Good Valverde, Bad Luck; Ozzie rips Cubsfan
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 29, 2009 10:35 AM CDT
in News
16 comments
For those of you keeping score at home, the Astros are now 19/34 in save opportunities. Their fifteen blown saves ties them, surprisingly, with the Dodgers for second worst in baseball. Defending NL saves leader Jose Valverde is only 6/10 in converting save opportunities this season. He has blown those four saves, yes, but he hasn't pitched poorly this season. His rate stats and ERA indicate as much. Sample size, as much as anything, may be factoring in here. Regardless, a win yesterday would have pushed the Astros a half game ahead of the Cubs, and left the team only one half game back of the Cincinnati Reds for third place in the NL Central. St. Louis and Milwaukee both lost yesterday. Division races often times come down to one or two games, and games in June are worth just as much as games in September.
Brandon Inge's 2 out home run cost the Astros one such game yesterday. Hopefully it won't come down to one game like that, but the Astros have had two losses like this last week. A game over .500 is where the Astros should be right now, if not for blown saves. Cincinnati is a team that isn't playing superb baseball, but they're outproducing their pythagorean record by a game, due in no small part to the fact that as a team they've blown only four save opportunities.
On a happier note, as the Astros just missed sweeping a team, the Cubs lost a series against the cross town rival White Sox. Lost a series to a team with Scott Podsednik as a starting outfielder. That should take some of the bitter taste of our Sunday loss out of your mouth. If it doesn't, this quote from White Sox manager Ozzie may help. When asked by a reporter why attendance was so low at Comiskey Park for the White Sox series against the LA Dodgers, but rebounded over the weekend in their series against the Cubs, Guillen quipped:
It's been said before, but Ozzie was a bit more comedic in his way of stating that Cubs' fans would still come out to watch their team no matter how disfunctional/bad/cursed their club may be.
Padres up next...for what it's worth, San Diego closer Heath Bell has converted 21/22 save opps.
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On a happier note, as the Astros just missed sweeping a team, the Cubs were actually swept. Swept by a team with Scott Podsednik a starting outfielder.
I… I don’t think we should make fun of that.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 29, 2009 12:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Particularly since the Cubs actually won the Friday game
Losing the series 2-1
by Texas Wahoo on Jun 29, 2009 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
whoooooooops
my bad. nice job on the math though.
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 29, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
sure we should
Podsednik hit a home run against us in the World Series. Brad Ausmus hit a two out home run in the ninth inning of Game Four of the NLDS. It’s the playoffs. Anything can happen.
Fast forward four years. The Astros have upgraded in CF, the White Sox have the same guy.
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 29, 2009 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well
1) It’s just a joke. Just like “getting swept by a team with Scott Podsednik” is a joke.
2) Podsednik has bounced around a bit since then. So it’s not quite like they have kept him over the past few years.
3) Fangraphs appears to be down right now, so I can’t check UZR, but Podsednik has a reputation as a good defender. Since the rest of the White Sox outfield is shit, defensively, I think it’s probably acceptable to try to have SOMEONE back there who can convert fly balls into outs.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Jun 29, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
touche
i figured you were joking, but i wanted to make the ausmus point regardless! haha. and yes, i know theyve used other cf’s since the series, including a guy who’s hurt right now, but theyve all been dreadful. dewayne wise, and chris anderson may be the other guy’s names, im too lazy to look. if scotty pod is a plus defender still, then i tip my cap to him, and shake my head at willy t, who uzr has pegged as a less than great defender despite being under 30 years old
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 29, 2009 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually Posendnik is not a good fielder in CF.
That’s probably his worst defect. His offense isn’t acceptable for a corner OF position, and his fielding makes him a problem in CF. My recollection is that he mostly played LF for White Sox in the World Series. Over his career, UZR has him at -5 in CF and +1 in LF (per 150).
by clack on Jun 29, 2009 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so true
good ol’ smash face aaron rowand was their cf
by Evan Hochschild on Jun 29, 2009 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
one reason I remember that he played LF in the World Series....
he was a big factor behind that Astros coming back to tie Game 1 in Chicago. Chris Burke was credited with tremendous base running when he came around to score in the 9th on a bloop hit, but Posednik has a sub-par arm and couldn’t get the ball into the infield. Of course, Pods had the last laugh off of Lidge.
by clack on Jun 29, 2009 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They've got Brian Anderson in CF
All I know is that he looked good there against the Brewers and the Sox media talks positively about his defense. The thing about Scotty Pods is that he’s probably the best guy they got for the position and has been filling a big need, so he’s been a plus.
by ol Pete on Jun 29, 2009 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looking at his fielding stats this year, it looks like Pods is playing 80% of the time in LF and 20% of the time in CF.
by clack on Jun 29, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be in section 107 tonight...
Go Astros, Go Wizard…
"When McGwire hits one, it goes half way to the moon. Many of Aaron's home runs were just over the fence." -Milo Hamilton
by NocturnalMatt on Jun 29, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice
Pet Co is such a great place to catch a game.
The Crawfishboxes
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 Stephen Higdon on Jun 29, 2009 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They're playing at Petco!
Crap…I was hoping to get to bed early tonight
by AstroAndy on Jun 29, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Think again
At least you won’t be sent to the grocery store this tonight.
The Crawfishboxes
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 Stephen Higdon on Jun 29, 2009 5:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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