New lineup today

[Bench]

Via Footer's camera:

Bourn
Manzella
Feliz
Lee
Blum
Pence
Matsui
Quintero

Hey, it can't be worse.

[MusicMan]

I saw a copy of "Let's try hitting Everett second" by Phil Garner on the bench.

[Mr. Happy]

Via Footer's camera:

Bourn
Manzella
Feliz
Lee
Blum
Pence
Matsui
Quintero

Hey, it can't be worse.

No lineup is going to look right until Twinkie returns. Until then, it'll be a misaligned piece of cow dung. Blum in the five hole just is horrible, but Pence deserves to and should be in the six hole. I'm a little surprised that he trusts a rookie with the two hole. I guess he's playing a hot hand as Manzella has outhit Matsui.

[Lurch]

Why are Blum and Matsui in red?

[MusicMan]

Why are Blum and Matsui in red?

Switch hitters.

[Matt]

At least Pence isn't hitting third.

[Ron Brand]

I'm a little surprised that he trusts a rookie with the two hole. I guess he's playing a hot hand as Manzella has outhit Matsui.

That surprised me too but I'm kinda glad he's shaking it up a little bit. Berkman can't come back too soon. Maybe someone will get hot in the interim and help out.

[Andyzipp]

That surprised me too but I'm kinda glad he's shaking it up a little bit. Berkman can't come back too soon. Maybe someone will get hot in the interim and help out.

That someone needs to be Carlos Lee.

[strosrays]

I saw a copy of "Let's try hitting Everett second" by Phil Garner on the bench.

as told to Jimy Williams

[MusicMan]

That someone needs to be Carlos Lee.

Most similar batters through age 33:
1.  Shawn Green - career over at 34
2.  Greg Luzinski - career over at 33
3.  Rafael Palmeiro - career prolonged by PED
4.  Derrek Lee - ah, finally, hope!

[MusicMan]

as told to Jimy Williams

Damn, I forgot that experiment was in 2004.

[Limey]

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?  Maybe, but someone's got to try something.

At least it makes it clear (if it wasn't already) that no one's line up position is inked on the team sheet.

[Houston]

Why are Blum and Matsui in red?

Republicans?

[MusicMan]

Republicans?

Communists.  Mills is old-school.

[Fredia]

maybe this will be the magic potion or potisions that work. i will eat nothgin but popyeyes and liet candles all day

[MusicMan]

I shall be putting jalapenos on my Whataburger and cursing Tim Purpura.

[Houston]

maybe this will be the magic potion or potisions that work. i will eat nothgin but popyeyes and liet candles all day

It's probably a good idea to have a large supply of candles around after eating all of that Popeyes. It helps neutralize things.

[Limey]

I will be continuing to wonder what happened to the Series Preview.

[MusicMan]

Don't look at me, I'm just recapping two afternoon games the week of April 15.

[BudGirl]

Don't look at me, I'm just recapping two afternoon games the week of April 15.

I'd trade you today for Wednesday but I've already subjected people to 3 recaps.  Unless you want to trade since I should be able to watch the game at home today.

[MusicMan]

I'd trade you today for Wednesday but I've already subjected people to 3 recaps.  Unless you want to trade since I should be able to watch the game at home today.

The good news is I will be watching at least a good portion from home.

The bad news is it's because the a/c repairman is on their way.

[MusicMan]

Update via Facebook:

Pence now hitting 3rd, Feliz 6th.

[Jacksonian]

I shall be putting jalapenos on my Whataburger and cursing Tim Purpura.

2 1/2 years later and his handprints are still all over the big club and AAA and AA.

[BUWebguy]

Update via Facebook:

Pence now hitting 3rd, Feliz 6th.

One lesson we've learned today: Pam's on Twitter.

[Limey]

Update via Facebook:

Pence now hitting 3rd, Feliz 6th.

This shouldn't annoy me.  But it does.

[chuck]

This shouldn't annoy me.  But it does.

It annoys the fuck out of me. It's like having a Day in the Life lead off the second side.

[Limey]

It annoys the fuck out of me. It's like having a Day in the Life lead off the second side.

Or Mr Blue Sky as not the final track on side one.

[MusicMan]

It annoys the fuck out of me. It's like having a Day in the Life lead off the second side.

I see a lot of similarities between Hunter Pence and Cracked Rear View.

[geezerdonk]

"Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" 

Henceforth replaced by "Shuffling the Astros batting order"

[Mr. Happy]

It annoys the fuck out of me. It's like having a Day in the Life lead off the second side.

I'm not going to allow it to annoy me any more than I'm already annoyed by my never-ending child custody travails, which is enough for one day.

[Limey]

Henceforth replaced by "Shuffling the Astros batting order"

For $75, you can get a field pass to be down on the field during batting practice.  No mention of whether they will allow you to stand on the mound and scream "I'm King of the World!".

[Tralfaz]

I'm kind of suprised Keppinger is not in the line up.

[MusicMan]

I'm kind of suprised Keppinger is not in the line up.

Keppinger's "hot start" is the product of getting a lot of lefties to face.

[JackAstro]

Don't look at me, I'm just recapping two afternoon games the week of April 15.

I don't like to just throw the word "hero" around, but...

[geezerdonk]

For $75, you can get a field pass to be down on the field during batting practice.  No mention of whether they will allow you to stand on the mound and scream "I'm King of the World!".

It is allowed, provided that the holder of the pass has not reached puberty.

[MusicMan]

I don't like to just throw the word "hero" around, but...

Can I get you to complete my evaluations?

[Mr. Happy]

My only very minor quibble with Mills thus far is that he's given five RH AB's to Blum, who's ofer. Maybe it's because Blum did hit .345 last year against port-siders in 29 AB's. However, his career RH stats are not impressive. I believe that it has to do more with being without Berkman than wanting to test Blum out from the right side. As you can see, this is a very minor quibble. Otherwise, I've agreed with his moves. At least it's not like last season, where half of the free world was screaming at Cooper at least once a game about player moves.

[HudsonHawk]

Henceforth replaced by "Shuffling the Astros batting order"

When does the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the changing lineup begin?  I don't want to be late in calling for Mills's head.

[MusicMan]

When does the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the changing lineup begin?  I don't want to be late in calling for Mills's head.

Mills could have the fucking Intersect implanted with ability to forecast every player's outcomes for the game, and it wouldn't help with this lineup.

[chuck]

I'm kind of suprised Keppinger is not in the line up.

They need to keep some power on the bench.

[Mr. Happy]

Mills could have the fucking Intersect implanted with ability to forecast every player's outcomes for the game, and it wouldn't help with this lineup.

Hard to make chicken out of chicken shit. Up your butt Jobu!

[MusicMan]

Hard to make chicken out of chicken shit. Up your butt Jobu!

It is looking increasingly likely that I will never again start the season by quoting Lou Brown.

[Mr. Happy]

It is looking increasingly likely that I will never again start the season by quoting Lou Brown.

No, keep it up. It has everything to do with the fact that Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence have stunk it up big time. Their combined batting averages doesn't even equal .250 (.225 for those who are counting) than your quoting my all-time favorite skipper.

[BUWebguy]

My only very minor quibble with Mills thus far is that he's given five RH AB's to Blum, who's ofer. Maybe it's because Blum did hit .345 last year against port-siders in 29 AB's. However, his career RH stats are not impressive. I believe that it has to do more with being without Berkman than wanting to test Blum out from the right side. As you can see, this is a very minor quibble. Otherwise, I've agreed with his moves. At least it's not like last season, where half of the free world was screaming at Cooper at least once a game about player moves.

Most (maybe all, I don't know) came when Blum got a start against a RHP early on. Someone (Mills?) said it was just to make sure he didn't get rusty this early, since the Astros were facing so many LHPs early on.