It is the lifeblood of talk radio. A dismal 1-16-4 start to Spring Training followed by an 11-2 finish, giving rise to hope that this team will not have a season with a win total in the 70s or 80s, but grandiose predictions of 90 wins. Then the season started. And the W-the-KRaP? calls poured in to the stations.
Friday April 17 7:o5 p.m. FSH-HD/Dish 445 Saturday April 18 6:05 p.m. FSH-HD/Dish 448 Sunday April 19 1:05 p.m. FSH-HD/Dish 446 Monday April 20 7:o5 p.m. FSH-HDI have a few WtKRP questions about this team. WtKRP is Bourn batting so far down in the lineup? WtKRP is up with a new lineup almost every night? WtKRP is Berkman hiding in his pockets to eat tonight? WtKRP does El Caballo run like a broken down El Camino? WtKRP is Roy thinking? WtKRP does a grown man dress up like a Little Puma?
Well, enough crap, let’s talk baseball.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday April 17:Johnny Cueto, RHP (0-1, 6.00) vs Roy Oswalt, RHP (0-2, 6.23)
Cueto has been extended batting practice for the Astros. Last season in four starts vs. Houston, Cueto was 0-3 with a 7.84 ERA and 32 hits allowed in 20 2/3 innings. Berkman, Matsui, Lee, Bourn, along with pitchers Oswalt and Byrdak are all hitting above .500 against Johnny on the spot. Tejada at .182 is the only Astro below the men-dozing line against Cueto. In his last start, Cueto got into trouble throwing three-ball counts to six of his 26 batters resulting in a high pitch count (109) in only 6.0 innings.
Cincy has been Roy Oswalt’s bitch–facing them 28 times in his career with a record of 23-1, with a 2.47 ERA. Last year he allowed seven runs over 25 innings for a 2.52 ERA , posting a perfect 4-0 record. Ex-Astro Willie Taveras leads the Reds with a .400 average against Oswalt.
Saturday, April 18:Aaron Harang, RHP (1-1, 0.64) vs Wandy Rodriguez, LHP (0-1, 3.00)
The Harangotan’s last outing was a three hit shutout against the Bucs. He consistently banged the strike zone, and limited his opponents to only one three-ball count. That being said, Harang has been so-so against the Astros (8-7, 4.45 ERA) in his career, with last years result being two loses in two starts. Blum (.583), Matsui (.333) and Lee (.320) are the only Astros who have hit above .300 against Harang.
Wandy put up a good fight in his last outing, but got tagged with the loss against Kyle f’in Loshe. Returning to the warm comfy confines of home usually bode well for W-F-Rod. Watch out for Votto, he typically eats Wandy’s lunch.
Sunday April 19:Edinson Volquez, RHP (1-1, 9.64) vs TBA (expected to be Alberto Arias) Felipe Paulino, RHP (0-0, -.–)
Edison has had a bit of a rough start this year. His command of the fastball has been elusive, and opposing batters that have shown the patience to wait for a strike have been rewarded with some real meatballs. Volquez has had some recent success against the Good Guys, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in two starts last season. It is unfortunate that Matsui’s back will probably keep him out of this game, he sports a .500 average against Edison. Micheals (.667), Pudge (.400) and Pence (.333) are the only Houston batters with a lifetime average above .250 versus Volquez.
Right-hander Alberto Arias was called up to take Moehler’s start after Brian was diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament. Arias has appeared in one game for Triple-A Round Rock, allowing four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings. In seven Spring Training appearances spanning 10 1/3 innings — all in relief — Arias didn’t allow an earned run, while yielding two walks and fanning nine. Arias has primarily been a relief pitcher in his career, so this may be only a spot start for him.
Update: Paulino was called up for this start. Sorry, as of posting time for the preview, Arias was listed on Astros.com
Paulino missed out on the fifth starter’s role for the Astros out of Spring Training where he was 0-0 with a 12.60 ERA in 3 games (5 IP, 7 runs, 10 hits). In his two outings for Triple-A Round Rock this season, he allowed one earned run over 12 innings, with five walks and 12 strikeouts. Paulino has only faced 3 current Reds in his major league career, Encarnacion (0-3), Phillips (1-3) and Votto (1-3), however Votto’s only hit was a homerun. Of Paulino’s two major league wins, one was against Cinncinnati on September 25, 2007.
Monday April 20:Bronson Arroyo, RHP (2-0, 4.38) vs. Mike Hampton, LHP (1-1, 2.45)
There are seven Astros that have plastered Arroyo with a batting average of over .300, including Berkman who has 4 HR in 38 AB. Arroyo only gave up one earned run in his last start against the Brewers. He has had some issues with carpal tunnel syndrome (before receiving a cortisone shot), but showed no effects throwing 105 pitches in 6.1 innings.
Hampton ended Houston’s losing streak with a superb pitching performance against the Pirates–six shutout innings with 8 K’s. The majority of the Red’s hitters have never faced Hampton. In fact, Ramon Hernandez (2-5) and Alex Gonzales (8-42) are the only Reds who have gotten a hit off of him.
Promotions and Giveaways
Friday April 17–Big Puma Bobblehead, Coke Value Night and Friday Night Fireworks. Watch out for those tan fur-garbed bipedal creatures. You may think they are human, but they are not. Definitely not.
Saturday April 18–10th Season Stadum Blanket
Sunday April 19–10th Season Wall Calendar It’s April. Didn’t the year start in January?
Going to the game Monday? Well, you are SOL.
Injury Report and Roster Moves
Astros
Back to back to back to Backe–Matsui, Keppinger, and Valverde are listed as day-to-day with back soreness, Brocail and Moehler are strained, not stirred, Boone is recovering and Backe is well, Backe.
Reds
The Reds have no current injury news. Jinx.
The March trade that sent infielder Jeff Keppinger to the Astros was completed on Thursday when the Reds received infielder Drew Sutton as the player to be named.
Come join the GameZone and add your own WtKRP questions. Unless you are Filo. Or LoE. Or anyone that is gonna give the BBG’s a one-fingered salute.
