The Astros have better pitching, but if the offense does not do it's job better the team will be stopped just short of the world series. The Cardinals have mediocre pitching and we have not been scoring on them since the first game. Sure we had 6 runs in game 4, but we have not had a breakout offensive game this series. I believe, it is time for the offense to show up and hammer the cards mediocre pitching. Clemens vs Suppan should be no contest, but if the offense fails to show up again our massive advantage will be gone. We need to do what the Sox did tonight, break out in a big way, and that starts with Biggio, he has got to do a better job of setting the table. More walks would be ok Craig, or lean in to a pitch...anything, just get on base in front of Carlos. DD
Another 0-6 performance by Biggio and I think it is time for his Astro career to come to a close. Time for Jason Lane to take over.
No hating on Biggio after his .400 avg in the NLDS. He's had a great career and he's still got it. Look at Damon, he had three hits in games 1-6 of the ALCS and then look what he did in game 7. I agree with you, though, DaDa. If it's getting on by walks, errors, whatever, he's got to get on tomorrow. The Astros' bats must have been tired from the plane ride because they sure were sleeping today, but I'm confident they'll ake up for game 7.
Houston has always lived and died by it's bats. Ever notice how much better we play when the bottom of our order is producing? Roger is looking to put a final chapter on his legacy by sending a hard luck franchise into the World Series. You know he'll be ready. Hopefully we'll crank up the bats on Jeff Suppan.
It maybe just me, but it looked like Mike Lamb tried too hard this game to make up for being absent last game. We had runners on 2nd and 3rd and it looked like he was trying to hit a home run instead of a hit so our runners can score.
Biggio is the key. He has to get on base. Beltran is thumping the ball with 1 out and nobody on base. Biggio has to get deeper in the count and take some pitches. He has to try something other than what he has been trying which is hacking away and popping up pitches. He is so important to our offense right now with Beltran behind him. He has to pick up his performance tomorrow.
I think he just has a homerun looking swing, a little bit like Will Clarks. I think its an absolute must that he starts tomorrow though. With the way the offenses is sputtering right now,,we have to have his bat in the lineup.
I have been most surprised by our lack of run production against a very mediocre pitching staff. I expected to have 2 or 3 games where we scored 7 or more runs....I guess if we do it tonight that fills the quota. DD
I agree... Biggio needs to remember he is a leadoff hitter and that the hottest hitter in baseball follows him (and heck, three other good bats follow after Beltran). He has to start taking more pitchs, work the count, and get on base *any* way he can. That also goes for the rest of the 'stros. They have all got that "I can win this with one swing" look in their eyes. Bags is a power hitter and you expect him to go up there to get his swings, but he has to also remember that Beltran is the team's best base stealing threat and take at least a pitch to let Beltran get to second before taking his hacks. This team can and will score runs. They just need to be smarter up there...
this is what i was saying during the first part of the NLDS and he came up HUGE in Game 5 vs. the Braves. hoping he does the same again tonight.
It would be nice if we could lay down a sac bunt with a runner on first and nobody out. It's a helluva lot better than a double play, pop-up, or strikeout.
hey..gotta get it in somewhere... huge love for jeff bagwell yesterday getting ANOTHER big time playoff hit. that was absolutely clutch, yesterday.
i wish biggio was getting by on walks. he was hacking at everything last night, and a player w/ his tenure should know better than that. the guy's got Carlos-freakin'-Beltran batting behind him, so why in the hell was he swinging at everything?!? he's shown little/no patience in this series, and that's completely unacceptable. Beltran cant bring in any runs when the leadoff hitter cant even get on base...... DONT CHOKE BIGGIO!
Like a famous skirt chasing Razorback lover once said... "I feel your pain" But DD...you are absolutely right. Pretty tough to win a game 7, or any game, when you only get 3 hits. When Bidge led off the game with a homer, I thought things would be different, but their bats went back into the freezer, and they lost.
RMTex, When Pujols said that Backe was lucky, I thought Suppan got really lucky last night. We hit a ton of atom balls, and Edmonds made the series saving catch. It was right there, but we made some mental errors and our bats went silent. Roger losing focus on that pitch to Rolen really hurt, but still, the guy has been nails all year, you would think that our offense would help the guy out for once. I hope he comes back. DD
