This is true, but I just wanted to compare apples to apples -- i.e. the Stros the past 24 years vs hearing about Cub and Red Sox heartache all the time. I mean, there's an article in the new SI about the Cubs and Sox in LAST YEAR's playoffs ...
For the Astros to have any chance here I think Biggio must be benched. The lack of production from the top of the lineup is devastating to our success. .129 avg over 62 postseason at bats. That is more than a slump. The guy simply cannot handle postseason play. Bench him in favor of Lane and I think this offense would have a much better chance at producing. Biggio is a choker there is no way around it. His has terrible range in left. Bench him please.
I'd say the more likely scenario is that this series goes 5 with us losing game 3 and winning game 4. Backe can win game 3, but its going to take a great effort by the Good Guys. I sure hope you are right though ... I really don't want to be down 2-1 after I had my hopes dashed about being up 2-0. I have faith that we will prevail through this however.
Exactly. A lot of you are severely depressed, but look at it this way: We just took 1 out of 2 games in Atlanta. Home field is OURS now. In essence, we did our job. I know this was a game we SHOULD have won, but did anyone REALLY expect to sweep the Braves? (They DID win 96 games this year.) The series goes to Houston now, where we've won 18 straight. Let's take care of business at home.
Lane did not pinch hit for Biggio. He came on as a defensive replacement in the 8th inning. And you can't fault Garner for taking Biggio out with a lead to improve your defense.
Are you psychic? You read my mind. The only problem I can see is who will be our leadoff hitter? The only thing I can think of is move Vizcaino up and put Lane in his spot, which would be just fine with me. Get Biggio out asap. Pugs
It's such a game of inches out there...Biggio came within a couple feet of hitting a leadoff HR today...talk about what coulda been...I don't know about benching him at this point...I think we gotta dance with who brung us
I wouldn't be mad at all if he was in jail because this guy killed us today. Wish he was in an Astros uniform.
Yes, I agree Bidge should have bunted instead of swinging away. That double play he hit into change the momentum of the game. It got the crowd into the game but even worst the Braves into the game.
Bidge is gona have to step up big and let todays game and all the other post season games hes been in stay in the past.
Yup. Would you rather be in our position right now or the braves position right now. The braves lost the home field advantage and now have to come play the hottest home team in the league. We dominated the first game in their yard, they squeeked by us in 11 innings and barely avoided getting swept at home and basically losing the series in the second game. Big deal. Some of you nay-sayers need to just accept the fact that we aren't going to sweep the braves. The only reason we lost this game was because Smoltz was on his game and Cox did the right thing by keeping him in there. This was practically an elimination game for them, Cox had no choice. With an off day on Friday, it was a great move by Cox and really the only way they could win the game. Keep hope alive, brothers. Astros in 4.
I like the way you sugarcoat it. :/ Dude it was a total chokejob which is normal for this team in the postseason. In order for the Astros to win this series they need to play the players that have the best chance to succeed. That starts with benching Biggio and moving everyone up one spot in the order. It means keeping Oswalt in because you know that Lidge cannot pitch 3 innings of shutout baseball. It means starting Lamb against a lefty instead of Ensberg. Biggio can't hack it in the postseason. He hasn't done **** in 62 at bats. Thats like 3 weeks of normal play. Bench his non performing ass and see what Lane can do in the 5th spot.
I stayed away from this thread after the sad sad loss. Total lack of hitting team wide and not due to great picthing. That said I've give BGO 2 at bats saturday to perform or he'd be on the bench. You can't have that hole in the lineup. Hell the 2 catchers have hit better from the 8 spot.
Then again...if we lose game 3, then everyone will not be fine. I'm not fine right now because I'm having flashbacks to every post-season appearance where we choked when it counted and ended up losing. If this is truly a different Astros team than in the past, then they still need to prove that. The only thing they have proven in the post-season so far is they can win a game here or there while losing the series. One can dismiss the past all one wants to but if you don't change the present...then your doomed to repeat the past and you will be considered part of that terrible past. The Astros know what they have to do. The question is...will they?
I'm an optimist, but the reality is, the braves are hitting the ball well. They have a lot of hits. They are just as good as we are. It was our clutch pitching that has kept the scores down. But the braves have come to play.
Good for you, DaDa. Don't get too high with the wins...don't get too low with the losses. The Astros faced a starter yesterday that was on a roll...he had won his previous 5 starts with an ERA that was below 1.50. They got beat on the road in the playoffs. Did you guys expect them to sweep through the playoffs? If you had told me at the beginning of the series that we'd split in Atlanta, coming back 1-1 to the park we've won 18 straight in, I'd say, "thank you very much, i'll take it!" I think starting Lane in place of Biggio would be a good idea, at this point. Where was all the "same old Astros" talk just 24 hours before when the Astros pounded the crap out of the Braves??? Some of you guys are the biggest fair-weather fans I've ever seen. One playoff loss and the sky is falling, the day after you knock their #1 starter around and take a 1-0 lead on the road. 3 games to play. 2 at home. I like our chances.
