Game 64, Mariners at Astros
Hernandez vs Rodriguez, 5:05 pm.
Happy Felix Day.
There’s no way to say this nicely – the Astros stink. They have a struggling Lance Berkman, an overrated Carlos Lee, a good rookie in Hunter Pence, and lots of bad players. They can’t really score, they can’t really pitch, and they can’t really field. But other than that, they’re awesome.
However, tonight’s starter for Houston is Wandy Rodriguez, who is actually pretty good. He’s shaved his walk rate by 40% while striking out two more batters per game than last year, and if he could figure out how to leave runners on base, he’d be a borderline all-star. Thankfully for the Mariners, he’s a lefty, so the M’s have a chance to hit him. However, he’s a good pitcher, so no whining about getting shut down by a no-name if this turns into a low scoring game.
And Felix, man, I don’t know how much more I can write about you. Just pitch like King Felix please.
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208 Responses to “Game 64, Mariners at Astros”
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Wait, now we’re berating Felix for not being as smart as a pitcher who learned to be a good pitcher in his thirties? Jamie Moyer didn’t start out Jamie Moyer; Felix is still a kid. Give him a break, especially if his arm is hurt.
Also, Jamie Moyer gets immense credit for being a smart pitcher, and I think it’s exaggerated. Because he can’t throw hard, the assumption is that all his success comes from craftiness. But Moyer had command as good as any pitcher of his time. That’s a talent, too; all the craft in the world would have meant little to him if he didn’t have a superb ability to hit the spot he wanted to hit.
It’s a couple of hours after the end of the M’s game, and I’m watching as the A’s consign us more deeply into third place. They are walloping the World Champions 14-3 in the eighth. Quick now, which former Mariner is pitching for the Cardinals?
holy crap. larussa is nuts letting spiezio pitch the 9th!
Well…
Spez always hit like a pitcher for us.
Huh, Spiezio outpitched Felix, anyway.
I don’t know if Bill James was correct about the mid-80’s Astros, but he was completely accurate in his assessment of jazz.
“Taking the best defensive player in the game off a team that was already going nowhere makes this an even easier series for the M’s. They really should take 2 of 3, and a sweep wouldn’t even be much of a challenge. Houston’s a bad baseball team.”
This and the other post were pretty much the kiss of death. If everyone believes that an announcer saying the words “No hitter” has an effect on a baseball game, then bloggers trashing an opposing team that the Ms should crush certainly does to. Let’s not make that same mistake again, boys. Major leaguers are major leaguers, and this is a funny game. Take nothing for granted. And note that WFB hits an IPHR the day after I came to his defense.
I’ll take credit for that.
Amazing finish to the OSU-Fullerton game: 2 outs in the ninth, no one on, OSU leading 3-2 and one out away… and on a routine fly the left fielder and the SS get confused and the LF drops the ball. Then the next day hits a single and suddenly it’s first and third. … but the next guy grounds out. OSU wins by the skin of its teeth. Go Beavers.