Brewers @ Astros 08/11/12

[Mr. Happy]

Your lineups (Mr. Happy's over/under line for walks allowed is four and home runs allowed is two-Greene is starting, so he'll see his first Astros plate opportunities as a leadoff hitter):

Brewers

RFNorichika Aoki
CFCarlos Gomez
LFRyan Braun
3BAramis Ramirez
1BCorey Hart
2BRickie Weeks
CJonathan Lucroy
SSJean Segura
PMarco Estrada

Astros

SS Tyler Greene 
2B Jose Altuve 
3B Brett Wallace 
RF Steve Pearce 
1B Scott Moore 
CF Brian Bogusevic 
LF Fernando Martinez 
C Carlos Corporan 
P Dallas Keuchel 

[moriartp]

Four walks and two home runs? I'll take the over, Oveur.

[Mr. Happy]

Four walks and two home runs? I'll take the over, Oveur.

Well, the kicker is that my over/under for innings pitched today for young Keuchel is 3.1 with a pitch count of 75.

[jbm]

He looked a lot better last time. I'm expecting a solid performance for him: 6 IP with 4 or fewer earned runs.

[strosrays]

Looking at the standings ...

The last time three teams in the same league lost 100 games or more was in 2002 in the AL, when KC (62-100), Tampa Bay (55-106), and Detroit (55-106) all achieved that dubious distinction.

This season the Astros and Rockies will each lose 100+ with ease; and the FTCubs also have a decent shot at it, as well.

Since the leagues went to three divisions each in 1994, no division has had two 100 loss teams in one season.

[Mr. Happy]

He looked a lot better last time. I'm expecting a solid performance for him: 6 IP with 4 or fewer earned runs.

Since I'm tasked with recap duties for tonight's game, I hope that you are correct. I'd love to write up a win!

[geezerdonk]

Schafer was the first guy out of the dugout last night.

[Mr. Happy]

Schafer was the first guy out of the dugout last night.

Good for him.

[Mr. Happy]

Greene with a leadoff double to start things off.

[Mr. Happy]

Altuve singles Greene to 3B.

[Mr. Happy]

We have to jump on Estrada now while his command is a little off. Carpe diem.

[Reuben]

Wow. In Pearce, do we actually have a smart baserunner?

[Mr. Happy]

Pearce with a two run single, taking 2B on idiot Gomez's brain fart.

[Reuben]

I admit, I cried yard on that one.

[Mr. Happy]

Wow. In Pearce, do we actually have a smart baserunner?

Don't give him that much credit. The play was in front of him. Once he saw that Gomez was exercising his machismo, it was an easy base to take, even without a throw.

[Mr. Happy]

We give them back a quick run courtesy of some brokedickery from Wallace.

[jbm]

I guess it is still early, but I'm having trouble seeing Wallace as a regular at third. 

[Mr. Happy]

Nice play by Greene, who hasn't started very much at SS.

[Mr. Happy]

Lucroy's sacrifice fly scores Hart, so we're knotted at 2.

[Reuben]

Don't give him that much credit. The play was in front of him. Once he saw that Gomez was exercising his machismo, it was an easy base to take, even without a throw.

The play in the 9th last night looked not as obvious. In any case, what I've seen so far puts him well ahead of most on this club.

[Mr. Happy]

The play in the 9th last night looked not as obvious. In any case, what I've seen so far puts him well ahead of most on this club.

I absolutely agree. He's light years ahead of JD Martinez.

[pots]

Nice play by Greene, who hasn't started very much at SS.

Greene has played 488 out of 1191 innings at short in the majors.  And almost all of his innings in the minors

[jbm]

Estrada is meat tonight. Even this lineup should have a legit shot at some more crooked numbers.

[Mr. Happy]

Greene has played 488 out of 1191 innings at short in the majors.  And almost all of his innings in the minors

I wasn't clear; I meant this season. I knew that he had to have a lot of SS experience in his past because Luhnow picked him up to provide backup for Gonzalez.

[pots]

Hit and run with the pitcher up?  Come on Millsie

[Reuben]

Hit and run with the pitcher up?  Come on Millsie

You don't see that very often, certainly not with a slow-ass like Fern-Mart running.

[pots]

You don't see that very often, certainly not with a slow-ass like Fern-Mart running.

There is a reason for that

[jbm]

Hit and run with the pitcher up?  Come on Millsie

JD saying "not a bad idea.". Hell is wasn't. Very little upside and well, we saw the downside.

[Mr. Happy]

Hit and run with the pitcher up?  Come on Millsie

I didn't have that big of a problem with trying to avoid the double play, especially given Estrada's lack of command today so far.

[pots]

I didn't have that big of a problem with trying to avoid the double play, especially given Estrada's lack of command today so far.

How about bunting?

[Mr. Happy]

JD saying "not a bad idea.". Hell is wasn't. Very little upside and well, we saw the downside.

JD is a homer. Consider the source.

[Mr. Happy]

How about bunting?

That would have been the safer play. Maybe Keuchel can handle the bat a little, but I don't know that.

[jbm]

JD is a homer. Consider the source.

Seems he has become more of a homer lately, at least in his unwillingness to be critical.  Maybe he's a bit concerned about his future.

[pots]

That would have been the safer play. Maybe Keuchel can handle the bat a little, but I don't know that.

Well he is perfect 0 for 10 at the plate.  Suppose he could be due

[pots]

Well he is perfect 0 for 10 at the plate.  Suppose he could be due

In the minors he was .196 over 51 at bats with 23 Ks

[Mr. Happy]

In the minors he was .196 over 51 at bats with 23 Ks

At least that's not JD-esque.

[pots]

Pearce is an animal

[Mr. Happy]

Pearce again! Another brain fart by the outfield. They've been real shaky so far.

[moriartp]

Seems he has become more of a homer lately, at least in his unwillingness to be critical.  Maybe he's a bit concerned about his future.

I guess that's possible, but it's more likely that he's trying his best to keep things from getting too completely negative in this shitfest of a season.

[Mr. Happy]

Estrada is tossing BP. Time to bury him. Come on, Moore.

[Mr. Happy]

Well, at least Bogusevic didn't ground out to the right side. That duck we left on the pond could come back to haunt us.

[jbm]

I give Keuchel credit for making Braun look bad. You don't see that often.

[Mr. Happy]

Well, the kicker is that my over/under for innings pitched today for young Keuchel is 3.1 with a pitch count of 75.

If you took the over on innings pitched, then you're a winner.

[Mr. Happy]

KKeuchel has only 49 pitches through four innings. He has thrown 34 strikes.

[Mr. Happy]

I guess that's possible, but it's more likely that he's trying his best to keep things from getting too completely negative in this shitfest of a season.

What do you expect him to do? Pile on? I for one don't mind what he's doing, but I'm an incurable optimist, as hard as that may be to believe. I sometimes even have trouble believing that, especially with this team.

[Mr. Happy]

Huge punchout of Ransom. Let's get out of this one unscathed.

[Mr. Happy]

Well, fuck you, Aoki, who ties it up with a two run double.

[Mr. Happy]

At least we get out of the inning tied, despite the mistake to Gomez, who just missed a gapper. Gomez is not having a very good day.

[Reuben]

Damn. It was looking like such a nice game for Keuchel, and Aoki had not seemed very threatening in his first two ABs.

[jbm]

What do you expect him to do? Pile on? I for one don't mind what he's doing, but I'm an incurable optimist, as hard as that may be to believe. I sometimes even have trouble believing that, especially with this team.

Not pile on, but be honest, and don't talk down to the listener. His honesty is one of the many things I like about him, and I don't want to see him lose it.  No way and no how was hitting and running there something to be defended. Don't have to criticize, but no need to defend the indefensible.

Sweet shot by Greene.

[Mr. Happy]

Damn. It was looking like such a nice game for Keuchel, and Aoki had not seemed very threatening in his first two ABs.

He's deceptively pretty good.

[jbm]

Wow, no more Heck. That is a fucking bombshell.

[Mr. Happy]

Not pile on, but be honest, and don't talk down to the listener. His honesty is one of the many things I like about him, and I don't want to see him lose it.  No way and no how was hitting and running there something to be defended. Don't have to criticize, but no need to defend the indefensible.

Sweet shot by Greene.

You're right about JD, but I never remember more than very diplomatic honesty from him. There certainly are much more critical color analysts in baseball today.

[Mr. Happy]

Wow, no more Heck. That is a fucking bombshell.

I expected that. I also expected Heck to stay through the draft but to leave at season's end.

[Reuben]

I expected that. I also expected Heck to stay through the draft but to leave at season's end.

The timing does seem odd. I wonder if it's because they're getting ready to enter into hardcore scouting-time for the 2013 draft, or if there's something else that happened behind the scenes.

[Mr. Happy]

Greene's pop is what I remember about him as a Cardinal-low BA with a little (not a lot) pop. Not too dissimilar from Barmes.

[Mr. Happy]

Fucking Peen.

[Mr. Happy]

You know when they're scraping the bottom of the ad barrel with a PSA for FoxTrax.

[Mr. Happy]

Sweet double play from Keuchel. He gets through six with a lead, even though the Brewers have played an atrocious game and we should have a few more runs.

[Reuben]

Sweet double play from Keuchel. He gets through six with a lead, even though the Brewers have played an atrocious game and we should have a few more runs.

I'm not too comfortable with this lead.

[Mr. Happy]

Good call by Millsie to try WW against Ishikawa.

[Mr. Happy]

I'm not too comfortable with this lead.

Neither me. My philosophy is that you never have too big of a lead. Ever. Pile it on, boys!

[Mr. Happy]

Wallace is atrocious at the hot corner. I've seen enough of him there to speculate that he can't consistently play there.

[Reuben]

Wallace is atrocious at the hot corner. I've seen enough of him there to speculate that he can't consistently play there.

That was not a particularly graceful play. He seems maybe a bit nervous over there, too, understandably.

[Mr. Happy]

Wellsir, those little infield dinks suck eggs. We should be out of the inning if someone else like Moore had been at 3B.

[Mr. Happy]

That was not a particularly graceful play. He seems maybe a bit nervous over there, too, understandably.

He's playing to not make an error, which usually results in more mistakes.

[Mr. Happy]

Storey can't lose Gomez. Peen is up next, and I don't like that matchup.

[Mr. Happy]

Storey!!! Fuck you, Gomez! Grab some pine, meat!

[Mr. Happy]

And Gomez gets run! Way to think, dumbass. It was strike three, asshole. Good call on the front door snake. He was expecting the outside slider.

[Ron Brand]

Wow, no more Heck. That is a fucking bombshell.

Replaced him by raiding the Cards' cupboard again.

[austro]

That was not a particularly graceful play. He seems maybe a bit nervous over there, too, understandably.

He's not nervous; he's bad. He has no future at 3rd.

[Ron Brand]

Oh, let's see him at short. It'll be fun.

[Ron Brand]

Heck responds: bit.ly/NpdXCq

[Mr. Happy]

Rats. I wanted another run or three.

[Mr. Happy]

Heck responds: bit.ly/NpdXCq

Disappointed is one way to describe losing a gig to a 29 year old, but I have to believe that his private reaction is a bit more caustic, like fuck!!!!

[Mr. Happy]

Mickey Storey with two clutch strikeouts of Peen and Hart.

[Ron Brand]

Striking out The Peen is a thing of beauty.

[Mr. Happy]

Striking out The Peen is a thing of beauty.

Amen. Peen was looking for a slider but got crossed up with a low heater that had a lot of plate, but the Peen showed some real respect for Storey's slider.

[austro]

Bogey hit it too hard.

[Mr. Happy]

11 strikeouts and no walks for Astros' pitching through eight. Lopez makes me nervous as a closer though, but why I am incapable of articulating a reason.

[jbm]

I hate when they remove one of the best hitters for no worthwhile reason.  Sure, Wallace sucks at third and you need to improve the defense there, but move him to first and keep his bat in the game.  You might need it.  Besides, he is a better first bagger than Moore.  Hopefully, it won't matter, but it is just another head-scratcher, IMO.

[juliogotay]

I'm glad Gomez is not an Astro. The Brewers deserve that whiney bitch.

[Mr. Happy]

I hate when they remove one of the best hitters for no worthwhile reason.  Sure, Wallace sucks at third and you need to improve the defense there, but move him to first and keep his bat in the game.  You might need it.  Besides, he is a better first bagger than Moore.  Hopefully, it won't matter, but it is just another head-scratcher, IMO.

And Moore is a helluva better than Wallace at 3B.

[Mr. Happy]

I'm glad Gomez is not an Astro. The Brewers deserve that whiney bitch.

He's as undisciplined a player as there is in the big leagues.

[Mr. Happy]

Lopez needs something offspeed. Everything looks the same. Leadoff double to Weeks.

[Mr. Happy]

Crapapples. Runners on the corners with nobody out.

[austro]

Runners on the corners with nobody out.

(That's a priceless Steinway!)

Not anymore.

[Mr. Happy]

First off-speed pitch from Lopez on the 1-0 to Maldanado, who strikes out. Two outs to Aoki.

[Reuben]

Wellsir, those little infield dinks suck eggs. We should be out of the inning if someone else like Moore had been at 3B.

Was this sarcasm? Moore has been as bad as anyone over at 3rd.

[Mr. Happy]

Whew! A much too close a play at 1B to nip Aoki. 5-5 Bottom 9 Can lightning strike twice in one weekend? I say why not?

[Mr. Happy]

Was this sarcasm? Moore has been as bad as anyone over at 3rd.

I didn't say that Moore was good at 3B. I said that he's a helluva lot better than Wallace there.

[Mr. Happy]

This guy Henderson has a really nice snake.

[Reuben]

This guy Henderson has a really nice snake.

Hey, I'm happy for him (and, NTTAWWT, you) but please keep that kind of info to yourself.

[juliogotay]

I hope they keep Wallace at third for the remainder of the season. Give him time to get comfortable. This team is better with him at third, if he can handle it, so that first is open for SingleIton. It's not good when he makes you yearn for the good old days of CJ.

[Mr. Happy]

Hey, I'm happy for him (and, NTTAWWT, you) but please keep that kind of info to yourself.

Hey now! That, of course, was a reference to his slider! I know nothing about his Johnson.

[Mr. Happy]

I hope they keep Wallace at third for the remainder of the season. Give him time to get comfortable. This team is better with him at third, if he can handle it, so that first is open for SingleIton. It's not good when he makes you yearn for the good old days of CJ.

Speaking for the pitchers, I disagree with you. Wallace is really raw down there. I understand why you'd argue that, with Singleton being the 1B of the future. However, it may be Wallace's best long-term prospects as an Astro.

[jbm]

I seriously doubt time will change much. It is pretty apparent that he lacks the skills needed there. Frankly, after watching with my own eyes, I am surprised it has even been revisited.

[Jacksonian]

Speaking for the pitchers, I disagree with you. Wallace is really raw down there. I understand why you'd argue that, with Singleton being the 1B of the future. However, it may be Wallace's best long-term prospects as an Astro.

Um, DH.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Altuve is ok.

[Mr. Happy]

Um, DH.

Damnit. I'm still trying to get that out of my mind.

[austro]

I seriously doubt time will change much. It is pretty apparent that he lacks the skills needed there. Frankly, after watching with my own eyes, I am surprised it has even been revisited.

I agree with you. Sub-par range, slow reactions, unsteady hands. He's 1B/DH all the way.

[Mr. Happy]

I seriously doubt time will change much. It is pretty apparent that he lacks the skills needed there. Frankly, after watching with my own eyes, I am surprised it has even been revisited.

I absolutely agree.

[jbm]

Um, DH.

This, and a backup at first, and a emergency fill in at third and corner OF.

[Mr. Happy]

I agree with you. Sub-par range, slow reactions, unsteady hands. He's 1B/DH all the way.

+1

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

How are they going to fuck this?

[Ron Brand]

I'm imagining us all holding our breath...

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Keep the unis!

[Ron Brand]

Astros win!

[Nate in IA]

That's two walk-offs in a row...

[Aussie Astro]

How are they going to fuck this?

I thought this had all the makings of a triple play, but I don't mind being wrong.

[Mr. Happy]

Expect a great recap of this one from Mr. Very Happy!

[Aussie Astro]

That's two walk-offs in a row...

We are riding on the crest of ripple...

[Reuben]

Woo-hoo!!

[jbm]

Altuve jumping up and grabbing the caps. Fun to see.  

[austro]

Well, I'm obviously wrong about the uniforms.

[jbm]

Well, I'm obviously wrong about the uniforms.

Me too.  I am just happy they are winning ugly.

[remy]

The force is strong with the blue-and-golds.

[Mr. Happy]

Well, I'm obviously wrong about the uniforms.

Yes, you are!!!