vivalaultra

You'd think that getting 7 walks would translate into at least one run, but...meh. The Astros have looked positively Cub-like in run scoring situations tonite. Unless there's a dramatic late inning comeback, that's my Flowing Game Diatribe for zee nite.

I was just looking through my stack of Astros' season tickets that I have, and I notice that I do, in fact, have a ticket for the game tonite. Score~!

I've been to somewhere in the neighborhood of 45-50 Astros' games this year. That makes me a superfan. I'd like to go to the game tonite. Oswalt v. Zambrano. Zambrano always kills the Astros.

And that shows how open-minded and culturally diverse New York City is. Greatest city in the world, I tell ya. Yeesh...

Bah. He admitted in 99 that he used...God, I forgot what he admitted to using, but it wasn't steroids. He was good friends with Ken Caminiti, though...I miss Cammy. Best 3rd baseman the 'Stros ever had. Even with the 8390 moves that Krivsky made, the Cincy bullpen still blows. Yeesh.

As for Jeff Bagwell-He never was upset at Drayton Mclane. Well, I'm sure he was slightly pissed, but probably not as much as the media made it out to be. Last I heard, he was pretty much resigned to never playing again, and he was doing alot of surfing and beachcombing at his house in San Diego. There's also been news that there's mutual interest between Bagwell and the Astros to set up some kind of deal between the two where Bagwell would remain in the organization doing something similar to what Nolan Ryan's doing-public relations stuff and mentoring young players. His number'll probably be retired when he announces he's hanging it up at the end of the season or the beginning of the next. There's still a lawsuit going on between the Astros' front office and the insurance agency with which Bagwell's insurance policy was taken out, but I haven't heard anything about that recently. The Astros are two games under .500 (probably about to be 3 games under because they're blowing it against the Padres), but with the way St. Louis has been playing, winning the division might be easier than winning the Wildcard...once those pesky Reds stop winning. As far as the stadium goes, I like Minute Maid Park, but I can see why opposing fans wouldn't. I still don't think that a team's stadium should make a person dislike them.

That's the only way to play! Ask Dusty Baker. He'll tell ya about playing the game the right way.

Studies show that Astros' fans are happier and better adjusted in their personal lives and make 10% more annual income than non-Astros' fans. Astros' fans also get more sex. I read it in a magazine so it has to be true.

I'd just like to buy the world a Coke and make the Astros "America's Team". There could be an Astro for every country/ethnic group and they could combine and form a superhero, like Captain Planet. And they'd be against pollution. 1-0 'Stros, bottom of the second.

I just don't get the irrational Astros' hate. I get the impression that most people dislike Clemens for whatever reason, but...he's just one guy. The past 10 years of so, the Astros have been one of the more successful franchises in baseball. They've never won the World Series, but, still, they've always been competitive. They're the kind of team a guy can really get behind, and I'm not ashamed to pimp them outrageously.

Aha! You are wrong, my young Chong. The Astros did lose, but I thought Jason Hirsh looked promising. He did really well to work out of a bases loaded 1-out jam with Piazza and Adrian Gonzales up. However, it was obvious that the next inning he was gassed. Luke Scott is still impressive. Lance "Big Puma" Berkman hit another homerun. I still imagine the Astros will prevail tomorrow and then it's the Cubs so they'll probably start another 4-game winning streak tomorrow. And that, my friends, is the condensed version of Vivalaultra's patented "Flowing Game Diatribe." ...boomshakalaka.

The Astros made a roster move to make a spot for tonite's starting pitcher Jason Hirsh. Preston Wilson has been designated for assignment. He's been largely unimpressive this season, especially in regards to homerun production. He's only hit 9 homeruns and driven in 55. He strikes out alot and hits the ball on the ground waaaaay more than I had anticipated. I swear, he could ground into a double play with 2 outs and nobody on. I'm sure there's some team somewhere that'll pick him up.

That Pirates/Astros 18 inning game from May this season used I think 46 players. You're correct. The Astros used one too many players in that game. Damn you Mike Gallo!

Yeah...they won.

Andy Pettitte just hit a 367 foot homerun to right field off of Chan Ho Park. That's just ridiculous. Now Clemens and Backe have to hit homeruns in their next starts.

Oooooh....sassy.

I'm really interested to see how Hirsch pitches on Saturday. They projecting him as a #2 or 3 starter with a good fastball and real good sinker. If he pitches well, he could be a good boost for the rest of the season. Oswalt Pettitte Clemens Backe Hirsch That would look good for the rest of the year. The only thing I'm worried about with Hirsh's first start is that he's going up against Jake Peavy. The Astros never hit Peavy well. The only reason they got a win against him when Pettitte pitched against him last week is cuz Pettitte was lights out. I doubt Peavy's gonna give up more than 1 or 2 runs, so hopefully Hirsh isn't too jittery and can focus. And people should start believing in the Astros. Look back to 2004 and 2005. In 2004, the offense was probably a little better than it is this year, but the pitching was nowhere near as good. They had Clemens, Oswalt, Backe, and Pete Munro. Still, 36-10 down the stretch. Last year, the offense was arguably alot worse than it is this year, but still...Wildcard. The last month or so, the Astros rank, I think, third or somewhere near third in the NL in batting average. They've hit about 20 or so homeruns in the last 5 or 6 games, and the pitching's been good, disregarding Lidge. When Backe's pitching 7 innings on 1-run ball, good things are gonna happen. The offense doesn't have to be the New York Mets or the St. Louis Cardinals. 3 or 4 runs a game should win about 85-90% of the rest of the games this season for the Astros. Edit: Oh, and I forgot to mention that since the All-Star Break, the Astros bullpen ERA is also the lowest in the NL. Not counting Lidge, I have full confidence in anyone out of our bullpen.

The Astros won again. It's only the Pirates, but a sweep's a sweep. Either way they're only 2 1/2 back in the WC and the starting pitching and the offense is looking good. And they still have a series with the Cubbies and then a 4-game series with the Pirates this month. They finish up the season with series against the Pirates and the Braves, as well. Things are starting to looking similar to the end of the last two seasons concerning the Astros and their push to the pennant. And even if the Dodgers are for real, I absolutely to refuse that the Reds are. I mean...they're the freakin' Reds.

They play until they have the required teams left, with seedings determined by head to head matchups. 17 words. Oh...ok, then....thanks. Yeah...

With so many teams in the NL West and the NL Wildcard so close, could somebody please explain in 200 words or less the convoluted process that would occur at the end of the season if say...the 'Stros, Reds, and Padres tied for the Wildcard lead or better yet if the 'Stros, Reds, Padres, Dodgers, and D'Backs tied for the WC lead/NL West lead?

That's the thing I don't get about Lidge. I mean, he has had some really good outings in between all the crappy ones. One thing I noticed about last nite is that he had a good tempo going. He was working fast and it didn't look like he was thinking too much. He gets into trouble when he starts overthrowing and thinking too much. That's why I have hope that he'll turn things around yet, but I've said that about 15 times already this season. And if he ultimately does flop, Nieve's looking stellar.

That's a pretty eclectic grouping of artists. There's a good few on there that I'd like to see (Tom Petty, Black Crowes, Roots, Jurassic 5, Built to Spill, Jim James, Band of Horses, Jr. Gong, Kool Keith) but $170 bucks is ridiculous for a ticket, and with travel and all it's just not worth it. Besides, Tom Petty and Jr. Gong are gonna be at ACL, and I've already seen The Black Crowes and Built to Spill. I originally misread Praxis as the Pixies. Still, I think that's an adequate assemblage of artists for a festival, especially considering the lack of quality music festivals in the US the last decade or so. It's good to see that there's some good ones springing up again.

"Human Headcase-Brad Lidge"? Man, that's terrible...but accurate. Fun game tonite. 14-1 'Stros. It's always fun to have a blowout once in a while. 6 Astro homeruns. Luke Scott has a damn pretty swing. I just wish all the other teams ahead of the Astros in the WC race would start losing so the Astros going on a roll would mean something. Oh well, it looks like the Dodgers are going to win the West and I'm not too concerned about the Padres...and the Reds CAN'T be for real, right?

Yeah, I dig Josh Ritter. Haven't heard of the other two, but I'll check em out. Thanks.

Shawn Chacon blows. In 1 2/3 innings, he's given up three homeruns-one to Biggio, one to Aubrey Huff, and one to my boy Roy Oswalt. Roy's went the furthest. It was great. He even got a curtain call. The 'Stros are up 5-0. I think our yearly roll is nigh.