Why the game was lost

[pravata]

1st inning Ann kept fouling off everything.  Roy threw 26 pitches in the first.  95 the entire game.  If he had kept to around 10 pitches in the first, as he averaged the rest of the game, he finishes.
Oh, and 2 runs against the Pirates, that didn't help.

[Limey]

1st inning Ann kept fouling off everything.  Roy threw 26 pitches in the first.  95 the entire game.  If he had kept to around 10 pitches in the first, as he averaged the rest of the game, he finishes.
Oh, and 2 runs against the Pirates, that didn't help.

It was 9 pitches to open the game before a Pirate swung at bat.  I'm not sure Biggio took 9 pitches all night (just to contrast, not to criticise).

[Fredia]

well lidge is up to his old tricks again too. his lease needs to be at least as short as wandys. i could hear the booos even on the tv

[ValpoCory]

I'm surprised I've read so little on Carlos Lee trying to hit the ball to Jupiter every time and ending up 0-for-4.

He reminded me of Willie Mays Hays in Major League 2.  Trying to hit everything out.

[JimR]

well lidge is up to his old tricks again too. his lease needs to be at least as short as wandys. i could hear the booos even on the tv

and you are up to yours

[Limey]

I'm surprised I've read so little on Carlos Lee trying to hit the ball to Jupiter every time and ending up 0-for-4.

He reminded me of Willie Mays Hays in Major League 2.  Trying to hit everything out.

I don't know him well enough to know if that's his typical approach, or if he was Crawford-Happy.  I seem to remember a bloke called Jeff Robert something, who used to swing for the moon too.

Oh, and what planet (drugs?) are you live on where Carlos Lee reminds you of Willie Mays Hays?!!!

[utastro]

I feel bad for Roy O.  That was his game.  He looked as good as ever.  Hats off to the Pirates.  They took what they got and did not give up.  If I was grading the game:
Starting Pitching: A+
Defense: B
Hitting: C-
Bullpen: F

[JimR]

I'm surprised I've read so little on Carlos Lee trying to hit the ball to Jupiter every time and ending up 0-for-4.

He reminded me of Willie Mays Hays in Major League 2.  Trying to hit everything out.

and the screaming line drive up the middle?

WTF? do these infernal things replace multiple question marks?

[pravata]

I'm surprised I've read so little on Carlos Lee trying to hit the ball to Jupiter every time and ending up 0-for-4.

He reminded me of Willie Mays Hays in Major League 2.  Trying to hit everything out.

Footer's early game report, which she changed, said that Lee was "obviously aiming" at the Boxes all night.

[MusicMan]

Footer's early game report, which she changed, said that Lee was "obviously aiming" at the Boxes all night.

Not on that liner - turned - DP.  That was a great piece of taking the pitch the othe way.

[homer]

and the screaming line drive up the middle?

WTF? do these infernal things replace multiple question marks?

you can turn off automatic replacement of smileys in your profile

[Phil_in_CS]

and the screaming line drive up the middle?

WTF? do these infernal things replace multiple question marks?

Yes they do... ETA noticed that on a different thread. Its auto-making smileys for you

[Frobie]

Yes they do... ETA noticed that on a different thread. Its auto-making smileys for you

I like it.  The next logical step is auto-generated messages.  Just make your choice, check a box and one of the following will appear:

• Lidge sucks.
• No he doesn't.
• Everett should bat #2
• No he shouldn't.
• Why isn't ____ in the starting lineup?  (This one would take a little more work because you'd have to fill in the blank.)
• Because ____ is, you dolt. (See above.)
• Fuck off.
• etc.

Though I don't post much I lurk a lot here and can say that this site has greatly increased my enjoyment of Astros baseball.  But I have to admit the first thing I thought of last night while watching Nady's shot drifting through the sky was, "Hoo boy, OWA is gonna have a field day with this." 

[drew corleone]

Oh, and 2 runs against the Pirates, that didn't help.

I haven't seen a good replay of it, but when Burke was nailed at the plate, it looked like he turned his head to see where the ball was and that it slowed him down. Any chance he beats the throw if he keeps his head down all the way?

[Andyzipp]

well lidge is up to his old tricks again too. his lease needs to be at least as short as wandys. i could hear the booos even on the tv

I'm pretty sure that the smarter economical thing for baseball players, even those making the mimimum, is to buy their property, rather than lease it.

My father always said paying rent was like something, something.  Frankly, I don't think baseball players should be listening to my father. 

[Limey]

I haven't seen a good replay of it, but when Burke was nailed at the plate, it looked like he turned his head to see where the ball was and that it slowed him down. Any chance he beats the throw if he keeps his head down all the way?

He needed to be watching the catcher.  The throw was always going to beat him, but if he'd been able to take a better route he might have been able to slide under the tag.  It was still a toss-up, even if it had been Baggy running.

[Taras Bulba]

I haven't seen a good replay of it, but when Burke was nailed at the plate, it looked like he turned his head to see where the ball was and that it slowed him down. Any chance he beats the throw if he keeps his head down all the way?

He got decoyed pretty good by Wilson.  Jeff Bagwell gets a good break on that ball and then executes the backdoor slide.  I knew Jeff Bagwell.  Mr. Burke, you're not Jeff Bagwell.

[JimR]

with a good break, there would not have been a slide. Bagwell scores standing up and does not draw a throw.

[drew corleone]

He got decoyed pretty good by Wilson.  Jeff Bagwell gets a good break on that ball and then executes the backdoor slide.  I knew Jeff Bagwell.  Mr. Burke, you're not Jeff Bagwell.

In his defense few people are.

Thanks for the input!

[JackAstro]

Footer's early game report, which she changed, said that Lee was "obviously aiming" at the Boxes all night.

Wasn't there something in that same grumbling sentence about Nady putting the ball into the boxes with ease - the boxes that Lee had been obviously aiming at all night? I love the immediate post-game recaps from Footer. We need to start archiving them.

[DVauthrin]

Carlos Lee will always look like he is trying to hit the ball out because he has a very powerful type swing.   

[MRaup]

I don't get why anyone would complain about the 4 hole hitter airing it out. Cleanup is supposed to be swinging his ass off.

Keep it up Carlos!

[WulawHorn]

RE- Burke getting hosed at the plate...

I didn't have the greatest seats in the world, but I did not understand why he stopped where he did- I thought he was too far off the base to get back safely if the SS makes the play- I thought the whole way that it was going to drop, and watched him hold up about half way- I don't think he makes it back if it is an out.  That said- it seems to me like you either run or you stay close, and he went half way. If he is hanging out by the bag he doesn't get waved home. If he runs from the get go he scores standing up.

Feel free to add anythign else if you had a better view.

[JimR]

RE- Burke getting hosed at the plate...

I didn't have the greatest seats in the world, but I did not understand why he stopped where he did- I thought he was too far off the base to get back safely if the SS makes the play- I thought the whole way that it was going to drop, and watched him hold up about half way- I don't think he makes it back if it is an out.  That said- it seems to me like you either run or you stay close, and he went half way. If he is hanging out by the bag he doesn't get waved home. If he runs from the get go he scores standing up.

i agree with this completely.

[WulawHorn]

I thought maybe I was going crazy or had a reaaaaaly bad view/feel for that play from my seats on the upper row of the mezzanine when I read 20 posts and nobody had mentioned it- glad I'm not out in lf on that one.

As an aside- I thought even with him holding up he was going to make it- I don't fault the 3b coach for sending him- even though it was out #2 at the plate- as the astros have not had great success getting a guy in from 3rd base w/ less than 2 outs.  Biggio used to be automatic- but he cheats so much now to compensate for being old (and I'm a  huge biggio fan) that he isn't as good at situational hitting as he used to be.