Astros 6, Reds 500,000
W: Lecure, L: Rodriguez

Yahoo Recap

This game was started by Road Wandy. It was just bad. It was so bad that Brad Mills had catcher Kevin Cash pitched the 8th inning. He only gave up one run. If only the other pitchers had done as well.

There was some posting in the GameZone.

I’m going to my parents’ lake cabin for the weekend. Should be fun. I hope my nephews eat all the cookies I baked because they are not coming back to Houston with me.

I hope the Astros have some fun playing baseball this Memorial weekend. For some good reading check out the Series Preview by GBB.

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Astros 3
Brewers 4
F10

astros.com
Gamezone

austro – “3-2 lead going to the bottom of the 9th with your rested closer ready to go. Ouch.”
Lurch – “At 16 and 31, how seems to matter much less.

This one ended up a frustrating test of 2 pretty bad teams. I caught glimpses of the game between waves of work but saw really nothing of significance that I can use to do a recap justice. These are the things I saw and know:

►Myers just pitches. Dude may be a reprobate but he’s been solid for the team so far.
►5 of the Astros’ 7 hits came from Pence and Keppinger.
►3 of the Astros’ 3 runs came as a result of 2 errors.
►Berkman = lost
►Lindstrom not only blew his first save of the year in the 9th, he loaded the bases and walked in the winning run in the 10th.
►”Bad news. The fog is getting thicker” “And Prince is getting laaaaaarger!”
►There is only one sun in our solar system.

Lurch kind of summed up my feeling after watching the 9th and 10th inning. It’s just another way to lose for this team.

On to Cincinnati for 3 against the…..wha???…..1st place?? Fuuuuck!

Astros 5, Brewers 0
W: Roy Oswalt, L: Chris Narveson

Astros recap

This was an enjoyable game to watch for a change. There were some timely hits, good pitching by Oswalt and Lyon, and some solid defense (no errors).

Roy went 8 complete innings allowing no runs and only 4 hits and 1 walk. If Roy keeps pitching like this and there could be a great bidding war by teams to acquire him. Go Roy Go!

Lance Berkman also had a good game last night. He went 3 for 4. If he keeps that up, he should get his average up to where it should be and increase his trade value at the same time.

Carlos Lee also seemed to swing the bat well. He had his average up to a whopping .201 but made an out at his last at-bat to lower it to .199. But, I think he’s getting his grove back and will be the Carlos Lee that smiles alot.

I also think anyone that pisses and moans about Carlos Lee’s defense needs to be glad that we don’t have Ryan Braun prowling around left field. What a train wreck. He’s horrible on defensive. I hope his offense is enough for the shitty way he plays out there.

But, back to the trade values. While I have enjoyed watching Oswalt and Berkman play for the Astros, I do not have the same love for them that I had for Bagwell and Biggio. I do not necessarily want to see them be traded, but if that is what it takes to improve this team then that is what is needed. Bagwell and Biggio were fortunate to be on teams that had a good farm system which helped keep the teams competitive. Oswalt and Berkman are not as fortunate.

Other side note:
I watched the game at Griff’s last night with Bench. I ate the Oreo early and good things happened. I didn’t pass up any shots and good things happened. I do not plan to go to Grif’s everynight and follow this ritual, but it was good time. I even learned some handy driving tips. Good times.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Rays 10
Astros 6

Astros.com
Gamezone

The fears that came to town with the best team in baseball were somewhat unfounded despite the Rays taking 2 of 3. Myers outpitched Garza on Friday for the lone win and the Rays looked anything but 20 games over .500 during all three games. But the same issues that have plagued the local 9 continue to rear their heads. Lack of offensive punch – Keppinger excluded – miscues in the field and not-so-efficient pitching performances did in the Astros in game 2 and eventually in Sunday’s rubber match.

The Astros got to young lefty Price early in this one. Kepp led off with a single followed by another by Michaels who was in for Bourn. Pence walked and the bases were loaded for Lee, who looped one into right but it was snagged by Zobrist. It was deep enough though, to score Kepp for a 1-0 lead. Next batter Feliz poked a slider up in the zone to the edge of the Crawford Boxes to put the Astros up 4-0.

The comfortable lead for Norris didn’t last too long. In the 3rd, former Astros prospect Zobrist hit a leadoff solo shot. Then Houston boy Crawford reached on a botched throw by Manzella. After 1 of Crawford’s 3 steals got him into scoring position, Carlos Pena’s single got him home and it was 4-2 Astros.

Price settled down and Norris pitched well enough until the 5th. He K’d Zobrist but walked Crawford. Bud then mistaked a high fastball to Jaso who crushed it to right to erase the Astros lead. Then after striking out Pena, the Rays took the lead on freshly revived Hank Blalock’s solo shot into the Crawfords. Pence led off the bottom of the 5th with a solo poke of his own to tie things up again until the 6th.

Moehler came on and gave up 4 straight hits without an out and the Rays grabbed the lead again for good this time. Though the Astros got within 1 in the 7th, the Rays did a number on Alkie’s boy Sampson the tune of 3 more in the 8th.

Not a bad showing against the Rays but this team is still not good.

Off day tomorrow and then a 6-game roadie starts in Milwaukee.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Rockies 4
Astros Zip, Zilch, Nada

W: Jimenez | L: Oswalt

Astros.com

Someone remarked recently about how many different ways you can write “Astros Lose.” It is tough because they aren’t losing in too many different ways. Pitching performances from “strong” to “good enough” seem to always be accompanied by little to no run support. Oswalt has given up 3 runs or less in no less than 6 innings during every one of his starts this year and only 2 wins. I don’t cry for Roy, he’ll survive, but holy shit this team is about as offensive as a Justin Bieber concert to a 12-year-old Canadian girl.

A shaky 1st by Roy put the Astros in a familiar hole. He dropped a toss from Berkman to allow the lead off hitter to reach. Then he walked Helton before a 3-run shot by the shortstop (WTF!) Tulowitzki. U. Jimenez continued his magic almost effortlessly against this powerless 9. The only “hit” he gave up during his 7 innings was a broken-bat roller to 3rd by Q that Stewart barehanded and booted. His ERA dropped to a crisp 0.99 with the 7 scoreless.

Much more entertaining than the Astros effort was the Gamezone.

It doesn’t look to get any better for the boys with the Rays coming into town. This is tough for me because I would certainly love for the Rays to keep rolling along and bury the Yanquis and Bosox deeper into the muck but I am first and foremost an Astros fan and that will not change. Either way, the Rays are fun to watch so try to enjoy some good baseball this weekend.

Rockies 3, Astros 7
W: Brandon Lyon, L: Esmil Rogers

Astros Recap
Game Zone

A couple weeks ago, JD, Bill and Bagwell called Jeff Keppinger a fungus. Saying he kind of grows on you. He sure did last night. I do not think I was the only wondering why the Rockies would walk Michael Bourn to load the bases for Jeff Keppinger. Sure, Keppinger isn’t known for power, speed, or much of anything sparkling, but if you are an Astros fan, you know he’s one of the few that has been here all season and doing relatively well. And what does he do after Bourn’s IBB, hits a bases-clearing-game-winning double.

Felipe Paulino had a good night on the mound, but is still winless in his starts. This time the no-decision is courtesy of Chris Sampson. I’ll cut him slack since he’s been rather stellar to-date this season.

Carlos Lee hit a homerun, making it consecutive games with a homerun for the first time this season. But for the most part, the middle of the order has remained the same.

After the win the crowds were pleased (I assume) and rioting began when word came out that Kaz Matsui got released. Best wishes to him in his future. May the Cardinals or Cubs pick him up thinking he is a reclamation project.

The next 122 games will be hard for the Astros, but especially the next 4 games. Apparently, the Tampa Bay Rays have some good pitching and some kid from Colorado has been having a good season. Just go get’em boys.