Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros, Jun 23, 2009 7:05 PM CDT
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 23, 2009 6:00 PM CDT
in Events
96 comments
Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros, Jun 23, 2009 7:05 PM CDT
Current Series
3 game series vs Royals @ Minute Maid Park
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Kansas City Royals Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009, 7:05 PM CDT Partly cloudy. Game time temperature around 100.
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| Wed 06/24 | 7:05 PM CDT | |
| Thu 06/25 | 1:05 PM CDT | |
After tonight's game, this series gets a whole lot easier for the Astros. Tonight though, is another story. Zach Grienke isn't having the out of this world season he was in April and May, but he is still proving himself worthy of the accolades he has been receiving since the season began. He has two and a half times as many complete games as the entire Astros' rotation, and his K/BB rate is a Haren-ian 5.89:1. In his fourteen starts, Grienke has never failed to finish the fifth inning. The Royals are 8-6 in those starts and 21-33 when any other pitcher starts a game for them.
To finish the preview up, I'd like to throw this link in there, made a contributor over at RoyalsReview before the season began. Some interesting quotes:
The Astros are 1-14-3 (do you put ties at the end?) this Spring Training. That's right, they have one win, fourteen loses, and three ties. Can we contract the National League to like eight franchises? We might get some good teams that way.
Here's my personal favorite:
I hope they keep losing. I'm bored.
To get even more riled up, read some of those comments. Wow. It entertains me to no end to see perpetual losers try to trash an organization that has been among the most successful in baseball in the past fifteen years. I suppose that finishing so far out of first every season in recent memory causes fans to look for other outlets for their sadness/woe/anger. As the season nears its midpoint, the Royals are skyrocketing towards another 70 win season, as the Astros are still in the hunt, have some interesting prospects coming up, and are retooling their farm system in quick order.
At some point in the near future, the Astros will have the kind of organization that can once again compete with the big boys. Kansas City will be doomed to talking about their middle of the road farm system from now into perpetuity, as their big league club stinks it up. If nothing else, this bit of premature smack talking gives an otherwise boring series in June some intrigue.
Lance Berkman is auspicously out of the line up because his wife just gave birth the child number three. Congrats Lance!! But hurry back, please.
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Greineke will bat 8th...
that’s unusual, AL team or not.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 7:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
1st inning.
Ortiz with three groundball outs.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 7:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Daughter #4
They (FSN HOUSTON) said got the number wrong the first time. New daughter is named Abigail, according to Footer.. which is the name of one of my daughters. :p
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 7:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hunter Pence singled
for first hit of thegame
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Carlos Lee singled
Pence to third
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
MiguelTejada singled
to drive in Pence
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
CHOO CHOO!
Oh wait.. he’s the bus driver.
HONK HONK!!
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 7:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Now Royals get back to back singles
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Bases loaded - no outs
on a walk
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
1-1
Royals score on slow grounder to Tejada at short. Out made at third
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Out 2 - Foul pop up to Erstad
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Strikeout to end the Royals half of the second
Game tied 1-1
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Did anybody watch the Longhorns heartbreaking loss to LSU last night?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I live in Louisiana
It wasn’t so heartbreaking here. :P
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tigers do have have their loyal fans
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Longhorns score first in game 2
Maybe that 1-0 lead will hold up
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wait a second
so the giveaway at the game was a retro t-shirt, but the Astros aren’t actually wearing the retro uniforms?
This sucks.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 7:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
this interview is designed to prevent us from knowing that Ortiz...
walked the lead off batter.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 7:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They're spending half an inning
talking about future giveaways and special food deals
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 7:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh
I posted that before they did their stupid crap.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 7:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
GIDP helps a lot.
Matsui showing good quickness.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 7:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
reading through that linked royalsreview article is painful
A horrible offensive team in one of the best hitter’s parks in baseball.
Good christ, when will people start doing the freaking research? And it’s really sad, too, because the site has always been kind of vaguely sabermetric.
I blame their failure to bring back beloved catcher Brad Ausmus. He was worth roughly eight runs a game with his defense and game calling, and another two with his veteran presence. He was the Babe Ruth of guys with an OPS+ below 65. You can win a lot of games with Brad Ausmus on your team, just ask 95% of broadcasters, talk radio guys, and, sadly, managers.
It’s sad that this is what “saber-friendly” has come to mean. All it means is “snarky and cliched.”
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 7:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
from what I've seen...
I think I’ll pass on reading that stuff.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
funny thing about those Ausmus comments...
First, Ausmus is hitting .302 for the Dodgers so far this season.
Second, Ausmus has played in 35 playoff games with the Astros, and the Royals’ catcher has played in how many?
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
see
a more curious mind would say, “Gee, Ausmus seems to be such an awful choice for a catcher, and yet the Astros seemed to do pretty well with him for a decade. I wonder if maybe his defense is better than we think, and so maybe he really isn’t awful.” As the quoted text says, we don’t have very good measures of catcher defense. Everett was one of those guys who was an awful hitter but spectacular defender in his days as an Astro (making him a slightly above-average SS, WARP-wise), maybe the same applied to Ausmus.
But that’s not what saber-friendly blogs are about most of the time. Instead, we all go for the FJM stuff.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wasn't that Royals piece written during Spring training?
and it did hope Astros rebounded during the season.
It was a dreadful Spring training month. The article is kinder than what we were saying and feeling.
What are they saying today on the Royals page?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
and it did hope Astros rebounded during the season.
Uh, not really.
It wouldn’t be a bad thing if they went 3-25-5 this spring, then were their normal 79 win selves this season, as we could all put to bed the notion that your record in Spring Training matters. Or, we could read five Richard Justice, Jon Heyman, or Hal Bodley columns about how they’ve turned it around, probably thanks to Pudge. Either way, the people win.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he meant normal 89 wins I'm sure
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would like Darin Erstad to hit the ball..
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 8:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Contact is free of charge
Getting on base…that’ll cost extra
by AstroAndy on Jun 23, 2009 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Erstad’s telepathic powers are limited. He got the part about hitting the ball…maybe not where to hit the ball.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Berkman's reaction
to the trophy ball and bat is pretty funny.
And I guess your wife going into labor is a good reason to not be at the ballpark. I really wish Coop wouldn’t play Erstad, though.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah, I was thinking the same thing about Erstad.
I’m not sure who you play at 1st base though. I suppose you could put Keppinger at 1st and Maysonet at 3d.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where has Maysonet been?
Did he screw someone’s wife?
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 8:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cooper seems to keep him in deep storage.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maysonet plays in May
Astros need a Juno for June
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hey
that’s even better than an IF single.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Cubs LOST 5-4
Tigers scored two in the ninth to win
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"The Astros used to breathe orange fire.
They should break that out again."
Yeah, but that would only make sense if they, you know, used orange as a color. Of course, that will never be done because it’s a good idea.
Fucking pinstripes.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Did you see that jog down first by Carlos? I don’t think you can even call it a jog.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 8:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You beat me to it
It is a bad (and irritating) habit. Does he do it to prevent injury or does he think it is okay because he IS Carlos Lee?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You don't see that very often
Miggy ducked (a full on crouch) because he thought he was going to get hit by the pitch, and the ump called it a strike
by AstroAndy on Jun 23, 2009 8:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
holy shit
I just realized, looking at the picture they showed of JD’s birthday…
I went to high school with his daughter, and I didn’t make the connection in the names.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 8:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I was a friend of a U.S. Senator's daughter for two years
before I learned who her father was.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 8:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was friends with one of the George Foremans
but that was a pretty easy one to figure out
by AstroAndy on Jun 23, 2009 8:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pitcher's duel..
with Ortiz…
Imagine that…
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 8:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Russ Ortiz pitches 7 strong innings (struggede in the second inning)
Securing his starting role I think
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
see
now would be a good time for a punting joke, because that actually did look like a punt to the first baseman.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Lance Berkman is on the bench.
Think he’ll pinch hit? or even take over first if it goes extras?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think that Kata pinch hit for Ortiz in his last game too…and I mentioned then that Ortiz is a better hitter than Kata.
by clack on Jun 23, 2009 9:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I figure if Berkman gets in this game
He’ll be subbing in for Erstad
This was the rationale I could think of for Kata batting
by AstroAndy on Jun 23, 2009 9:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reds LOST 7-5
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
This is retarded.
Please fire Coop and release Kata.
by entropic soul on Jun 23, 2009 9:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Pirates LOST 5-4 after loading the bases in the ninth
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
pudge kind of slaps arias on the head
intriguing
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Cardinals WON 3-0
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
whoa
Arias got a BIG call for that final strike on Butler
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
don't bunt
goddammit don’t bunt
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
sigh
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He Bunted
Bourn at second
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
FUCKING RUN YOU FAT SON OF A BITCH
AAAAGH
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
entropic was right
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My problem with the bunt
is the Astros have only two outs to play with. Now that Pence has grounded out, Bourn sits at third withtwo outs. Statistically he has less than 50% chance of scoring.
And with Bourn on first and Keppinger batting, it’s not likely the Royals would turn a double play .
(Ground out to end the inning – no score – there you go)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
well
Kepp generates a few DPs (simply because he doesn’t have a lot of speed and he’s a right-handed contact hitter). Maybe that’s mitigated by Bourn, but whatev.
If you’re going by the Tom Tango RE Matrix, you decrease the expected runs in the inning by about .2. Yeah, outs are important.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Man, Pudge has taken a ball in the groin quite a lot this season
by AstroAndy on Jun 23, 2009 9:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Mike Jacobs (along with, it seems, 1/3 of the Royals)
is on my TCB fantasy team. Just felt like sharing that.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
and that's why he can't beat out Jason Giambi
for the Ham Fighters’ starting 1B spot.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Soria's on there, too
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Miggy singles to lead off the bottom 9th
Puma comes in to PH
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
lance comes through!
singles to left
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ninth Inning Comeback??
Tejada singles to start things off.
Lance Berkman to pinch hit
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Berkman, who was 3 for 42 as a pinch hitter, singled
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Come on Matsui
(Jason Michaels is on deck – shudder)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ugly strikeout
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow
that looked ugly
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
you are so negative
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
ASTROS LOSE 2-1
I keep thinking Astros should have won this game
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 23, 2009 9:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm going to blame bunting
yeah, that sounds good.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well
at least I get a win and a save. If only Sizemore’s injury hadn’t totally screwed everything up alreadly.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 23, 2009 9:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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