Yesterday

[JimR]

Man, I hate games like that...blowing a lead and giving away a cinch win. Seven hits and almost none were hit hard. My TV just does not listen. NO to using Giles in a non-save situation. NO to Harris instead of Smith in yet another save situation. NO to Rondon throwing FB after FB in the same spot away ahead TWICE 0-2. Back foot slider, please. Come inside once, please. Bounce one, please. Throw a chase pitch, please. They kept flicking the ball and inside-outing it the other way. Bregman just missed ending the game on Brantley’s soft liner. Fuck the game of inches axiom. Get the damn 27th out. Wouldn’t a LHP have been great in the bottom of the 13th with a lead? Dammit! I knew when they retied it in the 13th we were dead. The only question was when, and we did not have to wait long.

I know, of course, stuff like yesterday will happen in a 162 game season, but yesterday was a grudge match. Cole was about to beat Bauer. Dammit.

[TerryPuhl21]

I feel you Jim. In hindsight, they should have stuck with Devo. He hasn’t been overworked and he only through 9 pitches in the 8th. He was fine to go back out for the 9th. I had a bad feeling before Giles threw his first pitch of the inning. And when they pulled him, I told my wife that this wasn’t gonna end well. We had about 5 or 6 chances to get out of that but I think the BBG’s may have been sending us a message.

Sometimes shit just happens. And sometimes you make your own shit happen a little to easily. We need a lefty relief arm bad.

I’ll bet we are watching Zack Britton closely this week as he makes his first rehab appearance.


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[JimR]

I feel you Jim. In hindsight, they should have stuck with Devo. He hasn’t been overworked and he only through 9 pitches in the 8th. He was fine to go back out for the 9th. I had a bad feeling before Giles threw his first pitch of the inning. And when they pulled him, I told my wife that this wasn’t gonna end well. We had about 5 or 6 chances to get out of that but I think the BBG’s may have been sending us a message.

Sometimes shit just happens. And sometimes you make your own shit happen a little to easily. We need a lefty relief arm bad.

I’ll bet we are watching Zack Britton closely this week as he makes his first rehab appearance.


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Ditto re Britton. I understand wanting to get Giles work, and I never thought the would put that many soft hits together, but closers historically are not good in those big lead innings. Joe Smith or Rondon would have worked for me to save Devo for NYY. Rondon threw too many FBs in the same spot, imo. Easy to say now.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Didn't like Giles in for the 9th.

Didn't like Giles pounding the zone as the AB wore on. Throw a chase pitch or a chin high 99 heater.    If he walks,  move on.

Didn't like Giles staying in after the Ramírez AB.

Didn't like Harris to coming in as a fireman.

Didn't like Rondon not closing the deal.  0-2, throw them something they couldn't hit with a sheet of plywood.

But most of all, if we were going to win 1 game in this series,  I wanted it to be that one.  Fuck Tyler Bauer.


Hopefully Verlander will get us in a better mood.

[Mr. Happy]

I called it with my Tribe fan wife when we brought Giles into a non-save situation.

[JimR]

Didn't like Giles in for the 9th.

Didn't like Giles pounding the zone as the AB wore on. Throw a chase pitch or a chin high 99 heater.    If he walks,  move on.

Didn't like Giles staying in after the Ramírez AB.

Didn't like Harris to coming in as a fireman.

Didn't like Rondon not closing the deal.  0-2, throw them something they couldn't hit with a sheet of plywood.

But most of all, if we were going to win 1 game in this series,  I wanted it to be that one.  Fuck Tyler Bauer.


Hopefully Verlander will get us in a better mood.

Agree with all of this. Rondon has great stuff and a decent slider. Do something different on 0-2, please. Not a hittable pitch.

[HudsonHawk]

Agree with all of this. Rondon has great stuff and a decent slider. Do something different on 0-2, please. Not a hittable pitch.

I really thought Rondon was going to get it done. The 0-2 pitch to Brantley wasn’t a bad pitch, but it wasn’t a good 0-2 pitch.

[Reuben]

I know Jose Ramirez is a great hitter, and strikes out far less than most guys, but what does it say about Giles’ stuff that he was able to foul off so many pitches? It’s great that he hasn’t walked anyone this year, but the straightness of his FB continues to be a problem.

[JimR]

I really thought Rondon was going to get it done. The 0-2 pitch to Brantley wasn’t a bad pitch, but it wasn’t a good 0-2 pitch.

Nope. He could reach it and put the ball in play. Everything was away.

[HudsonHawk]

I know Jose Ramirez is a great hitter, and strikes out far less than most guys, but what does it say about Giles’ stuff that he was able to foul off so many pitches? It’s great that he hasn’t walked anyone this year, but the straightness of his FB continues to be a problem.

I mentioned this in the GZ yesterday. Giles throws 100 mph, but can’t really throw the ball by hitters.

[VirtualBob]

I have officially given up on Giles and wish never to see him throw another pitch for the Astros.  If he can't get anyone out unless it counts, how can anyone count on him when it does?

[JimR]

I have officially given up on Giles and wish never to see him throw another pitch for the Astros.  If he can't get anyone out unless it counts, how can anyone count on him when it does?

Because he has been getting them out when it counts. Lots of closers have the problem of pitching poorly with a non-save big lead.

The scorn heaped on Giles amazes me. Harris et al get a free pass. We had leads to close them out with three other pitchers besides him.

[doyce7]

I have officially given up on Giles and wish never to see him throw another pitch for the Astros.  If he can't get anyone out unless it counts, how can anyone count on him when it does?

Nearly every closer out there struggles in non save situations. He faced 3 batters in a 5 run game, other guys didn't get it done either.

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[DVauthrin]

I’d rather have Giles in an 8th inning role, but he’s a good reliever and a valuable bullpen piece.  What killed him yesterday was allowing the next two hitters after Ramirez to reach following the marathon at bat. 

Harris’ big mistake was the hanging curveball to the pinch hitter Gonzalez.  It also looked like the 0-2 pitch to Kipinis was strike three, but the home plate ump called it a ball.  Then Kipnis golfed a hit into right.

As for Rondon, Lindor and Brantley hit some decent pitches, but they were too close too the zone for my taste on 0-2. 

[MusicMan]

I have officially given up on Giles and wish never to see him throw another pitch for the Astros.  If he can't get anyone out unless it counts, how can anyone count on him when it does?

Pretty much any closer not named Hoffman or Rivera would fail by this standard.

[JimR]

I’d rather have Giles in an 8th inning role, but he’s a good reliever and a valuable bullpen piece.  What killed him yesterday was allowing the next two hitters after Ramirez to reach following the marathon at bat. 

Harris’ big mistake was the hanging curveball to the pinch hitter Gonzalez.  It also looked like the 0-2 pitch to Kipinis was strike three, but the home plate ump called it a ball.  Then Kipnis golfed a hit into right.

As for Rondon, Lindor and Brantley hit some decent pitches, but they were too close too the zone for my taste on 0-2.

Yes, re the Harris curve. Awful pitch.