Game Thread: Washington Nationals at Houston Astros- 2008 Game 34 of 162.

On the Hill...

Game two of three between the visiting Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros in Enro...Astro...Minute Maid Park get underway at 8:05 pm EST tonight with "Opening Night" Odalis Perez (0-3, 3.18) on the mound facing Houston' right-handed starter Roy Oswalt (3-3, 5.57).

Odalis Perez is (0-4) in 5 starts and 6 appearances against the Astros, with a 12.91 ERA in 23.0 IP, in which Odalis has allowed 39 hits, 33 ER, 4 HR's and 21 walks...(ed. note - "This could get ugly...") Roy Oswalt, on the other hand, has handled the Nationals pretty well in 6 starts and 8 appearances, going (3-1) with 2 complete games, 1 a shutout, and 33 hits, 13 ER, 1 HR and 6 walks against in 47.2 IP. 

"So get Hanrahan(reliever 'Wild' Joe) up early," My Brother Scout, Braves Fan and Source For All Things Baseball, says as he calls to check in before Atlanta's game with San Diego gets underway...and it does appear to be a mismatch on paper, but with the short porch in left anything's possible in this park...

Nationals #'s Against Roy Oswalt...

Paul Lo Duca  - 5 for 17, .294 AVG, 2 2B.

Johnny Estrada - 5 for 14, .357 AVG, 1 HR, 4 RBI's. 

Wily Mo Pena - 2 for 7, .286 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI's. 

According to Bill Ladson...

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article, "O'Connor replaces Chico in rotation", the Nationals have decided to swap Matt Chico and Mike O'Connor, with O'Connor taking over the starting role the struggling Chico has failed to hold onto, and Chico moving to the bullpen where he, like O'Connor had been, will be the only left-handed reliever on the roster. (ed. note - "?"). Mr. Ladson quotes Nationals' Manager Manny Acta, who states:

"'It's not a tryout, one-game type of thing,' manager Manny Acta said. 'We want to relieve Matt from some of the tension he's having. And we want to give O'Connor a shot. [Chico's] having some trouble every five days, and he understands that.'"

O'Connor's now worked his way up this season from Triple-A Columbus up to the bullpen and now the starting rotation, where he'll look to improve upon his (3-8) record and 4.15 ERA in 20 Major League starts.

Why not let Chico gets starts in Triple-A? Is there no room in that rotation, where all of the Nationals' young guns are hurling? Does Chico seem particularly suited for relief work to you? Not to me?...

It's almost Game TIme...