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August 2007
Astros make their moves
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Phil Garner took over halfway through 2004 for Jimy Williams, who took an underachieving ballclub to a .500 record at the All-Star break. I was excited because Jimy drove me crazy with the moves he would make in a game. Well, Garner pretty much did the same thing, giving stars days off, overanalyzing matchups by putting in a lesser talented lefthander against a righty and going to the bullpen too soon.
But Garner did something right, maybe by lighting a fire under some players and took the team to the Wild Card title and a game away from the World Series. In 2005, the Astros were 15 games under .500 and later made it to the World Series. Last year, the team almost made a miraculous comeback and came within a game and a half of winning the Central Division.
So this was Garner’s first “bad year” and now he’s fired. It just seems to me that he had no room for error and I think he deserved another shot. He’s not the one that injured half the starting pitching staff or the one who let Willy Taveras, Jason Hirsh, Taylor Buccholz, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Carlos Beltran, Jeff Kent or Russ Springer go. And besides that, he’s the one known for the miracle comebacks yet he didn’t get a shot to do it this year. (sarcastic tone)
As for Tim Purpura, I don’t know what to blame him for because I don’t know what moves he made on his own or had Drayton McLane’s orders to make.
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Woody impressive in win over Nats
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Five random thoughts from Astros 3-2 win over Nationals
- Woody Williams improved to 8-12 on the year as he allowed just two runs off of a home run in the sixth inning.
- Chad Qualls pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball and struck out the side in order in the eight inning. His ERA is down to 3.14. It makes the Astros look good for keeping him.
- Brad Lidge didn’t have a save until after the All-Star break and suddenly has 12 after a perfect ninth.
- Lance Berkman had two RBI to bring the total to 80 for the season. He should reach the century mark after the slow start.
- The Texas Rangers scored 30 runs, the most runs scored in 110 years, tonight. I’m watching the second game of their doubleheader where they’ve only scored nine.
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Astros end successful road trip with loss
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Five random thoughts from a week of late-night baseball
- Injuries all over the place! Carlos Lee couldn’t start today. It looks like Roy Oswalt will miss a start. Hopefully Brandon Backe will be ready to come back soon.
- The Astros were 4-3 on this road trip but they could’ve easily have gone 6-1 had they held leads in two of those games.
- Houston is only eight games out of first place, but with the injury bug hitting them like it has and the fact that they have to leapfrog the Cardinals, Brewers and Cubs to get there makes it a nearly impossible task. It would mean they would have to get hot while hoping three other teams stumble.
- The Nationals and the Pirates are coming to town next — two teams that are actually worse than the Astros. Then we have series against the Cardinals and Cubs. So if there’s a time to strike, this is it.
- Starter Jason Lane’s batting average stands at .177.
Astros lose first in crucial series
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Five random thoughts from Astros 5-4, 11-inning loss to Brewers
- Not to sound cliche, (ever notice how the next phrase after that phrase IS a cliche?) but the next two games are must-wins for the Astros. They’ve put themselves in a position where, although they have a chance, they have to win every series from now on.
- Our hot free-agent acquisition, Jason Jennings, made it 5 1/3 innings while giving up four earned runs. His ERA is now 6.15.
- Jason Lane went 2-for-5 to raise his batting average to .170.
- I thought Matt Albers was the fifth starter? He pitched for the second game in a row. One IP, no runs allowed.
- Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth, lowering his ERA to 2.61.
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Astros finally get to Zambrano
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Five random thoughts from Astros’ 8-2 win over the Cubs
- Carlos Zambrano has been an Astros killer. I went to a game last year where he took a perfect game into the seventh inning. He’s probably out-produced the Astros offense all by himself. In fact, in the game I went to he hit one into the bullpen. Well, tonight, the Astros finally got to him with seven runs scored off him while he struck out three times behind the plate. He even broke his bat like Bo Jackson after one K.
- Roy Oswalt was stellar as he didn’t give up a run through six innings and allowed the bullpen to take over after the offense put up eight runs. My favorite part was when he struck out Zambrano swinging and grinned at him.
- Jason Lane and his .162 average was 0-for-5 in a much deserved start.
- Dave Borkowski pitched a third of an inning and gave up a run. I bet he’s falling down the depth chart.
- Brad Ausmus hit his third homer of the year. That’s about as many as he’s capable of hitting every year.
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Woody overcomes rough start to dominate
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Five random thoughts from Astros’ 5-2 win over the Cubs
- Woody Williams had the bases loaded in the first, nobody out and a run already across the plate. But a strikeout, pop-up and fly out later and Williams was out of the inning and cruising to a six-inning, four-hit, four-walk performance where he gave up just that one run.
- Jason Lane tied the game in the second with a home run, but what he and his .168 batting average are doing in a starting lineup is beyond me.
- The Astros got their big inning in the sixth with four runs across the plate. Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Ty Wiggington drove in a run each.
- Brad Lidge looked like Brad Lidge of 2004-05 when he struck out the side in order to get the save.
- It’s been brought to my attention that the Astros are only 9.5 games out of first place and if they can sweep this home stand against the Cubs and Brewers they would at worst be 6.5 games out of first. That would set them up for their annual postseason run.
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Astros let one get away
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Five random thoughts from Astros’ 12-inning, 6-5 loss to Marlins
- Florida’s game-winner came on a wild pitch which Miguel Cabrera took third on. The ball rolled all the way into the Marlins’ dugout and Cabrera scored to end the game. Not really a decisive way to win.
- Jason Lane hit a monstrous 3-run homer in the sixth inning to gain a one-run lead for Houston. That and a run in the second inning was all the offense for the Astros.
- Jason Jennings again didn’t pitch well, but it certainly was better than Sunday’s performance. He gave up five runs, including three homers through 6 1/3 IP. He certainly has given up the long ball a lot lately.
- Steven Randolph, the lefty brought up when Chris Sampson went on the DL, was tagged with the loss after that wild pitch. His ERA is an intimidating 14.21.
- Trever Miller, Mark McLemore and Chad Qualls all pitched scoreless baseball in relief.
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Oswalt slows down opposing run production
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Five random thoughts from Astros 8-2 win over the Marlins
- Roy Oswalt drives me crazy when someone hits the ball in the air and he points straight up like it’s a pop fly. Tonight he did it and it was a home run by Jeremy Hermida. Other than that, he was sparkling. 6 IP, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. He’s certainly the stopper.
- The Astros were silent until they finally got to Dontrelle Willis in the seventh inning. They scored three runs then, three in the eighth and one more in the ninth to run away with it.
- Eric Bruntlett was finally coming back to Earth until today, where he went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two doubles. Adam Everett may not have a starting job when he gets back.
- Chris Burke homered and also went 3-for-4.
- Chris Sampson was finally placed on the DL today. Matt Albers will take his spot on the rotation.
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Astros to Braves: Who’s your daddy?
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Five random thoughts from Astros 14-inning win over Braves
- This would’ve been a good game if the Astros were any good. It had all the elements except that I’m so tired of watching the pitching staff give up so many runs this week. They have to be close to a record now. 53 runs in four games.
- Down 9-5, Mike Lamb came up with the bases loaded and nobody out and crushed a grand slam to dead center. But that wasn’t even the beginning or end to the madness. The Astros had already given up a four-run lead, then that slam tied the game, then they gained a two-run lead only to blow it later.
- Brad Lidge blew that save in the 11th inning. He’s better than he was, but he’s not back yet. He may never be.
- Congratulations to Brian Moehler for gaining his first career save in the 14th inning.
- Mark Teixera has looked like a nice gain for the Braves so far. He had two more RBI tonight.
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