[Official] Astros @ Padres

Thank you Pudge.

 

Fantastic inning for Roy. Now lets get some runs.

 

Roy could play the roles of starting pitcher, hitter (2-for-3) and closer tonight.

 

Awwww Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

I know, it's just the Padres offense but still...

 

Wow, what a gem pitched by the Wizard!

 

That was the Roy of old... retired 18 in a row!

 

I forgot about that. The only run they scored was off a wild pitch. Roy got out of that jam in the 4th then cruised the rest of the way.

 

One down, now we have to get 2 out of the next 3.

 

Oswalt's fastball has more life and his curve has more break since he had the fluid drained from his wrist (which he says feels much better).

Its amazing how he suddenly looks like his normal self when his injury subsides... something to keep in mind when somebody as consistent as Roy starts to struggle for several starts in a row.

These guys may lose a little each year... but they don't lose it all overnight. Suspect injury every time.

 

Bingo. That was vintage Roy O last night and was just a beautiful thing to see. If Wandy can get back closer to his April/May self, there might just be something to this season after all. Definitely need Ortiz to stay consistent. They still haven't said who's moving out of the rotation now that Hampton is back. I assume that it's between Hampton and Moehler, but I'm sure they'll pull Paulino.

 

Actually, they have said (according to the broadcasters), that they will stick with a 6 man rotation through the all-star break and will reevaluate at that point.

 

Missed that. Interesting. Roy O is back and they're going to make sure he pitches less?

 

I don't know. Perhaps they are concerned about the wrist? In the back of their minds, they probably think Hampton or Moehler will pitch themselves out of the rotation over their next 2-3 starts.

 

It's also possible to do a 6 man rotation without reducing Roy's outings. Imagine him as pitcher A:

A B C D E A F B C D A E F B C A D E F B A

etc.

 

a b c d e a b f c d a b f e d a b c d e . . .

...Wandy's earned the opportunity to throw every five.

 

someone will eventually lose their spot.

It would be a spectacle for a team where everyone thought pitching was the problem to now have a 6 man rotation because we have too many deserving pitchers.

 

Roy was quoted after his last start as saying he felt fatigued, and that he's been throwing a lot of pitches since coming back. It's only the first half, i dont mind going with a 6 man rotation, we have pretty old pitchers, give them a little longer breather. Now if only Roy can match his output of last year's 2nd half, and Berkman last year's first half.....

 

The Astros started the day in 5th place. With a win tonight, they'll be tied for 3rd.

 

Banks has been around the plate quite a bit in the early going. Either that, or we're hacking away and coming up empty.

27 pitches, 23 for strikes.