OrangeWhoopass
  • Home
  • About
  • Forums
  • News
    • Game Recaps
    • Series Previews
    • News You Can Use
    • SNS
      • SnS TWIB
    • TRWD
  • Editorials
    • Columnistas
    • Crunch Time
    • Dark Matter
    • From Left Field
      • Bleacher Rap
      • Brushback
    • From The Dugout
    • Glad You Asked
    • Limey Time
    • Pine Tar Rag
    • Zipper Flap
      • Off Day
  • Minor Leagues
    • Minor Leagues
    • Bus Ride
    • Bus Ride Archive
    • From the Bus Stop
  • Other Originals
    • Original
    • Funk & Wagner
    • Hall of Fame
    • Headhunter
    • Monthly Awards
    • Road Trip
    • Separated At Birth
      • The Berkman Annex
  • Misc
    • Featured
    • Media
    • Uncategorized

Jade Helm 15

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Ron Brand in Featured, Game Recaps

Houston’s Astros 8
The Canadien’s Provocateurs 4

contributed by NeilT

Handsomely rugged Texas Ranger Captain Burk Lanceman sat in the secret headquarters of Texas government located deep beneath the Capitol in Austin. Across from him sat the leader of the Lone Star State, Governor General Greg Abbott.

“Are you certain, Captain, certain? Can there really be no doubt?”

Ruggedly handsome Captain Lanceman’s response was deliberate, measured. “There can be no doubt, Governor General. We have tracked transmissions from Toronto to closed WalMarts in Livingston and Midland. The transmissions originate in Ottawa. The Canadian’s plan, known as Jade Helm 15, appears to be for a two-prong attack producing an east-west pincer movement focused on the Capitol.

“Governor, there is no doubt that the internal events at the two closed WalMarts holds the key to the end game of the Canadian’s Jade Helm operations. Jade Helm and WalMart are inextricably linked, and the existing evidence suggests two end game probabilities. After serving as the staging area, the WalMart stores will be processing centers for FEMA camp political prisoners, including the leaders of our Texas government, and will continue on an on-going basis as supply and staging centers for continued mopping-up operations.

“In the past four weeks, I have watched over 100 videos on Jade Helm and Walmart. I have performed what researchers call a qualitative, or a descriptive analysis of the available facts. In performing this task, I have looked for patterns among the recent Walmart closings, because it is clear that the closings coincide with Jade Helm. This constitutes Phase One of the analysis. In Phase Two, the findings from Phase One are correlated to known or strongly suspected events connected to Jade Helm and other areas of concern related to State security. Subsequently, this kind of descriptive analysis can yield strong clues as to the true intent of where Jade Helm is headed and what the WalMart role consists of in conjunction with Jade Helm. There is no doubt that the events are inextricably linked, and that the mastermind behind them is the Canadian.”

“But Captain Lanceman, what can we do!” Governor General Abbott was clearly disturbed.

“We believe that the creation and maintenance of a covert and preplanned covert guerrilla warfare secret undercover force to be secretly and covertly pre-positioned in an area that will then likely be overrun by the invading Canadian forces. Think Viet Cong, only from Quebec. The Canadian’s plan is to “Master the Human Domain” by insertion of stealth forces based upon the use of “infiltration techniques.” The first two purposes of Jade Helm are dissident extraction and martial law to carry out the geographic isolation of troubled areas. The third goal is the popularization of ice hockey.

“Governor General, you must activate Texas’s greatest hope. I have brought you a letter to warn the Texas Brigade.”

Governor General Abbott was clearly astonished. “But Captain Lanceman, the Texas Brigade has not been activated since 1865!”

“Yes Governor General, but they, our greatest patriots, stand ready for this purpose.” Handsomely rugged Captain Lanceman passed the letter to Governor General Abbott.

“To address concerns of Texas citizens and to ensure that Texas communities remain safe, secure and informed about military procedures occurring in their vicinity, I am directing the Texas State Guard to monitor Operation Jade Helm 15. During the training operation, it is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.”

***
“Sacre bleu!” cried Senator Cruse, code name the Canadian. “Burk Lanceman has taken the bait! Jean Jacques,” he called to his chief of staff, “bring me tonight’s play-by-play!”

For years the Canadians, plotting against the government in Texas, had raised a super-race of baseball players whose sole purpose was to communicate to inserted Canadian agents the coded plans and schemes of the Canadians. These baseball players, all now on the Toronto Blue Jays, were raised by the Canadian Royal Mounties from birth to play baseball as it had never been played before. No action on the field was random: all was controlled, designed, and communicating play-by-play Toronto’s coded messages.

“Look Jean Jacques, how our brave Canadiens make Keuchel struggle. Four earned runs in only six innings pitched! They are telling us that the Texas government is buying our fake invasion plans!

“And now look, how they allow the bullpen to shut them down! Mon dieu! They are affirming to us that there is no real invasion! Harris, Qualls (yes even Qualls), and Fields! in the 7th, 8th, and 9th are telling us there is no real invasion.

“Now look, here, with home runs by Springer, off Dickey in the 3rd, Altuve (3 RBI) off Dickey in the 5th, with 422 feet, and Valbuena, off Tepera in the 7th! And the two doubles by Tucker off Dickey and the one by Carter in the 2nd! Jean Jacques! They are letting us know that by sending out his letter, the Texans will not be ready when it is time for the real invasion! We have at last destroyed the credibility of our nemesis, Captain Burk Lanceman!”

It had been a brilliant game by the agent provocateurs of the Canadian government. Except for troubled innings by Keuchel, the game had been arranged so that the Texans believed that they were in control, and that things had been played out well. Little did they know that the real invasion, the Canadian invasion, was coming. And the only Texan who could stop it, handsomely rugged Captain Burk Lanceman, had lost his credibility on a Canadian ruse.

Astros Tucker Out Blue Jays!

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Ron Brand in Featured, Game Recaps

Astros 6 Blue Jays 4
WP Fields (2-0)
LP Loup (1-2)
S Qualls (4)

contributed by Mr. Happy

Buttressed by a 3-4 night from Preston Tucker and another 2.2 frames of scoreless relief from the bully, the Good Guys bested Toronto 6-4 before 15,777 last night at MMPUS. While the home nine didn’t reach the seats last night, they doubled their pleasure all night with two-baggers. Indeed, five of the eight Astro hits were doubles. Eight and nine in the order was 4-7 with three doubles and three ribbies. Loup was pretty bad last night, not only blowing a save but getting hung with the big L. He didn’t retire any of the four hitters he faced in the seventh inning.

How long will the Hinchman continue to stick with K’ing Chris Carter? He’s so lost that he doesn’t know where he is lost from. Will the Astros continue to play batting average limbo with Carter? He’s at .150 now. How low can it go?

Carmonandez pitched about as well as he can last night (six hits and four earnies). He got off to a rough start in the top of the first frame when both Joey Bats and Edwin Encarnacion took him way out of the yard. About the best you can say about his pitching performance last night was that he ate up 6.1 innings. If, and this is a big if, the Astros can indeed contend in 2015, I don’t think that it will be Carmonandez who pitches in that four all year. I know that young phenom Lance McCullers, Jr. was just moved up to Fresno. I’ll be watching his starts there with great interest, because he could be in the equation in August or September.

Despite scoring six runs, which has been difficult lately, the hitters really didn’t have a very good night. Collectively, the Astros were only 8-31. The only two players who had multi-hit games were the Piranha (big surprise-who also had two stolen bags) and Tucker. Strikeouts continue to plague the Good Guys, as they collected 13 more last night. Marisnick, who’s been very cold lately, earned a golden sombrero in the leadoff spot. However, for all of their shortcomings at the dish, the Astros continue to shine in the field. The club again had no errors, and the infield notched three twin killings. The pitcher’s best friend indeed.

All in all, it’s another W, but I really like it because it was another come-from-behind win. I just don’t think that the ball club would have won this type of game even a year ago. Let’s hope that they keep winning.

Welcome home, first place Houston Astros!

Posted on May 13, 2015 by BudGirl in Featured, Series Previews

Giants @ Astros May 12-13, 2015

submitted by Mr. Happy

The Giants, losers of two of their last four games, invade MMPUS for a brief two-game set against the Good Guys. The Giants are coming in from the City-By-the-Bay, where they split a four game set against the Miami Marlins. The Astros are fresh off of a quick west coast swing through Anaheuim, where the Astros split a four game set with the Halos. Coming into play on May 12, the Giants have hit .257 as a team and have pitched to a 3.63 ERA in compiling their 16-16 mark. On the other hand, the Astros have a team batting average of .228 coming into the series and have pitched to a 3.45 team ERA in getting to their 20-12 record.

Game One May 12, 2015

Chris Heston (2-3 3.38) v. Collin McHugh (4-0 3.23)

The Astros have never seen Mr. Heston, who is a 27 year old right hander, which means that he’ll probably look like Cy Young against the Good Guys, although lefties are hitting a robust .375 against him, while he’s been pretty good against righties, holding them to a .212 batting average. Heston has allowed two more runs per game in his road starts as compared to his home starts, and he’s been much better at night than during the day.

The Gints haven’t seen much of McHugh, with only Nori Aoki, who is 2-6 against McHugh, and Casey McGhee, who is 0-2 against McHugh, having any at-bats against him. Heston gives up some hits (42 in 37.1 frames), because his batting average against is .282, and his WHIP is 1.39. On the other hand, McHugh’s batting average against thus far is .245, and his WHIP is 1.10. I won’t be a bit surprised if this one is a close, low scoring game that comes down to the bullpens.

Game Two May 13, 2015

Tim Hudson (1-3 4.50) v. Brett Oberholtzer (0-0 0.00)

At this stage in his career, Mr. Hudson pitches to contact, as he’s given up 44 hits in 40 innings, his batting average against is .289 and his WHIP is 1.33. Hudson has had some problems keeping the ball in the yard; he’s allowed six taters in 40 innings. With only 19 strikeouts and nine walks in 40 frames, Hudson is usually around the plate, but he doesn’t have swing-and-miss stuff. Current Astros are only 7-29 against Hudson, but the Good Guys are led by Colby Rasmus, who’s 6-14 with two jacks and a two-bagger against Hudson. The Piranha is the only other Astro to have a knock against Hudson. Rasmus is my pick-to-click in this game.

On the other hand, we really don’t know what to expect out of the 25 year old Oberholtzer, who’s never faced any of the Giants players, in his first outing of the season, except that he’s probably on a tight pitch count. Based upon last season, Oberholtzer is a soft-tossing portsider who pitches to contact and who needs to have good command because, at least last season, he lacked a finish-off pitch. Oberholtzer has had some problems with base traffic, surrendering 170 hits in 143.1 innings pitched. He had a disturbingly generous WHIP of 1.35 last season. This one could be a high scoring affair.

Promotions

May 12, 2015-Grape Escape win tasting event; Coca Cola value days

May 13, 2015-Dollar Dog Night

Prediction

Come on now. Did you really expect anything other than a Giants sweep?

Note: This should have been posted early Tuesday afternoon but some email glitch prevented it.

Let’s Trade!!!

Posted on May 13, 2015 by BudGirl in Featured, Game Recaps

Giants 8, Astros 1
W: Heston, L: McHugh

mlb recap and box
gamezone

So, the Astros lost again. They are 7 games over .500 and 4 games in first. You may think I should still be hopeful, but I kind of am not. I did notice this current streak of playing shitty baseball and only winning 2 out of the last 8 games is almost the complete opposite of the 10 game win streak they had earlier this year. So many people were wanting to trade for more pitching and let’s call Correa up, etc. Well, I think this season is somewhere in between the 10 game win streak and the 2 wins in 8 games column. This team has potential to be amazing and it also have the potential to stink up a bathroom.

What brought on this kind of thinking you probably are not wondering. Well, this morning as I’m walking into the office, I pass one guy that says bring up Correa and I just smile and keep going. Correa is not going to turn this team into the 10 game win streak type of team alone. Yes, he may help, but one player a team does not make. I believe this team will have offensive woes as long as they continue to lead the league in strike outs (1st in AL, 2nd in MLB). If you put the ball in play then you at least have a chance it will drop for a hit or the fielder throws it away. But standing there taking pitches or swings and misses does not help.

I guess I’m tired of their bad baseball of late. I believe I know what this team really is and I rather hope what I believe is wrong (in a good way for the team). I just want them to play good solid baseball. I want half the strike outs and error free play. Is that really too much to ask?

Never say die!

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Ron Brand in Featured, Game Recaps

Astros 3 Halos 2
WP: Neshek (3-0)
LP: Street (2-1)
S: Gregerson (7)

contributed by Mr. Happy

In what was for me the most satisfying win of the young season, the Astros erupted for three runs in the top of the ninth frame against Huston Street, a top-shelf closer, in Anaheim to hang an L on Mr. Street. The Good Guys were held scoreless for eight innings by starter Hector Santiago and two relievers. Clinging to a 2-0 lead, the Halos turned the game over to Huston Street for the top of the ninth.

Colby Rasmus greeted Mr. Street with a line drive single to RF. Chris Carter woke up in time to line a single to LF, moving Rasmus to 2B. After a typical flyout by Castro the Astro, Jake Marisnick lined an RBI single to LF, which scored Rasmus and moved Robbie Grossman, who had been inserted as a pinch-runner for Carter, to 2B. Preston Tucker picked a very opportune time to collect his first big league hit, scoring Grossman and moving Marisnick to 3B, with Tucker taking 2B on the throw. After walking Jonathan Villar to load the sacks, this brought the Piranha to the plate with ducks on the pond. Facing a 1-2 count, Altuve was given another snake, but made contact and grounded it to 2B, scoring Marisnick with the lead run. At this point, the Halos put the hook on Mr. Street, but it was too late. Luke Gregerson got up and down in order in the ninth to save the game.

It was a meager output for the high-octane offense, consisting of six hits. No Astro had a multi-hit game. Yet it was enough. This is a very important win for a few reasons. For starters, it’s on the road and is against a division rival. Secondly, it breaks a short losing streak. Third, it is a come-from-behind win. I don’t think that the club could have come back in recent years. This team believes that it can win every game and is never out of it. That’s exactly the attitude that you want.

Once again, the good pitching returned to the scene, led by Collin McHugh’s 7.1 innings of five hit two run ball, followed up by what is quickly becoming a lockdown bully.

This brought home a win by Waldo, who took in the game and who observed in the GZ that the front-running Halos fans headed for the exits after Altuve’s RBI groundout. Speaking of the Game Zone, come see us. However, if you do, bring it strong or STFU.

Astros @ Angels, 5/7-10 – Choke Back the Bile

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Waldo in Series Previews

It’s time we all did some soul searching because it’s obvious that someone screwed up. Things were going so well before they weren’t. Sure, you would be naive to look at the series against the Mariners and not see a couple of chinks in the armor, most notably on Sunday. But to get blown out of your own stadium by the Rangers at a combined mark of 20-5? We all have our responsibilities and someone clearly dropped the ball.

I must confess that it might have even been me. After the win on Sunday I took my daughter to KFC for some chicken. Can’t go wrong, right? However, as I was mowing the yard on Monday night, listening to the Astros maintaining a 1-0 lead into the late innings, I encountered a spider while moving the kids’ toys around on the back porch. In that brief moment before the spider scurried off, I consciously considered eating the spider in the finest TalkZone tradition. Yet, I did not. I didn’t even make an attempt. It was not 15 minutes later that the Rangers had tied it, and not much after that that the streak was gone.

Mea culpa.

However, as I am sitting in a hotel room in west Los Angeles looking out at the unsuspecting landscape, I can’t get the following thoughts out of my mind:

  1. Anaheim is seriously AN HOUR AWAY from here? Don’t let the Port Arthur Astros of Houston hear about that.
  2. Where can a red-blooded American find a got-damn incandescent bulb in this city/state?
  3. Anaheim/Los Angeles is not Houston, therefore the Astros have more than a fighting chance.

The second place Halos just took two out of three from the hapless Mariners after being swept in San Francisco. Meanwhile, the Astros, despite their failings against the Rangers, still own the best record in the AL and lead the league in causing opposing fans to boo their home team. Should make for an interesting weekend. Hopefully circumstances will allow me to make one of the games.

Thursday, May 7 – 9:05pm CDT
Collin McHugh (4-0, 3.41) vs. Hector Santiago (2-2, 3.14)

Both pitchers are coming off outings they’d probably rather have back. McHugh, despite ending up with a win and a decent stat line (eight baserunners over seven innings), gave up four home runs to the M’s. Santiago took the loss against the Giants while giving up four runs in five innings. Although neither pitcher has faced the other team this year, Santiago is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA against the Astros, while McHugh is 2-2 with a 1.90 ERA against the Angels. Can we please get this guy some run support against LAA this time?

Friday, May 8 – 9:05pm CDT
Roberto Hernandez (1-2, 4.25) vs. Jered Weaver (0-4, 6.29)

The hell has happened to Jered Weaver this year? The Angels have only won one of his starts, a no-decision against the Astros which was also one of his two good starts so far this year. He’s already given up eight homers this year, which puts him well on a pace to be a career worst this season. Meanwhile, Hernandez has induced his fair share of big outs here and there and has been serviceable towards the back of the rotation. Both pitchers own career sub-3.00 ERAs against the other team, so this one could be either a pitching duel or a slugfest.

Saturday, May 9 – 8:05pm CDT
Dallas Keuchel (3-0, 0.80) vs. Matt Shoemaker (2-2, 5.40)

Two beards enter, one beard leaves. Both pitchers have been fairly consistent this year and that works to the Astros’ advantage. Shoemaker has allowed at least three runs in each of his starts, but he’s coming off a game where he pitched into the 8th and struck out ten Mariners bats. That number could easily be higher on Saturday. Cychel (that’s right, I’m starting it) has been outstanding all year and has gobbled up more innings than anyone in baseball. On the surface, this matchup looks the most promising. Then again, when doesn’t a Keuchel vs. Any Random Stooge matchup look promising?

Sunday, May 10 – 2:35pm CDT
Scott Feldman (2-3, 5.50) vs. Garrett Richards (2-1, 2.52)

Richards has strung together three fairly impressive outings since he lost his season debut to the Astros. He has pitched late into games, struck out a fair amount, and has done a generally solid job of keeping himself out of trouble. He’s also 4-1 against the ‘Stros. Feldman had also strung together some good starts before imploding against the Rangers on Tuesday. The Astros’ fate in this game is going to be largely dependent on which Feldman shows up.

Prediction

Three days ago: Astros SWEEP!!!11!1one
Two days ago: Astros still sweep?
Yesterday: Ok, Astros win 3-1.
Today: Split all the way.

«‹4546474849›»

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2002-2015 OrangeWhoopass.com