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Game Hero, 81 - 68

Eric Bruntlett
  • Five Times At the Plate, Five Times Reached
  • Scored four of the Astros' six runs
  • 3 - 3, 2 BB, 1 HR 1 2B, 4R, 1 RBI
  • Two Stolen Bases

You could kind of tell when Wandy had had it, but the former Mr. Cabreja was outstanding, as well, going the deepest into any game this year, and notching his tenth win, becoming only the second rookie this year to get into double digits, and only the seventh Astro rookie, all time.

Astro Rookie Ten-Game Winners
Year Pitcher Wins Losses Pct.
2003 Jeriome Robertson 15 9 .625
2001 Roy Oswalt 14 3 .824
1986 Jim Deshaies 12 5 .706
1986 Charley Kerfeld 11 2 .846
1969 Tom Griffin 11 10 .524
1967 Don Wilson 10 9 .526
2005 Wandy Rodriguez* 10 8 .556
----
*So far

Tremendous job by the back end of our rotation. Who'd have thunk that for the Brewers series, Roy wouldn't get his win, while Backe and Wandy would get theirs? If things are as they appear, and all five pitchers are clicking, the Astros are gonna be hard to beat. The fact that we now go into Pittsburgh for a four-game set doesn't hurt, either.

I always thought that John McMullen and his memory got way too much grief from the Houston fans. If a team passed on re-signing a 42-year old Nolan Ryan these days, it would be called "Moneyball." In 1989, it was called treason. It was not easy to replace Ryan in the Houston rotation, but McMullen's decision was in fact logically defensible. It was the deification of Ryan by Texas baseball fans that was not.

It is telling that both Biggio and Bagwell are looking to attend McMullen's funeral this coming week. He treated the players well as owner, and it was under his stewardship that the Astros made their first three playoff appearances.

Since my mama always told me not to speak ill of the dead, I will refrain from commenting on the other Astros-related passing this week. . . .

Go Fish!