Man... it would be sweet to lock-up Beltran after this season. It would somewhat counteract the Cubs acquistion of Nomar, and the Cards locking up Pujols and Rolen long-term. Of course, his MMP numbers have to (and will) improve... they just showed the split on Fox... 10 HR's, .369 avg. on the road.... 1 HR, .175 avg. at home.
From the AP wrap-up of the Friday night/Saturday morning game: Two players who had just met for the first time finished off one of the majors' most unusual games of the season. Josh Hancock, who wasn't even on the Reds' roster for the game's first pitch, wound up getting the victory after catcher Jason LaRue doubled home the winning run in the 13th. LaRue's only hit in six at-bats during the marathon game -- four rain delays in all -- ended an eight-game losing streak that was Cincinnati's longest in a year. No one will remember it as fondly as Hancock (1-1), who was acquired late Friday from Philadelphia and didn't arrive until shortly after the game resumed Saturday morning at 11:30 EDT. The Reds got him in a deal for reliever Todd Jones that was completed during the game's third rain delay on Friday, just before the umpires suspended play. He had never even met LaRue until he came in to warm up for the 13th inning. ``I met LaRue on the mound and said, 'Fastball, slider, changeup, nice to see you,''' Hancock said. After the right-hander set the side down while giving up a pair of walks, he came to the bench and met his manager for the first time as well. So, if the guy was not on the roster to start the game, why was allowed to enter the game? I guess if the suspended game could not have been resumed until later in the year (the Dierker seizure game a few years ago, for instance) then any roster changes would be allowed. But it seems to me, that since no other games occured between the time the game was suspended and the time it was resumed, it should be treated more like a rain delay. The Astros should file a protest.
My thinking is that suspended games have to be treated differently from rain delays, even though in effect, that's what they are. The point about how if the game was played later in the year is a valid one... if it could be allowed then, it should be allowed now. I also think the Astros were probably notified of this move before the game, and they probably gave the Reds the "OK" (besides... facing this guy "should" have been easier than facing Jones). What's more amazing is that the guy was able to drive all the way from wherever he was, and make it in time for today's pitch... and then pitch and get the win... quite remarkable.
Astros only team in the majors without a walkoff win and have gone the longest in the majors since their last walkoff homer. I saw that a couple of weeks ago.
Of course, its hard to get either in a road game... but well pointed out. Last extra-inning/walkoff win was against the Brewers last year... Greg Zaun (remember him? he actually made ausmus look good)... got a sac fly to end one of those games. Last walkoff HR was Jeff Kent against the Cards last April...
If there's one pitcher who can actually get victimized by throwing too many strikes, its Roy Oswalt. Even though his pitches were of top quality today, they were all in the strike zone... and thus, as long as the Reds were able to guess right and make contact, they hit it. Give them credit for guessing right on many of his fastball/curveball combos... but when a team gets on a roll like the Reds did in the 4th inning, sometimes Roy just needs to be wild and crazy. Throw a pitch behind a hitter... unleash some fury... don't let them be comfortable. Still... in the end... you'd rather have a pitcher who throws too many strikes, rather than one who has no clue where the ball is going (Redding). EDIT: he keeps you in the game, and the Astros end up coming from behind to get him the win. He goes 7 innings, only the 4 ER in that awful 4th inning, and the offense has now started showing up early and late in the new Garner era. btw... how many would vote that Jimy would have taken Oswalt out after the 4th straight hit by the Reds.... even though our bullpen was in shambles. Garner didn't even have anybody up an throwing.
Man you must think I don't know the game or something. Of course you can't get a walkoff win on the road. I was just stating what I saw on baseball tonight.
Sorry man... I wasn't trying to make fun of u or anything. I was just pointing out that fact, since it was an extra-inning road game that we once again failed to win. My apologies.
Nah its cool. I wasn't mad. I just wanted to bring up the walkoff issue since its been awhile since the Astros had one.
didn't want to start a new thread but here is some updated news about Wade Miller . I'm just posting a snippet of it http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2714169 He puts his odds of returning to the mound this season at no better than 50 percent. "I'm about 50-50 right now," Miller said. Miller, who was shut down again over the weekend, will visit with Astros team physician Dr. Tom Lintner today. "It's not good," said Miller, who was forced to stop throwing after making only "a few" pitches off a bullpen mound Friday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. "It's just not feeling good. It's just not feeling right."
Hey also .........Kent and Bags weren't happy about how the lineup was put together yesterday. Anyone hear about that?
Bags obviously couldn't have been happy about it... he hasn't sat two days in a row since 1998. And his comments in the chronicle weren't the usual "I do what's best for the team..." it was "Go ask Garner." As for Kent... I think Garner was just trying to move Lamb up in the lineup somehow (due to his great #'s off Wilson)... and it had to be at the expense of somebody. Granted... if they take care of this, and let it be known that they were unhappy, Phil will make adjustments. (I guess this means the honeymoon period of the new manager is officially over).
Read it this morning. Here are their quotes. I thought Kent's was funny http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2714168 "I feel fine," said Bagwell, who pinch-hit for Raul Chavez in the eighth inning Sunday. "I have no idea why (Astros manager Phil Garner decided on the day off). Ask Garner. I'm just the first baseman. It's not my decision." Kent previously hit in the cleanup spot before moving to No. 5 when Carlos Beltran joined the club. Bagwell started the season hitting in his customary No. 3 spot before moving down to fifth, then to sixth and up to second for a four-game span before going back to No. 6. "Lucky me," said Kent, who has hit fourth in 67 games and No. 5 in 21 games this year.
