04/25/24
October 14, 2004
HOU/STL Game 2 thread: For those watching- this is a pretty good game so far!
posted by hincandenza to baseball at 09:12 PM - 21 comments
Houston just tacked on another... they want that buffer because it looks like Munro will be blinking and giving up a run or two before he's pulled (I'll bet with his pitch count he'll get into the 7th, but not complete it). Rain's starting to really come down now... y'know, I'm really enjoying watching this without really caring who makes it. If anything, I'm rooting for Houston if only to make this a series so that if the Sox should make it on they wouldn't face an overly rested NL lineup. If Houston wins today, it'll be huge with Oswalt and Clemens still to pitch in the next two, at Houston.
posted by hincandenza at 09:17 PM on October 14, 2004
Sweet, we just got a balk *and* a thrown glove. All in the same inning to boot. Too bad the thrown glove didn't actually hit the ball though. I mention them because you don't see those actions evey day.
posted by NoMich at 09:20 PM on October 14, 2004
Munro looks good to start the 5th- sharp location still, nice in and out of his pitches. 2 out with Walker coming up...
posted by hincandenza at 09:26 PM on October 14, 2004
Well that was a cheap shot homer... jeezus. I hate these stadiums with yellow line homeruns. Make it a fence! I still think Munro was pitching well, and that ball 4 was questionable- he's keeping the ball down still, and Walker just golfed that. Tip your cap and get the third out.
posted by hincandenza at 09:27 PM on October 14, 2004
And Walker smacks the shit out of it. This is going to be a very exciting series.
posted by NoMich at 09:27 PM on October 14, 2004
He hardly smacked the shit out of it, NoMich- that ball just hit the top of the wall, at about what, 350 feet? That's why I like fences, instead of this yellow line/plastic tarp nonsense. A homerun shouldn't be a fine-question of where it hit at exactly. Garner's yanking him. Good on Garner- not so much for the pull, which is a tough call especially since they'd be out of it if Kent was at doubleplay depth on that ground ball to 3rd. Munro's still got stuff, but he's just missing those edge calls, then compensating by putting it too down the middle- I'd like to have seen Munro finish the inning and get set up for the win, but for the fact that he had someone warming up right at the start of the inning. Too many managers get those guys warmed up too late, then act like their hands are tied.
posted by hincandenza at 09:32 PM on October 14, 2004
Well, that kinda sucks... Munro gets the no-decision. And now the 'Stros better hope this don't go to a rain-delay....
posted by hincandenza at 09:33 PM on October 14, 2004
This Cardinals offense is very potent, but not unbeatable. If they make the WS, it'll be interesting to see how they do against either the Sox or Yankees, two teams that aren't exactly anemic in their lineups, and with pretty good rotations to boot.
posted by hincandenza at 09:36 PM on October 14, 2004
This year's playoffs is all about the long ball.
posted by rocketman at 09:39 PM on October 14, 2004
I don't care. He got to touch all four bags with that one hit. Good enough for me.
posted by NoMich at 09:40 PM on October 14, 2004
Heh- true dat, nomich. It's a HR whether Bucky Dent or Babe Ruth hits it. :) [Ooh- back to back leadoff hits, the 'stros have got to turn this to a tie or lead right now.] Rocketman: that kind of is the eternal question; does great hitting hit all pitching, or is it helpless against great pitching and just own mediocre pitching that much more? Will a team like the Sox or Yankees crush a Cardinals rotation? Will the Cardinals beat up on all pitchers, or find the Pedros, Mussinas, and (god-willing) the Schillings too much to take?
posted by hincandenza at 09:43 PM on October 14, 2004
Wow, that was an utterly sucky bunt... luckily anything in the air that's deep, or a slow ground ball, scores the tying run.
posted by hincandenza at 09:45 PM on October 14, 2004
Yep, sucky bunt combined with some incredibly aggresive fielding by Pujols equals heck of a play. Lucky, really, considering how wet that field has to be right now. I mean, Pujols was pretty much shaking hands with the batter when the bunt was layed down!
posted by NoMich at 09:52 PM on October 14, 2004
That was fucking pathetic- icky poo! Expected runs with the first two runners reaching 1st and 2nd is 1.39. I was stunned how far in Pujols was- that was pretty risky in itself, because it means a good bunt down the 1b line he can't even reach, and it's bases loaded.
posted by hincandenza at 09:55 PM on October 14, 2004
Grub time- gotta go eat. This is a fun game though, gotta hurry back!
posted by hincandenza at 10:02 PM on October 14, 2004
Hal: I think the great pitching, mostly, is absent or has been eliminated from the playoffs this year. Johnson, Schmidt, Santana, Schilling, Sheets, Zambrano, Maddux, Wood, Prior, Carpenter. There are still guys that can shut it down, but none of them are as sure a thing. Clemens isn't good in the playoffs, Pedro is shaky, Brown is inconsistent, Vazquez isn't getting it done, the Cardinals rotation is mediocre. Oswalt and Mussina are probably the two best pitchers still in it. Though I will admit that if the guys listed above did what they're fully capable of, it's a different landscape. So the pitching isn't so great this time. How you gonna win games? Score. Early and often.
posted by rocketman at 10:40 PM on October 14, 2004
Score. Early and often. Teach me, Obi Wan, teach me.
posted by dusted at 11:49 PM on October 14, 2004
Clemens isn't good in the playoffs See...I don't buy that. According to BBRef: 18 Postseason Series 8W-6L 3.47ERA 155.2IP That's not BAD pitching at all. It's not GREAT, but it's definitely "good", especially considering he's only faced "great" (playoff) teams. If you are just counting the World Series: 3W-0L 2.41ERA 37.1IP
posted by grum@work at 07:02 AM on October 15, 2004
Teach me, Obi Wan, teach me. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of thoughts. Hmmmm..... Hmmmm.......
posted by rocketman at 07:38 AM on October 15, 2004
That's not BAD pitching at all. It's not GREAT, but it's definitely "good"? Yeah, but you don't want to count on him to pitch the last inning of a game 6 in the world series.
posted by justgary at 10:06 PM on October 15, 2004
Pete Munro is in a win/win situation; no one expects him to win, but if he does, he's a Houston hero! He's 4-hitting that fearsome offense through 4 innings, but looked shaky in that 4th before working out of the jam.