Is This the End of the Backe Odyssey in Houston?

[Limey]

Coop threw him to the wolves tonight.  I understand that Cecil was trying to protect the bully after last night, and the game was likely beyond redemption.  Still, what he did to Backe smacks of a team's attitude towards a player upon whom they've already made a decision.

If so, it's a shame, but not undeserved.  He simply hasn't cut it, even as a #5.

[Jose Cruz III]

Coop threw him to the wolves tonight.  I understand that Cecil was trying to protect the bully after last night, and the game was likely beyond redemption.  Still, what he did to Backe smacks of a team's attitude towards a player upon whom they've already made a decision.

If so, it's a shame, but not undeserved.  He simply hasn't cut it, even as a #5.

Backe has shown flashes that he could help this team. I like him. I hope he pulls out of it. Sometimes in games, really so tonight, I wonder if Coop has any idea what is going on right before his eyes. But I realize I am not a manager and don't have any idea about the innerworkings.

[Ron Brand]

I like him too but he's clearly got something going on wrong.  What makes it worse is that he is capable of pulling out a great game every so often, or more often than that if it's a postseason game.  The guy is a serious gamer and it sucks to see him not able to get on top of it this year.

[Mr. Happy]

Coop threw him to the wolves tonight.  I understand that Cecil was trying to protect the bully after last night, and the game was likely beyond redemption.  Still, what he did to Backe smacks of a team's attitude towards a player upon whom they've already made a decision.

If so, it's a shame, but not undeserved.  He simply hasn't cut it, even as a #5.

He hasn't cut it at all. He's got Woody Williams-type numbers. I think that we have to cut bait and let this one go.

[JimR]

you don't "pull out" of nibbling. you just stop doing it.

[Reuben]

He hasn't cut it at all. He's got Woody Williams-type numbers. I think that we have to cut bait and let this one go.

And replace him with whom, at the moment?

[strosrays]

And replace him with whom, at the moment?

Where have you gone, Pete Munro?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Woo woo woo

[S.P. Rodriguez]

If Backe is getting tossed out w/ the bath water, you might want to take a look at the ever increasing ERA of one Wandy Rodriguez.

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_gamebygamelog.jsp?c_id=hou&playerID=434643&statType=2

Both of these pitchers, Backe and Wandy, look like typical 4/5 starters.   Capable of keeping an opponent in check or putting their own team so far behind it's laughable. 

Offseason goal:  Pitching, starting pitching to be exact. 

[ybbodeus]

Limey talks of a hypothetical end being near for Backe.  So what would the hypothetical next be? 

[MusicMan]

If Backe is getting tossed out w/ the bath water, you might want to take a look at the ever increasing ERA of one Wandy Rodriguez.

Backe has sucked to a degree previously only recorded in Norman, but wandy's failure has also put Backe in a bad position.  To have two guys back-to-back who can't make it out of the third inning is untenable.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

Backe has sucked to a degree previously only recorded in Norman, but wandy's failure has also put Backe in a bad position.  To have two guys back-to-back who can't make it out of the third inning is untenable.

Excellent point:

Noted at the end of "Cooper Predicts sweep article"

Cooper switched up the starting rotation a bit with the off-day on Thursday. Every pitcher will get an extra day of rest except Roy Oswalt, who will stay on his five-day schedule to pitch on Friday in the opener at the Mets. Brandon Backe will follow him, pitching Saturday, followed by Wolf, Brian Moehler and Wandy Rodriguez, who will open the homestand against Cincinnati. ... Cooper said he is done predicting scores for games following his incorrect assumption of Saturday's final score. Cooper had told Drayton McLane that Backe would go seven innings while giving up one run, and that the Astros would score four by the time he came out. Instead, the Astros were down 7-1 in the fifth, and 11-1 in the top of the seventh.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080817&content_id=3326867&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

[mihoba]

Backe has sucked to a degree previously only recorded in Norman, but wandy's failure has also put Backe in a bad position.  To have two guys back-to-back who can't make it out of the third inning is untenable.

I don't buy that. Wandy's failure shouldn't effect Backe, although I do suspect he was pressing for a good outing and wound up failing miserably.

[MusicMan]

It affects him in that Coop can't get his nibbling ass out of there as quickly because his bullpen is already toast.

[Limey]

It affects him in that Coop can't get his nibbling ass out of there as quickly because his bullpen is already toast.

I understood the decision to let Backe deal with the mess he'd made...in the 1st inning.  Leaving him out there in the 6th "to get one more out", as Coop put it, was pure nonsense.  Especially as he was lifted immediately after the second granny.  As if one batter is going to make the difference between a rested bullpen and a shredded one.

[Mr. Happy]

I understood the decision to let Backe deal with the mess he'd made...in the 1st inning.  Leaving him out there in the 6th "to get one more out", as Coop put it, was pure nonsense.  Especially as he was lifted immediately after the second granny.  As if one batter is going to make the difference between a rested bullpen and a shredded one.

Well put. we'd passed the personal "I've seen enough of Mr. Backe today" well earlier in that game. I hate the way that guy pitches. Cowardly. Go get someone for the love of By-Golly.

[VirtualBob]

Where have you gone, Pete Munro?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Woo woo woo

If you're gonna substitute some scrub for Joltin' Joe, at least get the number of syllables right.