then hoped that Corpas could nail it down while I was sleeping. Guess not, but props to everyone on the east coast who made it to the end.

My question is, what pitcher are we calling up from AAA today that still has an arm attached to his body?

I fell asleep after the ninth, woke up at quarter to 3 when the consultant on my drilling called with bad news, I figured I would see who won the game only to discover it was the top of the 22nd inning. I walked over to my computer watched the end on mlb.tv and went back to bed.

yes I do feel like less of a man

Lifelong Astros fan here. 46 years of epic fail, as they say on this blog, except for 1 year when we made the WS with our steroid/HGH pitchers.

The Astros are in a world of hurt, so the Rox playing them on no sleep should make it an even contest.

Kaz Matsui hasn’t made an appearance, yet. They’re calling him “The Ghost”. His rehab from anal fissure surgery was interrupted by back problems. Supposedly he may play his first game tonight vs. the Rox. How fitting.

His replacement, Loretta, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Rox 2B job if Nix can’t hit.
(And he apparently can’t.) Don’t go there. Loretta, who I think is 38, has all the range of Craig Biggio in his later years, which is to say none. He’s 40-yr-old Biggio without the occasional power. The Rox should go through Barmes, Baker & Q before trying something like Loretta. Actually, it’s looking like Barmes is may be the answer.
Would you send us Q to use next time Matsui goes on the DL … which will undoubtedly be soon?

The ‘Stros picked up 3 veteran reserves for “depth” this last offseason: Loretta (resigned after he couldn’t find a starting job anywhere), Geoff Blum and Daren Erstad. All have had to start some due to injuries, and all are batting in the .230s or thereabouts with very little power.

Hunter Pence, last year’s rookie star who was competing with Tulo & Braun for ROY honors before hurting his wrist (note: that’s RoxGirl’s theory on what messed up Ian Stewart’s swing, so Pence may be Exhibit B), is having a season that makes Tulo’s start look like Barry Bonds or someone. Pence is in an awful funk. Outside breaking balls are eating him alive.

Then there’s the bullpen. Villareal, acquired from Atlant to be the main set-up guy, has been horrible. Valverde, of D-back’s fame, has been the worst relief pitcher in the Majors, bar none. Blew a 3-run 9th inning save opp. in the first game of the Phils series. (Second time he’s blown a 3-run 9th inning lead. Got an undeserved win the first time he did it when the Astros scored 1 in the bottom of the 9th.) Replaced by 40-yr-old Doug Brocail in the 2nd game. Inserted in the 8th inning of Game 3 yesterday to try to work out the kinks, since ‘Stros were already down 8-2. Boom! 2-run jack, and Valverde’s ERA is up around 15 or something. He’s been blasted every single time he’s pitched. At present, he’s a classic head case.

I have a new nickname for him: the Jorge Julio of Houston. (It’s alliterative, at least.) Right now, Houston fans would trade him for Julio, even up, and I’m not joking.

New catcher (JR Towles) has been hurt. Ty Wigginton (3B) is on the DL. Matsui hasn’t showed yet. Roy Oswalt was MIA for 3 games w/ a 9.00 ERA until the real Roy O. showed up in Philly, just like the real Francis showed up last night in SD. Rox miss Roy O. this series, so that’s a blessing. I think you do get Shawn Chacon … who threw 8 scoreless innings in his last outing.

And Tejada, our best player so far, lied about his age.

It’s a matchup of 2 teams struggling to hit & score runs. It could go 21 innings tonight & I won’t be surprised.