Rally Round the Astros, With a Pocketfull of Shells

I'm with ya. It's time for some of these guys to step up and play big in the big games.

 

Go 'Stros!

 

I actually hope we lose today and face Arizona, for a number of reasons:

(1) Arizona's offense doesn't scare me AT ALL. The Braves, while inconsistent, are loaded with Astros-killers.

(2) The first game is a bad matchup regardless since we have no game #1 starter. If we're going to lose, might as well lose to RJ. Arizona has 2 good starters and a mediocre bullpen. Atlanta has 3 and a good bullpen. Might as well also waste Game #1 on the road. (Not saying we will lose for sure, but Mlicki(?) vs RJ or Maddux is going to require luck anyway)

(3) We're a better road team than home team. Let's use that.

(4) We've hit both RJ and Shilling well this year, and are 4-2 vs. Arizona. I feel more comfortable facing power-pitchers than "stuff" pitchers right now, because our guys seem totally lost against stuff pitchers. With Arizona, we'll see tons of fastballs, something our players can still hit.

(5) Oswalt is our only good home pitcher. Facing Arizona means we would start him at home for game #3.

(6) I have tickets to game #1. I'd rather it be a Friday night game than a Tuesday day game.

 

You mean, Oswalt definitively won't be ready ? Are the Astros certain he'll pitch again this year, at all?

Incidentally, the Astros hit Maddux pretty well this year.

 

shells? ....are you giving me authorization to shoot something?

 

Oswalt is supposed to be ready by Game #3 at the earliest. Miller would be scheduled to pitch Game #2 if he gets normal rest. He could pitch game #1, but then we have no game 2 starter so we might as well save him for game 2 and get him at 100%.

I'm just guessing that Mlicki (our best remaining starter, IMO) is the Game #1 guy, meaning he might also be a potential game #5 guy . I think Mlicki will fare better against Arizona's lineup than Atlanta's, but who knows.

Ideally, I wish we'd just say screw the division and save Reynolds for game #1. That way, you lead the playoffs with Reynolds, Miller, Oswalt, Mlicki, Reynolds. Can't ask for any more than that right now.

Instead, we might get Mlicki, Miller, Oswalt, Reynolds, Mlicki. If we lose to Kile today anyway (a very real possibility), then we just screwed our playoff rotation for nothing. I understand the pride aspect and the desire to win a division title, but I think setting up for the playoffs is important personally.

 

Dierker said in the paper today Wade will pitch game 1 on 3 days rest, and Mlicki will pitch game 2.

The wild cards are game 3 and 4. Oswalt is getting ready to pitch game 3, but if the Astros don't need him (win first two games), or he's not ready, then Shane will pitch game 3, and Roy would pitch a game 4, with Miller going in a game 5.

So a 5 game series sets up like this:

Miller
Mlicki
Oswalt/Reynolds
Oswalt/Reynolds
Miller

 

NIKE -- thanks for the info. That's a lot better than the set up I had envisioned. A stat I heard on ESPN several weeks back -- pitchers starting on short rest in the postseason over the past 4 or 5 years have a combined 22+ ERA.

Hopefully, that will not be Wade!

 

By the way, did anyone know that Bagwell has been playing with a torn shoulder all year?

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bb/1078624

I had never heard this before:

<I>"He's been playing with a torn labrum since spring training," manager Larry Dierker said following the Astros' 10-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday in which Bagwell committed two throwing errors in the third inning.

Bagwell, surprised at the disclosure of his injury, said his right shoulder has bothered him throughout the season but refused to make excuses after the Astros failed to clinch the National League Central title with a victory. </I>

 

Go 'stros!!! beat the stinking Cards!

 

The 'Stros up 5-1! Bidge and Lugo with BIG hits to knock in some insurance runs.

 

Bags goes DEEEEEEEEP!!!! 7-1! YESSSSSSSS!

 

Boy, all of you people who jumped off the bandwagon are back on quick? LOL, I was probably the worst one. Looks like they'll win the central. I knew it all along.