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| Brad Hennessey | Andy Pettitte |
| 1 - 0, 3.86 | 2 - 3, 3.33 |
Don't worry, I hadn't heard of him either.
Only six weeks into the season, Brad Hennessey has already been called up from AAA Fresno, sent back down, and called up again. And if Jason Schmidt heals quickly, I have no doubt Hennessey'll be sent down again, in about fifteen days.
3 - 2 in his eight-game career, Hennessey, given the Astros' long history of coming up blank vs. newbies, would be the perfect culprit to toss eight low-hit, no-run innings at the 'Stros. And given the 2005 team's aversion to scoring, it almost seems like a mortal lock that Hennessey will have a career game tonight.
But I wouldn't want to get too far ahead of things; the Astros are returning home, where they are not the execrable, pitiful, abominable, horribly-tuned broken down offensive machine that they are on the road.
Like, check this shit out: the Astros are fifth in the NL in home OPS.
They're fifth in home slugging and fourth in home OBP.
OK, they're still tenth in home scoring and tenth in home hitting, but even there, they're just. . .subpar, not any of the adjectives that I might have used above, or the ones that I sometimes use in front of the tube when subjected to their offensive misadventures.
They're . . .almost competent. . . at home, and maybe Hennessey will give up a shot to the 'Stros, maybe Taveras will reach via the bunt a couple times and steal a few, and maybe Jason Lane will break out of his slump, and Mike Lamb too, and Berkman, maybe Berkman will finally get his swing timed right.
Could happen. This is Minute Maid, after all.