Houston Astros @ Arizona Diamondbacks GameThread, Apr 28, 2008 9:40 PM EDT

Gameday Thread, #26: 4/28 vs. Astros

by Jim McLennan on Apr 29, 2008 1:11 AM EDT

Houston Astros @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Chris Sampson
RHP, 1-2, 6.38

Dan Haren
RHP, 3-1, 3.03

Baseball-Reference.com preview [opens in new window]

Hey! We're not facing the NL West! This'll be a nice change: after more than three weeks straight of seeing our rivals every day, Houston will pose a nice change of pace and a touch of variety. Hopefully Haren will bounce back from his first poor outing of the season, where he failed to escape the fifth inning. The Astros have struggled a bit of late, losing back-to-back games against the Cardinals after winning six in a row, to slide back below .500 this year. Should be about for most of this, though we have a LOT of stuff to catch up on, so we will see how it goes!

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soco's keys to the game

1) Pour one out for my homies of the morning drive show on 103.9 “The Edge:” Chuck Powell, Colin Boyd, Drew Hutchinson, and Cori James, who all were fired for Adam freakin’ Carolla.
2) Go to dance lesson
3) Come home and whip up some dinner
4) Watch “How I Met Your Mother” (What will be fall out of the Barney/Robin?)
5) Catch the last half of the game

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 28, 2008 8:44 PM EDT 0 recs

6) Dessert?

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 28, 2008 8:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Cake?

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll never tell!

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 28, 2008 8:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

you're slipping Soco

you almost forgot about Dessert—I’m worried you’re being pulled in too many directions

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I know

I thought of it right as I hit “post.”

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 28, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

will let you off this time

but let’s not mess with the early season karma, ok?

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

People still listen to "The Edge"?

That’s so junior high.

by dahlian on Apr 28, 2008 8:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Did the Edge even exist when you were in junior high

or was that back when it was still AOR format in the 60s? ;-)

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 28, 2008 9:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wait… There are other teams in baseball besides the NL West? Crazy!

It’ll be nice to have some new faces to play. We’ll get to find out which perception is true- are the Diamondbacks really that good, or is the NL West really that bad?

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 8:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Very good point

We need this now to test our true abilities and make sure we still line up well with the rest of the league!

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 8:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, I’m hoping the next few weeks might help salve some wounded pride across the rest of the division.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 8:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

And then, of course, we can bring them right back down to earth when we play them next. =)

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

Indeed. Part of me is very happy to bid farewell to the NL West. I mean, the Dbacks did really well and all. But still, I am very ready to see a different team. Having said that, I will not be able to watch any of these games against Houston. I won’t be home tonight, tomorrow night or Wednesday afternoon. Alas. I will have to wait for the weekend to actually see the DBacks face another team.

by SongBird on Apr 28, 2008 9:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

I’m pretty sure that, top to bottom, the NL West is the toughest division in the NL. We’ll start to see over the next few weeks though.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

So I haven't heard much on Valverde lately

since he blew a couple saves a week or so again—has he rebounded? Is he still the go to guy? Could we see Papa Grande on the mound tonight?

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:06 PM EDT 0 recs

He got a save a few days ago, so it looks like he’s still the closer.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

another BLOWN save

would be nice this evening – although I’ll take him coming in for a “bull-pen” session having us up by 8 runs as well

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

I’m hoping he won’t have any save situations this series.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

+1

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 9:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

He's about to be featured on the pregame show

His stats are decent… he’s had a few saves and a couple more Ks, no runs for a while.

I’m confused.. Yahoo shows him having a Blown Save and a Win on April 22nd, yet no earned runs – not ANY runs – and no hits, only one walk. How the hell does that happen?

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Inherited runners and a sacrifice fly, looks like.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ohh that's true

Duh, I forgot about inherited runners!

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

sac fly -- that makes sense

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

I wonder if

he came in and inherited runners—and then maybe an error occured?

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

could be a wild pitch, a bases loaded walk, balk, missed third strike by the catcher, a run scored on an error, run scored on a fielder’s choice or fielder’’s interference.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah

He allowed 2 inherited runners to score. That’s how he didn’t technically allow any runs, but got the blown save.

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 9:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

Lineup - the usual...

Young
Byrnes
Hudson
Jackson
Reynolds
Upton
Drew
Snyder
Haren

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:06 PM EDT 0 recs

nice to see J-Up

back in the line-up—hopefully just a cramp and nothing more

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Jupton

hoping to see him own it up tonight. Man that kid is gonna be huge.

"Troops in desperate straights know no fear. Where there is no escape, they stand firm; When they have entered deep, they persist; When they see no hope, they fight." Sun Tzu The Art of War

by Turambar on Apr 28, 2008 9:09 PM EDT 0 recs

Wow - Zito going to the bullpen

it’s officially hitting the fan in San Fran

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:17 PM EDT 0 recs

Is that true?

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, soco posted a fanshot about it.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wow!

That’s a very expensive RP.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

Also: hilarious.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

Oh totally. :)

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yep

It’s everywhere this evening. Apparently Bochy hinted at it post-game yesterday.

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

You know

I was listening to a bit of Cincinatti @ St Louis on XM just now. This is the first time these two NL Central teams have played this year. First time! And it feels like we have played everyone in our division a dozen times already. Sigh.

by SongBird on Apr 28, 2008 9:23 PM EDT 0 recs

Those guys are high.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standings

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

oops my bad, I didn’t see the part about “these two teams”.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

The NL Central does have one more team than the NL West…

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Giving away the DVD set on the pregame show

Aahh… I want I want… but I don’t have a cool WS story to tell Jim… :P

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:24 PM EDT 0 recs

Didn't say it had to be true :-)

One of the ones posted over at DBBP will be getting an honorary mention, even though I have one or two doubts about its factual veracity, shall we say!

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

when is the deadline for our contest?

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

End of the month

I just bumped it back to the front page of the Fanposts.

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

crap - I better get writing!

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

It doesn't have to be true?

What if you know it’s not true but it’s a good story anyway?

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

NOT that I'm saying I'll do that ;-)

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Fine by me.

As long as I don’t know it’s not true. :-)

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

I would tell the story about

how I had the opportunity to go see the World Series game two, but the love of my life, my first and only love, the alpha and the omega, the Catherine to my Heathcliff, yin to my yang, fox to my hound – wanted me to have dinner with her and her family that night because she would be going out of town the next day.

I was seventeen and a hopeless romantic. I acquiesced. The dinner was excruciatingly boring and we didn’t get to spend any time alone afterwards. She dumped me a few weeks later.

by dahlian on Apr 28, 2008 9:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

and I add...

but I don’t think it’s what Jim had in mind.

by dahlian on Apr 28, 2008 9:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Injury update

BoMel saying Micah’s next start depends on his bullpen session tomorrow. There’s an off day, they could skip him.

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:27 PM EDT 0 recs

hmmmm

good opportunity to give Scherzer a start? why not?

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Have to go to rehearsal now. Good luck DBacks!

by SongBird on Apr 28, 2008 9:30 PM EDT 0 recs

Those other guys:

K. Matsui 2b .282
M. Bourn cf .195
M. Tejada ss .340
L. Berkman 1b .322
C. Lee lf .260
H. Pence rf .253
M. Loretta 3b .227
J.R. Towles c .200
C. Sampson p .000

What a sucky pitcher. His BA is .000

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:35 PM EDT 0 recs

he definitely

couldn’t play for the D-backs

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

two pitches, one out.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:40 PM EDT 0 recs

niftey little play by Wolf.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:42 PM EDT 0 recs

1-2-3. A very nice quick 1st for Danny boy.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:43 PM EDT 0 recs

1-2-3

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 28, 2008 9:43 PM EDT 0 recs

nice start

1-2-3

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 9:44 PM EDT 0 recs

lead off single for CY!
Let’s get to ‘em early and often.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:47 PM EDT 0 recs

Well, that didn’t work out the way I wanted it to.

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

Beep! Comment bot.

Byrnes pops out. Beep!

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:48 PM EDT 0 recs

I am somewhat confused...

Friday’s game report appears to have made a recent return to the top of the front page – however, accompanied by Saturday’s Win Probability Graph! Have we gone through a timewarp of some kind? I’d like to know, since if so, I have to head back to Los Angeles again and continue avoiding the water. ;-)

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Hmm...

I thought I only put up Thursday and Sunday’s graphs… I didn’t think I mislabled them? I’ll check lol!

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ah-hah...

I sense a ripple effect and ‘Skins hand, as Saturday’s recap makes its way towards the light… :-)

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

The hand of God, or 'Skins' hand?

Nah. Mine. I accidentally edited the wrong recap. The damage has been undone, I believe, though.

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 9:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

I also had to update the dates on the others

to keep everything in the right order, because I had accidentally updated the date on the recap. So, the gameday threads will be out of order, but the stories will be in chronological order.

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 9:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah. it's kinda confusing...

Everything since Friday night’s recap looks out of order at the moment. We go straight from Friday’s thread, to Saturday’s thread. I’ll tidy up everything after tonight’s game is over…

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 10:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sounds good.

I tried to find a quick fix so nobody would be TOO confused….

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 10:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

I see an error with actually Thursday's game report

that I couldn’t post until Friday. Somehow the fangraph got messed up. I’ll fix it. :)

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Oh you're right Jim

Dang it’s weird when the author stays by someone (me) when it’s not mine, lol!

by snakecharmer on Apr 28, 2008 9:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

Don't blame me,

I volunteered to ease your staff of recap burdens…

by dahlian on Apr 28, 2008 9:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

So it was YOU

Who knocked out ‘Skins internet… :-)

by Jim McLennan on Apr 28, 2008 9:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

dahlian, you SON of a....

"Juan Cruz has Freddy Krueger stuff. Welcome to Elm Street." -- Mark Grace

by DbacksSkins on Apr 28, 2008 9:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

http://idiotsyncrasies.com/uploaded_images/DocBackToTheFuture-740310.jpg

by foulpole on Apr 28, 2008 9:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

GREAT movies

by dstorm on Apr 28, 2008 10:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

Running

In my opinion, Grace is right about BoMels calling for steals more often. We do have very agressive baserunning, thanks to Gibson, but I have no doubt we have three guys that can consistently steal 30 bases in CY, Byrnesie, and J-Up, and BoMels need to utilize their strengths more.

by LucaMaz3 on Apr 28, 2008 9:51 PM EDT 0 recs