Matchup/Game Thread? vs. Pirates 7:05 CDT

by rastronomicals on Apr 4, 2007 12:02 PM CDT in Houston Astros News


Tom Gorzellany	Woody Williams
0 - 0, 0.00	0 - 0, 0.0

The Astros have not opened the season by getting swept in a three game series at home since 1993, when Terry Mulholland, Curt Schilling, and Danny Jackson led the Phillies to back-to-back-to back road victories over an Astros team that would finish with 85 wins.

Hopefully we're saying the same thing next year this time, hopefully Woody comes up-with the goods, as he did in his last ST tuneup vs. the Royals.

Call me naive, but, excluding Lidge, whom I feel is a special case, I have no issues at all with the bullpen. I have confidence in Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls and Rick White had a nice debut last night as well, don't you think?

To start freaking out about "THE BULLPEN!" as some are doing is not only a little premature, it confuses the 2006 track records of Qualls and Wheeler with that of Lidge.

We already saw that Dan Wheeler hadn't given up two runs in an inning before last night since the first part of June 2006, and focus this morning seemed to be on the fact that he nearly didn't last night either, since he may have been jobbed on that pitch to Paulino.

Wheeler is simply an elite set up man; I want him out there when it matters.

And Qualls gave up some shots in '06, sure, but he ended 2006 just fine, more than fine, actually.

I expect both Wheeler and Qualls to rebound from these bumps to start 2007.

Jason Lane will get the start again because of Luke's elbow, and it will mark the first time that Houston has gone with, rather than against, the platoon split in right field. Doing it wrong has worked out so well so far, I just hope the mojo we've got going in right isn't ruined.

* * *

A recurring computer problem has called into question my ability to post a game thread tonight. Time will tell, but if I'm not around tonight, it's not 'cause I don't think y'all aren't really swell people . . . .

0 recs | 89 comments

Comments

Qualls/Wheeler

I'm not so sure about those two.

Springer meant an awful lot to the bullpen.

Laurence Simon - April 4, 2007 reply

Springer

I disagree. I thought Springer was the worst in our pen last year. He always had trouble finishing guys and there was a reason why he usually came in the game when were down by a lot.

In terms of our big three in the pen I have the most confidence in Wheeler. He is the most consistent and gives up the least amount of homeruns. It was bad last night that Wheels gave up the go ahead runs but two of those hits were cheap. Nady's go ahead single was a blooper and the hit that started the rally was a bunt (by Jack Wilson) for crying out loud. The only bad pitch that Wheeler made was to Paulino, which unfortunately occurred with a runner on second and two outs.

My whole issue with the pen is how Garner gave Lidge the job outright in Spring Training. Why? Lidge lost his job TWICE last year and at the end Wheeler was the closer. Lidge did nothing this spring to indicate that he was ready to close so in my opinion Garner erred in making lidge the closer off the back again. At the very least it shoulda been a closer by committee to start the year or Garner shoulda made it Wheeler's job to lose while having Lidge fix himself as a 7th inning guy.

I am also a little concerned with overworking the pen. We know this pen will be used a lot when Williams, Wandy, and Sampson pitch so it is important that Oswalt and Jennings to try and get 7 innings in every time. Of course, a lil offense will help take pressure off the pen too.

We will see. Lets just worry about not getting swept by the pirates.

Big Puma - April 4, 2007 reply

While we're talking about the go ahead hit..

last night...I wondered if that bloop runs scoring single might have been caught if Willy T is in the game? It would have been a tough catch...but he had a ton of "out of zone" catches (most in the ML's, according to HT stats). I'm not bringing this up to complain about the trade; but, given the general view that the Astros' outfield defense will be worse this season, I think it is legitimate to keep some mental tabs on when our pitchers have been hurt by OF defense which is worse than last year. Overall--and yes it is only 2 games--so far the outfield defense has looked pretty good. I haven't seen any goofs by Lee or problems with Burke. But that may be an example where Wheeler might have been saved by a running or diving Willy T last year.

clack - April 4, 2007 reply

And Willy T would fit in nicely

at the plate for these Astros, what with his .111 batting average so far, along with his .200 OBP.

bwhite2323 - April 4, 2007 reply

Home Runs Allowed by Relievers in 2006

Just so it's handy.

Name                    IP   HR    HR/9 
Dan Wheeler            71.3   5    .631  
Dave Borkowski         71.0   8   1.014 
Chad Qualls            88.7  10   1.015 
Brad Lidge             75.0  10   1.200 
Trever Miller          50.7   7   1.243 
Russ Springer          59.7  10   1.508 
Mike Gallo             16.3   3   1.653 
Fernando Nieve         96.3  18   1.682

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