Richard Zowie's NFL Football fan blog

Seems like every time I write the Astros off as done for the season, they ruin my blog posting by going out and winning a few games. Well, who am I to mess with a successful formula? So, with that...

...The Houston Astros are hopeless. They have no chance. They. Will. Fail. That. Is. All.

There.

Houston, on the strength of a two-game winning streak, is now 56-59 on the season after beating the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 yesterday in 10 innings. Hunter Pence's two-run home run in the 10th helped provide the cushion, as did Carlos Lee's 2-run double. A not-terrible pitching performance by Randy Wolf was wasted into a no-decision as reliever Chris Sampson couldn't hold the lead. C'est la vie.

Wolf, it should be noted--earned a total of nine strikeouts in the game. He struck out six Reds batters and then struck out three times in three appearances at the plate.

Continue reading "Using reverse psychology with the Astros"

My family and I went on a camping trip this past weekend up north in Alpena, Mich. No place to blog there. Back to business...

Maybe I should gripe about the Astros and write off their season more often. Granted, Houston's four-game win streak ended tonight with an 11-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs, but now Houston is 54-58 and in fourth place in their division. The streak included a sweep of the New York Mets, something Houston hasn't done in years.

Will it be enough for post-season play? I'm still not optimistic.

Continue reading "Houston Astros update, sorry about the hiatus"

We already know they can't be called the Supersonics because Seattle still holds the rights to that. I would've liked to seem the team choose a name that reflects the Native American culture of Oklahoma...perhaps the Cherokees. But even if the Cherokee officials gave their blessing, it would still be too politically incorrect.

My mother grew up in Oklahoma, and I remember two things about the visits there: the red dirt and my mom's talk about the tornadoes. I also like the name Oklahoma rather than Oklahoma City, since OKC regionalizes the team too much. With that, here's my suggestion:

Oklahoma Tornadoes

Team colors: Red, pewter and white

Pewter, a metal made mostly of tin with trace amounts of copper and antimony, is described as a "dirty silver".

Continue reading "What to name the new Oklahoma City NBA team?"

Roy Oswalt is now 20-1 in 24 career starts against the Cincinnati Reds, courtesy of his rust-shaking win against the Reds. The Houston Astros won 5-4, perhaps Oswalt's only blight was a third-inning two-out grand slam by Adam Dunn (who got his 30th home run on the season). Astros third baseman Geoff Blum answered in the bottom of the third with a two-out home run of his own--this one a two-run shot that turned out to be the go-ahead runs for Houston.

Oswalt, who had been on the 15-Day Disabled List with a strained left hip abductor (don't ask, I'm neither an orthopedist nor a hipologist), threw 74 pitches over five innings. I like to think his pitching woes this season have stemmed from poor mechanics from injuries like this. His line on the night: 5 innings, 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk and five strikeouts and 1 home run. His season ERA is 4.67.

Continue reading "Roy O reaches winning level in season record, Astros edge out Reds 5-4"

First, the good news: Houston defeated Milwaukee Sunday 11-6 to take the rubber game of the three-game series. Third baseman Geoff Blum hit two home runs for Houston, which seems to have a knack for beating the tough teams while struggling against the wimpy ones. What's more, newly-acquired lefthanded pitcher Randy Wolf went 1-2 at the plate and even scored a run.

Now the bad news: Wolf lasted only 4.1 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs while walking and striking out three. Let's hope this was one of those rough starts early on. I keep wondering why Houston isn't using trades to acquire draft picks and minor leaguers.

Tonight, Houston begins a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Roy Oswalt, who's been out with injuries, goes out to the mound to try to recover some of that magic.

Continue reading "Astros take another series, Wolf less than stellar in debut"

Amazing thing. Houston starts off the second half taking two of three from the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs, causing some think that maybe good things were in store.

And then reality came crashing down. Houston was swept by fellow cellar dweller Pittsburgh, today losing 8-7. Houston is now in sole possession of last place in the division. Only the most optimistic (and perhaps high) Astros fans would really believe the team has a shot at the post season. Not with starting pitching that's getting torched, and not with Roy Oswalt's struggles. Not with Jose Valverde blowing saves. And not with the offense suffering its typical decades-long battle to get clutch hitting.

True, Houston at 46-55 is only 12.5 games out of first, but I just don't see it happening.

It may not help much, but I'd love to see Houston at least LOOK good. How about a return to the orange and blue? Let's say, a modern twist on the sixties shooting-star uniform. Right now, when you consider the ugliniess that is the Astros' current uniform, the blue hats with the white H superimposed over the orange star looks pretty good. Shallow, yes, but there's little else to get excited about.

Continue reading "Astros are becoming the LAstros with series sweep at hand of Pirates"

...Not too bad a way to start the second half by taking 2 of 3 from the Chicago Cubs. Too bad the loss was a 9-0 shutout...

...The Astros and Pirates seem to be playing hot potato with last place. Last night, Houston blew a 9th inning 3-2 lead when Jose Valverde went out and threw batting practice when he was supposed to be saving the game. Valverde's line on the game: a third of an inning pitched, five hits, six earled runs, one walk, no strikeouts and two home runs. He's now 4-3 with a 4.86 ERA. Both teams left a combined 25 runners on base.

...Wandy Rodriguez now longer feels lonely, now that the Houston Astros have added another lefthander to the starting rotation. They've acquired lefty starter Randy Wolf today from the San Diego Padres. Wolf, 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts this season, was acquired for minor league righty Chad Reineke.

Continue reading "Astros briefs"

Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade is said to be seeking late-inning bullpen help for Doug Brocail as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. Those of us who spend entirely too much of our lives following the MLB know that any players traded for after the deadline are ineligible for postseason play.

Is that really something Houston should concern itself with? Granted, they've won their first two games in the second half against the first-place Chicago Cubs, but does anyone really expect Houston to still be playing in October? Sorry for the pessimism, but I don't.

Instead, I feel that Wade (whose name sounds eerily similar to the late hapless filmmaker Ed Wood of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame) should trade away a veteran or two that probably won't be re-signed anyway and get as many prospects as possible. Restock the farm system. Plan for 2009.

Continue reading "What will the Astros do as the trade deadline approaches?"

Yes, I know I'm being a terrible sports fan, but I didn't watch the all-star game. We don't get Fox very well from our house, but even if we did, I'm not sure I would've watched. Besides, the game has become a popularity contest, one that just doesn't interest me. The only thing exciting about it now is that the winner will get homefield advantage in the World Series.

This year, again, it'll be the American League. I think the last time the National League won an all-star game, General Washington and his troops were posing for that iconic portrait of themselves crossing the Potomac River.

Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada, who went as an alternate, went 2-3 with a stolen base and run scored. Lance Berkman went 0-2 but had a sacrifice fly.

What I found to be a little amusing is that two ex-Astros pitchers got roughed up. New York Mets reliever Billy Wagner pitched a third of an inning, giving up two hits and a run. Brad Lidge, who'd been reborn with the Philadelphia Phillies, took the loss in the game as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two hits and one run.

Continue reading "Post All-Star game thoughts"

Well, Lance Berkman didn't win the home run derby last night. No worries, though. MLB.com's Alyson Footer reported that Berkman, who strongly hinted he'd bat right-handed, chose to go left-handed possibly because of Yankee Stadium's short right field fence.

I can imagine the 390-foot left field power alley probably factored in as well. Yankee Stadium is said to be a bad career choice for power hitters with "power alley" power. Whereas most MLB power alleys are no more than 375-380 feet from home plate, The House That Ruth Built's left and right field power alleys are 399 and 385 feet, respectively. The left and right field foul poles are 318 and 314. Minute Maid Parks' foul poles are 315 and 325.

When Yankee Stadium first opened 85 years ago, left and right field power alleys were 456 and 429 feet from home plate.

Continue reading "Berkman loses home run derby, makes a splash"