A key part of the deal for the Padres is the potential financial savings. Wolf is due a $175,000 bonus for every start he makes up to his 30th start, in addition to pro-rated payments on a $4.75 million salary.
Pirates 8, Astros 2
w: Maholm (7-6) | L: Cassel (1-1)
Krysten Oliphant @ astros.com
Rather than wait for a ninth inning meltdown like the previous game against the swashbucklers from the three river town. the Astros and fill in pitcher Jack Cassel allowed runs early and often while the bats of the hometown nine decided to take another night off as the Astros lost 8-2 on Tuesday evening. (more…)
Cooper has switched the lineup around more times than he can count this season, something he says he will do until he gets it right. “You just got to be smart and push the right buttons,” he said. “Obviously, I haven’t been that smart because we’re not in the position we’d like to be. We just got to keep punching them and hopefully, we’ll get the right ones.”
Link
Try mashing all the buttons at the same time Coop,
Lexington won its season best 4th game in a row last night. The win gave Luis Pardo his first professional win. He had been 0-13 over two seasons coming into the game.
“It feels like about 6,000 pounds have been lifted off my shoulder,” said the right-hander, who gave up four runs, three earned, over seven innings. “It just feels great. I’ve been throwing two years for this now.”
Kyle Miller hit a solo homer for the Legends. (more…)
Pirates at Astros, 7/21/2008
Pirates 9, Astros 3
W: Yates (4-2) L: Valverde (4-3)
Box score
Who gave Footer the night off?
It was destined to be a strange night from the beginning, as Coop the Mad Scientist put a prototypical #2 hitter in the leadoff spot, and a player with no future but as a leadoff hitter in the #2 spot.
Lineup dyslexia:
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Because Sampson is too valuable in relief
“He’s pitched extremely well out of the ‘pen,” Cooper said. “We tinkered with it once, but I don’t think we should continue. We need to keep him in a spot where I think he can settle into.” Link
Lexington won all of its games this weekend. That earns them the right to lead off the weened update. The Legends haven’t won more than one game in a row since the first day of June when they completed their last 3 game string. Friday, they rode a 15 strike out performance by Cespedes (6), Kelly (4) and Pacella (5) to a 5-3 win. Saturday, Jeff Icenogle kept the Ks coming with 9 in 5 2/3 innings as the Legends won 4-2. Sunday, the bats took over in a 16-10 victory over Columbus. Jonathon Fixler homered 3 times and hit a two run single to go 4 for 5 with 6 RBI and 4 runs scored. Kyle Miller, recently called up from Greeneville, went 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI. (more…)
The Astros won the first two games of the series against the over-reaching Cubs but then took a pounding in the finale, probably because the Raups couldn’t find enough Cubfans to hassle. The Cubs will falter down the stretch, most likely in hilariously epic fashion, but the Astros still have a long climb ahead before they can even think about making a run.
A good series against the Buccos could put some distance between the Astros and the cellar, and they might even overtake the Reds. On the other hand, a shitty series could mean an extended basement brawl with the Bucs. And the Pirates haven’t mucked out the basement since before the Cubs spent the offseason there two years ago, so you know it’s fucking rank.
The Pirates just got swept in a four-game series at Colorado where they scored a total of nine runs. Their pitching rotation is day-to-day and mainly consists of whomever didn’t pitch at Indianapolis or Altoona last night. Their outfield is having a good year, especially Nate McLouth, but former NL batting champion Dirty Freddy Sanchez is batting .230. The Pirates have lost five in a row and have started to take a colossal dump; we best leave them alone in the cellar so they can finish their business.
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Cubs 1, Astros 2
W: Geoff Geary, L: Bobby Howry
Astros Recap
Yahoo Recap
Box Score
This is what Astros fans deserve. Good baseball. Good pitching, good hitting, and good defense. (more…)
The 2nd half of the season that is. Despite the fact the Good Guys (and everyone else) have played more than half of their games already, the All Star Break is over, and we’re off and running toward an unpleasant ending in the Central divison, no matter how you cut it. 13 full games back. Fuck. And to make things even more exciting, myself and the old man will be in attendance for the series. So if you see someone getting arrested with the severed heads of several Cub fans in his hands, thats probably me. Apologies if this is short and not sweet, but we gotta hit the road soon.
Minute Maid Park
Friday July 18, 7:05pm FSN (HD)
Saturday July 19, 6:05 FSN (HD)
Sunday July 20, 1:05 Mylilstation “HD”
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According to an analysis of Nielsen Media Research viewership data by the SportsBusiness Journal, Fox SportsNet Southwest, which broadcasts Astros games on a regional basis, has seen a 26 percent ratings decline — down about 69,000 households — through the first half of the 2008 season to record a 3.36 share.
Mark Saccomanno made Round Rock proud in the AAA All Star Game last night. He got the game winning RBI last night. Josh Muecke pitched a perfect second inning as well. (more…)
Only two of the Astros farm teams lost last night. Okay, only three were in action but it sounded better than only one won.
Greeneville bounced back from a 7 - 5 deficit in the 9th with a a three run comeback. Richardo Bonfonte hit a one out double and then with two outs he stole third. It was an unnecessary steal as 5′5″ Jose Altuve took the next pitch out of the park. With the game tied, Frank Almonte took the next pitch deep for the lead and his 3rd home run of the season. Nathaniel Pettus closed out the 9th for the save. (more…)
First round draft pick, Jason Castro, reported to Tri Cities and got some press in the local paper. He did appear in the game as well. He was intentionally walked in a pinch hit appearance. Here is what Heck had to say about the newest VallyCat. (more…)
Breaking format this week, in honor of the All-Star Break and its typical deluge of first-half instant analysis from the Traditional Media, Blogosphere, and Average Joes like me.
To match appropriately to the Instant Analysis nature of such a column, I shall go all Bill Simmons on you and describe the season by matching it to great opening lines / paragraphs from some famous works of literature (”books”, for some of you, or “Barnes and Noble checkout line stuff”, for others.)
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
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Well I have some catching up to do from last week. Since I am the writer, I get to choose where I begin and choose the red hot Greeneville Astros. The G’stros swept last place Burlington and then swept second place Bristol. Five of the six wins were by one run and two went to extra frames. As a result of their solid play, the G’stros have climbed into a tie for second after starting the week in the cellar of the Appy League west. Pitching has been the calling card of the resent upsurge. Their team ERA is now second in the league. They will face Elizabethon in a 3 game road set starting tonight. The Twins hold the league’s best record at 17 - 6. The Twins are 8-1 at home. (more…)
The Astros played a creditable game against another team careening towards self-destruction.
Astros 0, Nationals 10
W: Tim Redding, L: Chad Paronto, S: Steven Shell
Astros Recap
Yahoo Recap
Box Score
Astros found another way to lose. It did not help that Roy Oswalt started this game and left after one inning with an injury, but Roy probably would not have had a win anyway. The Astros potent offense got 9 hits on the night, none of them plated a runner though. Tough night for a bullpen that gets used a lot. Tough night especially for Dave Borkowski and Chad Paronto.
Tim Redding, former Houston Astro, was probably thought by many to be the pitcher the Astros would beat in this series. He wasn’t. He went six innings giving up 7 hits but getting 6 strike outs lowering his ERA to 3.85. Steven Shell pitched the final 3 innings only giving up 2 hits.
Kaz Matsui seems to be doing okay coming off the DL earlier this week. Lance Berkman is doing what he’s been doing all season. It is really disheartening to see some players really doing great when the rest of the team is doing really bad.
Bench Tidbits:
Check out the GameZone for in game action. (Or to read about the game you may have missed.)
The Series Preview, a must-read Masterpiece, is one reason to care about this series.
I’m having a great weekend visiting my parents in San Antonio. Hope everyone else has a great weekend also.
Oswalt said. “The first month I got off on the wrong foot. It might have been a little bit lingering of throwing so many innings in years past and might have been going through a dead-arm period. But I’m better now.”
