NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! My Burke HR tracker will be slowed down...wait... It wasn't going anywhere anyway
If Clemens and Backe come back, I wonder if we could use Backe as a setup guy or possibly a closer if Lidge continues to struggle. I know Brad pitched 4 days in a row and it wasn't all his fault etc. etc., but the bottom line is he has been extremely shaky all season. To me, Backe definitely has the mentality to be the closer. I think part of the problem he had last season was staying focused as a starter...maybe if he only had to get 3 outs in a crucial situation he would be successful (like how he is successful during crucial playoff games). If he could become a late inning guy, at least for this year, and Clemens comes back we would become a very deep pitching team... Oswalt Clemens Pettite Bucholz W.Rodriguez Nieve Borkowski Miller/Gallo Springer Wheeler Qualls Backe Lidge There are some big "ifs" in there but it looks good on paper. I really think we're solid with Taylor and Wandy in the rotation...I feel completely comfortable with Taylor on the mound, and Wandy has given me visions of Mike Hampton from his Astro days.
Apparently you haven't watched the Astros play in a while. Lidge is as close to being done as you get.
friday's loss stings even more... to any who says get over it, one loss will make the difference in the strongest division in the NL... is it safe to say the Wild Card will come out of the Central?
i didnt go that far, i said each loss counts... Garner elaborates in his interview with Larry Beil...
Who were you thinkiing about when you wrote "Joe Borkowski"? It's Dave Borkowski, which is what I think the poster was getting at.
You are not alone in that error. Fans need to get his name right, however. He's thrown 7 great innings so far. Hopefully, he'll be another of the yearly Astro bullpen "finds".
It popped back in on its own: According to Garner, the shoulder popped out but popped back in on its own without any assistance from Labossiere. ... Purp: "In talking to [head athletic trainer Dave Labossiere], it seems even if the MRI is negative, he'll probably miss a significant amount of time," That sucks. Jennings pitched a filthy game, changed speeds well all night, everything off the middle of the plate. I have no f'ing idea what got into him.
man im getting tired of people and phil garner apologizing for brad lidge. open your eyes. he blows/almost blows every game when he goes out there. i dont care if it ruins his confidence, but you gotta move him out of that closers role. they should consider letting him set up for wheeler and enter the game when it's not on the line, cuz obviously he cant handle the pressure
Yeah and Friday's game just proves that Wheeler can handle the pressure so well. I'm not saying Lidge should get a pass all season long, but its not like we have a dominant reliever in the wings (Like Lidge was when Blowtel was sucking it up for us).
How many times does it have to be said that it's not about confidence with Lidge. It's all about getting ahead in the count. If he doesn't they're not gonna bite on the slider no matter how nasty. I have full faith in him that he can handle the pressure, but don't quite have faith in him being able to throw a first pitch strike. He was starting to get that figured out before the other night when it was obvious he didn't have his best stuff And I'll say the lone bright spot about these two losses is that Cincy has lost too, so we haven't lost ground. But hell it's still way too early in the season to start counting wins and losses anyways.
