Rivera is probably as sick, but not sicker. Billy Wagner couldn't hold Lidge's jock. I am so glad we have a guy in Lidge who has one hell of a killer instinct. Lidge always comes through when the Astros need him to the most. It's a thing of beauty.
Wow this was beautiful! "Pitch 1 - Ball Pitch 2 - Called Strike Pitch 3 - Called Strike Pitch 4 - Swinging Strike Carlos Beltran strikes out swinging. " TO END THE GAME>
God I love this f#@!king team!!!!! What a perfect way to end that game. It's LIGHTS OUT for you Carlos!!!
That 3rd strike was the nastiest slider I've seen in a while... his first strikes on the previous two batters were sick too.
I'm guessing one of the Mets players was frustrated and saying something from the dugout and Backe was reacting towards that and the ump got in front of him and told him to chill. my brother is close friends with Backe, i just got off the phone with him, he's going to call him and try to find out what the deal was.
Its amazing how POWERFUL these last two years have been for the Houston Astros impact on the city, and all of baseball: 1.) Houston is a bonafied baseball town... the collective baseball IQ of this town is approaching an all-time high (not to mention the continued great attendance #'s, and raucous crowds). 2.) Minute Maid Park has turned into one of the more FAIR parks in the league... as long as Pettite, Oswalt, and Clemens are on the mound. My prediction is in 10 years (as long as pitchers continue to not be "scared" of this place), people will look at it more like they look at Fenway (a park which can play either way), rather than like Coors (a park that only plays one way). 3.) Brandon Backe has approached cult status in Houston and Brad Lidge has approached cult status around the nation... he is now the preeminant closer in all of baseball. 4.) Carlos Beltran, after suffering for years of playing in a small market, and not being a household name... is now a household name... and he is suffering, because now everybody is all over him when he fails. 5.) While the Astros have been synonymous with just Biggio & Bagwell throughout the 90's, they've been much more of a TEAM the last two years... with a new hero every night. Also, the marquee value is still very much there: Oswalt, Clemens, Pettite, Lidge, Berkman, Biggio, and now Ensberg.
Lidge = Most wicked slider in the league Clemens = Nastiest split finger in the league Oswalt = Craziest changeup in the league I'm lovin' it.
I'm glad Baseball Tonight decided to leave Lane's homerun off their "Touch 'em All" segment. I hate ESPN. And McDonald's.
In our history we may have some of the greatest pitches ever; Best Split Finger: Mike Scott, Roger Clemens Best Fastball: Nolan Ryan, Wagner, Richard Best Curve: Darryl Kile Best Slider: L.Anderson, Lidge, Randy Johnson Best Nuckleball: Joe Niekro Best Knukle Curve:Burt Hooten Best Slurve:Turk Wendell Best Changeup:Nolan Ryan Best Screwball:Larry Dierker Best Submarine:Joe Pittmann Best Palm Ball:Mike Cuellar Best Circle changeoug Jones, Maddux Best Forkballave Smith Best Cutter:Clemens, Pettite Best Rising Fastball: Deshaies Best Spitball: Don Sutton Best Delivery: Juan Agosto Besy Eyphus Pitch:Linebrink
Dierker did not throw a screw ball. Joe (Shoes) Pittman played 2B. Burt Hooten coached, but never pitched for Houston. Turk Wendell only pitched a bit in spring training. If Mike Maddux had a great pitch, he'd still be pitching .
