GAME 23 - April 26: Astros 6, Cardinals 5
GAME 24 - April 27: Cardinals 6, Astros 5
GAME 25 - April 28: Cardinals 11, Astros 7
After all these years, Astros fans still boo Carlos Beltran when the Mets come to town. So I was wondering what would happen when the long-time favorite, Lance Berkman, would make his Houston debut in a Cardinals jersey. Just would have been so sad to see the Puma booed. No worry. As Berkman came up for his first at bat in Tuesday night's game, the Houston fans rose to give him a standing O. Classy.
By Thursday night, however, the Puma had worn out our sentimentality. His two homers, a double, and a single combined for 5 RBIs -- that's the exact 5 run difference between the Astros winning and losing the game. Over his visit to Houston, he went 8 for 14, raising his batting average from .377 to .410, second among Major Leaguers. So borrowing a line from Fiddler on the Roof: May the Lord bless him and keep him -- far away from us!
Though the Astros lost this series, I have to give them credit for playing scrappy, exciting games. As a team, they are batting .275, fourth in the NL. They're fifth in the league for runs scored, second in doubles, first in triples. And dead last for homers. But offensively, this is a fun team to watch. The kids hit and they hustle, both on the base paths and out in the field. They lead the league in SB%, and are sixth in total steals. They're third in double plays turned with 25 -- including FIVE in Tuesday night's win! They also lead the league in errors - not a surprise for such a young team. This is not the old Astros team (with the emphasis on OLD) that got shut out all the time -- we've got a NO SHUTOUT streak going this season!
But for all those runs, we're still the worst team in the league for The pitching staff has the worst ERA in the league (5.24), with an opponents batting average over .300. On the other hand, our pitching staff is doing great at the plate -- they lead the league in batting by pitchers.
So, yep, win or lose, this is a really fun team to watch. The games in this series, even the losses, were exciting, with lots of action right to the end. On Wednesday night, the Astros went into the eighth inning down 6-0, and I was worrying about that shutout streak. But they came back for 3 runs in the eighth and another pair in the ninth, with a runner in scoring position when Pence struck out to end the game. The game went down to the very last pitch. Even Thursday night's game, despite the lopsided score, was exciting. The Cards had a huge 9-run sixth as Figeuroa, Abad, and Fulchino engaged in a total meltdown. But other than that, they only scored singleton runs in 2 innings. The Astros were battling to the end, stranding loaded bases in the eighth and another pair of runners in the ninth. So, okay, we lost -- we're going to lose a lot of games this year. We're REBUILDING. But at least we've got a bunch of kids with something to prove. We're losing - ain't it fun???
Friday, April 29, 2011
Why I've Become a TWINS Fan (Again!)
Back in November, I confessed that I had defected, moving my allegiance to a new group of guys. You might say I started being a real Twins fan.
It's happening again. I'm really, really leaning towards the Twins... No, not the ones in Minnesota -- the ones in Brooklyn. This time it's Lyla and Sylvie, my new twin granddaughters.
Oscar and Oren, my five-month-old twin grandsons, have cousins, just born on Wednesday. So you can see why the TWINS are all that I'm thinking about these days!!!
Is this crazy or what -- two sets of twins in five months? These are the children of our two sons and their wives -- it's just coincidental. But when people ask us whether twins run in the family, we've started saying, "They do now!"
It's happening again. I'm really, really leaning towards the Twins... No, not the ones in Minnesota -- the ones in Brooklyn. This time it's Lyla and Sylvie, my new twin granddaughters.
Oscar and Oren, my five-month-old twin grandsons, have cousins, just born on Wednesday. So you can see why the TWINS are all that I'm thinking about these days!!!
Is this crazy or what -- two sets of twins in five months? These are the children of our two sons and their wives -- it's just coincidental. But when people ask us whether twins run in the family, we've started saying, "They do now!"
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
2011 GAMES 20-22: Wackiest Game of the Season
GAME 20 - April 22: Brewers 14, Astros 7
GAME 21 - April 23: Astros 9, Brewers 6
GAME 22 - April 24: Brewers 4, Astros 1
Weird. Wonderful. Wacky.
I'm talking about the middle game of the series in Milwaukee. I could go back and watch this one again, just to see how crazy it was. A goofball play (fielders colliding in a tangle of limbs on the mound) followed by what was almost a triple play. First extra inning game of the season, and the Astros pull off a win in the end. Q's first steal ever.
It was another Saturday night game, so I joined in midstream after the Sabbath ended, with the Astros leading 4-3. The Astros added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, then starter Brett Myers gave up a 2-run homer after the stretch, leaving the bullpen with a slim 6-5 lead to protect.
Speaking of Myers.... Exchange on Twitter during the game:
Anywhere, that's where things stood when things got kind of wild in the bottom of the eighth. Melancon gave up a leadoff single. Then a little bunt dribbled to the mound caused Wallace to become entangled with Melancon; both of them fell down, and Wallace's throw to first went astray. That put runners on the corners with no outs. Uh oh. The next batter hit a grounder to CJ, who worked with Quintero to catch the runner on third in a rundown. That runner was unwisely waving the runner from first around second, and he too got caught in a rundown between second and third. Once he was tagged, Quintero quickly threw to first base and nearly caught the batter straying off base for what would have been the third out of the play. Instead it was an extremely entertaining double play, which erased the scoring threat.
Lyon came in for the save situation, with that 6-5 lead still intact. But a Braun single, followed by a Fielder double, blew the save. Lyons walked a pair of batters to load the bases before wiggling out of the inning with the score tied 6-6. In the tenth, with Wallace on second (double) and Hall on first (walk), Q hit a big fly ball to right center for a two-out ground rule double, scoring both runners. Now with a two-run lead, Mills left in Lyon to bat, so he could pitch the bottom of the inning. Well, why not? Astros hurlers lead the lead in batting average for pitchers. Let 'em bat! Lyon doubled to score Q, bumping the lead to 9-6. Oh, did I mention that Quintero stole third base -- the first steal in his whole career? I told you that this was a wild and crazy game! Lyon pitched a perfect tenth, to add a W to his BS.
I could definitely watch this game again!
On the other hand, I didn't bother to watch Friday night's 14-7 rout at all. And the only thing I can say I liked about Sunday's loss was that JR Towles' eighth inning homer kept the Astros from being shut out. The Astros lost another series, but the Streak Goes On!!!!
GAME 21 - April 23: Astros 9, Brewers 6
GAME 22 - April 24: Brewers 4, Astros 1
Weird. Wonderful. Wacky.
I'm talking about the middle game of the series in Milwaukee. I could go back and watch this one again, just to see how crazy it was. A goofball play (fielders colliding in a tangle of limbs on the mound) followed by what was almost a triple play. First extra inning game of the season, and the Astros pull off a win in the end. Q's first steal ever.
It was another Saturday night game, so I joined in midstream after the Sabbath ended, with the Astros leading 4-3. The Astros added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, then starter Brett Myers gave up a 2-run homer after the stretch, leaving the bullpen with a slim 6-5 lead to protect.
Speaking of Myers.... Exchange on Twitter during the game:
zacharylevine Zachary Levine Just out of curiosity, does anyone own a Brett Myers Astros jersey? I can't remember ever seeing one. -Z
AGAME_ River Austin @zacharylevine you mean a "wife beater?"
AstrosFanInXile Susan Lilly @AGAME_ @zacharylevine Serious ouch!
Anywhere, that's where things stood when things got kind of wild in the bottom of the eighth. Melancon gave up a leadoff single. Then a little bunt dribbled to the mound caused Wallace to become entangled with Melancon; both of them fell down, and Wallace's throw to first went astray. That put runners on the corners with no outs. Uh oh. The next batter hit a grounder to CJ, who worked with Quintero to catch the runner on third in a rundown. That runner was unwisely waving the runner from first around second, and he too got caught in a rundown between second and third. Once he was tagged, Quintero quickly threw to first base and nearly caught the batter straying off base for what would have been the third out of the play. Instead it was an extremely entertaining double play, which erased the scoring threat.
Lyon came in for the save situation, with that 6-5 lead still intact. But a Braun single, followed by a Fielder double, blew the save. Lyons walked a pair of batters to load the bases before wiggling out of the inning with the score tied 6-6. In the tenth, with Wallace on second (double) and Hall on first (walk), Q hit a big fly ball to right center for a two-out ground rule double, scoring both runners. Now with a two-run lead, Mills left in Lyon to bat, so he could pitch the bottom of the inning. Well, why not? Astros hurlers lead the lead in batting average for pitchers. Let 'em bat! Lyon doubled to score Q, bumping the lead to 9-6. Oh, did I mention that Quintero stole third base -- the first steal in his whole career? I told you that this was a wild and crazy game! Lyon pitched a perfect tenth, to add a W to his BS.
I could definitely watch this game again!
On the other hand, I didn't bother to watch Friday night's 14-7 rout at all. And the only thing I can say I liked about Sunday's loss was that JR Towles' eighth inning homer kept the Astros from being shut out. The Astros lost another series, but the Streak Goes On!!!!
Friday, April 22, 2011
2011 GAMES 17-19: Officially WINNERS
GAME 17 - April 19: Astros 6, Mets 1
GAME 18 - April 20: Astros 4, Mets 3
GAME 19 - April 21: Astros , Mets 6
Well, it's now official: The Astros are WINNERS. Here we are, just three weeks into the season, and we've already won a series! Granted, they won their first series of the season against the only NL with a worse record than their own, the Unfortunate Mets. But that's the beauty of a "rebuilding" year -- we can celebrate every little success.
The Astros and Mets entered this series with identical sucky records. In the first game, Wandy faced off Jon Niese, a starter with a similar 0-2 record and high ERA. Wandy had been off, on, and off again in his earlier starts, and the on/off pattern continued with this game. Happily we were on the "on" side -- Wandy pitched a terrific start in the rain, giving up only a single run on a solo homer by (Boo) Beltran. Over 7 innings, he allowed 3 hits, 3 walks, and struck out 7. Bad weather, nice line. Abad and Fulchino pitched quiet innings to hold onto the lead, giving Wandy his first win of the season.
Wandy had a pretty nice lead to work with -- the Astros scored their first run before he ever took the mound, added on another run in the fourth and in the seventh, and 3 more in the eighth. So by the time the bullpen got into the action, the Astros were sitting pretty with a 6-1 lead. (Not that they haven't ever blown a big lead... but they didn't in this game!) This game was played Tuesday night, while I was sitting at my seder table with a dozen guests, talking about philology and philosophy and phood. (I really should blog about food instead of baseball -- I'd have more family interest.) Since I missed watching such a nice game live (and there haven't been that many of them this season!), I watched this game late Friday afternoon on the mlb.tv archive.
I was able to catch the end of Wednesday night's game, after the end of the (first round of) Passover holiday. When I turned on the computer, the Astros and Mets were tied 3-3. Bud Lite threw a quality start, although there were quite a few base runners on his watch. He pitched 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits, a walk, striking out 6. All that ran his pitch count over 100, taking Norris out of the game after 6 frames without a decision. That left 3 innings for the bullpen to handle. Melancon pitched a scoreless seventh. He was the pitcher of record when Pence ripped out a solo homer in the top of the eighth to give the Astros a 4-3 lead. Abad started a nerve-wracking eighth, with a walk, strikeout, and single to put runners on the corners with only one out. Mills gave the ball to Jose Valdez, in just his second big league appearance. Valdez struck out his first batter for the second out, but his nasty splitter bounced off Towles' glove onto the field, allowing the runner on third to dash for home. What happened next was just gorgeous fielding -- Valdez ran towards the plate, Towles ran to grab the ball and flipped it to Valdez, who tagged out the runner. Double play to end the threat.
But the fun didn't end there. Our closer Lyon still had to get through the ninth. After a leadoff single put Mets speedster Reyes on first, the Mets tried to bunt him over. The bunt popped straight to Lyons, who tossed it to Downs covering first, catching Reyes for the double play. A fly ball to Pence ended the game, giving the Astros a double milestone: First back-to-back wins of the season and first series win.
We don't have to talk too much about Thursday night's disappointing finale. JA Happ was all set to continue his good pitching to sweep the Mets, but it didn't quite work out that way. He got beat up, starting in the third inning, and by the time he handed off the ball to the bullpen in the middle of the fifth, the Astros were down 6-0. By the seventh inning, I was starting to worry -- not about the outcome of the game, but about the status of the Astros' streak of no-shutout games. Then Wallace led off with a double and scored on Matt Downs' RBI single, keeping the streak alive. Three weeks into the season and we still have not been shut out!
That was all the fun that the Astros had at the plate, but they did manage to give the Mets a good time in the eighth. With a runner on first and two outs, Jason Bay hit a pop up to shallow right field. Pence missed the catch, the ball rolled, and the bases cleared. When it was all over, the record book showed a two-run four-base error on Pence. Does it get any worse than that? (Yes -- if it had happened in a close game!) To add insult to insult, the next batter hit a solo homer to make it 9-1. But who's counting at that point? The Mets got a much needed laugher, and the Astros left town with a series win, but no sweep.
In the Old Friends department: Ex-Astros pitcher, Babyface Buchholz pitched for the Mets in the eighth and ninth innings. Tell me, did he always do that little girly-girl butt wiggle thing in his setup when he played for us? Or is that some kind of New Yorker thing?
Off to Milwaukee to play the Brewers, one of 4 teams in the NL Central division within 1/2 game of the lead. That just leaves the Pirates (bad) and the Astros (really bad) tagging along behind. I'm predicting a sweep. But I'm not saying which team will win.
GAME 18 - April 20: Astros 4, Mets 3
GAME 19 - April 21: Astros , Mets 6
Well, it's now official: The Astros are WINNERS. Here we are, just three weeks into the season, and we've already won a series! Granted, they won their first series of the season against the only NL with a worse record than their own, the Unfortunate Mets. But that's the beauty of a "rebuilding" year -- we can celebrate every little success.
The Astros and Mets entered this series with identical sucky records. In the first game, Wandy faced off Jon Niese, a starter with a similar 0-2 record and high ERA. Wandy had been off, on, and off again in his earlier starts, and the on/off pattern continued with this game. Happily we were on the "on" side -- Wandy pitched a terrific start in the rain, giving up only a single run on a solo homer by (Boo) Beltran. Over 7 innings, he allowed 3 hits, 3 walks, and struck out 7. Bad weather, nice line. Abad and Fulchino pitched quiet innings to hold onto the lead, giving Wandy his first win of the season.
Wandy had a pretty nice lead to work with -- the Astros scored their first run before he ever took the mound, added on another run in the fourth and in the seventh, and 3 more in the eighth. So by the time the bullpen got into the action, the Astros were sitting pretty with a 6-1 lead. (Not that they haven't ever blown a big lead... but they didn't in this game!) This game was played Tuesday night, while I was sitting at my seder table with a dozen guests, talking about philology and philosophy and phood. (I really should blog about food instead of baseball -- I'd have more family interest.) Since I missed watching such a nice game live (and there haven't been that many of them this season!), I watched this game late Friday afternoon on the mlb.tv archive.
I was able to catch the end of Wednesday night's game, after the end of the (first round of) Passover holiday. When I turned on the computer, the Astros and Mets were tied 3-3. Bud Lite threw a quality start, although there were quite a few base runners on his watch. He pitched 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits, a walk, striking out 6. All that ran his pitch count over 100, taking Norris out of the game after 6 frames without a decision. That left 3 innings for the bullpen to handle. Melancon pitched a scoreless seventh. He was the pitcher of record when Pence ripped out a solo homer in the top of the eighth to give the Astros a 4-3 lead. Abad started a nerve-wracking eighth, with a walk, strikeout, and single to put runners on the corners with only one out. Mills gave the ball to Jose Valdez, in just his second big league appearance. Valdez struck out his first batter for the second out, but his nasty splitter bounced off Towles' glove onto the field, allowing the runner on third to dash for home. What happened next was just gorgeous fielding -- Valdez ran towards the plate, Towles ran to grab the ball and flipped it to Valdez, who tagged out the runner. Double play to end the threat.
But the fun didn't end there. Our closer Lyon still had to get through the ninth. After a leadoff single put Mets speedster Reyes on first, the Mets tried to bunt him over. The bunt popped straight to Lyons, who tossed it to Downs covering first, catching Reyes for the double play. A fly ball to Pence ended the game, giving the Astros a double milestone: First back-to-back wins of the season and first series win.
We don't have to talk too much about Thursday night's disappointing finale. JA Happ was all set to continue his good pitching to sweep the Mets, but it didn't quite work out that way. He got beat up, starting in the third inning, and by the time he handed off the ball to the bullpen in the middle of the fifth, the Astros were down 6-0. By the seventh inning, I was starting to worry -- not about the outcome of the game, but about the status of the Astros' streak of no-shutout games. Then Wallace led off with a double and scored on Matt Downs' RBI single, keeping the streak alive. Three weeks into the season and we still have not been shut out!
That was all the fun that the Astros had at the plate, but they did manage to give the Mets a good time in the eighth. With a runner on first and two outs, Jason Bay hit a pop up to shallow right field. Pence missed the catch, the ball rolled, and the bases cleared. When it was all over, the record book showed a two-run four-base error on Pence. Does it get any worse than that? (Yes -- if it had happened in a close game!) To add insult to insult, the next batter hit a solo homer to make it 9-1. But who's counting at that point? The Mets got a much needed laugher, and the Astros left town with a series win, but no sweep.
In the Old Friends department: Ex-Astros pitcher, Babyface Buchholz pitched for the Mets in the eighth and ninth innings. Tell me, did he always do that little girly-girl butt wiggle thing in his setup when he played for us? Or is that some kind of New Yorker thing?
Off to Milwaukee to play the Brewers, one of 4 teams in the NL Central division within 1/2 game of the lead. That just leaves the Pirates (bad) and the Astros (really bad) tagging along behind. I'm predicting a sweep. But I'm not saying which team will win.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
2011 GAMES 13-16: Officially NOT Losers
GAME 13 - April 14: Astros 1, Padres 0
GAME 14 - April 15: Padres 4, Astros 2
GAME 15 - April 16: Astros 5, Padres 3
GAME 16 - April 17: Padres 8, Astros 6
With all the preparation for Passover, work at the office, and such, there was barely time to watch baseball games last week, let alone write about them. Just one really major thing to note: The Astros are NOT losers. Less than 3 weeks into the season, they actually TIED a series. Next thing you know, they'll be winning one.
The first game of the series was what Alyson Footer would call "a gem." As in, Bud Lite threw a gem: Six shutout innings, on 2 singles, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. All those Ks added up to a lot of pitches, and by the end of 6, Norris was at 116 and due for replacement. Meanwhile, Dustin Moseley, the Padres' starter, kept pace, not allowing the Astros to score in the first five innings. The game went to the bottom of the sixth with the score tied, 0-0.
Quintero led off with a single. I expected to see a pinch batter, but Mills left in Norris to bunt Q over. I griped on Twitter at that point about how I didn't like wasting an out on a sacrifice, but it turned out that Mills knew better -- Bourn's ground ball single scored Q to make it 1-0.
That single run put Norris in the running for his first win, but it didn't come easily. The bullpen was on the hook for 3 innings protecting that one-run lead, as the Astros couldn't manage to score again. Abad struck out the leadoff batter in the seventh, then gave up a single. Mills brought in Melancon, whose first pitch resulted in a double play. Nice work -- one pitch, 2/3 of an inning credit. In the bottom of the inning, the Astros got a pair of two-out singles, and Mills again brought in his pitcher to bat. More griping on Twitter -- but Melancon walked to load the bases. The luck ran out there; Bourn K'ed to end the fun.
Norris' precarious lead looked pretty vulnerable in the eighth. The leadoff batter got on base due to catcher interference by Quintero, then immediately stole second. The second batter struck out, but the ball was bobbled and the runner advanced to third on Q's throw to first. Melancon walked the third batter -- putting runners on the corners with one out. Next batter grounded to first base -- Wallace shot the ball to the plate, where Q tagged the runner for the second out. Melancon's strikeout ended the inning. Whew!
The Astros didn't score in the bottom of the inning, taking the game into the ninth with the 1-0 score intact. Lyon put his Opening Game screw-up out of mind, and knocked off the Padres, 1-2-3, on 8 pitches. Sweet. First win for Bud Lite.
The Padres came back for a Game 2 win Friday night, cheating the Astros of the opportunity for back-to-back wins. But Saturday night Figuero threw 6 2/3 solid innings to give the team the chance to tie the series. I joined in during the seventh inning after the Sabbath ended, with the score tied 3-3, just in time to see Joe Inglett and Angel Sanchez add on a couple of runs with RBI singles. Lyon wasn't quite as lights out as he had been in Game 1, but dispatched the Padres in the ninth to get the save. Melancon, who finished off the seventh inning for Figuero, had been the pitcher of record when the Astros went ahead, earning the win for his 5 pitches.
I had great hopes for a winning series when the Astros took an early lead in Game 4 on Sunday. After 6 innings, the score was 6-3, and Myers looked like he was on his way to another win. But Melancon and Fulchino let it all get away in the 8th, with the Padres more than batting around and scoring 4 runs on a combination of hits, walks, and errors. Ugly.
So the Astros finished up their homestand on a bummer of a game. But given that it was the first series that they didn't LOSE, we'll have to take that as something to like. That's how it's going to be this season.
Oh, by the way, the no-shutout streak continues. I like that too!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
2011 GAMES 10-12: The Streak Continues!
GAME 10 - April 11: Cubs 5, Astros 4
GAME 11 - April 12: Astros 11, Cubs 2
GAME 12 - April 13: Cubs 9, Astros 5
No, it's not a winning streak. The Astros have yet to get past one consecutive win, and there are only 3 of those so far. But in this "rebuilding" year, we'll have to find other things to get excited about. So here's a trend that I really like:
The Astros are on a 12 game no-shutout streak!
Maybe that doesn't sound like a huge deal, but when you compare it to the first 12 games of last year, we're doing great! Last year this time (3-9 record, same as this season), we had already been shut out 3 times, with another 2 games in which we only scored 1 run. Last year this time we'd scored 28 runs; this year we've scored 55 runs already -- that's fifth in the league. Team BA is .272, also 5th in the league. Middle of the pack in slugging -- low on homers, but 25 doubles and 5 triples (Lee? Quintero? Really?). So even if we aren't winning any more games than we did at the start of 2010, we aren't offensive in offense. Last year we were in the cellar in virtually every batting category.
You don't lose games for no reason at all. In the Astros' case, let's just say that the pitching is still a work in progress this season.
In an effort to focus on the positive, let's talk about the middle game of the Cubs series. Astros won 11-2! On a night when manager Mills was banished to a field box, serving a single game suspension, our bench coach Al Pedrique ran a gutsy game to big success. Multiple runs in 4 different innings, including 3 in the first and another 2 in the second inning. Sanchez, our very own Angel, went 4 for 5. Pence was 3 for 5, with 4 RBI. Quintero was 3 for 3 with a double and a triple! Bourn got 2 hits and stole 2 bases on back to back pitches. Our most durable and consistent ace, Myers, pitched 7 innings, giving up 1 run (a solo homer) on 8 hits, no walks, striking out 5, and earning his first "W" of the season. One might think that if some of those extra Astros runs were spread out a bit, we'd have more wins to show for all the fireworks. True, but a blowout now and then sure is fun.
As I'm writing this, the Astros are tied with the Padres, 0-0, in the fourth inning of the first game of a 4 game home series. We're not losing, so I'm not getting too worried yet. But that 0 in the runs columns represents a potential end to this thrilling no-shutout streak! I'd better finish this up and go cheer. Can you hear me from out here in Exile?
GAME 11 - April 12: Astros 11, Cubs 2
GAME 12 - April 13: Cubs 9, Astros 5
No, it's not a winning streak. The Astros have yet to get past one consecutive win, and there are only 3 of those so far. But in this "rebuilding" year, we'll have to find other things to get excited about. So here's a trend that I really like:
The Astros are on a 12 game no-shutout streak!
Maybe that doesn't sound like a huge deal, but when you compare it to the first 12 games of last year, we're doing great! Last year this time (3-9 record, same as this season), we had already been shut out 3 times, with another 2 games in which we only scored 1 run. Last year this time we'd scored 28 runs; this year we've scored 55 runs already -- that's fifth in the league. Team BA is .272, also 5th in the league. Middle of the pack in slugging -- low on homers, but 25 doubles and 5 triples (Lee? Quintero? Really?). So even if we aren't winning any more games than we did at the start of 2010, we aren't offensive in offense. Last year we were in the cellar in virtually every batting category.
You don't lose games for no reason at all. In the Astros' case, let's just say that the pitching is still a work in progress this season.
In an effort to focus on the positive, let's talk about the middle game of the Cubs series. Astros won 11-2! On a night when manager Mills was banished to a field box, serving a single game suspension, our bench coach Al Pedrique ran a gutsy game to big success. Multiple runs in 4 different innings, including 3 in the first and another 2 in the second inning. Sanchez, our very own Angel, went 4 for 5. Pence was 3 for 5, with 4 RBI. Quintero was 3 for 3 with a double and a triple! Bourn got 2 hits and stole 2 bases on back to back pitches. Our most durable and consistent ace, Myers, pitched 7 innings, giving up 1 run (a solo homer) on 8 hits, no walks, striking out 5, and earning his first "W" of the season. One might think that if some of those extra Astros runs were spread out a bit, we'd have more wins to show for all the fireworks. True, but a blowout now and then sure is fun.
As I'm writing this, the Astros are tied with the Padres, 0-0, in the fourth inning of the first game of a 4 game home series. We're not losing, so I'm not getting too worried yet. But that 0 in the runs columns represents a potential end to this thrilling no-shutout streak! I'd better finish this up and go cheer. Can you hear me from out here in Exile?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
2011 GAMES 7-9: Ahead of Last Year...
GAME 7 - April 8: Marlins 4, Astros 3
GAME 8 - April 9: Marlins 7, Astros 5
GAME 9 - April 10: ASTROS 7, Marlins 1
With a 2-7 record, the Astros might still be in the NL Cellar, but there's reason to think good thoughts and hope for the future. Here are a few of the reasons:
1. They're doing better than last year -- after 9 games last season, the Astros were 1-8. Granted, this year's record is only marginally better, but we'll have to take anything we can get.
2. The losses in this weekend's losing home opener series were not embarrassing blowouts. The Astros actually led in much of all three games, losing the first two in late innings. Yesterday's game might not even have been a loss had the Astros not been on the wrong side of an erroneous call by the first base ump: He called out Brett Wallace, who had actually beat the ball to first. That bad call resulted in a double play, ending the second inning -- stranding a runner at third who would have scored another Houston run and continued the inning. Who knows what might have happened?
3. The Astros have not been shut out yet this year. By this point last season, the Astros had been shut out 3 times and had only scored 1 run in 2 other games. So far this year, the lowest run total has been 2 runs.
If you look at the team stats, the Astros do look pretty bad. The statistic that bothered me at the start of last season -- few bases on balls -- is just as bad this year. The Astros walk less than any of their opponents. One might say that they are more aggressive at the plate, but that doesn't seem to result in wins, does it? They have a ton of strikeouts, with Bill Hall accounting for a disproportionate number of them. The team is towards the bottom of the league in most offensive stats, has the highest ERA of any NL pitching staff, and has the most errors.
It's still a small sample -- take away that one awful game in which the Astros made 5 errors, and their count is one of the league's lowest. But let's be honest: The sucky stats are totally consistent with our terrible record. Fact is, this is not a good baseball team.
But it's still fun to watch a win, like today's 7-1 victory over the Fish. J.A. Happ, who floundered horribly in his 4 innings last week, pitched into the 8th inning today, only allowing 1 run, on 4 hits, 4 BBs, and 6 Ks. I always like a pitcher who helps himself, so it was fun to watch Happ get 2 of Houstons' 16 hits today, including a 2 RBI double. Other players with multiple hits in today's win: Bourn (2 for 4), Sanchez (3 for 5), Pence (3 for 5), and Quintero (2 for 3, including a double that he unsuccessfully tried to stretch into a triple). In the goat column is El Caballo, who went 1 for 5 and left 7 runners stranded, including 3 in scoring position with 2 outs. With his BA at .200, Lee is looking a whole lot like his last season self, except perhaps for showing a bit more power (a homer and a pair of triples so far this year). Let's hope he picks up the pace, so we can trade him to an AL team to be a DH. It's painful to watch him in the outfield with two-time GG Bourn and super-energetic Pence.
The other two Houston starters in this series also pitched much better this week. Wandy threw 7 innings on Friday night, allowing only 1 run on 8 hits and no walks, striking out 2. Bud Lite looked really good for the first 5 innings Saturday night, before giving up 3 runs on a single, a double and a homer in the sixth. While the starters were looking more solid, the relievers couldn't hold on in the first two games. Lopez allowed 2 runs in the 8th on Friday night, blowing Wandy's lead and losing the game. Abad gave up 3 consecutive doubles on Saturday night, allowing a pair of runs to give the Marlins a permanent lead.
So here's what we need in our upcoming series against the Cubs: The starting pitchers and relievers to be solid in the same games. We can beat Chicago. Their record is better than ours (4-5), but hey, they were playing the Pirates and Brewers, while we were playing the Phillies and Reds. I'm betting that we will win some games against the Cubs and Padres this week. How's that for optimism?
In the Old Friends department: Roy O got his second win last night, as the Phillies scored double-digit runs for him against the Braves. That's why he wanted his trade -- so that when he pitched well, the team would win. That's what he's getting with the Phillies. I'm glad for him, as long as it doesn't come at the Astros' expense again. In less happy news, Lance Berkman is batting .214 for the Cardinals, with a couple of doubles and no homers. The Cards are almost as dreadful as the Astros so far this season. So sad...NOT.
GAME 8 - April 9: Marlins 7, Astros 5
GAME 9 - April 10: ASTROS 7, Marlins 1
With a 2-7 record, the Astros might still be in the NL Cellar, but there's reason to think good thoughts and hope for the future. Here are a few of the reasons:
1. They're doing better than last year -- after 9 games last season, the Astros were 1-8. Granted, this year's record is only marginally better, but we'll have to take anything we can get.
2. The losses in this weekend's losing home opener series were not embarrassing blowouts. The Astros actually led in much of all three games, losing the first two in late innings. Yesterday's game might not even have been a loss had the Astros not been on the wrong side of an erroneous call by the first base ump: He called out Brett Wallace, who had actually beat the ball to first. That bad call resulted in a double play, ending the second inning -- stranding a runner at third who would have scored another Houston run and continued the inning. Who knows what might have happened?
3. The Astros have not been shut out yet this year. By this point last season, the Astros had been shut out 3 times and had only scored 1 run in 2 other games. So far this year, the lowest run total has been 2 runs.
If you look at the team stats, the Astros do look pretty bad. The statistic that bothered me at the start of last season -- few bases on balls -- is just as bad this year. The Astros walk less than any of their opponents. One might say that they are more aggressive at the plate, but that doesn't seem to result in wins, does it? They have a ton of strikeouts, with Bill Hall accounting for a disproportionate number of them. The team is towards the bottom of the league in most offensive stats, has the highest ERA of any NL pitching staff, and has the most errors.
It's still a small sample -- take away that one awful game in which the Astros made 5 errors, and their count is one of the league's lowest. But let's be honest: The sucky stats are totally consistent with our terrible record. Fact is, this is not a good baseball team.
But it's still fun to watch a win, like today's 7-1 victory over the Fish. J.A. Happ, who floundered horribly in his 4 innings last week, pitched into the 8th inning today, only allowing 1 run, on 4 hits, 4 BBs, and 6 Ks. I always like a pitcher who helps himself, so it was fun to watch Happ get 2 of Houstons' 16 hits today, including a 2 RBI double. Other players with multiple hits in today's win: Bourn (2 for 4), Sanchez (3 for 5), Pence (3 for 5), and Quintero (2 for 3, including a double that he unsuccessfully tried to stretch into a triple). In the goat column is El Caballo, who went 1 for 5 and left 7 runners stranded, including 3 in scoring position with 2 outs. With his BA at .200, Lee is looking a whole lot like his last season self, except perhaps for showing a bit more power (a homer and a pair of triples so far this year). Let's hope he picks up the pace, so we can trade him to an AL team to be a DH. It's painful to watch him in the outfield with two-time GG Bourn and super-energetic Pence.
The other two Houston starters in this series also pitched much better this week. Wandy threw 7 innings on Friday night, allowing only 1 run on 8 hits and no walks, striking out 2. Bud Lite looked really good for the first 5 innings Saturday night, before giving up 3 runs on a single, a double and a homer in the sixth. While the starters were looking more solid, the relievers couldn't hold on in the first two games. Lopez allowed 2 runs in the 8th on Friday night, blowing Wandy's lead and losing the game. Abad gave up 3 consecutive doubles on Saturday night, allowing a pair of runs to give the Marlins a permanent lead.
So here's what we need in our upcoming series against the Cubs: The starting pitchers and relievers to be solid in the same games. We can beat Chicago. Their record is better than ours (4-5), but hey, they were playing the Pirates and Brewers, while we were playing the Phillies and Reds. I'm betting that we will win some games against the Cubs and Padres this week. How's that for optimism?
In the Old Friends department: Roy O got his second win last night, as the Phillies scored double-digit runs for him against the Braves. That's why he wanted his trade -- so that when he pitched well, the team would win. That's what he's getting with the Phillies. I'm glad for him, as long as it doesn't come at the Astros' expense again. In less happy news, Lance Berkman is batting .214 for the Cardinals, with a couple of doubles and no homers. The Cards are almost as dreadful as the Astros so far this season. So sad...NOT.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
2011 GAMES 4-6: We're NOT Total Losers!
GAME 4 - April 5: Reds 8, Astros 2
GAME 5 - April 6: Reds 12, Astros 4
GAME 6 - April 7: ASTROS 3, Reds 2
In a season when the die-hard fans are tweeting "Does this look like a minor league team?" and "Hey, Spring Training's over!" one has to work hard to look for the silver lining. I maintain that there's virtually always something to like in every game -- except perhaps that time that the Astros had to play a "home game" against the Cubs in Milwaukee during a hurricane and were the victims of a no hitter.
So here's today's thing to like about the Astros: After losing their first 5 games of the season, they WON today! Think about how much better we are than last year, when we lost the first eight games of the season!
After four pretty dreadful performances by Astros starters, we rotated back to Myers. Happily, his start today was solid -- he gave up 2 runs in 6 1/3 innings, on 6 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Last time Myers pitched, on Opening Day, the Astros went into the ninth inning 2 runs ahead, but our closer Lyons blew the save on half a dozen singles. Today, the Astros scored the tie breaker in the top of the ninth on a RBI double by Matt Downs, giving Lyons a one-run lead to protect. He got two quick outs, then gave up a couple of singles just to keep things interesting, before getting the save.
The only disappointment in today's game was the mlb.tv coverage -- the game was only covered by Fox Sports OHIO, so I had to watch the other guys' broadcasting of our mighty win. They were somewhat less than euphoric over the occasion, as it coincided with the Reds' first loss of the season. So I went back after watching the game and listened to the recording of the last inning on KTRH, the Astros radio broadcast: "A heart-stopper -- but a win!" Much better!
We don't need to dwell on the other games in the Cincinnati series. There were a few minutes of euphoria in the middle game, when the Astros benefited from a shaky start from the Reds' Volquez. On a weird combo of walks and balks and hits and strikeouts, the Astros managed to get a 4 run lead in the first inning. But they didn't ever score again, while the Reds scored a dozen runs on a lot of hits and five (!!!) Astros errors. Lots of tweets with reference to "minor leagues."
Face it -- if the Astros weren't "rebuilding," a number of their roster players would be playing in Oklahoma City this year. So, yeah, this is going to be a season with lots of minor league moments, embarrassing flubs, and losses. It's probably going to look like Spring Training for most of the season. Maybe there will be some exciting moments, as our kids start demonstrating the potential that got earned them a chance to play in the bigs. There will probably be at least 10 or 12 more wins this season! :-)
Here's something else to like about today's game: The Astros are NOT the worst team in the big leagues. Their 1-5 record is better than the mighty Red Sox and the team formerly known as Devil Rays, who have lost their first 6 games. So, okay, the Astros are the worst team in the National League. But not for long -- we're going home to Houston on a winning streak!
GAME 5 - April 6: Reds 12, Astros 4
GAME 6 - April 7: ASTROS 3, Reds 2
In a season when the die-hard fans are tweeting "Does this look like a minor league team?" and "Hey, Spring Training's over!" one has to work hard to look for the silver lining. I maintain that there's virtually always something to like in every game -- except perhaps that time that the Astros had to play a "home game" against the Cubs in Milwaukee during a hurricane and were the victims of a no hitter.
So here's today's thing to like about the Astros: After losing their first 5 games of the season, they WON today! Think about how much better we are than last year, when we lost the first eight games of the season!
After four pretty dreadful performances by Astros starters, we rotated back to Myers. Happily, his start today was solid -- he gave up 2 runs in 6 1/3 innings, on 6 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Last time Myers pitched, on Opening Day, the Astros went into the ninth inning 2 runs ahead, but our closer Lyons blew the save on half a dozen singles. Today, the Astros scored the tie breaker in the top of the ninth on a RBI double by Matt Downs, giving Lyons a one-run lead to protect. He got two quick outs, then gave up a couple of singles just to keep things interesting, before getting the save.
The only disappointment in today's game was the mlb.tv coverage -- the game was only covered by Fox Sports OHIO, so I had to watch the other guys' broadcasting of our mighty win. They were somewhat less than euphoric over the occasion, as it coincided with the Reds' first loss of the season. So I went back after watching the game and listened to the recording of the last inning on KTRH, the Astros radio broadcast: "A heart-stopper -- but a win!" Much better!
We don't need to dwell on the other games in the Cincinnati series. There were a few minutes of euphoria in the middle game, when the Astros benefited from a shaky start from the Reds' Volquez. On a weird combo of walks and balks and hits and strikeouts, the Astros managed to get a 4 run lead in the first inning. But they didn't ever score again, while the Reds scored a dozen runs on a lot of hits and five (!!!) Astros errors. Lots of tweets with reference to "minor leagues."
Face it -- if the Astros weren't "rebuilding," a number of their roster players would be playing in Oklahoma City this year. So, yeah, this is going to be a season with lots of minor league moments, embarrassing flubs, and losses. It's probably going to look like Spring Training for most of the season. Maybe there will be some exciting moments, as our kids start demonstrating the potential that got earned them a chance to play in the bigs. There will probably be at least 10 or 12 more wins this season! :-)
Here's something else to like about today's game: The Astros are NOT the worst team in the big leagues. Their 1-5 record is better than the mighty Red Sox and the team formerly known as Devil Rays, who have lost their first 6 games. So, okay, the Astros are the worst team in the National League. But not for long -- we're going home to Houston on a winning streak!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
2011 GAMES 2-3: Well, You Can't LOSE 'Em All... Can You?
GAME 2 - April 2: Phillies 9, Astros 4
GAME 3 - April 3: Phillies 7, Astros 3
The good news -- if there is such a thing when you start out the season getting swept -- is that the Astros were not shut out even once by the mighty Phillies. In fact, they managed to eke out a few runs in each of the three games. The other good news is that it's virtually impossible for a team to lose every single game of the season, so Astros fans can look forward to a win or two sometime in the next few months. If the wins are few and far between in this year of "rebuilding," we will just have to savor them all the more.
Bad news first, so I can end up on a high note. After a solid start by Myers in the Opening Day game, Wandy and Bud Lite were overmatched by Cliff Lee and Roy O, respectively. Both Houston starters kicked off the game by giving up runs in the first inning, and the Astros were never able to regain the lead. Wandy pitched especially badly Saturday night, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits and a walk in his 4 innings. Norris got off to a dreadful start on Sunday afternoon, giving up 4 runs on two homers in the first inning. However, he settled down after than, and only allowed one other run, while striking out 7. The Houston bullpen had to carry 8 innings between the two games, and not one of the relievers escaped giving up at least one hit. But put the blame on the starters, who were responsible for allowing 12 of the Phillies' 16 runs in the two weekend games.
Both Phillies pitchers threw quality starts -- not much of a surprise from a team that is carrying 4 "aces" in its rotation. If the Astros were going to lose anyway, I'm just as happy that Roy O got a win out of it. He pitched a solid game and earned a "W" -- unlike so many similar starts for the Astros last year that resulted in a no-decision or loss.
Still, it's no fun to get swept.
If I were to pick one statistical comparison that I really don't like, it would be this: In their first series the Astros logged 28 strikeouts, while only garnering 3 walks -- and one of those was intentional. The lack of walks may be a sign of an aggressive offense. But like I noted in last season's dreadful start (when the team had barely any walks), it also kind of looks like the batters are desperate. Something for the hitting coach to figure out...
The Astros are due to lose a lot of games this year, so I am going to just have to find something to like about every game despite the outcome. Here's what I liked in this weekend's games: Carlos Lee hit well on Saturday, with a triple and a homer, accounting for all 4 of Houston's RBIs. With his giant paycheck, the only way he can avoid being a big boo-boy in MMP is by hitting in a big batch of runs. If nothing else, a big offensive year may make him an attractive trade target for one of the American League teams, who could turn him into a DH. There's not much he can do about his defense.
Hunter Pence, another player who had a dreadful start last season, also got off to a nice pace, hitting a homer and pair of singles off of Roy O on Sunday. CJ had a nice day at the plate too, with a single and double.
Day off tomorrow, resuming on Tuesday night in Cincinnati before heading back to Houston for a 10-game homestand. The Reds also swept their first series, so don't hold your breath waiting for the Astros' first win. But don't worry -- they can't lose 'em all!
GAME 3 - April 3: Phillies 7, Astros 3
The good news -- if there is such a thing when you start out the season getting swept -- is that the Astros were not shut out even once by the mighty Phillies. In fact, they managed to eke out a few runs in each of the three games. The other good news is that it's virtually impossible for a team to lose every single game of the season, so Astros fans can look forward to a win or two sometime in the next few months. If the wins are few and far between in this year of "rebuilding," we will just have to savor them all the more.
Bad news first, so I can end up on a high note. After a solid start by Myers in the Opening Day game, Wandy and Bud Lite were overmatched by Cliff Lee and Roy O, respectively. Both Houston starters kicked off the game by giving up runs in the first inning, and the Astros were never able to regain the lead. Wandy pitched especially badly Saturday night, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits and a walk in his 4 innings. Norris got off to a dreadful start on Sunday afternoon, giving up 4 runs on two homers in the first inning. However, he settled down after than, and only allowed one other run, while striking out 7. The Houston bullpen had to carry 8 innings between the two games, and not one of the relievers escaped giving up at least one hit. But put the blame on the starters, who were responsible for allowing 12 of the Phillies' 16 runs in the two weekend games.
Both Phillies pitchers threw quality starts -- not much of a surprise from a team that is carrying 4 "aces" in its rotation. If the Astros were going to lose anyway, I'm just as happy that Roy O got a win out of it. He pitched a solid game and earned a "W" -- unlike so many similar starts for the Astros last year that resulted in a no-decision or loss.
Still, it's no fun to get swept.
If I were to pick one statistical comparison that I really don't like, it would be this: In their first series the Astros logged 28 strikeouts, while only garnering 3 walks -- and one of those was intentional. The lack of walks may be a sign of an aggressive offense. But like I noted in last season's dreadful start (when the team had barely any walks), it also kind of looks like the batters are desperate. Something for the hitting coach to figure out...
The Astros are due to lose a lot of games this year, so I am going to just have to find something to like about every game despite the outcome. Here's what I liked in this weekend's games: Carlos Lee hit well on Saturday, with a triple and a homer, accounting for all 4 of Houston's RBIs. With his giant paycheck, the only way he can avoid being a big boo-boy in MMP is by hitting in a big batch of runs. If nothing else, a big offensive year may make him an attractive trade target for one of the American League teams, who could turn him into a DH. There's not much he can do about his defense.
Hunter Pence, another player who had a dreadful start last season, also got off to a nice pace, hitting a homer and pair of singles off of Roy O on Sunday. CJ had a nice day at the plate too, with a single and double.
Day off tomorrow, resuming on Tuesday night in Cincinnati before heading back to Houston for a 10-game homestand. The Reds also swept their first series, so don't hold your breath waiting for the Astros' first win. But don't worry -- they can't lose 'em all!
Friday, April 1, 2011
2011 GAME 1:Kicking Off by Getting Kicked
GAME 1 - April Fools: Phillies 5, Astros 4
First game of the season, on a Friday afternoon. I was at work and by the seventh inning stretch, with the Astros ahead 4-0, I was boasting a bit to my Phillies-loving colleagues. Went home to finish up the workday, arriving just in time for the bottom of the ninth, with the Astros lead cut to 4-2. My devoted cheering is obviously not the Astros' lucky charm today -- as soon as I turned on the game, the Phillies started hitting broken bat singles against Lyons. After about a half dozen of those, the Phillies had pulled off the come-from-behind victory that their shrieking fans wanted.
Myers did a good job against his former team, giving up only 2 hits and no runs in the first six innings, then allowing a pair of runs on miscellaneous junk (walks, passed ball, RBI groundouts) in the seventh. His final line was 1 ER on 3 hits and 3 BBs, no Ks, over 7 innings. He even hit a couple of singles and a sac bunt in an effort to eke out some run support. The game was his to win, before Lyons came in and blew the save. Lyon faced 7 batters and gave up singles to 6 of them.
In the hitting department, the Astros got 1 triple (Bourn), 1 double (Pence), 7 singles, and 1 measly walk. Somehow they managed to piece that together into 4 runs. Of special mention in the no-hitter department: El Caballo went 0 for 4. After batting approximately .200 in Spring Training, this is an ominous start. Bill Hall also started out his Astros career today with an 0 for 4 game.
Hey Astros fans, it's going to be a loooonnnnngggg season.
Shabbat Shalom!
First game of the season, on a Friday afternoon. I was at work and by the seventh inning stretch, with the Astros ahead 4-0, I was boasting a bit to my Phillies-loving colleagues. Went home to finish up the workday, arriving just in time for the bottom of the ninth, with the Astros lead cut to 4-2. My devoted cheering is obviously not the Astros' lucky charm today -- as soon as I turned on the game, the Phillies started hitting broken bat singles against Lyons. After about a half dozen of those, the Phillies had pulled off the come-from-behind victory that their shrieking fans wanted.
Myers did a good job against his former team, giving up only 2 hits and no runs in the first six innings, then allowing a pair of runs on miscellaneous junk (walks, passed ball, RBI groundouts) in the seventh. His final line was 1 ER on 3 hits and 3 BBs, no Ks, over 7 innings. He even hit a couple of singles and a sac bunt in an effort to eke out some run support. The game was his to win, before Lyons came in and blew the save. Lyon faced 7 batters and gave up singles to 6 of them.
In the hitting department, the Astros got 1 triple (Bourn), 1 double (Pence), 7 singles, and 1 measly walk. Somehow they managed to piece that together into 4 runs. Of special mention in the no-hitter department: El Caballo went 0 for 4. After batting approximately .200 in Spring Training, this is an ominous start. Bill Hall also started out his Astros career today with an 0 for 4 game.
Hey Astros fans, it's going to be a loooonnnnngggg season.
Shabbat Shalom!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
