Munson has pretty decent pop, but I'd prefer the .280 career hitter over the .210 career guy. I'd have gone with the pinch hitter there, especially with Ensberg in the 9th spot removing the need to pinch hit for the pitcher (if the inning got that far). And SF is not an easy park to hit one out of.
?? SF's right field porch is one of the shortest in baseball, so it's a great plus for Munson. It was two outs and Munson would've been the tying run with Adam Everett in between, so Ensberg is nowhere near the picture at that point.
I just meant that if it was a normal situation, with the pitcher due up in the 9 spot, maybe you hold off on a PH because the pitcher's spot could be critical if the Astros found a way to load the bases. I understand the arguments for Munson. I guess I was just spoiled by Palmeiro's pinch hitting last season and have more faith in him late in the game than an unproven commodity.
In the end Sam, I don't think anyone will argue with you that Garner managed himself out of the game.
No matter what moves were made/not made, you can't win games if you only have 2 hits against their starting pitcher going into the 8th inning. Couple that with the fact that the Astro's starting pitcher was injured after two innings, the errors/passed balls that came with the rookie catcher, the bloop hits, the luck of Morris making game-saving catches... this just wasn't their game (and that's including the fact that Bonds was a mere 2 feet away from being 3-3 with 2 HR's and 4 RBI's).
I thought Taylor threw the ball well. Mike Gallo sucked like always. Burke needs to get more AB's. Nice to see Lane and Taveras being more patient at the plate but Taveras needs to work on his baserunning which is horrible for a guy with his speed.
Nick, in the end, I never have any arguements with your baseball posts. Those shots by Bonds were monsters. I thought both were gone off the bat.
WOW! Great play by Oswalt! What a double play! And man, Preston WIlson just missed that HR. Stros are clicking this game, everything seems to be going their way right now.
