More Bullshit

by rastronomicals on May 17, 2006 11:32 AM CDT in Houston Astros News

Jayson Stark and Jose De Jesus Ortiz think the story last night was the Springer plunking of Bonds, and while it certainly made for riveting television, as an Astro fan, I think that what you need to focus on is how ragged everything looked.

bwhite looked to Preston not taking the freely-proffered base in the sixth. I myself had issues with Lane's lackadaisical response on Vizcaino's RBI single in the fifth. You may have really been bugged by Taveras botching not one, but two, fly balls.

Or by the timing of Everett's first error.

bwhite says they quit. I don't know about that, but they sure as hell never had any focus on the game. I know that yesterday's game was the 19th in 19 days, I know that there have been distractions, and I know that any team can have an ugly game, but it's inexcusable that a ball team should play so poorly in consecutive games.

As far as Springer's sequence to Bonds, it may please Stark and Ortiz and our friendly little diarist next door to assume that Russ was throwing at Barry, but the fact is, there was no reason to throw at Bonds--he's just not dangerous enough anymore.

Bonds had a good enough series--a couple walks, a double, a couple singles--but our otherwise eminently vulnerable pitchers were able to keep him in the yard. I think we all remember the 89 mph fastball he fouled off on Monday. No offense to Miller, but if Bonds were this monster who forced you to walk him (or hit him) coz of the dire consequences, he would have crushed that pitch.

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Vizzy

I'm just happy for Vizzy that he's being productive. I hated the fact that he got dealt away.

I think they have every right to claim being exhausted from a 19-day run. The one-day series in San Francisco becuase they're to cheap to build a stadium with a roof in a rainy area didn't help.

I think Berkman's hamstring problems are directly linked to Garner sticking him in Left that one day. Berkman's the first baseman. Moving Berkman to spell Preston K a day to let Lamb play first made no sense, even with Burke out.

Has Kruk overweighed in on Springer vs. Bonds yet? Just trying to rolls-of-flesh out the full spectrum of ESPN "analysts" from the confused to the pointless and all points in between.

by Laurence Simon on May 17, 2006 12:21 PM CDT reply actions

Personally, I think the pitch was a fire-lighter

Springer is a veteran force on this team. He's in charge of the bullpen, and I wouldn't be surprised if he wielded some power over the younger starters.

Pitching to Bonds and the number 714, as much as Taylor and Wandy won't admit it, got into their heads. So Springer pulls his best mama bear impression and targets the one guy that has been messing with his cubs. Even if Bonds wasn't directly responsible for the maelstrom of runs for the Giants, his presence was.

I could buy the pitch running behind Bonds. I could buy the pitch that hit the bat above his hands. But when you throw four succinct pitches around a player, that's playing with fire. Maybe Springer was trying to prove a point -- that Bonds isn't someone to be afraid of and that you should pitch to him. Maybe he is right that he wasn't trying to hit him, but he certainly was trying to get close.

I don't know what to expect for this game. Bonds isn't playing, so that should be a relief for Nieve. I do, however, expect one of ours to get hit. Matheny has promised "retaliation" whatever that means to us. I just hope that this opened the eyes of some of our more asleep players and we become a formidable foe again.

by saylinara on May 17, 2006 3:02 PM CDT reply actions

Saylinara, you are right on the money!

I had the dubious pleasure of being there last night. It was a media circus, a baseball sideshow, and a good old fashioned beaning was in order to "light the fire"!

I was sickened by all of the fans booing Barry but holding their cameras at the ready to photograph the "moment". And the "changing of the balls" every time he went up to bat - well, you know what I mean......

Barry got into the players heads, the media heads, and ultimately into all of our heads. And for that, shame on US!

by bwhite2323 on May 17, 2006 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

And You're One

of those who equates Gaylord Perry with steroid use.

Basically the evidence that people who pointed at Scotty had was the evidence that people had on Lidge last year: he threw an unhittable pitch.

But that way lies madness, because fact is if you want to equate Joe Niekro having a piece of emory cloth in his glove, or even Hatcher corking his bat, with the sacrilege Bonds has committed, and that assuages the deep guilt you no doubt feel for supporting this, this, crook, you go ahead and do that.

Your own happiness is of course up to you, no-one's gonna take care of it for you.

by rastronomicals on May 17, 2006 3:30 PM CDT reply actions

There Was A Comment Here

that said I was sanctimonious for believing that steroids and HGH were any different from greenies.

I understand the argument, and although I disagree it's a fair one, but the comment then went on to insult those who live in Texas (which I of course do not), and I'm not going to allow that kind of region-based name-calling here.

Let that stuff happen on the ESPN message boards,or wherever else it's accepted behavior. Not Fucking here.

Anyone who wants to call those who live in San Francisco or those who live in Houston names because of the accident of where they live can do it someplace fucking else.

by rastronomicals on May 17, 2006 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

well

it's unfortunate that things turned out the way they did. i was there last night as well. the guy botched the attendance quiz in the 8th. it was probably the worst kiss cam i've ever seen in the 6th. the blooper reel was pretty weak. the audio on Backe's "Baseball 101" was unintelligible. all in all it was possibly the most unsatisfying ballpark experience i've ever had.

on another note, i heard Garner's segment on Charlie Palillo's show. he asked our question about moving Ausmus up in the order, and while Phil admitted to considering it, he kind of ducked the question by saying that every time Willy seems to start to struggle, he rattles off a couple three hit games in a row, and while Brad's numbers look great, he's bound to settle down a bit. he also commended what he and Everett were doing at the back end of the lineup and sounded like he didn't want to "break up the chemistry" by moving Ausmus out of the seven spot. lastly, he pulled the "our offense is not in that bad of a funk right now" card. same kinda stuff we're getting used to hearing from Phil. didn't he make a big splash when he stepped in because unlike his predecessor, he wasn't afraid to shuffle the deck with the lineup? it seems like he's getting more and more stuck in a rut.

Charlie also asked him about Lidge, and Phil said he'd really like to get him another appearance in a non-save situation before reannointing him the closer, but if he used Wheeler and Qualls earlier in the game tonight and had a save situation, he'd have no problem giving the ball to Brad. he seemed to be encouraged with Brad's "progress". ninth inning or not, hopefully we'll get another good appearance from Lidge tonight and he'll slide back into the dominant closer role.

and for the record, Phil stood by his assertion that Springer was just trying to pitch inside and with how far all of his pitchers were missing their spots, he wasn't surprised that somebody got hit. shocker.

by littlevisigoth on May 17, 2006 4:58 PM CDT reply actions

Interesting

had never heard the Doran story--just that Craig wouldn't stop with the allegations after he taught Scott the split finger.

A search of the net shows a lot of people who refer to "Mike Scuff" but not much else.

If you have a citation, I'd be interested in chasing the story down. Although didn't they search Niekro when he was caught with the Yankees? That's why he tossed the little emory cloth in the air for the camera to see. . . . .

I imagine you're talking about this game

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B06050HOU1987.htm

It'd be easier if I lived in Houston to chase down a game story at the library; if you had a citation it would give me a kickstart. That sinhosejar address on my user page works if you'd like to send me it.

I had known that there was never any proof, but if your story's true that's about as airtight as what we've got on Barry . . . .

by rastronomicals on May 17, 2006 5:40 PM CDT reply actions

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