Josh Fogg, his groin healed after a stint on the disabled list, will start Thursday afternoon against the Astros, manager Clint Hurdle announced today. That means the Taylor Buchholz, originally scheduled to start, heads back to bullpen duty. http://www.denverpostbloghouse.com/...gg-back-in-rotation-buchholz-back-to-bullpen/
But Wandy has had one or two nonBP starts in April that all of the nonbelievers refused to believe. The genius of Fats and PG shine through. Where in March, nobody would offer bats plus a 30 year old lower A player for Wandy, now the Astros can get those bats and maybe even a 30 year old higher A player. Good times.
that was weird game. three triples, berkman thrown out, ausmus failing to bunt on the squeeze, hirsh retiring the first 14.
But the Natural is starting to swing the bat again, just on time. Every year Luke struggles at the beginning and then gets hot...and when he gets hot.....he gets RED hot. Luke Luke Luke of truth !! DD
As others mentioned, he's back to the bullpen, but his problems as a starter are the same as last year - consistency. He's got great stuff - it's just a matter of figuring out how to make it work. In his past 6 starts, he's pitched: 2 shutouts (6 and 7 innings) 1 other quality start (7 innings, 3 runs) 1 functional start (7 innings, 4 runs) 2 disasters (3 innings, 6 runs and 4 innings, 8 runs) If he can get the disasters under control (and get out of Colorado), I think he can be a middle of the order pitcher. That may take a few years though.
That inconsistency may be why his future may be in the bullpen. And out of his "great stuff", I'm still only taking the curveball as his only above average pitch (which is just fine for a bullpen guy).
this caught my eye reading through this thread. Gerry DID not want to trade Wagner, it was uncle Drayton who ordered him gone when Billy talked mess about Drayton being too cheap and how one more starter would of won the Astros the division in 2003 and Drayton had a guy who wanted to be here and did not sign him. (Pretty sure it was Woody Williams who could pitch a few years ago)
and he promptly joined teams that haven't won a pennant since then. oh, and in case you're keeping score at home, the astros did. bite me, billy.
You know I can arrange for you to have BP against Wagner. I'm sure he'd like to know how you feel about him.
I've seen you make this statement several times, but do you have anything to back it up? Are you basing it on minor league statistics? Because in 06, Luke was hot the whole time he was on the big league roster. On the contrary, in 05, he sucked for his entire (abbreviated) stint. In 07 he's back to his 05 terrible form (last night's 9th inning notwithstanding). When was this struggles-then-succeeds season you speak of?
Did Gerry think they were going to extend Wagner to another $10 million dollar a year deal? Was he making this suggestion when he knew they had plus arms in Dotel and Wagner as cheaper options? If so, Gerry's not as smart as people here claim to be... and apparently has a knack for being as finanically irresponsible as some claim Pupurra to be. Regardless of what the real reason that Wagner was ultimately traded... the numbers said he needed to be moved (pending free agent, already making 12 million a year, other options in the system). Thus... knowing that Gerry's job is to be in contact with other clubs, do the homework on other players, and make the most of whatever trades they're fortunate enough to make... the Astros didn't get good value for Billy Wagner.
Thought tonight would have been a good night to get Burke in there... guess not. Biggio leading off again.
I'm no longer putting much stock in Biggio's career performances against certain pitchers. If they have plus stuff, or can sink the ball well... and are right handed... Biggio is going to struggle more often than not. Josh Fogg, who's speeds are slow, slower, and slowest... poses a much more favorable matchup for Biggio. And, if he took tonight off, and then played the day game, he'd get plenty of rest before Friday's game against a lefty (more favorable for Craig).
