God I hope the Texans don't suck...that much At least my expectations for the Texans aren't THAT high...a .500 record would satisfy me. I was expecting playoffs/WS for the Rockets/Astros.
Yea... cause any good GM should have known that Lidge's past two years were just smoke and mirrors, and Qualls had no intention of ever improving his game, and Ensberg and Lane were clearly going to stop hitting, and the writing was on the wall that Pettite was going to have a 5 something ERA.... The funny thing is that the rest of our division (and league) got WORSE, not better (Cards regressed, Cubs regressed, and while the Reds are not awful... but they're pretty mediocre). That still doesn't excuse anybody here from becoming a bunch of 20/20 hindsight monday morning QB's... I mean they have monkeys out there who could do just that (and probably articulate their arguments better... in sign language, or some monkey-speak). Just spewing out the same crap that sounds good because "that's what you say when your team sucks" is just oversimplifying the variables that have gone into this year thus far... and sometimes it can actually be simple... as this game (more than any other) really does end up evening out over the long run. If this year is payback for the last two improbable years, so be it.
Dang, I can't believe they lost. Blew a chance to pick up another game on the Reds I think that Qualls and Wheeler, no matter how good they've been throwing, always seem to be on the brink of giving up a big HR (Qualls moreso than Wheeler). They don't strike me as closer material.
Apparently everybody was comfortable... except for Chad Qualls... who excels at the "I can't believe that just happened" role more than any other Astros pitcher... mainly because he can look tremendous for various stretches, and then look awful without a moments notice. At least with Lidge, nowadays, you have to hold out the possibility for something blowing up... and it isn't that shocking anymore when it happens. Same goes for Springer, Miller, Backe, and Pettite. Underachieving mediocrity... the title of this off-season's dvd.
You know today was more Qualls fault for the loss, but I think much of this seasons failure falls on Lidge. He has been by far worse than Qualls this season. He has been a gas can waiting to explode all season.
Why? Assuming that this team rarely ever comes back late in games (which is a fair assumption), Lidge has only lost 4 games that this team was in the position to win (ie - leading) but ended up losing as a result of his pitching. Qualls has now also blown 4 games that this team was in the position to win, but ended up losing as a result of his pitching (in less opportunities than Lidge... 4 BS in 27 chances for Lidge, 4 BS in 18 chances for Qualls). Thus, you're basing this argument on the fact that Lidge has pitched worse in non-save situations than Chad Qualls has... which does matter in the long run, but doesn't make Lidge the "scapegoat" for the entire season (ie - if we replace Lidge with somebody else, the replacement closer still blows 4-6 games to this point). Also, when you break down as spectacularly as Qualls did today (or when he gives up 1 pitch grand slams to the white sox), it doesn't give me much confidence that he'd be doing a better job as closer anyways (which is what everybody wanted).
please, no more feel sorry for roger posts. dude is well compensated, and he doesn't have to travel with the team on the road when he doesn't pitch. as a matter of fact, someone on 790 made a good point after oswalts comments on the 3 run deficit. roger probably hasn't said anything because he hasn't been witht he team that long, and he doesn't want to rock the boat with the special treatment he gets.
Me too, bro. I dont know if I can take another frustrating season. I have a feeling that the Stros are going to get something done here by the deadline.
Why? Because Lidge was supposed to be the best player in that bullpen. He was the leader, and everything flows down from him. Yes, Qualls has sucked, but we expected much more out of Lidge and thus he gets the most blame. Thats the way it works in sports. The superstars that don't perform get a lot more blame than the regulars that don't perform get.
Let me rephrase ... at least the Cards and the Reds did. The Cubs are hopeless that's the only reason we wont be last. Cards got Encarnacion and healthy save for Pujols' brief IR stint and the Reds got Arroyo who has now cooled some but Harang an Ace! If the Astros would quit shooting themselves in the foot, this division still may be up for grabs but ... you know that probably isnt going to happen.
Yea... I understand all that... but at least the superstars once were dominant, and earned their superstardom through stellar play. Lidge will definitely take the blame for this loss, and will get all the heat from the fans... he's had the pressure on him (and him alone) from day one, and he's never backed down. I'm just tired of guys like Qualls getting a free ride in all of this... you don't need to be a superstar to hold down a mediocre team with a 4 run lead in the 8th inning. And, on top of it all, Qualls hasn't even been that good this year (the affore-mentioned 4 BS in 18 chances... he had none last year). Also, even if Lidge had held them scoreless, we still had a better chance of winning the game when we were up 5-1, then we did if it was 5-5 in extra innings. In the end, the bullpen as a whole has lost us more games than expected from them... add that to Pettite's struggles, Ensberg's dissapearence, and Lane and Willy T's regression as reasons why the season has been a failure. Hell, even if Lidge was 27/27 and had a stellar ERA, we're still giving up more runs than we're scoring over the course of the season... the impact of a dominant closer is only magnified IF the team is pretty damn good to begin with (not the other way around).
So am I to understand that it doesn't matter when Lidge gives up runs in a tie game? I'm tired of you peoples tired and stupid argument about Lidges save percentage. He is a bad pitcher right now. Period.
Oversimplifying, huh? Try this on for size. We have a leadoff hitter that either 1) did not get enough walks and has not had 70 infield hits or we have Biggio who is still good but hes not going to steal any bases for you. Then, who other than Berkman is clutch for this team? Mr Wilson has been largely a 'rally-killer' wiith his convenient strikeouts with RISP and less than 2 outs or GIDP. Ensberg gets hot for a month then ... disappears. Lane gets hot for 3 weeks then ... disappears. The only semi-reliable clutch hitter would be Burke. Maybe Scott might grow into that role. You see yes, last years playoff run like the analysis or not WAS smoke and mirrors. We largely got by with great, clutch defense a la Willy T and AE plus a nails bullpen. Our hitting was still pathetic. The White Sox exposed us for what we were a no-hitting bunch of stiffs. They walked Berkman they knew better. Garner couldnt walk Konerko because Dye, Pierzynski and Crede were in the wings to cash in. Hell, we saw it again in the series with them last month. Hello, Kerosene Qualls to the rescue and who could forget that epic collapse the next night. A game that was once 9-1 in the 7th. In the seventh inning! Groundhog day--only this time its was the other kerosene brother, Brad Lidge. Boom game tied. Somehow we accidentally went out of character and actually one that one but anybody who saw that game and did not feel concerned about what was to come (for the rest of the season)? Then, the mighty Aaron Miles in the Cards series before the break once again helping to rescue defeat from the jaws of victory for the 'Stros. Brad Lidge strikes again! Even with that, this team fought with a lot of grit but not enough substance. If we needed to advance a runner we couldnt. If we needed a fly ball to get a runner home, it would be with 2 outs. If we needed Qualls or Lidge to put out a fire, they couldnt because the Sox had better hitters. So offseason came and we were told by Timmie P that this experience alone would make (Willy T, Lane, Ensberg & Co) better. We got Preston Wilson who has been adequate at best. He has not had good power or slugging numbers. There is still hope for Pettite and Roy O always keeps us in games even if hes not on his game. The rest: Zeke, Wandy, Buck have not gotten it done. So because of this, our bullpen has had to used a lot. Any bullpen that gets overexposed will get lit up eventually the MLB hitters are just too good nowadays. Very few shutdown relievers in the game now-Papelbon though a rookie (we'll see) and Mariano Rivera and that is about it. So yes, I do blame Timmie P because he sold us that these guys were better than they really are. Wandy, Lane, Ensberg, Buck and company. So spare me the monday morning QB crap because I have been watching 'groundhog day' for the past two months and if you believe anything else you are just simply in denial. Enough said.
you know suprisingly preston wilson has a .360 average before todays game with runners in scoring position
Ok congrats but what have you done for me lately? In the key games, the key series--what has he done? I saw him hit a 2 run double on a 2 out, 2 strike count vs Atlanta but he has not done that all that much of late has he? Been more like a 'rally-killer', right? I rest my case ...
dude relax, i was suprised by this stat myself, ive disliked preston since he got here! also if youre talking about key series and key situations....not one player on this team has performed, hence our record being where it is....every game is a key game with every series...
You see if these happenings happened once or even occasionally we all would say 'that's baseball !' But these happenings ... bullpen blowing leads even BIG leads has happened more than occasionally. PW has left RISP more often of late than he has driven them in. Lane, Ensberg same thing. Someone other than Berkman has to be able with some reasonable consistency to drive in runs. Lamb when in the lineup, Burke yes, Scott possibly. Who else? We need more offense. Hello there is a reason why we are dead last in the NL in hitting and that is even with Berkman! You all dont see a problem with this? Duh there is a BIG problem! How are we going to improve on this with where we are presently? Ideas???
