Look, it's about figuring out who is best for the 2009 Astros, it's not a playoff run. I'd rather the Astros tank it now than do what the Brewers did and tank it in October. So right now we're figuring out who maybe doesn't necessarily fit this club.
That said, the Astros lost to Atlanta today and now are 1-10-1, their lone win coming on the opening day of Spring Training. They do that come April 6, and they're already 6 games back.
The Braves collected seven runs on thirteen hits, and with two errors by the Astros, that adds up to a 7-4 loss. The Astros got six hits: Bourn, Boone, Gall, Bogusevic, and two from Jason Smith. Let's look at some ugly stuff...
Kaz Matsui is hitting .056
Mark Saccomanno is hitting .063
J.R. Towles is hitting .083
Carlos Lee is hitting .111
Aaron Boone is hitting .111
David Newhan is hitting .176
For the pitching run-down today vs. Atlanta:
Geary: 1IP, 2H, 2ER, 2BB, 1K
Paronto: 1IP, 2H, 1ER, 1K
Byrdak: 1IP, 2H, 1K
Moehler: 4IP, 4H, 4R (1ER), 2BB, 3K
Valverde: 1IP, 2H, 1BB
Brocail: 1IP, 1H
Berkman and Saccomanno had the errors, while Bourn stole his 5th base of the season. Again, let's keep this in some perspective. I'm afraid Cecil Cooper is going to blow his O-Ring before the World Baseball Classic comes to its meaningless end!
"This is bordering on ridiculous," he said. "Am I getting concerned? Yeah, I am. I don't have answers for you, this was the veterans today. We weren't that good, but it's on me to get it right, so we'll get it right somehow."
Do you worry that Coop might lose the Astros before the season starts?
And in minor-league news, the Astros made some moves, optioning Brad James to Round Rock and sent Jason Castro, Brian Esposito and Sergio Perez to minor-league camp.
"Castro had been real impressive here, and we felt it was time to send him over there so he could get a lot more work," Cooper said. "James and Perez are guys we like, but they seemed to be a little overwhelmed by all this stuff."
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
