Hurricane Ike and the Astros
The Astros had a day off in this recent winning streak (a travel day). They lost the first game after the day off (to the Rockies). Cecil Cooper said part of the reason was that a team on a roll loses that momentum when they have a day off. The Astros got the momentum back quick enough.
Astros have cancelled Friday's game. Saturday may be postponed also. That means at least two days woithout playing. It also means make-up games. One could be on Monday, with the Astros playing the next day in Florida (I think).
I wonder how this affects the Astros. Will a hurricane break the momentum that no baseball team could break. Will playing on Monday affect the team's play on Tuesday in Florida? Will this mean a one game at the end of the season against Cubs for all the marbles?
Is the delay all bad? Could it help the players to recover from the many bumps and bruises suffrered by key players?
What's your call? Game postponements caused by Hurricane Ike : factor or nonfactor in Astros late season charge?
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33 comments
Comments
Well
I’d think that it might help the rotation. We were going to have to throw two rookies on Friday and Saturday, and now we may not have to throw ANY. Wolf will pitch on Sunday, so Moehler could pitch a potential game on Monday, and Roy could stay on his regular rest for Tuesday. If there’s a double-header game in there, we’d probably have to go with Arias or Cassel (assuming Wandy is still out). If one game was shifted to the end of the season, maybe we’re back to full strength by then.
It does mess with the momentum a bit, but maybe it ends up being an even trade off.
by littlevisigoth on Sep 11, 2008 4:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Texans game moved back until Monday
Go 'Stros!
by Stros Bro on Sep 11, 2008 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think the postponed games is bad luck for the Astros
I believe that one of the biggest streak killers is an off day… and even worse, 2.
Go 'Stros!
by Stros Bro on Sep 11, 2008 5:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure about the impact.
If the Astros are forced to play 1 or more of the postponed home games in Chicago, for instance, then the effect is likely negative, since road games are tougher. McLane said that the team hoped to have the make up games at home, but who knows, since it is up to MLB, and the luck or bad luck on things like possible damage to MMP or in downtown Houston. The Marlins were forced to play some home games at Comisky Park in Chicago due to hurricane a couple of years ago, and it really hurt them as contenders.
Otherwise, i tend to agree with littlevisigoth that the postponement might help the pitching staff and perhaps the possibility of playing other injured players.
by clack on Sep 11, 2008 5:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I believe the Cleveland Indians played some early season baseball last year at Miller Park in Milwaukee because of snow in Cleveland. The Brewers are on the road for a while. Maybe they’ll play here and I can go to the game.
by ol Pete on Sep 11, 2008 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Would you actually go?
I’m not sure if I would go to a game between 2 teams I don’t really root for.
Go 'Stros!
by Stros Bro on Sep 11, 2008 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
by the way, as an aside....
when the Marlins played the Cubs at Comisky Park, the Marlins got a big rooting section of White Sox fans. As most of you know, The White Sox fans and Cubs fans dislike each others’ teams.
by clack on Sep 12, 2008 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hopefully
this just means that Roy or Wolf will get an extra start. This might just end up helping the Astros.
And if it means that Wigginton or Kazuo (unlikely) are ready to play for those two games, I think it will be a major improvement. Yeah, guys like Reggie and Newhan have done well recently, but it would be better to put the bat in the hands of the starters.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 11, 2008 6:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
So
Maybe we lose steam, or get guys back, or a little of both.
But if I were a cubs fan I would be more worried about the make-ups. They could do 1 of 2 thing: cram them in on days off (they wouldn’t ask for a double header on Monday, would they?) OR postpone them until after the regular season to see if they are needed. If we could keep home field, the sooner the better – since that means more travel for the cubs. But on the other hand, it they have clinched, and we are in the wild card at the end of the season, you know they are not throwing their best pitchers at us for games that are meaningless for them!
by Joh on Sep 11, 2008 7:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i thought about this as well
if we do have to make up one game at the end of the season, with playoffs on the line, i’d feel good about our chances, assuming the Cubs are clinched for the playoffs. not only would the be more worried about lining up their rotation for the playoffs, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they sat some starters, too.
by littlevisigoth on Sep 12, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Chicago newspaper
rumors games to be in Kansas city…
by Joh on Sep 11, 2008 7:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I predict the games will be made up in Houston
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 11, 2008 10:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it helps us
It gives us time for the bull pen to rest up and Backe, Wiggy, and even Wandy to get rest while the Astros are not playing. The double header obviously nixes the bull pen rest, but in the end I think it will be beneficial. I think this throws the Cubs more out of whack than it does us. Kansas City would be a terrible location for a make up. It really can’t be anywhere in the Mid-West and be considered neutral.
And those are my two cents.
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by DyingQuail on Sep 11, 2008 10:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ticket question
Does anyone know how the tickets will shake out? I have two for the game that would have been Friday night. Are those now good for the first game of the series? What if the first game is Sunday afternoon when a game was already scheduled and tickets sold?
by goldglove on Sep 12, 2008 11:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
tix
yea i got tix for sundays game…i wanna know what game that is good for…i’d assume if the y play a game sunday and 2 games monday
Sundays game – all tix sold for that final game of the series go to this one
Monday Game 1 – all fridays game sold tix go to this one
Monday game 2 – all saturdays game sold tix go to this one
again this is my assumption, nothing official
STAY SAFE
by gettinziggywithit on Sep 12, 2008 12:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Let's all hammer home on the last point
This looks wicked, be careful.
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by DyingQuail on Sep 12, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's right.
The tickets sold for Friday’s and Saturday’s games will be good for whenever those games are made up.
Since Sunday afternoon’s game was already scheduled, tickets sold for Fri & Sat’s games can’t be used there. You will use your Sunday tickets for Sunday afternoon’s game. The first make up game will use Friday’s tickets and the second one will use Saturday’s.
That could be both games of a Monday double header or maybe even the second game of a Sunday double header and one Monday game.
Or if they postpone the games even more… whenever they are made up, the first MAKE UP game will always use Friday’s tickets and the second one will use Saturday’s.
by entropic soul on Sep 12, 2008 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
also...
I’m just guessing here, but I’m sure they’d let you trade in some Fri or Sat tix for Sunday’s game if they have seats available, however. So in that sense you could use Fri/Sat tix for Sunday if there were seats.
by entropic soul on Sep 12, 2008 7:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looks like they're playing in Milwaukee
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080912&content_id=3463897&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
by pjanisch on Sep 12, 2008 9:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I say Let the Brewers play the the Phillies there !
They have their own rain problems
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 12, 2008 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
As a Cubs fan
Id first like to say I hope everything is well in South Texas, Hurricanes and you all know are a powerful destructive force that cannot be toyed with.
But, Id like to say that Astros management dragging thier feet was inexcuseable, I cannot believe they actually thought that the games would be played damage or no damage to Minute Made and think that people would venture out into a potential disaster area.
That is boarderline insane.
I can understand the players not wanting to leave family behind in the storm, Fine but the fact that the area could be seriously effected from this storm and people might need to venture out into it is severely short sided.
"I guess you had some lean years, and didnt have to beat it hard" - Craig Sager
SORIANO WATCH: AVG: .291 27 HR 69 RBI
by Galvan316 on Sep 13, 2008 3:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
This coming from a fan of the team that kept 30,000+ out in a lightning storm for 2 hours awhile back?
Seriously though. Houston would not become a disaster area unless something REALLY BIG hit. A Cat 2 hitting Houston is not much a of problem. Houston is not really a coastal city so it’s not as bad as say New Orleans or Galveston, which always seems to take the brunt of any storm that comes Houston’s way. Besides, if some people are without power, they are going to need something fun to do What better way to spend your power outage day than at the baseball park? :)
by entropic soul on Sep 13, 2008 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kept 30,000 out in a Lightning storm?
Umm, Im going to say negitive on that one.
And Im not sure if your in Houston, Im going to assume you aren’t because “Some” people is roughly 97% of the Population according to Houston’s mayor.
"I guess you had some lean years, and didnt have to beat it hard" - Craig Sager
SORIANO WATCH: AVG: .291 27 HR 69 RBI
by Galvan316 on Sep 13, 2008 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is one of the dumbest comments I've ever seen...
I think McLane absolutely did the best he could, and I’m sure most Houston fans agree that he should have done everything possible to keep the game in Houston. As an aside, what MLB is doing is an insult to Houston and the disaster which occurred, IMO. There was no way to anticipate or plan for what happened. Up until the last 48 hours or so before the hurricane hit, there was considerable uncertainty as to where the hurricane would hit exactly and what the damage would be. And uncertainty over the actual impact on Houston existed until only hours before it hit…because a change of 30 miles or so in where the Hurricane landed would make a huge difference. Holding out the possibility of playing the game on Sunday and Monday was optimistic but not unrealistic.
by clack on Sep 13, 2008 11:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
totally agree
I don’t think this was mismanaged. Everyone made descision/statements with the information they had that were in the best interest of the team that they represented.
by Joh on Sep 14, 2008 1:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Downtown Houston never really lost power
All of the power lines for that area are underground… Minute Maid Park also has little to no damage and should be fine to play a game on Sunday… this is assuming the surrounding area is safe to drive and park at without interfering with the clean up process.
Concerning the Astros management dragging their feet… would you want to give up a 3 game home series against a good team when you are 3 games out of the playoffs? I wouldn’t..
Go 'Stros!
by Stros Bro on Sep 13, 2008 8:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Even without considering home-field advantage for the series
The reason to wait has nothing to do with short-sightedness, as Galvan316 is so quick to presume—in fact, just the opposite. It has to do with the fact that you can’t predict outcomes, so why jump the gun? How many different scenarios for Ike’s landfall (and Dolly’s, and Gustav’s) have we endured down here? The fact that it did affect Houston could not be assumed until it ultimately occurred. And as implied by other fans, from an infrastructure and organizational standpoint, we are generally fairly well-prepared to deal with these storms, since we do so to some degree every year.
Last year, for Rita, my area (about 1.5 hours NW of Houston) went on high alert. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A & M University was converted into essentially an enormous M.A.S.H. unit, and all local hospitals required all personnel to stay in-house as well. While we did receive a modest number of evacuees, the impact on this area was non-existent. We didn’t receive a. Single. Drop. Of. Rain.
What would have been the hue and cry had McLane responded similarly to this threat, and agree to move the games early, only to have the storm veer east? You just never know what these things will do. THAT’S why you wait.
by Danyah on Sep 13, 2008 10:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
seriously
I live in h-town…rumors has it Minute Miad was good enough to play tonite…id rather teh stros play in front of no one or in front of a few hundred stros fans, then in fron tof 30,000 thousand cubs fans in MLW…just mentally HOU out of it and this could cost them the WC…DAMN SELIG
by gettinziggywithit on Sep 15, 2008 12:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
rita
also rita was supposed to hit h-town…everyone evacuated…but at last 5 hours it took a turn and nothing ahppened…u can never predict anything
by gettinziggywithit on Sep 15, 2008 12:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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