Friday, April 08, 2005

Jose And The Pussycats

Jose Vidro left little doubt about who'd be taking home the much-coveted Majority Whip Award in yesterday's game. (Despite another 4-hit game by the Kentucky Masher)


Jose's tie-breaking homer in extra innings added to his earlier Sac fly and RBI single.

Other notes from 'watching' the game on the radio...

--Brad Wilkerson's amazing. Another four hits, and at one point he had 7 in a row.

--Esteban Loaiza looked solid early, but tired quickly. After barely escaping the 6th with a tie score, he inexplicably was allowed to start the 7th, with predictable results. If Frank Robinson had done the smart thing and pulled him after 6, instead of trying to milk another inning out of him, it would've been a solid performance.

I can't really fault him for the 7th inning results. He shouldn't have been out there in the first place.

--The bullpen looked solid again. Joe Horgan walked another batter, which isn't a good sign. But, in his defense, he's mostly faced Bobby Abreu and Jim Thome, two of the most patient hitters in the league.

Chad Cordero ripped through the Phillies in the 9th and 10th. I was impressed that Frank had the foresight to bring his closer in in a non-save situation. All too often managers will leave their closer on the bench for a save situation that never comes because their 5th best reliever is giving up the game in the bottom of the 9th. Kudos to Frank for that!

But.... The whole reason that he had to use Cordero in that situation is because he stupidly didn't doubleswitch when he brought Luis Ayala in for the 8th inning. The pitcher was due to bat second in the top of the 9th, yet he didn't make the extra move. As a result, Ayala was only available for one inning.

It worked out this time, but you need to increase the odds of winning every chance you get. Frank isn't going to stumble into good fortune every time.

--Tony Blanco should NEVER come to bat against a power pitcher like Billy Wagner. I couldn't see it, but I could picture it in my head, and it was damn ugly.

--Wil Cordero injured his knee and was DL'd (Couldn't have happened to a nicer wife-beater). The Corpse of Carlos Baerga takes his place, and will probably get some pinch-hitting atbats. Egads.

--They claimed RHP Travis Hughes off the waiver wire yesterday. Your guess is as good as mine. (Along with the Baerga promotion, we're now at the 40-man roster limit.)

--Special Hubster-baiting comment: Joe Horgan stinks!

2 Comments:

  • I don't mind Horgan... I was just trying to get a reaction out of you ;) It almost worked!

    Like I said in my posting, the wildness scares me a little bit, but it's hard to tell if that's him, or the batters he's facing.

    ___
    Yuda,

    Thanks for the Hughes update. That he was released by Texas was enough info for me. I mean, that team's still employing Chan Ho Park for Christ's sake!

    By Blogger Chris Needham, at 4/08/2005 2:10 PM  

  • Oh, I see how it is. You write a few blog entries and you start getting all uppity about it!

    You'll see soon enough. It's easy to do the heavy lifting at first (Where were you when I was reviewing all the roster invitees, huh? ;) )

    But, eventually, you'll be sucked down into having your readers do all the work! ;)

    By Blogger Chris Needham, at 4/08/2005 2:40 PM  

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