Ouch. Isn't that Ausmus territory? In other news, last night the Astros' season run-differential got under 30 for the first time since mid-May (when it's been up above 40 a couple times). We have now been outscored by our opponents by 25.
For those claiming we don't get timely hits, we are actually 6th in the NL in AVG w/ RISP: Mets .279 Pirates .275 Braves .267 Dodgers .263 Rockies .262 Astros .260 Marlins .259 Cards .258 Phillies .253 Giants .250 Brewers .247 Reds .243 Nats .236 Padres .232 Dbacks .227 Cubs .216 So, how do you explain us being 12th in runs scored? I compared a few of our stats with those of the Phillies, who actually have a worse AVG w/ RISP but are 1st in the NL in runs scored. RISP: Phillies: 808 PA, 645 AB, 163 H, 41 2B, 3 3B, 24 HR, 109 BB, .253 AVG, .359 OBP, .434 SLG, .794 OPS, 280 TB, 283 R Astros: 778 PA, 642 AB, 167 H, 32 2B, 5 3B, 16 HR, 84 BB, .260 AVG, .337 OBP, .400 SLG, .737 OPS, 257 TB, 249 R Man on 1st: Phillies: 509 PA, 453 AB, 124 H, 26 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 41 BB, .274 AVG, .341 OBP, .446 SLG, .787 OPS, 202, TB, 42 R Astros: 521 PA, 458 AB, 127 H, 19 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 39 BB, .277 AVG, .335 OBP, .400 SLG, .735 OPS, 183 TB, 35 R Bases empty: Phillies: 1662 PA, 1508 AB, 380 H, 81 2B, 9 3B, 67 HR, 136 BB, .252 AVG, .321 OBP, .451 SLG, .772 OPS, 680 TB, 67 R Astros: 1628 PA, 1501 AB, 398 H, 79 2B, 11 3B, 36 HR, 112 BB, .265 AVG, .322 OBP, .404 SLG, .727 OPS, 607 TB, 36 R Conclusion: We hit for a better average w/ RISP, with a man on 1st and with the bases empty than the Phillies but we don't walk enough and we don't get enough extra base hits to score even a league average amount of runs while the Phillies' superior plate discipline and power has them scoring more runs than any other team in the NL despite having a below average batting average w/ RISP. In other words, timely hits are not a problem. The problem is we are impatient hitters and we don't hit the ball hard enough despite hitting the ball often.
I haven't been able to watch alot of the last couple of games completely, just catch some innings here and there and read the rest up on paper but what's been going on with Pence lately? I saw he got a day off and is now batting 6th with BLUM hitting infront of him? Is Coop just mixing things up for the team and for Hunter? Or has he been slumping
I think it's a combination of things but Hunter hasn't looked great recently. It could be the better pitching we've been facing or just an aberration but his plate discipline doesn't look like it did for the first month and a half of the season. He's only walked once in his last 15 games and seems to be getting in even more 0-2 counts than usual. It's almost as if he suddenly tried to start hitting the ball harder around the time of the Rangers series and lost some of his patience and discipline ever since.
More bad baserunning. That is really frustrating to watch. Instead of men on 2nd and 3rd with no outs and Lee at the plate, it's a man on 3rd with 1 out and Lee at the plate.
Yea I couldn't believe he sent him. I guess Clark thought the combination of a deep drive, the big dimensions, and the monster they have out there in left field was worth the risk of 1 out
Looking forward to Lincecum vs. Oswalt on Sunday. Lincecum is far and away my favorite athlete not playing for a Houston team.
I don't think that is necessarily why Blum is hitting ahead of him. I think that's more of just an odd Cooper decision. I was just pointing out what I've noticed in Pence over the last few weeks.
well, I don't see the need to pull him out, I mean it wasn't great or anything but he's not totally inept
