Uncle - Time to pack it in on this year.

Holy crap, i knew our bats were bad. But I didn't know they were THAT bad. Geez.

Lamb needs to be in the lineup every night. I like the idea of having Burke at SS too. Man, we are still in this thing considering how much the rest of the NL sucks like us (minud the Mets). But after being 1.5 games out just a few days ago to being back at 5 out hurts. It's completely possible that we make the playoffs again. In fact, I pray we do. I love the post season of baseball. Nothing like it. Although, it's no fun when the stros aren't in it.

 

Anytime Burke is at SS instead of Everett, I'm ALL for it.

+ Ensberg is a joke, with his stance changing & hacking & fishing at complete crap just like he did in the WS ... & I'm so tired of the bottom of the order coming up and leaving guys on base ... it's sickening.

These Astros are sickening.

& it's just extra sad now, because Lance is having his FIRST major slump of the season, & it makes our other scrubs look THAT MUCH MORE worse.

Poor Andy. He pitched his best game of the year, against a division rival ... & we couldn't muster up jack-ESS when it came to a timely hit of ANY sort.

All that said, I ain't giving up.

 

We need to to go on a torrid pace but we just havent shown any consistancy. I think we will be better next year with the $ we have.

 

Sweeping the Reds would be great. Then we sweep the 4 game set against the Pirates. Wishful thinking

 

I hope but it aint gonna happen. RIP 2006 ASTROS

 

I think its time to release Jason Lane. I would not offer arbitration to Lidge and Ensberg for 2007. Let them walk.

 

Good grief, you wouldn't even pick up a couple of retread relievers for them? Even a six-pack is better than nothing for two guys who have hit more than 20 HR in a season before. Same goes for Lidge. Being pissed off about someone's poor performance doesn't mean the GM should stop doing his job. If Purp did that, 90% of Internet armchair GMs and radio whiners would be all over him for "sitting on his fat ass" and "doing nothing".

 

The time has passed to get anything of value for either of these guys. You know the way arbitration works, I hope. Despite their horrible seasons both will be getting raises. There will be better options on the free agent market. Aubrey Huff for one. As for Lidge I don't think he can ever be successful again in Houston. I think Nieve, Wheeler or Qualls can do a competent job in the closer role and for MUCH cheaper than Lidge in 2007.

 

You may have given up, but Drayton hasn't. He stayed all 18 innings the other night.

 

I hope I have to eat my words, but after yesterday, there is no reason to beleive that this team will be able to go on any kind of run and put together a string of wins. Everytime they get hot, they promptly lose two, three or more in a row.

 

I hate saying this, but it's time to pack it in. Bring up albers, hirsh, house, pense, and whoever else you can. Its definately time to let them get some PT.

 

that's not our everyday line-up. the team's playing 20 games in 20 days, including 11 on the road, and unexpectedly had a 21st game crammed in there tuesday night. garner was trying to get some rest for some key guys.

yes, you could certainly argue that he rested the wrong people (berkman needed a break, not huff or lamb), but his thinking was correct. unfortunately, most teams don't have back-ups hitting .300 with 30 homers - they're back-ups for a reason.

had they won tuesday night and gotten one of the weekend games against the padres, everyone would have been ok with the decision to rest some guys. win or lose, they're still in the midst of a brutal schedule and he has to manage accordingly.

 

I don't hear the fat lady, yet.[/QUOTE]
Oh but she tuning up .

 

There is a value to them merely because they are under club control. You don't give young players away with the potential to do what they did last year. I'm not saying it's going to happen again, but the worst and most insanely idiotic thing you could do would be to let them walk for free.

You guys treat Lidge like he's had a Mark Wohlers type breakdown. It's not like his hitting the back stop or 3-bouncing the ball to the plate. It's something a winter completely away from baseball might be able to cure. The expectations certainly won't be there come next spring with what he's done this year. Maybe it will allow him to relax. It's the right decision moving him out of the closers role. It should have been done differently. It looked more like a knee-jerk reaction after a heartbraking loss.

I'm not sure with Ensberg. I don't believe Lamb is an everyday option there. I do think trading him to the AL might not be a bad idea, assuming you can sign Aubrey Huff long term. I wouldn't want to see Morgan make a comeback somewhere it could hurt us. I don't think last year was totally an aberration, but I also don't think he'll put up numbers quite that good again.

 

Oh yeah...BandwagonDakota. We missed you.

 

you'll get no argument from me. i agree, intellectually, with his decision; but yes, i would question some of his actual decisions. ausmus and berkman, specifically, needed a break.

i think his best line-up, right now, is burke in left, scott in right, huff at 3B each and every night. and huff has been great - he's crushing the ball; i really like him; think he'd be a great 5 or 6 hitter on a good team.

but he had to give ensberg a chance - we need his '05 production. unfortunately, it's proving to be a fluke and him to be a vagina. at this point, time to cut your losses.

he has exactly two days off in the month of august. that's 29 games in 31 days with a 30th game thrown in out of nowhere - he has to rest guys when he can and and afternoon game preceeding a long road trip was a good idea.

i'd rather the team drag ass yesterday than in ohio next week when the games really are must-win.