Carlos Lee And Berkman Extend Astros ML Leading GIDPs To 147

Feel the excitement!!! The Astros have grounded into a league leading 147 DPs and have 7 more games to at least tie the NL record of 164. They could have easily reached 148, but Geoff Blum was denied his 10th GIDP of the year when Joey Votto forgot to make sure that he was stepping on the base when he received his relay throw from Janish. Geoff jumped up and down and screamed at the ump, but to no avail. He was safe.

It didn't start off so badly. Paulino got through the first inning on 12 pitches, giving up only a double to the LF bullpen to Votto.

Then Bourn led off with a single and promptly stole second. Miggy hit a single through the 5.5 hole. And there we are, men on first and third, no outs, Berkman and Lee coming up. What could be better, right? Well, Lance hits a bullet to first, Votto throws home, catches Bourn in a rundown. Bourn is catching Bad Baserunning from Pence. But anyway, we have men on first and second, 1 out, surely Clank will smell those RBIs, right?

HECK, no. He smells the GIDP record and obliges with a nice 6-4-3.

Now mind, the Astros are NOT facing some ace pitcher, they are facing Justin Lehr, the #5 guy and his 5 something ERA. Man, I am TIRED of this. And, as usual, we put the usual team of tired Old Guys out there. Don't ask me why. Not that any of the rooks would do much of anything after weeks of sitting on their dead asses, seeing if they can understand the best ways of refusing to look at any pitches, swinging at crap and grounding into double plays.

Where was I?

Oh yeah. Top of the second, Paulino trots back out. He gets Bruce out on an easy grounder, then gives up a single to Juan Francisco (he's a rookie. Yes, that's right. Looks as if Dusty Baker got over the hatred of playing rookies which defined his career as Giants and Cubs manager. He's even playing Drew Stubbs over Willy Taveras, preferring the better player, even though he isn't oozing veteran goodness.) Then he hangs a slider to slugger Laynce Nix, who swats it into the upper deck in right.

Reds 2 Astros 0

I'm wondering right about now if the probablilty of the Astros coming back to win this game is any greater than the probability that Brad Ausmus will call me in the next 5 minutes to tell me I am the hottest chick EVAH.

Where was I? Oh yeah. So with 1 out, Corky Miller singles (remember him? He's the guy the Reds refused to trade to the Mariners all those years ago for Junior Griffey because they were sure Corky was gonna be the next Johnny Bench, or something - him and Pokey Reese, the next Joe Morgan...) then the pitcher bunts to Berkman, who throws out Miller, who just might could run slower than my 6 year old. Stubbs walks, then Janish hits a bullet to Blum, who makes a great scoop and throw to just barely get him at first.

Bad.

BADBADBADBADDDD pitching. He's lucky to have escaped with only 2 runs being given up. He doesn't seem to have particularly good control of the FB or the slider.

Hunter Pence hits a FB over the Conoco Pump in the bottom of the second to draw the score to 2-1.

But that is about as good as it gets. Paulino goes to 1-2 on Votto, but then Quintero keeps calling for Paulino to throw pitches outside the strike zone - 3 of them, in fact, and Votto merely stares disdainfully at them and trots down to first. Then Phillips singles to left. Then Bruce is up, goes to 2-1, then AGAIN Quintero calls for pitches outside the strike zone. And Bruce doesn't so much as twitch until he trots down to first.

Bases loaded, no outs.

I'm shaking my head as I look at Husband, and he's shaking his head, too. Paulino goes to 1-2 on Francisco (the rookie - did I mention that Dusty Baker is playing 2 rookies instead of Old Guys) and then throws a low FB, mid calf, which Francisco hits into right for a 2 run single. Nix hits a sac-fly to left. Clank makes a terrible throw - the guy has the limpest arm in the NL OF, on par with Juan Pierre. So much for large muscles = strong throwing arm. Miller GIDP.

Reds 5 Astros 1

This game is OVAH. And Clark is not about to pull the Old Guys and send in the rookies, no sirree. Husband and Brother are very VERY carefully not saying anything. I sigh, get up, tell them to go ahead and watch the stupid football game and I'm taking the youngest kids over to my girlfriend's house for a clothes exchange. I'm not missing anything and I can fast forward through the remainder of the carnage when I get back home.

And what did I miss?

Well, Paulino struck out the side in the 4th. Votto led off the 5th with a double to left - Clank husteled to get it, for once, but as I said, he has a terrible arm and Votto beats the throw easily. Phillips flies out to deep center and Votto goes to third. Bruce hits a double, scoring Votto, Francisco grounds out, then Dave Clark, channelling Cooper, decided to IBB Nix and have Paulino pitch to Miller. BAD idea, as Paulino struggles to find the strike zone, and when he does, throws a fat one right down the middle and Miller hits a double to the bullpen.

Miggy hits a solo homer in the 3rd. In the 5th, pinch hitter Maysonet singles (yeah, he deserves to be benched, fans don't want to watch his sorry ass hit .300, play great defense and take pitches), Bourn walks, Miggy singles Maysonet in, then Lance GIDP and Bourn scores. WAY TO GO LANCE!!! Clank grounds out - and I want yall to know that it would have  definitely been a GIDP ball had Lance disappointed the crowd by walking.

Brocail throws a 1,2,3 6th, Byrdak throws a 1,2,3 7th - he did give up a walk, but then picked the runner off, Gervacio strikes out the side in the 8th, giving up a double to PH Kevin Barker (another rookie - what is going on there???!!!) and Fulchino gives up a 2 run homer to Bruce in the 9th.

In the 8th, Miggy doubles, Lance singles. So we have men on first and third, no out again. Isn't that WONderful? No, because Clank satrikes out swinging at a pitch way out of the strike zone, Blum misses out on his GIDP, then Pence grounded out.

Astros lose 10-4 again.

It's Wandy vs Johnny Cueto tomorrow afternoon for the final home game of the season.

Yes, I'm going.

What can I say? I would really REALLY like to see Wandy win the last home game and I would like to see the Old Guys like, you know, TRY to win.

But I'm not holding my breath. Will be interesting to see if anyone besides me is wearing a Wandy shirt or jersey...