He’s A Super Freak
Gigantes 2 | Astros 1
WP: Tim Lincecum (5-0)
LP: Roy Oswalt (2-5)
SV: B. Wilson (8)
Gameday Recap
Gamezone Commentary
What happens when you add Tim Lincecum and Roy Oswalt with a very generous home plate strikezone umpire? Well, you basically get very frustrated hitters whose jobs become near impossible. Just ask Carlos Lee who got himself run in the 4th inning arguing with home plate umpire Wilke. It was just not a day for offense, more of a day for whoever of the pitchers makes the biggest mistake. So let’s go to the tale of the tape:
Tim Lincecum
8 IPs
4 Hits
5 Strikeouts
5 Walks (how did that happen?)
1 earned run
1 mistake (WP) lead to the one run
Roy Oswalt
7 IPs
6 Hits
7 Strikeouts
0 Walks
2 earned runs
1 mistake (fat pitch) to Uribe for a two run jack
That’s it, that is the ballgame as this quick and briskly played game went pretty much to script. Come watch Lincecum and Oswalt battle, get a little extra help from the home plate blue and that is all one should expect to see today. Chris Sampson logged an inning of stelar relief.
Then…
Jint closer Brian “Beach Boy” Wilson added the drama in the ninth when he walked the first batter (Feliz), gets two quick outs, ph Sullivan reaches on a hard smash infield single and then walks Michael Bourn. Bases loaded, two outs and in steps Kazuo Matsui. 15 pitches later, Matsui flies to left field to end the game. Good battle, but not to be on this day.
Go get them tomorrow.
Who’s Your Padre!
San Diego Padres 7, Houston Astros 0
W: Mat Latos, L: Bud Norris
Mat Latos, looking every bit the red-headed Goliath on the mound, made mince-meat out of the puny Houston nine on this night. That’s it, that is the story, all neatly wrapped up and delivered. You really don’t need to know more other than Latos used a combination of well located mid-90s fastballs inside and outside with a nice tight slider to make the Mud ‘n Blood youngsters cry. Made me cry too. Made everyone cry.
Big Bully!
Of course his mates decided to show up and stand behind him to admire his work as he basically man-handled the kiddos, taking turns slapping each one upside the head, one by one. Some of the Padres even decided to provide offensive contributions, like homeruns and stuff, to spot him some support. Like he needed it. With Latos providing two doubles, one to score the Padres’ fifth run, he really didn’t need anyone to help other than his catcher to squat and play catch with him. Fee-fi-fo-phewy, what a mismatch this was all night long. 2 hits allowed, 9 strikeouts, no walks and maybe some booty spanks for anyone else on the Astros bench who wanted to come get some.
They’ll play again tomorrow, note to the Astros: try not to send boys to do men’s work.
A little bit of in-game commentary on the bloodbath in the GameZone
A nice series preview contribution by Jane Doe
April 2010 Spike and Star Award Winner
The winners or better yet, winner, of the April Spike and Star Award for the month of April in 2010 has been chosen. It was not a good month for the team overall, suffering some of the worse performance by the team in perhaps all it’s history. Two eight game losing streaks, un-timely hitting, lots of miscues on defense, some relief pitching gone awry, just overall lousy play. Yet through it all, at least one player emerged from it all not only performing to great standards, but displaying the hard nosed attitude and passion in doing so. Who might this player be? Well, let’s not wait any longer to honor the man.
April 2010 Spike Award Winner
Michael Bourn has been elected the deserving one of the Spike Award this month by the TalksZone citizenry. The masses have spoken and the SnS agrees, very good choice. Often it’s said that if we were to chose the one action that we would expect from a Spike winner it would be running through a wall for the team. 
Many players have reputation of doing such and some player look like they’d be the type, but with Michael, it is that he just goes out and does it night in and night out. His ability to play defense at a level that puts him in the stratosphere of the best of the best just proves he is going to be tough to beat every month as the perpetual winner of the award. Then again, if everyone played defense like Bourn, this team wouldn’t be in the dire situation it finds itself in terms of winning ballgames.
April 2010 Star Award Winner
Michael Bourn swept the SnS awards this month as he was the overwhelming choice for the Star award this month by the TalkZoners. Again, the SnS agrees with the choice as does the statistical evidence. Michael led the starters on the team in batting average in April to the tune of .311, while posting a .407 OBP and a .387 SLG percentage. 
Bourn also stole 9 bases, several of which contributed heavily to rare wins by the team who struggled offensively in April. His 23 hits in 21 games in April was impressive as he continues to use what he learned last year and applied to an everyday approach for success at the major league level. Michael did have a high number of strikeouts in April, not many of which were about being a free swinger though. He had a stretch where he looked like he was taking too many pitches in order to comply with the duties of a leadoff man and that got him behind in most counts leading to the high strikeouts. He’s seemed to have made an adjustment and remains aggressive but controlled with his approach as the leadoff man. Right now, Bourn is on pace to be the lone Astros representative in the All-Star game and if the SnS Star Award is a launching pad for said recognition, all the better.