Blue Jays @ Astros 8/1/14

[Nate Colbert]

Astros lineup.
4 Altuve
9 Grossman
DH Carter
5 Dominguez
3 Guzman
2 Corporan
8 Marisnick
7 Hoes
6 Petit

1 McHugh

Injuries, sure, but egad that's a ghastly lineup. Eager to see Marisnick play though (and by "see" I of course mean absorbing the essence of the commentary from those who are able to actually watch this game--so comment you fuckers!)

ETA:
That posted lineup is missing a DH. Chris Carter, where are you??? Fixed.

[jbm]

On a semi-related note: watching the fish game. Cosart nine up, nine down. Efficiently pounding the zone.

Hernadez isn't in the lineup and Cosart with an infield single his first AB against Latos.

[jbm]

I turned the fish game off and sure enough, he's now getting rocked. Seems like a great trade so far.

They showed some clips of Marisnick; looks bigger than I assumed.  Ho Chen will be reporting this highly interesting note in the seventh inning.

[jbm]

1-0 Blue Jays on a sac fly to Marisnick. Pretty nice catch by the newbie. I thought it was going to be trouble.

[jbm]

Oh, J Happ is on the mound.

[jbm]

And he gets a 1,2,3 inning.  I can't remember, didn't they get something for him?

[Aussie Astro]

And he gets a 1,2,3 inning.  I can't remember, didn't they get something for him?

Who can keep up... you see a lot of former Astros and wonder why they were not good enough to be on the team.

[jbm]

McHugh escapes a 2nd/3rd, no out jam. The dude has one nice curve ball. 1-0 BJs

[Aussie Astro]

McHugh looks like he is battling but it was a nice escape from a serious jam.

[NeilT]

McHugh escapes a 2nd/3rd, no out jam. The dude has one nice curve ball. 1-0 BJs

It looks like he has two different curveballs?

[Aussie Astro]

It looks like he has two different curveballs?

Yep, there is the one that gets hit and the one that doesn't.

[NeilT]

The grounds crew is out to work on the mound for the second time.

[Reuben]

The grounds crew is out to work on the mound for the second time.

That was longer than an umpire replay review.

[Aussie Astro]

These delays are great, gives Ashby plenty of time for his grumpy old man rants.

[Reuben]

The FUCK was that, McHugh?

[Aussie Astro]

The FUCK was that, McHugh?

Lucky is what it was.

[austro]

The FUCK was that, McHugh?

I'm picturing an 82-mph curve breaking right into the middle of the plate, thigh-high. How close am I?

[Aussie Astro]

I'm picturing an 82-mph curve breaking right into the middle of the plate, thigh-high. How close am I?

I think he meant the throw that was almost airmailed into CF.

[chuck]

I'm picturing an 82-mph curve breaking right into the middle of the plate, thigh-high. How close am I?

I think he's talking about McHugh's trying to sail the ball over Altuve's head on what should have been an easy double play. Altuve jumped up and caught the ball and then somehow made the tag.

[austro]

I think he meant the throw that was almost airmailed into CF.

So, in other words, I was completely wrong. Not for the first time today.

[Reuben]

I'm picturing an 82-mph curve breaking right into the middle of the plate, thigh-high. How close am I?

Perfect DP ball fielded by McHugh, who then casually lobs the ball to a spot about 8 feet to the 1B side of 2nd. Altuve had to jump to get it, then dive towards the runner just to get the 1 out. Sloppy.

[NeilT]

I'm picturing an 82-mph curve breaking right into the middle of the plate, thigh-high. How close am I?

That's exactly right, except it was to altuve at second to start a double play, and it wasn't anywhere near the plate.

[Aussie Astro]

I think he's talking about McHugh's trying to sail the ball over Altuve's head on what should have been an easy double play. Altuve jumped up and caught the ball and then somehow made the tag.

That is the part that was lost on me initially, it was a nice play by Jose to make at least one out and save Colin an error.

[Aussie Astro]

That's exactly right, except it was to altuve at second to start a double play, and it wasn't anywhere near the plate.

Are you watching tonight... I thought you didn't own a tv or something?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Happ has a perfect game through three innings?

[Reuben]

And he gets a 1,2,3 inning.  I can't remember, didn't they get something for him?

July 20, 2012: Traded by the Houston Astros with David Carpenter and Brandon Lyon to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later, Joseph Musgrove (minors), Carlos Perez (minors), David Rollins (minors), Asher Wojciechowski (minors), Francisco Cordero and Ben Francisco. The Toronto Blue Jays sent Kevin Comer (minors) (August 16, 2012) to the Houston Astros to complete the trade.

Wojo of course had the nice year in OKC last year and the lat injury this one; Rollins currently having a nice year in CC: 3.56 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 9.18/2.47 K/BB ratio, albeit in only 65 IP for some reason. Comer was the other major piece, but so far hasn't lived up to the $1.6m bonus the Jays gave him after being drafted 57th overall in the '11 draft.

[Aussie Astro]

Happ has a perfect game through three innings?

Oh bullshit... who is he playing against?

[Nate Colbert]

Cosart's final line: 5.1 IP 4 H 4 R 4 ER 2 BB 3 K.

[NeilT]

Are you watching tonight... I thought you didn't own a tv or something?

I'm at the game. I'd never miss a chance to see all the hot Canadian chicks in there mukluks and parkas. They really need to figure out this is houston.

[chuck]

I'm at the game. I'd never miss a chance to see all the hot Canadian chicks in there mukluks and parkas. They really need to figure out this is houston.

Did you check in with Howard?

[Aussie Astro]

I'm at the game. I'd never miss a chance to see all the hot Canadian chicks in there mukluks and parkas. They really need to figure out this is houston.

Sweet deal, did you try the poutine?

[Reuben]

Naturally, Carter breaks up the perfecto with an infield hit.

[NeilT]

Did you check in with Howard?

Carter breaks up the perfecto!!  And I've rubbed the head of every Asian guy I've seen, but so far no luck.

[Reuben]

Did you check in with Howard?

Howard is to Greg Lucas as Ashby is to JD. At least in terms of quality.

[Reuben]

Tie game! Even more unexpected than a Carter infield hit, is a Guzman hit of any kind, but there you go.

[chuck]

Carter breaks up the perfecto!!  And I've rubbed the head of every Asian guy I've seen, but so far no luck.

He's out there in left field, yo. I'll send $100 to the charity of your choice if you go out there and make a fool of yourself ybbodeus style in the background the next time he's on the air.

And Reuben's analogy is largely correct, if anything it's a bit mild.

[chuck]

Tie game! Even more unexpected than a Carter infield hit, is a Guzman hit of any kind, but there you go.

This is how you can tell that a team is in full-on tank mode. Guzman is punished for his RBI single by immediately being replaced with Singleton. That'll show him.

[Reuben]

He's out there in left field, yo. I'll send $100 to the charity of your choice if you go out there and make a fool of yourself ybbodeus style in the background the next time he's on the air.

And Reuben's analogy is largely correct, if anything it's a bit mild.

Hmmm, maybe so...
Howard:Greg Lucas::Miley Cyrus:Janis Joplin?

[NeilT]

He's out there in left field, yo. I'll send $100 to the charity of your choice if you go out there and make a fool of yourself ybbodeus style in the background the next time he's on the air.

And Reuben's analogy is largely correct, if anything it's a bit mild.

He's somewhere down the left field line?  There are two cameras, one at both ends of th jays dugout.  Can you tell which one?

[chuck]

Hmmm, maybe so...
Howard:Greg Lucas::Miley Cyrus:Janis Joplin?

Aretha Franklin maybe. But yeah, somewhere in that area.

[chuck]

He's somewhere down the left field line?  There are two cameras, one at both ends of th jays dugout.  Can you tell which one?

I think he's in that spot right behind the Crawford Boxes where Jimmy Wynn used to hang out back with the organization cared more about baseball than poutine.

[jbm]

Did they ever say why Guzman was pulled?

The Berkman bobblehead looks like Marc Krauss, but with a bunch more hits.

[MikeyBoy]

Guzman left due to back spasms.

[NeilT]

One Chen, located. Is he ever actually on TV?

[jbm]

Yeah, when it gets really slow, or he's eating.  Then, sometimes late in the game to reveal the tweets he reviews in response to his ridiculous questions.

If McHugh is done, he pitched a fine game. Getting squeezed is especially tough given his offerings, but he adapted very well.

[jbm]

McHugh out for the seventh.

[jbm]

Retires the first batter on a liner to left.  Downs enters the game.

[jbm]

Downs get the next two batters.  Don't know about his arm, but based on early observations, Marisnick gets good jumps and has good routes.  So far, looks like a pretty good center fielder.

[austro]

Guzman left due to back spasms.

He is unaccustomed to meeting some resistance when he swings the bat.

[jbm]

Astros get a one out single from Corporon, but nothing else. On to the eighth tied at one.

[subnuclear]

Looks like the Jerome Williams finally gets to be a starter experiment hit a rough patch tonight.

[subnuclear]

If McHugh is done, he pitched a fine game. Getting squeezed is especially tough given his offerings, but he adapted very well.

I'm glad he and Keuchel have been able to make adjustments or get some rest and come back in good form.

[austro]

Looks like the Jerome Williams finally gets to be a starter experiment hit a rough patch tonight.

But it was entertaining to watch.

[Reuben]

Looks like the Jerome Williams finally gets to be a starter experiment hit a rough patch tonight.

For who??

[subnuclear]

For who??

Not the team he was pitching against that's for sure.

[subnuclear]

I guess they should have kept Happ in.

[jbm]

Wow, that's an ugly line. Wash left him out to take a real beating.

[jbm]

Sweet Petit.  2-1 good guys.

[MikeyBoy]

Petit hits his first major league dinger. 2-1 good guys.

[MikeyBoy]

For who??

stRangers

[jbm]

Altuve with a double off the wall. Still no outs.

[subnuclear]

Mike Fast tweets that Petit's HR was 89 mph off the bat.

[NeilT]

I've never seen a rigt fielder just hold the ball on a sacrifice. That was great.

[Reuben]

Mike Fast tweets that Petit's HR was 89 mph off the bat.

Is that unusual?

[jbm]

I've never seen a rigt fielder just hold the ball on a sacrifice. That was great.

It was. Grossman with a nice sac fly scoring Altuve, who had previously stole third. 3-1 good guys.

[subnuclear]

Is that unusual?

Usually over a 100 mph.

[MikeyBoy]

Is that unusual?

He didn't exactly crush it.

[jbm]

Is that unusual?

Don't know.  Maybe he can post a frequency distribution of home run velocities. That would be interesting.

[Aussie Astro]

I can't watch...

[NeilT]

I can't watch...

Half the stadium has their hands over their eyes.

[MikeyBoy]

Flyout to CF - 1 out

[MikeyBoy]

Infield hit on a soft hit ball to 3B - runner on 1st

[MikeyBoy]

Rasmus Ks swinging - 2 outs

[subnuclear]

Woohoo!

[MikeyBoy]

Valencia strikes out looking. Astros win!

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Pretty generous strike call to end it.

[jbm]

Pretty generous strike call to end it.

Yeah, but that was a beautiful pitch.

[MikeyBoy]

Pretty generous strike call to end it.

Above the knee as it crossed the plate. Looked good to me.

[Aussie Astro]

Half the stadium has their hands over their eyes.

No matter how bad it turned out, it would not have been as hard to watch as the Paul George injury...

Nice to have win, and now a celebratory burger!

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

It looked low and in to me, but the batter can't let the ump make the call, he has to try to hit the pitch in that situation.

[Ron Brand]

That ain't poutine...

[Nate in IA]

Great recap.. May another day never come...

[NeilT]

Great recap.. May another day never come...

Thanks, with an 8-2 win tonight we're  apparently safe another day.