Bitter taste in my mouth....

[jaklewein]

Going to bed, but had to log on long enough to say that the ump completely sucked in the 9th inning of tonight's game.  How in the hell are we supposed to be successful when we're having to look at called strikes at the ankles?  Fuck'n bullshit, but hey, only one game...all we need is one in STL.

[CrawfordBoxes]

NO KIDDING...That was ridiculous. Ausmus and Lane were getting screwed as well as everyone else. But at least it's very obvious that Izzy is our bitch!

[Frobie]

Yeah, it's not the reason we lost but it was still frustrating.  Lane actually had a pretty decent AB in the 9th--not much he could do.

Fuck 'em, let's get 'em tomorrow.

[Limey]

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Going to bed, but had to log on long enough to say that the ump completely sucked in the 9th inning of tonight's game.  How in the hell are we supposed to be successful when we're having to look at called strikes at the ankles?  Fuck'n bullshit, but hey, only one game...all we need is one in STL.

His mouth is full of Isringhausen's spooge.

He was giving Carpenter low strikes all day and he took advantage (quite rightly).  The Astros had the choice of taking 'em as strikes or beating 'em into the ground for outs.  But in the 9th, McLelland just dropped the zone by about 6 inches and gave stuff miles off the plate.  The Fox turds were crediting Isringhausen, but if he'd been forced to throw proper strikes it looked like he'd get hit.

McLelland, you complete cunt!

[nlu4ever]

I have to agree....but that seems to be a season long issue with the Stros.  I am a firm believer that MLB has a master plan on who they truly want in the WS....and unfortunately the Stros aren't in that plan.  But the Red Sox and the Yankees didn't advance, so maybe it is the medications I am taking...who knows!!

Add that to the screwing that the Angels just took....and maybe you see my point.

[cuban]

I wasn't upset with Lane's AB so much as Ausmus's. For Christ's sake McClellan, FIRST BASE IS OPEN. Izzy doesn?t need your god damn favors!

[No? in Austin]

McClellan didn't lose that game for Houston... he just piled on to get into the party that Houston was having for the Jakes.  All night long the 'Stros refused to make the Jakes earn *anything* in terms of having good at bats or being smarter with situations and executions.  Instead they played as if the Jakes were precious and needed to be given gifts of admiration and respect by the mud and blood.

In the end, McClellan just jumped aboard and refused to make the Jakes and Izzy *earn* anything either.  Why not?  The Astros did it all night long.

[Limey]

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McClellan didn't lose that game for Houston... he just piled on to get into the party that Houston was having for the Jakes.  All night long the 'Stros refused to make the Jakes earn *anything* in terms of having good at bats or being smarter with situations and executions.  Instead they played as if the Jakes were precious and needed to be given gifts of admiration and respect by the mud and blood.

In the end, McClellan just jumped aboard and refused to make the Jakes and Izzy *earn* anything either.  Why not?  The Astros did it all night long.

I'm just annoyed because as soon as the Astros finally get something going, McLelland changes the game.  Isringhausen is going to get hit hard this series if he's made to throw strikes.

[nlu4ever]

Noe, I agree...but over the years I have seen more and more "calls" that effect the outcomes of games and to me it almost seems that there may be a "master plan".  Of course I do go back to the fact that I am on some serious meds today and may be way to out of it and seeing conspiracies where there aren't any...oh well tomorrow is a new day...maybe after 10 hours at work tomorrow I will have a better attitude

[No? in Austin]

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Isringhausen is going to get hit hard this series if he's made to throw strikes.

That is more relevant because McClellan won't be behind the dish any more this series to help him out. BUT...

... the Astro's patient approach with Izzy is mind-boggling given how they just loved swinging at first pitch low balls by Carpenter all night long.  Wasn't the 8th inning a three or four pitch inning?  Three ground balls to show for it.

In the 9th, Lamb actually takes borderline pitches he can't hit even if McClellan gives them for strikes.  He patiently stroked an outside pitch to left instead of trying to pull it and had, IMHO, the best approach and AB of the night.  Lane took the same approach up there and spit on pitches low and really hard to call hittable pitches that were strikes.  *THAT* is when McClellan stepped in and made them pay.  What I hope is that the Astros don't abandon what they did in the 9th in terms of approach and make the pitcher come into the zone and stop that nonsense they did for the 8 prior innings of play.

[No? in Austin]

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Noe, I agree...but over the years I have seen more and more "calls" that effect the outcomes of games and to me it almost seems that there may be a "master plan".  Of course I do go back to the fact that I am on some serious meds today and may be way to out of it and seeing conspiracies where there aren't any...oh well tomorrow is a new day...maybe after 10 hours at work tomorrow I will have a better attitude

The Astros beat themselves tonight for the most part.  Great teams like St. Louis don't *need* for the other team to give them any help.  Very winable game and trust me, AP wasn't any worse a performer than Carpenter was tonight.  Houston went up to the plate with no plan of action on how to beat him, so they basically gave Carpenter a free ride tonight.  Andy had to battle for what he could get and one mistake pitch was all he should regret about tonight.

Given some breaks here and there and perhaps Andy pushing some guys back off the plate (Nunez and Grundzalphabets have no business sitting on top of the plate like that... they should've had one put into their ear for the way they hung over the plate), Houston would've been looking at a 4-2 or 4-3 'stros lead, maybe 4-4 tie game in the 9th instead of having to depend on the homeplate blue.

In fact, had Houston been leading and Izzy is getting *those* strikes, I'm estatic because they'll go Lidge's way in the bottom half and the Jakes would be toast.

Those are the reasons you play with a sound approach to winning the game for the night instead of just the 9th inning.

[Holly]

I was doing homework while watching, and kept wondering how it could be a strike, when it wasn't a curve or sinker and Molina (squatting, legs bent inward) was catching it below *his* knees. Splitters down there after crossing the plate, sure, but those FBs? Naaah.

That said, ugh. Squandered opps earlier. Good job by Burke, though. Set McClelland up for the save.

[johnstros]

you know that was what worried me a lot in our last game with hudson.  I was hoping that he would be at 70 at the 5th inning or so...  

I don't think today was exactly the same, just because carpenter was a bit wild in the middle parts.

when Lane came up to bat in the 9th, and the 2nd pitch was a strike down the middle, I was thinking to myself, he should stuffed that one over the wall...  But as far as looking at a pitch a couple of more times and fouling them off like Lamb seems easier said than done.  Possibly they aren't as afraid of izzy as they are with carpenter.  Willie came up hacking in the 9th with a fastball way high and in...  shucks

Maybe the mentality against carpenter is that you better hit it now because he is going to put you away soon.  The games earlier in the season were like that.  1st pitch strike, second pitch strike, 3rd pitch curveball...  over...  But carpenter does not seem to have the same stuff as he did earlier in the summer.  

I think maybe the next game against him, the team will be more patient maybe because of the fact that he doesn't have the same kind of stuff...

[johnstros]

"I'm not going to let a good pitch to hit go by," Berkman said. "I think you have to be patient at the plate against him, but the other side of the coin is if he makes a mistake, you can't wait around. You've got to go after it. If you let him get ahead of you, he can carve you up."

how should berkman change his approach?

[das]

 

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...and perhaps Andy pushing some guys back off the plate (Nunez and Grundzalphabets have no business sitting on top of the plate like that... they should've had one put into their ear for the way they hung over the plate)...  

I'm guessing Oswalt does not let the cards get away with that tonight.  Unrelated, Astacio looked fantastic.  Really looked like he had a plan and was executing.  How'd that grill look in hi-def?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I was too fuckin' bummed out to even notice the 9th, except that they didn't comeback and win. I just want these guys to win. I don't care how they lose. I just want them to win. Knowing what went wrong, what they might have done differently, what adjustments to make, is important for the team, and hopefully next game they'll figure it out before the 9th. I don't care if they win close exciting games or huge blowouts. I don't care how they win. The only thing I know for certain, is this ball club never does anything the easy way--which in a morbid kind of way, kindles hope.

[jaklewein]

 I'm just annoyed because as soon as the Astros finally get something going, McLelland changes the game. Isringhausen is going to get hit hard this series if he's made to throw strikes.

Exactly.  I understood that low strikes were being called all night and had no real issue with that, as the ump was fairly consistent with that most of the night When he dropped the zone another 6" in the 9th however....well, that just blew.

[Limey]

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I'm guessing Oswalt does not let the cards get away with that tonight.  Unrelated, Astacio looked fantastic.  Really looked like he had a plan and was executing.  How'd that grill look in hi-def?

Zeke was nasty last night.  In all aspects.

[astro pete]

I jokingly dared McClelland to call the 2-1 pitch to Ausmus a strike.  He did.

McClelland didn't cost us the game, of course.  But the ninth did make me wonder why this guy is considered the best in the business.

[HOB]

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Isringhausen is going to get hit hard this series if he's made to throw strikes.

That is more relevant because McClellan won't be behind the dish any more this series to help him out. BUT...

... the Astro's patient approach with Izzy is mind-boggling given how they just loved swinging at first pitch low balls by Carpenter all night long.  Wasn't the 8th inning a three or four pitch inning?  Three ground balls to show for it.

In the 9th, Lamb actually takes borderline pitches he can't hit even if McClellan gives them for strikes.  He patiently stroked an outside pitch to left instead of trying to pull it and had, IMHO, the best approach and AB of the night.  Lane took the same approach up there and spit on pitches low and really hard to call hittable pitches that were strikes.  *THAT* is when McClellan stepped in and made them pay.  What I hope is that the Astros don't abandon what they did in the 9th in terms of approach and make the pitcher come into the zone and stop that nonsense they did for the 8 prior innings of play.

I couldn't believe it last night.  How many innings went 3 up 3 down or Carpenter not even having to throw double digit pitches and work up a sweat?  They had their chances early, oddly enough, but couldn't break thru.  Carpenter did what he's done all season, force ground balls.  Give him some credit.   But like Noe said, Houston definitely deserves an assist on his game last night.  He had a plan and the Astros went right along with it like they didn't have a choice.  There were occassional good, patient at bats.  Foul off what you can't do much with and make Carpenter work for his outs.  The late rally made the game seem closer than it was.  I hate to say it but it really seemed like Houston played right into the Cards strategy.  That, above any outcome of the game, is what really pissed me off.  I just hope the Astros learn what they can from last night and come with it tonight.... I really want to see the announcers gag on their cardinal pole smoking...  

And when did FOX conclude that america is a bunch of morons and need an animated character to explain how a fucking curve ball moves?  What a bunch of tools.  I can't identify  announcers by their voices but one guy has this piercing tone to his voice and needs to STFU.  I realize it's his job to talk but I'm at a loss trying to understand how he got that job.  Was he another Buck legacy?  I did notice that Lyons continued with his inane and irrelevant comments.  I may be watching the game with the TV on mute tonight.  I'm not sure I can take another game with the same entourage of twits that covered last nights game.

[edvio]

is zeke a better option to start than wandy for the fifth game?

[Holly]

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is zeke a better option to start than wandy for the fifth game?

Where have you heard that a fifth game would be anyone other than Pettitte, Oswalt or Clemens (in that order)?

[Jacksonian]

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The Astros beat themselves tonight for the most part.  Great teams like St. Louis don't *need* for the other team to give them any help.  Very winable game and trust me, AP wasn't any worse a performer than Carpenter was tonight.  Houston went up to the plate with no plan of action on how to beat him, so they basically gave Carpenter a free ride tonight.  Andy had to battle for what he could get and one mistake pitch was all he should regret about tonight.

I agree the game was winnable.  I disagree with your assessment of Pettitte's performance.  I thought he was up in the zone all night.  His pitch to Sanders was up.  His pitch to Eckstein for his RBI was up.  His pitch to Pooholes for his RBI was up.  I thought Andy looked spent from the 3rd inning on.  He didn't have his best control.  And then I learn this morning his right knee was swollen from taking a liner to it during BP last night.  IMO, if Andy had pitched they he's pitched the last half of the season, he might have thrown a shutout.

[JimR]

WFW

[astro pete]

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His pitch to Pooholes for his RBI was up.

I think he was hit in the head, too.  Why was he even pitching to Pujols there?

[astro pete]

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is zeke a better option to start than wandy for the fifth game?

Where have you heard that a fifth game would be anyone other than Pettitte, Oswalt or Clemens (in that order)?

He made it up.

[Tralfaz]

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I may be watching the game with the TV on mute tonight.  I'm not sure I can take another game with the same entourage of twits that covered last nights game.

Do it man.  I was feeling ill having to listen to the TV boobs because 1300 in Austin is obligated to carrying the 'Mack Brown Feelin' Goody show' for the first few innings.  When they switched over to Milo, hope was renewed in the universe.

[JimR]

Pettitte was awful on the TV i watched. up and out over the plate all night.

[HOB]

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The Astros beat themselves tonight for the most part.  Great teams like St. Louis don't *need* for the other team to give them any help.  Very winable game and trust me, AP wasn't any worse a performer than Carpenter was tonight.  Houston went up to the plate with no plan of action on how to beat him, so they basically gave Carpenter a free ride tonight.  Andy had to battle for what he could get and one mistake pitch was all he should regret about tonight.

I agree the game was winnable.  I disagree with your assessment of Pettitte's performance.  I thought he was up in the zone all night.  His pitch to Sanders was up.  His pitch to Eckstein for his RBI was up.  His pitch to Pooholes for his RBI was up.  I thought Andy looked spent from the 3rd inning on.  He didn't have his best control.  And then I learn this morning his right knee was swollen from taking a liner to it during BP last night.  IMO, if Andy had pitched they he's pitched the last half of the season, he might have thrown a shutout.

Agreed.  Pettitte of last night was not the Pettitte we saw in game 1 in Atlanta.  As uncharacteristic as last night was for him, result wise, he did battle despite appearing as you described.  Given the number of base runners he allowed, I felt a blow-out coming.  The Astros kept them to 5 runs.  That's not saying much but it could have been far far worse.  

The only reason I mention it is that if Roy is effective tonight, the Astros have a chance.  We can't ask for anything more.  I just hope their ability to score runs late in the game, yesterday, carries over to today's game.

[johnstros]

It will be interesting to see how oswalt pitches to sanders in the first two innings he comes up.  

If sanders is rendered useless against oswalt, it will be a great game...  the biggest issue with the cards lineup is who hits after pujols.  

Biggio absolutely needs to get on base...  that is where most of the pressure should be coming from

[edvio]

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is zeke a better option to start than wandy for the fifth game?

Where have you heard that a fifth game would be anyone other than Pettitte, Oswalt or Clemens (in that order)?

He made it up.

brain fart. i mean zeke or backe for the fourth game.

[astro pete]

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brain fart. i mean zeke or backe for the fourth game.

No way.

[Limey]

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And when did FOX conclude that america is a bunch of morons and need an animated character to explain how a fucking curve ball moves?  What a bunch of tools.

You are wrong; it's much, much more pointless than that.  They don't explain how a curveball moves.  They explain that it moves.  Most people can figure that out just by watching a real one.

[HudsonHawk]

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And when did FOX conclude that america is a bunch of morons and need an animated character to explain how a fucking curve ball moves?  What a bunch of tools.

You are wrong; it's much, much more pointless than that.  They don't explain how a curveball moves.  They explain that it moves.  Most people can figure that out just by watching a real one.

Hi I'm scooter...and a "curveball" is a ball that "curves"...WooHoo!!!!

[Curly]

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"I'm not going to let a good pitch to hit go by," Berkman said. "I think you have to be patient at the plate against him, but the other side of the coin is if he makes a mistake, you can't wait around. You've got to go after it. If you let him get ahead of you, he can carve you up."

how should berkman change his approach?

Try not grounding out to 2B...pick another location for crying out loud!

[Taras Bulba]

The game I watched last night had St. Louis getting every break and it took them to beat Houston, despite a very sub par performance by Pettitte.  Oswalt and the boys roll them tonight.

[BudGirl]

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The game I watched last night had St. Louis getting every break and it took them to beat Houston, despite a very sub par performance by Pettitte.  Oswalt and the boys roll them tonight.

I saw the Astros not executing when they needed in order to win.  Twice a runner on third with one out.  Neither time did he score.  Finally in the ninth, AUSMUS gets one home.

St. Louis may have gotten some breaks, but the Astros didn't do what they needed to do in order to win.

[HudsonHawk]

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St. Louis may have gotten some breaks, but the Astros didn't do what they needed to do in order to win.

Well said.  You make your own breaks.  The Astros didn't last night.  It was Game One.

[Curly]

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St. Louis may have gotten some breaks, but the Astros didn't do what they needed to do in order to win.

Well said.  You make your own breaks.  The Astros didn't last night.  It was Game One.

Key play for me last night was Ensberg being thrown out at home.  Nothing he could do about it...but that ball hit anywhere else to the right of where it was and he scores and stirs things up.  As luck (or bad luck in this case) would have it, it didn't and so went the rest of the night.

[Taras Bulba]

I'm not sure a line drive right at someone or a home run shot snagged over the fence is a failure to execute and it's a different game if either succeed.

[jaklewein]

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St. Louis may have gotten some breaks, but the Astros didn't do what they needed to do in order to win.

Well said.  You make your own breaks.  The Astros didn't last night.  It was Game One.

Not only that, but we loaded the bases with one out...and had our best hitter coming to the plate.  Berkman hit the shit out of the ball...that's all you can ask for in this game...is to hit the ball hard somewhere.  The damn announcers kept saying that we squandered that opportunity...like we didn't execute or something.  Fuck them, we got people on with some good ABs in that inning and hit the ball hard right at someone...nothing you can do about that.  Those are the breaks, and as you said....that was only game one.  Maybe we'll get a break or two extra tonight.

[johnstros]

about one caught to snag a homerun, but on TV, it didn't even seem like "REGGIE" had to jump, it was looking like it was going to the wall only.  Seemed as if a little bit of hot dog going on

[Trey]

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about one caught to snag a homerun, but on TV, it didn't even seem like "REGGIE" had to jump, it was looking like it was going to the wall only.  Seemed as if a little bit of hot dog going on

Reggie had to jump, but he slowed down before he did.  I don't know if it was hotdogging, but he didn't get himself in good position ot make the catch.

I don't think it was going out, though.

[astro pete]

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about one caught to snag a homerun, but on TV, it didn't even seem like "REGGIE" had to jump, it was looking like it was going to the wall only.  Seemed as if a little bit of hot dog going on

Exactly.  The hop after the hit, the wave to the crowd, and the jump to catch the fly ball were all that I needed to confirm my dislike for the man.

[johnstros]

he slowed down because he thought the wall was right before him, when the reality was there was about 5 more feet of space

[Curly]

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about one caught to snag a homerun, but on TV, it didn't even seem like "REGGIE" had to jump, it was looking like it was going to the wall only.  Seemed as if a little bit of hot dog going on

It wasn't even close to going out.  As for hot dog, the term I would use would be can't play a ball for shit.  He jumped for a ball that could have been caught on the ground three feet from the wall.  Sanders is in there for his stick (stop it!) because he has a terrible read on the ball.  He completely misplayed the other ball over his head...I though for sure this was going to be our night when shovel jaw Jimmy misplayed Ensberg's shot to the track.

[johnstros]

 you mean berkman...

[Arky Vaughan]

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Going to bed, but had to log on long enough to say that the ump completely sucked in the 9th inning of tonight's game.  How in the hell are we supposed to be successful when we're having to look at called strikes at the ankles?  Fuck'n bullshit, but hey, only one game...all we need is one in STL.

His mouth is full of Isringhausen's spooge.

He was giving Carpenter low strikes all day and he took advantage (quite rightly).  The Astros had the choice of taking 'em as strikes or beating 'em into the ground for outs.  But in the 9th, McLelland just dropped the zone by about 6 inches and gave stuff miles off the plate.  The Fox turds were crediting Isringhausen, but if he'd been forced to throw proper strikes it looked like he'd get hit.

McLelland, you complete cunt!

Even the Fox guys were willing to say that some of those pitches were way out of the strike zone and that McLelland was giving Izzy everything.

[Andyzipp]

Not quite.  The idiots on Fox were talking about how Isringdipshit established his pitch with McLleland by throwing the same ball over and over.

Only after the really obvious worm burners would they admit that hey maybe one of those pitches was a bit low.

[cc]

Oh, and did you know Eckstein was scrappy, and a gamer to boot?!  I'm starting to think maybe these guys' insight will finally make Scooter's input somewhat superfluous.  I don't know, but personally I'm starting to lean that way.

[Andyzipp]

If someone was to replace Steve Lyons with Scooter, would you actually notice?

[Ty in Tampa]

IIRC, Tattoo is everything that's right about baseball.

I thought that was John Smoltz.