Honestly, I think with our "veteran" pitching staff ... Jimy is making it a point to himself to let the Starters work out of some trouble unlike last year when O would have never even made it out there for the 8th inning. I don't really mind ... It's just one game and over the long run I think it is a good strategy. The problem I have is the same as what the ESPN guys were saying. If you are going to leave him in, do it and don't waste 3 min decided because it stiffened O up a bit.
Here's a couple of audio links if anyone wants to try it. I don't know if they work. The Giants link is the same as the Warriors. It has worked for the Warrior games in the past so maybe it will for the Giants too. I tried the Astros link once during preseason and I didn't have any luck. I don't know if it was because I had a bad connection or if it just doesn't work. If you try it, start listening at least 30 minutes before the game. The Giants KNBR >>> 680 <<< am Astros Flagship Station KTRH 740 am
It wasn't a bad move. Roy O is their best pitcher IMO, and the worst he could do was give up enough runs to tie the game. Unfortunately that's what happened, but Roy was cruising and his pitch count was low enough to complete the game. It wasn't a bad move.
I think that's a fine strategy most of the time. I just don't agree with in the first two weeks of the season. Starters aren't in mid-season shape at this point. What was Roy's longest outing in the spring? I don't think it was 8 innings. Why should we expect him to be effective against Barry Bonds after 90+ pitches when he hasn't thrown that many in an outing since last season. I think you have to build up to the 8 or 9 inning outing. So leaving Roy in was surprising to me. Especially when it's a complete u-turn from Jimy's favorite strategy for the last two years. He's just baffling sometimes.
Roy was cruising? Giving up 2 hits in the inning, bouncing a pitch to the plate, generally off target the entire inning and he was cruising? Were you watching the same game I was? Williams should have pulled him, especially since Bonds had been owning him all game. Atleast tell Roy to pitch around him and pray only one run scores that inning. What happened was not good baseball sense. Hopefully all parties involved will learn from this.
Some other observations: Oswalt looked really good, and I was glad to see him on ESPN. He's really the NL's version of Pedro in so many ways (not the least of which is his slight build). Excellent assortment of pitches, good velocity, good command, etc. It's too bad about that last pitch, though. Ausmus actually got an RBI single. The announcers were saying that he's gone back to a more vertical stance, and hit .370 in spring training. If he can hit over .250 I'll be happy. Everett got the job done with a nice sac bunt in the 1st, but why have him #2 in the lineup? I thought Ensberg worked nicely there last year. Lidge's stuff looked nasty as always. Lance is pretty weak from the right side. Reminds me of Ken Caminiti, Kevin Bass, and other historic Astros who probably would have been better off hitting from their dominant side rather than switch-hitting. As frustrating as it was to see Barry hit the HR, DAMN! That guy is a complete monster. After doubling twice, you could see how his mere presence changed the pitching. Even before Tucker came up to bat, it was like, "Uh oh, pitch him extra carefully, because if not Barry's going to hit a 3-run HR." The whole world knew he was going to try to hit one, Jimy and Co. specifically came out to discuss preventing one, and then on the first pitch, bam -- a laser out of the park. Pretty badass. I can't believe we didn't score more off Rueter, especially in the first two innings. He was trying to be Glavine-lite, throwing exclusively on the outside corner and trying to get the Astros to go fishing. Normally we're aggressive enough to do just that, but to their credit most of them lay off (including Biggio, which was a surprise). Jeff Kent was the only one who flailed at a couple pitches way off the plate, including the one he barely tipped for the bases-loaded third out. Bagwell is going to rip out his other shoulder with those Herculean cuts he takes. Damn! Congrats on a great game to Hidalgo -- probably the player of the game. That throw on the go-ahead run was pretty weak, though. Anyway, go Astros and go Pettitte!
Woo! I'm gonna be there wednesday. EXPECT PICS! Not even my 9 months pregnant aunt will keep me from this game. I've waited 9 months for the damn kid to come, the least it can do is wait 4 hours. Yeah, I'm a jackass. But nothing is keeping me from watching Clemens pitch.
this loss is 100% Jimy's fault no way Oswalt should be on the mound in the 8th on opening day no way Oswalt should be pitching to Bonds with 2 on and a 3 run lead no way Bonds should of gotten any pitch even remotely close enough to hit all these decisions were Jimy's
you guys are HILLARIOUS! Not less than one year ago... same situation... in fact SAME OPPONENT... with Ron Freaking Villone on the mound, you guys were calling for Jimy's head when he decided to take him out in favor of the bullpen in the late innings. Now, you're calling for his head when he decides to LEAVE IN Roy? Roy's a big time pitcher... he can handle that situation better than any of our other pitchers on the staff. IMO, I would have pitched around Bonds... but left Oswalt in still. But, Oswalt doesn't pitch around anybody... that's just the type of moxy he's got. Sure, he learned his lesson, but I don't mind having a guy with that sort of confidence in his stuff. This is why you see such a difference between him and Tim Redding. Its not just the stuff, but the mental makeup he's got to go along with it. Most of the time, that mental makeup helps him. Last night, it got the best of him. He'll learn from it... and we can all move on. Lets also be thankful that these sort of collapses are happening earlier in the season, rather than later (or, gasp, in the playoffs). And... despite the loss, there were too many positives last night to make me even more excited about this year: 1.) the lineup is very balanced - I like the mix that Everett provides, as we've got some speed and fundamental baseball opportunities this year. Sure they didn't capitilize w/ the early bases loaded situation, but they did come thru in the seventh... one good 2 out rally like that a game is as much as you can ask for. 2.) Oswalt's groin is healthy - no doubt about it. If he's on, the sky's the limit for him. 3.) Killer instinct mentality - even though it was opening day (and thus everybody had to be focused), I just loved the intensity and determination this team played with last night. Nobody was doggin it, everybody was giving it their all. This season is way to long and grinding to get worked up about one game like this... we'll prevail in the end.
I understand whatcha saying, but your forgetting one thing this was opening day Oswalt doesnt have the arm strength built up to go 7+ innings yet What was his longest outing during Spring Training?
no way Oswalt should be on the mound in the 8th on opening day Inning doesn't matter - pitch count does, and Oswalt's was ridiculously low. no way Oswalt should be pitching to Bonds with 2 on and a 3 run lead Well, the fact is that Bonds *was* up with 2 on, and a 3-run lead. Given that, I don't think there's anyone on the team I'd rather have out there, so Roy gets the job. Would you rather bring in Lidge and have the first batter he faces this season be Barry Bonds? no way Bonds should of gotten any pitch even remotely close enough to hit You also don't want to walk him and get the winning run to the plate with only 1 out. If we bring in Lidge or Dotel and he gives up the 3run HR, everyone would be b****ing the other way. This is the same crap that everyone went through with Pedro last year.
Funny, don't remember Jimy pitching the 8th. "He just asked if I had enough for one more hitter, I said, `Yeah.' And he said, `Don't get beat by one guy.' " "You can't get beat in the eighth inning, especially not by Barry Bonds. You might get beat by somebody else, but you don't get beat by him in the eighth inning. Anytime you get one guy that can beat you in the game and you catch enough of the plate to where he hits it out, it's my stupidity." - Roy Oswalt
you may be right, that Lidge or whomever gives up the 3 runs anyways but we'll never know, I would rather take my chances with Lidge vs Alfonso, CJ, and grissom than let a tired Oswalt pitch to Bonds with 2 on..it was obvious that Roy had lost his stuff and was tired my point is that , for me, the smart decision would of been to lift Oswalt after the 7th and take your chances with the bully.....yeah Jimy sometimes takes guys out too early, but under the circumstances, it wasnt a smart baseball move in my book
