 |
 |
| Ian Snell | Jason Jennings |
| 0 - 0, 0.00 | 0 - 0, 0.0 |
The old saw that no news is good news certainly doesn't hold true today, as the club appears to be pretending it's business as usual tonight in the wake of the painful loss Monday.
Certainly a lot was written here today about Lidge, and it's not my intention to flog a dead caballo. I will, however, make mention of Richard Justice, who for a change was strong to the table when he noted that "[Lidge] threw 26 pitches. The Pirates swung and missed just five times."
At any rate, enough of that, at least until the next blown save. We happen to have a very capable pitcher on the mound tonight in Jason Jennings, and that's where our attention as Astro fans should be focussed. I truly look forward to seeing a symbiotic relationship develop between Jennings and Everett, where Adam's fantastic glove work reinforces the need in Jason to go with the approach he'll be taking anyway: to lead with his sinker. The self-help and motivational people call that "positive feedback." Us Astro fans should be calling it a match made in heaven.
Oh, and I've go this little hypothesis, and it goes like this: After success in keeping his flyballs to the middle of the diamond in 2006, Jennings perfects the art in 2007. Look for flyballs to be caught by Burke, and, as always, fear the flyball to left. . . .
And, no: I am not worried tonight at all about the fact that Jack Wilson has a career 1.032 OPS off JJ in an almost-significant 18 at bats.
I am, though, very encouraged not only that Ensberg has a .450 lifetime OBP off Ian Snell, and a 1.239 OPS, but also that Adam Everett is OPSing .182 off tonight's starter for the Bucs. This almost assuredly means the blessed end of the Everett-as-number-two experiment.
Beyond that, I'll note that the last time the Astros lost on Opening Day, in 2005, they not only won their next four, they also ended up the year as champions of the National League.