vivalaultra

'Stros are up on the Brewers 8-4 going into the bottom of the 8th. Rookie Fernando Nieve pitched seven innings...he gave up three homeruns, but retired 14 in a row at one point and struck out seven, so...I'd say it was a pretty good outing. And Bill Hall, in his first career start in center field made the most spectacular catch I've seen in a while. Seriously, watch Baseball Tonite. Since the Yanks/Sox were postponed, they might show it in a highlight package.

Yeesh, something's wrong with him alrite. He faced 16 men in the first 2 1/3 and the 'Stros hit about .700 off him. What a break for the 'Stros that we didn't have to face Cappy and now Sheets is outta the game. However, with the Brewers lineup, I'm not sure our 4 run leads gonna be enough to win the game on.

Hey, Invader, I assume you're watching the 'Stros-Brewers game. Is Sheets sick or something? He looks kinda haggard, and our announcers just said that he was coughing and shit during his warm-ups and he just...looks out of sorts. If he's sick...yeesh, what a break. After the second inning, I would say that something is wrong with Ben Sheets. He allowed five straight hits...one a near grand slam to dead center to Adam Everett, and then an RBI single to pitcher Nieve. He looks bad. I guess the Astros aren't good for his health. After his first start in Houston last year, he had to be put in Methodist hospital for about a month with that inner ear problem thing.

When my sister was 3, back in like...1987, my Mom bought her this...uh...baby Journey shirt and had her wear it everywhere. Yeah...my Mom thinks Steve Perry is great. She also likes The Dixie Chicks. And she really likes Pearl Jam...and uh...she really liked Yankee Hotel Foxtrot until it got to the "noisy" parts. My Dad's a big fan of John Prine, but this thread isn't about that.

I'm...happy to hear this news. I've really liked the Cashian re-imaginings of songs from varying genres. Sometimes the songs work. Sometimes they don't, but either way, it's still Johnny Cash. I'd also like to see a supergroup consisting of artists that have released a heap of stuff despite having been dead. You could have...Johnny Cash, Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Kurt Cobain, Weezer's credibility...Yeah.

People that like wuss rock also annoy me. My sister really likes John Mayer and uh...whasthaguysname? Uh....Jason Mraz. Yeah..Actually, anybody that doesn't like the exact same bands that I like annoy me, and I've found that lots of people that like the same bands that I like annoy me. I'm quick to anger because I'm from Texas.

Well, he did come up with a mysterious "strained groin" earlier this season...and he's now apparently pitchin' free and easy...with no cup.

He's good, but he's no "Magic" Wandy Rodriguez.

And he's so stylishly dressed, too. And even though I'm a homer and I think the world of Brad Lidge...despite his difficulties, I've gotta say he's the best closer in the NL, at least in the young season. And to think he was a friggin' waiver claim. Oh well, we got Fernando Nieve going tomorrow against some rookie named...Ben Sheets (sp?), so I think we can count on a split.

Yeah, as for the Sox thing, Loretta's working out pretty well, so no harm, no foul. As for Clemens, I'm about 99% sure that he'll either go 'Stros or retire. I'd say right now it's about 70%-30% in favor of pitching in Houston. They had a quote from the Astros general manager Tim Purpura in the Houston Chronicle today saying that they were willing to start the negotiations at $18 million and that "money is no object". I also read in that article something that I didn't know about contracts, but I found interesting. Say Clemen's agrees to an $18 million contract with the Astros and starts pitching in Houston on June 1st-He wouldn't get paid the full $18 million but the 18$ would be divided up into a daily rate based on a 185 day schedule and he would be paid the share based on when he officially starts, so if he comes back June 1st for 18 million, he'd only actually get about $12 million. According to every news source in Houston, it looks like, even though we can't compete financially with the Sox or the Yank-mes, Clemen's family likes it better in Houston than up north, Clemens doesn't wanna go back to the Sox because it would tarnish his image as a Yankee and he wants to go into the Hall as a Yankee, he likes being home so he can watch his two sons compete in high school games, he has a 10-year personal services contract to the Astros, and his son is in the Astros minor leagues, so according to everybody around here and logic, if he comes back it'll be for the 'Stros. However, it is baseball, so there's a chance Clemens could be pitching in Colorado or Arizona. Good thing he's not a Latino or Omar Minaya would make a run at him.

I'm not saying the current trade is stupid. I'm saying the previous trade was stupid. I mean, you can say that it was a 35 year old backup catcher, but it's not like he was just a backup catcher. He was Wakefield's personal catcher, and one of the few catchers in the Majors that can catch a knuckleball effectively. I'm just saying that I don't think that the Sox front office was very smart in thinking that they could train another backup catcher to catch Wakefield with little to no difficulty. It was pretty much on the job training. And judging from the passed balls and all that, it didn't work. But hindsight and all.

It was a stupid ass trade to begin with. Just trading away one of the few guys that can catch a knuckle-baller and trying to replace him with someone not experienced in catching a knuckler isn't good when one of the key guys in your rotation is one of the only guys in the Majors that throws a knuckleball.

Phew. That was a rough couple of weeks...

I don't know if it's fair to pass judgement on people who like Good Charlotte and uh...Fall Out Boy...and uh...other...bands...of...that...genre. I say that because, in my experience, most of the people that like those bands are 15 year old girls and boys who are trying to get in the pants of said 15 year old girls. I guess there's just the hope that they're in a transitional phase and will grow out of it. If they're still thinking Good Charlotte is the greatest band on Earth at age 24 or so, then there's a problem. With the indie snobs, I think the assholeness comes in when they listen to like...just what they find in NME or on Pitchfork or whatever and refuse to listen to other stuff because it's "popular". And I don't get people that listen to like...serious noise rock and claim to get it. Not Sonic Youth noise-rock, but like...just noisy noise-rock...atonal shit. Come on...nobody likes that. And I met a guy today that was seriously into J.S. Bach, and he was an asshole, so I'll chime in and say that Johann Sebastian Bach fans are the worst.

I find alot of people that listen to "indie" music to be elitist snobs. However, I do like "indie" music and have been referred to as an elitist snob.

I doubt he goes there. I know it's hard to believe, but I don't think money's really ultra-important to Clemens. Number 1 is his family...in Houston. Number 2 is a winning team...also Houston. He doesn't really need to leave.

I just wanted to chime in and say that I was there Friday night, and being a part of the standing ovation was really cool. I was a big Franco fan last year. Hey now, booing Beltran was great. There were a bunch of vendors selling "Beltran Sucks" shirts. Funny story, we went up to the first game of the Mets/Stros series last year, and my brother was really drunk and misjudged his funds, so he spent $15 on a "Beltran Sucks" shirt and had no money left to buy a ticket. Yeah, but Beltran did kinda dick Houston over. I mean, Houstonians took up a collection to donate to a charity in his name. He went on and on about how much he loved Houston and he loved the fans and how he didn't wanna play in New York and he didn't care about the spotlight, and then BOOM! I'm actually glad that he's gone. I'd much rather Willy Taveras than Carlos Beltran's .263 average for 17 million. And just for the record, Houston fans still love the Hell outta Jeff Kent, because he didn't play mind games and stuff.

There was some talk about in Spring about grooming Buchholz to be the new closer, but I think we could easily put Wheeler or Qualls in to close out games. Houston's got a pretty good track record of keeping closers until they start to get shitty and then being able to insert the set-up man into his place. If Clemens would be willing to go to every road game, and not just the one's that he's pitching in, I seriously think he could be one of the top closers in the Majors, ala Smoltz and Eckersly. But...that'll probably never happen. I don't know about the closer by committe idea. I'm not a relief pitcher, but I can speculate that I'd like to have a defined role, say, "I know that tonite I'm gonna pitch in the 8th inning." or "I know that I'm gonna come in for a couple if the starter struggles." I think it helps pitchers get in a better groove to have a set role. But I honestly think Lidge'll be alrite. His stuff was back to nasty today, but he's still got some wildness issues. He's not Troy Percival bad yet.

Yeah, I'd like to see Clemens back...maybe as our fifth starter. I mean...with the way W-Rod and Taylor Buchholz for Rookie of the Year are pitching, I don't see either of them giving up their spot.

And now...for something completely different "When Prior and Wood Come Home Again" (Sung to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home") When Prior and Wood come home again. Hoorah! Hoorah! They'll eat some innings and rest the pen. Hoorah! Hoorah! They'll give the Cubs the success they seek, If they can stay healthy for more than a week. How the Ks will mount when Prior and Wood come home! The Cub fans all will shout for joy. Hoorah! Hoorah! To welcome back their darling boys. Hoorah! Hoorah! They'll be the cure for the Cubbies' pain 'Til one goes down with a shoulder strain. How the league will quake when Prior and Wood come home! The North Side will get used to wins. Hoorah! Hoorah! Once they get back their strikeout twins. Hoorah! Hoorah! The Wrigley faithful will chant their names. They'll play long toss and they'll simulate games. How the curse will fall when Prior and Wood come home! Houston has a pair with the Brew Crew Monday and Tuesday, and then back home for a couple with St. Louis and then onward-to Coors Field! And here's a stat I find interesting-The Astros are 10-0 in games started by Taylor Buchholz, Fernando Nieve, and Wandy Rodriguez. They are, thusly, 5-7 in games started by Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte. Before Backe got hurt, we were 1-1 in his starts. I find this an encouraging sign, vis a vis our young arms.

The Townes van Zandt discussion that briefly hijacked the Pop/Punk thread got me to wondering whom everyone considers to be the most underated songwriters in music today or days gone by. My personal picks are, of course, The Late, Great Townes van Zandt, Mark Eitzel from American Music Club, Josh Ritter (who's really good. Check him out), and Stephin Merritt from The Magnetic Fields et al. Feel free for to discuss at the leisure of you.

I just realized that when I mentioned good 2b in the NL, I forgot Chase Utley. I have a mancrush on Chase Utley...nothing sexual.

So, T.V. on the Radio has a new CD coming out. From the "advance" (illegally downloaded) tracks I've heard from it, it's gonna be great...better than Desperate Youth.... I also saw them in concert last week. They, despite sound problems, put on a Hell of a show, including an encore with the white guy beatboxing to a slowed up version of "Ambulance". The first band was some weak Yeah Yeah Yeah's rip off from Baltimore. The chick looked like a thrift store version of Karen O., which is funny in and of itself, all things considered.

Well, I coulda said Omar Vizquel... But, seriously...uh....in the new book The Fielding Bible by...some guy, it was said that Adam Everett is statistically the best defensive shortstop in baseball over the last...3 or 4 years. Quick! Someone do a conclusive statistical analysis! Yeah, forgot about Phillips. He's on my fantasy team. He's looked good for the week or so he's been up. And just having done a quick look at baseballreference.com, I see that in 2004 Khalil Greene made 20 errors in 136 games, while Adam Everett made 10 errors in 99 games (he broke his arm in like...June, I think). In 2005, Greene made 14 errors in 121 games, and Everett made 14 errors in 150 games. Take that for what it's worth. I'm sure someone, somewhere has more access to better quality research and can provide a conclusive answer.

Meh, I just voted like I voted last year...all Astros. That doesn't make me a homer. That just makes me good at evaluating talent, as everyone in the Astros starting line-up is deserving of starting in the All-Star game. And Phil Garner's managing it, so I think it would be great to have an all 'Stro lineup. Yeah... Seriously though, Morgan Ensberg deserves to be on the All-Star team. Berkman deserves to be there, but he's not gonna beat out Pujols for the start. Biggio, meh, but what other really standout second basemen are in the NL, besides Jeff Kent-former Astro? Hell, I think Adam Everett totally deserves to be an All-Star...and he deserved the Gold Gloves this year. He's the best defensive shortstop in the N.L.