by Limey

Citizen’s Bank Park

Monday, April 23, 6:05 p.m. CDT – TV unknown at this point, but FSN is showing the Rockets, so expect this one to be on KNWS.

Projected Matchups from Astros.com

Chris Sampson (2-0, 1.20) v. Adam Eaton (1-1, 6.62)

Sampson has been solid as a rock so far this year, as those fine stats affirm.  He gave up two solo dingers in Cincinnati last time out to end a streak of 9 shut-out innings to open the season.  Of course, solo dingers is about the only thing the Reds do right, and so they were of little consequence as Sampson won the game quite comfortably once the offense woke up and unloaded on the God-awful Reds bully.  Lane’s 3-run, pinch-shibby was the ESPN highlight there.

Eaton, however, has had a very different start to his 2007 campaign.  He has sammidged one good outing – a 7-inning, 2-run effort at Shea – between two starts that could be described as “poor” (although, I’m sure PhilliFan would describe his 4.2-inning, 8-run jobbie at home to the Hated ATL as “Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”).  Regardless, in 4 starts vs. Houston he’s 2-1 with a 4ish ERA, so we will have to see which Eaton shows up tonight:  good, bad or mediocre.

Notable giveaways this series …

As this is a make-up game, I doubt there are any.  Other than seats, for anyone who had tickets for the original deluge.

Injury Report

Houston – Jennings (elbow-knack) is on the 15-day list and expected back sometime this year.  That is only half-true for Backe (elbow-knack) and Gimenez (labia-knack).

Philadelphia – Starting pitcher Mathieson is recovering from surgery on his elbow-knack.  Catchers Coste and Budde have hamstring-knack and oblique-knack respectively.

Other Interesting Things To Look For
•   The Yahoo! Sports previewist and apparent delivery pizza Nazi, Antony Giornalista, cautions the Astros about facing a healthy and “suddenly dangerous” Ryan Howard.  Not that I’m suggesting we should ignore the threat of this baby rhino, but I’m not sure that 2 for 13 in his last 4 games is either “sudden” or “dangerous” when you’re already flirting with Mendozity.  He did hit a dinger in his last at-bat, though, so as long as you have the brain of a goldfish you should keep an eye out for Howard, who is batting 1.000 on the season – all homers.
•   Only four Astros have a double-digit number of at-bats against Eaton:  Biggio (6-13), Jennings (2-11), Hidalgo (2-11) and Bagwell (5-13).  I didn’t say current Astros.  Berkman is 3-9 (only 1 extra base) but he does have 3 walks.  FWIW, Lee is 0-2 and Ensberg 1-2.  If anyone can make any sense out of that, be sure to let me know.
•   Sanjaya will sing the national anthem and Alberto Gonzales will throw out the first pitch…if he recalls this particular diary entry.

Discuss today’s game in the GameZone.