Houston Astros at Arizona Diamondbacks, June 13, 2009 7:10 PM CDT
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 13, 2009 3:00 AM CDT
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PrintHouston Astros at Arizona Diamondbacks, Jun 13, 2009 7:10 PM CDT
Roy O, Roy O.
What's wrong with you?
I don't know.
Well, I sorta know. He allows almost 1.5 HR every nine innings. His walk rate is the second highest of his sterling career. Lots of line drives, too many fly balls and not enough ground balls. It's a deadly combination for a starting pitcher.
He has been injured though. A right wrist injury has made it difficult for Roy to feel comfortable throwing his breaking pitches. His especially good curveball has been off thus far in 2009, which has led him to throw his slider much more frequently.
Would it bother you if the Astros traded Roy? Or maybe I should phrase it this way: how MUCH would it bother you if the Astros traded Roy. He has amassed the greatest career of any Astros starter in team history. For the most part, he shuts up, pitches through injury and takes the ball every fifth day. At season's end though, he cleans out his locker and heads back home to Mississippi. No problem with that. It's his home. He's a grown man, and can do what he wants. It doesn't exactly make the hometown fans fall in love with the guy, the way Houston has with Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Even Hunter Pence has built himself a house here in town. Again, Roy can do what he wants, but this does factor into the equation, as far as I'm concerned.
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Judy... No, No, I mean Jon...
A Walk Is As Good As A Hit.
by NocturnalMatt on Jun 13, 2009 4:59 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
love it.
“I don’t think we’re in Comiskey anymore, Toto.”
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 13, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions
It doesn't make much difference what I would think about trading Oswalt.
McLane has made it clear that he wants to keep Roy in Houston until the end of his career. He said that’s why he agreed to a no trade clause in Roy’s contract.
From my perspective, I would be sad if Oswalt was traded. However, I could probably get over it if the Astros got a huge haul in return. But, as I say, it ain’t happening.
Trading Oswalt a Bad Idea
I don’t understand the idea that going home to Mississippi every summer does not endear him to the home town fans. For me, it add to the lore of a small-town kid staying in his roots and just playing the game the way it is meant to be played. I like having home-town stars, but I don’t like the idea of players faking it. Oswalt is a cornerstone of a team without all the artificial fluff. I like that more. Baseball is best, to me, when it is just a game. It’s not like Oswalt has ever said anything bad about the city of Houston. He just likes his home-town. I think many in Texas can respect that more.
Oswalt has been good to the city of Houston. He has been arguably our most succesful pitcher and is a full-effort player. It would be nice to see him retire as an Astro. If McClane were to trade Oswalt, it would be similar to McMullen not resigning Ryan. McClane is not that type of owner.
by Killer Bee on Jun 13, 2009 10:10 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
What an irrelevant topic!?
We should’ve traded Roy-O LAST year when he was actually worth something. It’s too late now. Maybe some desperate team will want to pick him up (ahem, Chicago White Sox), but I still don’t see that happening. Roy-O is worthless.
No problem at all going home to Mississippi
At least he isn’t a damn Yankee. I have more trouble with Bagwell being from Boston than with Roy going home to Mississippi in the offseason.
FWIW...Nieve is starting today for the Mets...
facing the Yankees on the Fox game of the week. Nieve had a good first inning. But it’s early. McCarver is impressed by Nieve’s 94 mph heater on the corner.
what's more embarassing:
Milton Bradley throwing a live ball into the stands or Castillo dropping that potential game-ending infield pop-fly?
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Castillo's misplay was more damaging.
It cost the Mets the game…no question about it. Bradley’s brain cramp on that catch probably didn’t affect the game’s score or outcome.
However, there is a big difference how each player handled the aftermath. Castillo was embarrassed and horrified…said he couldn’t sleep last night. Bradley said he wasn’t embarrassed. “That’s life. Sue me,” he said.
Fox announcers criticizing Astros...
for letting Nieve go. “I can’t imagine that the Astros have four pitchers better than Fernando Nieve.” They are building up Nieve’s stuff and potential.
You know
Buck and McCarver might very well be the stupidest men on television.
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Nieve gets the win for the Mets and pitched well.
I think he allowed something like 5 hits and 2 runs. Sometimes the TJ surgery pitchers suddenly get better.
Bourn gets on base, steals second
Why is Erstad hitting 2nd?
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And it appears that
Pence gets the night off, too.
Looks like Oswalt pissed off Coop.
Strikes out the leadoff man, groundout to Kata (with an amusing bobble), flyout to Erstad in right.
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D-Backs have an uneventful bottom of the 1st against Roy.
And I’m just now digesting this hodge podge lineup for the Astros. Maysonet at 3d? Kata at 2d? Erstad in RF?
Looks like Berkman flew out to left
hard to tell. My FSN feed breaks up after every commercial break for about two minutes.
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Cooper is still in spring training mode...
he wants to play Kata at 2d and Maysonet at 3d to see which one he wants to keep on the roster when Matsui returns.
maybe
it should be the guy who has a chance to be halfway decent.
Of course, that probably means Maysonet will get sent down, instead.
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Maysonet grounds out
let’s not make it tough on them or anything, guys.
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Maybe Cooper really is pissed at Oswalt...
at least it’s hard to see how Oswalt will get any runs scored by the lineup behind him.
wrist
Does it look like the wrist might still be a problem?
don't know.
Roy just goes through these periods where he can’t find the strike zone consistently.
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makes me wonder
since he’s living off his fastball, almost exclusively, i wonder if the wrist is still a problem since it affected his curve
infield fly
and then another walk. Fortunately (knock on wood) Garland is up.
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oswalt takes more pitches than probably any other hitter so far
grounds out to first
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"He would like to give Carlos at least one game off of left field in each of those series..."
I swear, Cooper, if you don’t DH every game….
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Carlos can't haul
his bloated contract over to the line fast enough, and the D-Backs get a hit.
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Parra hits a line drive through the hole
isn’t Maysonet technically a SS?
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JD refers to run expectancy, moneyball, and bunting
be still, my heart.
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DL him
Just DL Oswalt for a couple weeks and let his wrist get better… b/c it doesn’t look to be in good shape now, judging by his inability to throw his curve
I don't think it's anything physical.
Whatever it is he needs to work out, I think, is probably mechanical or mental or something. He might need to go visit his old pitching coach again. That seemed to work last year, at least.
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Roy hits Reynolds on the arm
Oswalt busting him inside again. Looks like he swung to me, though.
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Montero swings at a good curve
flies out easily to Erstad.
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Carlos replaced by Jason Michaels
Oswalt must’ve said something rude to Coop in the dugout.
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it's a bad sign
that a 1-0 deficit feels totally insurmountable.
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Cooper to Oswalt: If you were a real man, you can win this game without any hitters on your team.
And just to show you, I’ll take Carlos Lee out of the game. Next, I may put Matt Kata in RF.
by clack on Jun 13, 2009 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Garland strikes out
on Roy’s great curve. Use that more, dude.
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Finally!
Kata doubles to right!!!
Upton almost made a great play, too.
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parra taps a ball to roy's right
who makes the throw to first.
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flyout to bourn
erstad tries to make a sliding catch in right, but can’t keep it in the glove. Drew gets the double.
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Not only are the bats weak
But our defense happens to be taking a cue from the Keystone Cops.
Is there something about RF that makes that a difficult catch? Pence missed a similar sort of catch yesterday, too.
well
he got to the ball, at least. Just couldn’t keep it in the glove.
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shallow fly ball
michael holds at third. Tejada comes up to bat.
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all aboard the gua-gua
appropriate circumstances for his 2000th hit
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kinda surprising that there are that many
but baseball’s been played a long time.
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Michaels grounds out to third
pretty good play by the 3b. Tejada to 2nd, 2 outs.
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a guy had a sign prepared in the stands
and he had a pretty cool orange jersey, too.
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So Coop is trying to decide between Keeping Kata and keeping Maysonet when Matsui comes back
And this is his ridiculous rationale:
"Mays is making a stronger case because he can now be a third catcher," Cecil Cooper said. "He’s catching some bullpens, so his value increases a little bit. Kata got some stuff on the other side. He can be a pinch runner; he’s a switch-hitter.
bounching groundball to third
Roy has a high pitch count, but he actually seems to be gaining strength right now.
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strikes out weizel
he’s got the big, looping curve working again.
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Looks like Roy is staying in the game
I agree with this decision.
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Maysonet gets an opposite field single
good pitch, though.
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Guy in a pence jersey catches a roy foul ball
whilst holding his wallet and keys, no less.
Oswalt sac bunt.
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For probably the only time in his entire career (including the future)
Bourn is intentionally walked.
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Turns out
he was actually walked twice when he was a Philly.
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you are correct, sir
the first time was to get to antonio alfonseca (nickname “the octopus”) when they were playing the padres
the second time was to get to clay condrey, but it also loaded the bases (2B was open)
curiously, these two IBBs came 5 games apart. when it rains, it pours, I guess
I didn't know Augie was a real name
I thought it was just made up for that “Role Models” movie
He flies out to Erstad.
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and another
7 in a row.
Bad Roy suddenly turned into Good Roy when Lance hit that homer. Hooray.
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7th
surprised he was back out for the 7th but no harm done.
NOW they walk Berkman
the guy with the Berkman sign looks a lot like Q
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pence was the only remaining position player.
and apparently he wants to save him in case of injury or something.
we may run out of position players
but we’ve got a pitching staff that might be up to PHing if necessary…hampy, backe, etc.
Sampson comes in to pitch
the “insurmountable deficit” has turned into a fairly comfortable lead. What an odd game.
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why take Byrdak out?
he seems to be pitching well…and he actually is getting RHBs out better than LHBs.
coop probably thinks Byrdak's stats againt righties
are essentially a fluke. I don’t agree with that, but whatever.
I’d probably keep him in.
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coop
very confusing to figure out…
anyway im looking for a summer job, ill take the coaching position from coop for only 1,000 a game ill doo…
i can make better lineups and better pitching switches..
by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Jun 13, 2009 9:43 PM CDT reply actions
Young pops up
They missed Brent Spiner in their list of Bellaire HS grads.
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D-Backs with a double...
and Cooper will bring in Valverde.
I don’t know about this.
For one thing, Cooper is emptying out the bullpen. That’s is like putting yourself on a ledge.
Plus, it’s Valverde’s first game back.
seriously
if you don’t think Valverde should be closing, then why bring him in here? Why not just bring in LaTroy for a slightly longer save?
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Bourn tries the Wily-T power bunt
right at the 1b’s glove.
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Hawkins is warming up?
I’m not sure I understand Cooper’s pitching strategies. I didn’t think the object of the game is to use every pitcher in the bullpen before the game is over.
Coop thinks the point
is to score the most Pitcher Abuse Points by the end of the season. Whoever does so wins the Dusty Baker Cup.
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he wants
all stros RP’s to lead league in appearances…
by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Jun 13, 2009 10:07 PM CDT up reply actions
if we were to go into extra innings.
the only pitcher left is Backe.
of course, right now there is a distinct possibility of worse than extra innings.
Conference at the mound
Dewey: “OK LaTroy, if you can’t get this guy out, we’re gonna give Maysonet a shot and if he screws it up, we’re sending him to AA”
so did the whole city of Houston
or, at least the portion of it that’s still watching Astros games.
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thank god....LeTroy gets the K.
But, as much as I like the win, my only thought is…
there has to be a better way of managing the pitching in the two innings of the game.
that was an outrageously bad job of managing.
And they say that was Hawkins’ only DP of the year.
I saw that.
Do you think he gets more attention in New York? Not one, but two, analysts dissecting video of his pitches. They even compare him to Johan Santana, because he is from Venezuela.
Brian Moehler is kinda like Roy Oswalt, you know
because he’s from the USA. Go America!
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You know,
I hadn’t watched BBTN in a while, and now I remember why. The analysts are clownish doofi. It’s like ESPN took Chris Berman, mated him with Peter King, added a dash of Bill Plaschke, and then beat the resulting abomination about the head with a baseball bat for two hours. And then they cloned said abomination several times and gave that coven of retardation a late-night show supposedly about baseball, but really about terrible analysis and catchphrases.
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Bonus:
you know how JD pointed out that there are a lot more players who have hit 2000 hits than 300 HRs? And how 300 homers is thus more impressive?
Yeah, well, the unanimous opinion of the BBTN staff is that 2000 hits is obviously much more impressive.
Nobody does no research like ESPN.
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300 homers isn't impressive
because in the Steroids Era, everyone is suspect. And also 2000 > 300, duh. That’s like, basic math, you know?
I was awaiting for Buster Olney to respond to the jock/analysts...
by pointing out just what JD did…almost 300 some players with 2000 hits but 20 some players with 300 HRs. But ESPN just let their answers stand as definitive proof that 2000 hits is a more important milestone than 300 HRs.
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