Problems Astros had in Game 1

[goastros987]

I noticed a few reasons Astros had problems:

1) Clemens was off tonight but he may have actually been injured going into the game per the interviews and articles I have read. Hard to place total blame on him though. Articles say his age showed tonight. Biggest problem is White Sox didn't seem to be intimidated. That homerun in the first inning didn't help.

2) Bagwell petitioned to be DH. Managment may have put him in on sentiment more than practicalities based on the interviews and articles I have read. Whether or not he moved out of the way of the ball is not of consequence. I saw some St.Louis players using same tactic to good effect in playoffs. Took one for the team at his first bat but other than that, was ineffective.

3) Uphill from here. Especially if they use the young talent that got them to the series. GO ASTROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[UpTooLate]

Quote:
I noticed a few reasons Astros had problems:

1) Clemens was off tonight but he may have actually been injured going into the game per the interviews and articles I have read. Hard to place total blame on him though. Articles say his age showed tonight. Biggest problem is White Sox didn't seem to be intimidated. That homerun in the first inning didn't help.

2) Bagwell petitioned to be DH. Managment may have put him in on sentiment more than practicalities based on the interviews and articles I have read. Whether or not he moved out of the way of the ball is not of consequence. I saw some St.Louis players using same tactic to good effect in playoffs. Took one for the team at his first bat but other than that, was ineffective.

3) Uphill from here. Especially if they use the young talent that got them to the series. GO ASTROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1)  Clemens had a bad outing.  Most major league clubs would have hit off him tonight.

2)  Bagwell looked good.  He got in a strong pop fly and took a couple for the team.  That closer just out threw him.  I would think most hitters don't catch up to those pitches.

3)  At least one of our young talent had two consecutive doubles to lead off innings.

The biggest problem was the one mentioned by Gar in the press confrence: Failure to score with runner on 3rd and less than two outs in the seventh and eighth innings.

[Tralfaz]

Quote:

1) Clemens was off tonight but he may have actually been injured going into the game per the interviews and articles I have read. Hard to place total blame on him though. Articles say his age showed tonight. Biggest problem is White Sox didn't seem to be intimidated. That homerun in the first inning didn't help.

2) Bagwell petitioned to be DH. Managment may have put him in on sentiment more than practicalities based on the interviews and articles I have read. Whether or not he moved out of the way of the ball is not of consequence. I saw some St.Louis players using same tactic to good effect in playoffs. Took one for the team at his first bat but other than that, was ineffective.

3) Uphill from here. Especially if they use the young talent that got them to the series. GO ASTROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1) Sox were lucky cold air is not good for a bad hammy at any age.

2) Petition?

3) It's always uphill, that's how we roll.

[goastros987]

2) Petition?

Lobbied.

The Link

[Frobie]

Quote:
2) Bagwell petitioned to be DH. Management may have put him in on sentiment more than practicalities based on the interviews and articles I have read. Whether or not he moved out of the way of the ball is not of consequence. I saw some St.Louis players using same tactic to good effect in playoffs. Took one for the team at his first bat but other than that, was ineffective.

I didn't really read or see anything that suggested it was a sentimental decision.  Certainly not saying that you are making stuff up, but I was on the lookout because I was concerned about this possibility and I came up empty.

If it was up to me (and I skipped the previous thread on this so bare with me), I'd probably have started OP in left, FE at first, and DHd Lamb, saving Baggy for the lefty tomorrow.  However, I am open to the possibility that Garner knows how to manage this team better than I do.  

I certainly don't think Bagwell embarrassed himself tonight, though.  Far from it.  And *of course* he's gonna lobby to be in there.  That's just the way he is.

Oh, and since I haven't had a chance to post this anywhere else, I just wanted to say:  shitfuck.  Yeah, losing game 1 isn't the end of the world, but we had some opportunities to steal this one tonight and didn't get it done.

Fuckshit.

Get 'em tomorrow.

[Tralfaz]

Read between the lines. No, take it literally-

"I told Phil I don't want this to be a charity case or sentimental pick. That's not what Phil is about. He's a standup guy and he's going to be honest with me. This is what he wanted. He wanted me to be here and he wanted me to get an opportunity to play, because he thinks I can do something."

If you think Bags lobbied for this you are mistaken.

[Frobie]

Quote:
If you think Bags lobbied for this you are mistaken.

I think you're probably right--"lobby" isn't the right word.  He probably said he felt up to it and was ready to go.  As much as I'm sure it kills him to watch, I don't think he wants to play for the sake of playing.  He wants to help.

But in any case, I don't think he looked bad tonight.  I'd definitely have him out there again tomorrow.

[goastros987]

 

Quote:
I'd probably have started OP in left, FE at first, and DHd Lamb, saving Baggy for the lefty tomorrow. However, I am open to the possibility that Garner knows how to manage this team better than I do.

I wasn't going to go there, but Garner should have tried a suicide squeeze in 8th inning, screwed up letting Lamb hit against a Lefty instead of using Burke, and should have used Wheeler instead of Springer.

But what do I know?

[tophfar]

Quote:
1) Clemens was off tonight but he may have actually been injured going into the game per the interviews and articles I have read.

whoo boy.  you really should have just stopped right there.

[Frobie]

Quote:
I wasn't going to go there, but Garner should have tried a suicide squeeze in 8th inning, screwed up letting Lamb hit against a Lefty instead of using Burke, and should have used Wheeler instead of Springer.

Eh, you have to figure that with men on the corners, nobody out, and Ensberg-Lamb-Bagwell due up, you're gonna get one across.  I was a little surprised by Lamb facing the lefty, but it's my impression (I admit I've never looked this up so I'm putting on my flame-retardant undies just in case) that Lamb generally holds his own against southpaws.

So you'd have had Burke lay down the squeeze?

[CJM]

Quote:
But what do I know?

obviously not too much about baseball.

[JimR]

i think you know nothing, 987.