Alou strikes out looking at a pitch down the middle and blames Berkman because Lance broke for a steal of third. In the 8th inning Alou stands and watches a ball down the line because he thinks a fan has touched it and a ground rule double would be called. It wasn't touched by a fan and the double turns into a triple. Alou has had an outstanding offensive year and a good defensive year but his attitude is starting to wear thin.
Horrible game. This is supposed to be the best lineup in baseball, and we score one run in an easily winnable game against Robert Person? We really need to win tomorrow... we can't lose this series with the Phils. We need to take advantage of every game we can get before that difficult September stretch. At least the Cards lost. By the way, what the hell is Hidalgo doing swinging at that second strike by Mesa?
I know that Alou isn't a great defender, but the first base ump had raised both hands in the air on that call, which is the signal for a ball being out of play (a ground rule double).
I did not see the umpire do that. I am not doubting what you saw, but the replays did not show it, the announcers did not mention it and the Astros dugout did not argue it. At times, umpires make emphatic fair/foul calls using both arms. I have no problem with the players making poor decisions because over the course of a season it is bound to happen. I do have a problem with Alou's "holier than thou" attitude that he shows towards Berkman.
Alou is just being Alou. He has a hot streak and he always looks pissed off. He will take the first chance to blame someone else for his failures, but I still love him and I hope he is a member of the Astros until his career is over. All you are seeing is his immense competitive desire and it does sometime cloud his emotions during the game. It was caught on camera earlier this season when he basically shoved Berkman away after he had been thrown out at home costing Alou a double and an RBI. Some guys are born with Alou's desire and some acquire it growing up in the game. Alou has never been labeled a bad guy, just competitive and wanting to win at all costs. That is why he is who he is. Just my take.
<img src="http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/flamethrower.gif" width="200" height="48" transparency="0" border="0" alt="Image"><img src="http://www.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/logo_phi_79x76.jpg?GXHC_gx_session_id_=759441453d18292b&GXHC_servergroup=1073<BR>" width="79" height="76" transparency="0" border="0" alt="Image">
If he wants to win at all costs, he should have been busting his rear end to play the ball in right field. Sorry, countingcrow, I am by no means attempting to flame you, but one of the things that annoys me is when someone gets away with something "because that is the way he is". You hear it all the time. I understand that Alou is competitive, but that does not excuse his public display of hostility towards teammates. There is a right way and a wrong way to get your point across. I hope a healthy Alou is with the Astros the rest of his career as well.
I totally agree. I, too, get upset when Alou acts the way he does at times. But I do that with all Houston athletes.
Did he really blame Berkman?? I was at that game.. and I saw Lance break, and Mo just kinda stood there while Person fired it right down the pipe like you said. I was thinking that it looked like the steal of third was taking all of his attention, and he forgot momentarily that he's supposed to hit.
You know I love this team, but you are so right bobrek. Just imagine behind the scenes. I am sure there has been a lot more inappropiate behavior from him.
<B>Alou strikes out looking at a pitch down the middle and blames Berkman because Lance broke for a steal of third. </B> I didn't see this -- what exactly happened? <B>In the 8th inning Alou stands and watches a ball down the line because he thinks a fan has touched it and a ground rule double would be called. </B> Actually, he loafed because he thought the ball had been ruled foul. ALL players stop charging a ball when its ruled foul. Did you see the sprint he made earlier on an uncatchable foul ball? <B>Alou has had an outstanding offensive year and a good defensive year but his attitude is starting to wear thin.</B> Wear thin on who? To a man, his teammates love him, and he loves them. For example, Bagwell spent a chunk of his winter in the Dominican with him. Even Berkman said that the scolding earlier this year was justified and that he understands that he messed up. (And Alou apologized in front of the entire dugout for getting angry on the field like that) He calls it like he sees it. He's the first to blame himself when he sucks (see the Cubs series) also. It seems like we need someone like that.
For example, from today's Chronicle: <I>"Personally," Alou said, "<B>I (stunk)</B>. I'm not happy. I'm not happy with the way I hit. Personally, <B>it's my fault</B>. I can't speak for the rest of the guys. Vinny, what did you think? What do you think?" Vinny Castilla, sitting next to Alou, nodded in agreement without saying a word. Jeff Bagwell, on the other side of the visiting clubhouse in Veterans Stadium, sounded exactly like his best friend after watching Phillies starter Robert Person beat them 2-1. "I stunk," Bagwell said after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. "I was horrible. We only had three hits, and it's just one of those days. We were pretty aggressive today, but (being held to) three hits is not something that's going to happen often. It's sad because of the way Wade pitched. He deserved to win." " </I>
<B>Alou strikes out looking at a pitch down the middle and blames Berkman because Lance broke for a steal of third. </B> I didn't see this -- what exactly happened? <i>Berkman broke for 3rd when Alou had 2 strikes and Alou just froze at the plate. He looked with disdain towards Berkman and continued to do so from the dugout. Aftert the inning they showed him talking with Berkman on the way to the outfield. He didn't publically show him up as he did earlier in the year, but it is hard to blame Berkman when Alou stood at the plate without swinging.</i> <B>In the 8th inning Alou stands and watches a ball down the line because he thinks a fan has touched it and a ground rule double would be called. </B> Actually, he loafed because he thought the ball had been ruled foul. ALL players stop charging a ball when its ruled foul. Did you see the sprint he made earlier on an uncatchable foul ball? <i>In the same article you post later in this thread, Alou admits he never saw the umpire call it fair OR foul. It seems one should assume the ball is fair until you know otherwise.</i> <B>Alou has had an outstanding offensive year and a good defensive year but his attitude is starting to wear thin.</B> Wear thin on who? To a man, his teammates love him, and he loves them. For example, Bagwell spent a chunk of his winter in the Dominican with him. Even Berkman said that the scolding earlier this year was justified and that he understands that he messed up. (And Alou apologized in front of the entire dugout for getting angry on the field like that) He calls it like he sees it. He's the first to blame himself when he sucks (see the Cubs series) also. It seems like we need someone like that. <i>It is aggravating ot me as a fan to see him rip into Berkman and then see him make the same type of mistakes. In the same series in which he ripped Lance, a deep obviously catchable ball was hit to right center field. Alou was on 2nd and took a few steps off the bag and did not tag up. </i>
<B>Aftert the inning they showed him talking with Berkman on the way to the outfield. He didn't publically show him up as he did earlier in the year, but it is hard to blame Berkman when Alou stood at the plate without swinging. </B> So all we know is that they were talking? How does that translate into him blaming Berkman? <B>In the same article you post later in this thread, Alou admits he never saw the umpire call it fair OR foul. It seems one should assume the ball is fair until you know otherwise.</B> I agree it was a mess-up -- I just don't think it was from lack of effort or bad attitude. It was a mental mistake of assuming the ball was foul. <B>It is aggravating ot me as a fan to see him rip into Berkman and then see him make the same type of mistakes.</B> Sure, but he publicly apologized for that. What more do you want him to do? Different players have different ways of teaching / leading. Some yell, some don't. I guarantee you, though, that Berkman won't make that mistake anymore.
ME TOO !!! I am tired of that LEADING the league in hitting loafer. Get rid of him, bring in some Double A outfielder that can hit .250 for the Astros. Forget the fact that out of all the Astros that Alou is their BEST clutch hitter. Forget the grand slam he took away in Arizona, forget all the people he throws out with that cannon of an arm he has, not to mention the people that don't run BECAUSE of his arm. WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS SMOKING !!! Moises is an AWESOME player for the Astros, you act like he is Derek Bell. He is playing this well, and the Astros have not even offered him a contract for next season. Give me 9 MOISES ALOU type players and we will win the series. Give me a break !!!! DaDakota
Right on DaDakota! I'm utterly sick of the fans dogging this guy. He's arguably the best player on the team and our friggin owner has yet to offer the guy a contract. I guarantee that if it were Bagwell or Biggio in this position we wouldn't be hearing about it. Think what you will.
DaDakota and RocketsPimp: So we have to accept everything Alou oes because he's a goo hitter? We can't criticize him for a single play he goofed because he happens to hit for good average? Alou criticized Berkman because he made a mistake - and he wasn't necessarily wrong to do so. But alou isn't above such criticism himself. If the guy makes a mistakes... fans are right to call it out. Nobody here has said they don't want Alou on the team. In fact, bobrek has noted emphatically that he does. I really want him to be resigned as well. But he's not perfect and we shouldn't treat him as such. BTW, if Albert Belle played for houston, would the same attitude apply?
I was listening to the game on the radio unfortunately, but as soon as the play was over, Ash couldn't stop talking about how the ump signaled fair ball, then raised both hands in the air.
So did anyone watch the game today? Did any of Alou's teammates publicly embarass him after he was doubled off of first because he loafed back to the bag on a fly ball to left?
In defense of Alou: I don't particularly think too much of him as a person from what I've seen. Personaly, I would be perfectly happy if the Astros let him walk after the season. That having been said, I think that one of the critiscisms of last year's team was that all of the guys who were 'firey, emotional types' (i.e. Carl Everett and Mike Hampton) that had the respect of the players (i.e. not Jose Lima) had been traded away. Despite how two-faced it may appear from the outside, Alou's outbursts might provide the appropriate counterbalance to the Biggio and Bagwell 'laid back' camp. Just a thought.
