Game Thread: Washington Nationals at Houston Astros- 2008 Game 34 of 162.
Washington Nationals at Houston Astros, May 7, 2008 8:05 PM EDT
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...
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165 comments
Comments
THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!!
Two-run blast. 2-0 Nationals.
“Numbers mean nothing.”
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just watched the replay!
My favorite part was the Houston announcers going, “wah wah wah.”
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A depressing Nats stat from Dave Jaeglar...
The only pitcher in the NL with less run support than Odalis Perez? John Lannan.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Berkman now 6 for 6 this series...
...and according to Geoff Blum, Berkman’s nickname is “Fat Elvis”
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 8:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Wily Mo is the only Nat who can work a 3-ball count?
Oswalt is looking pretty together right now. Good thing Guz and Zim didn’t miss those two mistakes out of him last inning!
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 8:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That curve must be nasty...then when you look curve he gets you staring at a heater...
...I hope the fans with the “K” signs brought enough…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 8:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That's just ridiculous.
That and the mid-90s heater and high-60s curve? Yikes!
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Slow curve ball, swung on and missed..."
It’s as bad as “double down the left field line.”
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 8:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
that's terrible
get the stupid pitcher out!
THIS is Birdland?!?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 9:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
and now you don't cover first?!?
c’mon Perez, get your head out of your rear.
THIS is Birdland?!?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 9:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
instead of stewing, he should be getting chewed out
THIS is Birdland?!?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 9:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!
The Crawford Boxes rule!!!
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 9:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i thought O'Connor was supposed to pitch Saturday?
what’s he doing in there? i’m only getting the game during commercial breaks, the wife is watching American Idol.
THIS is Birdland?!?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 9:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm glad I heard this section of the game in the car...
I shudder to think of the nasty things I would have said on the internets. And to think I said I liked Perez! A tough inning is no excuse for lazy baseball! Boo!
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 9:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Perez has been generally good to this point
but that last inning was terrible. giving up a hit to the pitcher is bad enough, but there’s no excuse for not getting over to first.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 9:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Dave is beside himself!
Charlie is having trouble calming him down after O’Connor failed to double off the runner on second. “He could have WALKED over to second and gotten him!”
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 9:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Lo Duca's hurt again...
Looks like hand or shoulder?...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 9:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
PLoD is getting a fan ejected!
Now, bring on Nieves! Wil the Thrill!
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 9:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
WMP
legit double. way to go.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
he's out by fifteen feet
what the heck? that’s terrible.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
just terrible
Pena is one of the slowest guys on the team, Guzman up next, HOW CAN HE SEND HIM?!? as Charlie would say, un-bee-lievable.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bob Carpenter
shut the hell up. he was out by fifteen feet.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Chico to the bullpen?!
Well, he has put together some decent fractions of games. Damn, now Berkman. I might agree with an intentional, here, giving how he’s hitting.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I can't see Chico as a reliever...really can't...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just checked the baseballcube.com...
Chico hasn’t had a relief appearance since 2004 in Double-A El Paso…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
frankly
i think it’s a recipe for diaster. a starter that no wneeds to adjust to getting warmed up quickly, a couple times a week? i’m no major league pitching coach, but i do know that starters do not warm up like relievers do.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he's not starting send him down, or would that be a bigger blow to a young ego than being sent to the pen?
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pen vs Columbus
The organization doesn’t see him as a reliever long term do they? His stuff is much more suited for rotation.
by eylf1004 on May 7, 2008 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He should go down for a bit, and refine his new leg kick.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hear it increased his velocity. Impressive...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do like Chico though. Seriously, they should sign Glavine to teach him...
...when Glavine inevitably retires this June…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Give it up Brocail...ZimmerMAN! ZimmerMAN!!!
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
is Zim getting comfortable at the plate?
sure would be nice to see that going forward. would help if one of the middle of the order guys were hitting.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Finally, but the one HR to left was a fly ball out in DC...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
granted, but at least he's starting to pull the ball
that’s where his power is, generally. put your head down Ryan and keep pulling the ball!!!
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alright, Lasto, time for a big one!
Everyone else is hitting it into the Crawford porch.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
C'mon Lasto, make it happen...Lo Duca ejects a fan, Brocail tells a cop to get out from behind the plate...
...cause his badge is reflecting…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ugh
Milledge really looks lost up there the last couple of weeks.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joel, please throw strikes
no two-out walks in the bottom ofthe 8th, please.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Side note: PLoD is up to 2Ks on the day
SInce he had 2 strikes when Nieves came in, the SO is his.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Please don't let a HR to left decide this game...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
so i missed it
what happened to LoDuca?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Took a hard swing, cringed, left game, fought with fan on way out, got fan ejected, went to locker room in serious pain with shoulder/hand issues
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speculation on the radio was maybe he had a break or ligament tear or something they missed.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
huh.
interesting. can’t wait to see the highlight.
i don’t wish for anyone to get hurt, but honestly, the less he plays the better. if he needs the DL, they should just call back Flores, call up Dukes and get rid of Estrada. he useless if he ain’t healthy, and be’s barely useful when he is.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I imagine Lo Duca saying, "It's my left arm, I can still throw to second."
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but he can't.
that’s the point.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wondered how that worked, that'll be a quirky stat announcers repeat for weeks...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bob and Don REALLY love Kearns
it’s embarrassing at times.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He's about the only Nat seeing a lot of pitches this game.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's the curse of Lenny Harris
LENNY MUST GO!!!
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Acta, and Bowden(did I just say I like Bowden?)...
...but there all in love with a Kearns I rarely have seen in a Nationals’ uniform…and I do like Kearns too, but expect more…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Acta but Bowden?
Do you think Kearns will ever have another breakout year like when he was in Cincinnati?
by eylf1004 on May 7, 2008 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Every time he gets a hit I think so...
I’m a big Kearns fan-boy, but with Dukes in the wings and J-Max, too, ol’ Bluegrass has to get his bat going.
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i wanted this game over by 11 pm
i wanted to watch “Good Eats’ on Food Network.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
this game is as good as over
really, Joel? a four pitch walk to a guy that couldn’t hit a home run if he hit it twice?!?
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, at least he wasn't checkin runner...
“The walk is a double…”
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
thanks Miggy
now walk Berkman and Lee and set up a double play
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
oh jeez
Colome. might as well have walked Lee with Hanrahan.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That's just to set up the play at home...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Triple play, baby!
Can we bank the extra outs for the extra innings?
by Doghouse on May 7, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
EVERY DAY!! EVERY DAY!!! Should've brought Chico out to face Berkman...
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 10:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
HA!
that’s funny right there.
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's what happens when you walk the lead-off hitter in the ninth
and i make the start of Good Eats. until next time…
by Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball on May 7, 2008 11:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Leadoff walk from Hanrahan in his 3rd inning...why not bring Colome on...
see you all tomorrow if you’re around…
by Ed Chigliak on May 7, 2008 11:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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