Just in time for back to school, the Astros hop on a plane and fly to the Sunshine State for the last trip to the beach of the 2010 season. Time for last minute sunburns that you hope will ripen into a golden brown tan that doesn’t fade until Spring. Or you can just treat yourself to a trip to Puerto Rico, and come back to make us all jealous with your bronzed glow…but that is another story.
Friday, August 20 6:10 p.m. Saturday, August 21, 6:10 p.m. Sunday, August 22, 12:10 p.m.Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday’s game features Happ vs Sanchez. No not that Sanchez, the one with the girl name, Anniebelle. Sanchez is 3-4 in his last 10 starts, giving up 23 runs over 60.1 innings in that stretch. Manzella (just off the DL) and Bourn both hit .550 against him in limited ABs. Happ needs to be on for the Marlins, they are 23-12 vs. southpaws for the season. Paulino hits .400 vs Happ and Cody Ross is the only Marlin to have hit a homer off him.
On Saturday, the Astros send another lefty up against the Fish. Wandy has not had a decision in his last 3 starts, despite allowing only three earned runs in 20 1/3 innings. He’s 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his last 10 starts. Wandy should be on guard against Ross (.375), Ramirez (.455) and Paulino (.500). He faces Chris Volstad, who is 2-1 since a 3 game stint in the minors earlier this year. Don’t know why, but he reminds me of some country hick from Vidor.
The series finale the Mud and Blood send up Figueroa to make his second start of the season. Current Marlins are 1-13 against him, the only hit a single by Hanley Ramirez. His mound opponent will be Ricky Nolasco. Pence likes him some Nolasco-his 3 hits off him have all been of the out of the park variety.
And just like that–Ronny Paulino gets himself a 50 game sit on the bench for a positive test for a banned substance. You are out for the season you dumbshit.
Ploys to get AIS
Friday–Billy Bingo!!! The first 10,000 fans will get a Billy Bingo card and 2,500 will win a Marlins Player Jersey. 2500?? Won’t that be almost every one in the stadium??
Saturday–Post-game concert featuring Tito El Bambino & Zion y Lennox. Oh, and this clapper thingy.
Sunday–It is Billy the Marlin’s Birthday. So you get this lunchbag. Does it come with fresh fish?
Injuries
The Astros have a few new additions to the DL: Keppinger and Lindstrom. Otherwise you know the drill: Arias, Paulino, and Moehler.
The Fish will be without the aforementioned Paulino, plus these poor fellows: Baker, Coughlan, Marinez, West, andPoveda. Sucks for them.
Weather
Saturday ain’t no different. Sunday neither.
Apologies for the lack of hate
Been pretty swamped at work. So rather than spend time trying to write something witty, I just decided to link to some bikini shots. It is Florida, after all.