In a way, it's like the old Borscht Belt routine where the diners complain simultaneously about how terrible a restaurant's food is "and such small portions."
The Astros' starting pitching hasn't been good of late, and the outings have come in such small portions that it's straining a bullpen that's hardly meant to withstand it.
Unlike at the restaurant, the small portions aren't a mitigating factor. There is a value to eating innings, even somewhat below average ones, and the inability to do so has led to the Astros putting up back-to-back months of ERAs of 7.03 and 6.49.
On Friday night, the bullpen was recovered with a day off and the addition of Mickey Storey as a fresh arm, but Armando Galarraga made it the eighth consecutive time an Astros starter has not pitched more than six innings, throwing 51⁄3 bumpy ones in a 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
In addition to being second-to-last in the National League in starters' ERA, the Astros are 12th of 16 in innings pitched per start. It's a statistic that's not going to be helped by the loss of Wandy Rodriguez and probably won't be impacted by J.A. Happ's departure as he was a high-pitch-count type.
Houston Astros
Record: 14-33
5th in American League West
Home: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Capacity: 43,836
5th in American League West
Home: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Capacity: 43,836
Galarraga erratic in Astros' latest loss to Braves
Houston Chronicle 8/04/2012
On the heels of a six-game losing streak and a 2-7 road trip, the Seattle Mariners will make an expected and needed roster move sometime today.
Catcher Jesus Montero will be sent to Triple A Tacoma, while catcher Jesus Sucre will be selected from the Rainiers. Double A back-up catcher Brandon Ban
Rafael Betancourt walked down the clubhouse hallway without a limp, the most obvious sign that he wasn't going on the disabled list.
His right groin required only an anti-inflammatory injection, and after two days of rest he should return to his closer role for Colorado at San Francisco.
For a
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, in an appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show, said that the Red Sox have talked at various points with outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury about the possibility of something other than a one-year deal. However, each time, the team and player elected to agree to a one-year contrac
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Lohse will miss his next start because of elbow soreness, Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Wednesday.
His place in the rotation Saturday vs. Pittsburgh will be taken by Mike Fiers, a starter last season who is working out of the bullpen this year. Fiers was pa
When Marlins manager Mike Redmond finished his injury update before batting practice Tuesday, he smiled.
“We’re starting to move some dirt,” Redmond said. “That feels good.”
Yes, the Marlins are getting healthier — and thereby moving some dirt.
On Wednesday, slugger Giancarlo S
Chase Utley took his first swing in batting practice Tuesday and it did not feel right. He took a second hack, then another, and one more. That is when he went to Charlie Manuel and told the manager his right side hurt.
"It definitely scared me a little bit," Utley said Wednesday.
Depending on
Zack Wheeler was “rusty” in his return to the mound for Triple-A Las Vegas yesterday, but improved as his start in Des Moines, Iowa, progressed.
“Honestly, nothing was working real well for me today,” the Mets’ top pitching prospect said after surrendering three runs on five hits, inclu
In a less-than-shocking twist late Wednesday, the White Sox named John Danks as the starting pitcher for their next game.
Danks, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since May 19, 2012 after he had season-ending shoulder surgery last Aug. 6, is set to pitch Friday night when the host White Sox open
Jaime Garcia, out. Jake Westbrook, out. Chris Carpenter, still out. And the Cardinals’ rotation rolls on, no matter what Memphian is added.
Lefthander Jon Gast, who features a changeup, has won his first two big-league starts in relief of Westbrook. Lefthander Tyler Lyons, a curveball specialis
The Astros don’t just appear to be playing better baseball. They are.
A 3-1 victory against Kansas City on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park gave the Astros a series win versus the Royals and a 4-3 record in their last seven games.
Righthander Jordan Lyles guided the Astros (14-33). The 22-year-
On Day 9 of a nine-day trip, and with a Memorial Day weekend showdown against former manager Terry Francona awaiting their return to Fenway Park, the Red Sox could’ve been dragging before last night’s game.
So, Clay Buchholz exhausted his playlist to keep the clubhouse lively.
But if the R
When morale was at its lowest, approximately 46 hours before Delmon Young smashed yet another home run, Charlie Manuel attempted to justify his faith in this Phillies lineup. It was Monday, the atrocious Miami Marlins had just confounded his offense, and Manuel clutched at words.
"The history of
Francisco Liriano said he worked hard this offseason to perfect a tweak in his delivery. Manager Clint Hurdle said he has watched a lot of tape and still can't see a difference.
The difference in the results, however, is undeniable.
Liriano has been dominant this season and continued that earl
C.J. Wilson got two quick outs to start the game, then served up a walk and a single and suddenly, his head was swimming.
"I thought I was going to pass out in the first inning," Wilson said. "I didn't feel good today, I ate too much pasta last night or something. When you throw the ball as hard
Two rain delays, a comical home run for Miguel Cabrera and another unusual start by Justin Verlander.
The Tigers splashed past the Cleveland Indians 11-7 on Wednesday night to complete a two-game sweep of the first-place Tribe.
They waited out delays of one hour and 50 minutes to win it.
Th
What a difference two days made for the Orioles. After their rotation looked battered and their closer teetering, they won their second straight game on Wednesday night, and looked forward to watching their phenom, Kevin Gausman, debut on Thursday.
Thanks to Jason Hammel’s 6 2/3 innings, the Or
The ball flicked off Ian Desmond’s bat in one motion and started on its path toward right field. Bryce Harper broke into a sprint from second base. As Harper slid into home and Hunter Pence’s throw to the plate sailed just wide, a collective sigh of relief from the Washington Nationals seemed to
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly criticized his team and benched All-Star right fielder Andre Ethier, then watched Los Angeles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-2 Wednesday.
Mattingly, in the third and final year of his contract, discussed his club's lack of mental toughness and said he wanted a balanced
Decisions, decisions.
Braves rookie sensation Evan Gattis was poised and ready at the plate Wednesday afternoon, working with a 3-0 count and the bases loaded. The question was, when the next pitch came over the plate, where was he going to put it?
Over the right-field wall was Gattis’ answe
Manager Mike Redmond has been relying on a cheat sheet of sorts during his pregame press gatherings. It’s a list of the Marlins’ injured players and where they stand in their rehab programs.
It might have gotten lengthier.
Starter Kevin Slowey departed Wednesday’s series finale against t
In a season where seemingly every bump and bruise suffered sends the player to the disabled list, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he is supremely confident Hiroki Kuroda won’t be sidelined by the bruised right calf that forced him out of last night’s game.
“I would be shocked if he couldn
After postgame comments in which he reportedly criticized Bryce Harper’s positioning in right field, Rafael Soriano insisted he isn’t upset with Harper for a play in the bottom of the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 4-2 10-inning loss to the Giants.
With two outs and a runner on first, Harper ch
Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda was removed midway through the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Orioles. Kuroda appeared to favor his back after giving up a single to first baseman Chris Davis.
There was no diagnosis immediately available.
Earlier in the night, Kuroda was hit on th
Just as it has done so many times before, Ryan Madson's comeback attempt has taken another unexpected twist.
"Hopefully it's just a little glitch," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't think it's anything major, but he needs to get over this. He's close, as we said. Hopefully it's just a product
If the Blue Jays are going to turn around the disappointing start to their season it will be on the back of Jose Bautista.
While he is not a vocal captain and demurs at the suggestion he is anything but one of the guys, Bautista showed once again on Wednesday night that he will lead this team with
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