Houston Astros at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 PM CDT
by Stros Bro on Apr 6, 2008 11:12 AM CDT
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PrintHouston Astros at Chicago Cubs, Apr 6, 2008 1:20 PM CDT
Next Game
Houston Astros 
The Crawfish Boxes
@ Chicago Cubs 
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Sunday, Apr 6, 2008, 1:20 PM CDT
Wrigley Field
Brandon Backe(0-1, 3.60) vs Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 0.00)
Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from right to left field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 65.
If he doesn't improve overnight, it's likely he'll sit for Sunday's game."I never want to rule anything out," Berkman said. "I don't want to take myself out of the lineup before I show up and see how it feels. If it feels like it did today, I'm just not going to be able to do it. It's not a question of want to. It's just physically, if you can't turn your head, you can't do it."
The Astros will also be without Ty Wigginton who has a fractured left thumb. Wigginton made a couple of errant throws in the Astros loss to the Cubs on Saturday, and we'll blame the thumb for that(even though it's on his left hand.. shh).
With Lance and Ty out of the lineup(presuming Lance is out as well), look for Erstad to take over for 1st and Blum to start at 3rd. Erstad and Blum are both doing well so far this season with Erstad batting .400 and Blum batting .429.
Game is being broadcast on my20 in Houston. For those of you who use Comcast(like me) that is channel 4. Hopefully all of the video issues from the last time my20 tried to broadcast a game are behind them.
| Lineups | ||||
| Houston | Chicago | |||
| 1. | Bourn, CF | 1. | Soriano, LF | |
| 2. | Pence, RF | 2. | Johnson, CF | |
| 3. | Erstad, 1B | 3. | Lee, 1B | |
| 4. | Lee, LF | 4. | Ramirez, 3B | |
| 5. | Tejada, SS | 5. | Fukudome, RF | |
| 6. | Blum, 3B | 6. | DeRosa, 2B | |
| 7. | Perez, T, 2B | 7. | Theriot, SS | |
| 8. | Towles, C | 8. | Blanco, C | |
| 9. | Backe, P | 9. | Zambrano, P | |
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Comments
haha
Yeah. Should have made one for Backe.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions
I remember Backe from last year
against the Brewers and he looked pretty good. The big Zamboni is always a roll of the dice.
Hope you guys get this one.
sure could be
Worrisome things from the sofa: team's ability to hit junky right handers and management (Yost?) hanging on to favorites, most notably Dave Bush. Based on forums and the like, my disdain for Capuano and Bush are minority opinions, but there it is. Cappy is injured and I'd be shocked if he is able to contribute in any way. One other starter has to do something else when Gallardo comes back in a couple weeks or so. Bush should go to AAA or another team, but there is so much fondness for him, who knows.
Perez, Erstad, Blum
are the reserves who start today. Vastly weaker hitting lineup but a better defensive infield.
bourne
witth a single past 1b. WGN says they aren't worried about bourne stealing, because Z is impossible to steal on.
Bourn thrown out
medium fly to LF, Soriano who is terrific on assists from LF throws him out....not very close.
great play by blum
he has looked great in the field
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Sorry I'm late
Lot of things going on for me today... Getting some new breaks put on my truck, about to go pick that up and buy some new furniture(maybe).. so I'll be around off and on for the day.
Go 'Stros!
Backe looks
as good as he ever has. Overall this season he is going to be good if healthy
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
yes.
I was thinking the exact same thing like 1 miunute ago.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Tejada got all of that
He was doing it in attempt to tire out Zambrano who is energy drink-less today.
Go 'Stros!
Zambrano slider
Pretty nice pitch, looks like it's coming inside on you and then curves right back over the inside corner.
Go 'Stros!
Yeah
They said the win is blowing in. Maybe that held it back.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions
didn't have much chance
because Pence quickly doubled...but Bob Brenly assured us that he has no chance of stealing on Zambrano.
Ah, fine then
I'll let him off.
Him saying he has no chance of stealing on Z would just make me want him to steal more :)
Go 'Stros!
got jobbed on that one
very bad call
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
where was COOP
I would liked to have seen him stirrin the drink on that one
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Announcers say Perez
wasn't on the bag. Clearly the umps working for the Cubs today. :p
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Perez is a shortstop..
and that may have hurt on the play....he slowed down moving toward 2d in order to get his footwork right for crossing bag...it shouldn't have been that close.
backe has to be upset
good to see he stayed under control
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Backe
1st pitch strike as he looks to try and bunt. Backe loops 1 into right field as Fukudome somehow misplays it, Backe runs to 2nd for an odd bloop double. Bad spin on the ball causes it to bounce wildly past F
Go 'Stros!
Bourn
1st pitch, grounds to 2nd for an easy out. Backe moves over to 3rd. Time for the 'Stros to get that run back.
Go 'Stros!
Pence
Infield in close to the grass in attempt to try and stop Backe from scoring. Not looking for Pence to hit one to the IF though.
Z kind of all over the place.. slider well in the dirt and then a fastball(only 91?) way high. Mound visit to see what's up.. could be the cramps? Count now 2-1 as Pence flies to right.. Play at home?? No, Backe stops as Fukudome makes a good through that would have gotten Backe at home.
Go 'Stros!
Erstad
Come on Darin! Last time up he struck out.
Erstad has a 2-0 count before hitting a single to left field to score Backe. Game tied 1-1
Go 'Stros!
Lee
Erstad goes and is thrown out by a mile... Wow, he's slow and it was a perfect throw.
Go 'Stros!
Guess it was worth a shot
2 outs and him getting thrown out there brings up Lee and Tejada with a fresh inning... but I still would have liked to see someone with Lee's power up with a runner on. Long ball then scores 2.
Go 'Stros!
That's not Soto up there...
slow guys need not apply. :p
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Soriano
What the hell is that shit on Soriano's face? It looks stupid. At least Soriano is an easy out.
the coin has been falling bad
so far this year. Seems like they haven't been cashing in on opportunities.
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Johnson
I like the last name :)
Backe quickly ahead 1-2 hangs a curveball that Johnson crushes to left field... but it slices foul a good ways.. I wouldn't hang another though. Backe then gets Johnson to fly to Bourn in center on another curveball.. this one not hanging so much.
Go 'Stros!
Lee
Count now 2-2 as Backe looks to have gotten hosed on a good curveball that was called a ball low.. Lee now hits a line drive to centerfield sending Bourn to the warning track. No worries, Bourn hauls it in pretty easily.
Go 'Stros!
Fukudome
THey just put a stat up that there are 74000 to 76000 people that are still alive that were alive when the Cubs last won the World series.. seems high to me... but..
Fukudome hits a liner to center that Bourn backs up a few steps but is hit too hard to really go back on, decides instead to leap and makes a nice catch to end the inning.
Go 'Stros!
Top 4th
Lee, Tejada and Blum due up in the inning.
Lee got some extra batting practice on Zambrano in the 3rd and hopefully will use that to his advantage
Go 'Stros!
Lee
1st pitch, breaking ball for a strike.. Lee was taking all the way, didn't even look like he was ready to take a swing.
Next pitch, swinging strike on what looked to be a slider.. now 0-2 and Lee hits a line drive single to left.
Go 'Stros!
Tejada
grounds out to short, but for some reason they didn't even try to get Lee running to 2nd who would have been easily out.
Astros signed a minor league catcher.. not sure why.. he's not young, and he hasn't been good in his career(career .244 hitter). I guess they signed him in case Quintero doesn't make it to AAA
Go 'Stros!
Actually I kind of wondered...
if the Astros would sign Paul when I saw that he was cut by TB. I thought someone might claim him on waivers first, given the dearth of ML catchers. In his younger days, he was considered an excellent young catcher. That's probably why I thought of him as a decent player. He is 32 now, which is old for catchers, I guess.
I think the Astros realize that Quintero isn't coming back. Apparently the Astros are trying to trade him before he is lost on waivers.
interesting tidbit
on Josh Paul, whom the Astros signed. Barzilla at Astrosdaily just reminded me that Paul was the Angels' catcher in the ALCS in 2005 who was involved in the weird and controversial play with Pierzynski. Recall that Paul caught what appeared to be strike 3 and out #3 with Pierzynski at bat. The ump gave what appeared to be a strike out signal. Paul rolled the ball back to the pitching mound and left the diamond, as did the other Angels. Pierzynski ran down to first base. The umpire then ruled that the ball touched the ground before it entered Paul's mit, and called Pierzynski safe at 1st base. That play sparked a White Sox rally which led them to win the game. The call created a controversy which lasted long after the series was over.
DeRosa
Flies to center field with Bourn charging in hard, while trying to catch it the ball hits the heal of his glove for Bourn's 1st error of the year. DeRosa stays at 1st.
Go 'Stros!
Theriot
Backe working on DeRosa at 1st a little, thrown over 2-3 times takes Theriot to a 1-2 before striking out on a slider outside.
Go 'Stros!
Blanco
Batting 1.000 on the season! Okay, it's only 1 AB... Make that, batting .500 on the season as he flies out to Lee in LF>
Go 'Stros!
Nice job by Backe
to pick Bourn up for that error... Backe pretty strong so far.. let's keep this up.
Go 'Stros!
Backe
Backe works the count full and then grounds out to Zambrano.
For some reason I remember Zambrano having a better fastball than 92.. am I mistaken?
Go 'Stros!
I like how WGN
show the OBP of the hitter as well as the batting average. Bourn coming in with a .346
Johnson
Soriano was batting .042 on the season before that HR.
Johnson grounds to Blum who fields and fires to get out 1.
Go 'Stros!
Ramirez
After fouling off 3-4 pitches, Ramirez takes a ball inside and then hits a single between Erstad and Perez. Lee stops at 2nd.
Go 'Stros!
Fukudome
Double play ball would be good here... you can tell Backe's trying for a ground ball by starting him off with two sliders low. Unfortunately, after 3 pitches is down 3-0... Next pitch, fastball outside corner... looked good to me, but Brian Runge(home plate ump) says no way.. ball 4.
Go 'Stros!
DeRosa
Bases juiced... Dewey Robinson heads to the hill to chat with Backe as Dave Borkowski starts getting ready in the pen.
More breaking stuff from Bake gets DeRosa down 0-2 before striking him out on another breaking ball. Way to get back in this game Backe!
Go 'Stros!
So much for Soriano
being an easy out. I guess that .050 batting average has to come from somewhere.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions
.080
I was just kinda throwing out a random low number.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Pence
Was on the phone with the brakes place so I didn't see it, I think he grounded out.
Go 'Stros!
Erstad
Strikes out on a slider way low.. not sure why he swung at that.. ball went through Blanco's legs and hits the bricks as Erstad takes off... Blanco gets a favorable bounce from the wall and throws Erstad out at 1st.
Go 'Stros!
Homerun in Houston?
How far back is that wall?
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions
That is one reaosn to be hopeful at least
I think Wigginton and Tejada, and to a lesser extent Towles, are going to make good use of the Crawford Boxes with a full season in Houston. Add that to Lee and Pence and we should get a big homefield advantage with the hitters we have.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Bottom 6th
Think Backe will be back out? I hope so...
Blanco, Zambrano and Soriano due up in the inning.
Go 'Stros!
I would send him out...
but probably pull him at the first sign of trouble with the meat of the order coming up after those three guys.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Zambrano
strikes out for K # 7 for Backe. This compared to 0 strike outs by Roy-O yesterday...
Go 'Stros!
Soriano
Pops out on the 1st pitch to Perez at 2nd.
Very fast 6th inning for Backe.. Backe up around 100 pitches on the day.
Go 'Stros!
I walked to my comp and heard a commercial playing
figured they must have changed pitchers. Soriano must have been quick.
by entropic soul on Apr 6, 2008 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Tejada
0-2, Tejada gets a hold of one.. No doubter, line drive home run to left field about 15 rows up.
Go 'Stros!
Blum
Make it about 8 rows up.. 15 rows up would be out of the stadium.
Zambrano just missing basically ever corner(inside, outside and low) goes 3-0 on Blum before finally getting one over for a strike.
Now 3-2 as Z hits the outside corner twice in a row. Next pitch Blum strikes out on what could have been an outside strike call.. it was close though.
Go 'Stros!
Towles
JD just mentioned that Cruz Jr was up in the on deck circle.. so if Towles gets on, Backe is definitely gone.
I believe Villareal is up in the pen.
Fastball on Z showing 94 now on the gun.. maybe he gets stronger after 100 pitches? Towles strikes out as Z stares up to the sky and talks to himself.
Go 'Stros!
Bottom 7th
Johnson, Lee and Ramirez due up. They are a combined 3-7 on the day with 2 walks.
Go 'Stros!
Johnson
Villarreal in to pitch in relief.
No decision for Backe as he has another good outing.
6 innngs, 2 ER, 3 BB and 7 K's to lower his ERA to 3.27 on the season.
Count is now full on Johnson who flies to Pence in RF for out 1.
Go 'Stros!
Well
We all thought the Bullpen was going to be strong and the starting pitching would be our weak point.. not so far..
Go 'Stros!
Top 8th
Cruz Jr(I guess), Bourn and Pence due up in the inning.
I'm heading out to pick up my truck. Good luck!
Go 'Stros!
Bourn out on bad call...
He had taken 1st on an apparent walk, but Piniella angrily asked 3d base ump to rule, and he said he swung.
What is going on
horrible horrible calls.
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
When is a manager....
allowed to come out and ask for an appeal on a swing that late (or at all, for that matter)?
the play was over
why didn't he object to something that happened last year or in 1980 while he was at it. That was crap, the play at 2nd was crap, and the strike zone has been crap. The umpires have spotted the Cubs 4 outs or so.
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Pence out on called strike
Hunter is really upset....and he should be. The pitch was outside and way low.
I wonder if it is the same crew
that did the Brewers Cubs series just prior, cuz they weren't very good.
Kerry Wood is on my fantasy
team. But I will gladly sacrifice by fantasy score for a melt down by Wood.
Jimmy D
Is the best TV guy by far in my opinion. I have heard most everyone and no one does it better. His knowledge of the club and perspective are top notch.
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Today I heard Brenley say.
"The weather has been an unexpected surprise."
Aren't all surprises unexpected? lol
Bourn to Run!
instant replay
anyone know when instant replay is supposed to come into the games? it did in fact pass in the voting, right?
anyone going to the openingb tomorrow
My first mistake was assuming you knew what I was talking about.
Well, I must say...
I'm disappointed Coop hasn't gotten tossed yet. Some terrible umpire work today.
Bourn
has got to learn how to lay down a bunt. He needs to use that speed to his advantage at the plate.
Where's the offense?
I realize no Berkman and no Wiggy today, but geez, have you looked at these batting averages. They should be stablizing now - after game 7. Of the regulars, everyone but Lee is at .250 or less and Pence, Towles and Bourne are all under .210. This has GOT to change!
Pence, Towles, and Bourn...
are young and will go through growing pains. All three seemed really outmatched by Z's and/or Marmol's stuff today, even though Bourn did get a single early on. I'm a bit concerned about Pence's start to the season. I hope he doesn't start worrying about a sophomore slump, which would make him even more anxious at the plate.
Coming back t o MMP
the Astros' offense better come to life. The Cardinal are 5-1 and in 1st place with a 0.95 ERA. Kyle Lohse pitched a four hit shutout today and hasn't allowed a run in his 2 starts. I wish the Astros had signed him when they had the chance.
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| Sat 04/07 | 6:05 PM CDT | |
| Sun 04/08 | 1:05 PM CDT | |
NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Cincinnati
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Milwaukee
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.14.2012 at 12:03 AM CST)
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