Houston Astros at Texas Rangers, Jun 17, 2009 7:05 PM CDT
Houston Astros at Texas Rangers, Jun 17, 2009 7:05 PM CDT
Per Alyson Footer, via Twitter, the line up is:
- Bourn - CF
- Keppinger - 3B (Thank you Coop, thank you)
- Tejada - SS
- Lee - DH
- Berkman - 1B
- Pence - RF
- Pudge - C (for the 2,227 time)
- Matusi - 2B (Again, thank you Coop, thank you)
- Michaels - LF
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well
the new goatee cuts down on that look. Good for him.
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What's the reason for moving Pence down to sixth?
just curious .
It’s hot in Arlington – 94 at game time
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:08 PM CDT reply actions
All I can figure
is that Coop wants to bat Tejada 3rd, and he can’t put Lee or Berkman further down the order without pissing either of them off. So Pence moves down.
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Bourn fights back from an 0-2 count to draw the walk
Here comes Kepp
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Bourn steals 2nd without a throw
See, it’s fun when Michael is doing well.
Moves to third on a Kepp groundout.
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lead off walk
David Justice ranted on Astros bad baserunning – he had the same thoughts we’ve discussed here.
Justice says Astros should not steal (except maybe for Bourn)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:10 PM CDT reply actions
Make that RICHARD Justice not David Justice
Justice also damned bunts (good for RJ)
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions
and he criticized trying to make doubles out of singles
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Bourn did steal
went to third on ground out and scored on another ground out (may have been caught in double play if he had not stolen second)
Astros lead 1-0
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:13 PM CDT reply actions
Lance hits a line drive to right
but Nelson Cruz is in the right place.
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Ian Kinsler hits a high fly ball
which is lost in the sun. Double.
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Kinsler's batting .268
but he’s better than Babe Ruth against the Astros.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Jason Michaels
wears his sunglasses on the bill of his cap. Never attempted to put them on!!
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Michaels has to hit a HR to make up for that.
I bet Ortiz really appreciates losing his 17.2 inning shut out streak on a Michaels-aided Flyball.
Kinsler steals third
the ball sails on him, though, and he’s able to come home.
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Cruz grounds out to Berkman
who handled a funny hop very well.
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Pudge Rodrrguez celebrated tying the most games played as a catcher yesterday
with home run.
In his record breaking game today, he makes a throwing error.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:26 PM CDT reply actions
Pence battles back from the 3-0 count
to strike out. Attaboy, Hunter.
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Pudge almost legged that one out
but grounds out to Young.
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another club might have called up a AAA guy to play in left during this AL stretch.
But those clubs aren’t champions, are they?
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they just haven't learned to hate prospects like the Astros have.
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Have the Astros ever had a good player named
Jason?
Jason Smith
Jason Michaels
Jason Jennings
Who am I missing?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions
and Lane wasn't awful
I mean, he was one of the few Astro position players who did well in 2005.
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I forgot Jason Lane
Warning track power did him in.
I liked him. Didn’t he catch the final out in Busch Stadium the year the Astros won the NL Pennant?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Russ throws a fastball towards the middle of the plate
catches Murphy looking.
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Hey, when did we get a GCL team?
I was reading through the Bobby Heck draft chat, and he mentioned it. I didn’t think we had one last season.
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I assume that was Kissimmee, Florida
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions
looks like it
cool. Wade and Heck convinced Drayton to get another minor league club. I assume the fact that Osceola essentially is vacant after February aided that decision.
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From Wikipedia
GCL teams generally play at the minor league spring training complexes of their parent major league clubs, and are uniformly owned by those parent clubs. The teams generate little if any revenue, as admission is not charged and no concessions are operated. As almost all of the games are played in the heat and humidity of Florida summer afternoons, very few show up to watch the average contest. GCL games are perhaps the least competitive of all minor league games, as most of the players were just drafted in that year’s entry draft (2-3 weeks before the season’s start) and are there to develop skills under their employer’s tutelage rather than (necessarily) to win games or entertain fans.
GCL teams are not referred to by their home city, but simply by their parent club’s name, and the prefix “GCL” or “Gulf Coast” if necessary to differentiate between them and another club sharing the nickname. Some of these teams share stadiums with their club’s High-A affiliate in the Florida State League, which can lead to confusion, as FSL teams do use the city name (e.g. the Dunedin Blue Jays, three levels up from the GCL Blue Jays).
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:44 PM CDT up reply actions
well, that's cool
why didn’t we have one before this year?
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Here's the scoop
Astros are closing shop in [Venezuela].
The Astros, who were the first team to open a baseball academy in Venezuela, will close their facility on the grounds of Venoco Oil Company at the end of spring training, opting instead to add a Rookie-level team to the Gulf Coast League in Florida.
For the Astros, they hope the closure of the academy, which opened in 1989, will help them get players into the United States at an earlier age and to the major leagues sooner. And they hope to sign fewer, but better players from Venezuela by giving bigger bonuses.
“So we’re going to try to put more resources into signing betters players and bring them to the States right away and send them to the Gulf Coast League and speed up the process. One reason we didn’t have a Gulf Coast League team is we are affiliated with the Dominican Summer League and Venezuela.”
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Killer Kinsler bunts for a single
Astros cannot get him out
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:48 PM CDT reply actions
Double Play third to second to first
nice and clean
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 7:51 PM CDT reply actions
Carlos Lee nails one to deep center
and, oh yeah, that Rangers fan appears to have caught it over the field
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And Pence appears to have brought a large rooting contingent to the ballpark
doubles to left-center.
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Actually, the Rangers broadcaster w/ JD brings up a good point,
which leads me to a question:
What would be worse:
A) Bidge/Bagwell in a Mets uniform
B) The same in a Yankees uniform
I’d go with A, simply because the Mets have screwed the Astros in the past. The Yankees are just hated from afar. Seeing Pudge in the Yankees uniform wouldn’ve sucked for Rangers fans, but I think Astros legends in Mets pinstripes would suck a lot more for us.
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Kaz does something
singles up the middle, bringing Hunter home. 3-2 Good Guys.
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Screw $130 Pudge bats
I’m going to go to Whataburger and get the L-Train to sign my wrapper.
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If Astros changed the name of Ta'ls Hill to Ryan Ridge
Would Nolan Ryan become the Astros president?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:15 PM CDT reply actions
heh
screw this obsession with Ryan. He’s dead to me.
We need to start renaming everything after JR Richard and Joe Niekro.
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Back to back walks
Tejada and Lee
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:17 PM CDT reply actions
Berkman chases a bad pitch on a 3-2 count
for out three
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions
There's only 2 of us on TCB tonight
Where’s everybody?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:23 PM CDT reply actions
not true
Clack was around earlier.
And everyone else is probably deciding not to watch a non-Wandy/Roy start.
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You're right (about clack)
I see a couple of posts up there
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Vizquel and Rodriguez
set (or tie) career records in the inning – games played as a catcher (Pudge – game becoems official after this half inning) and most hits by a Venezuelan player (Vizquel)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:27 PM CDT reply actions
Vizquel tries to steal
Pudge gets the ball there in plenty of time, but Matsui does not hold onto the ball
AND THEY GIVE THE ERROR TO PUDGE —Boooooooooooooo
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:29 PM CDT reply actions
Vizquel ultimately scored
Rangers lead 4-3
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Pudge singled after Pence Singled
Both past second base into right field
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:39 PM CDT reply actions
Matsui is bunting???
with Jason Michaels to bat next??
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:41 PM CDT reply actions
Matsui "sacrifice bunts" Pence to third and Rodrguez to second
Let’s see if Michaels puts the ball in play
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Jason Michaels stiruck out swinging
We all saw that coming
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:43 PM CDT up reply actions
yup
the Astros have no depth. Well, and several of their starters are crap, too, but the depth is awful.
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Bourn struck out
Pence and Rodriguez stranded on second and third.
First two Astros single and Astros don’t score.
Innings like that can cost a team the ball game.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:47 PM CDT reply actions
Russ Ortiz pitching well
He has given up two homeruns, but the other two runs are direct results of two official errors (Pudge) and one unoffical defensive error (Michaels)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 8:58 PM CDT reply actions
Keppinger singled
Vizquel zipped over to catch the grounder behind second but no time to throw out Keppinger
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:02 PM CDT reply actions
Tejada grounds into a double play
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:04 PM CDT reply actions
HUNTER PENCE HOMERUN
ties the game in front of his hometown gang
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:20 PM CDT reply actions
Is anyone else relieved that Geoff Geary is nowhere near this bullpen?
I feel so much better with Sampson/Hawkins/Valverde out there on the mound. knocking on wood
I saw the question earlier...and I'm sitll here.
I had some stuff to do and was away from the computer for awhile.
hmm
I started CJ Wilson tonight in the TCB Fanstasy league. This is emotionally complex.
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status quo maintained
except we’ve got a faster guy on 1st and one out
Even my mother in law, who just started watching baseball this season was incredulous. “Bourn is a good hitter, why are they making him do that?”
Bourn fruitless bunt
Michaels thrown out at second
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:38 PM CDT reply actions
Bourn caught stealing
Is Salty known to be a good defensive catcher? I have no idea about these things. He’s having a good inning right here.
not really.
I think he is much improved over that game last year where he gave up something like 6 SBs. I think Bourn can’t read Wilson, and that was the cause of that caught stealing.
Keppinger singled
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:41 PM CDT reply actions
Tejada popped out in foul territory
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:42 PM CDT reply actions
Rangers get lead off double
scary start to the ninth
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:45 PM CDT reply actions
Jose Valverde started the ninth for the Astros
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:46 PM CDT reply actions
JD commenting that it’s a bit unorthodox to bring in your closer in a tie game in the 9th.
I don’t mind it. I think we’ve still got Fulchino out there to take a few consecutive innings if this goes into extras, and I feel pretty confident with him out there.
Fulchino
has gone from short term fill-in to a dependable reliever over the past month
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions
some obvious miscommunication between Bourn and Michaels.
Bourn has the choice in that situation. But Michaels ran into Bourn as he caught it.
One out
High fly to left center – Bourn steps in front of Michaels to make the catch
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:47 PM CDT reply actions
out two
Strike out
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:50 PM CDT reply actions
out three
called strike three
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:53 PM CDT reply actions
Cleveland scored 4 runs in the ninth
to tie the game 8-8 with Milwaukee Brewers
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:54 PM CDT reply actions
GRR - Carlos Lee
Shortstop muffs catch . Has to chase ball. But gets Carlos Lee who was not running hard to first
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:57 PM CDT reply actions
and he would have scored on Pence's double, if he was on first.
I can never excuse guys who don’t run hard.
He pulled up rather pathetically...
the other day on Lance’s late-game GIDP. He was basically walking to 2nd base.
Pence doubles
to go with a previous double and a homerun and a single
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 9:58 PM CDT reply actions
Pudge strikes out
Bad night for him on an historic night for him
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:02 PM CDT reply actions
Fulchino pitching
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:04 PM CDT reply actions
Keppinger error
bad way to start the inning
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:04 PM CDT reply actions
Killer Kinsler steals second
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by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Cardinals WIN 4-3
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:07 PM CDT reply actions
Young singled
Runners on the corners with no outs
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:08 PM CDT reply actions
IBB to load the bases
brings up Nelson Cruz with bases loaded
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:09 PM CDT up reply actions
This game is nearly over.
Bleeder into CF, puts runners on the corners with no outs. And IBB will load the bases.
a run here would join the undeserved run in the first....
which resulted from Michaels failing to catch a ball.
It was a popup to shallow CF
Bourn and Michaels both on it, second time in two innings that they were just a few feet from a collision
One out
Pop to shallow center
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:12 PM CDT reply actions
Yeah yeah yeah
good for them. Their city is still a piece of shit.
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ASTROS LOSE 5-4
Bad defensive game . Bad baserunning game,
and I’m still peeved about two singles followed by a bunt and two strikeouts a few innings back
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:15 PM CDT reply actions
Post-game show
Kevin Eschenfelder looks like he’s just happy to be at the ballpark. Footer looks like she’s this close | | to going down to the locker room and giving the ballclub a lecture on the importance of defense and hustling to first, especially in close and late situations.
I don't really like the excuse made by JD for Astros' play:
“it’s a hot night, and sometimes the focus isn’t there.”
he was so pissed
after Kaz dropped that ball. Looked like he was ready to stab somebody.
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i immediately regretted that comment
It’s not that they don’t care. But something was certainly missing.
And now it's up to Brandon Backe to prevent the Silver Boot Series Sweep
I’m not sure I can bear to watch.
Cooper was angry in the post-game press conference.
Somewhat testy with questioners. That’s understandable. Cooper is upset with the defense…says the Astros just kicked the ball around and lost because of it. He said Ortiz deserved a better fate.
Coop saw the same game we did
From what clack wrote, I agree with Cecil Cooper
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 17, 2009 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions
I hope the Brewers win the division
Either them or the Reds.
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