The Dodgers? Are you kidding me? The fucking Dodgers? Seriously? The Dodgers? The goddamn Dodgers? Really? You mean the Dodgers that were 7th in the NL in wins? Worse than the Mets and the Astros and the Cardinals? Those Dodgers? Surely, you jest. So you're telling me (let me get this straight) the fuckin' Dodgers are in the NLCS? The same Dodgers that OPS'd 11th in the league? The team that barely managed to win the weakest division in the league? Might go to the World Series?

We better get a shot of a topless Alyssa Milano orgasming on camera for this.

Add State Senator John Whitmire and the players on the Houston Astros to the group of those taking MLB commisioner Bud Selig to task on his decision to hold the Astros/Cubs games at Miller Park right after a natural disaster. The senator, Lance Berkman and Doug Brocail all going on record and calling the decision outrageous, unconscionable, putting the dollar before the welfare of the player first and say had it been another team like the Red Sox, then Selig would have allowed the games to be played at the end of the season like everyone wanted

Senator Whitmire:

"...it is unconscionable to have the Houston Astros play in Milwaukee on Sunday night when the players and team staff should be in Houston with their families or in other locations where their families have evacuated. "

Doug Brocail:

"And to make us go up and play at North Wrigley like we had to on no sleep, it was absolutely ridiculous. If it was New York or Boston it would have been played at the end of the season. I truly believe that, and I think 99.9 percent of our teammates believe that."

You can read the very interesting article here: Houston Chronicle

The baseball Gods have been shining on us a lot lately, so I guess we can't complain, but they decided that the home series versus the Cubs should be held at Miller Park. The Astros will play one game on Sunday and one on Monday, according to an article on Astros.com. The third will be played at Minute Maid Park at the end of the season, if necessary. This essentially means another home series for the Cubs since Miller Park is within spitting distance of Chicago. It also means that we'll just have to sweep the Cubs on the road again.

Link

Just a post where we can talk about today's games between the Brewers and Phillies and the Cards and Pirates, since there is no Astros game today. I have to write at least 75 words, so here's the Wild Card standings coming into today:

• NL Wild Card
  Team / GB
  Brewers - 0
  Phillies - 3.0
  Astros - 3.0
  Cardinals - 5.0

Yesterday's game between the Brewers and Phillies was postponed because of rain. They will make up the game tomorrow night as part of a day/night double header. The Cards were destroyed by the Pirates and pitcher Malholm yesterday, losing 10-2. Malhoun took a shut out into the 9th inning against them too. That put the Cards 5 games behind the Brewers and 2 behind the Astros.

Today's games include an afternoon Brewers/Phillies match-up (which has already started) and an evening Cards/Pirates match up. For those interested, the Mets are hosting the Braves.

Here are your match ups for today.
Manny Parra (MIL) v. Cole Hamels (PHI)
Mike Hampton (ATL) v. Johan Santana (NYM)
Adam Wainwright (STL) v. Kersterns (PIT) (or something.. who cares?)

The Braves/Mets game is currently in the 5th. Both pitchers are pitching good games, but the Mets lead 2-0.

Happy day. The Phillies chased starter Manny Parra in the second inning after 5 runs allowed. Looks like the Brew Crew is on their way to losing yet another game. (Hopefully) 5-2 in the 5th right now.

For those of you who were sad that Adam Everett got DFA'd by the Twins, well.. he's back with them. It wasn't actually a DFA, but a contemplative outright assignment form... which I have no idea what that means, but he had 3 days to accept... He was on the DL, though. As it turns out, the Twins had to place their 2nd baseman on the DL so they activated Everett.

I really like Adam Everett (even though he couldn't hit worth a lick) and he'd be a good defensive replacement for the Astros next year. Well, he WOULD if he hadn't been on the DL like 3 times this year. I'm not sure if he could be an effective defender anymore.

What do you think of signing Everett next year and have him as a defensive replacement for SS with a move of Tejada to 3rd base late in the game? Tejada would have to learn some 3rd base, but he has a very strong and accurate arm. That would keep the team with a superior offensive shortstop during most of the game, with a BIG increase in defense later in the game when we have a slim lead. (Assuming Everett can still play effectively.)

Ok, let's face it. Brian Moehler has been all that and a bag of chips. (to quote late 90's proverbs. :p ) No one that it was going to happen except me. And to tell you the truth, I kinda just guessed. I said he should be the fifth starter from day one of this season and no one agreed with me. I didn't say that so much because I thought he'd be good, but more like... I thought he would be least bad. :p So the way it turns out, he's been our second best starter of the year. Not that it was hard to do.

So why back someone who hasn't had great results until this year? My favortism towards Moehler started back at the beginning of the '07 season when I read an article about him trying to make the team as a reliever. He was in spring training and it talked about how he told his wife in the next few days he'd either be heading north (back to Georgia or wherever he lives) or he'd be headed west, to Houston. That gave him.. a little bit of a personal feel to me. So I've been rooting for him ever since. That, and he had the best spring training results this year, even though they weren't that good.

As a starter this year he's done this:
ERA: 3.98
Games Started: 15 (Record 6-4)
Oppenent On Base: .315
Walks per 9 Innings: 2.41

They aren't the greatest numbers in the league, but they are damn good for a fifth starter. But the question is this: He makes half a million bucks this year, which is near league minimum. How much money do you think the Astros should offer him next year assuming they keep Backe?

If they pick up one starter in the off season?
If they pick up two?

Looks like management has seen enough of Oscar Villareal in an Astros uniform. At least for the time being. He's been designated for assignment and Dave Borkowski has been called up to take his place.

You can read about it right here.

We all know Villareal sucked, so I won't go into his stats here. Borkowski sucked too... at least while he was with the Astros this year. So what about his performance in Round Rock? Not too shabby. He started one game and got the win by pitching 5 shut out innings.  He took one loss as a reliever in 11 appearances and gave up 5 runs. Those runs were given up in four games so he has seven scoreless appearances as a reliever, twice going more than 1 inning.

As for Quintero (if you didn't see last night's game,) he was hit in the head by a swing by one of the Dodgers batters. He fell to the ground and it looked like if may have knocked him out for a minute. He was eventually helped off the field and will spend the next 15 days on the disabled list.

J.R. Towles, of course, is taking his place. You might argue that he sucked even more than Villareal last time he was here, striking out just about every time he had the bat. He gets another chance starting tonight. He had an OPS of .954 in AAA with a few home runs recently and an On Base Percentage of .380. So maybe that will translate to something decent in the 8 spot.

Oh, and if you haven't heard, Lance will take part in this year's home run derby.

 

Dammit.

He's been pretty good for us. I hate losing him... especially the second time around. David Newhan has been called up to take his place... But Loretta will most likely take over 2nd base duties for awhile, I think. Of course, not every day, but I expect him to play the most. This most likely puts Pence in the 2nd spot. I guess we'll get to see how the line-up change will help us.

Of course.. this still doesn't answer the question on who will leave the team now that Hernadez is going to be called up soon. I guess we'll see.

Here's the article.