What's better or worse?

[Arky Vaughan]

The Astros having been in both Games 1 and 2 with a chance to win, I'm not sure what's better or worse.

On the one hand, it feels like a missed opportunity, because they could've pulled at least one of them out.  On the other hand, the fact that they played well, despite losing, suggests that they can beat this team.

We'll have one day and change to worry about that until Tuesday evening rolls around.

[EasTexAstro]

Winning would have been MUCH better.

Being in the games has been good. Making this series interesting seems to be a very high likelihood.

[Arky Vaughan]

Obviously winning would've been much better.

But my question is, since they lost, would you rather have lost two close ones, or two blowouts?

Two close ones make you regret how a couple of things this way or that would've made those wins.

Two blowouts would make you wonder whether they belong on the same field together.

So would you rather lose closely, knowing you squandered chances, but knowing also that you played pretty well, or would you rather get blown out, so as to eliminate any second-guessing in your mind as to the little things that might've made things turn out differently?

I think I take losing closely, since that at least means that they fought the good fight rather than having their asses handed to them.

[EasTexAstro]

I'll take the close games every time.

I thought they had it...until they fell behind.

Then I thought they had it again, until the last pitch.

Stressful? Yeah. I love it, though. The Astros have worked hard to get me in shape for close games all year.

[Arky Vaughan]

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I'll take the close games every time.

I thought they had it...until they fell behind.

Then I thought they had it again, until the last pitch.

Stressful? Yeah. I love it, though. The Astros have worked hard to get me in shape for close games all year.

This team has one extremely important characteristic going for it: they never give up.  I know the whole "bee-lieve" thing is kind of cliched, but after what they've gone through this season, they keep battling to the last at-bat.

[Bench]

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I'll take the close games every time.

I thought they had it...until they fell behind.

Then I thought they had it again, until the last pitch.

Stressful? Yeah. I love it, though. The Astros have worked hard to get me in shape for close games all year.

I'll always take the close game.

Tonight, I thought the 'Stros had it. And then they didn't. And then they tied it up. And then, in the words of Up Too Late, "is it over that quickly?"

Disheartening, but dramatic and fun. I'll take that type of World Series loss any year. Hell, I've been waiting my whole life for that type of loss.

[Limey]

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But my question is, since they lost, would you rather have lost two close ones, or two blowouts?

After Game #1, I thought Jenks was going to be unhittable.  After Game #2, he's just another reliever.

The comeback was importany, it just sucked h0ow it ended.  I like to lose two close ones rather than get blown out twice.  You learn a lot more.

[bullmartin]

Close ones for sure.  I really think that we'll be able to do some major damage at home.  Esp. w/ Oswalt.  If we sweep at home maybe we can go back and get one of these close ones.

[CrawfordBoxes]

I know for a fact Oswalt will sack up. He is a BIG TIME PITCHER. But will need Backe and then... Clemens?

[EasTexAstro]

Call me short sighted, but the Astros have Oswalt pitching in game 3.

My whole thought process ends there.

[CrawfordBoxes]

Hell yeah!!!!

[TangerineDream]

Played a good game. Sox just got a (maybe not lucky but..) homer at a bad time for us. It happens. Overally 'Stros seemed to be better (6 runs) and Taveras sure is making the games exciting to watch. After losing two close games its no time to panic now.

.....damn that Crede pisses me off!

[astro pete]

Well, for starters they did NOT play well last night.  They misplayed three balls that led to two runs in the second, then pitched around two batters to get to the White Sox best hitter--Konerko--in the seventh, only to throw him a fastball right down the middle for a grand slam.  Pettitte was gutsy and the offense was productive, but the Astros played far from their best game.

[mihoba]

I would hardly call Burke and Biggio's failed catches as 'misplayed'. The Astros and Pettitte were in complete control until the pen took over. There were several positives in the game, they will just have to do it the hard way. Sound familiar?

[astro pete]

Burke ran in a circle to get to his ball; Biggio dropped his.

[Tralfaz]

I'm still waiting waiting for the E4 to appear in the box score this morning.  Yeah right, RBI- Uribe.  hahahahah!

[HurricaneDavid]

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I would hardly call Burke and Biggio's failed catches as 'misplayed'.

A routine pop-up that bounces off Biggio's glove isn't a misplay?  If that's not the definition of misplay, I don't know what is.

I wonder how much the wind factored in last night.  The announcers didn't really talk about it that much, or maybe I've gotten so used to tuning them out that they did.  The route that Burke took was obviously less than direct; I wonder if the wind was really blowing that one.  No question it was a tough play.  As for Biggio... if you can touch it, you should catch it.

[mihoba]

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A routine pop-up that bounces off Biggio's glove isn't a misplay?  If that's not the definition of misplay, I don't know what is.

I wonder how much the wind factored in last night.  The announcers didn't really talk about it that much, or maybe I've gotten so used to tuning them out that they did.  The route that Burke took was obviously less than direct; I wonder if the wind was really blowing that one.  No question it was a tough play.  As for Biggio... if you can touch it, you should catch it.

They mentioned wind when AJ hit that sky high pop to AE late in the game. As far as Biggio's drop, watching it live I thought it was a tough play, but Tivo this morning may have changed my mind. Bidge once again has trouble going back on a pop...I stand corrected.

[homer]

 

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The announcers didn't really talk about it that much

The announcers didn't talk about the weather much at all.

They will talk about the most minute and inane detail and attribute it to wins and losses, but they won't talk about the giant elephant in the room.

I guess they figured if they ignored it, it would go away.

[Tralfaz]

They also glossed over that fact that the game could be called after the 5th inning.  I heard no mention of this at all.  Anyone else? Led to some question on the GZ about rules during the World Series possibly being different than regular season(WTF)?  I doubt this would be the case but never got clarification.  Seemed like Fox was going postal, dead, set and determined to get this ball game played in it's entirty.  Too much jack on the table to let the quality of the playing environment matter.  Great game regardless, amazing ball players on both teams.

[HudsonHawk]

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Seemed like Fox was going postal, dead, set and determined to get this ball game played in it's entirty.  Too much jack on the table to let the quality of the playing environment matter.  Great game regardless, amazing ball players on both teams.

Fox has no say-so whatsoever about playing conditions.  They broadcast the games.  That's it.

[JimR]

Mike, you are wearing Astros-colored glasses. both were very bad misplays.

we did not "pitch around" anyone in the 7th. Wheeler was getting under the ball and was wild.

[Tralfaz]

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Fox has no say-so whatsoever about playing conditions.  They broadcast the games.  That's it.

So the game was official after five as always, right?

[mihoba]

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Mike, you are wearing Astros-colored glasses. both were very bad misplays.

we did not "pitch around" anyone in the 7th. Wheeler was getting under the ball and was wild.

Watched Biggio's drop this morning again, and yes he should have had it. Burke's play was a little tougher, a slicing fly that he squared up on early, then couldn't quite reach it. Interesting that Garner on the post game said that he considered Burke to be the best defensive leftfielder in the NL.

[No? in Austin]

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we did not "pitch around" anyone in the 7th. Wheeler was getting under the ball and was wild.

Typically, when Ausmus and Wheeler set up a hitter with three straight fastballs away that he cannot catch up to, you expect a fastball or slider in on the hands to tie him up and get rid of him.

That's how Wheels got Podsednik on the previous AB.  But when Wheeler threw the ball inside, you could tell he was getting under the ball instead of his usual pin-point accuracy at the knees.  Garner and Hickey were hoping he'd regain that pitch with Dye, who crushes outside fastballs (unlike Taguchi who looked awful trying to hit those pitches).  That lead to the same exact pitch going up and in on Dye and in the umpires view, graze him enough to award him first base.

I thought it was not as blantant as some viewed it and it could have possibly caught some arm and bat at the same time by the way.  Wheels just could not for the life of him get a feel for the pitch that is his bread and butter (fastball/inside part of the plate/at the knees).  There will be better days for him, but the bullpen on the whole was off last night and that was the story behind this loss, unfortunately.

[No? in Austin]

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Fox has no say-so whatsoever about playing conditions.  They broadcast the games.  That's it.

So the game was official after five as always, right?

Rules apply for playoffs as they do for regular season games.  Nothing changes, except for pre and post game festivities and the time between innings for the broadcast rights.  The game itself does not change under any circumstances whatsoever.

[homer]

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Seemed like Fox was going postal, dead, set and determined to get this ball game played in it's entirty.  Too much jack on the table to let the quality of the playing environment matter.  Great game regardless, amazing ball players on both teams.

Fox has no say-so whatsoever about playing conditions.  They broadcast the games.  That's it.

Bullshit. If you think that then I got a bridge to sell you.

[JimR]

it never got close to his arm. that did not cost us the game, though. Wheeler's wildness was the main culprit, along with Bad News Bears defense in the 2nd.

[EasTexAstro]

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it never got close to his arm. that did not cost us the game, though. Wheeler's wildness was the main culprit, along with Bad News Bears defense in the 2nd.

I agree. It was nothing but an odd event during the game.

[Jacksonian]

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it never got close to his arm. that did not cost us the game, though. Wheeler's wildness was the main culprit, along with Bad News Bears defense in the 2nd.

Agreed.  The Sox have cashed in on the plays and calls in their favor.  Teams playing well do that.

[mihoba]

What was with Rowand going back to tag up at first on Burke's miss? After that gaff, the Astros had a chance to get out of it, but two bloops later...

[astro pete]

It is remarkable how many blown calls have gone in their favor this postseason, though.

[Arky Vaughan]

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Well, for starters they did NOT play well last night.  They misplayed three balls that led to two runs in the second, then pitched around two batters to get to the White Sox best hitter--Konerko--in the seventh, only to throw him a fastball right down the middle for a grand slam.  Pettitte was gutsy and the offense was productive, but the Astros played far from their best game.

Well, for finishers, they played well enough to be leading until two of their most solid relievers had rare poor outings, then they tied it up in the ninth, then their most solid reliever had his second straight bad outing.

They played pretty well overall.

[astro pete]

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Well, for finishers, they played well enough to be leading until two of their most solid relievers had rare poor outings, then they tied it up in the ninth, then their most solid reliever had his second straight bad outing.

They played pretty well overall.

Characterize however you want, they played shitty defense in the second that cost us two runs.  Then Wheeler and Qualls pitched terribly in the seventh and gave up four more runs.  That they still had a chance to win even after this uncharacteristically bad play is reason for hope.

[HudsonHawk]

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They played pretty well overall.

I thought they played pretty shitty overall.  That they were in that game is a miracle in itself.

[JimR]

they played terrible in Chicago. that is my consolation and reason for hope.

[HurricaneDavid]

After the Podsednik HR, Fox cut to a shot of Berkman and (I think) Vizcaino walking off the field... Berkman was saying something that appeared to be uplifting by his expression.  Anyone else catch that?

[JimR]

i think Berkman was asking him how many outs there were.

[LonghornCDR]

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i think Berkman was asking him how many outs there were.

*golf clap*

[Russ99]

This series isn't over by a long shot. The Sox had to win yesterday to avoid being down 2-1 when Oswalt kicks their butts on Tuesday. I see this going 6 or 7 games, and yeah, I'm pulling for the Sox (a fan since I was 2). Here's hoping Rocket can come back on Thursday to make this an interesting series.

This really sucks - I totally hate cheering against the Astros, but if they win the Series, I'd be really happy.