Great game. Only once did I think the Marlins had a chance to drive in a run. Oswalt looked like Oswalt.
RoyO was incredible, Lidge was a little wild but will find his stuff. Players showed good discipline when Dontrelle was a little wild (except I think Wilson went out of the zone a little too much). And like I said, 162-0 pace! whooo
Let me be the first of the season to complain about Biggio leading off and Taveras in the two spot. I almost lost my mind when Biggio got that two-out double in the seventh and Willy "Fielder's Choice" Taveras came up to bat. Though Willy got an infield hit, Biggio would have been out had he not broken early off second. This is a situation that is going to occur numerous times throughout the season--Biggio getting on base with two outs after the bottom of the order falls, then Willy "Run Bunted In" Taveras failing to come through with anything because he doesn't drive guys in, period. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...he just shouldn't be not driving guys in from the two spot.) I assumed the Astros were not going to score in the seventh--which, in similar situations, will be far more often the case than not--leaving us with Berkman leading off the eighth with no one on base. Now, which is better: -Taveras in the box with two outs and a man on second Or one of the following: -(More common scenario) Berkman in the box with no outs (8th inning) and a man on second -(As would have been the case Monday) Berkman in the box with two outs, a man on second, and Taveras in the dugout after a score Just a little rant. I don't plan on doing this all season long.
The idea of putting Biggio first is to be able to drive in runs that are bunted over by the pitcher. If people get on at the bottom of the order, and the pitcher bunts them over, having another bunter immediately after that is worthless. (For reference, Ausmus last year had a higher on-base percentage than Biggio.) I think the idea is to make the bottom of the order a bit more potent, rather than letting a pitcher know that if they get to the #7 spot, they get 4 straight batters with little or no power (7,8,9,1).
You mean channel 2 beeding through, static and bad color all night???? Yipee!! 51 should go bankrupt and close their pathetic doors!
BTW - The Astros last night looked like they left off right from the World Series. Great starting pithcing No hitting No situational hitting Stellar defense Lidge creating drama Same ole Astros!!! But this time they WON!
I say this all the time but I am shocked that MLB would allow such a crappy signal to carry a game to a local audience.
You hit the nail in the bobblehead! It's the same team plus/minus one or two players. Pupura has a lot of confidence in this bunch. I hope just adding Preston to our offense is enough. The Astros almost always have offense problems against other teams #1 starters it seems, though. I don't see that changing. We have to get downright scrappy to pull out a lot of these nail-biter games.
repeating someone else's question from yesterday...anyone happen to cap the intros? i didn't see em..
That's what makes them #1 starters. Almost *everybody* almost always has problems against #1 starters.
