After three and half innings of play I felt comfortable enough focusing solely on the NBA Finals for awhile and marveled on my high horse at how the Celtics were choking. When halftime came, I flipped back to the 'Stros and their previously comfortable lead had evaporated. It hadn't just evaporated. The Royals were in the process of building their own previously comfortable lead, actually. Talk about choking...
I have to credit Evan, who has been in hiding furiously studying for the bar...hoping against hope he hasn't wasted the last three years of his life, for calling the game tonight. After the first inning he said that the Royals were just going to paper cut us to death. And paper cut us to death they did.
What is absolutely incredible to me is if we approach the Astros fifth inning meltdown from a Run Expectancy perspective:
- After Jason Kendall flies out to center, the run expectancy sat at .12 runs for the rest of the inning. There are two outs and no one on base.
- David DeJesus singles to center. Run Expectancy is at .25.
- Jose Guillen reached on a error and Run Expectancy jumps to a still dismal .47.
- Alberto Callaspo singles to right and 1 run scores. Run Expectancy is at .82.
- Mike Aviles singles and two runs score: Run Expectancy is at .82.
- Mitch Maier walks- .47.
- Yuniesky Betancourt doubles and three runs score: Run Expectancy is at .82.
- Scott Podsednik singles and one run scores: Run Expectancy is at .35.
- Jason Kendall strikes out swinging and the inning is over—mercifully.
