there tonight and was pitching on nothing but guts.
The Giants' starting pitchers look pretty good against us. It's do or die time tomorrow. If we get shut down by Schmidt this season is over.
Wish I shared your optimism. I think it ended tonight. (Not that I'm going to stop rooting for and following the team, mind you. I just think we're in too deep a hole with a 3 game set against the Cards still left.)
just got back and saw the results. nice to see the lineup step up. nice to see us pitch like men to bonds. on a happy note, ichiro 4 for freakin' 6. 9 hits in his last two games? 11 hits in his last 13 at bats? good grief.
It's no different from last year when they traded Kenny Lofton and Aramis Ramirez to the Cubs in the middle of a playoff race. Why do the Pittsburgh Pirates hate Houston? And why does it seem like the Astros are doing everything in their power to lose? If they really like sitting at home and watching the playoffs so much, they should quit baseball and take up gardening or something, because this is getting ridiculous. Summary of Astros' season: -We'll win the World Series! -Hey, we're good this year. -Yeah, we're starting off the season really well. -It's only a couple of losses. -Yeah, we kind of suck. -Scratch that, we really suck. -Is it time for the All-Star break yet? -Let's get rid of Jimy, that'll fix us! -Alright, we're kind of better now. -WE'RE ON A 12 GAME WIN STREAK! -WE'RE BACK IN THE PLAYOFF RACE! -Just kidding, we still suck.
It was a nice run, but (seemingly) done. Would it not be ironic for Gianta and Cubbies to make it while LA and the Good Guys rot at home?
