“The last couple of days, [the bullpen] did a terrific job,” Cooper said. “Tonight we just didn’t get it done. Pretty simple. To get them out, you’ve got to be able to throw it over the plate, and we didn’t do a very good job tonight of that.”
Link
Maybe this had something to do with it,
The bullpen had to throw 12 innings in two days and 15 2/3 during the series in Atlanta,
Link
Astros at Nationals, 5/4/09
Nats 9, Astros 4
W: Lannan (1-3) L: Wright (1-1)
Box Score
Seidel (not the Footer)
This is where you recognize that managers cannot play for the single game in the regular season; you’re trying to win as many of 162 games as you can. And when your bullpen is short one injured pitcher (Sampson), has two guys who were starting last week, and has its top two guys on the DL, then pitching 12 innings over 2 games leaves you somewhat exposed for the next game.
So it really came as no surprise when the bullpen inherited a 4-2 lead and quickly turned it into a 9-4 loss. The only surprise was that the offense couldn’t mount anything further after the four early runs.
The good – Moehler looked pretty good, the first of the two runs in the fifth scoring when he absolutely sawed off Elijah Dukes. Some times, the ball doesn’t fall your way. Also, Kaz Matsui reaching base 3 times.
The bad – I believe two posts from the GZ will sum it up:
HH: 5 runs on three fucking singles.
Jim R: Wright caused that. Paulino is being screwed by all concerned, including the Astros brain trust. That arm is too good to waste.
The ugly:
Remember that time we gave up 9 unanswered runs to the worst team in baseball? That was awesome.
The Houston Astros have issued a reward for anyone who can locate Wesley Wright. Please call 1-800-4ASTROS.
Also, playing a game in 55 degree drizzle in front of “official” attendance of 14,115, when the actual crowd appeared to be 2 or 3 SnS’ers and a small student group.
Roy tries to make it a winning road trip, bright and early today at 11:35.
The Nationals offense is strong, with five starters hitting at or within a hundredth or two of .300, including Adam Dunn, who is somehow not leading the team in strike outs. Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman are both mashing the ball pretty well, too. So why are the Nats so bad? It ain’t the vaunted NL East competition; the Mets were last seen consulting the Treasury Department Chart of Judgment, and the Phillies are back to getting booed, while everyone eats the Marlins dust. (On the upside, we’re two more years away from another Marlins post-WS fire sale!) The Nats are awful because they’re the East Coast version of the Rangers, with a ridiculous offense, but pitching so bad that they actually had Tim Redding start 33 games for them last year. 33! Their best starter this year is rookie Jordan Zimmerman, who sports a startlingly mediocre 4.24 ERA to go with his 2-1 record. Alert Tom Hicks! This man deserves a $60 million contract!
The Nationals also remind me of one of my favorite bands. Lest you think that such a reminders stems from one of my favorite bands being one that favors bluster over fundamentals (sorry, Animal Collective!), rest assured that I’m talking about The National. This Brooklyn band puts together darkly beautiful odes to domesticity and urban angst that are the perfect soundtracks for both brooding nights at home, and raucous forays into the streets in search of brown liquor and companionship. Two of my favorite tracks below:
“The Geese of Beverly Road” with some lame montage crap.
Projected Matchups from Astros.com
Monday
Brian Moehler (0-2, 27.00) v. John Lannan (0-3, 4.61)
The man who is holding Felipe Paulino back from the starting rotation gets to take the mound for the first time since coming off the DL. Moehler obviously needed some time to get into shape, as he was starting to look more and more like the second coming of Chan Ho Park than the 2008 Moehler who anchored the back of the rotation. The knee is supposedly better now, though, so let’s hope for the best. Against the Nats, he’s 2-4 lifetime, and has had success against Adam Dunn (.176, 2 K’s) and Nick Johnson (.231, 3 K’s). Unfortunately, the rest of the Nationals hit him pretty damned well: Cristian Guzman (.462), Austin Kearns (.500, 1 homer), and Ryan Zimmerman (.500) among them. This could get ugly, but at least the bullpen is well rest…fuck me, Coop. Would one more inning from Wandy killed you?
Big lefty Lannan was the Nats opening day starter this year, which is pretty awesome because you’ve never heard his name until now. He tends to give up one big inning in each of his starts, which actually makes him sound like another Opening Day starter we know. He has been hit well by the Puma (.500) and Caballo (.333 and a homer) and PENCE!!! (.400); the top of the lineup has not fared well against him, with Bourn and Kaz still looking for their first career hits against him.
The Ski Club of Washington sponsors John Lannan’s Baseball-Reference.com page. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
Tuesday
Roy Oswalt (0-2, 3.82) v. Scott Olsen (1-3, 6.08)
Roy only threw 13 pitches in his previous start in Atlanta, so he’s get a chance to throw at least 14 this time out. He’s still looking for his first win, which sounds about as strange as Limey being unable to find a pint. A combination of Oswalt Innings and bullpen explosions have left him winless, and I’m sure he’d like to get that monkey off his back. Questions are lingering about whether or not he’s really the Wizard anymore in the first place, and whether he’ll have to become more crafty to get outs instead of blowing guys away. Picking on the Nats would be a great place to start, since he’s made them his double bitch on numerous occasions. He’s 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA against the Washingtonians, and has been particularly effective against Nick Johnson (.111) and Austin Kearns (.171). Meanwhile, Adam Dunn is Adam Dunn against Roy-O (4 homers, 19 K’s, .250), and Ryan Zimmerman stands as the most successful player against Roy at .375 and 2 HR. From the looks of it, if Dunn and Zimmerman do connect against Roy, at least the bases will be empty.
Scott Olsen, smoker and taser victim, was acquired from the Marlins this offseason, and has already made himself at home in DC by stinking up the joint. He’s a fireballer, so hopefully the big boppers can all turn some of that velocity around and keep his ERA high. He did have success in his most recent outing against the Phillies, but his numbers against the Good Guys suggest that it’ll either be feast or famine. Kaz and Carlos (sounds like a morning drive-time radio show, huh?) both hit .333 against him, and Puma goes one better with a .444 BA; everyone else who has faced young Mr. Olsen (including Miggy, Pence, and Towles) are all 0-fer against him. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Olsen’s kind of an asshole, so here’s hoping he gets his smoke break early.
Notable Promotions
Tuesday: T-shirt Tuesdays continues with a t-shirt featuring Teddy Roosevelt wearing a sombrero. Seriously. I think some of the crack rocks from Baltimore may have made their way inside the Beltway.
Astros
Aaron Boone: Gone to see the Wizard, see if he can get a heart before that Tin Man motherfucker does.
Brandon Backe: Still rehabbing. Rehabbing his intercostal muscle, mind you, not “oh my god, I think I just snorted coke at the table during Easter dinner” rehab.
Doug Brocail: day-to-day, last seen yelling at his hamstring to whip it into shape.
Humberto Qunitero: The Thing is still on the 15-day DL, but could be back next week.
Jose Valverde: Papa Grande is still leaking fluid like a Pontiac Grand Am, and won’t be back this month.
Nationals
Roger Bernadina: Mismatched first and last name, 60 day DL.
Matt Chico: Running a bail bond company, 60 day DL.
Dmitri Young: Choking the hell out of a Lady Cop, 15 day DL
Terrell Young: Late for Buffalo Bills training camp, is a locker room cancer, 15 day DL
What To Look For:
Roy
Revitalized Puma
Discuss the games in the GameZone!
astros, brian moehler, john lannan, nationals, roy oswalt, scott olsen, the nationalSunday, May 3, 2009
Astros 7
Braves 5
W: Geary (1-3) | L: Moylan (1-2) | S: Hawkins (3)
Footer
AP via Yahoo!
Game Zone
It was an exciting game to watch, although I kept being interrupted. See, I was preparing myself for one of those tests men have to get after they turn 50 so my attention span was less than what’s required to watch a baseball game. I did, however, see some gutty performances, real intestinal fortitude by the entire crew today as they took game three 7-5 and a road series win from the Braves.
Wandy continued to pitch well on the road, though Coop wouldn’t let him return for the 6th after giving up 1 run in the 4th and 2 in the 5th. In the 4th, things could have been worse for Wandy were it not for a nifty Lee/Tejada/Pudge relay to nail Francouer at the plate trying to score on a double by Prado. In the 5th, a walk, single, sac bunt and intentional walk loaded the bases. With Francouer up, Wandy turned his foot on the rubber to prepare his delivery then stopped and stepped back, with no apparent deception. “That’s a BALK!!!” bellowed from Phil Cuzzi’s piehole as the runners rotated and the go ahead run scored. JD summed the balk rule up as “institutional stupidity.” A sac fly on the next pitch scored Infante to put the Braves up by 2. Wandy got out of both the 4th and 5th innings with Ks.
Matsui’s lead-off double led to the Astros 1st run on the 1st on a sac bunt by Bourn and a sac fly by Berkman. After the Braves 5th gave then a 3-1 lead, the Astros strung together 4 straight singles from Bourn, Berkman, Lee and Tejada to tie it up, then a sac fly by Pudge put the Astros up again.
The lead was short-lived as a bottom 6 leadoff triple led to another game-tying run for the Braves. But timely hitting and baserunning in the top of 7th netted 2 more for the Astros that put the up for good. The depleted bullpen hung on with Fulchino, Wright and Geary handling the 6th and 7th and giving up a run in each.
Brocail came out for the 8th and made a nice play covering 1st to get the 1st batter of the inning but came down on the bag awkwardly and ended up in a heap. Strained hamstring is the diagnosis and he’s expected to hit the DL again soon. Ortiz stepped up and got the second out but walked 2 and Coop brought in Hawkins to finish the 8th with a K of Francouer. LaTroy got a ground out and 2 Ks to earn his 3rd save of the season.
Up to DC for 2 with the Nats. Moehler expected to start vs. Lannan.
FOX sure knows how to put out a spread. Taking over the broadcast of the game from JD and Brown they handed it to Mark “The Slump Buster”Grace and Kenny “Everyone’s Embarassed by Their Dad at Some Point, but I Bet Your Dad Just Said ‘Pull My Finger” A Lot” Albert.
