The team should just shut him down... why continue to trot him out there if he's clearly got to work on mechanics, arm slot, and fatigue issues before the start of next season. His inconsistency is the only thing that's consistent... and its pretty clear he's not going to "pitch his way out of it." Let him take a summer off, the first one in two years, and maybe recover from FOUR straight years of heavy workloads. He just made his 70th appearence of the year today... no need for any more.
He's done. Let's face it. He's had one, maybe two appearances all year where he pitched like the Lidge of a year and a half ago. And I don't think Pujols ruined him...that just advanced his decline. He was starting to lose it before that. In game four of that series, he nearly blew the game as well if you recall. John Mabry hit a shot off of him that only stayed in because it was to center...and Lidge barely got out of that inning. I hate to say this, because I like the guy, but he might be the sole reason we don't have a world series win, possibly a world series title, and not in the thick of the playoff hunt this year.
Anyone want to speculate why so many Astros have had such disastrous seasons? Yes, I'm hinting at that reason.
If that's the case, the entire national leauge must have been on them. I think the greenies are a bigger culprit/loss... we have a bunch of "sleepy" guys on our team, that need that extra boost.
I think thats a whole seperate issue. The AL just builds a better pitcher due to the DH. It a competitive disadvantage for the NL.
There was a time where the NL dominated the AL despite the DH rule in the late 70s to 80s. Not that it really matters this team is showing about as much fight as a wet, whooped pup. Doesnt anyone on this team have any pride? Sh*t they arent even trying. Its embarrassing!
Man I'm gonna hate St Louis coming in here this week. They're too far ahead of Cincinnati, Stros can't even act as spoilers. They're coming in here knowing we're done and got nothing to play for and we'll probably lie down and die.
I swear up and down that kid didnt' even touch that ball. It hit above the T on the wall, a double was called correctly. They made the poor kid cry and he didn't even do anything wrong. Poor little guy.
I really think it wasn't robbed. I am probably the only one who thinks that but I really looked hard and I promise that kid didn't touch it, at least it didn't appear so. Sometimes us television viewers have a better view than the 3rd basr ump. I could be wrong about the whole thing though, I have been before.
I don't think these losses can be attributed strictly to one part of the team. It's not just the pitching, it's not just horrible at bats and it's not just poor management. It's all of the above.
Yeah...I'll admit it now. We're done. Stick of fork in us. I was still clinging to the hope we'd turn it around. But losing these games to the teams ahead of us didn't help us any. Well, Rockets start soon. And football is on.
Well said. We've either gotten great pitching and no offense or we have gotten great offense, great pitching and the bullpen blows it or even better we either cant move a runner over into SP or we cant get a key hit or situational hitting resulting in a manufactured run or we get the key hit and the bullpen blows it anyway or we play the ChiSux and pray or we play the Tigers and it doesnt matter. Bullpen was not awful it just could not cover up our weaknesses like last year. This year we were revealed for who we truly are. If it wasnt for our big3 and Berkman we would've finished 20 or 30 games below .500. This team is AWFUL! No consistency, no continuity, no pressure of any kind on the opposition and no sense of urgency. Unbelievably disappointing. Our starting pitching deserved much better than this constant non-production.
Now that it really doesnt matter. Have the young guns from Round Rock and Corpus do the lions share of play. They may play bad but at least they will try and fight. More than I can say for Mo', Lane & Ausmus. This team has lost its heart. I dont know what happened. They used scrap and fight and never give up. Not this year they just roll over and quit. I mean this is a professional baseball team that we were watching, right?
