KTE on the Astros

[Guest Edgy DC]

Kase said he was bailing so we might have to all collaborate on this one. Add to it and then specifically call out for what you want to follow.



Houston is 10th in the 16-team league in runs scored per game (Mets 12th) and seventh (Mets 11th) in runs allowed. They have had a crap start and have impressively climbed in the standings. The Mets started well and have depressively sunk. Sunk. Stink-stank-stunk.

Tonight: Santana vs. Hampton.

Two big-ticket Met lefthanded acquisitions go tonight.

Hampton has scratched out five wins so far this season, but four of them have come against the Pirates. He's otherwise doing a definsible job this season with a 4.63 ERA. The best you can say about him these days is that he keeps the ball in the park, giving up 0.8 homers per nine. Not bad for a guy who calls Houston home. So don't look for the Mets power to re-assert itself tonight somehow. It could happen, but don't look for it.

Johan Santana has an amazing changeup that can stop time, repair relationships, revive Mason Reese's career, and pass serious meaningful health care reform.

If you'd like to add to that, do. Else, tell me about Saturday's matchup, Ortiz vs. Niese.

[metirish]

I can't believe it's 9 years since Hampton was a Met....nothing else.

[Guest Kong76]

Thanks, I stole some of this from the Astros press notes.
------------------

Yes, the Astrodome has been closed for ten years.

Fri: LHP Dolphinface (5-7, 4.63) vs. LHP Johan Santana (11-7, 2.92)
Sat: RHP Russ Ortiz (3-4, 4.33) vs. TBA
Sun: RHP Brian Moehler (7-5, 4.92) vs. RHP Livan Hernandez (6-5, 4.93)

The Astros have won 5 of their last 6 series, 12 of their last 15 series, plus a 4-game split at LAD, and improve to 17-12-2 overall in series play this season, including 2-5 in series sweeps.

The Astros have won 11 of their last 14 games at home...the club owns a .692 winning percentage (18-8) at Minute Maid Park since June 1, the 2nd-best winning pct. among NL teams at home in that span.

[Farmer Ted]

I wanna hold em' like they do in Texas, please
Fold em' let em' hit me, raise it baby, stay with me
Luck and intuition play the cards with spades to start
And after he's been hooked i'll play the one that's on his heart

Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what i've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what i've got

Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my DOLPHIN face
Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my DOLPHIN face

D-D-D-D-Dolphin face, D-D-Dolphin face
(mum mum mum mah)
D-D-D-D-Dolphin face, D-D-Dolphin face
(mum mum mum mah)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Wanted to school 'em like they do in Denver, dude
My back won't let me, f*ck me, f*ck this altitude
Mazzone rode me and I played my Brave-ly part
But Altchek took a look-- my elbow had no cart

Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get you hot, show you what i've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, noooo, nohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
Then I will clot, my tendons get shot

Pay for my, plan on my
Oh, you'll be paying for my ELBOW pain
(Can't) predict my, get dicked by
Recurrent flares of my ELBOW pain

E-E-E-Elbow pain, E-E-Elbow pain
(mum M-R-I)
E-E-E-Elbow pain, E-E-Elbow pain
(mum M-R-I)

[bmfc1]

KTE from Adam Rubin:

Series preview: Mets at Astros
July 24, 2009

METS (44-50, 4th place/NL EAST) at ASTROS (49-46, 2nd place/NL Central)

Friday: LHP Johan Santana (11-7, 2.92) vs. LHP Mike Hampton (5-7, 4.63), 8:05 p.m. (SNY, WFAN, WADO)

Saturday: LHP Jon Niese (0-0, 5.91) vs. RHP Russ Ortiz (3-4, 4.33), 7:05 p.m. (PIX11, WFAN, WADO)

Sunday: RHP Livan Hernandez (6-5, 4.93) vs. RHP Brian Moehler (7-5, 4.92), 2:05 p.m. (SNY, WFAN, WADO)

***

ASTROS SHORT HOPS
First baseman Lance Berkman (.273, 18 HR, 55 RBI) landed on the DL on Thursday with a strained left calf muscle, which he injured on the bases last week at Dodger Stadium. Berkman had only been on the DL one other time in his 11-year big-league career, when he started the '05 season on the DL following winter knee surgery. Infielder Edwin Maysonet was promoted from Triple-A Round Rock. Maysonet, 27, has the curious distinction of having a significantly higher average in the majors (.315 in 54 at-bats) than minors (.241 in 137 at-bats) this season. � Darin Erstad, the replacement for Berkman at first base after his injury last week, quickly landed on the DL, too, with a strained left hamstring. Infielder Matt Kata was promoted. As a result, ex-Phillies catcher Chris Coste has started four of the past five games at first base. Coste originally was claimed off waivers from the Phillies on July 10 as a third catcher, behind Ivan Rodriguez and Humberto Quintero. With Philadelphia, Coste�who didn�t debut in the majors until age 33�had appeared in five games (three starts) at first base since 2006. � Left fielder Carlos Lee has 296 career homers. He�d become the third Astro to reach the 300-homer plateau this season with four more, making Houston the first franchise in major-league history to have three players reach that level in the same season. Berkman and Rodriguez are the other two to reach the plateau in �09. After going five games without an RBI, Lee has two homers and nine RBI in his past four games. � Rodriguez set the MLB record for most games caught with No. 2,227 on June 17 at Texas. Rodriguez wears No. 77, because his former No. 7 is retired by the Astros in honor of Craig Biggio. � Mike Hampton is 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA against the Pirates this season. He�s 1-7 with a 6.21 ERA against everyone else. � Right fielder Hunter Pence represented Houston in the All-Star Game but went unused. He had a two-run homer Tuesday off St. Louis� Todd Wellemeyer, but is hitting .216 since June 30. � The Mets miss the two hottest arms in the Astros� rotation: Wandy Rodriguez has won five straight starts, while Roy Oswalt has an NL-best three complete games. In July, Rodriguez leads the majors in wins (4-0) and ERA (0.62, minimum 25 innings). They each have personal catchers: Pudge with Oswalt, Quintero with Wandy. Oswalt nearly tossed a fourth complete game Wednesday. He had tossed only 79 pitches when he departed after seven innings, with the Astros needing a pinch-hitter trailing by two runs in what became a 4-3 win. � Since losing to San Francisco by a combined score of 22-0 on July 3-4, the Astros are 11-4. � Closer Jose Valverde led the majors in 2007 with 47 saves as a Diamondback. Then, after getting dealt for Chris Burke, Juan Gutierrez and Chad Qualls after the season, he had an NL-best 44 last year. Valverde has reemerged as the closer and has 10 saves this season after missing 41 games through June 13 with a right calf strain. LaTroy Hawkins stepped in with Valverde absent and has 10 saves. � Righthanded reliever Alberto Arias (2-0, 1.38 ERA) has not allowed an earned run since May 20 against Milwaukee, spanning 25 innings. � Projected to be a strength out of spring training, the bullpen had been decimated by injury, including losing Doug Brocail, yet has performed well. Jeff Fulchino has joined Arias in pitching strongly, including a 14 1/3-inning scoreless streak from May 23-June 14. Fulchino has tossed at least three innings four times this season. Chris Sampson (4-1, 3.02 ERA) also had been unsung, yet he�s now on the DL, too, with right shoulder spasms. Brocail (left hamstring strain) is making rehab appearances but is not projected to return this series. � Righty-hitting ex-Met Jeff Keppinger (.269, 3 HR, 15 RBI) is platooning with switch-hitter Geoff Blum at third base. � Kaz Matsui is playing with a tender hamstring and bothersome right knee.

***
Santana vs. Astros (lifetime, 2-0, 0.98):

Miguel Tejada .324, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 34 AB
Carlos Lee .313, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 32 AB
Geoff Blum .267, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 15 AB
Hunter Pence .200, 5 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .194, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 36 AB
Jeff Keppinger .182, 2 RBI, 11 AB
Kaz Matsui .167, 6 AB
Jason Michaels .043, 1 RBI, 23 AB
Chris Coste .000, 8 AB
Matt Kata .000, 3 AB

***

Niese vs. Astros (never faced)

***

Hernandez vs. Astros (lifetime, 9-5, 4.25):

Jason Michaels 1.000, 2 AB
Hunter Pence .571, 2 RBI, 7 AB
Humberto Quintero .500, 2 AB
Miguel Tejada .375, 1 RBI, 16 AB
Jeff Keppinger .333, 6 AB
Matt Kata .333, 3 AB
Geoff Blum .292, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 24 AB
Kaz Matsui .286, 1 RBI, 35 AB
Carlos Lee .250, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 12 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .235, 1 RBI, 17 AB
Chris Coste .000, 3 AB

***

Hampton vs. Mets (lifetime, 10-10, 3.19):

Jeff Francoeur .500, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 AB
Fernando Tatis .438, 1 RBI, 16 AB
Brian Schneider .400, 1 RBI, 5 AB
Luis Castillo .364, 2 RBI, 44 AB
Gary Sheffield .259, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 27 AB
David Wright .231, 1 HR,1 RBI, 13 AB

***

Ortiz vs. Mets (lifetime, 9-7, 5.20):

David Wright .545, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 11 AB
Cory Sullivan .400, 10 AB
Gary Sheffield .385, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 13 AB
Luis Castillo .267, 45 AB
Alex Cora .214, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 28 AB
Brian Schneider .167, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 18 AB
Fernando Tatis .167, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 12 AB
Angel Berroa .167, 1 RBI, 6 AB
Jeff Francoeur .143, 7 AB

***

Moehler vs. Mets (lifetime, 2-5, 3.60):

Alex Cora 1.000, 1 AB
David Wright .385, 1 RBI, 13 AB
Brian Schneider .250, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 12 AB
Jeff Francoeur .222, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 9 AB
Fernando Tatis .200, 5 AB
Cory Sullivan .000, 1 RBI, 4 AB
Luis Castillo .000, 2 AB
Daniel Murphy .000, 2 AB

[Frayed Knot]

I've been down around Houston Texas where the sun shines most of the time ...




Friday: 8:00 Santana vs Hampton
Saturday: 7:00 Niese vs Ortiz (3 - 4; 4.33)
Sunday: 2:00 Hernandez vs Brian Moehler (7 - 5; 4.92)

This team's been off my radar screen for a long time now that it's surprising to look up and seeing them do reasonably well.
Coming off a 3-game spanking of the Cardinals

C - mostly Pudge Rod. Still a bit of pop, still walks about twice a month
1B - not Lance Berkman at the moment as he probably OD'd on jelly doughnuts (not exactly Joe fitness). Backup catchers playing there tonight.
2B - Kaz Matsui - humming along at levels approaching mediocrity
SS - Miguel Tejada - having a nice season for a guy who was almost deported. He's another non-walker but he doesn't K either
3B - Geoff Blum - a switch-hitting bowl of averageness
LF - Carlos Lee - nice player though not worth $100mil
CF - Michael Bourn - Lg leader in steals has apparently learned how to get on base. OBA-ing at 70 points higher than last year
RF - Hunter Pence - Spy-novel name w/a decent bat who still runs and plays RF like an un-tamed colt. Not exactly in charge of bringing the potato salad to the next MENSA meeting if you catch my drift.

Pitching:
We miss their best in both Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez
Pen consists of Jose Valverde, LaTroy Hawkins and 5 guys named Joe who look like they're collectively doing OK

Houston injuries:
Aaron Boone
Doug Brocail
Chris Sampson
Lance Berkman

[Farmer Ted]

Here I sit
My ass a'Flexin
Giving Birth
To Another Texan

[G-Fafif]

Most Memorable Mets @ Astros Moments, Off The Top of One's Head
--1986 NLCS, Game 6, every bit of it, 10/15/86
--24-inning 1-0 loss, 4/15/68
--Seaver's final Mets appearance (until 1983), 6/12/77
--Piazza blasts one off Wagner to tie it in the ninth, Hundley follows up in the eleventh for the win at the end of intense series, 9/16/98
--Piazza blasts one off Dotel to tie it in the ninth, taking a win away from Clemens; Phillips wins it on homer in 13th, 5/16/04
--Floyd slams Oswalt, fuels fire between them, 5/14/04
--Beltran's 14th inning dive and catch on Tal's Stupid Hill, Mets win in 17, 7/7/07
--Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout, of Danny Heep, 7/11/85
--Mets get jobbed on bogus 15th inning safe call at end of Cooter's weekend, lose 9-8, 7/20/86
--Darryl Kile's no-hitter, 9/8/93
--Fonzie goes 6-for-6 in 17-1 rout, 8/30/99

Honorable mention to whenver Lindsey Nelson sat in the gondola high above the Astrodome; whenever mosquitoes attacked at Colts Stadium; and Piazza (I'd like to think) tipping off A.L. batters to Clemens' pitchers in the 2004 All-Star Game.

[MFS62]

Don't forget that kid John Paciorek, brother of a long time major leaguer Tom, who went 3 for 3 against the Mets in his only major league game in the early 60's, then never again played in the majors. He "retired" with a career 1,000 BA.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think Lindsay's visit to the top was on the Mets first visit to the dome.

Other big moments include the rest of that 1986 series, Dwight Gooden's debut, and Mike Torrez braining Dickie Thon.

The Mets, if I recall correctly, lost a ton of games in Houston during the Torre era.

[G-Fafif]

The '86 series I got, but Doc and Thon (same series)...of course. El Sid made his debut on the second trip in in 84, I believe.

[G-Fafif]

Mets at Astros, 1969: 0-6. Outscored 37-13.

[G-Fafif]

="Edgy DC":1ib2bd4y]The Mets, if I recall correctly, lost a ton of games in Houston during the Torre era.[/quote:1ib2bd4y] EDIT: Mets Managers under the Astrodome, where it was never pretty: Casey Stengel 0-6 Wes Westrum 8-13 Gil Hodges 9-18 Yogi Berra 11-10 Roy McMillan 1-2 Joe Frazier 3-3 Joe Torre 7-22 George Bamberger 3-6 Frank Howard 1-2 Davey Johnson 19-20 (though 2-1 in NLCS) Buddy Harrelson 4-5 Jeff Torborg 3-3 Dallas Green 5-13 Bobby Valentine 8-9

Kong76 Jul 24 2009 06:56 PM

The booth informs us that the Astrodome isn't actually closed and there are people living in the 8th Wonder of the World! I should have said it was the 10th anniversary already for Enron, er, I mean Minute Maid Park.

Gwreck Jul 24 2009 07:33 PM

Nice of the Astros to return the favor and put their best player on the DL when playing us. We got swept in Houston last year, including Wagner's last Met appearance to date, which was really the beginning of the bullpen debacle.

[Guest Kong76]

The booth informs us that the Astrodome isn't actually closed and there are
people living in the 8th Wonder of the World!

I should have said it was the 10th anniversary already for Enron, er, I mean
Minute Maid Park.

[Gwreck]

Nice of the Astros to return the favor and put their best player on the DL when playing us.

We got swept in Houston last year, including Wagner's last Met appearance to date, which was really the beginning of the bullpen debacle.