the guy blew a save in a crucial game, this is the game most people are probably gonna finally give up hope. what do you expect people to say, he had one good month.
This is sportsfan 101, major: If a move works, it was a smart move; if a move fails, it was a dumb move. See also, last night: Palmeiro, Orlando.
For the love of pete, shanna, I appreciate your loyalty to the guy and the team, but you just don't have any ground to stand on. It's a losing fight, like the Astros season after last night. Great, super, like you said Lidge had a good August. But he had a terrible April, May, June, and July, and his September isn't looking good either. His stuff is still electric, but he lacks control of his pitches and seems to lack the mental toughness to get the job done consistantly in his role.
I feel really bad for Lidge, Pujols makes alot of pitchers look bad. He is the best hitter in the Majors. The real question is why was Lidge pitching to him? Especially, in a "game-winning" situation. They should have walked him, but, whatever. If Lidge had struck him out, it would have been the greatest decision ever. At least the Astros made it interesting, though frustrating. When you can't beat the better teams, well, you are just not one of the better teams. And that is "relative," compared to the rest of the Majors, the Cards are not one of the top teams. Very unlikely they will be in a WS.
the astros also had some pretty mediocre competition in august. so who's gonna complain about running him out there against the pirate, brewers, cubs, etc.
Just to be clear on one thing...he did break Pujols' bat. To have the ability to hit the ball that hard when your bat is shattered is nothing short of amazing.
Walking him would have been bad because then you let a single beat you. The real problem is that Lidge has proved he does not have the control to be in the game in that situation and he hit Spezio to bring Pujols to bat. Its not Lidge's fault it is Garner. And yes ... every time he put Lidge in the game prior to the blown save even when he got the save was the wrong move. Lidge has not earned the right to be the closer even if he gets it done. If Wheeler or someone who has performed becomes the closer and doesn't do well then it is their fault, but in this situation it is all on Garner. This is not Monday Morning Quarterbacking as many Garner/Lidge apologists have been saying. We (or at least I) have been saying that Lidge should not be in the game as a closer for months regardless of how he did the past 5 games or whatever.
I know what you are saying, and that would be the normal strategy, but Pujols is not "normal." I wouldn't give him a chance to win the game, no matter what. Load them up and pitch to somebody else. It is a matter of probabilities. Lidge's "save" numbers look great, but he has looked largely "shakey" all year. Maybe Garner was after some kind of "psychic" healing for Lidge, but I just disagree with it. I agree with you, I wouldn't have had Lidge in at all.
If we hold on to win today, yesterday's loss hurts that much more Oh, what could've been! Taking two out of three from the Cards would have put the Stros 4 back. Instead the best we can hope for is to be 6 back leaving Saint Louis. RM95 had the right idea, it'd be easier to pass the Cards and win the division than to pass the 6 teams ahead of us for the wild card.
For the game going on right now...Great to get 4 runs in the first innning..Should be all the Roy O needs... Lidge will be gone next year...
Roy's stubborness cost him the shutout...everyone knows he tries to throw a first pitch fastball...almost 90% of the time, sometimes he should drop the hammer on the first pitch. DD
Come on Atlanta (double header, up in game 1 and Hudson pitching game 2) and Cincinnati. If the following scenarios play out tonight: - the Phillies lose both games (possible) to Atlanta - the Reds beat the Padres - the Mets beat the Marlins - the Rockies beat the Giants the standings look like this: San Diego (74-70) San Francisco -1.5 (73-72) Cincinnati -1.5 (73-72) Florida -2.0 (73-73) Philadelphia -2.5 (72-73) Houston -3.5 (71-74) Atlanta -3.5 (71-74) Keeping the faith like the jilted fan I am. That being said, last night's loss hurt BIG TIME!
This team is toast, but I'll keep my prediction. 13-4 the rest of the way and we'll still make the playoffs.
Yep, last nights game hurts like no game has since game 5 of the NLCS. Even when we won game 6 I was wishing we cuold have won it in Houston. But oh well. This game is still making me sick (last nights). Lidge....never again. Please Phil. Go Stros.
Unfortunately, the Phillies won BOTH. Padres KILLED the Reds. Giants are leading the Rockies. But the Marlins did lose. -Sadly, it just wasn't in the cards for the team this year. But they don't need to completely retool. They got the pieces. The just need some tweaks here and there; a few issues resolved. And they can be right back in it next year.
Yeah, too bad the Braves had that error in the first game giving the game to the Phillies and Hudson couldn't shut down that line up in game 2. If the Padres go .500 (9-9) the rest of the way, the Astros have to finish 14-3 to beat them (13-4 to catch them). That's also assuming the other clubs all fall by the wayside going down the stretch. Magic number time: Any combination of Padres wins/Astros loses that total 14 means the Astros are done this year.
