Jim Molony, voice of reason

[pravata]

Ty Wigginton is an upgrade at third but Dan Wheeler will be missed. both true, but

Wheeler's 5.04 ERA prompted some of the teams interested in the right-hander (such as the Phillies and Dodgers) to submit lowball trade offers to Houston,

Purpura's contention that few teams were letting go of prospects substantiated,

New York Yankees: Had conversations on many fronts, but wouldn't budge when it came time to ante up prospects.

Boston Red Sox: They were in on Teixeira and Jermaine Dye, only to bow out because they wouldn't part with prospects

Phillies They could have had Mark Loretta or Mark Grudzielanek, but both were too expensive so they settled on Tadahito Iguchi.

Dodgers They could have made several deals but wouldn't budge on what they would give up to get the pitching they obviously need.

Link

[MusicMan]

Same article:

Watching Jason Jennings get shelled for 11 runs on eight hits in two-thirds of an inning in his start Sunday against San Diego was reminiscent of another disastrous start by a Houston pitcher. Right-hander Jim Clancy was unable to retire a batter in a start at Cincinnati on Aug. 3, 1988. Clancy was charged with seven runs on eight hits before he was replaced by Bob Forsch, who gave up seven more before getting out of the inning as the Reds scored 14 times in the first en route to an 18-2 victory.

Sunday's debacle was the latest in what has been a very disappointing year for the Jennings, and the Astros are almost certain to let him leave via free agency at season's end rather than re-sign him to a contract extension.

"It obviously was the worst inning of my baseball career," Jennings said. "It was pretty much an embarrassment. I was embarrassed for my teammates and for the fans. It was actually pretty much hard to accept. It's one of those that you just flush down the toilet and try to move on. But it's definitely something I'll never forget."

[matadorph]

He defended Purpura earlier on 790, correctly noting the folly of trading away Loretta and Lamb for middling prospects when you can offer them arbitration and bring 'em back or recoup supplemental draft picks.

[OldBlevins]

I don't want reason; I want a scapegoat!

[Limey]

"It obviously was the worst 2/3rds of an inning of my baseball career."

FIFH.

[kevwun]

If you want to get real picky, it was the worst 2/3rds of the first inning anyone has had in the modern era.

[Limey]

If you want to get real picky, it was the worst 2/3rds of the first inning anyone has had in the modern era.

Didn't the Astros drop 9 runs on an Arizona starter who was lifted before recording an out?

[Arky Vaughan]

Right-hander Jim Clancy was unable to retire a batter in a start at Cincinnati on Aug. 3, 1988. Clancy was charged with seven runs on eight hits before he was replaced by Bob Forsch, who gave up seven more before getting out of the inning as the Reds scored 14 times in the first en route to an 18-2 victory.

I remember very well the disgust in Milo's voice as that inning unfolded. "Somebody better go in there and talk to him like a Dutch uncle, cuz this isn't funny anymore!"

[Arky Vaughan]

He defended Purpura earlier on 790, correctly noting the folly of trading away Loretta and Lamb for middling prospects when you can offer them arbitration and bring 'em back or recoup supplemental draft picks.

Everybody knows that AA and AAA players are more valuable than draft picks because they're closer to the majors. Duh.

[kevwun]

Jennings is the first pitcher in the modern era to give up 11 earned runs in the first inning.  That's quite a few qualifiers, but it's never good when you're performance is so bad that it can't be topped until you go back past 1920.

[SeanBergmanRules]

Didn't the Astros drop 9 runs on an Arizona starter who was lifted before recording an out?

I know we dropped somewhere in that vicinity of runs on a Reds pitcher a few years back, I believe he recorded a couple of outs.

[dirty steve]

i was on vacation in Boston in 2003 and just happened to go to the game where the Sox put up 14 runs in the first inning against the marlins.  that same marlins team would go onto win the World Series, then subsequently sell off their team, again.

[Craig]

I know we dropped somewhere in that vicinity of runs on a Reds pitcher a few years back, I believe he recorded a couple of outs.

That was Paul Wilson; I remember naming him "Stifler's Mom" in one of my very first previews. Because the Astros "were touching the bases like they were Stifler's Mom."

And I don't think he recorded any outs, because I calculated his ERA against Houston to be infinity.

[strosrays]

That was Paul Wilson; I remember naming him "Stifler's Mom" in one of my very first previews. Because the Astros "were touching the bases like they were Stifler's Mom."

And I don't think he recorded any outs, because I calculated his ERA against Houston to be infinity.

July 10, 2003

Paul Wilson -- 0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO (obviously)

from bb-ref

Bottom of the 1st, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Paul Wilson facing 1-2-3

C Biggio        Reached on E6 (throw) (Ground Ball)
G Blum          Single to LF (Fly Ball); Biggio to 3B
J Bagwell       Single to RF (Line Drive); Biggio Scores/unER; Blum to 2B
L Berkman       Walk; Blum to 3B; Bagwell to 2B
R Hidalgo       Double to LF (Ground Ball); Blum Scores; Bagwell Scores; Berkman Scores
M Ensberg       Single to RF (Line Drive); Hidalgo to 3B
B Ausmus        Single to CF (Line Drive); Hidalgo Scores; Ensberg to 2B
A Everett       Wild Pitch; Ensberg to 3B
A Everett       Single to LF (Line Drive); Ensberg Scores; Ausmus to 2B

           John Riedling replaces Paul Wilson pitching and batting 9th

R Villone       Strikeout (missed bunt)
C Biggio        Single to LF (Ground Ball); Ausmus to 3B; Everett to 2B
G Blum          Single to CF (Ground Ball); Ausmus Scores; Everett Scores; Biggio to 2B
J Bagwell       Walk; Biggio to 3B; Blum to 2B
L Berkman       Walk; Biggio Scores; Blum to 3B; Bagwell to 2B
R Hidalgo       Strikeout Swinging
M Ensberg       Groundout: SS-1B

                  9 runs, 8 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB. Reds 0, Astros 9.

[legs_of_eggs]

July 10, 2003

Paul Wilson -- 0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO (obviously)

from bb-ref

Bottom of the 1st, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Paul Wilson facing 1-2-3

C Biggio        Reached on E6 (throw) (Ground Ball)
G Blum          Single to LF (Fly Ball); Biggio to 3B
J Bagwell       Single to RF (Line Drive); Biggio Scores/unER; Blum to 2B
L Berkman       Walk; Blum to 3B; Bagwell to 2B
R Hidalgo       Double to LF (Ground Ball); Blum Scores; Bagwell Scores; Berkman Scores
M Ensberg       Single to RF (Line Drive); Hidalgo to 3B
B Ausmus        Single to CF (Line Drive); Hidalgo Scores; Ensberg to 2B
A Everett       Wild Pitch; Ensberg to 3B
A Everett       Single to LF (Line Drive); Ensberg Scores; Ausmus to 2B

           John Riedling replaces Paul Wilson pitching and batting 9th

R Villone       Strikeout (missed bunt)
C Biggio        Single to LF (Ground Ball); Ausmus to 3B; Everett to 2B
G Blum          Single to CF (Ground Ball); Ausmus Scores; Everett Scores; Biggio to 2B
J Bagwell       Walk; Biggio to 3B; Blum to 2B
L Berkman       Walk; Biggio Scores; Blum to 3B; Bagwell to 2B
R Hidalgo       Strikeout Swinging
M Ensberg       Groundout: SS-1B

                  9 runs, 8 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB. Reds 0, Astros 9.

This reminds me of that 4 man rotation experiment the Reds had with Paul Wilson, Ryan Dempster, Danny Graves and Jimmy Haynes. Teams like the '03 Reds make you think the '07 Astros aren't so bad after all.